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Archive for WW2

German WW2 Luger P-08

Posted in Firearms with tags Germany (Third Reich), Heer, Luger, Pistols, WW2 on August 4, 2019 by The Dude

The Luger pistol is a prohibited firearm up here north of the border, due to its barrel length of 100mm. Because I came to Canada so late I was unable to be grandfathered into the pistol license required to own one. As a substitute I own a WW1 & WW2 “cock and click” dewat as well as the long barrelled LP-08 Artillery Luger. But I always wanted the real deal. So I went the long route of sourcing a 105mm barrel from the US and then locating a Luger up here to get re-barrelled and reclassified as restricted.

This is it, a 1937 Mauser made S/42 marked Luger P-08. It came with a spare magazine, a takedown tool marked WaA63 (correct for Mauser) and a period holster from 1937.

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British SMLE Enfield No1 Mk3*

Posted in Firearms with tags Australia, Enfield, Pacific Campaign, Rifles, United Kingdom, WW2 on July 20, 2019 by The Dude

I have always had a wee hard-on for the Enfield No1 Mk3. It was the first rifle I owned as a child and I have always wanted to own one again. A friend of mine is a nut for Enfields and owns far too many. I asked him to sell me a no-issues wartime rifle to go with the No4 & No5 I already had. He came up with this one. Battle issued, made in 1941/42 by Lithgow in Australia. Sighted for high velocity MkVII ammun ition, this rifle went into New Guinea with the Australian Forces. It was returned to Lithgow in June 1945.

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Arisaka Rear & Side Ammunition Pouches

Posted in Ammo & Magazine Pouches with tags Ammunition, Arisaka, Empire of Japan, WW2 on July 20, 2019 by The Dude

A fair while back I found a single front ammunition pouch for the Arisaka battle rifle. The standard issue was two front pouches and one rear one. The front pouches held 30 rounds and the rear one 60, for a full load of 120 rounds.

The rear pouch also houses a small oil bottle. Both of these came stinking of mothballs. I sat them outside for a couple of months and then soaked them in vinegar & water overnight. They still stink but not so much as to drive me out of my own house.

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Australian Pattern 1907 Enfield Bayonet

Posted in Bayonets with tags Australia, Bayonets, Enfield, United Kingdom, WW2 on July 20, 2019 by The Dude

Two things are driving me nuts lately. One, the lack of German guns falling into my lap. Two, my need to complete sets. I had a No4 Mk 1* Enfield and a No5 Mk 1. So since no Jerry guns were showing up I decided to get a No1 Mk3 SMLE Enfield. I like to put bayonet with rifle so here is a Lithgow made P1907 Enfield bayonet. MA stamped for Lithgow Small Arms Factory. The broad arrow for military acceptance. An X for a hardness test mark and a couple of inspector stamps.

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Walther SLD Flaregun Selector Switch

Posted in Flares and Flareguns with tags Flareguns, Germany (Third Reich), Kriegsmarine, UBoat, Walther, WW2 on July 20, 2019 by The Dude

A few posts ago I found a Walther SLD U-Boat flare gun in an auction out east. No-one much bid on it as it was missing the selector switch for the L-R barrel select. Of course I am an idiot who didn’t understand just how unobtainium these things are. Needless to say it’s take me six months and the kindness of Martin from Austria to supply this missing bit.

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Italian Beretta Model 38A

Posted in Firearms with tags Beretta, Italy (Fascist), SMG's, Submachineguns, WW2 on March 16, 2019 by The Dude

This is my Beretta MAB-38A SMG, in 9mm Luger. Much like the MP34ö in production quality, this was a well regarded weapon, used by many foreign armies including the Germans and manufactured into the 50’s. This particular example is pre-war and comes with the long 40 round magazine. Funny story was that I bought the magazine from a bloke in Bulgaria, but represented as an MP38 magazine. When it arrived it was plainly not that but I didn’t send it back as I thought it likely that one day I’d have the MAB-38. Here it is! It’s an interesting weapon, notably having two triggers. The forward one fires in semi-auto, while the rear one is full automatic.

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Japanese Type 2 Paratrooper Rifle

Posted in Firearms with tags Arisaka, Empire of Japan, Paratroops, Rifles, WW2 on March 16, 2019 by The Dude

This is a pretty great find for me. This rifle came from the US and is a Type 2 TERA (Teishin Rakkasan Shyoujyu) rifle. This rifle was based on the Type 99 infantry rifle but designed to be able to be broken down into two parts for stowing prior to the Paratrooper drop. These rifles are almost never found with an unground Chrysanthemum and often the front and rear sections are mismatched. In this case the rifle is all matching. Interesting because it retains the anti-aircraft sights of the Type 99.