French MAT 49 Sub-Machine Gun

  • Firearms Thru History
  • 1 min

By Crusader1307

A Factory, machine stamped (mass produced) weapon designed for The French Army after World War II, The MAT-49 was also adopted by The French Foreign Legion and Paratrooper Forces. Weighing 9-pounds, The MAT-49 was 39-inches long. It featured a retractable wire rear stock. The MAT-49 was a “blowback” operated Sub-Machine that chambered a 9mm round. It featured a 200-yard effective range. A primary weapon with French Colonial Forces during The Indochina War of the 1950s, many hundreds were captured by Viet Minh Forces. These were later modified  with Soviet assistance into firing 7.62mm rounds. The MAT-49 was a standard weapon with NVA and VC Forces during The Vietnam War. The MAR-49 and it’s variants would continue in The French Military until 1979.