MAB Model D Type I .32 ACP Semi-Auto Pistol – Pre-1945 French Service, Blued 3.98" Barrel, Manufacture d'armes de Bayonne
Produced in France between 1933 and 1945, this MAB Model D Type I represents the scarce pre-June 1945 configuration distinguished by its latch-released muzzle bushing. Chambered in .32 ACP, it offers a 9-round magazine, striker-fired blowback action, and dual manual and grip safeties. Collectors value these pistols for their documented use by French and German forces during WWII and for their parts commonality with the compact MAB C.
Condition
Overall Condition: Good condition, showing some signs of prior use and handling.
Bore Condition: Good – Clean, well-maintained, minor wear marks.
Rifling Condition: Good Rifling – Intact, well-defined lands and grooves.
Specific condition notes: Minor to moderate scratching, scuffing, finish loss, and blemishing are present on the slide and frame.
What’s Included
- 1× 9-round factory steel magazine
The Type I variant’s external barrel-bushing latch is a quick visual identifier and was deleted on later production runs, making surviving examples less common.
A milled carbon-steel slide with integral low half-moon front and square-notch rear sights preserves the period-correct profile and maintains sight zero without dovetails.
The blued carbon-steel frame retains its original lanyard ring—standard for military-issue sidearms of the era—and mounts smooth wood grips that remain serviceable and historically correct.
Its heel-type magazine release, manual safety, and grip safety reflect inter-war French doctrinal preferences for secure carry and intuitive handling, while the single-action striker system keeps the trigger pull consistent.
Shared parts with the compact MAB C simplified logistics for French forces, and wartime capture saw many Model D pistols pressed into German service, adding notable historical context to this example.