Graham

What is this then? I built it from a 1953 Royal Enfield frame, 1950's Watsonian sidecar frame, 2005 Royal Enfield engine most other parts from scrap box or scratch built BUT the Webb forks are 1940's.

I feel proud of myself when I get an old bike engine going so I can just imagine your joy at having this engine running - and such a fantastic noise. Well done. Graham

You could always build one like I did?

Thank you for your very helpful reply - and so quick too. As usual with this so called 'simple' questions - it uncovers a much more complex and interesting answer.

Thanks again, Graham

In Ernst Junger's book 'Storm of Steel' he mentions British aircraft using sound signals to communicate with the British on the ground such as artillery batteries, does anyone know more about this form of signalling?

Thanks, Graham

I would like to know if there is anyone with 6 No. empty .455" brass cases for sale? I want them to go with my Webley Mk VI. I live in Chorley, Lancashire and will obviously pm my full address. Thank you.

It looks like its had a match sight fitted, and quite crudely too.

 

If you strip it down, you must remove the forstock before you remove the butt as the but screw has a square end and this fits into the back of the forstock. If you try and fit or remove the bolt with the forstock fitted, the square end acts like a cam and will split the forstock.

Thank you for the advice - I will be careful.

The srew under the sight, is there one in front of it on the reciver?

The only screw holes are the ones shown in the photo. I haven't taken the rifle apart so not sure if there are any screw holes under the receiver.

The rear slot sounds like the groove for a volley sight. I'll post my picture (Later) if you post yours?:-D

Good point - I will check the numbers. Would this sight be a Parker-Hale type. The 'threaded' hole seems more recent and may have been done to fix a hook for hanging on a wall?

Thanks again.

Where abouts are the 'extra' holes? If they are about half way up the left side of the woodwork that would be where the fronr volley sight fitted.

No they are nearer the butt. On the wood work next to the safety lever there is a long groove just below which is a shallow 10mm dia hollow with a deeper centre. On the butt side of the band is a deeper hole with a course screw thread cut into it. Of course a picture would save all this. I will work out how to post a picture and get back to you. All the best.

Just being curious, but has your SMLE got the magazine cut off???

My SMLE Mk III* 1917 doesn't have a magazine cut off nor any slot for it which I understand was on the MKIII but omitted on the Mk III* but it does have 'windage adjustment' on the backsight so is a bit of a hybrid between MkIII and MKIII*. I took advice from this forum when I wanted to buy one few years back and followed the advice and finished up with a really nice SMLE with lots of 'patina', knocks, a couple of strange threaded holes in the woodwork which may have housed an extra sight (?), also marked with the Union of South Africa mark which is of interest to me because I visit Deville Wood every year as part of my annual study of the Somme area near it.

Thank you all for the information about my sten - very interesting.

Can anyone help me identify the date (or thereabout) of my Mk2 Sten. Markings are 'E&C (Elkington & Co.) S245 . Coincidentally it is marked with an arrow inside a 'U' which I understand shows an Union of South Africa issue just like my 1917 SMLE MkIII*.

Any thoughts please?

I do hope you don't have to have it inspected by DVLA. My RE outfit had to be inspected when I fitted the chair to it - I wasn't allowed to drive it to the inspection depot ( 12 miles away) so I loaded it on my bike trailer and showed it to a young chap with a clip board. I am sure he had never seen a combination before and he seemed surprised that the chair was securely bolted to the bike after I had showed him the four mounting points. It was approved.

Correct me if I am wrong. I think you have the wrong end of the Practice Round stick.

 

A Practice Round (PRAC or PRAC-T to indicate that it has a trace) is a fireable round that looks and behaves like a service round (HESH, HE, etc) and flies downrange in exactly the same way. Used by crews to execute gunnery drills for real, against real targets, but with no HE, etc payload to damage the target apart from the kinetic energy in the round at impact. Filling is entirely inert. These rounds are painted a standard light blue to indicate that they are PRAC. A direct hit will still probably trash a B or light A vehicle.

 

You may be thinking of a Drill Round. Looks and feels like a live round but when you pull the trigger, it goes "click". Useful when working in a CIM (Classroom Instuctional Module), etc indoors - a big bang would NOT be useful.

 

A bit (but not much) like the difference between blank and drill rifle rounds.

 

HTH

Thank you HTH - I knew this forum would give a complete answer. I take you correction they must be drill rounds. I presume the factories had machines that could reshape cases to the fluted waisted shape.

I also take the other points that much 'trench art' was produced in art workshops rather than by serving men. Some items in the Chorley Library display are very detailed and probably made in calmer environments - others look as if they were made by a fighting soldier keeping himself busy?

Thanks again everyone.

Hi

Today I saw a grand little exhibition of Great War trench art in Chorley library (Lancashire) and amongst the items I saw large shell casings with a waisted fluted section. At first I thought there was some method in the trenches to shape cases in this way but they looked too even and precise to be done 'in the field' - so my next thought is I have seen small arms cartridges shaped like this for 'practice rounds' so could these by artillery practice rounds?

I understand from a friend (I hope it is not a case of Chinese whispers) that our Post Office is considering refusing to deal with parcels containing weapons (I assume deactivated) and associated items. The matter is under further consultation. Do any of our experts know more about this. If it does happen it is going to be disastrous for dealers and buyers.

Thanks Chris, the number sounds like a bad strike. Any chance you can post a picture of it? I have seen rather badly struck numbers occasionally. Unless the serial was put over some other component mark.

Photo attached - it should be a '2' which in this photo it seems to be if a bit mangled. Hope this helps.

Thank you, yes it is a Mark V1 with all the features you describe. Now as to the serial number.....................?

Oh I was being so clever - sorry it is a Webley Mark VI with all the features you describe.

First question, are you sure it is a Webley and not an Enfeild? The two are so close that Webley sued Enfeild for patent infraction. There were a number of chnges to the Webley throughout production. With many earleir types upgraded to newer standards. So your Webley Mark 6 should have A) A six inch barrel, B) Removable foresight C ) A squarer cut grip. Internal there were redesigns of the lock for manufactuering speed. So lock parts are unique to this mark. Although described as .455 the actual bore is .441. The Mark 6 becane a sealed pattern on 24th May 1915. They were replaced in Army service in around 1929/30 by the Enfeild models in .38, which were again blatant copies of a Webley design.

Thank you, yes it is a Mark V1 with all the features you describe. Now as to the serial number.....................?

Does anyone amongst this knowledgeable forum have any weapon, like my Webley MARK "VI" 1918, have a badly punched serial number. I assume the workers were under pressure to produce these weapons quickly and we all make mistakes but is it something you have seen before. In my case it looks like an attempt to correct a '2' which had been punched upside down. Any thoughts?

I would like to know peoples opinion on the following. As some will know the recent deactivated Webley Mk6 has a small tube welded inside the cylinder - I was wondering about gluing the tips of bullets into the appropriate places and also gluing the detonator ends into the other part of the cylinder (having removed the extractor spring) all to look as if the revolver was loaded. Would this invalidate the deactivation certificate? Obviously I do not intend to wander around the streets with the weapon.

Any comments?

If you do go for rubber ties check them very carefully, the ones I bought recently seemed to made of cheese - snapped as soon as I put any pressure on them. There are some rubbish ones around _- I bought some good ones from George Prew (?) Goldstar specialist which were excellent at the Stafford Classic bike show.

If you do find the idiot who did this then a suitable punishment may be the application of the said foam into an appropriate orifice?

Graham

Hi

I went on Wednesday only my second year but I thought it was great. OK bit of a hold up with not opening up until near 10.00am but once I got in there was plenty to see. The worst mud in the trader areas had 'bridges' and I could walk anywhere I wanted. Also bought some stuff I wanted and still didn't spend up - result. The 'Battle' was fun - didn't understand why the Germans had a USA jeep and crew on their side but it was an excellent show, lots of bangs and a 'grudge match' when one poor chap was attacked by a 'nasty hun' who even tried to pinch his boots - great stuff. Congratulations to all who, under difficult circumstances, put on a great event. Well done.

Hi I am getting worried - it is on next week - I haven't go the wrong dates? I am visiting next Wednesday & Thursday as a spectator. Just seems that people setting up now must have a long time off work Anyway really looking forward to the show and thank all you exhibitors for making it such a wonderful event - I really enjoyed last year, my first. Cheers, Graham