MAB Model D pistol

MAB Model D, Type I

Type	Semi-automatic pistol
Place of origin	France
Service history
Used by	French military and police German forces occupying France during WWII German police after WWII VietCong forces during US Vietnam War
Wars	World War II French Indochina war Algerian War of Independence Vietnam War
Production history
Manufacturer	Manufacture d'Armes de Bayonne
Produced	1933–1982
Number built	over 200,000
Variants	Types I and II
Specifications
Weight	0.76 kg
Length	178 mm
Barrel length	101 mm

Caliber	7.65×17mm Browning SR (.32 ACP) .380 ACP
Action	Blowback
Muzzle velocity	213 m/s (699 ft/s) for .32 ACP
Feed system	9-round box magazine (.32 ACP) 7 rounds for .380 ACP

The MAB model D is a pistol produced by MAB (Manufacture d'Armes de Bayonne) from 1933 to 1963 (.32 ACP) and 1982 (.380 ACP); it was inspired by the Belgian Browning FN pistol 1910/22. It was developed with the smaller "MAB C", also made in .32 and .380 ACP, and with which it has many parts in common. Some later examples marked "MAB C" are actually a combination of a MAB C "slide" and barrel with a MAB D frame; these are officially an "extended grip" MAB C but usually called a "MAB C/D", although are not so marked. The MAB C was primarily a civilian "pocket pistol", while the larger MAB D was intended for police and military use.

The MAB D was used by the French Army and military police before and after World War II. After German forces occupied France, the MAB D was adopted for use by the Wehrmacht (German army) during World War II; these pistols typically have German acceptance marks stamped into the metal. (As with other weapons, it is not uncommon to find forged German acceptance marks on MAB Ds being sold, including incorrect acceptance marks, incorrect placement, and marks on Type II MABs not manufactured until after World War II.)

Following World War II, the MAB D was used by the French military in Indochina. In France, it was used by various French governmental agencies, including the French local police, the Gendarmerie (military police and also civilian countryside police), the customs department, the National Forests Office, and the Banque de France. MAB Ds are now only used as surplus pistols for the French police, who primarily used revolvers before 2000. As with other French firearms, MAB Ds were also used by the military and police of the Kingdom of Morocco, a French protectorate. In the years after World War II, German police forces also used the MAB D.

There were two MAB D versions, usually called the Type I and Type II. The Type I MAB D was made 1933–1945 and used an external muzzle bushing release latch in front of the trigger guard; the Type II used an internal "bayonet" type release requiring pushing in and turning the muzzle bushing. The MAB factory changed from the Type I to Type II production in June 1945.

The MAB D pictured with this article is a Type I. The barrel release latch can be seen near the front of the frame in front of the trigger guard, as well as the Type I muzzle bushing.

References

Medlin, Eugene and Jean Huon. French Service Handguns 1858–2004. St Louis, MO: Tommy Gun Publications, 2004.
Buffaloe, Ed. A Brief History of MAB, http://unblinkingeye.com/Guns/MABHist/mabhist.html

French infantry weapons of World War II

Side arms	MAB Model D pistol Modèle 1935 pistol Star Model 14

Rifles and carbines	MAS-36 rifle Lebel Model 1886 rifle Berthier rifle Berthier carbine MAS-40 rifle

Submachine guns	Erma EMP MAS-38

Machine guns and other larger weapons	FM 24/29 light machine gun Hotchkiss M1909 machine gun Hotchkiss M1914 machine gun Hotchkiss M1922 machine gun Hotchkiss M1929 machine gun

Mortars	Brandt Mle 1935 Brandt Mle 27/31

Grenades	F1 grenade

Cartridges used by France during WWII	8mm Lebel 7.5×54mm French .32 ACP .380 ACP 7.65mm Longue 7×57mm Mauser 6.5×50mm Arisaka

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