The Le Français pistol by Manufrance

Manufrance

Manufrance was the trade name of Manufacture Francaise d'Armes et Cycles de St.Etienne, a French mail order company which was situated in the manufacturing town of St. Etienne since 1888...

 was produced from 1913 till 1969, in a variety of calibres. It was mainly sold in France, primarily for the greater public but also for some officers of the French Army

French Army

The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...

 (during the Phony War

Phony War

The Phoney War was a phase early in World War II – in the months following Britain and France's declaration of war on Germany in September 1939 and preceding the Battle of France in May 1940 – that was marked by a lack of major military operations by the Western Allies against the German Reich...

), and for the French municipal police

Municipal Police (France)

The Municipal Police are the local police of towns and cities in France. The French municipal police are under the direct authority of the Mayor, who is charged with significant powers of police administration, according to the regulations in Article L...

. There is in 1912, Etienne Minart the Head of Manufrance

Manufrance

Manufrance was the trade name of Manufacture Francaise d'Armes et Cycles de St.Etienne, a French mail order company which was situated in the manufacturing town of St. Etienne since 1888...

 (La Manufacture Française d'Armes et de Cycles de Saint Etienne) start the development . For The first Model Mr. Minart obtaine patent the Aguts 6, 1913 with n° 472.505. The sale start in 1914 with the name "Le Français".

Description

It is loaded through a tip up barrel and after the first shot loads from the magazine. However, the first shot can only be loaded into the barrel since there is no way to manually slide pull. The trigger is double action only. The pistol was the first to function solely in double action.

• Manufrance "Le Français" modèle E (France - Pistol DAO in 1913 - 6.35 mm/.25 ACP
  .25 ACP
  The .25 ACP centerfire pistol cartridge is a semi-rimmed, straight-walled pistol cartridge introduced by John Browning in 1905 alongside the Fabrique Nationale model 1905 pistol...
  
  )
• Manufrance "Le Français" Franco (France - Pistol DAO - 6.35 mm/.25 ACP)
• Manufrance "Le Français" manumodèle (France - Pistol DAO - 6.35 mm/.25 ACP)
• Manufrance "Le Français" Type Policeman (France - Pistol DAO - 6.35 mm/.25 ACP)
• Manufrance "Le Français" Type francais-Champion (France - Pistol Selective mode DAO /SA - .25 ACP or .22LR)
• Manufrance "Le Français" Type ARMEE (France - Pistol DAO - 9 mm Browning Long)
• Manufrance "Le Français" Type Français civil (France - Pistol DAO - 7.65 mm/.32 ACP
  .32 ACP
  .32 ACP , also known as the .32 Automatic is a pistol cartridge. It is a semi-rimmed, straight-walled cartridge developed by firearms designer John Browning, initially for use in the FN M1900 semi-automatic pistol...
  
  )
• Manufrance "Le Français" Type Français 50 (France - Pistol DAO - 7.65 mm/.32 ACP)
• Manufrance "Le Français" Type Français 7,65 (France - Pistol DAO - 7.65 mm/.32 ACP)

Versions

In 6,35 mm or .25ACP :

« Modèle de poche » Pocket model: version de base, la plus compacte. The form of the poignée (handle?) modified in 1924. Elle fut produite sans discontinuité à exemplaires. Fut utilisé intensivement par la Résistance française durant la Seconde Guerre mondiale.

• • Dimensions (length×height): 11×8 cm
  • Barrel length: 6 cm
  • Mass discharged/charged : 300/340 g
  • Capacity: 7 or 8 catridges

« Policeman » : Variante de la précédente avec un canon allongé visant les marchés officiels et qui équiper les agents de l'ONF.

• • Dimensions (longueur x hauteur) : 15 x 8 cm
  • Canon : 8,4 cm
  • Masse de l'arme vide/chargée : 350/410 g
  • Capacité : 7 ou 8 cartouches

« Le Français-Champion » : Version de tir sportif munie d'une hausse réglable. Il fut vendu de 1929 à 1934

• • Dimensions (longueur x hauteur) : 24 x 11 cm
  • Canon : 15 cm
  • Masse de l'arme vide/chargée : 462/503 g
  • Capacité : 7 ou 8 cartouches
  • Option : canon de rechange en .22 LR

• En 7,65 Browning ou .32 ACP :

Un seul modèle produit de 1950 à 1969 ( pistolets). Souffrit du durcissement de la législation. Encombrement similaire au Walther PPK

Walther PPK

The Walther PP series pistols are blowback-operated semi-automatic pistols.They feature an exposed hammer, a double-action trigger mechanism, a single-column magazine, and a fixed barrel which also acts as the guide rod for the recoil spring...

.

• • Dimensions (longueur x hauteur) : 15 × 12 cm
  • Canon : 8,3 cm
  • Masse de l'arme vide/chargée : 630/700 g
  • Capacité : 6 ou 8 cartouches

• En 9 mm Browning Long :

« Type Armée » : Le plus gros des Manufrance Le Français. Testée par l'Armée française en 1928 et 1933 mais jamais adoptée. Produit à seulement exemplaires entre 1928 et 1939. Son canon reçut des ailettes à partir de 1932.

• • Dimensions (longueur x hauteur) : 20×13 cm
  • Canon : 12,8 cm
  • Masse de l'arme vide/chargée : 630/700 g
  • Capacité : 8 cartouches

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