Some recent additions to my collection

[Nyles]

Since I haven't posted recently, here's some additions to my collection over the last few months:

A Japanese T-26 revolver in 9mm Japanese, imported from the US. This was the first Japanese-made pistol used by the Japanese military adopted and produced in the 1890s, and still widely issued to NCOs during WW2. Essentially a combination of Smith & Wesson, Rast & Gasser and St Etienne features, the round it shoots is very similar to the .38 S&W. One of very few DAO military revolvers ever produced.




An FN Model 1903 in 9 x 20mm Long, one of the very early models produced before Belgium was overrun by the Germans in 1914. These were used by the Ottoman and Russian police, the Swedish army, Paraguay and Estonia. This particular one is Swedish marked, making it part of the biggest contract for these. Sweden would go on to produce them domestically as the Husqvarna 1907 after Belgium was ovverrun. Oddly, these were never actually used by the Belgian military.




A Belgian Mauser M1889/36 in 7.65 x 53mm Mauser. These were WW1-era M1889 rifles and carbines that were rebuilt to more closely approximate the '98 action M1935 which had just been adopted by the Belgian military. Interestingly, they even went so far as to convert the action from cock-on-closing to cock-on-openning.




An original India-Pattern Brown Bess Musket in .75 caliber, with an unconverted flint lock. This has the reinforced cock introduced in 1809, and bears the cypher of George III, who died in 1820, so the musket was made sometime between then. This was the same style musket used by British regulars during the latter parts of the Napoleonic Wars and the War of 1812. Given that this one was located in Canada, and shows some signs of having been stored in rustic conditions, I like to imagine that it was used at Lundy's Lane.

[Nyles]

A Winchester 1895 Russian Musket, or if you prefer the Vintovka Vinchestya obr.1915g, one of about 300,000 the Russians purchased during WW1 to supplement production of the Mosin-Nagant. The big difference between this and the standard Winchester 1895 military musket is the caliber, and the addition of stripper clip guides to the receiver. Although these made up about 3/4 of all Winchester 1895 production, they're extremely rare in North America just because of the low survival rate of rifles used in WW1, the Russian Civil War, the Finnish War of Independence, the Polish-Soviet War of 1920, the Spanish Civil War (large numbers sent as aid to the Republicans), the Soviet-Finnish Winter War and WW2. Rumor is there's a wearhouse full of these somewhere in Russia, but the Russians want too much for them to release them. Personally, I think that most of them are just plain destrored.




A British-contact Colt Official Police in .38/200 British (.38 S&W), one of very limited numbers purchased around the time of Dunkirk. British purchasing agents seemed to prefer the S&W M&P, and after Pearl Harbor Colt turned to making weapons for the US military, so no more were made after early 1943. This one has had the grips replaced by a set of Pachmayrs and is missing the lanyard ring, but I'm on the hunt for replacement parts to restore it.




A Spanish Star 1920 Modelo Militar in 9mm Largo, produced for one year only for the Spanish Guardia Civil (their national police force). It's essentially a Colt 1911 with simplified internals, with the safety changed to the slide-mounted style used on the early Star Model 1914 and 1919 .32 pistols. The Guardia Civil liked the gun, but not the safety, so in 1921 it was changed to a conventional frame-safety, and would eventually evolve into the Star Model A.




A US Civil War issued Remington New Model Army in .44 Percussion, one of the last ones produced for the US military in 1865. Contrary to popular misconception, this is not the 1858 model - the New Model wasn't introduced until 1863, the 1858 never had the large angled fin attached to the loading lever. This was probably the most modern percussion revolver issued in large numbers during the war.

[Nyles]

A US Civil War issued Starr 1863 Single Action Army, the 3rd most common revolver used by Union forces. Starr originally made the 1858 Double Action, but it wasn't very reliable and the US War Department informed them they wanted a single action instead. Although these were the 3rd most common revolver, they only made about a 10th as many Starrs as Colts and a 5th as many as Remingtons.




Finally, and probably the best for last, a totally authentic, original and unmessed with US M1A1 Carbine, one of the rarest and most desirable US weapons of WW2, and definately the most commonly faked. This one is made by the correct manufacturer (Inland), in the correct serial number range, and has all the correct features and stamps.

I purchased it from a fellow I met through work. The story is that his father, while serving with the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division (he mentionned tanks, so I imagine either the VIII Recconnaisance Regiment, or he actually meant the 2nd Independent Armored Brigade), traded a Luger he'd taken off of a dead German to an American paratrooper for it. He apparently carried it around for the war and got ammo whenever they passed American supply dumps. He then had a Colonel he was friendly with smuggle it home in his bags for him, as he figured they wouldn't be searched.

[S&Wshooter]

I'd fist fight a grizzly bear for one of those Winchesters in 7.62x54R

[SPEMack618]

I'd fist fight a grizzly for that para-carbine.

[mpe2010]

Can you shoot 38 S&W in that 9mm Japanese revolver?