Tunnel Gun...

[Jollygreenslugg]

I recall an apocryphal story about a bloke in the top end of Australia who used a cut-down Smellie as a pistol for close-quarter crocodile shooting. Never heard of it beyond an apocryphal story though.

Cheers,
Matt

[jmoore]

That shortened rifle just looks like something pulled from the evidence room at one of the local PDs (having helped clean out a few). Low end criminal's weapon. They seem to do this to anything they can lay hands upon- .22 rfs, 12ga bolt actions and break open single shots- whatever isn't worth selling off.

Sorry to spoil the romance, but that's how it comes across to me.

[Bearclaw]

Before the movie came along and when I was knee high to a grasshopper I am pretty sure there was one on display at the Australian War Museum in Canberra. Now I would have only been about nine or so, but I do recall a display on all the gadgets the Aussies had designed on the battlefield in WW1 and I am pretty sure I saw one there with a note saying what it was used for and why the did it and that was they wouldn't issue pistols to no officers and especially an Aussie grunt. Now how true that was I don't know. Now I could be wrong and my wife tells me that I am often wrong a lot. Now if it wasn't there it might have been in a mining museum I have visited.

[841NER]

Now I could be wrong and my wife tells me that I am often wrong a lot.

What's her name...I think I married her too!

[Bearclaw]

841,

Your not the bloke down the road she visits when I'm at work are you. I hope she bitch's in your ear as much as mine regarding "those thing's" I'm out at Closeburn (near Samford)

Myles

[jona]

Had one very similar to the one in the above picture. Was told it was an IRA trenchcoat gun. Apparently the miners were not the only ones to shorten up the SMLE. Broke it up for parts as the barrel was too short to be legally owned where I live.