Page 1 of 2
Vietnam bringback w/capture paper, lots of pics
Posted: Sat May 03, 2014 6:35 pm
by Greasemonkey
I've been real busy and had to pass alot of things up lately, but when I heard about this one, well I couldn't pass this up. I found a MAS 36 with bring back papers. It looks to have seen a rough life from it's manufacturing date of I'm guessing early/mid 1951, judging by serial suffix. So it could have arrived with the French troops into Vietnam during the first Indo-China War or some time there after. It shows alot of wear, and use, and absolutely nothing matches. It may have been a thrown together rifle built out of parts. I didn't dare pull it apart, given the cracks in wood etc, I figured it may fall apart, I just oiled it up and gave it a quick easy cleaning. The bore it's self is not bad, decent rifling, and some pitting. Metal finish is all but gone in exposed areas. I think at one time the paperwork was taped to the left side of the butt stock, the paper almost fits that area. The wood has cracks and the forestock is a little loose, the butt stock number is almost worn away, I didn't notice signs of sanding or finish alteration anywhere. The capture paper is dated 16 Feb '73 and was done in Saigon. I hid the last name, address and service number, thats not ink or anything.
More photos to follow

Re: Vietnam bringback w/capture paper, lots of pics
Posted: Sat May 03, 2014 6:39 pm
by Greasemonkey
And a few more, including the main one, the paper shot.
Enjoy

Re: Vietnam bringback w/capture paper, lots of pics
Posted: Sat May 03, 2014 6:41 pm
by Junk Yard Dog
Re: Vietnam bringback w/capture paper, lots of pics
Posted: Sat May 03, 2014 6:46 pm
by Judi and her Mosins
I cannot believe I held you in my basement and you did not mention this one.....I'll have my "friends", black bag you again. This time tell me every thing. Very nice indeed, my Dad would have loved to see that. Judi and her Mosin's

Re: Vietnam bringback w/capture paper, lots of pics
Posted: Sat May 03, 2014 6:48 pm
by Titanium Hammer
Very cool!

I guess the bayonet that was captured with the rifle has been lost to history?
Re: Vietnam bringback w/capture paper, lots of pics
Posted: Sat May 03, 2014 6:53 pm
by Greasemonkey
Judi and her Mosins wrote:
I cannot believe I held you in my basement and you did not mention this one.....I'll have my "friends", black bag you again. This time tell me every thing. Very nice indeed, my Dad would have loved to see that. Judi and her Mosin's

Everything

Ok, I've got something else in transit, it's shipping Monday

The first black bagging wasn't bad, but I do wanna try the waterboarding you did to the other guy

Re: Vietnam bringback w/capture paper, lots of pics
Posted: Sat May 03, 2014 6:54 pm
by Greasemonkey
Titanium Hammer wrote:Very cool!

I guess the bayonet that was captured with the rifle has been lost to history?
The bayonet is stored in a tube under the barrel, no number on it, so it's either worn away or one found somewhere.
Re: Vietnam bringback w/capture paper, lots of pics
Posted: Sat May 03, 2014 7:01 pm
by desdem12
Re: Vietnam bringback w/capture paper, lots of pics
Posted: Sat May 03, 2014 7:05 pm
by BubbaDX
Re: Vietnam bringback w/capture paper, lots of pics
Posted: Sat May 03, 2014 7:09 pm
by redspoon
Outstanding GM

Honest looking War Trophy with paper.

Re: Vietnam bringback w/capture paper, lots of pics
Posted: Sat May 03, 2014 7:23 pm
by Judi and her Mosins
Re: Vietnam bringback w/capture paper, lots of pics
Posted: Sat May 03, 2014 7:55 pm
by bunkysdad
Hey now that is a rare find. A true honest French relic.
Re: Vietnam bringback w/capture paper, lots of pics
Posted: Sat May 03, 2014 8:19 pm
by polymerase2
The history that rifle has seen
Re: Vietnam bringback w/capture paper, lots of pics
Posted: Sun May 04, 2014 8:17 pm
by JoeR
Wow!

Re: Vietnam bringback w/capture paper, lots of pics
Posted: Sun May 04, 2014 8:23 pm
by Gsragtop
Very cool !! And it goes to show that mismatched is sometimes 100% correct for the rifle.
Re: Vietnam bringback w/capture paper, lots of pics
Posted: Sun May 04, 2014 8:40 pm
by etprescottazusa91
Coolest

MAS 36 I have ever seen. What a find

Re: Vietnam bringback w/capture paper, lots of pics
Posted: Sat May 10, 2014 8:55 pm
by gurn
That is super cool GM! I have never seen a MAS with capture papers, amazing. On a different note, you in Judie's basement?

Re: Vietnam bringback w/capture paper, lots of pics
Posted: Sat May 10, 2014 9:23 pm
by Greasemonkey
gurn wrote:That is super cool GM! I have never seen a MAS with capture papers, amazing. On a different note, you in Judie's basement?

Nope, I escaped the basement, I'm a man on the run

I left some poor fella behind

, I couldn't get through the 1/2 inch log chain she had him tethered to the wall with.
Maybe when I get some free time, I may shim up the forestock(non altering fix) to tighten it up and put a stripper clip of ammo through it. But I'm really in no big rush to fire it.

Re: Vietnam bringback w/capture paper, lots of pics
Posted: Sat May 10, 2014 9:39 pm
by gurn
Building you something like this to display it in would be nice.
Re: Vietnam bringback w/capture paper, lots of pics
Posted: Mon May 12, 2014 1:25 pm
by oldarmyguy65
I served w/ 1st Cav in "nam during 1966-1967. The most sent back rifle at that time was 1917 or 1918 Lebels. I did not see anyone fill out paper work for the trophy weapons, just packed them and sent them off. It is really nice to have the provenance for a Vietnam war trophy weapon. This one looks really nice, you are one lucky dude to have it. When I was a kid, I would go with my dad to original muzzleloader shoots, some of the old guys there would repair loose and shrunk wood by steaming it, that restored moisture and expanded the wood. You might want to try it. As a funny aside, when I rotated home, there was carry baggage inspections where all kinds of war stuff was confiscated (not weapons), mostly hand grenades and mortar rounds that guys were going to use as door stops, paperweights or make into lamps. Good they were confiscated, the guy behind me had an 80mm mortar round that was live. Oldarmyguy