4
THE PISTOL
ARGNNA B MD 383 SPECIFICATION
This smal semi-automatic pistol was produced by the Argentinean firm of Ramos Mejia in three versions. The Model 323 was a singeaction .32 ACP caiber, while the Modes 383 and 383A (shown here) were 380 ACP caliber, cali ber, singe and doubeaction doubeaction , respectivey. All had a 3.5in barre with fixed sights and a sevenround sevenround , detachable box magazine.
Type: double action,
sem-auomac Orgin: FabrcaRamos Meja Argenna Caliber: .380 ACP Barrel Lenth: 3.Sin
F Y MD 1927 SPECIFCATONS
Type: semi-automac psol Origin: HAFDAA Argentina Caliber: .4S ACP Barrel Lenth: Sin
HAFDASA (HispanoArgentina Fabricas de Automovies SA was established in the eary 1930s to manufacture a version of the 45in Cot M91A semiautomatic for the Argentine Army. For unexplained reasons the company went out of business after only a few years.
B-M -UC CIICATON
e: emi-atomaic pstol rn: Ballester-Molina Agentina e: .4S ACP e enth: Sin
BaesterMlina took over production of this pisto from HAFDASA (see previous entry) and made a few minor changes to the design. These included a marginay onger side and a butt sized for a sighty smaer hand The ony visua distinction between the HAFDASA and BaesterMina weapons is that the former has the standard Cot reguar finger grips on the slide whereas those on the atter are irreguary spaced A sma number of Balester Moinas were purchased by the British eary in Word War two and were issued to various candestine organisations
176
THE REVOLVER
REMINGTON EW ODEL POCKET REVOLVE SPECIFICATIONS
Type: five-shot singleacton revolve Orign: Remingon Armoy, Ilon, New Yok. Calber: 31 Barrel Length: see ext
After the Civil War, Remington brought o this popuar seres of pocket revovers to repace - RemingtonBeal pocket modes. The revolver had a sa frame and unguarded spur trigger, but stil had the typical bu Remington outine Early production was percussion type, bu later modes were made to fire a rimfre cartrdge. Some 26,000 were made in 3 inch, 3.5nch, 4 inch and 4.5 inch barrel engths -
Many percussion modes were aso factorymodfed to fire cartridges as well
REMINGTON-TTEDGE ONVESION REVOLVES SPECFCATIONS
Type: fvesot sngleacion evolver Orgn: emngton Amoy lion, New York Calber: .46 Barrel ength: Bn
As the Civil War was coming to an end, it was clear that the metalic cartridge had superseded the percusson mechanism and was the way of the future. As far as revolvers were concerned, Rolin White's 1855 patent prevented manufacturers from legally using a boredthrough cylinder in new or converted weapons until 869. Smith and Wesson had bought the rights to the patent from White, and had an amost exclusive market unti 868. Remngton sgned an agreement with Smith and Wesson in 868 which allowed them to convert some 4,500 New Model Army largecalibre percussion revolvers to fire .46 rimfire cartridges Complete with a new five shot cylinder they were mainly sold via the Kttredge company of Cincinnati, Ohio. Ktterdge, Sith and Wesson, Rollns White and Remington al had a cut of the sales price. Note that the underbarrel ram was eft in place on this conversion
189
-HY LEGE TRAPDOOR ScZEN IFE SPECIFCATIONS
Type: targe rifle Origin: A Leger, Neustad
9.5m mm Caliber 9.5 Barrel Length: 295n
A typical "Schtzen target rifle, made in Austria by "A. Legler in Neustadt.
LENZ ME 54 IFE MUKE
SPECIFICATONS
Type: rifed percusson musket Origin: Ausro-Hungaran stae arsenas Caliber 54 or 58 Barre Length: n/k
This weapon was designed by ieutenant Joseph orenz of the Imperia Austro-Hungarian Army and entered service with the army in 1854 W hen the Civi War broke out purchasers om both the Union and the Confederacy scoured Europe looking for firearms of any sort, and as the orenz was being replaced by the Model1862 Model 1862 rife in Austro-Hungarian service, many thousands were readiy avaiable. As a resut, the Mode1854 orenz rifled musket was widey used by both sides; the Union bought some 225,000 and the Confederacy approximate approximately ly 100000.
There were a number of variations among these imported weapons. ome were .54 caiber, others .58, and there were aso different types of sight. The weapon was weliked and was considered as accurate as the more widey used Enfied, athough it tended to suffer from fouing. The first weapon seen here is 54 caiber with wanut stock and is in generay good condition. The second is in .58 caiber.
384 PONG ND COMB HOGN
AUSTRIA FRANz SoniA OvER-ANDUNDER
SPECIFICATIONS
Type: over-and-under shotgun Origin: Franz Sodia ]agdgewefabrik,
Ferlac, Austria Caiber: 16 gauge Barrel Length: two 28 inc
Franz Sodia was a noted Ausrian gunmaker, who made shoguns from 1934 onwads. Folowing Word Wa Two, he re-established his business in 947 and his is an excelent exampe of his wok I is a win barre shogun in an over-and-under configuraion, wih a hree-piece foeam and a very bond wanut but sock wih a white ine recoi pad. The acion is coveed wih deep-elief engraving, wih a rabbi scene on he eft side and a capercaiie on he ight, and a woodcock on he boom. t has a 15 inch pu and he barres have 2.5 inch chambers
FRANZ SDIA SINGLEBARREL TRAP SHGN
SPCIFICATIONS
Type: singlebarrel trap sotgun
This beautifuy finished singe-barre shogun has a ven-ribbed 34 inch barre and highly poished wanu sock and foream. The box lock acion is engaved with games games scenes dog and pheasans on he ef ef and ducks on he righ. The sock has a high comb and is fited wih a Pachmayr whieine recoil pad.
Orgn: Franz Sodia ]agdgewefabrik,
Ferlac, Austra Calber: 12 gauge Barrel Length: 34in
FRANZ SDIA CMINAIN ILE/SHGN
SPECIFICATIONS
Type: combnation rfle/shotgun Orgn: ran Soda
agdgewerfabr, erlac, Austra Calber: 6.5mm/2 gauge Barrel Length: 27in
This combination rife/shogun woud ofen be known as a "cape gun, bu perhaps that term was no used in Gemany. The weapon was made in Ausria before Word Wa Two and was confiscaed by a US office in 1945 and brough back o he Unied Saes, where i has emained ever since It consiss of a 6.5mm calibe rife and a 16 caibe shogun, with cocking indicaors on top of he acion. There is a bead sigh on he muzze and a woeaf rearsigh rearsigh one sanding, one foding foding There is deep-reief engraving engraving with much scrowok; hee are game scenes on the side paes, a roe-buck on he righ and fying woodcock on he ef. Unusuay, he owners of the gun have managed to eain is origina eather muzze cover.
482
ACHE GUS
L FN 5.56MM IIMI SPECIFICATONS
Type: light machine gun Origin: Fabrique Naioae (FN), Hersa Belgium Caliber: 5.56mm Barrel Length: 18.4i
Fabrique Nationale (FN) made a long line of successful weapons, and the 556mm Minimi joined this veritable coterie. Development of the weapon started n the early 1960s and it was originally designed around the 556 x 45mm M913 round, but this was changed to the 556 x 45mm SS109 Prototypes appeared n the early 1970s but the long development work did not translate into production until the early 1980s The Minimi uses gas operation and a rotating bolt, which is locked into place by a patented FN system The weapon is belt-fed, with the belt normally housed in a large, lightweight, 200 round plastc box, which is secured underneath, immediately in front of the trigger The Minimi Para was designed for use by paratroops and features a shorter
barrel (137in long) and a telescopic butt A Minimi Mark 2 has now been developed, which incorporates a number of minor improvements (such as a folding cocking handle). This is intended to make the gun easier to handle without changing its major features or any lo in component interchangeability The weapon has been adopted by many armed forces, including those of Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Indonesia, Italy, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Sweden, and the United Arab Emirates Production of this highly successful weapon also takes place in Australia (as the Type 89 Minimi) and in the USA (as the M249 SAW) The Minimi is normally fired from its integral bipod, but tripod is also available for use in the sustained fire role
OLOVK ZB 33 SPECIFICATONS
Type: lig macie gu Origin: Ceska Zbojova Bo, Czechosovaia Caiber: 0303i Barre Legth: 250in
The British Army held a series of trials in 1932 to select a new light machne gun to replace the venerable Lewis The ZB 26 from Czechoslovakia was a late entry and a surprise winner The gun cla ·
derived from the fact that the Brno factory adopted the initials ZB for its international dealings The factory had ben established in 1923 and had begun experiments with a prototype automatic within a year Vaclac Holek, a genius in the field, designed the gun. Holek had started as an ordinary workman in the factory, but he had risen rapidly The Czechoslovakian Army's request for a new light automatic gave him his chance Hoek's design team included his brother Emmanuel and two expatriate Poles, Marek and Podrabsky The gun the team produced was gas operated, with a piston working to a tilting breechblock, an easily removed barrel, and a vertical box magazine. t was chambered for the rimless 792mm German ammunition round. After exhaustive
498 BM G
AUSRALIA OWEN Austraia found herself in a vulnerabe position when Japan enered Word War II Mos of her small army was already engaged in the Middle East heaer and her vast and sparsely populated country presented an extremely aracive arge to a warlike race seeking greater living room. Alhough here was a wel esablished arms facory aready active a Lithgow, Austraia was no a particularly indusrialized naion at this time, but was forced to step up her producion of arms as a matter of urgent necessity One of the country's firs effors was he Austraian Sten, which (raher ineviaby) became known as the Austen. But alhough his was by no means a bad weapon, it never won popuarity wih he Ausralian army. The firs localy designed submachine gun was the brainchid of Lieuenan E. Owen of he Austraia Army. It was adoped in November 194 and put into production immediatey. This was a wel-made weapon, if a ile on the heavy side and was an immediae success with the Australian troops. It was of a fairly orhodox
design and is poinofbaance was immediaely above he piso grip which meant that it coud be fired singlehanded if necessary. he magazine was verticaly above the gun and alhough his invoved offset sighs the idea was popuar because i heped when moving hrough hick cover. Some early versions of he weapon had cooing fins on he barrel bu his was found to be unnecessary and was discontinued All Owens were camouflaged afer 943 A laer, protoype version (Mark 2) was fited with a different mehod of attaching the butt and a bayone ug above the zz compensaor o receive a specia tubularhaft bayot. Overall, weight was also reduced to 7.6b. SPCIFICATIONS
Type: sumc u Origin: ow, Aus Caiber: 9mm
CHIA TYPE 50
As was typical of the weapons used by Communist China heir submachine gun ype 50 had its origins in a weapon first produced by the Soviet Union in his particuar case the PPSh 41 As wih mos other aggressive nations, the Russians soon saw the necessity for massproduced weapons, and the new gun was made argey from heavy gauge stampings hat were welded, pinned and brazed as necessary he gun had a norma bowback mechanism and the interior of the barre was chromed; this was a fairly common Soviet device One of the mos distincive features of the gun was ha the front end of the perforaed
SPCIFCAONS
Type: sumc u Oigin: s s s Calibe: 7.62mm Barel Length: 1 0.8
