7.5x54mm French
Encyclopedia
The 7.5×54mm French MAS or 7.5 French cartridge
was developed by France
as an update to the 7.5×57mm MAS mod. 1924
cartridge. It replaced the obsolete 8 mm Lebel
round used during World War I
. In terms of power it is somewhat comparable to the 7.62×51mm NATO
/.308 Winchester
round. The 7.5 French cartridge is somewhat similar to the slightly longer 7.5×55mm Schmidt Rubin (7.5 mm Swiss) round but users should never try to interchange the two rounds.
the French Army realized that it needed to update its once revolutionary, but now obsolete, 8 mm Lebel
ammunition
. Unfortunately due to the demands of mass production of the 8mm Lebel round during World War I it was not able to do so until after the war had ended. In 1924, the 7.5×57mm MAS cartridge was introduced but was soon replaced with the slightly shorter 7.5×54mm MAS. Two main variations were manufactured for military use, the 1924C and 1924D, being light and heavy ball respectively. The French Army chose to adopt the light ball ammunition for service use in the MAS-36
and MAS-49
rifles as well as in the Mle 1924-29 machine rifle. The heavier Balle D was designed for machine gun usage. The military ordered the manufacture of armor piercing, tracers, incendiary, training, and other types of 7.5 mm MAS ammunition. The round is still classified in France as war material. While this ammunition tends to be scarce in the United States and is also corrosive and Berdan-primed, reloadable Boxer-primed cartridge cases can be produced by reforming 6.5×55mm Swedish Mauser brass. More recently, the ammunition manufacturer Prvi Partizan
has brought onto the U.S. market a freshly manufactured French MAS 7.5mm ammunition that is non-corrosive.
Cartridge (firearms)
A cartridge, also called a round, packages the bullet, gunpowder and primer into a single metallic case precisely made to fit the firing chamber of a firearm. The primer is a small charge of impact-sensitive chemical that may be located at the center of the case head or at its rim . Electrically...
was developed by France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
as an update to the 7.5×57mm MAS mod. 1924
7.5x57mm MAS mod. 1924
The 7.5 mm MAS mod. 1924 was a short-lived French rifle ammunition type that was introduced in the mid-1920s to replace the 8 mm Lebel. The "Lebel" round was powerful and accurate but due to its shape it was particularly poorly suited to automatic weapons with large-capacity magazines. The only...
cartridge. It replaced the obsolete 8 mm Lebel
8 mm Lebel
The 8×50mmR French rifle cartridge was the first smokeless gunpowder cartridge to be made and adopted by any country. It was introduced by France in 1886. Formed by necking down the 11 mm Gras black powder cartridge, the smokeless 8 mm Lebel cartridge started a revolution in military rifle...
round used during World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
. In terms of power it is somewhat comparable to the 7.62×51mm NATO
7.62×51mm NATO
The 7.62×51mm NATO is a rifle cartridge developed in the 1950s as a standard for small arms among NATO countries...
/.308 Winchester
.308 Winchester
The .308 Winchester is a rifle cartridge and is the commercial cartridge upon which the military 7.62x51mm NATO centerfire cartridge is based. The .308 Winchester was introduced in 1952, two years prior to the NATO adoption of the 7.62x51mm NATO T65...
round. The 7.5 French cartridge is somewhat similar to the slightly longer 7.5×55mm Schmidt Rubin (7.5 mm Swiss) round but users should never try to interchange the two rounds.
History & General Information
By World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
the French Army realized that it needed to update its once revolutionary, but now obsolete, 8 mm Lebel
8 mm Lebel
The 8×50mmR French rifle cartridge was the first smokeless gunpowder cartridge to be made and adopted by any country. It was introduced by France in 1886. Formed by necking down the 11 mm Gras black powder cartridge, the smokeless 8 mm Lebel cartridge started a revolution in military rifle...
ammunition
Ammunition
Ammunition is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which embraced all material used for war , but which in time came to refer specifically to gunpowder and artillery. The collective term for all types of ammunition is munitions...
. Unfortunately due to the demands of mass production of the 8mm Lebel round during World War I it was not able to do so until after the war had ended. In 1924, the 7.5×57mm MAS cartridge was introduced but was soon replaced with the slightly shorter 7.5×54mm MAS. Two main variations were manufactured for military use, the 1924C and 1924D, being light and heavy ball respectively. The French Army chose to adopt the light ball ammunition for service use in the MAS-36
MAS-36
The MAS Modèle 36 is a bolt-action rifle. It was adopted in 1936 by France, and was intended to replace the Berthier and Lebel series of service rifles. It was manufactured by MAS The MAS Modèle 36 is a bolt-action rifle. It was adopted in 1936 by France, and was intended to replace the Berthier...
and MAS-49
MAS-49
The MAS-49 is a French semi-automatic military rifle that replaced the diverse collection of aging bolt-action rifles that were in French service after the end of World War II...
rifles as well as in the Mle 1924-29 machine rifle. The heavier Balle D was designed for machine gun usage. The military ordered the manufacture of armor piercing, tracers, incendiary, training, and other types of 7.5 mm MAS ammunition. The round is still classified in France as war material. While this ammunition tends to be scarce in the United States and is also corrosive and Berdan-primed, reloadable Boxer-primed cartridge cases can be produced by reforming 6.5×55mm Swedish Mauser brass. More recently, the ammunition manufacturer Prvi Partizan
Prvi Partizan
Prvi Partizan is an ammunition manufacturer, located in Užice, Serbia. Founded in 1928 as FOMU - Fabrika Oružje Municija Užice. The company produces ammunition for civilian and military consumers in a variety of calibers in various loadings. Their products are available worldwide...
has brought onto the U.S. market a freshly manufactured French MAS 7.5mm ammunition that is non-corrosive.
Weapons chambered for 7.5×54mm MAS
- MAS-36MAS-36The MAS Modèle 36 is a bolt-action rifle. It was adopted in 1936 by France, and was intended to replace the Berthier and Lebel series of service rifles. It was manufactured by MAS The MAS Modèle 36 is a bolt-action rifle. It was adopted in 1936 by France, and was intended to replace the Berthier...
rifle - MAS-49MAS-49The MAS-49 is a French semi-automatic military rifle that replaced the diverse collection of aging bolt-action rifles that were in French service after the end of World War II...
and FSA MAS 49/56 rifles - FR F1FR F1The FR F1 is a precision rifle used by French sharpshooters. It was manufactured by MAS . It has been upgraded to FR F2 standard, and is still in service with all branches of French armed forces in this version...
sniper rifleSniper rifleIn military and law enforcement terminology, a sniper rifle is a precision-rifle used to ensure more accurate placement of bullets at longer ranges than other small arms. A typical sniper rifle is built for optimal levels of accuracy, fitted with a telescopic sight and chambered for a military...
- FM 24/29 light machine gun
- Reibel machine gun
- Darne aircraft machine gun
- MAC 1931MAC 1931The MAC 1931 is a tank machine gun of French origin. It is gas operated and fed from a side loaded drum magazine. The MAC 1931 was also used on vehicles after World War II....
- MAC 1934MAC 1934In 1934 the Manufacture d'Armes de Châtellerault completed the development of the MAC 1934 machine gun to replace the Darne mod. 1933 machine gun aboard aircraft of the Armée de l'Air...
aircraft machine gun - FN-Browning mle 38M1919 Browning machine gunThe M1919 Browning is a .30 caliber medium machine gun that was widely used during the 20th century. It was used as a light infantry, coaxial, mounted, aircraft, and anti-aircraft machine gun by the U.S. and many other countries, especially during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War...
aircraft machine gun - AA-52 machine gun
See also
- List of rifle cartridges
- 7 mm caliber7 mm caliberThis article lists firearm cartridges which have a bullet in the to caliber range.*Length refers to the cartridge case length.*OAL refers to the overall length of the cartridge....
- "Military and Machine Gun Cartridges", Jean Huon, 1988, Ironside International Pub., Inc, Alexandria,VA, ISBN 0-935554-05-X ,