I was at my local Cabelas yesterday and was looking around their gun library, and came across a French MAS 49 chambered in 7.5X54 in the case. It is not a typical rifle to run across, and the handful I've come across over the years were all 49/56 models.

I took it out of the case to examine it and realized it was a French contract 49, not a Syrian! I ended up purchasing it for $499, which I thought was a really good deal. It is numbers matching and in excellent condition. It does not appear to have been fired by the previous owner. There is still what appears to be preservative grease or cosmoline in the barrel, as well as in the action and on the recoil spring.

I had always wanted to purchase a MAS 49 or 49/56 but haven't seen one locally in probably 8 years or more. I wasn't going to let this one pass.

After I got home, I was doing some reading on the French contract MAS 49 and it appears that only a handful were ever imported. I read on several other forums that Century Arms only imported around 265 of these, and sold them all to AIM Surplus. AIM then sold them to the public. Does anybody know if these numbers are correct? If so, that is quite a rare rifle to come across.

I ordered up 200 rounds of Prvi 7.5X54 ammo and look forward to taking it out to the range. I will be sure to strip the rifle down completely and clean all of the cosmoline/preservative grease out of it, especially the firing pin channel. Don't want any slam fires or burst fire going on!

I will get some pics up later today.

Primus just had a thread where he won one on GB... $1100, which was a good deal.... $500, you stole that one...Cabella's done fucked up on that one...

Good score, not a common gun at all....pretty rare in fact...

Can't wait to see pics

$500 is a steal for that rifle, as said. They're regularly pulling over $1k any more.

And yes, something less than 300 of them here in the US; an unspecified number survive in France (though how many of those are functional vs. deactivated is a real question), and that's pretty much it for surviving French '49s anywhere.

I'd love to come across one.  Especially for $500!

Pics please!

Alright, here are the pics I just took. I wanted to take them outside in my back yard, but we have people over right now cutting down one of our trees.













It's hard to make out, but it is stamped CAI and Made in France on the scope mounting rail

I did come across this statement on another board. Mine does not have the grenade launcher on it, so may be pretty rare. Also, this one does not have an arsenal refinish stamp anywhere on the receiver that I can see, the rectangle with a two digit code showing the year that it was refinished.

Five bills is a steal, even without the grenade launcher assembly. I paid $900 for mine and it was well worth it. Fantastic rifle.

Good score OP!

If you ~$600 floatin' around, the APX L308 3.8x scope is a great buy. Very clear glass and a rugged scope. I've shot mine upwards of 700m. Keep yer eyes peeled for the grenade launching assembly. I've seen them pop up from time to time.