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Description
So our history can be traced by to mid 1920s when St.Étienne developed an experimental submachine gun called MAS 24 in 7.65x20mm Longue (Previously used on American Pedersen Device) for military.
It wasn't adopted as French military canceled all submachine gun development feeling they were not needed, well they had a big fancy Maginot Line to spend their money on.

By 1930s situation was diffrent and development of submachine gun in 7.65 was resumed and St.Étienne went back to work on MAS 24 and by 1935 had redesigned it into prototype called MAS 35.
MAS 35 was tested by Technical Commission of French Army against two rivals - Petter submachine gun and ETVS.
Judged better than both rivals it was allowed further development. Minor modifications to the design created the final MAS 38.
It got accepted as the main SMG of France in 1939 while Petter gun was bought in limited number (around 50 were made)
St.Étienne had been preparing mass production in 1939 when Mr.Hitler said no and war begun, so adoption was interrupted. The first batches were given to Garde Mobile (This was a thing that conscripted everyone that could avoid military service before) rather than the French Army itself.
But by the time the guns were starting to be delivered in 1940 France had already been fully invaded by Germany. 1 958 was made by that time. Nevertheless, production continued as planned by the Germans and MAS 38 were issues to soldiers in Vichy France throughout the war.
It also saw use in resistance groups both in and out of France.

The most famous use of MAS 38 was it claim to be used by an Italian Partisan to kill Benito Mussolini in 1945.

After WW2, the restarted French Army decided to reconstruct itself and this included their equipment. 7.65x20mm Longue was judged underpowered by its performence in the war and decision was made to adopt 9x19mm Parabellum like the rest of Western Europe (Central and Eastern Europe was playing around with 7.62x25mm Tokarev and later 9x18mm Makarov).
While MAS 38 remained in use and production, replacment was worked on by the late 1940s which resulted in adoption of MAT-49 in 1950.
When MAT-49 appeared, production of MAS-38 stopped, but it remained in use during French Indochina conflicts.
By 1960s it was almost complitely replaced by MAT-49.

To end the story, I want to quote one opinion on the submachine gun:
"This gun is ugly" - My older brother

Name: MAS 38
Type: Submachine Gun
Bullet: 7.65x20mm Longue
Country of Origin: France
Year: 1938

Description
So our history can be traced by to mid 1920s when St.Étienne developed an experimental submachine gun called MAS 24 in 7.65x20mm Longue (Previously used on American Pedersen Device) for military.
It wasn't adopted as French military canceled all submachine gun development feeling they were not needed, well they had a big fancy Maginot Line to spend their money on.

By 1930s situation was diffrent and development of submachine gun in 7.65 was resumed and St.Étienne went back to work on MAS 24 and by 1935 had redesigned it into prototype called MAS 35.
MAS 35 was tested by Technical Commission of French Army against two rivals - Petter submachine gun and ETVS.
Judged better than both rivals it was allowed further development. Minor modifications to the design created the final MAS 38.
It got accepted as the main SMG of France in 1939 while Petter gun was bought in limited number (around 50 were made)
St.Étienne had been preparing mass production in 1939 when Mr.Hitler said no and war begun, so adoption was interrupted. The first batches were given to Garde Mobile (This was a thing that conscripted everyone that could avoid military service before) rather than the French Army itself.
But by the time the guns were starting to be delivered in 1940 France had already been fully invaded by Germany. 1 958 was made by that time. Nevertheless, production continued as planned by the Germans and MAS 38 were issues to soldiers in Vichy France throughout the war.
It also saw use in resistance groups both in and out of France.

The most famous use of MAS 38 was it claim to be used by an Italian Partisan to kill Benito Mussolini in 1945.

After WW2, the restarted French Army decided to reconstruct itself and this included their equipment. 7.65x20mm Longue was judged underpowered by its performence in the war and decision was made to adopt 9x19mm Parabellum like the rest of Western Europe (Central and Eastern Europe was playing around with 7.62x25mm Tokarev and later 9x18mm Makarov).
While MAS 38 remained in use and production, replacment was worked on by the late 1940s which resulted in adoption of MAT-49 in 1950.
When MAT-49 appeared, production of MAS-38 stopped, but it remained in use during French Indochina conflicts.
By 1960s it was almost complitely replaced by MAT-49.

To end the story, I want to quote one opinion on the submachine gun:
"This gun is ugly" - My older brother

Name: MAS 38
Type: Submachine Gun
Bullet: 7.65x20mm Longue
Country of Origin: France
Year: 1938