Printable View
Hi Guys, I want to make a Beech Rifle Periscope for a re-enactment coming up, does anyone have any plans? or know where I can get some. I know the layout looks simple enough but want to know what wood to use, thicknesses, how to attach it to the rifle, and more. any help would be gratefully appreciated.
Cheers
At the end of this video you will see Tony Cattermole of HBSA using a periscope. It was borrowed from the NRA Collection for the day.
HBSA Historic Machine Gun Shoot - YouTube
Good but not the type im looking for, the Beech rifle periscope like was used at Gallipoli. I did like the Vickers MG though.
The girl is letting the belt flap about too much. In real; life the gunner would give him (her) a swift kick as though to emphasise the point. Would look better if the gun No2 was laying alongside feeding the ammo UPwards and in.
I seem to recall somebody doing exactly that in a TV documentary a few years ago.....;)
You should take look at the weapon handling in our previous shoot in 2013. It will make you weep. In some respects. it s pity that the RO shouted "stop" at one point because we would have recorded for prosperity, how to lose fingers to a Sten - classic stuff!Quote:
Originally Posted by Peter Laidler
I am told the the Home Office will only let certain people fire the weapons and the selection is based on their legal status rather than their competency.
I would question whether this 'not allowed to fire' is a Home Office ruling or a NRA on the hoof ruling and where its actual status is in law. The law forbids the possession of a machine gun and while the .............. anyway..... Merely handling a firearm is not deemed to be possession.
I recognize that gunner!! He's had a go with mine before too!!! Is that his girlfriend? Cut her some slack. She's kinda cute!!:D
---------- Post added at 12:38 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:35 PM ----------
I remember seeing another gunner somewhere on the Salisbury plain shooting a 1919 Browning in a documentary with his ear defenders on top of his head a few years ago. Eh?????????
It was her first day in the job, she didn.t do too bad!
It's YOU Colin......... I didn't recognise you! I have to say that of all the weaponry that we could fire, the slow old Vickers was/is still the one that winds my clock up. Sentiment...., perhaps but from the last of the Vickers trained Armourers it's acceptable. And at the place where the last of the Vickers were withdrawn. From Gurkhas along the hill forts on the Borneo Indon border. Summer '68
Forgot to say....... Paratroopers were also using them in the Radfan and withdrawn at the same time
I think you'd be very lucky to get any sort of official plans; there seems to have been a number of variations on the theme.
Where have you looked so far?
Try contacting the War Memorial, they might be able to give you some measurement of any ones they might have.
There is a good selection of photos on the medalsgonemissing website, contacting them might be worth a shot too.
I have only looked on forums so far, I see a few guys have made them and thought if im lucky somebody who has made one might guide me, im good at making mistakes on my own...lol. I did read there were no official plans but you never know unless you ask.
Try medalsgonemissing.com and search beech rifle. Plenty of modern reproductions in close up.might help
Seem to recall seeing some drawings in a book titled "Dominating the Enemy" I've got a copy in the Library, I'll dig it out and have a look what's in there.
like this? Periscope Rifle This was scaled from the famous photo of the first model made from packing crate wood at G. Hard to make out details but I think I hit it about right. Sure there were many made each unique. Contact me if you wish for any details I might furnish. Note that I think the mirrors are a bit large, too long, but they were what I had to work with. John McP
Regarding mirrors:
I'd hazard a guess that there would have been a few "spare" issue-type shaving mirrors floating around by the time the periscope rifles were being set up.
A common type was a genuine glass mirror encased in a sturdy leather case; still on issue in Australia in WW2. I have my dad's old sample in a box of his stuff at home.
Any advances on "ownerless" shaving mirrors?