the mystery guns

[michielvr]

here are some pictures of my guns
both are deactivated to belgian specs , and i have the certificats.

first the B113 gun, this came with an aussie dail sight when in bought it.









next the H2891 gun.
the whole gun is contructed with MA parts, with the exception of the lock.
this is completly stamped VSM.





this gun has a clip to hold the lock in an upright position. is this normal for a vickers gun?

the VSM lock




more MA parts

could this be the original serial number?

[britplumber]

Well the H number looks like a Aussie gun to me, I'm thinking its made from bits. The side plate appears to be stamped MA42. The number on the jacket must have been 5661 before being restamped.

Quite why anyone would do this, I dont know.

[Richard Fisher]

That is very, very weird. Quite why, I can't work out!

The serial number would have been '5661' as on the side of the mounting (only Australian guns did this). The VSM lock would just be a direct replacement. The clip on the crank was first introduced in aircraft guns but I have seen it on ground service Australian guns as they were just taken out of the Mk. V Australian made guns when they stopped manufacturing them at Lithgow.

The B 113 is a nice example. Thanks for posting the photos.

Rich

[michielvr]

hello

just noticed something

the transit box for the H2891 gun has a NATO stock number on it.
and in the country spot it has 99 , wich i think stands for the UK.

so i am beginning to think that this gun started life as an australian gun with serial 5661.
and somewhere in it lifespan has been FTR'd somewhere in the UK.

is this possible?

[britplumber]

The 99 is indeed UK but the number indicates it is of UK origin i.e. the design is British. The Lithgow Brens should have also had a 99 NSN ( I think most of mine did).

The H number appears to have been stamped after its been FTR'd, hopefully this wasn't done to try and cheat someone into thinking it was a WW1 gun.

[michielvr]

possibly

i didnt buy it in the believe that is was a WW1 gun

anyhow , it is still a priced piece in my collecttion