Sponsor Special: Display Luger
The German P08 or “Luger” is one of the most iconic guns in the world. A nice example will set you back close to a $1000 today. Or if you’re just looking for a nice display, there is always another option. Our friends at International Military Antiques offer an excellent non-firing version that looks the part and displays quite well. Permits aren’t required and it doesn’t cost nearly as much as a real one.
New Made Item: All Steel construction with black plastic grips. 4? in barrel as issued to Germany Army officers in WW2. Action functions like the real thing and “clicks” when pulling the trigger, but it won?t shoot. P-08 Luger has a detachable magazine and the toggle moves and cocks. The striker and trigger work like the real thing. Another high quality WW2 display gun from IMA, its even the correct weight and comes complete with a detachable magazine. Ideal for Display or re-enactment at a very affordable price and it will look stunning in any of our hard or soft shell P-08 leather holsters!
German P-08 WW2 Luger New Made Display Pistol: Non-Firing from IMA-USA.com
Gun Collection Stolen in East Orange County Florida
We never like to report when guns are stolen, but we wanted to spread the word that George Hogan of East Orange County, Florida returned home to find 17 firearms from his collection missing. All were legally owned, and properly stored.
Thieves made off with a rare World War II British Sten Gun with suppressor, as well as a early 1900’s artillery model German Luger pistol and a Red 9 broom handle Mauser C-96 pistol.
Best wishes to Mr. Hogan in seeing his collection returned.
[Via The Orlando Sentinel: Orlando gun collection stolen]
Brian Williams Says Guns in Libya Look Old
In a segment on Monday’s Nightly News With Brian Williams on the situation in Libya Williams noted that many of the guns being used by the rebels appeared to be as old as “World War II.”
Is he serious? AK-47s, which appear to be the main small arm in the rebel arsenal, are the ones seen most in the segment. The anti-aircraft guns in the various segments are also Cold War.
This is just another example of the media implying something that it isn’t, or worse not knowing what they’re talking about. In this case, it is probably both!
Sponsor Special: Jolly Good Revolver
There is something about “going over the top” armed only with a sidearm? But many a British officer did just that during the Great War, carrying the Webley MkIV revolver as his primary weapon. The Webley was introduced in 1899 and remained in service until 1963, and was thus the standard British sidearm of the Second World War.
Now our friends at International Military Antiques have produced an excellent replica that is perfect for uniform displays. It looks like the real deal but can’t shoot – which could be a good thing for Jerry, if he’s hiding out in the trench across the street.
New Made Item: This is a fantastic true to scale/weight replica of the official service pistol for the British military during the Second World War; the Webley Mk IV in .38/200. This non-functioning inert reproduction features an operational trigger, hammer, rotating cylinder and even “breaks” open for “reloading”!
The Webley Revolver (also known as the Webley Break-Top Revolver or Webley Self-Extracting Revolver) was, in various marks, the standard issue service pistol for the armed forces of the United Kingdom, the British Empire, and the Commonwealth from 1887 until 1963.
The Webley is a top-break revolver with automatic extraction. That is, breaking the revolver open for reloading also operates the extractor. This removes the spent cartridges from the cylinder. In 1887, the British Army was searching for a revolver to replace the largely unsatisfactory Enfield Mk I & Mk II Revolvers, and Webley & Scott, who were already very well known makers of quality guns and had sold many pistols on a commercial basis to military officers and civilians alike, tendered the .455 calibre Webley Self-Extracting Revolver for trials. The military was suitably impressed with the revolver (it was seen as a vast improvement over the Enfield revolvers then in service, which lacked a practical extraction system), and it was adopted on 8 November 1887 as the “Pistol, Webley, Mk I”. The Webley revolver went through a number of changes, culminating in the Mk VI, which was in production between 1915 and 1923. The large .455 Webley revolvers were retired in 1947, although the Webley Mk IV .38/200 remained in service until 1963 alongside the Enfield No. 2 Mk I revolver.
Will look fantastic in an original issue British WW2 holster, available from IMA, and can easily complete any WWII collection without the requirement of possessing a firearms license.
Original WWII Holsters are available seperatley.
Specifications-
Overall: 10-1/4″ long & 5-1/2″ tall
Barrel: 5″
Wt: 2 lb
British Webley MK IV Display Inert Revolver .38/200 at IMA-USA.com
Sponsor Special: German MP40 Display Gun
It is easily one of the most iconic guns of World War II. It is hard to see a World War II movie, documentary or even to page through a book and not find a picture of one. The German MP 40 is truly a well designed firearm. Even non-firing ones are almost impossible to find today. But our friends at IMA-USA have uncovered a few. Get them while they last.
Original Item: This excellent MP 40 display gun is built from original parts and constructed into a totally legal NON-FIRING Display SMG. Now extremely hard to find are surplus MP 40 and other German WW2 MG Parts Sets. Ten years ago IMA sold MP 40 Parts Sets for $225 and $325 depending on finish, and then they were $500, then $1,000 etc… But today they are rarely encountered at all. What had been a purchase of passion has turned into a wonderful investment. Prices in Europe have far surpassed the US but the fact of the matter is after nearly 70 years Governments have now long since sold off or destroyed this old obsolete military hardware.
IMA has been fortunate in finding a very limited supply of these highly sought after Original WW2 German MP 40 Display Guns that show the expected honest use that have been reconstructed using CNC cut Aluminum receivers in a finish to compliment the parts sets.
All complete, simulated fixed aluminum bolt system giving the impression of an original unit and fitted with original “push/pull” safety bolt handle. Barrel internally (not obviously visible) de-milled to current US Import requirements. Original markings maintained and make a keystone display item for any WW2 Collection.
Surf the Internet and you’ll find very few examples available to buy and always at close to $ 5,000 or more. Very few available so act now! Markings Vary
German MP40 Display Gun: Built from Original Parts Set at IMA-USA.com
Sponsor Special: ‘Twas the Week Before Christmas so get a Machine Gun
‘Twas the week before Christmas with gifts to be got
Those who love history would love this a lot
It was a vintage weapon, a big Browning Gun
While it won’t really fire, it still is great fun
Used by our army, we showed we had fight
Merry Christmas Dear Shoppers, and have a good night
Original Item: Our best 1919A4 display gun ever. We have very few of these. The Browning 1919A4 was the definitive U.S. MG of WWII. The M1919 Browning is a .30 caliber medium machine gun that was widely used during the 20th century. The U.S. and many other countries used it as a light infantry, coaxial, mounted, aircraft, and anti-aircraft machine gun, especially during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Although it began to be superseded by newer designs in the later half of the century (such as by the M60 machine gun), it remained in use in many North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries and elsewhere for much longer. It is very similar in design to the larger .50 in (12.7 mm) M2 Machine Gun, the “Ma Deuce”, which is also a Browning-designed weapon and is still in NATO service.
IMA is proud to offer a totally non-firing BATF approved display machine gun built from WWII era parts and constructed with precision detail. The top cover opens, the bolt moves, most of the original markings remain, this is easily the best display 1919A4 on the market today, if not the only. We also include an all steel new made M2 Tripod with pintle and 100 rounds of .30 ball cartridges in a disintegrating belt to complete your display.
These will not remain in stock for long; this is your final opportunity to own America’s most famous WW2 Medium Machine Gun.
U.S. WWII Browning .30 Caliber 1919A4 Display Machine Gun with Tripod & Inert Ammo
Sponsor Special: USMC Poncho
This one might not make it in time for Halloween (but there is always next year), and unlike all those ghoul, ghost and goblin costumes, this one is real history. Our friends at International Military Antiques found these USMC ponchos – which must have been hard to spot since they are camouflaged after all – but found them they did, so get these while you can.
According to IMA-USA:
These are the Real McCoy! Just released from military stores in Europe these are original U.S. WWII Marine Corps Pacific Theatre issue camouflaged ponchos, a very hard to find original WWII piece. Totally essential for Marines on remote rainy South Pacific Islands. Ours are in Very good condition but so show some use/fading. Many bear Maker’s name, markings, stamping, etc. Reversible: Desert Camouflage/Jungle Camouflage. One size only- LARGE- will accommodate men up to 6’1, 210 lbs and smaller.
Don’t miss out on these! Ideal for a WWII display and for keeping the rain off you. Plus these are on sale while they last.
U.S. WWII Marine Corps Poncho: Original WW2 Issue from IMA-USA.com
Gun Collecting: TT-30 Pistol
Gun Collecting: Japanese Rifles of World War II
Type 38 "Arisaka" Rifle
Japanese rifles often get a bad rap, at least when compared to the rifles of the other major combatant powers of World War II. Even collectors of militaria view the Japanese rifles as being of a lower quality, but this isn’t quite true. One reason for this misconception is that much of what survived, and is now in collections is actually from the later war years, thus not up to the highest quality.
“The fit, finish & overall quality of manufacture on early Japanese weapons equals if not surpasses weapons made by other participants of World War II,” explains advanced Japanese militaria collector Jareth Holub. “It wasn’t until the very last two years, due to U.S. air strikes, that factories started producing subpar products.” Read more
Did Australia Destroy Firearms Used in The Pacific?
(UPDATED: Weapons Confiscated were from the film The Great Raid)
As news continues to (barely) flow about the reported ban on the importation of vintage M1 rifles from South Korea news has surfaced that many other vintage World War II era equipment was recently destroyed in Australia.
At the Historicon Convention, historian consultant Dale Dye reportedly related his troubles with the Australian government. Apparently Dye had imported scads of World War II era rifles, Thompson submachine guns and other firearms from Korea to use in filming The Pacific, which aired earlier this year on HBO. When the time came to leave Australia the government confiscated all of them, and had the firearms cut up into scrap metal!
And we thought the American gun buybacks were bad news for collectors!
Updated: We spoke with Dale Dye, who clarified:
“It wasn’t The Pacific but it was the film The Great Raid, which was also filmed in Australia. I was told that after production wrapped the Australian government confiscated the firearms and these were ‘dealt with.’ I told that to mean destroyed. That’s what I was told, but I can’t confirm for a fact that the guns were in fact destroyed. As for the weapons used in The Pacific, those did in fact come home with us.”
