Rhodesian Enfields with cammo

[infidel]

The Rhodesians took any weapon they could get their hands on. I remember seeing .303 brens showing up late 78, early 79. They were being used by Intaf or Guard force. On a callup in late 79 there a water cooled .50 browning, mounted on the back of a Unimog. When I saw it, it was being towed, having hit a mine on the way in. We always had extraction problems on the .303 brownings on the convoys, but they sure had a high rate of fire. This is the view from the turret

[Peter Laidler]

Woweeeee, brilliant picture. We have one at Warminster, salvaged from the rear turret of a crashed Lancaster and dozed into the side of a field. But still presentable but in spite of a year or so's on and off work, it's still too buckled to operate. Too much friction in the body and barrel trunnions.

[infidel]

Woweeeee, brilliant picture. We have one at Warminster, salvaged from the rear turret of a crashed Lancaster and dozed into the side of a field. But still presentable but in spite of a year or so's on and off work, it's still too buckled to operate. Too much friction in the body and barrel trunnions.

Thanks Peter,
I was at an aircraft museum last year and they had one of the .303 aircraft brownings on display. I said to the museum guy "I've shot one of those things", and he looked at me like I had grown 2 heads.

[duggaboy]

god, that looks great, and very into being very usefull in the bush.

[Digger]

Thread coolness 10/10.

[Kev G]

Just as a matter of interest a job lot of personal defence Rhodesian Cobra carbines also came over on the last shipment from Zim.
Also GPMG with Rhodesian markings BSAP. An ammusing video clip of the Rhodesian British South African Police can be seen .

[Peter Laidler]

Good video KevG. Can I see South Africa as Rhodesia in, say, 10 years? Or have I overstepped the PC line.........?

[infidel]

KevG. Were the cobras square in cross section & have sort of a baked on green finish? I had forgotten about them. there were a couple of other locally made weapons, some were crap. this one wasn't bad:

[Kev G]

Cracking picture Infidel

This is the best pic I can offer of the Cobras that are getting chopped for the UK deac market


As you said they are square in section with a matt green finish with rubber pistol grip and forearm and semi auto.

Would have preffered full auto if I was trying to protect my family from a mob screaming for blood !

ATB Kevin

[infidel]

I remember them now. I think there may have been an issue with the folding stock-metal too easy to bend? You couldn't "own " a full auto in Rhodesia, so these carbines were all semi-auto. The government "issued" full auto weapons such as stens & uzis to people in the rural areas. Surprisingly, there were very few sterlings, I only saw one or two. There were very few SMG's in the security forces per se, no stopping power, or ability to penetrate bush.
The R76 pictured (any show up yet?) used a hi-power type mag. guys used to get the 20 round mags for their hi-powers.