The MAS-49 is a French semi-automatic military rifle that replaced the diverse collection of aging bolt-action rifles (MAS-36, Lee Enfield No4, U.S. M1917 and K98k) that were in French service after the end of World War II. It was designed and manufactured by MAS (an abbreviation of Manufacture d'armes de Saint-Étienne - one of several government-owned arms factories in France at the time). The French Army formal designation of the MAS-49 is "Fusil Semi-automatique de 7,5mm Modele 1949". The MAS-49 semi-automatic rifle was produced in limited quantities (20,600 units), whereas the shorter and lighter variant, the MAS-49/56, was mass manufactured (275,240 units) and issued to all branches of the French military. Both rifle models were designed to be used with a removable telescopic sight.