MAC Mle 1950

Etienne - two of several government-owned arms factories in France) It is now superseded by the PAMAS G1, the French version of the Beretta 92, and since 2020 by the 5th-generation Glock 17.

• Name — MAC Mle 1950 • Origin — French Fourth Republic / France • Type — Semi-automatic pistol • Is Ranged — yes • Wars — First Indochina War Algerian War Suez Crisis Vietnam War Lebanese Civil War Chadian Civil War Western Sahara War Chadian–Libyan conflict Shaba II Algerian Civil War First Ivorian Civil War Second Ivorian Civil War Libyan civil war (2011) Libyan civil war (2014–2020) • Design Date — 1950 • Manufacturer — Manufacture d'armes de Châtellerault MAS • Production Date — 1950–1970 • Number — 341,900 • Weight — 860 g • Length — 195 mm • Part Length — 111 mm • Height — 135 mm • Cartridge — 9×19mm Parabellum • Action — Short recoil, locked breech, dropping barrel • Velocity — 315 m/s • Range — 50 m • Max Range — 1900 m • Feed — 9-round detachable box magazine • Sights — Fixed iron sights 155 mm sight radius

In Châtellerault, 221,900 were made until it was closed in 1963, with production continuing in St. Étienne, where 120,000 pistols were made by 1978. From 1953, the MAC 50 replaced the Modèle 1892 revolver, the MAS 35S, PA 35A, and other Colt 1911 models in the French armed forces, and the P38 in the CRS (riot police). It was the standard-issue sidearm for the French Gendarmerie (excluding specialised units) until its gradual replacement by the MAS G1 starting in 1989. It was also issued to the Penitentiary Service and certain branches of the National Police (DST, PJ, RG, and PAF). In 2000, fifty years after its initial introduction, the Army's MAC 50 began its phase-out and was replaced by a version of the Beretta 92, the PAMAS G1, which was previously issued to the National Gendarmerie, which now uses the SIG PRO SP2022. In 2020, the Glock 17 became the standard-issue weapon in the French armed forces and was to completely replace the remaining MAC 50s.

It uses the Browning system like the FN GP 35 with an integral barrel feed ramp, it is a single-action trigger with slide mounted safety that locks the firing pin so the hammer can be lowered by pressing the trigger with safety engaged. The MAC-50 is primarily based on the Modèle 1935S, for which MAC was the primary manufacturer, although it shares some characteristics with the Modèle 1935A, the design basis for the SIG P210 (SIG licensed the Modèle 1935A design from SACM in 1937).

• Illustration — Map with MAC-50 users in blue * • Central African Republic: Armée de Terre and Gendarmerie nationale (Central African Republic) • France • French Armed Forces • Police Nationale • Ivory Coast • Libya • Morocco • Ukraine