Notes: This was originally produced as a police weapon in post-World War 2 France. It was very quickly modified into a selective fire submachinegun and offered to the French Army, who rejected it after disappointing results in Indochina. Small numbers were also sold to Venezuela in the early 1950s, but as far as is known they are no longer even in storage by the Venezuelans.

One of the problems with the weapon were the many unique features that led to overcomplication. One of the most unusual features was its ability to fold for storage or parachute jumps: the pistol grip folded, the stock folded, the magazine well folded (with a magazine in it), and even the barrel could be telescoped back into the receiver; this led to a small package of only 43.69 centimeters in length and less than 10 centimeters in height. (Needless to say, it cannot be fired in this state). Unfolded, you have a relatively compact submachinegun with a collapsible stock and a barrel length of 10.8 inches. A second problem is that the Hotchkiss Universal submachinegun is not very resistant to dirt or abuse, nor is it very "soldier-proof." The weapons were also generally of poor quality and even today will not bring a high real-world price.

Notes: More properly known as the Pistolet Mitrailleur MAS Mle 1938, the MAS-38 is an elderly French submachinegun which can still be found sometimes in Southeast Asia and Africa. Despite its odd and somewhat fragile looks, including a receiver which looks "crooked" in relation to the butt, a wooden stock and pistol grip, an angled stick-type magazine, and a long length of exposed barrel, the MAS-38 was quite reliable and even rather tough. Despite being designed and production beginning shortly before World War 2, few if any were built at that time, and most of them were in fact built after World War 2 when France got back on its feet. Because of this, this weapon is sometimes referred to as the MAS-38/49.

The MAS-38 was popular with troops due to that reliability and toughness, but it was greatly hampered by its underpowered 7.65mm Longue cartridge. Despite this, it was issued in fairly large numbers, especially to the Foreign Legion. Operation is pure blowback, and the barrel is 8.75 inches -- virtually all of it unsupported. The front sight was a simple blade, with the rear being a flip-type aperture, but they are considered poorly-designed and getting a good aim with the sights can be difficult even for experienced MAS-38 gunners. Some MAS-38s had a bayonet lug, but because of the unsupported barrel, bayonet fighting with a MAS-38 is quite likely to cause a bent barrel. The safety mechanism is unusual; to engage it, one folds the trigger forward to the top of the trigger guard.

Notes: The MAT 49 was developed at the Tulle Arsenal. It weapon was originally designed for paratroopers of the French Foreign Legion, but was later adopted by the entire French Army. The MAT 49 proved to be extremely reliable and was used by the French until the 1970s, when it was replaced by the FAMAS assault rifle. It is still widely used, by police forces in several countries and by some by African countries (especially Algeria). The Vietnamese captured a number of them during the French involvement in Indochina; they were converted to fire 7.62mm Tokarev ammunition and are still used by militia forces in that country (see Vietnamese Submachineguns).

The MAT 49 was a simple blowback-operated submachinegun constructed almost entirely of stamped steel parts, and in that way is roughly the French equivalent of the M-3 Grease Gun or Sten. The pistol grip had plastic grip plates, and the folding wire stock could be folded underneath to act as a forward grip if necessary. An unusual feature of the MAT 49 was the magazine well; to make a smaller package during airdrops, the magazine well folds forward, along with the magazine; this also provides a positive block against firing, even if a round is chambered. Another advantage of the MAT-49 was its cartridge – the more powerful 9mm Parabellum.