Test barrel length: 574 mm (22.60 in) and 600 mm (23.62 in) Source(s): C.I.P. [1] SurplusRifle.com [2]/Cartridges of the World [3]
The 7.5×54mm French MAS has an uncommon 12.39 mm (0.488 in) breech and breechface diameter, and it has ballistics comparable to the 7.62×51mm NATO/.308 Winchester round.[1] The 7.5 French cartridge is somewhat similar in appearance to the slightly longer and thicker 7.5×55mm Swiss GP11 round but users should never try to interchange the two rounds.
By the end of World War I the French Army realized that it needed to update its once revolutionary, but now obsolete, 8 mm Lebelammunition. Due to the demands of mass production of the 8mm Lebel round during World War I it was not able to do so until the war had ended in November 1918. Six years later, in 1924, the 7.5×57mm MAS cartridge was introduced. However it lasted only until 1929 when it was replaced with the slightly shorter 7.5×54mm MAS 1924-M29, due to the original cartridge being very similar in size and appearance to the German 7.92×57mm Mauser. As a result, a French soldier could potentially chamber a 7.92×57mm cartridge (which were also in fairly widespread use by the French military, e.g. in machine guns obtained as war reparations) and cause a massive failure if fired in a rifle designed for the less powerful and smaller calibre 7.5×57mm. With the newer 54mm case, a 7.92×57mm Mauser round would be too long for the chamber and prevent incorrect ammunition from being used. Two bullet variations were tested for military use at the time, the 1924 C and 1924 D, the former being lighter than Balle 1924 D.[citation needed]
The French Army chose to adopt "light ball" 9.0 grams (139 gr) Balle C flat base spitzer bullet ammunition for universal service in the MAS-36 and MAS-49 rifles as well as in the Mle 1924-29 machine rifle. The "heavy ball" 12.35 grams (190.6 gr) Balle 1929 D featured a boat-tailed spitzer bullet and had limited specialized use in automatic weapons like the Mle 1931 F and the FM Mle 1924M29 machine guns.[citation needed]
Common variations of the 7.5×54mm French military round are: armor-piercing (Balle AP), tracers (Balle A), incendiary (Balle I), gallery practice and blank. The 7.5mm×54 French round is still classified in France as war material.[citation needed]
The 7.5×54mm French has 3.76 ml (58.0 grains H2O) cartridge case capacity. The exterior shape of the case was designed to promote reliable case feeding and extraction in bolt-action rifles and machine guns alike, under extreme conditions.
7.5×54mm French maximum C.I.P.[4] cartridge dimensions. All sizes in millimeters (mm).
Americans would define the shoulder angle at alpha/2 = 20 degrees. The common rifling twist rate for this cartridge is 270 mm (1 in 10.63 inches), 4 grooves, Ø lands = 7.57 mm (0.298 in), Ø grooves = 7.85 mm (0.309 in), land width = 3.70 mm (0.146 in). However, fortress machine guns in the Maginot line used 235 mm twist rate since they were designed for a heavier, Mle 1933D bullet.[5] The primer type is Berdan (military ammo) or Boxer (some commercial ammo) Large rifle.
According to the official C.I.P.[6] (Commission Internationale Permanente pour l'Epreuve des Armes à Feu Portatives) rulings the 7.5×54mm French can handle up to 380.00 MPa (55,114 psi) Pmax piezo pressure. In C.I.P. regulated countries every rifle cartridge combo has to be proofed at 125% of this maximum C.I.P.[4] pressure to certify for sale to consumers. This means that 7.5×54mm French chambered arms in C.I.P.[4] regulated countries are currently (2017) proof tested at 475.00 MPa (68,893 psi) PE piezo pressure.
The American 7.62×51mm NATO/.308 Winchester cartridge, which succeeded it in French military use, offers similar ballistics compared to the 7.5×54mm French.
Availability
The original French-made military ammunition tends to be scarce in the United States and is often corrosive and always Berdan-primed. The pressure is rated at around 40,000 CUP or about 295 MPa (42,800 psi). The original military brass is highly prone to head separation when reloaded above 40,000 CUP. The reason is that the military Berdan-primed cartridges were made with a specially scored internal annular groove between the head and body to purposely weaken the case and prevent reloading by enemy forces, which had apparently been a problem at one time for the French when they occupied Morocco. MAS 36 bolt-action rifles are capable of handling pressure much higher than 40,000 CUP. For the handloader, 7.62mm NATO load data would work.[citation needed]
Reloadable Boxer-primed 7.5×54mm French cartridge cases can be produced by reforming 6.5×55mm (Swedish Mauser) brass with commercial case forming dies. The ammunition manufacturer Prvi Partizan has brought onto the U.S. market freshly manufactured reloadable non-corrosive 7.5×54mm French ammunition loaded with a 9.0 grams (139 gr) bullet that meets the specifications of the original round.[citation needed]
In countries where restrictions prevent civilian hunting use of firearms chambered in Military cartridges still considered "War Materiel" like the 7.5×54 French MAS, owners of surplus military firearms may have them changed to a different, non-military cartridge. The easiest and usually the cheapest way is to rechamber the firearm to something that uses the same barrel and bore, but removes the old military chamber during the re-chambering process. The C.I.P.[4] has registered both the 30-284 NOLASCO[7] and the extremely similar 30-284 Winchester[8] (both considered "wildcat cartridges" based on the .284 Winchester in the US, but commercially made in Europe.) Both these chamberings completely remove the original 7.5×54 MAS chamber, and have the same pressure ratings as the 7.5×54 MAS cartridge. Both cartridges have the same cartridge case dimensions including a common maximum unloaded case length of 55.10mm, but their primarily difference lies in their loaded overall length (OAL). The 30-284 has a shorter OAL of 72mm, while the NOLASCO specifies a longer OAL of 76mm, the same as the 7.5×54 MAS.[6] This can be helpful for loading longer bullets with better ballistic coefficients for hunting.
^ Barnes, Frank C. (2006) [1965]. Skinner, Stan (ed.). Cartridges of the World (11th ed.). Iola, WI, USA: Gun Digest Books. pp. 353, 375. ISBN0-89689-297-2.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to 7.5 x 54 mm MAS.
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Munitions de 7,5 mm (French)
Le fusil de 7,5 mm modèle MAS 36
C.I.P. TDCC 7,5 x 54 MAS
FRENCH 7.5x54 LOADS AND RIFLES By Richard Lindström July 31, 2005
Huon, Jean, 1988, "Military Rifle and Machine Gun Cartridges, Ironside International Publishers, Inc. ISBN0-935554-05 X
February 04, 2023
54mm, french, french, designated, rimless, bottlenecked, rifle, cartridge, developed, france, update, 57mm, 1924, cartridge, replaced, obsolete, 50mmr, lebel, round, used, during, world, 54mm, 1929typerifleplace, originfranceservice, historyin, service1929, 19. The 7 5 54mm French 7 5 French or 7 5 MAS designated as the 7 5 54 MAS by the C I P 1 is a rimless bottlenecked rifle cartridge It was developed by France as an update to the 7 5 57mm MAS mod 1924 cartridge It replaced the obsolete 8 50mmR Lebel round used during World War I 7 5 54mm MAS mod 1929TypeRiflePlace of originFranceService historyIn service1929 1990Used byFrance Germany Vietnam CameroonWarsWorld War IIFirst Indochina WarAlgerian WarSuez CrisisVietnam WarShaba IISouthern Cameroons War of SecessionProduction historyDesignerMASDesigned1924VariantsBalle C Balle D SpecificationsParent case7 5 57mm MAS mod 1924Case typeRimless bottleneckBullet diameter7 84 mm 0 309 in Land diameter7 57 mm 0 298 in Neck diameter8 66 mm 0 341 in Shoulder diameter11 30 mm 0 445 in Base diameter12 25 mm 0 482 in Rim diameter12 34 mm 0 486 in Rim thickness1 40 mm 0 055 in Case length54 00 mm 2 126 in Overall length76 00 mm 2 992 in Case capacity3 76 cm3 58 0 gr H2O Rifling twist270 mm 10 63 inches Primer typeBerdan or Boxer Large rifleMaximum pressure C I P 380 00 MPa 55 114 psi Ballistic performanceBullet mass type Velocity Energy9 0 g 139 gr Balle C FMJ 820 m s 2 700 ft s 3 026 J 2 232 ft lbf 9 0 g 139 gr FMJ Privi Partizan 830 m s 2 700 ft s 3 104 J 2 289 ft lbf 9 0 g 139 gr SP 850 m s 2 800 ft s 3 550 J 2 620 ft lbf 11 7 g 181 gr SP 790 m s 2 600 ft s 3 650 J 2 690 ft lbf 12 35 g 191 gr Balle D FMJ 694 m s 2 280 ft s 2 974 J 2 194 ft lbf Test barrel length 574 mm 22 60 in and600 mm 23 62 in Source s C I P 1 SurplusRifle com 2 Cartridges of the World 3 The 7 5 54mm French MAS has an uncommon 12 39 mm 0 488 in breech and breechface diameter and it has ballistics comparable to the 7 62 51mm NATO 308 Winchester round 1 The 7 5 French cartridge is somewhat similar in appearance to the slightly longer and thicker 7 5 55mm Swiss GP11 round but users should never try to interchange the two rounds Contents 1 History 2 Cartridge dimensions 3 Availability 4 Weapons chambered for 7 5 54mm MAS 5 See also 6 References 7 External linksHistory EditBy the end of World War I the French Army realized that it needed to update its once revolutionary but now obsolete 8 mm Lebel ammunition Due to the demands of mass production of the 8mm Lebel round during World War I it was not able to do so until the war had ended in November 1918 Six years later in 1924 the 7 5 57mm MAS cartridge was introduced However it lasted only until 1929 when it was replaced with the slightly shorter 7 5 54mm MAS 1924 M29 due to the original cartridge being very similar in size and appearance to the German 7 92 57mm Mauser As a result a French soldier could potentially chamber a 7 92 57mm cartridge which were also in fairly widespread use by the French military e g in machine guns obtained as war reparations and cause a massive failure if fired in a rifle designed for the less powerful and smaller calibre 7 5 57mm With the newer 54mm case a 7 92 57mm Mauser round would be too long for the chamber and prevent incorrect ammunition from being used Two bullet variations were tested for military use at the time the 1924 C and 1924 D the former being lighter than Balle 1924 D citation needed The French Army chose to adopt light ball 9 0 grams 139 gr Balle C flat base spitzer bullet ammunition for universal service in the MAS 36 and MAS 49 rifles as well as in the Mle 1924 29 machine rifle The heavy ball 12 35 grams 190 6 gr Balle 1929 D featured a boat tailed spitzer bullet and had limited specialized use in automatic weapons like the Mle 1931 F and the FM Mle 1924M29 machine guns citation needed Common variations of the 7 5 54mm French military round are armor piercing Balle AP tracers Balle A incendiary Balle I gallery practice and blank The 7 5mm 54 French round is still classified in France as war material citation needed Cartridge dimensions EditThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed January 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message The 7 5 54mm French has 3 76 ml 58 0 grains H2O cartridge case capacity The exterior shape of the case was designed to promote reliable case feeding and extraction in bolt action rifles and machine guns alike under extreme conditions 7 5 54mm French maximum C I P 4 cartridge dimensions All sizes in millimeters mm Americans would define the shoulder angle at alpha 2 20 degrees The common rifling twist rate for this cartridge is 270 mm 1 in 10 63 inches 4 grooves O lands 7 57 mm 0 298 in O grooves 7 85 mm 0 309 in land width 3 70 mm 0 146 in However fortress machine guns in the Maginot line used 235 mm twist rate since they were designed for a heavier Mle 1933D bullet 5 The primer type is Berdan military ammo or Boxer some commercial ammo Large rifle According to the official C I P 6 Commission Internationale Permanente pour l Epreuve des Armes a Feu Portatives rulings the 7 5 54mm French can handle up to 380 00 MPa 55 114 psi Pmax piezo pressure In C I P regulated countries every rifle cartridge combo has to be proofed at 125 of this maximum C I P 4 pressure to certify for sale to consumers This means that 7 5 54mm French chambered arms in C I P 4 regulated countries are currently 2017 proof tested at 475 00 MPa 68 893 psi PE piezo pressure The American 7 62 51mm NATO 308 Winchester cartridge which succeeded it in French military use offers similar ballistics compared to the 7 5 54mm French Availability EditThe original French made military ammunition tends to be scarce in the United States and is often corrosive and always Berdan primed The pressure is rated at around 40 000 CUP or about 295 MPa 42 800 psi The original military brass is highly prone to head separation when reloaded above 40 000 CUP The reason is that the military Berdan primed cartridges were made with a specially scored internal annular groove between the head and body to purposely weaken the case and prevent reloading by enemy forces which had apparently been a problem at one time for the French when they occupied Morocco MAS 36 bolt action rifles are capable of handling pressure much higher than 40 000 CUP For the handloader 7 62mm NATO load data would work citation needed Reloadable Boxer primed 7 5 54mm French cartridge cases can be produced by reforming 6 5 55mm Swedish Mauser brass with commercial case forming dies The ammunition manufacturer Prvi Partizan has brought onto the U S market freshly manufactured reloadable non corrosive 7 5 54mm French ammunition loaded with a 9 0 grams 139 gr bullet that meets the specifications of the original round citation needed In countries where restrictions prevent civilian hunting use of firearms chambered in Military cartridges still considered War Materiel like the 7 5 54 French MAS owners of surplus military firearms may have them changed to a different non military cartridge The easiest and usually the cheapest way is to rechamber the firearm to something that uses the same barrel and bore but removes the old military chamber during the re chambering process The C I P 4 has registered both the 30 284 NOLASCO 7 and the extremely similar 30 284 Winchester 8 both considered wildcat cartridges based on the 284 Winchester in the US but commercially made in Europe Both these chamberings completely remove the original 7 5 54 MAS chamber and have the same pressure ratings as the 7 5 54 MAS cartridge Both cartridges have the same cartridge case dimensions including a common maximum unloaded case length of 55 10mm but their primarily difference lies in their loaded overall length OAL The 30 284 has a shorter OAL of 72mm while the NOLASCO specifies a longer OAL of 76mm the same as the 7 5 54 MAS 6 This can be helpful for loading longer bullets with better ballistic coefficients for hunting Weapons chambered for 7 5 54mm MAS EditThis section does not cite any sources Please help improve this section by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed January 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message Belted 7 5 54mm French ammunition for use in the MAC 52 aircraft variant of the AA 52 machine gun MAS 36 rifle MAS 49 and FSA MAS 49 56 rifles FR F1 sniper rifle FM 24 29 light machine gun Reibel machine gun Darne aircraft machine gun MAC 1931 MAC 1934 aircraft machine gun FN Browning mle 38 aircraft machine gun AA 52 machine gun Fusil Mle 1907 15 M34 Lebel 1886 93 M27 Two thirds of production The first products are 7 5 58mm caliber See also EditList of rifle cartridges 7 mm caliber Military and Machine Gun Cartridges Jean Huon 1988 Ironside International Pub Inc Alexandria VA ISBN 0 935554 05 X References Edit a b c C I P TDCC datasheet 7 5 54 MAS PDF surplusrifle com www surplusrifle com Barnes Frank C 2006 1965 Skinner Stan ed Cartridges of the World 11th ed Iola WI USA Gun Digest Books pp 353 375 ISBN 0 89689 297 2 a b c d CIP Homologation bobp cip bobp org Wikimaginot le wiki de la ligne Maginot a b Table PDF bobp cip bobp org Retrieved 2021 05 02 Table PDF bobp cip bobp org Retrieved 2021 05 02 Table PDF bobp cip bobp org Retrieved 2021 05 02 External links Edit Wikimedia Commons has media related to 7 5 x 54 mm MAS 7 5 Mas Ammo 1 French 7 5 Mas Ammo 2 French Munitions de 7 5 mm French 7 5 54 French MAS Cartridge French ALM Le fusil de 7 5 mm modele MAS 36 C I P TDCC 7 5 x 54 MAS FRENCH 7 5x54 LOADS AND RIFLES By Richard Lindstrom July 31 2005 Huon Jean 1988 Military Rifle and Machine Gun Cartridges Ironside International Publishers Inc ISBN 0 935554 05 X Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title 7 5 54mm French amp oldid 1116102744, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
