Enfield1940

A range of WWII and postwar 20mm ammunition can be seen here: http://www.quarryhs.co.uk/tankammo1.html As mentioned, I think they are 20x128mm cases. Not Hispano and not WWII Oerlikon.

I would tentatively identify them as 20x128mm Oerlikon cannon cartridge cases. I don’t think they are British.

No change in the short term. The former wasn’t EU derived and the latter has been transferred into UK law. It is possible the latter may get revised into something more sensible post-Brexit, but I wouldn’t hold your breath.

I'm guessing the Mindfulness Unit wasn't very interested...

As mentioned, the good news is "Firearms which were deactivated prior to 8 April 2016 are not covered by these provisions".

Steven Kendrick of the DGCA has sent round the following email: “So in case you hadn't heard, as of Thursday, transactions involvingdeactivated firearms have to be notified to the Home Office. (The HomeOffice is the "national authority" for this purpose, so it's the whole ofthe UK).The definition is any firearm deactivated to the current spec, acquiredsince 14 September, 2018. The reason for the latter date is that the HomeOffice was supposed to implement these regulations by that date, but they didn't because of the whole Brexit mess. So in essence, it's retroactive to that date.Also, possession of any current spec deac has to be notified to the HomeOffice by 14 March, 2021. Failure to comply is subject to a fine of up to£200.As far as older spec deacs, nothing changes. You still can't transfer them unless they're "upgraded" to the current spec. There is a rumour going around that when the UK leaves the EU then this restriction will be lifted, but that's wrong, because clause 61 of the The Law Enforcement and Security (Amendment) (EU Exit) Regulations 2019 replaces the words: "the EU" with: "the United Kingdom" in section 128 of the Policing and Crime Act, so nothing will change.The forms are available here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/circular-0102019-firearms-regulations-2019-and-the-firearms-amendment-no2-rules-2019They're very basic: name, address, details of firearm and you send it to the email address on the form.You might think this is stupid, but bear in mind deacs are now in Category C of the EFD. Originally there was talk of requiring all transfers to go through RFDs, which would have been much worse than this. What is stupid is that it doesn't make much sense if the UK leaves the EU, but obviously they want to remain consistent with the EU. Which raises the question of what the point of Brexit is, but that's a much bigger can of worms!”.

Mentioned in an article on The Register website: UK Home Office: We will register thousands of deactivated firearms with no database https://www.theregister.co.uk/2019/11/08/home_office_deactivated_weapons_email_address/ Someone also commented on it on the Army Rumour Service website: "The apparent UK current response is to go through the motions of obeying the letter of the EU law while ignoring the intent. Under new EU law, owners of deactivated firearms must "notify" the government of the status of deactivated firearms. In the UK you apparently will send an email containing the particulars to an address the UK government will set up. Nobody will apparently be reading the emails, but the government has been "notified", so the letter of the EU law has been obeyed. If there is ever a need to refer to any of these emails someone can in theory do a automatic search through the received email on the server. Job done. What happens in future will apparently depend on if and when the UK leaves the EU, and to what extent the UK will still be subject to EU law after that. I also suppose that whether there is a change of government after the upcoming election will also be a factor in that. So far though there has been minimal IT investment involved in actually implementing anything for any sort of actual effective registration". PS. There is also a theory doing the rounds that the SI only technically covers deacts done to the EU spec, not those done before. Having re-read it, it does only seem to explicitly refer to deacts done "in accordance with" the EU regulation - not every deact. Fingers crossed.

Both. The additional sting in the tale is that it prevents the owner of a pre-2018 spec gun quietly ignoring the currently unenforceable prohibition on transferring a so-called ‘defectively deactivated’ gun. Once you’ve registered it, then it’s locked to you unless you get it re-done to the current spec.

Slightly obscure, but here seems a good place to ask... I’m after a postwar West German paratrooper Helmet chinstrap assembly. Ideally the GSG-9 type with a QR buckle and plastic chin cup, but any type would be good. They look very similar to the WWII M38 Fallschirmjager helmet chinstrap assembly, but are made of green than grey/blue leather. You can see an example here: https://www.kpemig.de/Bundeswehr-Kinnriemen-fuer-den-Fallschirmjaeger-Stahlhelm-alter-Art I’m also interested in postwar West German paratrooper helmet liners and liner retention bolts. Would also consider purchasing a complete West German LL 1A1 paratrooper helmet if it has a size 68 shell. Thanks, Mark

I'd have thought olive green 1960 Pattern clothing would be better for a late 60s early 70s portrayal as DPM 1968 Pattern wasn't issued until about 1971 onwards. Admittedly 1968 Pattern is a little easier to find in large sizes.

The following suggests not. It looks like the ‘not for sale in the EU’ bit is going to be changed to ‘not in the United Kingdom’: http://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2019/742/part/15/made?fbclid=IwAR2lwKty3vioy0JaS_EqAkV8lptzJbDMyVbTQcSVsuS1x3rgZutJMTy_Cq4#f00061

The trader market from 2000 (when I started going) up until around 2012. It would take all day to do and there were always bargains to be had - especially from foreign dealers who you otherwise wouldn’t have seen in the UK.

Hi, Recently acquired this. It’s a 1953 dated hood for the sateen combat smock, but with some DPM material stitched over the top. The DPM is a waterproof nylon (?) material, not sateen or polycotton. The hood appears to be unissued and the stitching has been done very neatly. Has anyone seen another like it? Presumably it was intended to be used with a DPM P60 smock or a P68 smock. My initial guess is that it’s some sort of commercial conversion using old surplus hoods. Cheers, Mark

FYI. Silvermans have reduced the prices on their stock of 75 PLCE: https://www.silvermans.co.uk/collections/rucksacks-load-carrying/Webbing+1972-Pattern Although by their pricing standards, that's not saying much...

A standard part of the first PLCE set AFAIK. Later issued in DPM with a subdued Red Cross symbol on it. There was also a larger OG medical pack that attached to the side of the bergan.

Discussed before and they’re a bit of an oddity:

Test assembly. The only things that aren’t original are the paint and the bolts. I think I am going to have to improvise a lookalike crown pad out of a suitable black foam rubber.

Thanks for the comments. I am quite pleased with how it’s turned out. It so happens I have just sourced some original chinstrap attachment loops which will be an improvement on the slightly crude repros I was previously going to use. Hopefully I’ll eventually bump into some original bolts to go with them.

There was also a trials bottle and mug prior to the P58 that was not adopted: http://www.karkeeweb.com/patterns/1958/components/equipment/equipment_water_bottles.html

Very nice items. I also have examples of the Cascelloid and F&G water bottles: For reasons unknown, the F&G one is it’s own unique smaller size compared to all the other P58 water bottles I’ve seen. Presumably it would have had a matching non-standard size mug as well.

A nice find. Likewise I’ve acquired a few bargains over the years by going ‘off piste’ into antique / bric-a-brac emporiums. If they’re not militaria specialists, they often don’t know what things are worth.

Some progress pics. I stripped it back to bare metal, gave it an undercoat of red oxide primer and then a top coat of textured olive drab. I have an original liner and chinstrap to fit and the brass bolts and chinstrap loops are repros that I have chemically blackened. Just need so sort out a replacement crown pad and it’s done.

Update: I’ve nearly finished restoring it and it has been painted as to spec in textured olive drab paint over red oxide primer. An outstanding item is the rubber pad inside the crown which I need to recreate. I was wondering if anyone could fill me in on it’s dimensions including thickness, whether it is round or oval and ideally what type of rubber it is made of? (Sorbothane?) Thanks in advance for any help. Mark

This relates to a helmet rather than a vehicle, but I hope you’ll forgive me as this seems a good place to ask... I’ve acquired a West German paratrooper helmet and I’m trying to ID what colour it was painted in for restoration purposes. Having looked at a RAL colour deck, I think it is probably one of the following: RAL 7011 Eisengrau RAL 7012 Basaltgrau RAL 7015 Schiefergrau RAL 7016 Anthrazitgrau RAL 7024 Graphitgrau Were any of the above an official colour used by the Bundeswehr for vehicles and / or equipment? It might help narrow it down. Thanks, Mark

I don't believe the pouch above as anything to do with the early 70's '72 Pattern' / 75 PLCE trials set for the reasons you've mentioned. It's from the late 70's trials nylon 58 Pattern era, but I don't know if it's from that set or created separately for another reason around the same time.