Trying to ID this US Rifle/Machine gun case ?

[Foxbrook]

I recently found this Canvas Rifle of Machine gun protective case. The case has a full length zipper and rack in the inside. It appears that it was meant to stand up and the gun set into a pocket in the base and the barrel fastened into the top with a swing away catch.

Closed ..overall length approx 50"


Metal back


Inside


Top


Base


Top showing latch

Information

Warning: This is a relatively older thread This discussion is older than 360 days. Some information contained in it may no longer be current.

[RT Ellis]

It's a small arms weapons rack, usually mounted on or in vehicles to secure rifles and carbines. These came with and without the zippered canvas cover. They are most often seen in images of 1/4 ton 4x4 vehicles, mounted on the inside of the lower portion of the windshield frame. They were also standard equipment inside the U.S. half track used as a personnel carrier and universally mounted in many other tactical vehicles used for personnel in forward areas.

These were primarily used during and after WWII and I don't know of any machine gun from the period that will fit in this rack. If you desire to dispose of the rack you would do well to contact a military vehicle website, as vehicle collectors are always looking for accessories to "complete" their vehicles. And they may have more information on the equipment.

[Scrivo18]

There was an adapter that aloud you to fit a Thompson machine gun into them... I have had a 303, sprinfield 1903 and a Denix Garand mounted in both my Jepp and Command car.. The Rifle bucket in the command car is mounted vertically to the left of the driver..

[Foxbrook]

It's a small arms weapons rack, usually mounted on or in vehicles to secure rifles and carbines. These came with and without the zippered canvas cover. They are most often seen in images of 1/4 ton 4x4 vehicles, mounted on the inside of the lower portion of the windshield frame. They were also standard equipment inside the U.S. half track used as a personnel carrier and universally mounted in many other tactical vehicles used for personnel in forward areas.

These were primarily used during and after WWII and I don't know of any machine gun from the period that will fit in this rack. If you desire to dispose of the rack you would do well to contact a military vehicle website, as vehicle collectors are always looking for accessories to "complete" their vehicles. And they may have more information on the equipment.

Thanks for the information. Can't seem to find out much about these on the web. Yes I do want it to go to a good home and will be open to offers from someone that seriously needs one and on a limited budget.

[Foxbrook]

Just remember That I was at a car show last year and a guy there had a restored Jeep. Checked my photos and found one with the rack like mine, less canvas cover mounted to the windshield frame of the jeep.

[Bob Womack]

I was wondering if that was the mount used in the movie, A Bridge Too Far in the scene with James Caan as Staff Sergeant Dohun, retrieving his injured officer in a jeep. He pulled a carbine off of a spine/rack mounted under the windscreen like this.

Bob

[Foxbrook]

Anyone got any idea what one of these things might be worth?