Weapons of The French Army 1914 -1960

Many of the weapons in use by the French Army in 1914 were developed from the end of the C19th. The French had since the Franco-Prussian War of the 1870s been in constant search for the ideal small arms. Many were developed but the obsession of having systems unique to France often led to compromises having to be made.

8mm Lebel ammunition and the Mannlicher clip system

Following the end of the First World War in 1918 part of the reparations demanded by France was the unconditional use and manufacture of the Mauser strip-clip system. Finally with the last piece of the puzzle in place the French arms industry was able to capitalise upon its excellent weapons designs without compromise.

Cutaway diagram of the MAS36

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__Rifles 1914 - 1922

Machineguns 1914 - 1922

_Grenades 1914 - 1922

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__Rifles 1922 - 1945

_Machineguns 1922 - 1945

_Grenades 1922 - 1945

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__Rifles 1945-1960

Machineguns 1945-1960

_Grenades 1945-1960

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