GUN SPRING 2018
The live portion of this session begins on Wednesday, March 21, 2018.
COMPLETE CRATE OF 10 FRENCH MAS 45 22 TRAINING RIFLES WITH ALL ACCESSORIES. MAS 45 30508/30538/30596/30566/30565/30510/30512/30539/30564/30552 22 MODERN; C&R Cal. 22 long rifle. Manufactured post WWII in Saint/Etienne France for training purposes of military personnel. These rifles were patterned after the Mauser Model 45 and the KKW rifle. The Model 45 emulates the controls of the Model 98 Mauser rifle of WWII fame. These rifles have a 5 round detachable magazine and are typically grey/green phosphate finished with a tangent sight graduated from 30 meters to 150 meters. Stocks utilized the available beech wood, however some are found with walnut. These rifles will be marked with the MAS banner crest over chamber with a steel buttplate and front sight hood. A number of these firearms were imported in the early 1980's and were at that time quickly absorbed into the U.S. shooting market. The total production is speculated to have been 50,000 total rifles but has not been verified. These 10 gun crates are complete with all items being wrapped for long term storage in a beeswax and linen storage material. The crates include a cleaning rod, 10 slings and 3-5 magazines for each rifle. PROVENANCE: The spectacular collections of Ray Bentley featuring the finest and rarest deluxe antique Winchesters in the world. CONDITION: As new and still wrapped in their French beeswax wrap with a document indicating that these were reinspected in 1974 while in storage with the French government. This unique time capsule of rifles inclusive of all its accessories is in fact as new and undisturbed. Only one of these rifles appears to have ever been unwrapped the other 9 are still sealed indicating that there are no import marks or post French inspection tampering. 53094-217 TDW (4,500-6,500) W/CRATE