16-262 Garand Picture of the Day

[browningautorifle]

byf 42 Mauser

Then I suggest since it's a Russian capture, and we know they stripped and refurbed their captures...perhaps they mixed parts and it's not quite what it left the factory as...?

[Flying10uk]

I have heard of stories of allied soldiers being executed on the spot straight after being taken prisoner by the Germans during WW2 because the've been found to have German equipment on them. This may have been items such as a pistol or weapon, a German watch or other personal possessions that have obviously been taken from a German prisoner or casualty. These items would obviously have come to light when the allied prisoner was initially searched after capture.

A similar situation arose with the F/S Commando knife, if taken prisoner by the Germans and if caught in possession it was highly likely to result in execution. For some reason the Germans don't appear to have understood that it wasn't only Commandos who were issued the knife. I have heard of the knife being discarded when capture looked likely.

[CINDERS]

H*tlers infamous commando directive "Any captured Commado's are to be summarily executed on the spot"

[Flying10uk]

I've heard of at least one "British" glider pilot* who carried a F/S Commando knife on him when he flew into Arnhem but ended up disposing of it when he thought that he was about to be captured. In the end he wasn't and eventually made it back to England. I don't know if it was normal practice to issue F/S knives to glider pilots or if this was an isolated case, perhaps a private purchase???

*Most interestingly he wasn't really British at all but German, a Jew. I believe that his name was changed slightly to sound more English in case of capture.

[us019255]

it's a Russian capture, and we know they stripped and refurbed their captures...perhaps they mixed parts and it's not quite what it left the factory as...?

You very well may be right. It is the only one that I have ever fired. By the way, the barrel is very very dark, but the accuracy seems fine, at least in relation to my poor pistol skills.

[browningautorifle]

It doesn't take much rifling to direct a pistol bullet, jacketed that is. Lead might be different...a bit of judicious work might relieve the harsh trigger too.