Videos tagged with Tulle arsenal

The MAT 49-54 Police submachine gun is a specialized variant of the French MAT 49, developed for the Paris Police in 1954. Key modifications include a fixed wooden stock, a significantly longer barrel (365mm vs. 230mm), and a unique dual-trigger system allowing both semi-automatic and full-automatic fire. This police variant prioritized accuracy and controlled fire over the extreme compactness of the original military paratrooper model.

The MAT 49 is a robust French submachine gun, heavily influenced by the M3 Grease Gun, chambered in 9mm Parabellum. It features stamped sheet metal construction, a folding magazine well, and a unique grip safety that locks the bolt. Renowned for its durability, it saw extensive use in post-WWII conflicts and was eventually replaced by the FAMAS.

The Meunier A6 was France's first semi-automatic battle rifle, developed by Monsieur Meunier and produced at the Tulle Arsenal. It utilized a proprietary 7x57mm Meunier cartridge and a complex long recoil action. Despite its innovative design, including advanced sights and an anti-tilt follower, mechanical challenges related to tight tolerances and dirt ingress in field conditions led to its cancellation in favor of the RSC 1917.

The Lebel R35 carbine was a French military conversion of obsolete Lebel 1886 rifles in the 1930s. It featured a shortened 17.7-inch barrel, a 3-round tube magazine, and updated Berthier-style sights. Approximately 45,000 were delivered before the 1940 armistice, intended for second-line troops like artillery and engineers. Standard bayonets were also shortened to match the carbine's profile.

The M27 Lebel represents a rare French rifle conversion from the 8mm Lebel to the 7.5x54mm cartridge, developed post-WWI. This complex conversion by the Tulle Arsenal involved replacing the tube magazine with an internal 5-round box magazine and significant receiver modifications for stripper clips. Despite its technical advancements, the M27 was economically inefficient, with only about 1,500 produced, primarily serving as a testbed for the MAS-36 project.