The Illustrated Directory Of Guns: A Collector's Guide To Over 1500 Military, Sporting And Antique Firearms

4

THE PISTOL

ARGENTINA BERSA MODEL 383A SPECIFICATIONS

This small semi-automatic pistol was

Type: double action,

produced by the Argentinean firm of

semi-automatic

Ramos Mejia in three versions. The Model

Origin: FabricaRamos

323 was a single-action .32 ACP caliber, while the

Mejia, Argentina

Models 383 and 383A (shown here) were .380 ACP

Caliber: .380 ACP

caliber, single- and double-action , respectively. All had a

Barrel Length: 3.Sin

3.5in barrel with fixed sights and a seven-round , detachable box magazine.

HAFDASA ARMY MODEL 1927 SPECIFICATIONS Type: semi-automatic pistol Origin: HAFDASA, Argentina Caliber: .4S ACP Barrel Length: Sin

HAFDASA (Hispano-Argentina Fabricas de Automoviles SA) was established in the early 1930s to manufacture a version of the .45in Colt M1911A1 semi-automatic for the Argentine Army. For unexplained reasons the company went out of business after only a few y ears.

BALLESTER-MOLINA SEMI-AUTOMATIC SPECIFICATIONS Type: Semi-automatic pistol Origin: Ballester-Molina, Argentina Caliber: .4S ACP Barrel Length: Sin

Ballester-Malina took over production of this pistol from HAFDASA

entry)

(see previous

and made a few minor changes to the design.

These included a marginally longer slide and a butt sized for a slightly smaller hand. The only visual distinction between the HAFDASA and Ballester-Malina weapons is that the former has the standard Colt regular finger grips on the slide, whereas those on the latter are irregularly spaced. A small number of Ballester­ Molinas were purchased by the British early in World War two and were issued to various clandestine organisations.

176

THE REVOLVER

REMINGTON NEW MODEL POCKET REVOLVER SPECIFICATIONS Type: five-shot single-action revolver Origin: Remington Armory, Ilion, New York. Caliber: . 31 Barrel Length: see text

After the Civil War, Remington brought o

-

this popular series of pocket revolvers to replace - Remington-Beal pocket models. The revolver had a sma frame and unguarded spur trigger, but still had the typical Remington outline. Early production was percussion type, bu­ later models were made to fire a rimfire cartridge. Some 26,000 were made in 3 inch, 3.5inch, 4 inch and 4.5 inch barrel lengths.

Many percussion models were also factory-modified to fire cartridges as well.

REMINGTON-KITTREDGE CONVERSION REVOLVERS SPECIFICATIONS Type: five-shot single-action revolver Origin: Remington Armory, Ilion, New York. Caliber: .46 Barrel Length: Bin

As the Civil War was coming to an end, it was clear that the metallic cartridge had superseded the percussion mechanism and was the way of the future. As far as revolvers were concerned, Rollin White's 1855 patent prevented manufacturers from legally using a bored-through cylinder in new or converted weapons until 1869. Smith and Wesson had bought the rights to the patent from W hite, and had an almost exclusive market until 1868. Remington signed an agreement with Smith and Wesson in 1868 which allowed them to convert some 4,500 New Model Army large-calibre percussion revolvers to fire .46 rimfire cartridges. Complete with a new five shot cylinder they were mainly sold via the Kittredge company of Cincinnati, Ohio. Kitteridge, Smith and Wesson, Rollins W hite and Remington all had a cut of the sales price. Note that the under-barrel ram was left in place on this conversion.

RIFLES AND LONGARMS

189

AUSTRIA-HUNGARY LEGLER TRAPDOOR ScHOTZEN RIFLE SPECIFICATIONS Type: target rifle Origin: A. Legler, Neustadt Caliber: 9.5m m Barrel Length: 29.5in

A typical "Schlitzen" target rifle, made in Austria by "A. Legler in Neustadt."

LORENZ MODEL 1854 RIFLE MUSKET

SPECIFICATIONS

This weapon was designed by Lieutenant Joseph Lorenz of the

Type: rifled percussion musket

Imperial Austro-Hungarian Army and entered service with the

Origin: Austro-Hungarian state arsenals

army in 1854. W hen the Civil War broke out purchasers from

Caliber: .54 or .58

both the Union and the Confederacy scoured Europe looking for

Barrel Length: n/k

firearms of any sort, and as the Lorenz was being replaced by the Model1862 rifle in Austro-Hungarian service, many thousands were readily available. As a result, the Model1854 Lorenz rifled musket was widely used by both sides; the Union bought some 225,000 and the Confederacy approximately 100,000.

There were a number of variations among these imported weapons. Some were .54 caliber, others .58, and there were also different types of sight. The weapon was well-liked and was considered as accurate as the more widely used Enfield, although it tended to suffer from fouling. The first weapon seen here is .54 caliber with walnut stock and is in generally good condition. The second is in .58 caliber.

384 SPORTING AND COMBAT SHOTGUNS

AUSTRIA FRANz SoniA OvER-AND-UNDER -��-----

Franz Sodia was a noted Austrian gunmaker, who made shotguns

SPECIFICATIONS

from 1934 onwards. Following World War Two, he re-established

Type: over-and-under shotgun Origin: Franz Sodia ]agdgewehrfabrik,

Ferlach, Austria

his business in 1947 and this is an excellent example of his work. It is a twin barrel shotgun in an over-and-under configuration, with a three-piece forearm and a very blond walnut butt stock

Caliber: 16 gauge

with a white line recoil pad. The action is covered with deep-relief

Barrel Length: two 28 inch

engraving, with a rabbit scene on the left side and a capercaillie on the right, and a woodcock on the bottom. It has a 15 inch pull and the barrels have 2.5 inch chambers.

FRANZ SODIA SINGLE-BARREL TRAP SHOTGUN

SPECIFICATIONS Type: single-barrel trap shotgun

This beautifully finished singe-barrel shotgun has a vent-ribbed 34 inch barrel and

Origin: Franz Sodia ]agdgewehrfabrik,

Ferlach, Austria

highly polished walnut stock and forearm. The box lock action is

Caliber: 12 gauge

engraved with games scenes- dog and pheasants on the left and

Barrel Length: 34in

ducks on the right. The stock has a high comb and is fitted with a Pachmay r white-line recoil pad.

FRANZ SODIA COMBINATION RIFLE/SHOTGUN

This combination rifle/shotgun would often be known as a "cape gun," but perhaps that term was not used in Germany. The weapon was made in Austria before World War Two and was confiscated by a U.S. officer in 1945 and brought back to the United States, where it has remained ever since. It SPECIFICATIONS

consists of a 6.5mm caliber rifle and a 16 caliber shotgun, with cocking

Type: combination rifle/shotgun

indicators on top of the action. There is a bead sight on the muzzle and a

Origin: Franz Sodia

two-leaf rearsight - one standing, one folding. There is deep-relief engraving

]agdgewehrfabrik, Ferlach, Austria

with much scrollwork; there are game scenes on the side plates, a roe-buck on

Caliber: 6.5mm/12 gauge

the right and flying woodcock on the left. Unusually, the owners of the gun

Barrel Length: 27in

have managed to retain its original leather muzzle cover.

482

MACHINE GUNS

BELGIUM FN 5.56MM MINIMI SPECIFICATIONS Type: light machine gun Origin: Fabrique Nationale (FN), Herstal, Belgium Caliber: 5.56mm Barrel Length: 18.4in

Fabrique Nationale (FN) made a long line of successful

barrel (13.7in long) and a telescopic butt. A Minimi

weapons, and the 5.56mm Minimi joined this veritable

Mark 2 has now been developed, which incorporates a

coterie. Development of the weapon started in the early

number of minor improvements (such as a folding

1960s and it was originally designed around the 5.56 x

cocking handle). This is intended to make the gun easier

45mm M913 round, but this was changed to the 5.56 x

to handle without changing its major features or any lo -

45mm SS109. Prototypes appeared in the early 1970s

in component interchangeability. The weapon has been

but the long development work did not translate into

adopted by many armed forces, including those of

production until the early 1980s. The Minimi uses gas

Australia, Belgium, Canada, France, Indonesia, Italy,

operation and a rotating bolt, which is locked into place

New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Sweden, and the United Arab

by a patented FN system. The weapon is belt-fed, with

Emirates. Production of this highly successful weapon

the belt normally housed in a large, lightweight, 200-

also takes place in Australia (as the Type 89 Minimi)

round plastic box, which is secured underneath,

and in the USA (as the M249 SAW). The Minimi is

immediately in front of the trigger. The Minimi Para was

normally fired from its integral bipod, but tripod is also

designed for use by paratroops and features a shorter

available for use in the sustained fire role.

CZECHOSLOVAKIA ZB 33 SPECIFICATIONS

derived from the fact that the Brno factory adopted the

Type: light machine gun

initials ZB for its international dealings. The factory

Origin: Ceska Zbrojovka, Brno, Czechoslovakia

had been established in 1923 and had begun

Caliber: 0.303in

experiments with a prototype automatic within a year.

Barrel Length: 25.0in

Vaclac Holek, a genius in the field, designed the gun. Holek had started as an ordinary workman in the

The British Army held a series of trials in 1932 to

factory, but he had risen rapidly. The Czechoslovakian

select a new light machine gun to replace the venerable

Army's request for a new light automatic gave him his

Lewis. The ZB 26 from Czechoslovakia was a late

chance. Holek's design team included his brother

entry and a surprise winner. The gun cla

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. It was chambered for the rimless 7.92mm German ammunition round. After exhaustive

498

SUBMACHINE GUNS

AUSTRALIA OWEN Australia found herself in a vulnerable position when

design and its point-of-balance was immediately above

Japan entered World War II. Most of her small army

the pistol grip, which meant that it could be fired

was already engaged in the Middle East theater and her

single-handed if necessary. The magazine was vertically

vast and sparsely populated country presented an

above the gun and although this involved offset sights

extremely attractive target to a warlike race seeking

the idea was popular because it helped when moving

greater living room. Although there was a well­

through thick cover. Some early versions of the weapon

established arms factory already active at Lithgow,

had cooling fins on the barrel but this was found to be

Australia was not a particularly industrialized nation at

unnecessary and was discontinued. All Owens were

this time, but was forced to step up her production of

camouflaged after 1943. A later, prototype version

2)

arms as a matter of urgent necessity. One of the

(Mark

country's first efforts was the Australian Sten, which

attaching the butt, and a bayonet lug above the muzzle

was fitted with a different method of

(rather inevitably) became known as the Austen. But

compensator to receive a special tubular-haft bayont"t.

although this was by no means a bad weapon, it never

Overall, weight was also reduced to 7.6lb.

won popularity with the Australian army. The first locally designed submachine gun was the brainchild of Lieutenant E. Owen of the Australia Army. It was adopted in November 1941 and put into production immediately. This was a well-made weapon, if a little on the heavy side, and was an immediate success with

SPECIFICATIONS Type: submachine gun Origin: Lithgow, Australia Caliber: 9mm

the Australian troops. It was of a fairly orthodox

CHINA TYPE 50

As was typical of the weapons used by Communist China, their

SPECIFICATIONS

submachine gun Type 50 had its origins in a weapon first produced by the

Type: submachine gun

Soviet Union, in this particular case the PPSh 41. As with most other

Origin: Chinese state

aggressive nations, the Russians soon saw the necessity for mass-produced

arsenal

weapons, and the new gun was made largely from heavy gauge stampings that were

Caliber: 7.62mm

welded, pinned, and brazed as necessary. The gun had a normal blowback mechanism

Barrel Length: 1 0.8in

and the interior of the barrel was chromed; this was a fairly common Soviet device. One of the most distinctive features of the gun was that the front end of the perforated