This video explores a rare French firearm prototype, the MAT 1955, a short-recoil, tilting bolt, gear-ratio-delayed rifle. Developed as a potential improvement for the MAS 1949, it chambered the 7.5x54mm cartridge and utilized 20-round detachable magazines. The video details its open-bolt firing mechanism and a later iteration in 1956 that reduced weight by incorporating aluminum. Despite its innovative design, the rifle was ultimately unsuccessful and not adopted by the French Army. The presentation acknowledges a correction regarding the gear ratio's function, clarifying its role in bolt acceleration for reliable cycling, drawing parallels to systems in the Browning M1917/1919 and Lahti L35.
This video delves into the history and development of the MAS 44, a French semi-automatic rifle. It details the long bureaucratic process that delayed its creation, the trials it underwent, and its timely arrival just before the 1940 armistice. Despite being hidden from German forces, the project was revived after liberation, with production beginning in late 1945. The MAS 44 featured a direct gas impingement system and a tilting bolt, praised for its ruggedness and simplicity. It was initially adopted by the French Navy, with only 6,200 units produced before being succeeded by the MAS 1949. The video notes that most surviving MAS 44 rifles were eventually surplussed to the United States, where their rarity is often overlooked. The description also promotes a book titled 'Chassepot to FAMAS: French Military Rifles 1866-2016'.
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