WWII french to WWI french

[Bryanbowdell]

I have got Warlord's French, the casting is not great, but they are passable when painted.

I also have Woodbine designs French (available from Gripping Beast).  These are much better scults/casts and the separate head system is great.

[Amalric]

For WW1 late war French take a look at Forgotten Glorious Company of Art;

http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=61523.0

I received one of the free samples of the WW1 French Soldier and was very pleased with the detail, excellent casting and the separate head. Funnily enough to your post, I'm painting up mine in post 1935 French colors for Pulp gaming.  I haven't actually ordered anything other than the free sample, so I can't vouch for them in that regard.

I look forward to seeing your force painted up and in action!

[former user]

oh, yes these are the best sculpts I know in that department

[mrtn]

I'm working on a similar project.

One or two of the Warlord guys have shorter rifles, I think these may be the carbines. Since it's so few I ignore it, looks like a rifle on the table anyway.

http://leadadventureforum.com/index.php?topic=62106.0

[maxxon]

Ha, I was just going by the spiel on Warlord's website, which talks of MAS-36s. I have no idea what they are meant to be, point is they don't look too different from a Lebel.

MAS-36 was the new rifle the French army were supposed to transition to but, well, things happened and very few were actually distributed to troops.

You can still get them as surplus, still in storage grease, never fired, for quite cheap (because quite frankly it's a horrible gun).

[former user]

@mrtn
I just checked out Your project, really cool stuff You have there
I am surprised to see lebels or MAS-36, which packs from Warlord are these ?

@maxxon the gun-nutters say that it is actually a very good rifle, but these aspects are completely out of my field of knowledge.
Why is it awful?

[maxxon]

@maxxon the gun-nutters say that it is actually a very good rifle, but these aspects are completely out of my field of knowledge.
Why is it awful?

I actually have one.

It has no safety. How are you supposed to carry it?
The trigger is bad, but that's par with other low grade military weapons.
The bolt handle is idiotic, look how they had to bend it to make it even remotely operable. You're supposed to be able to operate the bolt without lowering the weapon.
Instead of a cleaning rod or something actually useful, they decided to include bayonet storage. That might actually be useful considering the shooting qualities of this rifle, except the mounting is pretty flimsy, it'll probably bend if you hit something solid.

And at least mine won't hit the broad side of a barn and that certainly isn't due to wear and tear...

[former user]

THX for the info

I wonder why it is regarded as a good weapon? maybe in comparison to others of it's period?

[maxxon]

I wonder why it is regarded as a good weapon? maybe in comparison to others of it's period?

Apparently the Lebel was even worse, though I have no first hand exprerience. It was definitely outmoded at least.

The fact that the MAS rifles were left in storage after war and American hand-me-downs were taken into use instead should already tell something... though the French persevered with the MAS 49/56 design which wasn't much of an improvement...

Comparing WWII rifles today may be misleading, because e.g. pretty much all the Mausers have been dragged though mud across the Europe and hopefully rebuilt a few times while these are shining new like the day they left the factory.

[former user]

another inexplicable phenomenon in the french army.....

I understand that in WW1 the use of the Berthier was extended and required a lengthening to rifle, and it was then preferred because of the Mannlicher style clip loading as opposed to the tube magazine of the Lebel - which in turn led to the 5-clip magazine. But then after the war the Legion ask for the Lebel back. And then in 1935, they go about shortening and rebarreling Lebels (3 round tube!!).... why would this be?

[maxxon]

And then in 1935, they go about shortening and rebarreling Lebels (3 round tube!!).... why would this be?

The general trend was towards shorter, more compact weapons. The MAS is actually pretty ok in the length, handiness and weight department.

But in this case it seems the idea was to chop the old Lebels into carbines and equip drivers, cooks and the like with them.

[former user]

yes, but cavalry too, strange enough....

[maxxon]

yes, but cavalry too, strange enough....

Maybe they figured cavalry were not really front line troops anymore and just needed something that looks nice on parade...

[former user]

I don't have a reason for that (by the time it would have been trucked cavalry anyway) but a strong argument to support Your claim is using up the 8mm ammo stocks after the Berthiers were rebarelled to 7.5 mm at about the same time....

and indeed, 2nd line troops were not in need of effective weapons...

maybe it was because horsed cavalry was around in the mediterranean army and they equipped them all with lebels....

[King Tiger]

Is it just my imagination, is the WWI French Currassier...a Napoleonic Currassier