M.A.C.
I have run into a gun I can't place, and I hope someone can help. It is a semi-auto with a hammer and no grip safety. On the left side of the slide it is marked "M.A.C." On the right side it is marked "7.65 L"; "1935S"; and "M1." The base of the mag is marked "1935S." The hammer will not drop unless the clip is inserted. The grips are unmarked black checkered plastic (or something similar). The serial number reads "MAC-Cxxxx." The gun retains about 40% faded, dulled blue. I don't know if the safety (up near the hammer)works, but the gun otherwise appears to work properly. I'd appreciate it if anyone has an idea of what it is and what it might be worth. Thanks.
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Type: Single Action
Chamber: 7.65x22mm Longue
Weight unloaded: 790 g
Length: 188 mm
Barrel length: 105 mm
Capacity: 8 rounds
The Modele (Mle.) 1935 pistol had been developed by Swiss designer Charles Petter for French company SACM around 1935, and in 1935 this pistol had been adopted by French military as Mle.1935. Initial production began in 1936, and due to low rate of production the pistol had been slightly redesigned in 1938, to simplify manufacture. New model had been designated as Mle.1935S, while original model became Mle. 1935A. Most noticeable change was in the shape of the backstrap and in the lenght of the frame, and in the fact that in Mle. 1935S muzzle protruded from the slide, while in Mle. 1935A muzzle was flush with the slide. Mle. 1935 was official French sidearm until 1950. It was a good pistol, with main drawback being somewhat weak ammunition of 7.65mm caliber. Mle. 1935A was quite an elegant weapon, while Mle. 1935S had much more simplified look. The Mle.1935 had been manufactured by MAC, MAS, SAGEM and SACM factories.
Technically, the Mle.1935 is a further development of the Colt-Browning M1911 pistol. Mle. 1935 uses same locked breech, swinging link operated locking with single locking lug on the top of the barrel (in the Mle. 1935S the locking lug was formed on the slide, and on the top of the barrel there was a recess). The hammer and lockwork was designed as a single assembly, removable for cleaning maintenanse (first originated in Soviet TT pistol of 1930). This unit contained hammer, sear and mains spring. The slide mounted safety locked the firing pin when engaged. Sights were fixed and magazine single stack, holding 8 rounds.
The other French designed pistol submitted for the 1935 trials was designed by Manufacture Nationale d'Armes de Saint Etenne (MAS). SACM could not produce pistols fast enough to meet the militaries demands. So on 29 December, 1937, the French Army General Staff ordered the adoption of the MAS pistol as the M1935S. An order was placed for 10,000 pistols in September, 1938. The first production was in February, 1939. Total amount made before the surrender was only 1,404 pistols. It wasn't made under the German occupation.
France restarted production in late 1944 & produced 1,164 more pistols before the war ended. The pre WW2 & WW2 produced pistols had the safety lever that had to be pushed toward the muzzle to safe the pistol. This was in the reverse direction compared to the Mle 1935A. To make the 2 pistols compatible and prevent accidents, the safety was changed on the Mle 1935s to require it to be moved to the rear to set the safety. All Mle 1935s pistols made after the war have this safety and are marked with M1 on the slide after the model designation. In the photo, the lower safety is the WW2 version. After the war the pistol was made primarily by Manufacture Nationale d'Armes de Chatellerault (MAC). Between December 1945 & 1956 when MAC ended production, 56,087 M1935S pistols had been produced. In addition an order was placed with Societe d'Applications Generales d'Electrique (SAGEM) in September 1945 for 10,000 pistols. The order was not completed until the early 1950s with 9512 pieces being accepted.0 -
It is a French made M1935 chambered in 7.65 Longue which is a French cartridge. As far as value I would not know, hopefully someone has a Blue Book handy
Love them Beavers0 -
My 2?, considering the condition and lack of availably of the ammo your looking at between $100 & $200. 0
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