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Lanchester SMG Sling.


Pete

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Chris, my one is a * conversion with the trigger group. Rocking horse poop for the good un's. ;)

 

I think you'll find that * is actually two broad arrows stamped 'point to point' indicating that it's been struck off charge and is no longer government property (i.e. sold off as surplus, but goodness knows who'd be buying SMGs - possibly the Police, or for export, I suppose).

 

If it was going to be to be a 'modification indicator' it'd be a single '*' stamp and placed directly after the 'Mk.1'.

 

(At least, that's how it was done with my old Webley revolvers (Sob.) for the 'disposal' stamp, and Signals kit for the modification indicators (before they introduced the 'Mod plate' (stuck or riveted on)) used to this day.

 

It also appears to be stamped "DP", i.e. Drill Purpose, but that did not mean 'deactivated', merely that it was specifically reserved for training purposes, and although it might be fully functional, was not intended to be fired. (Could be worn out, inaccurate, faulty, or simply assembled from salvaged parts for instructional purposes, though originally they were 'proper' production weapons set aside (and carefully marked with white painted stripes, etc.) to be used for instruction in stripping/reassembly, etc. to avoid wear and tear on the actual 'war stocks'.)

 

(Someone in my Rifle Club recalled that the Boy Scouts were issued with Martini action rifles (no ammunition) to guard the BSA works (This was probably during WW1, since uncles were mentioned and he was an RAF Radar tech during WW2.), and everyone assumed they were harmless until they discovered that dropping a stair-rod down the barrel and pulling the trigger caused the rod to pop out about 6 inches - so the firing pins, etc. were still in place and they might well have been functional if ammunition had been available. Considering the 'stair rod' part of the tale, I wonder if they were .577 or .577/450?) :wow:

 

Chris.

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