Picked up a couple of rifles today

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I drove up to NH to buy an Arisaka from a C&R board member and he was nice enough to show me some of his collection. I ended up impulse buying a 2nd rifle that I don't know anything about. It's in good shape and stamped with WWII years which I'm always a sucker for. [smile]

Here is the Arisaka, its in pretty good shape for a Jap rifle. No Mum but almost all matching otherwise. My book says its a Type 99 Kokura Series 23 Arsenal, probably mid war. I plan to shoot it a few times a year. I paid $175.

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He also had this for sale and because it was in good shape I bought it as well. Its supposed to be an Australian SMLE MK III. The stock is stamped 1943 and the receiver says 1942 but the serial numbers match back and forth which is odd. I don't know anything about these, other than it shoots 303 British rounds. [smile] Any info is appreciated. I paid $200 bucks.

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And now the difficult part, finding Ammo in Mass for these guys... :(
 
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Nice buy thats a great deal on a MK III. Brit .303 is easy to find and theres some surplus out there carful with some of the surplus ammo tho lots of hang fires because its cordite and I myself had a problem with the brass cracking must have not be anealed properly. Jap 7.7 impossible to get, hornady and norma are the only 2 companies I know that make any. Have fun those are 2 great milsurps!
 
I'm filling out my C&R records but I'm not sure what to put for the MK III. There are no import marks so who is the manufacturer? Australia or Britain? What is the full model name?

Thanks :)
 
I'm filling out my C&R records but I'm not sure what to put for the MK III. There are no import marks so who is the manufacturer? Australia or Britain? What is the full model name?

Thanks :)

Just put Enfield SMLE No.1 Mk3 Lithgow. Its Australian BTW and looks like a nice find.[thumbsup]

Now get yourself some slings and bayonets to complete them.[wink]
 
Nice acquistions, if for nothing else but the history. Both were players in WWII theaters.

But I also hope that you can find the ammo and accessories for them. Feel the history instead of just pondering. Thanks for sharing.
 
I've given up saying that phrase. Everytime I say "OK no more for at least a few months", I end up buying one very soon after. ;)

Nice WWII rifles, and for decent prices too.

Oh and hey this reminds me of a picture I took while in Ireland! We were at Charles Fort in Kinsale and some of the buildings were converted into mini museums. As we approached this particular display I said "Hey look an Enfield!" To which she replied "You knew what gun that is before you could even read the plaque?" But of course! [grin] I have no idea what the muskets were though. I don't keep up on stuff that old.

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[/QUOTE]

1. Tower Third Model Brown Bess .75 smooth bore flint lock musket 1790-1850, some later converted to percussion
2. Replaced by the rifle underneath, P53, 1853 Enfield .577 percussion rifle musket. 2nd most common rifle in the American Civil War.

If this is a continuum of British Firearms, they missed:

3. P53 Sneider breech loading conversion
4. Martini-Henry (Zulu War)
5. Lee-Henry Long rifle (Boer War)
6. Then the No. III Mark I, Short Lee-Enfield



MS
 
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1. Tower Third Model Brown Bess .75 smooth bore flint lock musket 1790-1850, some later converted to percussion
2. Replaced by the rifle underneath, P53, 1853 Enfield .577 percussion rifle musket. 2nd most common rifle in the American Civil War.

If this is a continuum of British Firearms, they missed:

3. P53 Sneider breech loading conversion
4. Martini-Henry (Zulu War)
5. Lee-Henry Long rifle (Boer War)
6. Then the No. III Mark I, Short Lee-Enfield



MS[/QUOTE]

Even then Tim you missed a bunch.

FWIW most museums only have a small representation of firearms and even then they are what they can get on loan from collectors. If you go to the Fort Taber museum in New Bedford, you'll see many firearms belonging to our own Madmarc0 and while they are not complete collections, all are a small representation of various areas of military history.
 
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