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.. just to show you how widely they were used:
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...5/SMLE_4-1.jpg
"ÖSTERR. GENDARMERIE" (Austrian Police forces)
on that rifle:
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...5/SMLE_6-1.jpg
As far as I've been told those rifles were used in the British zone of occupation after WWII.
Regards,
Georg
Is that the one Joe Salter had? I had one too, but I sold it as the post WW2 Austrian proof didnt fit into my WW1 SMLE collection..wish I had kept it..
These seem to be pretty common (now that I have one!)
Well, I sure don't have one!
Beautiful pieces of history.
I'm gonna cry!
.
Smith and Wesson .38 S&W Victory models also exist with Osterreich markings.
No, I did not reimport from Joe Salter .. please read where I'm located ;-) . They're not that common, but I know four of them. Well, pretty easy as they appear mostly around here...
And there are more things with Austrian markings than the SMLE and S&W. Did you know that there are also reworks of captured Russian M91s adapted to 8x50R done by ÖWG and AZF (Artilleriezeugsfabrik)?
The various inter-Allied agreements of the demilitarization of Germany (and Austria) forbade the creation of any armed military force. All the occupying powers got round this by creating 'police' units, though they had the usual range of infantry smallarms and in some cases even light artillery. The Austrian Bereitschaftgendarnerie ended up with a great variety of other people's cast-offs including Browning HPs, Polish Radoms, M1911s and Tokarev TT-33s.
I have one ....
[IMG]http://i392.photobucket.com/albums/p...t3/OGEagle.jpg[/IMG]
Since I found mine, I've seen M-1917's, M-1 carbines, S & W .45 ACP's marked duly marked. Great piece of history.
Within the first years after war any Austrian force was using a great variety of different weapons. M1A1 carbines were in use within the 'Jagdkommando' until 1970s, the 'Bundesheer' was also using M44 Nagants, PPSh41 etc. in the first years. Imagine that there were also several hundred K98k that have been converted to sniper rifles in 7.62x51, using the Kahles ZF58 (4x31 scope).
One of about 700 SMLE's the Österreichisches Bundesheer (= Austrian Army) was useing:
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...SMLE_BH2-1.jpg
https://www.milsurps.com/images/impo...SMLE_BH3-1.jpg
Over time I have owned 3 Österreichische marked No. 1's. Interestingly enough all 3 were "B. " marked Dispersal Factory rifles.