Bought some new guns

[Nyles]

Actually Industries Valcartier (the CF's ammunition manufacturer) still loads .303 for the Rangers periodically. And they actually probably shoot more than we do - reality of living up north. Their rifles tend to put a lot of meat in the pot, to say noting of the wild animal defense issue. In fact I have my doubts about the effectiveness of the NATO 7.62mm load against polar bear...

Its definitely high time the Rangers got new rifles, and the Tikkas are probably a good choice. They're not exactly known for being gentle with their weapons.

[funkychinaman]

Originally Posted by Nyles

Actually Industries Valcartier (the CF's ammunition manufacturer) still loads .303 for the Rangers periodically. And they actually probably shoot more than we do - reality of living up north. Their rifles tend to put a lot of meat in the pot, to say noting of the wild animal defense issue. In fact I have my doubts about the effectiveness of the NATO 7.62mm load against polar bear...

Its definitely high time the Rangers got new rifles, and the Tikkas are probably a good choice. They're not exactly known for being gentle with their weapons.

Between the shooting and the hard wear, I'm surprised the No. 4s lasted as long as they did then.

[Nyles]

Well, there was probably a fair number of Long Branch No.4s in war stores after they were replaced - I know that in Kandahar in 2009 I was issued a brand new never-before-issued 1945 Inglis Hi Power out of the same. Plus I think they bought some more out of Pakistan (POF) back on the 90s.

[Jcordell]

Originally Posted by Nyles

I know that in Kandahar in 2009 I was issued a brand new never-before-issued 1945 Inglis Hi Power out of the same.

Too bad you couldn't have brought it back with you. That would possibly be worth a fair amount of money to a collector or two. Not to mention it would have been a great addition to your collection.

[Nyles]

Yeah, it was definitely a weird change of pace when my army Hi Power was nicer than my personal one! Especially since the ones we're used to seeing in the reserves are totally shot out.

[Jcordell]

Originally Posted by Nyles

Yeah, it was definitely a weird change of pace when my army Hi Power was nicer than my personal one! Especially since the ones we're used to seeing in the reserves are totally shot out.

You never know. I went through Army basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri in 1986. All of my fellow recruits had M16A1 rifles made by Colt. Mine was a 1960's era M16A1 manufactured by Hydramatic. A division of General Motors. I was really pissed that I had a ratty old antique until we started our basic rifle marksmanship training. Many of the newer M16's had issues, but my clunky old rifle didn't hiccup once.

[Nyles]

I just picked up something special at the post office for my Irish collection - an Ulster Volunteers Mannlicher M1904 rifle. These were rifles made by Steyr out of leftover parts from their contract with Romania for Mannlicher M1893 rifles, except in 8mm Mauser instead of 6.5mm Mannlicher. The majority of them ended up being purchased by the Ulster Volunteers, a Protestant Unionist paramilitary dedicated to resisting the Irish Home Rule bill - the protestant majority which dominated Ulster was dead-set against becoming a minority in an independent, Catholic Ireland. The 10,000 odd UVF Mannlichers were actually smuggled illegally into Larne in a very elaborate operation.

The Irish nationalists responded by forming their own paramilitary to counter-balance them, leaving Ireland on the brink of Civil War before Home Rule was suspended with World War One. The UVF, which people tend not to realise was a much large, better armed force than the nationalists, volunteered en-masse and was largely wiped out in the Battle of the Somme, while the Volunteers (well, some of them, but that's another story) ended up rebelling in 1916 and became the IRA. The UVF Mannlichers ended up being placed in storage in 1914 and never used in anger, but represent an extremely important moment in Irish history all the same.



Pardon my feet, its hot today!