MAB PA-15
- Category
- Pistol
- Barrel
- 114 mm
- Weight, empty
- 1.07 kg
- Introduced
- 1966
About
What it is, and why it matters
The MAB PA-15 (Pistolet Automatique 15) was a French semi-automatic pistol introduced in 1966 by Manufacture d'Armes de Bayonne. It was notable as the first 9x19mm production pistol to exceed the Browning Hi-Power's 13-round capacity, holding 15 rounds in a double-stack magazine. The PA-15 used an unusual delayed-blowback action with a rotating barrel based on the Savage-Searle mechanism, rather than the more common Browning short-recoil system. Although originally developed for commercial export, the French Navy and Marines purchased small batches in the late 1970s after MAC 50 production ended.
The PA-15 holds the distinction of being the first commercial 9mm pistol to break the Browning Hi-Power's 13-round capacity barrier - a record it held briefly before the Czech CZ 75 and S&W Model 59 popularized the 'wonder-nine' high-capacity format.
When MAB closed in 1982, remaining parts were sold to Armurerie Chevasson, which continued assembling new pistols from existing components into at least 2009.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Manufacture d'Armes de Bayonne (MAB)
- Category
- Pistol
- Country
- France
- Status
- Out of production
- Produced
- 1966 to 1990
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 114 mm
- Overall length
- 203 mm
- Height
- 138 mm
- Width
- 35 mm
- Weight, empty
- 1.07 kg
- Weight, loaded
- 1.23 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Delayed blowback
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Single action
- Capacity
- 15
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Steel
- Slide
- Steel
- Barrel
- Steel
- Finish
- Blued
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 350 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 456 J
- Effective range
- 50 m
- Maximum range
- 200 m
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Savage searle rotating barrel
Double stack magazine
External hammer
Fixed dovetailed sights
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 560 9x19mm Parabellum pistols | 1.07 kg | 765 g | Heavier than about 80% |
| Overall lengthAmong 559 9x19mm Parabellum pistols | 203 mm | 191 mm | Longer than about 70% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 569 9x19mm Parabellum pistols | 114 mm | 105 mm | Longer than about 70% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 571 9x19mm Parabellum pistols | 15 | 15 | Near the median |
Answers
Questions about the MAB PA-15
How much does the MAB PA-15 weigh?
The MAB PA-15 weighs 1.07 kg (2.36 lb) empty and 1.23 kg (2.71 lb) loaded.
What caliber is the MAB PA-15?
The MAB PA-15 is chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum.
How many rounds does the MAB PA-15 hold?
The MAB PA-15 holds 15 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the MAB PA-15?
The MAB PA-15 is 203 mm (7.99 in) long overall, with a 114 mm (4.49 in) barrel.
Who makes the MAB PA-15?
The MAB PA-15 is made by Manufacture d'Armes de Bayonne (MAB) (France).
When was the MAB PA-15 introduced?
The MAB PA-15 was introduced in 1966 and discontinued in 1990.
How does the MAB PA-15 operate?
The MAB PA-15 uses a delayed blowback action, and its firing mechanism is hammer fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- French Naval Commandos
- France
- French Marines
- France
- French Military Police
- France
- French civilian export market
- France
Provenance
Confidence in this record
78%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/mab-pa15' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "mab-pa15", "name": "MAB PA-15", "manufacturer": { "id": "manufacture-darmes-de-bayonne", "name": "Manufacture d'Armes de Bayonne (MAB)", "countryCode": "FR", "foundedYear": 1921, "website": null, "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-05-04 12:38:54", "updatedAt": "2026-05-04 12:38:54", "version": "20971466d0e38546ac76d09ae9033be0b48025b52b57a03b21190187331b325c" }, "category": { "id": "pistol", "name": "Pistol", "description": "Handguns designed to be fired with one or two hands" }, "country_of_origin": "FR", "year_introduced": 1966, "barrel_length_mm": 114, "weight_empty_g": 1070, "action_type": "delayed_blowback"}