Indian RFI 1955 No1 MK3* Tennis Ball Launcher

[Aragorn243]

I've had this for a while but never got around to taking photos of it and didn't discover that until yesterday. So here it is.































I haven't seen one of these or the launcher for sale for quite a while. I see the grenades are going for close to $600 now which seems ridiculous. I think I paid about $100 for the launcher about 5 years ago and $300 for the rifle.

[browningautorifle]

Looks pretty good, looks used but then again, it is.

[Aragorn243]

I didn't do much to this one other than wipe the excess cosmoline off. I didn't want to mess up the wire. I'd always heard they used worn out rifles for these but this on has a very good bore, plus it was made rather late.

[CINDERS]

The last couple of years has seen an explosion of prices across the board for anything with the Lee line say or anything military as in that time a 303 that fetched say $450-$500 well now commands $900-$1000 and goes from there so an L42 + full CES & transit case would set you back near the $20,000 - $24,000/AUD. And if you could pick up a L96 AI then probably $50K +/AUD thats if one ever came up for sale but we know that will never or possibly wont happen here in Australia. Also here 2-3 years ago you could pick up a Lithgow SLR bayonet for @$60-$80 now they are pushing $280-$300 its gone silly. A deloused Mills 36 like I have with all the bits including a fake fuse and discharger plate would go for now @$450-$500 I saw the other day a Flak 88 splinter shell complete round deloused for sale $3000/AUD 2 days later its gone. An Arisaka sniper rifle on used guns at present $12,000.oo/AUD a fully functioning MG-42 on the same site $40,000/AUD I would say you'd have to have a prohibited weapons license to own that.

So what was an interesting pass time to collect gear etc and rifles has become an expensive mans pass time unless you leg it out to the boonies and do barn finds that in itself is fraught with danger as people don't take too kindly being pestered by someone on a Sat/Sun asking do they have any collectable military items for sale.

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

I've had mine for a number of years sans grenade cup. I waited for Springfield Sporters to tank and the price on the cups go from $75 to $165. Found an S&B @ $120 a couple of weeks ago. "He who hesitates is lost".
Are any of the cups more valuable due to Manufacturer? I picked the S&B from a group based on condition and apparent better quality of manufacture.