Post by cookie on Feb 26, 2009 10:26:00 GMT -5
I've put this thread here to share information I've managed to find on this particular variant of the MAS rifle. Feel free to add any photos or words. If anyone has any corrections let me know via private message and I'll edit it.
Manufacture d'armes de Saint-Étienne fusil modèle 1936 de lance grenades 1948.
At the end of World War Two it was decided that the MAS36 needed to be updated with a permanently attached grenade launcher. Up until that time it had been fitted with the detachable 'Tromblon VB' which was a cup shaped attachment dating back to the First World War. It was felt that this arrangement was unsatisfactory in that as the cup was detachable it could all to easily be lost or misplaced. The cup launcher itself was also incredibly heavy and unbalanced the weapon when firing normally.
The weapon developed to fit the new requirements was the MAS36/LG48. It was introduced in 1948 and, coincidentally enough, fitted a 48mm grenade.
The newly incorporated features were a post 1945 open foresight, a side mounted aiming arm, which could fold up when being fired, and a basic range finder, in the form of a sliding ring, which fitted round the barrel and could be adjusted by a side mounted roller.
The rifle continued many of the standard features of the MAS36 such as the cruciform spike bayonet, stored reversed, under the end of the barrel.
The rifle was introduced in Indochina sometime around 1949-50 although from researching the serials of weapons most were produced between 1950-51 and were conversions of standard MAS36 rifles that were being factory refurbished. These are denoted by the addition of "LG48" stamped on the side of the magazine chamber above the serial number. The original production LG48's feature only standard stampings.
In theatre the LG 48 was found to be a satisfactory rifle in that the addition of the launcher to the weapon did not unbalance the weapon to any great degree. It was however, very rudimentary and the aiming of the grenades was failry innacurate.
This weapon design was improved and was produced in the form of the MAS36/51 which entered service in 1951-52. This was largely due to the need for a standardisation of NATO armaments. (NB- The new '51 rifle was designed to launch NATO 22mm rifle grenades, although continued to fire the French-only 7.5mm rifle cartridge.)
The LG48's continued in service until each individual weapon was returned to storage for refitting or refurbishing. At that point the weapon would be either upgraded to the '51 variant or would be retro fitted back to being a standard MAS36.
Some LG48's continued in service in Indochina after 1954 in service with the Vietnamese, Laotian and Cambodian armies. Others saw very limited service in the early years of the Algerian war.
Manufacture d'armes de Saint-Étienne fusil modèle 1936 de lance grenades 1948.
At the end of World War Two it was decided that the MAS36 needed to be updated with a permanently attached grenade launcher. Up until that time it had been fitted with the detachable 'Tromblon VB' which was a cup shaped attachment dating back to the First World War. It was felt that this arrangement was unsatisfactory in that as the cup was detachable it could all to easily be lost or misplaced. The cup launcher itself was also incredibly heavy and unbalanced the weapon when firing normally.
The weapon developed to fit the new requirements was the MAS36/LG48. It was introduced in 1948 and, coincidentally enough, fitted a 48mm grenade.
The newly incorporated features were a post 1945 open foresight, a side mounted aiming arm, which could fold up when being fired, and a basic range finder, in the form of a sliding ring, which fitted round the barrel and could be adjusted by a side mounted roller.
The rifle continued many of the standard features of the MAS36 such as the cruciform spike bayonet, stored reversed, under the end of the barrel.
The rifle was introduced in Indochina sometime around 1949-50 although from researching the serials of weapons most were produced between 1950-51 and were conversions of standard MAS36 rifles that were being factory refurbished. These are denoted by the addition of "LG48" stamped on the side of the magazine chamber above the serial number. The original production LG48's feature only standard stampings.
In theatre the LG 48 was found to be a satisfactory rifle in that the addition of the launcher to the weapon did not unbalance the weapon to any great degree. It was however, very rudimentary and the aiming of the grenades was failry innacurate.
This weapon design was improved and was produced in the form of the MAS36/51 which entered service in 1951-52. This was largely due to the need for a standardisation of NATO armaments. (NB- The new '51 rifle was designed to launch NATO 22mm rifle grenades, although continued to fire the French-only 7.5mm rifle cartridge.)
The LG48's continued in service until each individual weapon was returned to storage for refitting or refurbishing. At that point the weapon would be either upgraded to the '51 variant or would be retro fitted back to being a standard MAS36.
Some LG48's continued in service in Indochina after 1954 in service with the Vietnamese, Laotian and Cambodian armies. Others saw very limited service in the early years of the Algerian war.
