Afgan No.1 Mk1 found at Tulsa show

[breakeyp]

While the socket is marked, "BSA" the lack of any inspection markings on the receiver and barrel indicate the gun was made locally in Afganistan. Note the interesting Afgan seal on the socket and knox form. It would be interesting to find out the signifigance of the "jewlery" around the stock wrist. Pieces of a mirror are fitted to the lightening cuts in the foresight protector ears.

The Marine who brought it back, inscribed his name and USMC in the brass butt plate. The butt trap is functional for an oiler but there is no hole for the pull through weight. Based on inpsection markings, the rear sight and some small parts appear to be legitimate British parts.

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.

[Badger]

Great pics Paul ...

Thanks for posting them ...

Regards,
Badger

[RJW NZ]

A-mazing,
I'm guessing as you have the photos, did you buy the rifle?

[jmoore]

He needs a few more!

[breakeyp]

A-mazing,
I'm guessing as you have the photos, did you buy the rifle?

I bought it in a New York minute (what ever that is).

I was showing it to Skennerton and asking him to store it for me, when a fellow walks up, sees it and says he has four just like it. How deflating! I suspect he was referring to No.1 MkIIIs and No.4s as they all look alike.

In the same vein, I once brought a No.1 with extended magazine to a show to show another collector. A fellow walks up and says he hasn't seen one like that for several years as they used to be quite plentiful. Apparently he was referring to the German and US WWI extended magazines.

[Terry Hawker]

Paul,

Not to hijack your thread, but thought you and the rest of the crew might get a laugh out of another comment made at a gun show.

One day at work, I was talking to a camera operator I worked with, and, when we discovered our mutual collecting interests, the names of other folks "in the biz", that also shared these interests came up. I mentioned one fellow that always seemed to have a specimen of whatever firearm was currently being discussed, no matter how rare. My camera operator friend had the same experience with this fellow and told the following story.

Back in the glorious days of the Great Western Gun Show in Pomona, my friend and a camera assistant buddy were walking down an aisle when they saw Mr. I Have Everything approaching, so one said to the other, "Follow my lead."

They then started talking about the latest addition to my friend's Colt 1911 collection, a very limited run of Government Models that the Colt factory had made for a special organization. At this point, Mr. I.H.E. is all ears, so they continued on with the story. These very special Colts were factory engraved with the initials, B.S.A., they said, and, somehow managing to keep a straight face, went on, explaining the origin of these remarkably rare pistols. It seems that a very small run of these were secretly made for the training of, .....(wait for it)..... the Boy Scouts of America!!!

So what was the response of our know-it-all friend, to this fantastic story that was a complete fabrication, instantaneously made up and ad-libbed on the spot? You guessed it... A completely dismissive and unimpressed, "Yeah, I have one of those."

Don't think the poor guy ever knew why my friend and his buddy burst into a fit of laughter that continued until they had tears running down their cheeks, but, it tickles me every time I think of it.

Regards,

Terry

[spinecracker]

Yep, there is always someone who'll say "yes, I have 5 of those, brand new, autographed by Elvis and covered in diamonds"...the buggers.....

[jmoore]

I reckon that if you accumulate somewhere between 2-3000 Lee turnbolts you'll have most of the variations. Two things ought to happen then: A detailed photo shoot of each one, which will promptly lead to someone showing up with one that isn't yet recorded!

[breakeyp]

Terry, nice story. I must confess one time a friend and I plotted to mess with a well known dealer. We were going to meet at a show in front of the guy's tables and I would sell my friend a Pattern 1913 in front of the dealer for $125.00. Unfortunately my friend passed away before we could do it. Rotten I suppose, but somehow satisfying.