MAS MLE 1936, Vietnam Bringback? They Don't Come Any Better

[martin08]

99% sure that this one came from SE Asia.

Today, I hit the yard sale circuit. It paid off again. In the corner of a small shop, along with the rusty rakes and shovels, my eye was caught by what looked like a muzzle. So, I dug it out to find an MAS MLE 1936 in utterly gorgeous bringback condition. Unfortunately, the owners had just bought the house and barn, and had no history on how the rifle appeared in the US. We all can look and make some assumptions, however.

This specimen has jungle repairs to the order of the Nth degree. The ersatz metal straps, nails and screws hold this one together. The patina seems an inch deep. I was impressed that the bayonet still extracted and affixed.

But even with the tremendous jungle effort to keep this gun in service, it suffered one final and fatal blow to take it out of commission forever. I'll let the pics explain.

Hope you enjoy, and thanks for looking.

 

[SIGPRO 226]

Cool.

 

[slap shot]

Yeah very cool, is that a bullet hole in the barrel?

 

[martin08]

Yeah very cool, is that a bullet hole in the barrel?

Yes, and the bullet.

 

[mac1911]

thats just cool.....to bad no history. I have only one TRUE bring back known to me. My friends dad is a Vietnam Vet. He would some times take out the SKS he pulled from tunnel he was checking out. He has pics of the day as deeper in the tunnel they found a large stash of stolen USGI weapons. He has several pics of the SKS and it has some numbers and symbols on the stock. I have tried to buy this gun for years.... NFW he tells me. nor will he give up any of his other stuff. I have lost touch with both of them over the years!

 

[jpm]

I think this is actually an LG48 version since it has the grenade launcher attachment (though the site is gone) and is clearly not a 36/51.

 

[martin08]

I think this is actually an LG48 version since it has the grenade launcher attachment (though the site is gone) and is clearly not a 36/51.

Yes, this is the MAS 36/48 designation, though the grenade launcher sight is long gone.



As I have posted this on other boards, I've had quite a few questions on the impact area. One has to assume that this was a direct perpendicular strike to the arc, or it would have deflected.

So I have attempted to get my camera to focus on both the crater and the bullet that is still lodged inside the barrel. It is apparent that it is indeed a bullet, as the exposed lead has much dust and crud on the surface, but no rust.

 

[NinerMaine]

That is so freaking cool. The only explaination is early VC. It is one of the best battle damaged guns I have seen.

 

[jibbr71]

That's incredible. One of the coolest things I've seen in a long time. Thanks for sharing!

 

[martin08]

That is so freaking cool. The only explaination is early VC. It is one of the best battle damaged guns I have seen.

Too bad you are entertaining family this week. This came from your neck of the woods - just about ten miles north from where we met on Friday!

 

[NinerMaine]

Too bad you are entertaining family this week. This came from your neck of the woods - just about ten miles north from where we met on Friday!

Thanks Martin... that is just what I needed to hear! LOL

 

[Picton]

Can you see the bullet from the muzzle, or is the bore so choked with crap that you can't see a thing?

 

[mke0039]

Looks like it (and its holder) were on the receiving end of an M60.

 

[Garys]

Thanks Martin... that is just what I needed to hear! LOL

My thought that he was rubbing it in.

That is a nice piece of history, even without the story. I can imagine that it was recovered by a VC soldier and used until it's (and likely his) demise.

 

[jpm]

Looks like it (and its holder) were on the receiving end of an M60.

I was trying to think of what round could possibly have penetrated a barrel like that. It would be interesting to extract the bullet to see if you could determine what it was from, but of course that would wreck the whole story the piece tells. Maybe you could use one of those fiber optic cameras they have at Lowes for looking in pipes, etc down the bore to see some more detail.

 

[martin08]

I was trying to think of what round could possibly have penetrated a barrel like that. It would be interesting to extract the bullet to see if you could determine what it was from, but of course that would wreck the whole story the piece tells. Maybe you could use one of those fiber optic cameras they have at Lowes for looking in pipes, etc down the bore to see some more detail.

I'm assuming .30 caliber AP, and it would have to have been a hit directly on a radial line or it would have deflected.

My thought that he was rubbing it in.

Niner knows that family comes first, and he did not miss a thing on the milsurp hunt.

 

[Gibbs]

Wow.

I was just imagining someone saying, "Yeah, I'll trust my life to this..."

 

[majspud]

Ouch.

I was reminded of a display I saw as a grade schooler at a museum around the bicentennial. A colonial soldier had just fired his musket when a British bullet entered his barrel, impacted and fused with his round, and the two bullets burst out of the top of the barrel about one foot from the frizzen. They had the two bullets on display with the shattered musket.

T

 

[jpm]

I'm assuming .30 caliber AP, and it would have to have been a hit directly on a radial line or it would have deflected.

yep, one in a million shot.

 

[ColdDayInHell]

This thread delivers. Wow what a piece.

 

[1776]

It's ported!

 

[Fixxah]

Yes, and the bullet.

Unreal. What are the odds of that? Reminds me of the cannon with the enemy's shot stuck in the end in Gettysburg.

 

[dhuze]

How's it shoot?

 

[JuergenG]

Interesting piece, to say the least. Congrats!

 

[40 caliber]

It makes me wonder what the meaning/significance of this rifle was to the original owner. did it save his life? did he put the bullet there in the barrel?

of all the servicable bringbacks one could have brought back, why this one? looking at it 50 years later, it is a great piece. On the battlefield, it was probably just another broken rifle.

 

[45collector]

I wish I could find stuff like this.

 

[trippingpara]

I wish I could find stuff like this.

Tell me about it! I can find dozens of XXL pairs of funkified pink panties that would terrify a grown man to see what originally wore them, but do you think I could find 1 item like the OP did? I'm definitely going to the wrong yard sales!!

 

[PATRON]

That's the type of gun you hang on the wall with a sign under it with the words War is hell.

 

[The5thDentist]

Amazing.

 

[je25ff]

Ouch.

I was reminded of a display I saw as a grade schooler at a museum around the bicentennial. A colonial soldier had just fired his musket when a British bullet entered his barrel, impacted and fused with his round, and the two bullets burst out of the top of the barrel about one foot from the frizzen. They had the two bullets on display with the shattered musket.

T

Seriously? That's insane!