A Productive Saturday

[browningautorifle]

The internals in the one look like a centrifical force safety

That's right. Mine had all the little rattly bits when I found it but I think many are gone now. It's been since '87 when I found it.

[Aragorn243]

I had a most excellent Saturday today. Went to the Harrisburg gun show, spent the morning with Mike at his stand and purchased what I believe to be a Mexican contract bayonet off him and a Portuguese Kropastchek rifle off another dealer who said it had issues. It is missing it's handguard but the bigger issue was the lifter not going down to pick up the next cartridge. I looked at it the best I could and it appeared the magazine spring plug might have extended too far and was holding it up. Took it apart when I got it home and still didn't work. Turned it upside down to see it better and an 8mm Mauser cartridge (live) came tumbling out and the lifter worked fine after that. So bigger issue solved. Came home to find an Italian M1 bayonet in a Priority Mail box sitting in front of the door. Opened it up and it's brand new never issued, very nice. Got it off Northridge International on Amazon if anyone else is interested. I think it was $65 with shipping so not bad.

I just learned that the rifle most likely never had a handguard even though the slots are there for the clips. Apparently, handguards were only issued to troops in the tropics.

Nah, looks like those that didn't have handguards didn't have the grooves cut either. So I need a handguard.

[Aragorn243]

Bayonet photos posted in bayonet forum, Rifle photos posted in Blackpowder forum.

[mmppres]

Keep hanging out with me an you will go broke with all the goodies you find

[Aragorn243]

Hung out with Mike again and found a couple of goodies. Picked out a nice looking Spanish 1916 stock Mike had with the Facist crest stamp nicely visible. I was not able to find a matching Facist crest Mauser to go in it. Nearby table had one in 308 I cam real close to buying but really shy away from those for safety reasons. Found another project rifle also, this one a Carcano that I am hoping has silver solder in the chamber, not a weld. It "appears" to be solder. Can't get it out of the stock yet. Really not in too bad of shape compared to more recent pick ups. Lot of surface rust but doesn't appear to have deep pitting anywhere. It's an 1891 that has been cut down. I can't fine a military conversion with a 20 inch barrel so I suspect this may be one that was specifically sporterized in the US to that length. I thought it might be a TS91/28 and I suppose I could make it one by cutting two more inches off the barrel but I doubt I'll do that. The stock is long enough that I can fit a standard nosecap on it and fit a bayonet. Today I found another variation of the 3inch 50 cal training shells. This one is similar to an earlier one that I have but it is painted solid gold except for the black stencil which identifies what it is. It came in it's own metal storage tube also painted gold. Few markings on this one other than a serial number but the tube is marked 1953 so it's of Korean War vintage. I also picked up a rather un-exciting US gas can, probably of Vietnam vintage. It's not dated and I can't find this exact model. Exterior in decent shape. Interior has light rust all over it. Any way to get rid of that? I wonder if a reverse electrolysis bath would work with suspending the rebar in the center of it?

[mmppres]

Glad you were able to hang out an get all the good deals. All i got was a bag of parts off a customer for Enfield Rifles. Did make an offer on a Egyptian Hakim but the guy got mad at me. seams i was no were near his 2000.00 asking price. I though my 10% off was too high. An I thought I could cut it up for a profit.

[Aragorn243]

Hakims are going for about $600 at the moment. I had one of those discussions on Sunday. I actually found a Belgian Mauser carbine at a flea market. Eaglelord is probably now drooling. In any case, they had $375 on it which in normal circumstances I would have acted on. His best price was $350 but close examination showed a very badly pitted rifle on every single surface. They ran a steel wire wheel on the entire thing. The stock was in good shape and the bore was crisp but the metal exterior was just miserable. I told him I'd check my price guide and maybe be back. Peterson's lists a good rifle at $200 and considering this had zero finish left and in reality was in the negative numbers with extensive metal removal and it looked like CRAP, I figured this was about the max grade I could give it. Figured I'd offer $250 just due to never seeing them but reconsidered and went with the $200. That set the two of them off, "THIS IS A $500 RIFLE" "YOUR PRICE GUIDE IS CRAP". I just walked away. You guys have seen the rifles I've brought home, worked on and fixed up. So as bad as I would like to have a Belgian carbine to go along with my Belgian rifle (which remember I paid $95 for and it is in better shape) I had to walk away from this one. Some guys just won't take condition into consideration.

[Aragorn243]

My finds are becoming increasingly bizarre I feel. Today I bought a US military stretcher. Probably the same model used for the first time in WWII but this is a much later one, possibly even post Vietnam. In real nice condition and it was cheap which is why it came home with me. Almost didn't fit in the car. Had to fold it up and put it between the drivers and passengers seats.

On a more interesting note but nothing I can really share yet, I found an Astra 400 today and set things in motion for purchase. It was a spur of the moment decision, mainly because I had enough points to make it a $50 purchase. Out of state at Delaware Cabelas however so it has to be shipped to the Hamburg Cabelas. Be a about a week till I can get it. Since it was spur of the moment and the first one I've ever seen or held, I know very little about it. What little research I have been able to do puts it as a 38XXX serial number in 1931 production with destination being the Madrid Arsenal (Army). Magazine does not match, it is not serialed. Condition is good, a few scratches I don't like much but crest is clear, grips are whole and it still has a fair amount of finish remaining. Proof marks all over it which the other ones lacked. Bore looks real nice. Everything seemed to function in manual tests. Research also says they are well made and accurate. It did have a good feel to it despite being somewhat unusual looking. They had two others there which made me think it might be a new surplus import, prices low also reinforcing that but no importer mark. Just marked "SPAIN" in small letters on the frame. The second one in 9mm Largo had broken grips on both sides. The third was 9mm/38 but was very worn, barrel crest being almost unreadable and reblued apparently. They also have an Astra 300 but it looked awful. Barrel looked like they tried twisting it with vise grips. Now I wait, I hate waiting.

Feeling lucky, found and ordered both a holster and a spare magazine for it.

[Doco overboard]

[ATTACH]Attachment 85566[/ATTACH] I found these at an inside bazaar in Virginia not long ago.

[browningautorifle]

I found these at an inside bazaar in Virginia

I only got two of the pics for these. I'd like to see more of the 1902 bayonet...I'd probably be trying to resurrect it.