French NATO Standardization: the MAS 49-56 in 7.62mm
This video discusses the French NATO standardization efforts in the late 1950s, focusing on the MAS 49-56 rifle and its attempted conversion to the 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge. Despite the cartridge similarity to the rifle's original 7.5mm round, the project was abandoned due to significant redesign challenges arising from the 7.62mm round's different pressure curve. The conversion resulted in issues like poor extraction and broken parts due to high bolt velocity. Only 150 of these modified rifles were produced by the St. Etienne factory before the program's cancellation.














