Gday, just keen to chat to Boys owners regarding parts, cleaning gear tools etc.
cheers!
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Gday, just keen to chat to Boys owners regarding parts, cleaning gear tools etc.
cheers!
:beerchug:
With thanks to stencollector for locating these, check the Boys videos in the "The Screening Room" (click here)
Boys Anti-tank Rifle Training (3 videos produced by Disney Studios) (click here)
Regards,
Badger
Hi Powdermonkey72,
I've also got a .55 boys. I currently buy ammo loaded by Peter Meyer.
Are you talking about a washer for the muzzle brake or the recoil spring? (I can help with dimensions if it's for the recoil spring.)
I have collected a VAST amount of info on these beastsand we have a couple at Warminster that we have fired in the past. Even my little boy (Robert, then aged 13 or so) has fired ours. They're ***** cats!
Once the Bren Gun book is published (by Small Arms Review and hopefully soon.....) I will collate this info and hopefully get it published. But don't expect a thick book, nor a pleasant one regarding the man Boys.......
All I can say is that if he designed cars, we'd still be walking............
I don't know whay it's starred out the word pu--y as in pu--y cats, but it has!
Hi Peter ... :lol:Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Laidler
The automated language "police" software seems to have taken a disliking to the embedded phrase .... ;)
I'll have to to a phrase check to make sure it doesn't do it again ... :thup:
Regards,
Badger
Hi powdermonkey72,
PM Stencollector - he's big into the Boys Rifle and can help you out. He's in KAF now maybe you and him can connect out your way.
Cheers,
Dastier
Thanks guys, Peter, Im well aware of the terrible reputation the poor old Boys gained over the years, Ive heard stories of men enlisted into the Anti Tank Regiments breaking thier own toes and other mischieves to get a reprieve from having to lug that 38pounds around. And I can say with confidence, to steady march up an incline, a mile out to my firing line with it on my shoulder just to see......wasnt as fun as i thought it might be. Under fire, one may be inclined to just drop it.
The transit case i made is trimmed as thin and as low as i could and is still 1700mm long by 400mm wide. but thats the charm of the Boys. Its accuracy and noise seem to be quite endearing also, bet im not alone. Ill post some photos of a few necked .50 ADI cases with .55 cnc brass supplied by Peter Meyer of Melbourne, Very tidy.
Here's a couple shots of mine and some of the accessories. The rifle is converted to 50 BMG, as so many of them are. My first Boys was in 55 cal, but as I watched my small horde of 46 rounds of ammo whittle away closer to zero, I had it converted.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCF0013-1.jpg
Here are a couple with their different muzzlebrakes, next to a PTRD
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo.../71d70r4-1.jpg
A comparison of dummy rounds; a .303, a Boys .55, and a 50 cal BMG
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...DSCF0015-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...SCF00141-1.jpg
This photo of the Boys with a no4T next to it should give a non-Boys owner a perspective of it's size.
I have a couple of the Cooey 22 sub cal rounds for mine, but being as they are 55, they no longer serve a purpose other than as another accessory.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...eysubcal-1.jpg
As to transit chests, my transit chest weighs in around 4 tons, but will go a lot faster than I could.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...Dscf0970-1.jpg
That's not me in the photo by the way. Here's one of my team mates and I at a milsurp match about a decade back. Not sure where the Boys is during this shot.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...Dscf0973-1.jpg
Since our shooting that year was really going nowhere fast, I decided to try a different approach at some of the close targets. The 1" signal pistol makes a very poor offensive weapon.
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...Dscf0968-1.jpg
Ha ha Rob,
You're the only one I know that would own 'multiple copies' of a Boys Anti Tank Rifle. When are you going to really show off and show us some of your more 'esoteric' weapons. :rofl:
Great to see and thanks SC. It'd be a piece of cake to make a .50" sub calibre adaptor from a suitable piece of .22" barrel wouldn't it?
As a matter of fact I bought a heavy .22 cal barrel blank just for that purpose. My only concern is that I have heard that the 22s would tumble down the barrel of the Boys. I have a Kreiger match barrel on my rifle, and while it is by no means a sniper rifle, with it's original iron sights, I don't want to ruin it either.Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Laidler
I also picked up an old 50BMG barrel to chop up and make a similar sub cal device for the Bofors 40mm.
SC: If the barrel was any more than about 3" long, it should not tumble, just like a .22 pistol. The main thing is to put a suitable o-ring near the chamber shoulder to keep it all centred in the bore of the barrel.
So let me get this right SC. You have got a bit of .50 barrel to make a sub cal adaptor for a 40mm Bofors............... From this....., do you mean......, that you've got a, er...., 40mm Bofors AA gun? Sheeeeeesh! That really IS big boys toys
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...smmg0008-1.jpg
Because size really does matter.
Jeeeees, he has too........! I thought my Centurion was big boys toys but it hasn't got a gun as it's a recovery thinggy. But I can pull 90 tons!
What a pleasure to see SC, magnificent..... We have Saab-Bofors working with us on a project at the moment and they've just admired yours. And tell me that 40mm Bofors ammo is still their biggest seller
Gentlemen,
I am the Peter mentioned in this thread who reloads for the Boys. I am wondering if any of you have a surplus original British Army manual for the Boys ATR?
I have a copy of the Australian "Small Arms Training Volume I, Pamphlet No. 5A, 1940 (Australia). Anti-Tank Rifle Courses (Based on War Office Pamphlet, No. 18, 1939)", and also a copy of the British WO "Small Arms Training Volume I, Pamphlet No. 18, 1939. SUPPLEMENT Anti-Tank Rifle Course (For all units at Home other than R.A.C., A.D.G.B., and O.C.T. Units)."
I'd love a copy of the original pamphlet for the Boys to complete the set (Pamphlet No. 5, 1937). I live in hope!
Thanks,
Pete.
I'll have a look through our Tech Libtrary tomorrow or during the latter part of the week. But I don't think that we'll have duplicates. I'll tell you what we've got and if you'd like a copy.......................
Where are you based in the world?
Thanks Peter.
I'm in Eltham, Victoria, Australia, an outer north-eastern suburb of Melbourne. (I don't know how to put my location on my postings!) I already have a photocopy of the pamphlet somewhere (well, I hope I still do after several moves!) as a friend of mine had an original 1937 No. 5 Boys pamphlet, but it was stolen after we copied it, along with some ammo pouches. We had a fair idea who did it, but proving it was another matter!
StenCollector - don't chop up your .50 cal barrel for a sub-calibre for your Bofors, or the .22 for the Boys. In both cases you can make up a chamber plug shaped like the original round, then turn the outside of your sub-calibre barrel down to just a nice slip fit into the larger barrel. Thread the end of this and the inside of your chamber plug and screw the full-length sub-calibre barrel into the chamber plug from the muzzle end by making up a specially extended screwdriver or socket arrangement. Should work OK shouldn't it? You may need to make up a striker plug (as per the originals) for the .22 sub-calibre for the Boys, but this is simple machining. A hard rubber insert in its rear end would protect the Boys firing pin, much like a snap cap.
I once knew an ex-Bofors gunner from the London Blitz, Jack Stanley, who had migrated to Australia. During combat he had a rope attached to the ankle of his firing foot so the gun captain could pull it away when he wanted Jack to stop shooting as the noise was so bad Jack couldn't hear voice commands!
I also met the son of a Aussie Boys rifleman who was surrounded and captured at Tobruk because the rifle wouldn't fire after routine servicing by the armourers. He spent years in Germany as a POW as a result, but would never talk about any of it afterwards. Any bets that the armourers hadn't screwed the firing pin assembly fully into the bolt body on reassembly???
Lot of interesting and unrecorded yarns like these around. Such as the Russian woman who just picked up a Boys and knocked out a German tank with it. She must have been large! Got that one from a staff member at the Solihull Library when researching my BSA Boys (which I no longer have).
Pete.
Peter,
Just in case your wondering about why the word "pu**y" was filtered out was NOT tongue-in-cheek, here's one from the ODD SPOT from the front page of this morning's (Thursday 14 Jan.) Melbourne AGE. "Fur enough! Canadian magazine The Beaver is changing its name after 90 years because the title is too often censored by online porn filters. It will become the less racy-sounding Canada's History.
Gotta be a clue in there somewhere . . .
Pete.
Anyone know where I might be able to pick one of these up? I had one a few years ago, beautifully refinished, but then sold it. Sorry I did.
Perhaps you could ALSO check and see why it *** that 3 letter word that went between shirt *** jacket (Charlie Uniform Mike) when I was referring to one in the former Gwelo Museum in what used to be Rhodesia too then.Quote:
Originally Posted by Badger
If one has the interest in challenges it can be a lot of fun beating the automated language police software.It all depends WHO has the better command of English;you or the dorky geek what done writ the programme.
Personally I detest the gratuitous use of profanity; but I don't need some mindless software trying to tell me what language to use either.
Cheers,
John
Wow, the Boys is an awesome rifle.
IIRC they are an obsolete calibre in the UK so can be owned without a license as long as you don't want to shoot it.
If anyone ever comes across one for sale, please please notify me as I would gladly buy it!
.55" Boys isn't on the obsolete calibre list as yet but it looks like it might be next.
We shoot one from time to time at warminster - but haven't done so for a couple of years now!
Some more newly loaded .50 BMG brass with .55 cnc milled solid coppers shoe horned into them. They are very consistent loadings, provided the charge is held gently with a small wad of white fluffy stuff called Dacron. Even without it, the primer lights the candle very well.
I was just wondering if anyone would be able to tell me the type of coating used on the cradle of the Boys at BSA? (i'm only doing the cradle, the reciever and barrel have a very nice patina where as the former does not, its rough) I was looking at using Perma Blue spray on, the one that comes with its own air brush. The finish looked quite rich and very dark. But i cant find it anywhere. It was expensive also. Could the original have been a baked on finish perhaps or just a big fat full military blueing?
any help would be very much appreciated.
Thanks!
Adam
Last one i seen was nearly two years ago at an auction, went for £3000 this included the buyers premium + vat, think it was converted to .50 BMG, it was the only reason i went, as i was too late to put a postal bid in.Quote:
Originally Posted by dcfaltot
Went past my budjet, could of used the plastic but that was bent to its max and the wife was not in the best of moods.....
Good day,
Back in the 1960 my father had a Boys 55, well I have a opportunity to purchase one that is converted to .50. of course condition plays a part. I will see it Sunday then have to come up with a price, its an auction situation. I have been trying to get a price range here in the US. The pricing I have seen is broad in range up to $10,000 which looks to be 100% in transit case.I keep seeing your name mentioned as in connection with the Boys rifle. Any guidance would be appreciated or if you know of someone in the US that I could contact.
There are 3 listed now on the gunsamerica website, ranging from $7K to $8500. The nicest one is still in 55, but is available only to class 3 dealers or law enforcement.
Thanks for the reply, I am thinking that a converted on should be about $3000., it would be nice to have a clean Boys in .55 but I would never bite of the destructive device NFA apple, just to much potential hassel.
Same meat but different gravy................. get ready for this chaps, BUT, has anyone got or does anyone shoot a shoulder fired variant of the M8C spotting rifle that used a shortie .50" spotting round?
Next question, who might have spares?
Next question, is the shortie ammo scarce
Next question, is it more or less expensive than bog standard .50" ammo
I'm not expecting a rush of replies but out there somewhere..............................
AMMO-ONE collectible_ammunition,ammunition,collectible_ammo , ammo,cartridges,rare_ammunition,bullets,hard_to_fi nd_ammunition,sabots,books,cartridge_books,ammo_bo oks,autographed_ammo_books,gun_books,books_on_guns ,books_on_bullets,bullet_books sells these cartridges at $19.95 each. These are used in the M8C Spotting Rifle.
1. I'd heard of one of those 106mm spotting rifles rigged up that way, 25 years ago (check your PMs)Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Laidler
2. SARCO, Inc - might have a very few
3. yes.
4. Way more.
I'm an 06FFL (ammo mfg) and shoot the M48 - .50spotter round in a AR15 conversion upper made by the former UltraLite50 (Ligamec Inc) company in FL.Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Laidler
The company has changed hands recently and is now called Tactilite. I don't know if they still offer the M48 chambering.
Serbu Firearms has also offered their BFG-50 Carbine chambered for the M48 in the past.
http://www.CH4D.com makes the reloading dies (1.50"dia)
Brass comes up for sale occasionally at http://www.hi-techammo.com from surplus pull-down, or it can be made from .50BMG brass using forming dies from CH4D.
It's a fun little cartridge... Here's my review of my UltraLite50 conversion:
UltraMag50 Range Report
//Ben
06FFL -Custom Ammunition
Hi,Quote:
Originally Posted by powdermonkey72
Old forum post I know, but was wondering which dies you use to re-size the 50BMG cases? I have a set of C4D dies but any .55 Boys cases I resize come out with the necks oversize, resulting in no grip on CNC'd bullets machined to the exact same OD and profile as the original. Will send the re-sizing die back, but was wondering if you have had better luck with another manufacturer. Also, what power and charge weight are you using? I've finally found a range in the UK where I can use my .55 once i get the paperwork sorted, so need to get some reloading done in the near future.
Cheers,
Chris
.55" projectiles........... I was talking to a KIWI Boys a/tk rifle shooter at a Thompson show at the NRA building in Washington and he was using .5" steel rod machined to shape as the projectile with annealed 1/2" brass pipe fitting ferrules as two driving bands and obturation rings roill crimped (as per pipe fittings) into the projectile. Obviously with these, the steel projectiles didn't touch the bore and he said that it made the projectiles virtually the same weight as the standard projectile. Quite how he seated them into the case I don't know but where there's a will, there's a way! He contacted me afterwards regarding the availability in the UK for lots of 1/2" plumbing ferrules!
Gentlemen
Given that 50 BMG had been around since the late 1910's why would Mr Boys have gone with .55 cal rather than just using the existing .50 cal?
Was the .55 cal in use elsewhere?
Paul
The Ordnance Board started out with a .5 version of the Boys case (which was developed from the 13.2mm Hotchkiss) called the Stanchion gun, but could not get the penetration desired so in 1936 upped the calibre to .55 inch.
Regards
TonyE
And it was still only marginal. By May 1940, it had been relegated from marginal to useless!
Thanks for the info, I like the idea of copper driving bands on a solid proj. Ended up getting some solid copper 805gn heads from Peter Meyer, they are very well made indeed (alomst too nice to shoot!) - he even supplied a CAD drawing so I should be able to get them made up here in the UK.
Just need a tidy MK1* to go with my MK1...
On a side note, were the MK2 AP bullets lighter, with a higher MV than the MK1? Reading conflicting information on this - I've got 926gn for the MK1, and 735gn for the MK2 - but various MV's for the MK1.
Good day!
maybe a bit out of the previous conversation, but i recently got a Deac MK1 and missing the monopod... I have only the upper part of it which was still installed on the cradle.
Thank you!!
Raf
Missing monopod........... should be easy to make/fabricate. Someone in Switzerland (I think he is on this forum too so come in if you are..........) had the same problem and used the adjustment part of the old M-20 3.5" rocket launcher monopod as the adjuster and made up the rest to look good. I never saw it but he described it as a very, very good second best
Let's know how you get on.......
There was one in the UK recently advertised as being still marked 13.2 mm, see link and scroll to bottom, (Its sold by the way)Quote:
Originally Posted by TonyE
Collectors Weapons
That's strange Tony and Big Boy...... I can't recall seeing reference in our Ordnance Board files of a 13mm being made. But clearly it was
Hello, I recently bought a boys rifle converted to .50 cal and a bunch of accessories. There is however 1 tiny thing; for the sake of completion, that is bothering me. I am missing the mk II oiler cap. I have the brush with the threaded piece on it but it is too small to thread directly into the oil reservoir. Can anyone direct me to where I can buy this missing piece or an acceptable replacement?
I will look into my deep dark dusty cupboard next week......................
I don't want to look a gift horse in the mouth but is there any chance that you have located a spare oilier brush cap? Thanks.
Ah, yes......... Sorry for not coming back to you but didn't have anything remotely like it. Sorry. But the one on ours is made from brass so it should be easy to get one turned up based on thge Vickers MMG one that you probably have
Just had another thought......... Maybe you could machine the actual threaded cap from brass and sweat (soft solder) the (vickers?) cap you have on the inside........ yes?
http://photos.imageevent.com/gazzavc.../hammyqusw.jpg
Here's my .50 BMG Boys Rifle in the front bay of my mate's UC
http://photos.imageevent.com/gazzavc...e/DVC00082.jpg
And off to war in 1940 we went...............[COLOR="black"][COLOR="black"]
Could you please psot a picture of the mount that you used to mount the boyes onto your carrier. I have a boyes and would really like to mount it like that in my Carrier :-)
Looks very cool
Tim
Scrivo, on a point of interest, the mans name was BOYS and not Boyes.
There was an amendment to the Canadian manual on the Boys that continued use of the .22 sub calibre unit would "ring the barrel" or cause gas cutting of the rifling and their use was to be carefully monitored. Must try mine someday, but I still have a reasonable amount of .55 ammo, so why waltz when you can "rock and roll".
Very interesting Warren...I can't imagine .22 having the snot to gas cut...but there it is!