MAT-49 (Manufacture Nationale d'Armes de Tulle 49) Submachine Gun (1949)
The MAT-49 gets its designation from the French factory known as Manufacture Nationale d'Armes de Tulle as well as its year of introduction.
The MAT-49 can make use of a 20- or 32-round detachable straight box magazine. Unloaded weight is about 3.5 kilograms with a loaded weight nearing 4.17 kilograms. Overall length is 26 inches with the wire butt completely extended and 16 inches with the wire but collapsed. The base barrel measures in at 9 inches and features a 4-groove, left-hand twist insertion. Muzzle velocity is a reported 1,200 feet per second. The primary cartridge is the 9x19mm Parabellum and the firing action is blowback. Rate-of-fire is approximately 600 rounds per minute.
The French Army adopted the MAT-49 for operational service in 1949 and both it and the French police made use of the submachine gun for some thirty years after, making it a success and proving the design sound. The simplicity of the MAT-49 made it a robust and reliable weapon system that went on to see use by forces within Cambodia, Laos, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Vietnam and Lebanon. The MAT-49 proved acceptable in practical service - its collapsible features made it ideal for paratroopers and specialized infantry as well as weapons to serve with vehicle crews where space was often an issue. Operators noted the submachine guns available firepower, inherent man-stopping capabilities and its customizable small size despite its no-frills design and somewhat heavy size for a weapon of this class.
Externally, the MAT-49's design was utilitarian to the core. Construction was of heavy-gauge stamping and the weapon's straight lines help speed up production while keeping costs down. Internally, the machined parts were purposefully limited in number, helping the MAT-49 achieve some noticeable longevity during its lengthy decades-long tenure. The receiver was rectangular and housed the major internal working components of the weapon. The angular pistol grip (with its plastic furniture) and trigger unit resided under and to the rear of the body. The butt was of a retractable wire (not unlike the American World War 2-era M3 "Grease Gun") and held a flat end suitable for positioning against the shoulder for accurized fire. When the wire butt was fully collapsed against the receiver, the MAT-49 user enjoyed a shorter, more handy overall design. There was a noticeable safety component built into the backside of the pistol grip. The magazine was inserted into the lower forward portion of the body to which the magazine housing itself could pivot forward along a hinge. This feature further lessened the overall size of the weapon for carrying and concealment and was known as the "safe position" when cully collapsed. The magazine of the MAT-49 was oft-noted for its association with the British Sten magazines of World War 2 fame while the housing itself also doubled as the foregrip. The trigger was a large, solid component and protected by an integrated trigger ring. The barrel resided within a ventilated casing and extended a small portion away from the receiver. The muzzle was capped by a tunnel foresight to compliment the rear "flip-up" sight, the latter situated along the top aft-end of the receiver. The cylindrical cocking handle was positioned along the left side of the gun body.
In the Vietnam conflict, the North Vietnamese took on the surplus MAT-49s left behind by the retreating French Army and modified them to fire the Soviet 7.62x25mm Tokarev cartridge - understandable since the round was much more readily available throughout the region than was the 9x19mm Parabellum cartridge. These weapon systems could now be identified by their longer (35-round) curved magazine. They also offer up an improved rate-of-fire nearing 900 rounds per minute over the 600 rounds per minute of the French original.
The MAT-49/54 appeared in 1954 as a modified form of the original MAT-49. This version was developed for police forces and was differentiated by its use of a double-trigger design (for full-automatic and single-shot fire). An angled fixed solid wooden buttstock and longer barrel (with a longer vented housing) also greeted the new design. Text ©2003-2013 www.MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • No Reproduction Permitted
MilitaryFactory.com does NOT sell equipment/weaponry. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance or general operation. Please consult manufacturers for such information. Our disclaimer. Email corrections / Comments to MilitaryFactory at Gmail dot com.
Specifications for the
MAT-49 (Manufacture Nationale d'Armes de Tulle 49)
Submachine Gun
Country of Origin: France
Manufacturer: Manufacture Nationale d'Armes de Tulle (MAT) - France
Initial Year of Service: 1949
Overall Length: 720mm (28.35in)
Barrel Length: 230.00mm (9.06in)
Weight (Empty): 7.72lbs (3.50kg)
Cartridge: 9x19mm Parabellum
Action: Blowback
Feed: 20- or 32-round detachable box magazine
Muzzle Velocity: 1,200ft/sec (366m/sec)
Rate-of-Fire: 600 rounds per minute
Sights: rear; tunner foresight
Variants:
MAT-49 - Base Production Model; 9x19mm Parabellum cartridge.
MAT-49/54 - Modified Base MAT-49 for use by police; twin trigger design; full-automatic fire available.
MAT-49 (captured/converted) - Converted to the Soviet 7.62mm Tokarev cartridge; curved 35-round magazine; 900rpm rate-of-fire.
Operators:
Cambodia; France; Laos; Mali; Mauritania; Niger; Vietnam; Lebanon; North Vietnam
BY YEAR:
• 1700 to 1799
• 1800 to 1899
• 1900 to 1909
• 1910 to 1919
• 1920 to 1929
• 1930 to 1939
• 1940 to 1949
• 1950 to 1959
• 1960 to 1969
• 1970 to 1979
• 1980 to 1989
• 1990 to 1999
• 2000 to 2009
• 2010 to 2019
• VIEW ALL
• Compare Guns
BY TYPE:
• Anti-Aircraft Weapons
• Anti-Material Rifles
• Anti-Tank Weapons
• Automatic Rifles
• Bolt-Action Rifles
• Carbine Guns
• Flamethrowers
• Flintlock Guns
• Grenade Launchers
• Hand Grenades
• Lever-Action Rifles
• Machine Guns
• Mortars
• Musket Guns
• Pistols / Handguns
• Recoilless Rifles
• Revolvers
• Rocket Launchers
• Shotguns
• Silenced Guns
• Sniper Rifles
• Special Weapon Systems
• Submachine Guns
• VIEW ALL
SPECIAL:
• 18th Century Warfare
• 3 Soldiers Statue
• Battle of Mogadishu
• Chainmail Armor
• Firearm Types Defined
• French Military Victories
• Medieval Crossbow
• Medieval Longbow
• Vietnam War Casualties
• Vietnam War Memorial
WORLD WAR 2:
• Australia
• Britain
• France
• Germany (ALL)
• German Rifles
• Italy
• Japan
• Soviet Union
• United States
• US Infantry Regiment Guns
• Machine Guns
• Pistols and Handguns
• Rifles
• Submachine Guns
• Sniper Rifles
• VIEW ALL
WORLD WAR 1:
• Pistols
• Rifles
• Machine Guns
• Mortars
• US Guns
• VIEW ALL
KOREAN WAR:
• Machine Guns
• VIEW ALL
VIETNAM WAR:
COLLECTIONS:
• Ancient Weapons
• British SAS Weapons
• Civil War Guns (ALL)
• Civil War Pistols
• Colt Guns
• Glock Guns
• GROM Polish Special Forces
• Guns of Libya
• Guns of North Korea
• Guns of Syria
• Guns of WW1 & WW2
• Heckler & Koch Guns
• Kalashnikov Guns
• Modern Russian Guns
• Navy SEAL Weapons
• Spetsnaz Weapons
• Weapons of Desert Storm
• Wild West Guns
• Winchester Guns
HOLLYWOOD/GAMES:
©2013 www.MilitaryFactory.com • Content ©2003-2013 MilitaryFactory.com • All Rights Reserved • Site Contact Email: militaryfactory at gmail dot com. The "Military Factory" name and MilitaryFactory.com logo are registered ® trademarks and protected by all applicable domestic and international intellectual property laws.
Top MF Stuff: 2013 Military Pay Scale | Military Ranks | WW2 Weapons | Sniper Rifles | Kts to Mph | WW1 Aircraft | Automatic Rifles | Aircraft Cockpits | Vietnam War Weapons | Main Battle Tanks | Submachine Guns | Shotguns | French Military Victories
Most photographic images appearing on this site are courtesy of the United States Department of Defense and are approved for public use. Other images acquired through the public domain. Digital art work courtesy of Dan Alex. Business Consulting by Kyle Williams. Material presented throughout this website is for historical and entertainment value and should not to be construed as usable for hardware restoration, maintenance or general operation. Please consult manufacturers for such information.
