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This mid 1940 rifle has an exc condion S-A 8-40 barrel with London proofs. The rifle is not original and is without the comp and keystone springs but has the round body follower. The stock was replaced too. I did find a data sheet in a early GCA newsletter that had s/n 7860 with an S-A 8-40 barrel also with London NP proofs. Are there any other S-A 8-40 barrels around with London proofs ?
Ive seen alot of early guns (from like June 1941 to March of 1942) but never one from 1940...
The LL details specifically mention rebuilt rifles, including updated old front end (gas trap) guns, WRA, and a certain percentage from new production. I have never seen a WRA with Brit proofs. Previous low LL serial I had seen was a 77,000 gun back in the 1970's. London proofs are scarce. Nice rifle!
Is it more likly or at least possible, that this is a rifle that was in British hands BEFORE the Lend Lease program ???
Wouldn't they have changed out that buttstock to one with a trap door buttplate if the gun had been rebuilt and was to be part of the LL rifle shipments?
EDIT: Strike what I said above. I just re-read RCS' description of the rifle in which he said the stock had been replaced. I wonder what was on it before being swapped?
Joe...
Regarding:
Someone correct me if I'm mistaken (a distinct possibility!), but the whole point of Lend-Lease in the first place was to allow the US to loan military hardware to our allies. That idea of long-term loan was to slide around the prohibition of outright sales to anyone, as mandated by the Neutrality Acts. It seems unlikely that any M1 rifle -- nay, M1 canteen cup -- was in British possession prior to Lend Lease.Quote:
Originally Posted by Joe W
Ben Hartley
Not exactly. A private firm making a product for the military could sell thier product to our allies before lend / lease . Savage with thier #4mk1s , S/W pre-victories , Thompsons , etc. In the M1's case , though , only Winchester would have been able to but they'd would of had to BE making them to do so . Also , the M1 was in short supply early on , so I don't think any sales would have been approved even if Winchester delivery was posible.
Chris