The Manufacture d'armes de Saint-Étienne (MAS) was a French state-owned manufacturing company located in the town of Saint-Étienne

Saint-Étienne

Saint-Étienne is a city in eastern central France. It is located in the Massif Central, southwest of Lyon in the Rhône-Alpes region, along the trunk road that connects Toulouse with Lyon...

. It has since been merged into the state-owned Nexter

Nexter

Nexter is a French government-owned weapons manufacturer.-Products:...

 defence conglomerate.
Saint-Étienne was already a well-known place for production of swords and knives since the Middle Ages. In 1665, a Royal Arms Depot was created in Paris to store military weapons made in Saint-Étienne.

The Royal Arms Manufacture was created in 1764 under the supervision of the General Inspector of the Royal Arms Manufacture of Charleville.

12,000 weapons were being produced each year when French Revolution happened. The city was renamed Armsville during the revolutionary period and production increased to meet demand of the revolutionary army fighting at the borders against the Royalists supported by European royal families.

The French Empire saw the production increase threefold to meet the needs of the Napoleonic Army in its conquest of Europe.

In 1838, the annual production was well over 30,000 firearms.
In 1864, the modern factory was built, new steam-powered machines were installed and the first military standardized bolt action rifle, the Chassepot

Chassepot

The Chassepot, officially known as Fusil modèle 1866, was a bolt action military breechloading rifle, famous as the arm of the French forces in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 and 1871. It replaced an assortment of Minie muzzleloading rifles many of which were converted in 1867 to breech loading...

, was produced from 1866 on, then the Gras rifle after 1874.

The MAS began manufacturing the MAC-designed Lebel rifle in 1886.

The MAS designed and manufactured the family of French 7.5 mm rifles, from the MAS 36 to the FSA MAS 49/56, then later the current standard issue FAMAS

FAMAS

The FAMAS is a bullpup-styled assault rifle designed and manufactured in France by MAS located in Saint-Étienne, which is now a member of the French government-owned Nexter group...

.

Arms produced by MAS

• Fusil d'infanterie de 17,5 mm modèle 1777
  Musket Model 1777
  The musket Modèle 1777, and later Modèle 1777 corrigé en l'an IX was one of the most widespread weapons on the european continent....
  
  
• Fusil d'infanterie de 17,5 mm modèle 1777 modifié an IX
  Musket Model 1777
  The musket Modèle 1777, and later Modèle 1777 corrigé en l'an IX was one of the most widespread weapons on the european continent....
  
  
• Pistolet de cavalerie de 17,1 mm modèle an IX
• Pistolet de 17,1 mm de cavalerie modèle an XIII
• Fusil d'infanterie de 17,5 mm modèle 1816
• Mousqueton de cavalerie modèle 1816
• Mousqueton de cavalerie modèle 1816C
• Mousqueton de cavalerie modèle 1822
• Fusil d'infanterie de 17,5 mm modèle 1822
• Fusil d'infanterie modèle 1822T
• Fusil d'infanterie de 18 mm modèle 1822T bis
• Fusil de rempart modèle 1828
• Fusil de rempart de 21,8 mm modèle 1831
• Fusil de voltigeur modèle 1842
• Fusil d'infanterie de 17,5 mm modèle 1842
• Fusil de marine modèle 1842 T
• Fusil de dragon modèle 1842 T
• Mousqueton de gendarmerie modèle 1842 T
• Fusil d'infanterie de 18 mm modèle 1842 T
• Carabine de Chasseurs a pied 1853
• Carabine de Chasseurs a pied 1853 T
• Fusil d'infanterie de 17,8 mm modèle 1857
• Fusil de marine modèle 1857
• Fusil de dragon modèle 1857
• Mousqueton de gendarmerie modèle 1857
• Fusil à tabatière système 1857
  Tabatière rifle
  The Tabatière rifle was a breech-loading rifle of the French Army.The Tabatière system was developed from 1864 as a way to convert numerous muzzle-loading weapons into breech-loading ones, in a process similar to that of the Snider-Enfield in Great Britain...
  
  
• fusil d'infanterie de 11 mm modèle 1866 Chassepot
  Chassepot
  The Chassepot, officially known as Fusil modèle 1866, was a bolt action military breechloading rifle, famous as the arm of the French forces in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 and 1871. It replaced an assortment of Minie muzzleloading rifles many of which were converted in 1867 to breech loading...
  
  
• revolver de 11 mm modèle 1873
• revolver de 11 mm modèle 1874
  MAS 1873 revolver
  The service revolver model 1873 Chamelot-Delvigne was the first double action revolver used by the French army. It was produced by Manufacture d'armes de Saint-Étienne from 1873 to 1887 in about 337,000 copies. Although soon replaced by the Modele 1892 revolver, it was nevertheless widely used...
  
  
• fusil d'infanterie de 11 mm Gras modèle 1866-74
• fusil d'infanterie de 11 mm Gras modèle 1874
• fusil d'infanterie de 11 mm Gras modèle 1866-74 M80
• fusil d'infanterie de 11 mm Gras modèle 1874 M80
• fusil d'infanterie modèle 1874 M80 M14
• Fusil d'infanterie de 8 mm modèle 1886 Lebel
  Lebel Model 1886 rifle
  The Lebel Model 1886 rifle is also known as the "Fusil Mle 1886 M93", after a bolt modification was added in 1893. It is an 8mm bolt action infantry rifle which entered service in the French Army in April 1887...
  
  
• Fusil d'infanterie de 8 mm modèle 1886/93, Lebel
  Lebel Model 1886 rifle
  The Lebel Model 1886 rifle is also known as the "Fusil Mle 1886 M93", after a bolt modification was added in 1893. It is an 8mm bolt action infantry rifle which entered service in the French Army in April 1887...
  
  
• Fusil de 8 mm modèle 1886 M93 de tireur d'élite
• Mousqueton de cavalerie modèle 1890
• Carabine de cuirassier 1890
• Carabine de gendarmerie 1890
• Mousqueton d’artillerie modèle 1892
  Berthier carbine
  The Berthier carbine was a French service rifle adopted in 1892, which was widely used during the First and Second World War....
  
  
• Mousqueton d’artillerie modèle 1892 M16
  Berthier carbine
  The Berthier carbine was a French service rifle adopted in 1892, which was widely used during the First and Second World War....
  
  
• Revolver de 8 mm modèle 1892
  Modele 1892 revolver
  The Model 1892 Revolver was a French service revolver produced by Manufacture d'armes de Saint-Étienne as a replacement for the MAS 1873 revolver...
  
  
• Canon de 75 Modèle 1897
  Canon de 75 modèle 1897
  The French 75mm field gun was a quick-firing field artillery piece adopted in March 1898. Its official French designation was: Matériel de 75mm Mle 1897. It was commonly known as the French 75, simply the 75 and Soixante-Quinze .The French 75 is widely regarded as the first modern artillery piece...
  
   Partly made in Saint Etienne
• Fusil de 8 mm de tirailleurs indochinois modèle 1902, Berthier
  Berthier rifle
  The Berthier rifles and carbines were a family of bolt-action small arms in 8mm Lebel, used in the French Army from the 1890s to the beginning of World War II...
  
  
• Fusil de 8 mm de tirailleurs sénégalais modèle 1907, Berthier
  Berthier rifle
  The Berthier rifles and carbines were a family of bolt-action small arms in 8mm Lebel, used in the French Army from the 1890s to the beginning of World War II...
  
  
• Fusil d'infanterie de 8 mm modèle 07/15, Berthier
  Berthier rifle
  The Berthier rifles and carbines were a family of bolt-action small arms in 8mm Lebel, used in the French Army from the 1890s to the beginning of World War II...
  
  
• Fusil d'infanterie de 8 mm modèle 07/15 M16, Berthier
  Berthier rifle
  The Berthier rifles and carbines were a family of bolt-action small arms in 8mm Lebel, used in the French Army from the 1890s to the beginning of World War II...
  
  
• Fusil d'infanterie de 8 mm modèle 1916, Berthier
  Berthier rifle
  The Berthier rifles and carbines were a family of bolt-action small arms in 8mm Lebel, used in the French Army from the 1890s to the beginning of World War II...
  
  
• Fusil Automatique modèle 1917
  Fusil Automatique Modele 1917
  The Fusil Automatique Modele 1917 was a semi-automatic, gas-operated, infantry rifle that was placed in service in the French Army during the latter part of World War I. It was chambered in the then-standard 8mm Lebel rimmed cartridge used in other French Army infantry weapons of the time...
  
  
• fusil semi automatique de 8 mm RSC modèle 1918
• Pistolet mitrailleur de 9 mm MAS modèle 1924
• Fusil d'infanterie de 7,5 mm modèle 07-15 M34
• Mousqueton d'artillerie de 8 mm modèle 1916
• Fusil d'infanterie de 7,5 mm modèle 1886 M93 M27
• Mousqueton de cavalerie de 8 mm modèle 1886 M93 R35
• Fusil d'infanterie de 7,5 mm modèle MAS 36
• Pistolet mitrailleur de 7,65 mm modèle 1938
  MAS-38
  The MAS-38 was a French submachine gun designed prior to the Second World War and used by French and German forces.It derived from a small arms development program that took place between 1918 and 1922 under the control of the Service Technique de l'Armement. A submachine gun, a light machine gun...
  
  
• Pistolet automatique de 7,65 mm long modèle 1935 S
• Fusil de 7,5 mm modèle MAS 36 CR 39
• Fusil d'entraînement MAS 36 de 5,5mm (.22 LR)
• Fusil d'entraînement MAS 45 de 5,5mm (.22 LR)
• Carabine semi automatique de 5,5mm, 1946 (.22 LR)
• Fusil juxtaposé MAS calibre 12, 1946
• Carabine MAS 7x57mm, 1946
• Carabine MAS 10,75x68 mm, 1946
• Carabine MAS 8x60mm, 1946
• Carabine MAS-Fournier 7x54 mm, 1947
• Fusil semi automatique MAS 40
• Fusil semi automatique MAS 44
• Fusil semi automatique MAS 49
• Carabine Mitrailleuse de 7,65 mm MAS modèle 1948
• Carabine Mitrailleuse de 7,65 mm MAS modèle 1949
• Carabine Mitrailleuse de 7,62 mm MAS modèle 1949
• Carabine Mitrailleuse de 7,62 mm MAS modèle 1950
• Carabine Mitrailleuse de 7,62 mm MAS modèle 1951
• Pistolet mitrailleur de 9 mm MAS modèle 1948
• Fusil de 7,5mm modèle MAS 36 LG 48
• Fusil à répétition MAS modèle 36 modifié 51
• Pistolet automatique modèle 1950
  MAC mle 1950
  The MAC-50 is a standard semi-automatic pistol of the French army and adopted in 1950. It replaced the previous series of French pistols, the Modèle 1935A & Modèle 1935S, and was produced between 1950 and 1970....
  
  
• Fusil Automatique de 7,5 mm MAS modèle 1951
• Fusil Automatique de 7,5 mm MAS modèle 1952
• Arme Automatique modèle AA-52
• Arme Automatique modèle AA NF1 de 7,62 mm
• Fusil Automatique de 7,62 mm MAS modèle 1952
• Fusil Automatique de 7,5 mm MAS modèle 1952, Bullpup
• Fusil Automatique de 7,62 mm MAS modèle 1952
• Fusil Automatique de 7,62 mm MAS modèle 1953
• Fusil Automatique de 7,62 mm MAS modèle 1953, Bullpup
• Fusil Mitrailleur de 7,62 mm MAS modèle 1953
• Fusil Automatique MAS 54 A, B & C
  MAS-54 rifle series
  The FA-MAS Type 62 was the result of 40 rifle prototypes designed by MAS between 1952 and 1962 for the French Army, including a Bullpup variant. All variants were designed to take the 7.62x51mm NATO round...
  
  
• Fusil Automatique de 7,62 mm MAS modèle 1954
• Fusil Automatique de 7,62 mm MAS modèle 1954, Bullpup
• Fusil Mitrailleur de 7,62 mm MAS modèle 1954
• Fusil Automatique de 7,62 mm MAS modèle 1955
• Fusil Automatique de 7,62 mm MAS modèle 1955, Bullpup
• Fusil Automatique de 7,62 mm MAS modèle 1955
• Fusil Automatique de 7,62 mm MAS modèle 1956
• Fusil semi automatique MAS 49/56
• MAC-58
  MAC-58
  The MAC-58 was a version of the AA-52 chambered in .50 BMG. A few prototypes were tested and one retained for preserial production, but it never reached production due to the large quantity of US Browning machine guns in service with the French armed forces....
  
  
• Fusil Automatique de 7,62 mm MAS modèle 1958
• Fusil Automatique de 7,62 mm MAS A.P. modèle 1959
• Fusil Automatique de 7,62 mm MAS A.P. modèle 1959 type P.M
• Fusil Automatique de 7,62 mm MAS A.P. modèle 1959 type F.M
• Fusil Automatique de 7,62 mm MAS A.P. modèle 1960
• Fusil Automatique de 7,62 mm MAS A.P. modèle 1961
• Fusil Automatique de 7,62 mm MAS modèle T 62
• Fusil a répétition de précision FR-F1
  FR F1
  The FR F1 is a precision rifle used by French sharpshooters. It was manufactured by MAS . It has been upgraded to FR F2 standard, and is still in service with all branches of French armed forces in this version...
  
  
• Fusil Automatique Heckler & Koch G3
• Fusil Automatique Heckler & Koch HK 33 F
• Fusil Automatique Tritube de 5,56mm
• Fusil a répétition de précision FR F2
• Pistolet automatique MAS modèle G1
• Fusil d'entraînement FA MAS à plomb de 4,5mm (.177)
• Fusil semi automatique cal. 223 Remington, FA MAS
• Fusil semi automatique cal. 222 Remington, FA MAS
• Fusil automatique de 5,56 mm modèle F1, FA MAS
• Fusil automatique de 5,56 mm modèle G1, FA MAS
• Fusil automatique de 5,56 mm modèle G2, FA MAS
• Fusil automatique de 5,56 mm modèle FELIN V1, FA MAS
• Fusil automatique de 5,56 mm modèle FELIN V2, FA MAS
• PAPOP, Poly Arme, Poly Projectile, 35mm/ 5,56mm, French ACR
• Pistolet mitrailleur de 9 mm HK MP5 F

Sources

• Ferrard, Stéphane. France 1940 l'armement terrestre, ETAI, 1998, ISBN 2-7268-8380-X

External links

• http://armesfrancaises.free.fr/sommaire.html in French, one of the best sites related to french small arms
• Buddy Hinton MAS 44 MAS 49 Mas 49/56 Photo Collection
• Buddy Hinton FAMAS Photo Collection / World's Largest