Question ?

Tac401
Administrator
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(5/23/01 12:33:50 pm)
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ezSupporter
Question ?
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I need to know what older French rifles were used by
the Vietcong besides the Mas 51/36 in Vietnam during
the war, these rifles were usually found in the hootches
during search & destroy missions and had a bayonet lug.

Any help will be appreciated!

Tac
The Firearms Forum Vietnam Memories Bulletin Board Contact Administrator

low2go
Registered User
Posts: 1
(5/23/01 3:18:31 pm)
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Thanks Tac for posting my question. I am just assuming that the rifle I questioned you about was French, however it may have been Belgian (sp)-- Italian--not really sure. It had an open blade front sight and the railroad track looking rearsight for windage/elevation similar to our old Springfields. The bayonet lug and the brass stacking swivels and usually with a leather sling. Up North around the DMZ--The Rock Pile. Camp Carrol--Khe Sanh. They were discovered randomly among the farmers in outlaying areas. Wilborn

Kdubya
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(5/23/01 4:53:48 pm)
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A big Welcome, Lotogo-
hope to see you around again.
Keep off the Ridgeline!!

polishshooter
Senior Chief Moderator Staff
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(5/23/01 5:54:15 pm)
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Were they BA or Semi?

Carbines or full size?

How big a mag if semi do you guess, 10? 20?

I'm thinking FN 49s...

Tac401
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(5/23/01 10:06:24 pm)
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ezSupporter
Re: Question ?
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No problem Chief,

One of these fine folks will help I'm sure.

In case you folks were unaware Low2go is none other
than John Wilborn from the VMBB(Vietnam Stories By John
Wilborn), any help you folks can give him I'd sure
appreciate, this is important for his next upcomming
story.

Thanks Folks, Tac
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Xracer
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Posts: 315
(5/24/01 8:45:58 am)
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Welcome low2go.

The best source I've seen on everything to do with the Vietnam War is at: members.aol.com/veterans/warlib6v.htm

There's a section on NVA weapons: members.aol.com/warlibrary/vwenarm.htm ......quite a few listed, but no pictures.

Edited by: Xracer at: 5/24/01 7:13:37 pm

Bob In St Louis
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(5/24/01 9:16:49 pm)
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The Vietnamese firearms supplies came in country through various routes. When the French left, they left behind M36 (basic bolt rifle with quillion hook - kinda sounds like what you were describing), model M36/51 (bolt rifle with built in grenade launcher), MAS49 semi-auto rifles, and a few of the shorter carbine MAS49/56 rifles. The northern areas had supplies being sent in from China, and some of these supplies were coming from Soviet East Block countries, and shipped in through China. East Germany sent Mauser K98s, 09 Lugers, and P38 Walthers. Even old Hungarian Steyr M95s made their way there - that is another rifle that fits the bill of your description.
Support the Dead Party, vote Harry S. Truman for Missouri Senate in 2002!

polishshooter
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(5/25/01 10:45:18 pm)
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Steyr M95s were used/found in Nam? I didn't know that...

There was of course all the various Mosin Nagants, including one mysterious 91/59 they recovered...

But if you thought it might be Belgian, I don't know except the FN49...Bob, did the French paratroopers ever use the Belgian FN? I thought they may have used it right after they switched from US stuff after WWII, or was that the FFL? I thought I read that somewhere...