49/56 bayonet

Hello
some photos of 4 french army bajonet for the FSA 49/56 rifle
it is the early production , (approx. 1956-58) with 22cm blade and natural leather frog
the late ones have shorter blade and green tinted leather

http://www.musee-infanterie.com/objet/1314-poignard-baionnette-modele-1956-type-1-pour-fusil-mas-4956






E-RM = Etablissement Régional du Matériel






the 49/56 rifle still in service in 1983

a nice one

@+, hughes

Hi,

Cool !!
Congrats, it's are piece: Model 1958 are found more often.

As far as I've heard, some units kept their MAS 49-56 Semi-auto and their MAT49 SMG until 1988.

Battle Rifle and Semi-auto rifles were not that rare at the beginnning of the 1980s.*
By 1983, the British still had semi-auto L1A1 SLR as their standard rifle.

Best regards.

Mellon.

*I think in 1983, Belgium became the second NATO country after the US, to switched from a 7.62mm battle rifle (FAL) to a 5.56mm assault rifle (FNC) as their main standard weapon.
Israel , Austria and France switched before, but they didn't belong to NATO.