This video showcases a rare prototype French MAS-49 SMG chambered in .45 ACP. The description details the historical context of the MAS-49 program as a replacement for the MAS-38, noting that the MAT-49 was the eventual winner. The St Etienne arsenal's lever-delayed design is highlighted, along with the unusual existence of .45 ACP variants. The content acknowledges the IRCGN (Institut de Recherche Criminelle de la Gendarmerie Nationale) for granting access to film this unique firearm.
This video delves into the history and significance of the 1884 Kropatschek rifle, highlighting its role as a precursor to the iconic Lebel rifle. The description details how the Kropatschek, initially adopted by the French Navy, was adapted for widespread French military production by Albert Close. It explains how the experiences at the Battle of Plevna influenced the military's view on repeating rifles, leading to the Kropatschek's adoption. The video also mentions the production by Chatellerault and St Etienne arsenals and its eventual supersession by the Lebel and smokeless powder technology. It notes that approximately 83,000 Model 1884 rifles were manufactured, forming the foundation for subsequent French military rifle designs.
This video provides a detailed look at the St Etienne Mle 1907, France's domestic heavy machine gun. It explains the gun's development stemming from French dissatisfaction with the Maxim gun and the flawed gas trap system of its predecessor, the Puteaux Mle 1905. The Mle 1907 incorporated a gas piston system and was the primary machine gun for France at the start of World War I, with over 40,000 produced. Despite its sophisticated Victorian-era engineering, including a rack-and-pinion system and hydraulically adjustable rate of fire, it proved ill-suited for the muddy conditions of trench warfare. The French eventually replaced it with the more reliable Hotchkiss Mle 1914, though the video laments the sidelining of such a well-crafted weapon.
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