Mad Minutes: French MAS 36 7.5x54mm

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Both The Chap and The Bloke try their hands at a rapid fire unlimited mad minute with a MAS 36 in 7.5x54mm French.
This one was rather fun. Also includes a discussion about charger clip automatic ejection at the end.

[@arisukak]

You discovered the actual beauty of the MAS36 design: how cheap and simple it was to produce. A bolt action doesn't have to be complicated to make.

[@duanesarjec6887]

In Wild Wild West J Conrad used a golden Mas 36 CR 39 the graal of the survival rifle

[@quentintin1]

the MAS 40 and derivatives won't eject the clip, but for different reasons. the bolt carrier is carrying the "charger bridge" so when you release the bolt, the carrier fly foward with the clip and smashes it in the receiver, which destroys the clip and makes it a pain to pull out (don't ask how i know that)

[@djwoody1649]

Keep em' coming, the best of your content is bullets and banter!

[@asphaltmemories4597]

Do a carcano, those bolts can be either decent or dragging a piano through sand.

[@thebotrchap]

Matthew Fauria If you follow us on FB you’d know a carcano is indeed in the works 😉

[@australian3308]

Had around 5 MAS-36's from 1940 untouched through to the 50's final runs. All shoot o-K, but nothing spectacular (though the 1940 outsshot any of the refurbs/last runs I had - really top notch quality) - kind of like a SMLE . You need to use a Swedish M96 (NOT a Husqvarna, but a Carl Gustaf or Oberndorf) in a test one day. Those ALWAYS make me smile (says the guy sitting here doing an annual oil of a superb tiger striped walnut shooting competition prize - with silver presentation plaque - 1906 CG in oh-so-pristine condition). Thing shoots minute of fly testicle at 100 to 400 metres, if my now middle aged 1x oculars can stop watering :)

[@woooshmeifurmumdroppeduasa3375]

I love these videos I have no bias towards any rifles and neither do the chap and the bloke which is a massive reason why I like them thumbs up 👍

[@leighrate]

Bloke, stop stroking that MAS like it's a tres chic mademoiselle. Otherwise Miss E is going to get EXTREMELY upset.

[@slaughterround643]

more like tres thicc amirite?

[@crekow]

Hey, guys. Maybe you can beat Ian McCollum to doing a mud test on the MAS 36?

[@j.yossarian6852]

Sacre bleu!

[@BicyclesMayUseFullLane]

HERESY!!!

[@lordsummerisle87]

Switzerland legislated itself mud-free 200 years ago. Bloke and Chap would have to do some sort of fondue-based torture test.

[@andreahighsides7756]

Lilac Tortoise cant tell if srs

[@50StichesSteel]

Seems like a pretty damn good rifle. I bet soldiers world wide would have love to have a bolty like this rifle during the great wars and up until the korean war eras...Yeah those clips were used onced and pitched

[@culloden23]

I just picked one of these today!

[@wilsoncalhoun]

2:51 Jesus, man. There's children watching.

[@SubZero_NH3]

Good video!

[@johnparrish9215]

Just for Shits and Giggles, I would love to see someone do the mad minute with a .577 Snider.

[@Mike-vk3mb]

Great economically designed rifle, shame about sights, but currently trying to find a non smithing scope mount. Really enjoyable to shoot and reload for.

[@TheWirksworthGunroom]

I guess it's what you're used to but I would find a target shooting jacket of that type quite restrictive for rapid fire. Good video, it's a;ways surprising that the MAS 36 isn't more popular but then people generally have old military bolt actions for interest more than performance.

[@BlokeontheRange]

These aren't like the British ones - you've got a lot more free movement.

[@BlokeontheRange]

The Continentals understand that a jacket is merely to hang the sling loop, elbow and recoil pads on rather than be a piece of S&M gear... no point in having it tight anywhere aside for for shooting standing.

[@Albukhshi]

@@BlokeontheRange Are these jackets required on the ranges? In case I every find myself on a range in Switzerland.

[@ancientmariner7473]

Great thanks for that - wanted to see one of those shoot

[@marinusjansen9139]

Very nice!

[@glockerbob]

I want one... They are so different looking.

[@cheesenoodles8316]

Nice to see the MAS 36 in action.....always seemed the action good for fast manipulation. Would like to see it strech its legs to distance. Only time I had a chance...the Syrian ammo was no bang stuff.

[@finnthecheese2846]

I'm really looking to get either a MAS 36 or a 1903 as my next gun buy

[@djwoody1649]

Hiya, could you update the playlist with all the mad minutes in? We're missing this one and I believe a P14 one? Have you ran your M1917 yet? Great video as always, goes without saying mate, but here I am saying it anyway.

[@johnski4709]

I once had 2 of these Mas 36 rifles, both 1940 mfg, round cartouches on the left side of the stock: one April 1940, one in May 1940. Sold them like an idiot.

[@spudgunn8695]

What do you mean, "continuing our Francophile mad minutes?" This is the first French rifle you've shown! I'm still waiting for the Berthier....

[@thebotrchap]

Spud Gunn It’s a matter of perspective see. To us this wasn’t the first we filmed 😉 The Berthier one is in the release pipeline. The Lebel one will be redone now that I have a better rifle and making sure we have enough ammo.

[@spudgunn8695]

@@thebotrchap so a quick 3 minute check to see what you have already released is to much for you?!🤣 Bloody lazy sods, I don't know, what's the world coming to?!? 😂 Sorry, turned into an Old Git for a moment there......hope you don't take me seriously. I don't!!

[@CAPNMAC82]

I found that the rear sight "wants" to center on the front sight hood--which is not the same as centered on the front sight.

[@KB9813]

With me being 300lb I would love a shooting jacket with the elbow pads. Might have to get some McDavid arm sleeves.

[@3of11]

Best way to fix the tiny aperture = buy a spare rear sight and make use of a drill.

[@thebotrchap]

It’s not quite as easy as that, the rifle will have been factory zeroed with a specific sight leaf out of a standard set. You would need to find the exact same sight leaf if you had any hope of keeping the original zero. You have no way to adjust for windage if you screw your drilling up either.

[@3of11]

I recently found out that they had 25 different rear aperatures (5x5 square). Holy cow I mean I get why (keep the 3rd estate from screwing up the zero) but that's alot more effort than necessary to go through. Most other sights of the era are not field adjustable (mauser, enfield mosin you have to drift and/or change the blades). might have just done the standard dovetail, staked the blade, and attach the full surrounding hood w those non-standard screws = same soldier proof zero w/o wasting 24 extra parts!

[@logitimate]

@@3of11 No waste in mass production; the 24 unused pieces remain available for the next rifle.

[@atomic_wait]

@@logitimate Yep, it's less effort than designing, manufacturing, training troops in the use of, and maintaining a bunch of user-adjustable sights, especially for a rifle that was never really intended for frontline troops. You might wind up with some spare rear leafs by the end of a manufacturing run, but those can be handed off to the armorers I imagine.

[@HDSME]

Omg another ANOTHER! mas 36 vedio this is MAS 36 MONTH I HAVE SEEN LIKE 25 OF THEM MUST SOLD A TON TO SOME DISTRIBUTOR

[@BlokeontheRange]

This video is 4 years old, lol...

[@obdacz]

I wonder how much faster would Bloke be with MAS 36 if he had fired as many shots with it as with Enfields.

[@jeremyhannaford1306]

I would like one.

[@loyp4328]

Another tragic case of MAS murder

[@lordkronos8947]

Too soon.

[@corporalpunishment1133]

I've only ever seen one Mas 36 in Australia the guy let me have a couple shots. It had a really short butt and a really heavy trigger so I found it a bit hard to shoot but owner shot well though.

[@thebotrchap]

Corporal Punishment It is quite short, the French are not generally very tall so I guess it was dimensioned for average 1930s French build. You can extend the stock by putting a rifle grenade recoil pad/cup on the butt intended for the 36/51 and 49/59 rifles. The standard trigger can be a bit stiff and gritty. Simply swapping out the bolt mainspring for a bit of M1 carbine recoil spring (or in my case an old Mauser C96 recoil spring from my bits drawer) softens the trigger nicely. Aftermarket adjustable trigger kits are also available on ‘tinterweb.

[@curious-relics]

How do you feel about the bolt handle on the MAS36? I feel like its one of the most uncomfortable bolt handles ever designed. That dog leg really digs into the base of my thumb. Otherwise it's a very well thought-out rifle.

[@thebotrchap]

MosinDisciple I don’t find it uncomfortable but I could imagine that with extensive use the heavy parkerising could get rough on the hand.

[@robbrunk1214]

Remember, those were distributed as AMMO in the stripper clips. They were designed as a one-use only item.

[@thebotrchap]

Rob Brunk Ammo was not always distributed in stripper clips. I’ve had 50s and 60s ammo packs with 15 rounds stored in a card lattice.

[@NicksgamertagXP]

Could you possibly drill the aperture hole bigger or would there be complications with that?

[@thebotrchap]

In short, yes. See reply to 3of11 below ;-)

[@BeardedNorthBiker]

Please try this with a Krag Jørgensen Rifle

[@mathiasmargot703]

Hey ! You have to do this with a norwegian krag now..

[@WastelandArmorer]

Have you considered trying this with a type 38 or 99 Arisaka. The pre 1943 guns have very smooth actions.

[@thebotrchap]

406GUNNERS Yes, but they are extremely scarce here. I actually hesitated too long and missed out on an T38 quite recently.

[@WastelandArmorer]

The Chap I suppose they would be. What do they run for cost in Switzerland. The ones I’ve got in the States were around $200.

[@thebotrchap]

406GUNNERS $600+ and reloading components would need to be sourced.

[@WastelandArmorer]

The Chap oh WOW that is quite a bit more than they are in the USA. I wish you luck finding one as they are awesome rifles. If you can find one, type 99s have better sights and are easier to feed as you can neck down 8mm Mauser brass and use .311 bullets from 303 British.

[@MrReded69]

I wish they could do mad minute with a Berthier 7.5mm M.34 for comparison someday. Also a MAS 44 using both chargers and mags.

[@thebotrchap]

The M.34 can be arranged. The MAS44,49 and 49/56 however are terrible with clips. It’s a relic of the MAS40 internal magazine and not modified when the magazine was introduced, as such the cartridges have a very large gap to jump between the bottom of the clip and the mag, plenty of space in which to twist out of alignment and screw the reload.

[@MrReded69]

@@thebotrchap can't believe they never corrected that.

[@thebotrchap]

@@MrReded69 I guess they figured everyone was reloading by swapping mags anyway and it’s good enough in an absolute emergency.

[@MrReded69]

@@thebotrchap True! But then I wonder why they only issued 4-5 mags per soldier(1 in the rifle+4 on the belt)going by the M1946 leather web gear and cotton duck TAP gear. Plus, as you and others have noted, the 'clothes pin' mag latch makes it impossible to put more than 1 mag in a belt pouch, unlike a BAR/FAL type mag. Haste in design truly makes waste in materials and inherent design flaws. Too bad the French didn't use the Long .30-06 version of the receiver. Then the FM mag well could have been used easily. Set a 15-rnd version of the FM mag as standard and then use the FM mag during the assault (since every French soldier carried 4-8 of those).

[@pickeljarsforhillary102]

Mad minute M1 Garand vs G43 vs SVT-40.

[@sharkfinbite]

I think it would be a close tie but I would vote svt. this excludes the full-automatic button switch. I could be wrong because they have to do that flip on the mag to lock it in place. We don't have to do this with the m1. It will be a close interesting duel I have no idea who would win

[@SportbikerNZ]

I reckon the Garand could edge it given it self ejects the clip, so no separate movement to remove the magazine.

[@hypedpanther6464]

i think Bloke doesnt want to risk killing himself from the G43 exploding in his face

[@koaiaknl7013]

@@hypedpanther6464 that's not that Common it's ussally with extremely hot ammo

[@koaiaknl7013]

@@sharkfinbite I don't think so the SVT wasn't considered a fast fireing fire unlike the m1 garand which had a fairly fast rate of fire it's even considered the fastest and most accurate semiautomatic rifle of the war also it was designed in Canada but America bought it and sent it to trials

[@mannys9130]

Very interesting guys, thank you. My question is, when you force the bolt forward to eject the empty stripper clip, do those tabs simply bend out if the way to release the clip or do they shear off completely as small chunks of metal? If they shear off, is it a concern that they may fall into the action and cause a malfunction? Were original clips all soft steel, and are those clips in the video original? If you said so, I didn't catch that, sorry.

[@BlokeontheRange]

Explained and shown in the video - they're aluminimum and they bend.

[@thebotrchap]

They kind of get smeared really. Putting the clip in again using the remains of the mashed tabs makes the clip sit deeper in the guide slots and thus even harder to eject and likely bend the entire clip when closing the bolt. If reusing a clip it’s best to flip it around to use the other set of unblemished tabs.

[@PapaSchultz74]

Where is the rubber butpad? They where issued with it and that explains the shorter length of pull.

[@BlokeontheRange]

The rubber butt pad was issued for grenade launching MAS 36/51's, not for general use with MAS 36's.

[@kalaharimine]

Hi Bloke, Is that your Boet

[@ProgunattitudeJR]

I got one rechambered in 7,5x55 Swiss. Had to sell it. One of my eternal regrets.

[@thebotrchap]

Progunattitude JR Shame it’s not over here, I’d buy it 😊

[@Paches92-]

Those exists?! I have a k31 w/plenty of ammo

[@fdsdh1]

soft chargers.... you might say thats the same line of logic of putting a magazine catch on a magazine

[@thebotrchap]

fdsdh1 Relatively soft, you still need to work the bolt briskly to cause the lugs to shear, we’re not talking brass softness here. As to catches, why not when the magazine was not meant to be swapped out for reloading. Didn’t bother the Swiss for 50 years either 😉

[@quentintin1]

@@thebotrchap to my knowledge, the MAS 44 was issued with 4 mags, and the reason for the catch on the clipazine is that the rifle is a modification of the MAS 40 to feed from a magazine, which was made as fast as to try to equip the troops with a new (french) rifle there was the MAS SE. 38/39 à chargeur which was a prototype rifle able to accept 10 round mags or MAC 24/29 ones but it seems that it was not used as a basis

[@LambrettaJet200]

I have not watched all the episodes that you guys put out but do you guys ever do anything with modern weapons or all the weapons 50 to 70 years old

[@thebotrchap]

Lambretta1980 Lambretta1980 Our area of interest is indeed mainly in classic firearms.

[@LambrettaJet200]

@@thebotrchap Okay then that explains it. Thanks for your quick response. I will be watching your show more often.

[@hobidolap]

could you please give me a link for the chronometer used in timing the mad minute

[@BlokeontheRange]

www.doublealpha.biz/ced7000-shot-timer?gclid=Cj0KCQiA88X_BRDUARIsACVMYD9doKYrG9w8ql5wq9z6PWrpg30piJT89EIu4nivlo5PpPmlDzFmPYQaAhKbEALw_wcB

[@3of11]

So this one is pretty clearly better than a Mauser. Call it equal with a k31 and a little below the enfield?

[@djwoody1649]

Mad Minutes STG57 and L1A1 SLR?

[@luzianwasescha6056]

DJWoody i would loan the l1a1

[@DNchap1417]

How does the recoil and power of 7.5 French compare to other rounds like the 308, 7.62 Russian and even the 7.5 Swiss?

[@thebotrchap]

DNchap1417 Pretty much the same recoil as all of the above. As for power, doesn’t really matter then paper punching. en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/7.5×54mm_French

[@BlokeontheRange]

All overpowered for an inf rifle and support wpn. 7.5 French slightly less so than the others.

[@BlokeontheRange]

It's probably the best full-power cartridge of that era though for rifle / support wpn, although 7.35 Carcano has something to be said for it too (although the wpns chambered for it don't...).

[@DNchap1417]

The follow video shows a Montana guy testing 7.5 French. 7C and a muzzle velocity of 840-850 mts. His aim is a bit high because of the unadjustable front sight. Very much 308 and 7.62 Russian numbers. He told me it kicks a bit less than these rounds. m.kzbin.info/www/bejne/rqK6nGyehrqtkLs#

[@dbmail545]

Did the groups shrink because the barrel warmed up or because the shooters settled down?

[@thebotrchap]

dbmail545 Group tightened because I can’t shoot fast for toffee and Bloke is rather good at it 😂

[@danielkaczynski9702]

See. It took a Brit to show a 100% full blooded Frenchman how to give Le Bosch what for!

[@pecosjane]

Curious: what is the target size and range?

[@SinginShooter]

Looks like 3" at 25yds. (80mm bull at 25m)

[@taggartlawfirm]

Francophile? Isn’t that term triggering to Anglophiles??

[@danielkaczynski9702]

Just so; something about "Cheese eating surrender moneys." If it wasn't for the Anglosphere, the Francosphere would be speaking Germanospheric .

[@bradjohnson4787]

That looks like it would be a good hunting rifle. Is it easily re-calibered? No mad minutes for me!

[@kw9849]

Century did some .308 conversions, which are considered pretty terrible

[@otherdalek]

For the price, why not buy a hunting rifle already in the caliber of your choice instead of buying a collectible rifle and modifying it?

[@bradjohnson4787]

Not a collector, a user for hunting.

[@otherdalek]

@@bradjohnson4787 Consider how much you can sell it for in its original state to a collector and then get a hunting rifle that fit your needs (Remington 700s are very nice with lots of aftermarket support AND can be built to do < 1MOA all day). Now compare how much it cost to rebarrel it (can you do it or you will pay someone to do it?). If you are going to pay a gunsmith to put a new barrel, he will not like the threads used by the French. An option will be to do a Century Arms and cut the original, used, barrel and rechamber it to 308. If you live in an area you can go hunting with an AR, why not an AR? If you are realistically limited to 100-200 yards/meters (close enough for the argument) for whatever reason (landscape?), the 300 blackout is a 308 round that fits a normal AR magazine (kinda like the AK round). And you can build one for bolt action only. And you have huge aftermarket support for it. This is coming from someone who is not an AR fan at all. Unless you feel you have to have to convert it to go hunting, it does not make sense in an economical standpoint.

[@jopinofcabra]

"Brute force and ignorance..."? That sounds remarkably like the "B.F.M.I. maneuver" (Brute Force and Massive Ignorance) from Zelazny's "This Immortal". Don't tell me you're a fan of Flanders and Swann AND read Zelazny.

[@thebotrchap]

Brian Hall Flanders and Swan certainly!

[@johnfisk811]

and who could not be a fan of Flanders and Swan? Ah the tale of the Oliviedo......

[@hankefrems9482]

Bloke, you need to explain to the viewers why the rear sight aperture might seem to be "off center" . Be very careful to maintain the exact location if you want to enlarge the opening.

[@hankefrems9482]

OOPS,.... I see the Chap already alluded to this problem,.... my bad.....

[@shotbytim9624]

Interesting to hear the Chap pronouncing "aluminum" the American way...

[@thebotrchap]

Shotbytim 11:55? I say alumin-ium. If I did say aluminum anywhere else then shame on me!

[@Robin6512]

Mag dump: weeeeeh :p

[@benjimenfranklin7650]

The British SMLE is supposed to be the fastest bolt action in the world. In 1917 Thur 1945 anyway.

[@kevinoliver3083]

Don't you mean 1914?

[@benjimenfranklin7650]

@@kevinoliver3083 Actually it's was 1917.

[@taggartlawfirm]

Nice use of the middle finger on the trigger. But isn’t the bolt supposed to clear the empty charger??

[@thebotrchap]

If you watch until the end you’ll have your answer ;-)

[@sstorholm]

Please make a mad minute with a Merkel Helix and/or a Browning BAR hunting rifle (basically a "real" BAR with the gas system removed if I've understood things right), I'd be very curious how they'd compare, since they are both designed for quick follow-up shots if your first shot didn't have enough "effect on animal", so they should have quite quick splits, but reloading would obviously be slower. It would also show how much is marketing hype, which is always interesting. On the other hand, another great benefit of those designs is that without a huge bolt flying backwards at your face, there's less need to remove the scope from your eye, which has obvious benefits in a hunting scenario.

[@antongrahn1499]

I assume the BAR would fare about as well as any other 308 semi auto, depending on the magazine. Mine came with a 4 round one.

[@AMX-30B]

Why does he always wear those weird jackets when shooting? Never used one and never seen anyone use one

[@thebotrchap]

Ryan Gonzo We’re going native, standard Swiss range wear.

[@lordsummerisle87]

"not as stylish as the Enfield" That's the problem with the French -- they have no word for "panache".

[@thebotrchap]

lordsummerisle87 But they do have “élan”, which is all that really matters in modern 1800s warfare!

[@m1911legend]

We literaly have the word panache. Its french

[@thebotrchap]

m1911legend As a 100% full blooded Frenchman, I’m well aware of that 😉

[@danielkaczynski9702]

The Chap is a 100% full blooded Frenchman!? That's odd, you appear to spikka zee Anglais wissout zee ekstrrreem-mehlly annoying ahkt tsent.?

[@99IronDuke]

Not a Enfield and French...

[@thebotrchap]

99IronDuke Your powers of deduction are frankly astounding sir.

[@duanesarjec6887]

You shot more ammo than a french soldier for one year under 200 m shot under the target the frenchies didn't shot under 200 m this is the same thing for all french rifle and a good soldier can shot is target until 400 m , dont forget that the optics came after the war this rifle didnt needed it if you walk some weeks with this gun it will love you and you will see that is a wonderful rifle you will shot a buzzer to 200 m

[@mattpeacock5208]

I think those stripper clips were destined to become battle field fodder by design. Reusing them is like reusing a teabag....just toss it out after one use....then again, if they stop making any specific cheap device, they become worthy of reuse I guess.

[@TheWozWizard]

Don't pick out the clip! Just slam the bolt forward.!

[@curious-relics]

Do not do this. It requires a ton of force to do and you will bruise your hand and permanently destroy the clip in the process.

[@TheWozWizard]

@@curious-relics German Mauser 98 1; French MAS 36 0

[@reddevilparatrooper]

Too bad its not chambered for 7.62mm NATO.

[@thebotrchap]

reddevilparatrooper Why on earth would I want to chamber a MAS36 in anything other than its intended cartridge?

[@mannys9130]

@@thebotrchap Decreased ammo cost and increased availability. I'm with you though Chap; keep rifles chambered in their original cartridge for purity's sake. Modified guns can be found easily though, such as 7.62x51mm Kar98Ks. I think Israel used those Mausers...I'm not sure though. In that case, the rechambering is the rifle's legitimate military history and I'm ok with that. :)

[@reddevilparatrooper]

@@thebotrchap = Well Sir its more obtainable ammunition. 7.5 French is going up in price here in the states.

[@thebotrchap]

reddevilparatrooper I reload it all anyway, doesn’t bother me ;-)

[@reddevilparatrooper]

@@thebotrchapKeep it up Chap! Love watching you guys shoot. It inspires me to shoot my other Mil-Surp rifles. I love my K-31 too. There I will not argue that the 7.5 Swiss is a fantastic round.