MAT-49
Last Updated on Tuesday, 21 July 2009 17:30 Written by Administrator Friday, 03 July 2009 00:13
The MAT-49 is a French submachine gun designed in 1949. It was developed at the Manufacture Nationale d’Armes de Tulle for use the French Military forces. As of today, the MAT-49 is longer in use by the French Army. However, armed forces in some countries still continue to use it.
The MAT-49 was manufacturing using a machine stamping process which made the production comparatively less expensive. The submachine gun resembles and draws from the Thompson SMG.
The MAT-49 is chambered for the 9mm Parabellum round and feeds from a 20 or 32-round magazine. It is capable of firing 400 rounds per minute and is accurate up to a range of 100 meters.
The French Military used the MAT-49 extensively in their colonial wars in Indo-China and during the Algerian War. The MAT-49 also saw service during the Suez Crisis.
After the French evacuated Indo-China, the Viet Minh converted a large number of the captured MAT-49s to use the Soviet 7.62mm Tokarev ammunition. The versions of the MAT-49 can be easily identified by the longer barrel and curved magazine.
The MAT-49 saw service until the year 1979. Subsequently, it was replaced with the FAMAS 5.56 mm assault rifle. In addition to France, the MAT-49 also saw service with Cambodia, Laos, Mali, Niger and Vietnam.
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