Chris Hall

Just thought I'd share my problem. Mcafee cleared my history and cookies and I needed to reenter my password to get on the forum. I couldn't remember my pass word so reset it but the email didn't arrive (as per problem with hotmail), the next day I thought i'd do a email search in hotmail for HMVF and see when I last got a email from HMVF, well I was quite supprised to see one there for 11/03/12 'password reset', I clicked it and signed in ok. I wandered in which folder the email had gone, and guess what, it aint there, if i search for it, its there every time, if I look through folders, its not. Bizarre!

Thats a Birminham proof mark, the 2 crossed swords appear in a few of their proofs, so its a fair asumption that its the deac mark on your gun. Does it have the letters DA and 2 numbers (the year) with the swords? Letters like MR and the date would indicate a magazine restriction i.e. a smooth bored Lee Enfield on a shotgun cert.

There is a reciprocal agreement over here between a number of European countries that allows the import export of Deacs. The British Government don't want other European deacs in this country so make it very difficult but have yet to take one person to court over it. If it went to court, they run a real risk of being embarrased and then there would be a flood of European deacs into the UK and they don't want that. Having said that, I dont want to be the first so I will only buy British!

The proof house will inspect the gun and if it is still deactivated to the spec of the time (i.e. Old spec pre 95 with a 95 or earlier stamp) then this is enough evidence to re-issue a new cert, if it has been tampered with, it will need to be brought up to current specs to be re-issued with a cert. When a new cert is issued, the gun is also marked with a new mark, I've a few that have the original deac mark and then have a much later mark from when a new cert has been issued.

Ring either Birmingham proof house 0121 643 3860 or London proof house 02074 812695 and ask for an appointment, wait 30 minutes, pay them and you get a new cert and your gun back. If in the unlikely event it has been messed with, it will need bringing up to current standards before re-proofing. It used to cost about £30 but its bound to have gone up in price.

Not much can be brought back from Iraq or Afghan unless it was purchased or a gift and you have a receipt. I have known people bring back items bought at the bizarres and I know a Flight Leui that brought back a AK47 for deactivation. The RAF Police scan or search pretty much all freight and luggage as it is processed through the terminal.

Here are some relevant extracts 2.12 Section 8 of the 1988 Act provides that,unless it can be shown otherwise, a firearmwhich has been de-activated to a standardapproved by the Secretary of State so that itis incapable of discharging any shot, bullet or other missile, is presumed not to be a firearm 2.16 Section 8 of the 1988 Act is an evidential provision and does not preclude the possibility that a firearm which has been de-activated in some other manner may also have ceased to be a firearm within the meaning of the 1968 Act. For example, guns held by museums that were recovered from wrecked ships and aircraft may be corroded to the point that they cannot be fired. This should not be confused with wear or missing parts that can be replaced. The final arbiter of whether the article fulfils the definition of a firearm at section 57(1) is a Court.

It dosn't have to be stamped to be classed as deactivated. The proof stamps of the Birmingham and London proof houses are the deffinate defence to prosecution, it would be upto the courts to decide on the legality of such a gun (Although you would need to bloody sure to use this excuse). The best example I can think of would be a Bren which has been deactivated to the same standard as current proof house requirements. With the aid of a expert witness, a court would almost certainly dismiss the case, however if the proof specs changed, the non proofed gun may become the subject of another court case. I've not really explained that to well.

Sorry to disagree with the above poster but a deac cert is nothing more than a bit of paper, it has no legal standing. I have about 6 guns with out certs, no worries at all, all you need to do is check that the gun has deac stamps on it and this is your 'deffinate defence to prosecution'. If you want to get a new cert, you need to speak to the proof house and make an appointment, take the gun in, pay your money, wait 30 minutes and then your done. The one thing you need to know about the proof huses are that they are very short on parking and you may have to carry your gun through the street so wrap it well.

Thanks guys, all sorted, really simple. Too simple for me!!!

As the title states, I have sold an item but I cant delete the post or mark it sold. The banner at the top states to Please remember when posting in Classified Section to use the correct prefix e.g. "For Sale" from the drop-down menu. When your item has sold please use the "Report Post" button so that we can mark the thread as "Sold" Trouble is I cant find the "report post" button. Can any one point me in the right direction? TIA.

A .38 Fosbury is really really rare, your example may be the only deactivated one in existence. This is a quote from another Forum I frequent The entire production of the Webley Fosbery Automatic Revolvers was less than 4500, of which only 417 .38 calibers were ever produced. 141 were dismantled prior to 1914 and the small parts used to produce .455 Fosberys. At least 72 more .38 caliber Automatics were factory converted to .455 calibers and retain original serial numbers leaving the total number of 38's unmodified by Webley at less than 160. Webley Scott Archives, armsresearch.co.uk And a photo http://www.cowanauctions.com/peek-in-warehouse/item.aspx?ItemId=108146

I wonder which was the better Colt 1911? .45 or .455, I've only ever fired the .45 so cant compare practically.

I don't think it was the Webley rimmed .455 but it could have been the auto .455 When it comes to Proof House certs, I don't think they give them the accuracy they deserve. I've got a Canadian Bren with a country of origin as USSR, a Enfield Bren with a cert stating Inglis and a 7.62 Bren stating its .303. I've also got a Lee Enfield Mk3 with the noted serial number having a 1 instead of a 7 ( Corrected by proof house) and my Enfield MkV cert has the serial number and then written in pencil next to it 'Serial number under wood work'.

And don't forget those really nice and rare Colt 1911s in .455 auto. I quite fancy a early 1920s Enfield made Mk6 or Pistol No.1 as they became. I used to have a really nice 1918 Webley MkVI with the pritchard bayonet and the flare pistol stock fitted (Not correct but it looked good)

I think its just going to be the front section with a jeep driving out as the display. I'm hoping to get up there at some point as I've got a invite from Stuart Eastwood to visit, hopefully I can get a good look at the small arms section too.

This is old news and I'm not sure why its made the news again. It was found in 1993.

Agh, it would be the No.4 as the Mk4 is a .22 version of the SMLE No1 Mk3. I was hoping I'd found someone who had used the Mk4 in cadet use. It appears the No.8 .22 had completely replaced the Mk4 in British cadet use by the 60s as know one can remember seeing them soon after the No.8 came into use.

Is that the Lee Enfield No.1 Mk4 as in .22" or the No.4 Mk1 in .303"?

Erm, it was no beast, I spent 10 years on the F3 and it was just a glorified Missile platform, great for fast level flight. I've also spent 6 years on XI Sqn Typhoon and now I'm working on 17 TES and I can guarantee that Typhoon is the world Leader in multi role A/C. Even the yanks are worried that it can out shine the F22, hence why they won't allow a F22 to fly when a Typhoon is in the same AOO.

thanks to the UN, the majority of obsolete military guns are destroyed. Theres only the likes of New Zealand and Greece who sell them on now. In 1940 there were only 2 sub machine guns in the UK, a German MP28 and a Thompson 1921 captured from the IRA.

Defo a P14

There was a rumour a few years ago that the Canadian Lanc was going to fly over to the UK and would join the BBMF lanc for a season and both would land at East Kirby for a unique photo shoot. This may be just a fancifull rumour but it did originate from Coningsby so may have had some truth.

Very intresting Tony, I never knew it was classified.

Some WW1 slings were webb and I'd imagine that by the end of the war, all slings would be webb. They remain pretty much unchanged upto the late 50s when the webb fabric gave way to a man made fibre of the same design. Have a look on ebay for enfield sling