WW2 infantry rifle collection

[Wolfhound]

Very nice! You are smart to try to come up with limits, WWII collecting is an endless rabbit-hole. BTW, I'm pretty sure I recognize that Carcano!

 

[Denny347]

My WW2 infantry rifle collection is near complete with only a couple additions needed. I am still seeking a true Finnish M27 91/30, and some sort of bolt action with Chinese markings indicating use of the Chinese against Japan in WW2. Here is the collection is so far.

From left to right:

1) French MAS-36: Matching numbered, excellent "dropped on the streets of Paris only once" condition. A hard to improve on example.

2) Model 1891 Mosin Nagant: This is a cool rifle. Originally made here in the USA, the receiver has the date 1915 and is stamped "New England Westinghouse." It has Russian proof marks on the receiver, as well as Finnish marks and the SA Finnish stamp. Once captured by the Finns they put it in a Finnish stock. You can trace this rifles movements from the USA to Russia and finally to the Finns all based on the receiver stamps. All matching except for the Finnish stock.

3) Springfield 1944 M1 Garand: It is a former CMP rifle and a shooter. It is Springfield USGI all throughout. My favorite rifle of all time.

4) No1 Mk3 1917 Lee Enfield: This is a nice restored rifle. It is British, but only a few parts match. At some point it was put in a nice unissued stock. It is a nice shooter, and it stands in for England and all of its colonies for my WW2 collection.

5) German K98 1944: Vet bring back rifle with no duffel cut on the stock. All correct, all matching, all Nazi stamps intact. It even has the rough condition original sling. Hard to improve on example.

6) Japanese Arisaka type 99 (early war): Another Vet bring back. The stock on this one has the duffel cut on the stock under the front barrel band, so this one was smuggled back in some GI's duffel bag. Imperial mum is intact. Original monopod, aircraft sights, and is all matching. Outside of the duffel cut on the stock it is a hard to improve on example.

7) Italian model 1891 Carcano: This rifle is 1917 dated, all matching and correct. Excellent condition with only the handling marks you would expect to see in a WW1 dated rifle. Hard to improve on example.

I am almost finished, but if someone has a Finnish M27 or Chinese bolt action for sale please let me know. Condition is not important on the Chinese bolt action as long as it has clear Chinese markings that would indicate its use in WW2 against Japan. Thank you INGO.

Find yourself a Chiang Kai-Shek rifle https://www.gunbroker.com/item/791553880

 

[MrSmitty]

Nice collection!! All the major players, and Finland too.

 

[Cerberus]

Like mentioned by you and others. No basic WW2 collection is complete without the M91/30 or the SMLE #4 Mk1. The principal infantry rifle of 2 of the major players should go to the top of the acquisition list.

 

[Mad Anthony Wayne]

Like mentioned by you and others. No basic WW2 collection is complete without the M91/30 or the SMLE #4 Mk1. The principal infantry rifle of 2 of the major players should go to the top of the acquisition list.

I agree my son has a 91/30 and now an M38. I could have thrown the 91/30 in the pic, but it is not mine. I will definitely get a 91/30 and no4 mk1 at some point. 1903a3 and M1 carbine are a must as well.

 

[Mad Anthony Wayne]

Find yourself a Chiang Kai-Shek rifle https://www.gunbroker.com/item/791553880

Thanks for the link, but I am gonna miss that one. Just bought a Glock today. Lol

 

[TheJoker]

I've been working on my WWII collection since 2004. I still need that elusive Norwegian Krag–Jørgensen and a Chiang Kai-Shek Mauser(...holding out for one a bit nicer than the one in the link).

 

[Wolfhound]

^^^^^^^^^^^That is one of the nicest No1 Mk3 Enfields that I have ever seen!

 

[TheJoker]

^^^^^^^^^^^That is one of the nicest No1 Mk3 Enfields that I have ever seen!

Thanks. It was one of my better GunBroker scores. I won it for $256.99 in 2010.

 

[Wolfhound]

Ok, that is clearly stamped 1942. I didn't think the SMLE No1 Mk3 rifles were manufactured into the 1940's. They should have been producing the No4 Mk1 then. What is the deal?

Edit: Google is my friend. Lol the Lithgow plant in Australia produced the No1 Mk3 up until 1953. I am a little embarrassed I didn't know that. Never owned a Lithgow rifle.

 

[Steel and wood]

You two guys have it going on. Great collection. I am very jealous of you both.

 

[churchmouse]

Started into this well back in time. Another life it seems. 1st "X" alleviated me of them. These pieces were much easier to come by.
After that I just lost my desire.

Very nice fellas. Very nice indeed.

 

[DoggyDaddy]

^^^^^^^^^^^That is one of the nicest No1 Mk3 Enfields that I have ever seen!

I've always liked the No. 1's better than the No. 4's. Don't really know why, but just like that full stock I think. I've also got a No 2A1 (7.62 NATO) which is basically a No. 1. I still like my No. 4 (and No. 5 Jungle Carbine) though.

Nice collections all! I wish I could display all mine out in the open, but a lack of wall space and a bit of paranoia prevents me from doing that.

 

[rob63]

Ok, that is clearly stamped 1942. I didn't think the SMLE No1 Mk3 rifles were manufactured into the 1940's. They should have been producing the No4 Mk1 then. What is the deal?

Edit: Google is my friend. Lol the Lithgow plant in Australia produced the No1 Mk3 up until 1953. I am a little embarrassed I didn't know that. Never owned a Lithgow rifle.

Back in the 90's there were a bunch of them imported that were still in the original factory wrappings, brand new.

The Ishapore Arsenal in India also made them during WWII and post-war. They even made a version in .308 known as the 2A1 that was adopted in 1963!

 

[TheJoker]

Similar to the OP, I represent Finland with a rifle from another country.

Until 1938, all Carcano rifles and carbines were chambered for the rimless 6.5×52mm Modello 1895 cartridge. After reports of inadequate performance during the campaigns in North Africa, the Italian army introduced a new short rifle in 1938, the Model 1938, together with a new cartridge in 7.35x51 caliber. However, the Italian government was unable to successfully mass-produce the new arms in adequate quantities before the onset of war, and in 1940, all rifle and ammunition production reverted to 6.5 mm.

Approximately 94,500 7.35mm Modello 1938 rifles were shipped to Finland, where they were known as Terni carbines (from the Terni stamp with the royal crown, the logo or seal of the Regia fibbrica d’armi di Terni arsenal where they were manufactured). They were primarily used by security and line-of-communications troops during the Winter War of 1939–1940, though some frontline troops were issued the weapon. According to reports, the Finns disliked the rifle. With its non-standard 7.35 mm caliber, it was problematic to keep frontline troops supplied with good quality, or any ammunition at all, and its non-adjustable rear sight (fixed for 200 m) made it ill-suited for use in precision shooting at the varied ranges encountered by Finnish soldiers during the conflict. Whenever possible, Finnish soldiers discarded the weapon in favor of rifles acquired on the battlefield, including standard models of captured Soviet-made Mosin Nagant rifles. By the outbreak of the Continuation War, the remaining Model 1938 7.35 mm rifles were issued to the Finnish Navy, as well as anti-aircraft, coastal defense, and other second-line (home front) troops.

The Carcano Model of 1938 Short Rifle pictured second from the bottom bears the boxed SA marking which indicates it was one of the rifles shipped to Finland.

 

[Mongo59]

The RAI 2A1's are slick. There is one for sale in classified.

I keep one around to shoot the plastic German ammo. It's my possum and coon killer. 10gr of plastic at over 4000ft/sec will change their mind...

 

[Mad Anthony Wayne]

I've been working on my WWII collection since 2004. I still need that elusive Norwegian Krag–Jørgensen and a Chiang Kai-Shek Mauser(...holding out for one a bit nicer than the one in the link).

Nice collection Joker!

 

[Wolfhound]

Back in the 90's there were a bunch of them imported that were still in the original factory wrappings, brand new.

The Ishapore Arsenal in India also made them during WWII and post-war. They even made a version in .308 known as the 2A1 that was adopted in 1963!

I REALLY wish I had picked one of those up back in the 90's. Everything I bought back then has appreciated in value nicely. But, if I had, I suspect it would be in my collection until I pass. Lol

 

[rob63]

Started into this well back in time. Another life it seems. 1st "X" alleviated me of them. These pieces were much easier to come by.
After that I just lost my desire.

Very nice fellas. Very nice indeed.

That is so true, I started out collecting WWII simply because it was cheap and what I could afford.

This is another lifetime ago for me too... what one wall of my basement TV room used to look like and done on a budget:

A bunch of them sold to finance the adoption of my son, some sold to finance a trip to Europe, some sold to finance my Civil War collection, so no regrets at all. It's just funny to think that this was once what was cheap!

 

[Wolfhound]

^^^^^^^Wow, very nice Rob. I think I recognize two of those rifles. They are on the wall in my gun room. I have been collecting for a long time and can't quite match that collection.