BAR oversized cutaway

[stencollector]

The BAR training aid (M23) is 93" long.

I picked up the M23 (BAR) and the M1919 GPMG (M22) about 2 or 3 years ago. I was only interested in the M1919, but the BAR came with it. It came with some spare bullets, the stand (which is the top of the transit case) modified for both the M1919 and the BAR, and a manual for the BAR. I had just seen a couple of the M1919 training aids at the MVPA convention in the USA (they were $800 each, but both missing parts or damaged), and I wasn't sure if I would get them across the border. In hindsight I likely could have, since they really can't be mistaken for a real firearm. Anyway, when I got home, I offered a friend in the surplus business $2K for both of this training aid guns, and was happy when he accepted my offer. Best part was that got us into the old store that had been closed for some 30 years. We have since made a lot of good finds in there, but that is another story.

There are a pair of them at Crown Surplus in Calgary. No doubt a million guys have asked about them, so the answer will be they are not for sale.

Here is a good web page about them: Bill Ricca's Double Sized Trainers

They are made of a pot metal, so are somewhat fragile. My M1919 is missing the rear sight assemble and base, and the BAR is missing one or two internal parts. The BAR hangs out in the shop, and the 1919 graces the gunroom. And just like the real thing, they can bite. My 1919 is missing the cocking handle. I was pulling the bolt back using my finger, and got a finger caught into the accelerator when it tripped. It really opened up the fingertip, and I bled like a stuffed pig.

Here was a discussion a bunch of years back re the oversized trainers: https://www.milsurps.com/showthread.php?t=20002

[Peter Laidler]

I never saw an oversize trainer that I recall from my days as an apprentice. The only oversize thing that we had was a twice full size trigger mech for a No4 and No8 rifle - and I still never really understood the No8 is I'm really honest. We had lots of sectionalised M1919's done by us and generations of Armourers in the past years. Oversize Brownings would have made life much easier, especially the belt feed system and the action of the accelerators that I used to think were the work of white mans magic and voodoo. Great thread