General Facts
- TYPE
Pistol - ORIGIN
France - NICKNAMES
Pistole 625(f) (Nazi German designation for Mle 1935A) - DESIGNED
1935 - 1937 - DESIGNER
Charles Petter (for SACM) - PRODUCTION
1937 - 1956 (Mle 1935S)
1938 - 1950 (Mle 1935A) - PRODUCERS France - MAC (Mle 1935S)
France - MAS (Mle 1935S)
France - ManuFrance (Mle 1935S)
France - SACM (Mle 1935A)
France - SAGEM (Mle 1935S) - QUANTITY
84.950 Mle 1935A
82.773 Mle 1935S - UNIT COST
Unknown - CHARACTERISTICS
Good accuracy
Limited firepower
Low magazine capacity
Introduction
The Mle 35 is a pistol of French origin. It was developed in the mid-1930's for a French army requirement. The SACM Mle 1935A was selected for service but the competing MAS Mle 1935S was pressed into service as well. A roughly equal number of both guns have been produced.
Design
The Mle 1935A and Mle 1935S are roughly equal in design as both are based on the M1911. They are semi-automatic pistols that use the Browning/Petter design for locking. The pistols are made out of metal and feature plastic grip plates. A single stack 8 round magazine is used.
Firepower
The Mle 35 is a single action semi-automatic pistol. It fires the French 7.65x19.5mm Longue round from an 8 round magazine. The accuracy was reportedly very good and it was deemed effective out to 50 meters.
Users
The Mle 35 was extensively used during World War 2 by both French and German forces. After the war it remained in French service and ended up with many ex-French colonies. In the French military it was replaced by the Mle 50 in the 1960's and the police used it until the 1980's. Nowadays the Mle 35 is considered obsolete.
Mle 1935A
The Mle 1935A was the design that was chosen over the Mle 1935S. It has a longer barrel and slide than the Mle 1935S and looks similar to the SIG P210, which was developed later by the same designer.
- Specifications:
- Mle 1935A
| Type | Pistol |
|---|---|
| Caliber | 7.65x19.5mm Longue |
| Magazine | 8 round magazine |
| Operation | ? |
| Fire selector | 0-1 |
| Rate of fire | Semi-automatic |
| Barrel length | 109 mm |
|---|---|
| Rifling | ? |
| Muzzle velocity | 345 m/s |
| Stock | - |
| Length | 193 mm |
| Width | ? |
| Height | ? |
|---|---|
| Weight | 0.74 kg loaded |
| Sights | Iron sights |
| Remarks | - |
Mle 1935S
The Mle 1935S lost out to the Mle 1935A and was not to be produced at first. It differs from the Mle 1935A in being shorter and using a slightly different locking method.
Mle 35S: Original production model of the Mle 1935S.
Mle 35S M1: Mle 35S with modified safety produced since 1947.
- Specifications:
- Mle 1935S
| Type | Pistol |
|---|---|
| Caliber | 7.65x19.5mm Longue |
| Magazine | 8 round magazine |
| Operation | ? |
| Fire selector | 0-1 |
| Rate of fire | Semi-automatic |
| Barrel length | 105 mm |
|---|---|
| Rifling | ? |
| Muzzle velocity | 345 m/s |
| Stock | - |
| Length | 188 mm |
| Width | ? |
| Height | ? |
|---|---|
| Weight | 0.658 kg empty, 0.79 kg loaded |
| Sights | Iron sights |
| Remarks | - |
Media
Mle 50
The Mle 50 has been was developed to replace the Mle 35. Its design was derived from the Mle 1935S.
