Enfield1940

Picked this DPM P60 smock up in Islington last Saturday. Shame it's not a bigger size, but other than a missing waist drawer string it's in really nice condition. The Scots Guards link is interesting. I tried googling the name and found a reference from an old eBay auction to a Peter Woolman who joined the Scots Guards on the 3rd January 1968: http://www.worthpoint.com/worthopedia/scots-guards-badge-certificate-letter-286183548 I wonder if its the same chap..?

The British ones are 9.5 inches long and were made of brass or steel. You may have one of the US made rods for the S&W M&P which are floating about in large quantities. They are both too long and a different shape to the British ones.

Very nice. I did peer at a few Denisons at Stoneleigh, but don't remember that one.

Shouldn't the wallet have a pocket on the left to store the multi-part cleaning rod? I'm also gradually putting together an L4A4 holdall set. I'm currently missing the cleaning rod, tube of grease and contents for the spares tin. Probably some other bits as well.

Looks like the early DPM Para Smock cash-in has started: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Falklands-War-era-1980s-P77-DPM-para-smock-VGC-plus-mint-windproof-trs-/301062705842?pt=UK_Collectables_Militaria_LE&hash=item4618bc52b2 I have one of these as well, so I shall view with interest: http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?38596-Metric-Label-1977-Type-Para-Smock&highlight=he+textiles

I was also keeping an eye on that as I have an identical one: http://hmvf.co.uk/forumvb/showthread.php?25137-Latest-Acquisition-77-Pattern-Para-Smock/page2 My one was about £40. I may have got it a little cheap as it was badly listed, but £200+ more..?

At last, some clear photos. 43rdrecce (of this parish) was kind enough to send me copies of the following pictures: One of two Royal Marines in the 1970's and one of a Royal Marine in the Falklands.

All post-1995 deactivated SMGs will not cock. Some done between 1995 and 2010 will have a moving cocking handle. All post-2010 ones will be welded solid. This is why I don't own any post-1995 deactivated SMGs and regret selling the old-spec Mk2 and Mk3 Stens I used to own.

These are now taken thanks. The other L+R pair are still available.

Following on to my other post, I attach a couple of pics of a L+R pair of post-1965 type '58 Patt ammo pouches. They are in used condition, but still fully serviceable. Can be collected or will post at cost. Weight is about 600 grams. PM me if interested. Cheers, Mark

Pics attached of five early (pre-1965) '58 Patt ammo pouches. They are all incomplete / damaged, but may be of use for spares or repairs. Two of them have the often missing mag support straps still intact. Three are the MkI type with lid stiffeners and two are the MkII type without. Free to a good home. Would prefer if they could be collected from Bishops Stortford (near Stansted Airport) or from the West End of London during my lunch hour during the week. I am willing to post them if you pay for the postage - weight is about 1.5 kilos. I want rid, so no cherry picking. PM me to discuss if interested. Cheers, Mark

D&B Militaria had a literal pile of them at W&P: http://www.dandbmilitaria.com/WW2/

There is: http://www.armsresearch.co.uk/The%20Webley%20and%20Scott%20Achive/Webley%20and%20Scott%20Archive.html

I remember seeing a mens fashion 'combat jacket' on eBay about a year ago that had obviously been based on a P60 smock, although it wasn't an exact copy. Unfortunately I didn't save the details and I've never seen another. I doubt there's enough demand to justify making accurate repros in 21st century adult friendly sizes, but it would be nice to be wrong.

Wouldn't a deactivated one have to be done to the current spec? I.e. Permanently welded into the receiver. I can't think how you'd get a kosher old spec bolt without buying another gun. I'd have thought you were better off investigating making a non-firable replica out of aluminum or hard plastic.

Yes, I've seen those. The £120 asking price for one is particularly hilarious. I suppose they're hoping to cozen somebody into thinking that they're in the same league of desirability / value as the hooded OG smocks that preceded them. I put the Beds ACF one on eBay at a low starting price. It didn't sell, so it went to France as a freebie with a DPM P60 smock whose sale price I was very pleased with.

Probably best to discuss it directly with the Birmingham Proof House and see what they'll accept. You may need to get a UK RFD to import it though. What sort sort of blank fire .38 is it? If its a real gun thats been converted, it'll be illegal in the UK. A replica would have to satisfy UK standards on whether it is 'readily convertible'. Then there's the VCR Act...

You travel to them. They inspect and if there are no issues they issue you with a new certificate. The proofhouses recognize each others marks, so that's not an issue. As regards values, spend some time looking at Milweb, Gunstar, dealer websites, etc. BTW. Deactivation standards aren't retroactive so new certificates can be issued for old specs without them needing to be redone to current spec.

That may fall within the UK definition of a deact, but as mentioned, without formal certification you run the risk of having to establish this in court.

True. But does that mutual recognition also explicitly apply to deacts? Proofing a live firearm is a fairly homogeneous process, whereas each country has its own ideas as to what constitutes deactivation.

People buying the stories rather than the item? The second auction for the hat and balaclava is outside of my expertise, but I don't see how the small '68 Patt smock and the set of early '58 Patt webbing is worth much more than £75? Still; eye of the beholder, etc.

It's a fairly modern Dutch army belt. I've also seen them in air force blue and navy or MP white colours. I also bought one years ago mistakenly thinking it was a '44 Patt belt. It has since donated it's brasses to a British '37 Patt belt.

A deactivated firearm is one that "'has been rendered incapable of discharging any shot, bullet or other weapon and has consequently ceased to be a firearm within the meaning of the Act". This means it is possible to have a UK legal deact that hasn't been Proof House certified, but the devil is in the detail and you run the risk of having to establish its status in court. Presumably Tenbury Guns have established - to their own satisfaction at least - that their deacts meet the above definition are are therefore UK legal. They may be technically correct, but obviously their guns aren't going to benefit from the same level of defense against prosecution that a UK certified deact enjoys. It'll be interesting to see how this pans out...

Interesting goings on in Worcestershire... "...some of the deactivated weapons we sell are from mainland Europe. They carry their original European deactivation marks and documentation and are then checked over by us and we issue our own certificate and apply our marks after any additional work has been carried out to ensure they are UK-legal and as such this type of de-activated weapon does NOT require the UK proof marks. We have had our procedures and the original documentation for the relevant type of deact viewed by one of the UK Proof Masters under the auspices of a very nice man from the Home Office and he has concluded that the stock of weapons we had of those types of weapons examined at that time "were deactivated to a sufficiently robust standard as for them to be considered acceptable in the UK" (quoted from his correspondence with us). We are trying now to ensure that every new type of imported deact we stock has the same overview. So you can buy the European-sourced deacts as well as the UK-sourced deacts we offer for sale safe in the knowledge that they are legal in the UK and still have working parts that move and can be field-stripped as per the live version. Sort of pre-95 spec, but in 2013!" http://shop.tenburyguns.com/index.php?route=product/category&path=10316 Further discussion here: http://www.gunstar.co.uk/forum/french-deactivated-mat49-t1250.html It'll be interesting to see if this is a one off or whether other UK dealers will do the same thing.

Alas not conclusive, but I attach a dodgy cameraphone pic of a picture of 2 members of the SAS in Aden from 'Who Dares Wins'. The pouch on the left hip of the chap on the right seems to have a very similar looking lid and snap fastener. Not obviously a double pouch though. Any ideas? Cheers, Mark