In European heaven the Italians are the cooks, the Germans are the engineers, the French are the lovers, and the English run everything. In European hell the English are the cooks, the French are the engineers, the Germans are the lovers, and the Italians run everything.

It is a fun and interesting exercise to compare and contrast the salient features of the various submachine guns produced and used by the diverse combatants in World War II. And after taking a look at all things considered, the results were surprising.

In keeping with the old joke related above, the Germans, for all their historical geopolitical foibles, are some absolutely superb engineers. Their designs in small arms as well as aviation, submarines, rocketry, and a hundred other military disciplines that the Germans created in the first half of the twentieth century went on to chart the course for military developments around the globe for decades to come. However, in a little practical side-by-side comparison, the German designs did not fare as well as might have been anticipated.

The MP-40 is the archetypal World War II submachine gun. Historically mislabeled as the “Schmeisser,” the MP-40 does indeed enjoy a butter smooth action thanks to its telescoping recoil assembly; but it still weighs in at around nine pounds and is fairly front-heavy in action. It is all pressed steel and Bakelite and represents a classic second-generation design that lends itself to mass production. The folding stock, while compact and ingeniously designed, is not as stable or comfortable as a comparable fixed wooden variant. MP-40 magazines are also all but impossible to load without a dedicated magazine loader.

American submachine guns from World War II reflect the general American mindset of the time. They are big, robust, reliable, and heavy. They also hit like a freight train on the receiving end. The various Thompson models in particular all weigh in at more than ten pounds and launch those enormous .45 ACP projectiles from double stack twenty and thirty round magazines as well as, in the case of the 1928 variant at least, fifty and one hundred round drums. While undeniably effective, these guns are an absolute boat anchor to carry around for long periods and can be awkward to utilize tactically. While the controls are nicely arrayed for right-handed shooters, these guns are a bit of an armload to maneuver in confined spaces.

The British were desperate in World War II and their submachine gun reflects this desperation. The Sten guns were cheap and fairly reliable but ergonomics and tactical functionality in combat took a back seat to expense considerations and the capacity for volume production. As such, while the Sten was certainly the right gun for the British at the time it will never be anybody’s first choice for a combat weapon if there is any significant selection from which to choose. Additionally, like the MP-40, Sten magazines taper from double stack to single stack and will not be loaded in a hurry without a dedicated tool.

It could be argued that the Russians raised the employment of the submachine gun to its zenith in World War II, eventually equipping entire regiments solely with weapons such as the PPSh 41. More than five million of the PPSh guns were eventually produced in addition to other designs such as the PPD and PPS 43. While the PPSh is a robust and well-balanced firearm, its 900 rpm cyclic rate makes it an effective but less than elegant weapon on the range.

It may be an unfair characterization to denigrate the Italians for their martial performance in World War II but our grandfathers did seen a bit more keen to go toe to toe with Italian combat formations than, say, the Waffen SS. In the grand scheme of things, from the historian’s perspective at least, the Italians did not exactly set the world afire militarily when they threw their lot in with the Axis powers. Their standard submachine gun, however, was a piece of work.

The original Beretta model 1938a was designed by the prolific Italian arms designer Tullio Marengoni and embodied the classic fit, finish, and workmanship that characterized first-generation submachine guns. The Beretta 1938a falls into the same broad category as the German MP-28 and MP-35, the British Lanchester, and the American Model of 1921 Thompson. These guns were expensive to produce, heavy to carry, and slow to manufacture. While beautiful to behold, these guns were impractical for the planetary conflict that was World War II. The Beretta Modello 38/42, however, was a magnificent and practical wartime design.

The Beretta 38/42 was the successor to Marengoni’s original 1938a and it went through several iterations as it was being produced in wartime Italy. Original models were designated the Modello 38/42 and came equipped with a truncated wooden stock that terminated at the magazine well in addition to a fluted barrel and a simplified muzzle brake. The complex machining of the 1938a gave way to steel pressings, rough wood, and spot welds. Magazines came in twenty and forty-round variants. Eventually the barrel flutes were deleted and an awkward vertical foregrip added. In the rush of wartime production there was some overlap of features and ambiguity concerning model designations. The weapon eventually went on to be designated the 38/43 and 38/44 depending upon its specific set of characteristics. The Germans used thousands of the Beretta 1938 series weapons in their own units under the designation MP.738. The specific weapon tested for this article has a smooth unfluted barrel and is marked 38/42.

A detailed engineering analysis of the 38/42 is a study in contradictions. The first impression one receives upon hefting the weapon is that it is delightfully lightweight and almost perfectly balanced. It is short, handy, and compact while weighing in at nearly a pound and a half lighter than the MP-40, itself a relatively lightweight piece when compared to some of its contemporary competition. The 38/42 points naturally, feeds from a double stack forty-round magazine that is painless to load with nothing more than your fingers, and enjoys a sedate full auto rate of fire that makes that forty-round magazine seem to last all day long. It incorporates a double trigger arrangement that allows instantaneous selection between semiautomatic and fully automatic modes of fire without any extraneous switches or dials to manage. The forward trigger fires semiautomatically while the rear trigger fires bursts. The stock is short but entirely adequate for superb control when firing from either the shoulder or the hip. The muzzle brake is easy to manufacture and very effective in practice, graphically demonstrating its ability to redirect muzzle blast in a useful direction when fired at dusk. Those are the good things.

On the negative side, the gun charges on the right and ejects out the left. While this does not practically interfere with either right or left handed firing, it does necessitate either manipulating the charging handle with the trigger hand if firing right handed or rotating the entire gun over to facilitate access to the bolt knob with the left hand; an awkward and inefficient maneuver. In either case, magazine changes are not as efficient as they could ideally be. The charging handle does not reciprocate and incorporates a simple but effective dust cover. The sights are small and unobtrusive in the manner of most European subguns of the era and are therefore of limited utility in a highly mobile tactical environment. The magazine release is also fairly small and subsequently is a bit of a trick to manipulate quickly under stress.

On the range, the Beretta 38/42 is a thing of beauty. It points like an extension of your own anatomy and, even at sixty-five years old, is flawlessly reliable. Fire selection, as previously mentioned, is instantaneous and intuitive based on the twin trigger arrangement and the 550 rpm rate of fire makes burst control a joy. The gun is imminently maneuverable and the efficient and effective muzzle brake utterly negates muzzle rise even with long bursts so long as even rudimentary tactical technique is employed. The preponderance of the mass of the gun rests right above the shooter’s hands so that very little of the weapon protrudes forward to catch on things while maneuvering tactically and its diminutive weight makes toting the piece over significant distances fairly painless. Overall, of all the weapons previously mentioned the Beretta 38/42 seems the most tactically practical by a noteworthy margin.

Italian military tenacity notwithstanding, that Beretta might produce a superb martial arm is no great surprise. They have had plenty of experience. Pietro Beretta S. p. A. has been described as the longest continually operating manufacturing company in the world. The Beretta company came into being in 1526 when Maestro Bartolomea Beretta of Gardone Val Trompia accepted 296 ducats for the manufacture of 185 harquebus barrels for the arsenal of Venice. Today, Beretta is still a family-run business nearly five hundred years later. That the U.S. military has filled its holsters with Beretta handguns for the past three decades speaks to the fact that they are clearly still competitive gunmakers.

When comparing and testing the various World War II guns on the range in an admittedly non-scientific manner, in effect turning ammunition into noise, the surprising thing was that the little Italian subgun so eclipsed its more famous brethren. The Thompson was heavy and the Sten crude. The MP-28 was gorgeous but bulky and the MP-40 front heavy and a bit awkward. The little Italian Beretta, however, would have been my first choice as a combat weapon even selecting among many more modern offerings that day. While it does not cut the same sexy profile as does the Thompson or MP-40, the Beretta 38/42 was an efficient and effective combat tool that was used and coveted by German soldiers throughout many Wermacht formations as well as by Allied ground troops. Picking one of these little guns up and running a few magazines through it quickly shows why.

The gun we enjoyed in this comparison had itself a fascinating story. Its owner served as a P-51 Mustang pilot during World War II, ending the war with two confirmed Nazi kills, a FW-190 and a Me-109. During the war in Europe he was assigned to a former Luftwaffe base that had only recently been overrun by ground forces. He was and is not a real gun enthusiast and was much more interested in flying captured aircraft than in collecting souvenirs. Several of the captured Luftwaffe ground crewmen stayed on at the airfield in question and helped maintain some of the liberated German aircraft. This gentleman actually logged a little stick time in a Focke Wulf FW-190 before his superiors got wind of it and prohibited the practice. After the armistice, however, several of his buddies would take a jeep out across the nearby battlefields in search of nifty trinkets. One day one of his fellow pilots walked into his tent with a matching pair of Beretta 38/42 submachine guns he had found out on one of his forays and dropped one of them off as a gift. The Mustang pilot in question subsequently disassembled the gun and mailed it back to his parents’ home along with a quantity of Axis 9mm ammunition for the piece. When he finally returned to the U.S. he filled his canteen with captured 9mm ammunition as well so as to have some plinking ammo when he got home as 9mm being fairly difficult to obtain at that time stateside.

A good friend of mine was visiting with this old Air Corps veteran one day and soaking up stories of the war when the vet mentioned that he had an old gun my buddy might like to see. The gentleman had to look around a bit to find it but soon produced the 38/42. The magazine was still loaded with steel cased German 9mm ammunition from the war. As are most serious military gun enthusiasts in America, my buddy is savvy on NFA law and asked with trepidation if there was any paperwork to go along with the gun. The man said no but that he did seem to remember sending in a form of some sort about it many years ago. An FOIA request did indeed produce a copy of the original amnesty paperwork and a rare historical artifact from one of the most extraordinary periods of American history was saved from the eventual smelter.

When the phone rang in my office at Knight’s Armament Company the caller identified himself as Christos Epperson and he was calling to inquire about Reed Knight’s Institute of Military Technology (IMT) He also has a question regarding a 9mm United Defense Model 42 made by Marlin. He tells me his Uncle George fought with the resistance against the Germans on the Greek island of Crete during World War II, and specifically about connecting magazines together to maximize ready firepower.

Christos sends me a quick email of his Uncle George, holding the Marlin and sure enough, magazines are joined at the front. Christos explains that his uncle realized that taping them together wouldn’t work, so he found a local blacksmith that welded them together. Was this the first incidence of such a field modification? Christos tells me he’s made a documentary about the Cretan invasion and the resistance movement and will send me a copy.

When the Germans invaded Crete they decided to try something altogether new in the art of warfare. Crete, Greece’s largest island, may be thought of as a huge “aircraft carrier” in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea and occupying it was a major strategic move for any army. To capture it, the military tactic the Germans used is now known as a “vertical envelopment.” The plan called for an assault on the island using a huge force of paratroopers and gliders carrying combat troops.

Allied forces stationed there, mostly British, Australians, and New Zealanders, would be far outnumbered and would be forced to leave the island or be killed or captured. The Cretan population had no local army as most of their young were in the Greek army fighting on the Albanian front. With nowhere to go and very little in the way of small arms and ammunition, the Cretans would be expected to surrender without much of a fight. After all, the Germans took the entire nation of France in just one week. With seasoned troops, modern equipment, and this new military tactic, Crete was expected to be under German control in a few hours.

However, the Germans ever in for a huge surprise. Had they checked their history books more carefully, they would have learned that Crete had been conquered many times by superior forces including the Venetians, Persians, and Turks. After fierce fighting, all of them eventually claimed the island as their own, but none of them ever really had full control. Every day each member of the occupying force was looking over his shoulder, lest his throat was slit by a swarthy local. Throughout history, every Cretan male has kept a dagger sheathed either in his belt or his boot and is well-schooled in its use.

For all the planning, superior firepower, and precise execution of the vertical envelopment, Crete did not fall in a day, or even a week. It was ten days after the invasion the Germans were convinced they had secured the island as theirs. But the Cretans had their own plan. There would be another day, the 11th day, in fact. On that day the Germans would pay.

I review the picture of the M42 with Reed Knight, and as I expected he’s got a wealth of information about it and shows me a sample in the IMT collection. Reed says magazine connection by using tape occurred well before this picture was taken, but he believes it may be the first time magazines were welded in theater.

Upon arrival of Christos’ documentary, The 11th Day, I sat down to watch it and was stunned. The dialogue is spoken by the actual people the story is about. Somehow, Christos had located enough of them still alive, and still able to recall the stories – truly fascinating.

So who is Christos? Where did he come from and what’s the story with this video? What else is he working on? There were many questions that prompted Christos to visit the IMT, which gave us the opportunity for this interview:

George: What made you decide to make a documentary about the Cretan invasion?

Christos: My family is from Crete. My aunts and uncles, all brothers and sisters, were spies for the Cretan resistance forces. When my aunt, Eleutheria, was caught stealing German maps for them, she confessed to working alone so that her two brothers and sister would not be charged. She was tortured and executed, and her three siblings were sent to concentration camps. So you see, this story is a part of my family’s history.

George: Doesn’t a documentary like this require a lot of time for researching facts, as well as finding and interviewing survivors?

Christos: Most of a documentary is research and World War II survivors are becoming fewer and fewer. I had to work fast, but even at that, script to screen took me 5 years.

George: Your documentary was very realistic. Where did you find reenactors and equipment?

Christos: There are good sources in Hollywood for reenactment supplies. Some items, like the pants, I had to have made. Others were very difficult to obtain, like German paratrooper boots with laces on the side. Having them made was cost prohibitive. As for the reenactors, believe it or not, most of them were the grandchildren and other relatives of the actual resistance fighters. Cretans are very patriotic so finding volunteers was not at all difficult. That is, except for the Germans. Cretans flatly refused to play them so I ended up down at the beach, recruiting tourists.

George: …and the guns?

Christos: I took some propane firing MG42’s and the rest were rubber Mausers, Lugers, and sub guns. It was a nightmare getting them into Greece and a worse one getting them back into the U.S., even though I had all the properly executed paperwork.

George: Tell us about the resistance and guns they used.

Christos: There were weapons on Crete when the Germans arrived. Most were really old – some were even muzzleloaders, but they used what they had. The German paratroopers were not armed when they jumped. The guns and ammunition were dropped separately, and it didn’t take long for the Cretans to figure that out. At that point it became a race between resistance fighters and the Germans to be first to arrive at the crates when they landed.

The Cretans were aided by a few British, New Zealand, and Australian troops who remained trapped on the island, and of course, these troops had their standard issue weapons. After the resistance force became an organized unit, the allied command realized their effectiveness and air dropped them more guns, ammunition, and supplies. British intelligence became very active on the island and sent them in a leader, schooled in guerilla tactics, a man named; Major Leigh Fermor. I was fortunate enough to locate him and interview him for the documentary.

George: What did they find as the most and least effective weapons?

Christos: For close-in work, they liked the M42’s that were dropped by the OSS. For the most part these were country boys who grew up hunting and shooting in the Cretan mountains and learned marksmanship from their parents. They took a real liking to the German K98 and used it as a precision rifle removing one invader at a time. They used cover and concealment tactics taught by the military today. As for least effective, they had some machine guns but as they were so badly outnumbered, they preferred lightweight weapons they could use in hit and run type operations and of course, the Mausers for accurate fire.

George: Give us some examples of the effectiveness of the resistance.

Christos: The German troops were badly needed on the Russian front, but were bogged down on Crete fighting the resistance. The invasion of Crete was Germany’s first major defeat of the war, with half of the 8,000 elite airborne assault troops decimated.

Bold raids were made by resistance fighter on airfields where a large number of German aircraft were destroyed. The Brits, New Zealanders, and Aussies worked effectively with the Cretan resistance. Inspired by the treachery of the Germans and emboldened by success after success of raids and ambushes, the resistance conjured up new and more ambitious plans. At one point they actually captured the German Commander and Chief of the German forces on Crete, General Kreipe. They shuffled him off to North Africa for intense interrogation – the only kidnapping of a German general in the entire war.

Besides these hit and run raids, they also found that when the Germans turned the 88mm guns on them, their tactic was to move closer to the big guns and pick off their operators with precision small arms fire.

George: I understand women, children and even priests played major roles in the resistance. Tell us about that

. Christos: Young children focused their play around the Germans and recorded whatever was of interest to the resistance. The allies had intel on the contents of every ship that offloaded cargo onto the island, including the number of crates and their markings. Teenage girls and women fought alongside the resistance or made frequent trips to bring them food and supplies.

When the resistance hatched the plan to capture the German general, they had stolen some German uniforms, but the insignias weren’t right. Local women, anxious to do what they could to aid the resistance, volunteered to embroider new ones that matched the ones worn locally. One old man told me he was only nine when the Germans invaded. Every day he would roll heavy rocks out into the road, and every day the Germans would have to stop their trucks and roll the stones back. He told me that at his age, he couldn’t do much, but he could at least slow the Germans down. My Uncle Theo was the Orthodox Bishop on the island by day, but by night he used his church to run an effective gun smuggling operation.

George: You said a surprising thing happened when you showed up on Crete with dummy guns for the reenactors. What was it?

Christos: Whenever I brought out the replica guns to do the filming, the Cretans didn’t want to have anything to do with them. They preferred to use their original guns – you know – the ones that were actually used by the resistance.

George: Come on! The Greek government only allows shotguns for civilian ownership.

Christos: There is an old Cretan saying about the importance of their guns. A Cretan man will tell you: “If I had to pick between giving up my wife, house, or my gun, I’d keep my gun, because with that, I can get the other two back.” I heard this often while I was there, and from different people.

George: You’re telling us these guns are still around today?

Christos: Cretans historically pass them down to the oldest son. Whenever I went up into the villages and we started talking about the invasion, the resistance and my documentary, out came the guns. These guns drew blood in the defense of Crete and have both a symbolic and a defensive use. The Cretans wanted these guns to be used in the documentary.

George: So, this recent photo of your Uncle George holding the Marlin at the war memorial; you’re saying it’s the same one he’s posing with during his resistance days?

Christos: Yes, this gun was dropped by the OSS and was very popular with the resistance as it could use captured ammunition because it was chambered for 9mm, which was available from the Germans. It was developed by United Defense and manufactured by Hi Standard and Marlin. They were very well made. My Uncle George’s was a Marlin and he said it shot tight groups and he never had a problem with it.

Besides the M42’s I brought, there were plenty of Greek Mausers that literally came out of the Cretan woodwork. One was even nicely decorated with silver icons. The one that surprised me the most was a Bren gun. They insisted on taking me to the exact spot where it was air dropped by the OSS.

George: It seems not only the guns were sacred but the battlegrounds as well.

Christos: It was even more complicated than that. Most of the land was under control of a monastery. I had to get special permission, so I brought along a priest and my Uncle George to help me negotiate. People kept telling me I was crazy as no one goes up there. The last ones who did were the Germans, and we know it didn’t work out very well for them! I gave the monks 13 space heaters and they gave us 3 shepherd guides. Two of the camera men were non-Greeks and had to get baptized with Cretan names.

My Uncle George Tzikas had a personal reason for finding one spot, and to our amazement, he took us right there. It was a place where he had a shootout with a couple Germans. They kept shooting at him but kept missing – hitting the tree behind him. Just when he had one of them in his sights, he squeezed the trigger but the round was a dud, so he extracted it, chambered another round and maneuvered around until he finally got them both.

George told me he had recurring nightmares about that event, only it was a variation that included the dud round but ended with him, not the Germans, getting killed. He insisted we use our metal detector to find the dud, and we did! Since he’s recovered that round, he says his nightmares have gone away.

George: What about pistols?

Christos: It was important for every resistance fighter to carry a pistol, a grenade, or both. The pistol wasn’t for offensive use, though. The resistance fighters had the attitude they were dead anyway and they knew what awaited them if they were captured. The pistols were to be used on themselves if that time came, hopefully taking a few Germans with them.

George: How do our readers get a copy of your documentary?

Christos: The best way is through www.crete1941.com

George: Tell us about your next project.

Christos: I’m working on a documentary called: Outpost Harry. During the Korean War, there were three outposts: Tom, Dick, and Harry. Five battalions – four American and one Greek – took turns defending the outpost, and each of them was overrun with Chinese. When the Greeks took their turn, 3,000 Chinese were held off by 150 Greeks and American soldiers. They became known as the “Sparta Battalion” after their commanding officer told them, “If 300 Spartans could hold off 100,000 Persians, a hundred and fifty of us should have no trouble against a few thousand Chinese.”

There is a gymnasium at Ft. Benning named Outpost Harry to commemorate the bravery of the men who fought there.

George: What did the survivors tell you about the guns used in this conflict?

Christos: Each time they were overrun, they called in artillery on their own position. These barrages resulted in huge amounts of airborne dirt going airborne. Many of the veterans told me about their guns jamming as a result. I’d be interested in finding out more about that and what we’re doing today so that doesn’t happen again.

George: Roger that. We’ll be looking forward to seeing Outpost Harry when it’s done and we sincerely appreciate you taking the time to talk with us today – thank you.

It is possible that more 08/15 Maxim machine guns are registered in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record (NFRTR) than any other type machine gun brought back to America from the battlefields of our nation’s history. Their mechanism is ingenious. For the quantity manufactured, their quality of workmanship is unsurpassed. They are a controllable and enjoyable machine gun to shoot. Yet most 08/15 Maxim machine guns are unappreciated, dirty and rusty, resting in some dark space and accumulating more dust from each year of their neglect. It is time to bring these Maxims back to life.

Even if the specific history is lost for most of the Maxim machine guns registered on the NFRTR, they will provide their owners with pride of ownership if given the attention they deserve to bring them back to life.

Restoring a machine gun calls upon the owner’s wisdom to know if it should be restored or left as-is. Restoration requires a commitment of time and patience. If the Maxim is to be reactivated, that process may have legal considerations that must be carefully addressed. Restoring that gun may compromise its value and desirability if the history of the firearm is well documented and significant. It may be better to leave that unique specimen just the way it is. Every war trophy has its own history. Sadly, few veterans documented their war trophy’s history, and even when it was put in writing, time and carelessness have often caused the gun and its history to go separate ways. So it is very likely the dusty, rusty war trophy you have will only be improved with a careful and patient restoration.

It is important to mention that the Maxim machine gun is a complicated piece of firearms technology. This article can only address basic descriptions of parts and assemblies. If you find the mechanism of the Maxim machine gun intriguing, you may thoroughly enjoy the Armorer’s/Operator’s class taught by Long Mountain Outfitters, devoted specifically to Maxim, Vickers and Lewis machine guns. Its instructors have developed their knowledge from decades spent working with these remarkable inventions. You will leave that class with a depth of knowledge articles like this can never provide.

If you are going to move forward with this restoration plan, make certain you have an adequate block of time to complete the project. We all have started a project, disassembled the mechanism, set the project aside before completion due to other priorities and ended up forgetting how to reassemble it, or, worse yet, losing some of its pieces. This author spent 22 hours on the restoration featured in this article. If his specimen had more rust, it would have required substantially more time.

The author’s specimen was a Deactivated War Trophy commonly called a “Dewat.” Since the goal of this project was to restore the gun to shooting condition, doing so will require a change in the status of its registration on the NFRTR. Study the registration papers of your machine gun. If it is described as a “live” machine gun, it is not a Dewat. If your registration form asks “Is the firearm unserviceable?” the “yes” or “no” answers this question. If the registration describes how a part of the gun was welded up, it is a Dewat. If you’re specimen is a Dewat and you intend to reactivate it to shoot, the first question you need to ask is “does the state, county and municipality I live in allow me to own a live machine gun?” Consult a class three dealer in your state and research the question on the web to confirm what the dealer told you. The answer to this question affords no room for error.

Although most readers of this article may not own a 08/15 Maxim machine gun or any other war trophy machine gun, these treasures are more plentiful than you may think. The author chose the 08/15 Maxim because of this model’s abundance. The United States government returned a huge quantity of Maxims to America during and after World War I, possibly intending to convert them to 30-06. Kent Lomont, well known machine gun expert and owner of Lomont Precision Bullets, has told the author he had documented evidence that during the war, examples of the 08/15 Maxim were given to donors making substantial contributions to the war effort. After the war they were distributed to VFW’s and American Legion posts. The Amnesty of 1968 legalized thousands of war trophies when they were registered on the NFRTR.

This article addresses the 08/15 Maxim. However, the procedure is applicable to any other machine gun or Title I firearm that can benefit from restoration. The word “restoration” has many degrees of definition. The firearms industry includes restoration experts able to restore a derelict firearm into an example that looks like it just left the factory. The degree of restoration addressed in this article can be achieved by individuals with reasonable mechanical skill, using readily available tools. The intent of this restoration is to clean up and highlight the firearm’s basic condition. No attempt will be made to address firearms rebluing. The author welcomes someone with more expertise to share his secrets for cold and hot rebluing.

Using the correct tools will make this project easier. Fortunately, only simple tools are required. To disassemble the machine gun, the author used a good set of screwdrivers, a pair of standard pliers and a pair of needle nose pliers, a brass punch and a small brass hammer. Brass tools are used to impact gun parts because brass is softer than steel and will allow the tool to deform before the gun part is damaged. To clean the gun, the author used large and small brass bristled brushes, toothbrushes, a sharp pointed tool to remove grease from tight spaces, number 400 steel wool and a one inch wide putty knife. A clean pair of safety goggles is necessary to keep chemicals and small particles of rust and dirt out of your eyes. Some people experience skin irritation from various cleaning chemicals, so a good pair of rubber gloves is important as well. Avoid breathing the fumes of these chemicals by working in a ventilated area. Bright lighting will be helpful when inspecting parts and evaluating the degree of success of your work on the metal surfaces.

Specific chemicals are necessary for removing grease and oil, lifting rust and lubricating the final product. You may already have your preferences. Carburetor and choke cleaner, available at automobile parts stores, is effective for removing grease and oil. To lift rust, the author used Kano Kroil. However Hoppe’s #9 Powder Solvent, Liquid Wrench, Marvel Mystery Oil and even kerosene will also work well. Never use gasoline, camp stove fuel or white gas. Although everyone has their favorite product, the author used Break Free to lubricate parts and give metal surfaces a protective coating after they were cleaned.

The last and possibly most useful “tool” is good reference material. In the case of the 08/15 Maxim machine gun, the best source of information known to the author is Dolf Goldsmith’s fine book: The Devil’s Paintbrush-Sir Hiram Maxim’s Gun, published by Collector Grade Publications. If you are restoring a different firearm, find the appropriate reference material. Disassembly and reassembly of the firearm creates the possibility of breaking old and sometimes irreplaceable parts of the gun, particularly if you are even slightly unfamiliar with the firearm at hand. The author has owned eight Maxim machine guns and still managed to break a part! Consider the cost to purchase reference material as an insurance policy, much more economical than the damage possible from inexperience. Although some Maxim parts have multiple names, this article will use nomenclature consistent with The Devil’s Paintbrush.

Once you have set aside adequate time, located an appropriate place to do the work, assembled the tools, chemicals and the lighting, studied the reference material and assured yourself you have adequate patience, the project is ready to start. The obvious first step is disassembly of the machine gun. Remembering how the small parts of machine guns go back together seems do-able while you are taking them apart. Don’t count on it! Today’s technological advancements make for improved “memory.” Digitally photograph every component and parts group before disassembly. Some parts fit back together in more than one configuration, but only work one way.

The machine guns registered on the NFRTR fall under one of two categories of operability: live or deactivated. If you’re machine gun is registered as a live or serviceable firearm, move on in this process. If it is registered as deactivated or unserviceable and you intend to leave it that way, move on. However, if it is unserviceable, registered as a deactivated war trophy – a Dewat – and you intend to make it into a live machine gun, BATF&E laws and regulations must be complied with before reactivation of the firearm.

The first step of the reactivation process is to conclusively establish if you can legally own a live machine gun in your state, county and municipality. If the answer is “yes,” you have two choices. You can employ a licensed machine gun manufacturer in your state to reactivate your machine gun or you can do it yourself.

If you chose to employ a licensed machine gun manufacturer, ATF Form 5 (Application for Tax Exempt Transfer and Registration of Firearm) must be filed and approved by ATF prior to delivering the machine gun to the manufacturer. This is a tax exempt transfer because at this point, the machine gun is unserviceable. Upon receipt of the approved Form 5, the machine gun can be delivered to the manufacturer. The licensed manufacturer will then complete the reactivation and file ATF Form 2 (Notice of Firearms Manufactured or Imported) to re-register the machine gun as a live machine gun. After approval of Form 2, the manufacturer will submit ATF Form 4 (Application for Tax Paid Transfer and Registration of Firearm) plus the required $200 tax, re-conveying the live machine gun back to you, its owner. Delivery of the machine gun to you may take place only after receipt of approval of this final Form 4. The machine gun manufacturer you work with should be willing to prepare all forms and other paperwork you will need to complete this process.

The alternative to employing a licensed manufacturer to re-register your machine gun as a live machine gun is for you, as its registered owner, to do it yourself. You must file ATF Form 1, (Application to Make and Register a Firearm) and perform the physical reactivation of the gun yourself. Form 1 plus a $200 registration tax must be submitted to BATF&E, and its approval received, prior to performing the reactivation process.

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive’s website www.atf.gov is a helpful source for required documents.

If you are reactivating your machine gun yourself, only after receiving ATF Form 1 approval may you start the physical reactivation process. If you have not yet received an approved ATF Form 1, do not tempt fate with your impatience. The consequences can mean jail time. Likewise, if you are filing ATF Form 1 to reactivate your machine gun, YOU MUST DO THE WORK ON YOUR MACHINE GUN YOURSELF, ON YOUR PREMISES. Do not contract out the work to someone else. Doing so has legal consequences far beyond the scope of this article. Just do it right!

When your machine gun was deactivated, the legal requirements called for a steel plug to be welded into the barrel chamber and for the barrel to be welded to the receiver so that it could not be readily removed and replaced with an operational barrel. Welding the chamber solid to prevent it from accepting a cartridge was a straightforward process. However, the means of securing the barrel to the receiver so that it could not be readily replaced, may have been completed in a variety of ways. Generally, the barrel was welded to the receiver. In the case of the 08/15 Maxim, this was achieved with more than one technique. Sometimes the barrel was welded to one of the barrel extension plates and that plate was welded to the receiver. An alternative was to braze the barrel’s threaded brass buffer ring to the receiver’s trunnion. (The trunnion is the complex part positioned between the receiver and the water jacket). An ingenious method the author witnessed was simply welding the feed block to the receiver. This prevented the barrel from being removed because the lower feed arm of the feed block prevented movement of the barrel extension. The point of describing multiple ways your machine gun could have originally been deactivated is to explain why this article can not specifically detail how to remove the welded impediment that prevents your barrel from being removed from the machine gun. You will have to study your example in order to ascertain what was originally done to deactivate it. Only then will you be able to decide what to do to reactivate it and what specific tools will be required. At this point you may want to reconsider employing a licensed manufacturer to reactivate your war trophy in order to have this sometimes-delicate step completed correctly.

One of the useful tools in this process is a Dremel tool, which can be purchased at many hardware stores. It may remind you of the tools dentists have used on us, although not quite as small. Selecting the appropriate carbide bit will make a big difference in ease of completion. Metal filings can be propelled into your eyes so always wear safety goggles when using a Dremel tool. Muster maximum patience and remove the slightest amount of metal weld with each stroke of the Dremel tool’s bit on the weld, until you have removed just enough of the weld to remove the barrel. Once the weld is removed, the Maxim crank handle assembly can be withdrawn from the receiver, removing the barrel with it. You can more neatly finish dressing down the remaining weld on the parts and the receiver after their disassembly when you have easier access to the critical areas.

If you do not feel comfortable performing this work yourself, worried that you may damage the gun more than the cost of the alternative, figure this out in advance of filing your ATF Form 1 and contract a licensed manufacturer capable of professionally completing the reactivation. The paperwork approval process may take more time, but you may be much more content with the finished product.

Now that the barrel is free, study how its chamber has been welded. You can measure the length of the internal chamber plug by inserting a cleaning rod into the muzzle of the barrel, marking its inserted length to reach the chamber plug. Then withdraw the cleaning rod from the barrel and compare that length to the overall length of the barrel. The difference is the length of the chamber plug. At this time, original Maxim barrels are available. The 08 Maxim and the 08/15 Maxim use the same basic barrel, with the exception that a muzzle sleeve is attached to the threads on the muzzle of the barrel when used in the 08/15 Maxim. Thus, an 08 Maxim barrel can be used by simply removing the muzzle sleeve from your welded-up 08/15 barrel and securely attaching it to the 08 barrel.

The quantity of available original Maxim barrels is diminishing, so you may choose to restore your welded-up barrel. Since only the receiver of a war-trophy machinegun is the registered part, restoring the barrel can be handled by a third party, a competent gunsmith/machinist. (Not all gunsmiths have machinist skills and equipment to perform lathe work). The best way for him to perform this is for you to provide him with the welded-up barrel and an original un-welded barrel to use as an example. The author chose to restore the welded-up barrel removed from his Dewat because it was the original barrel serial numbered to the gun. It was too important to discard and justified the gunsmith/machinist’s cost, which may exceed today’s cost of an original replacement barrel. With a serviceable example of a Maxim barrel in hand, the gunsmith/machinist will understand that the least amount of metal should be removed in order to remove the plug which was welded into the chamber. Depending upon the exuberance of the welder when the plug was welded into the chamber, the barrel’s chamber may be restored to shootable specifications without the need of a chamber reamer. In the case of the author’s barrel, significant metal had to be removed from the chamber and back surface of the barrel trunnion (the square block of steel forming the rear surface of the barrel) in order to remove the welded plug. After the plug was removed, the barrel was taken to an experienced welder and additional weld was applied to its rear surface. With the help of an 8x57mm Mauser finishing chamber reamer, the gunsmith/machinist was then able to restore the chamber to shootable condition and re-machine the rear surface of the barrel trunnion to match the un-welded example provided. Restoring a welded-up barrel may seem to be a lot of work and extra trouble. Eventually, original barrels will no longer be available and there will be no alternative.

When using the Dremel tool, you may have removed too much metal when grinding away the original weld, resulting in an unsightly gouge to the interior of the receiver. Please note that the receiver of this machine gun is the “registered part” and it is registered to you. It must always be in your possession or securely stored under lock and key to which only you have access. Speaking practically, it may be more prudent to overlook the damage you did to the receiver. Just dress it up the best you can and move on in the process. Do not ask others to work on your machine gun receiver. They are probably not knowledgeable of the legal aspects of machine gun ownership. Doing so is foolish and may have stiff legal consequences you are not ready to address.

In the likelihood that you are reading this article without having acquired and studied the additional reference material, in this case The Devils Paintbrush-Sir Hiram Maxim’s Gun, you may not be familiar with the nomenclature of Maxim machine gun parts. To learn the most from this article, understanding terminology is essential. The time and effort you put into building that understanding translates into the quality of workmanship your finished product will exhibit. The information and wisdom in Chapters 14 and 15 of The Devil’s Paintbrush are worth its purchase price.

Several of the 08/15 Maxim machine guns acquired by the author have suffered from the same flaw: a broken lower feed arm on the feed block. The lower feed arm is positioned on the bottom of the feed block. A protrusion on the end of the lower feed arm fits into a notch on the left barrel extension plate, causing the feed block to advance the cartridge belt one cartridge each time the barrel extension cycles. For some reason, the end of the lower feed arm and its protrusion had been cleanly broken off on each of these three machine guns. Again, Kent Lomont provided an explanation. When our government returned a large number of Maxim machine guns to the United States after World War I, gifting them to appropriate civilian recipients, this part of the lower feed arms was broken off in order to prevent the machine guns from functioning as machine guns. Although this damage did not fulfill ATF requirements to become a Dewat machine gun, the lower feed arm will have to be repaired or replaced in order to allow the gun to function. If you are fortunate, you might locate an original replacement part. The alternative is to find someone knowledgeable enough to repair the broken lower feed arm. Periodically an advertisement has appeared offering the service. We all should have retained a copy of that ad.

In order to thoroughly clean the Maxim machine gun, it needs to be disassembled. Chapter 14 of Dolf Goldsmith’s book The Devils Paintbrush describes the procedure to follow to field strip the MG 08 Maxim. The same procedure applies to the 08/15 Maxim.

In this restoration, for the reasons given, the author chose not to completely disassemble five component assemblies, the feed block, sights, crank handle assembly, steam tube assembly and the lock. The feed block was left intact because its main component is still a complex shape with many irregular surfaces, so little was to be gained by disassembling this unit. In addition, after some tapping, the upper feed arm did not want to release the lower feed arm shaft and the author was reluctant to use more force on these 90-year-old parts. The sights are easy to clean in place.

The crank handle assembly includes the barrel extension plates with cross head, the connecting rod and the crank handle plus the somewhat delicate linked arm that attaches to the fusee spring. Forcing its disassembly could damage parts that are hard to replace, so this assembly was cleaned as a single unit.

Inside the water jacket, running its full length and positioned above and parallel to the barrel, is the brass steam tube assembly. It is basically a sliding tube positioned around a smaller stationary tube. The steam tube assembly permits the steam buildup to escape from within the water jacket when the muzzle is elevated or depressed, without allowing the boiling water to also escape. Test your gun by pointing the muzzle upward and then pointing it downward. If you hear a “loose” part inside the water jacket, the sliding tube is functioning properly and the assembly does not have to be removed. However, if the sliding tube is not “loose”, the assembly will have to be removed to clean it. This can be done by unscrewing the small lock screw, and then unscrewing the steam tube disassembly plug, located on the back of the trunnion and visible when the top cover is removed from the receiver.

The final part the author did not intend to disassemble is the lock assembly. Its disassembly and reassembly are more complicated than disassembling and reassembling the entire gun. It can be cleaned and lubricated reasonably well without disassembly. Two main parts need to be checked, the firing pin and the firing pin spring. Doing so can be physically painful so exercise extreme care. To remove the lock from the receiver, retract the crank handle. This action moves the lock rearward and allows it to be tilted up and lifted out of the receiver. Rotating it 45° on its shaft allows it to be removed from the gun. Please note that at this point, the lock is cocked. Pressing the “trigger” on the lock will release its hammer, seriously squeezing any part of your hand which may be located at the point of the impact of the hammer. Hold the lock so that you can activate its trigger and keep clear of the hammer’s point of impact. While doing so, listen to the firing pin spring when the firing pin is released. If the spring sounds strong, the spring is probably in good condition. If it sounds weak, the lock was probably left in its cocked position for years and the spring needs to be replaced. After the hammer has been released, the tip of the firing pin should protrude through the firing pin hole. If it does not, as was the case with the author’s Maxim, it is broken and the firing pin needs to be replaced. If parts replacement is necessary, you have the option of searching for replacement parts and installing them following Mr. Goldsmith’s instructions, or purchasing a complete original lock, still available when you can find one.

To this point, you have been confirming details of the law in your place of residence, making choices, handling legal issues, photographically documenting the original placement of parts and disassembling your gun. It is finally time to start the slow but rewarding process of restoring your Maxim’s metal surfaces. The easiest part to start with is the receiver, the boxy part attached to the water jacket. It’s large, flat surfaces are ideal for you to use to develop your technique. Most Maxims have remained in dirty but reasonably dry storage for decades. Their original deep blue surfaces may have turned brown from age and humidity. But this light rust has not pitted the metal surface. Inspect your receiver carefully, under a bright light. One of the 08/15 Maxims the author owned appeared to have been an outdoor exhibit for many years. The bottom surface of the inside of the receiver had deep rust pitting from water standing within the receiver. The exterior of the receiver had thick rust but no pitting. In spite of the condition of the inside of the receiver, this gun cleaned up nicely and functioned well. The exterior surface of the Maxim the author is currently addressing was covered with light rust. Under dirt and grime, the inside of the receiver still retained much of its original blued finish.

Arrange your receiver on your work area so that one of its large flat surfaces is horizontal. You will be putting pressure on the receiver, so make certain its underside is well supported with small boards or similar material. Apply the Kroil, or other product you may be using, to the surface and rub it in with the fine 400 steel wool. All you are trying to do is remove a light coat of surface rust. After working an area, wipe it clean with a dry rag and inspect the area under a bright light. With the penetrating oil, the light rust on the surface will lift and the steel wool will clean it away, exposing the clean metal surface of the receiver. In many cases, the original bluing will be visible. Be careful to avoid working an area too much as your effort can actually wear through the original bluing, providing that finish still exists on your gun beneath the surface rust. Always have a thick coating of Kroil on the metal before working it with steel wool. Work one small area at a time. Metal edges and irregular surfaces will require additional attention. Brass bristled brushes are useful in working corners, cracks and irregular surfaces. But they, too, should only be used when a liberal coat of penetrating oil has been applied to the surface of the metal. As the rust disappears and the original surface of the metal is again exposed, this process starts to become exciting and rewarding. Take your time and finish all the details of the exterior of the receiver before working on its interior.

Although the Dremel tool, previously used to remove welding, frequently includes brass brushes, the author discourages their use. The speed of the Dremel tool will rapidly and unintentionally erode any original finish remaining under the rust. Time you may save using a Dremel tool will be offset by your disappointment in the finished product.

If your Maxim has a much thicker coat of rust, two options exist. You may choose to let the Kroil “soak into the rust” by letting the heavily rusted areas sit for 24 hours in a bath of penetrating oil. Then use the steel wool and see if the rust lifts. If fine steel wool has no effect, use a heavier grade steel wool. Some rust conditions justified the use of number one steel wool, with a substantial coating of oil.

The other option to remove heavy rust calls for the use of a putty knife. Choose a 1 inch wide putty knife. A well-worn putty knife is preferable, with its sharp corners worn into rounded edges. If you only have a new putty knife, use a sharpening stone or sander to dress off the square edges. You want the working edge to be pointed and the corners of the blade to be rounded off so they do not gouge the metal. Apply the penetrating oil and let it soak in overnight to soften the rust. Hold the putty knife at a low angle to the surface of the receiver. Work the blade of the putty knife back and forth to scrape away the rust. As you push it along gently, it will remove rust encrustations. Work a very small area at a time. As you see results, you may choose to apply more pressure to the putty knife, taking advantage of its spring blade. Initially practice on an area that is less visible, until you develop your technique. With patient working of an area, keeping it well oiled, heavy rust can be removed. Generally, with heavy rusting the original bluing is long gone. But the removal of the rust substantially improves the beauty of the gun.

The water jacket on Maxim machine guns, as well as on other water-cooled machine guns, can be the one item that presents philosophical issues. Two of the Maxims I’ve restored still had substantial original green paint on the water jacket. Many of the scratches in that painted surface took place while the guns were being used in action. Do I want to remove that storybook of history? In both cases I did, concluding that the many scratches on the paint would be more of a distraction than an asset. However one grime-covered 08/15 Maxim I spotted years ago in the corner of a machine shop had its water jacket hand painted in the original camouflage used by the Germans in World War I. No matter what condition that painted surface was in, it presented a remarkable opportunity to preserve the story of the gun.

If you choose to remove the painted surface, it generally comes off quite easily by applying carburetor cleaner and wiping the saturated paint off with a clean white rag. Then save this rag in case you choose to match the original German green paint at a later date. Frequently, the blue surface of the water jacket beneath the paint has been protected and remains quite beautiful. If your water jacket is rusty, treat it with the same care you applied to your receiver. Use the brass bristled brush and carburetor cleaner or Kroil as appropriate to clean the detailed corners and fitting attachments. In the process of inspecting and cleaning the entire surface, you will locate manufacturer’s markings and proof marks which can be cleaned with the brass brush for highlighting with white paint as described later in this article.

While you are working on the receiver, an area that is easily overlooked needs your attention. The barrel slides into the rear of the trunnion and forms a water-tight seal in this area when appropriate packing material is used. However the first 3 inches of the trunnion’s interior surface must be very smooth or the water seal will fail. The author has used a 12 gauge shotgun brass cleaning brush on a cleaning rod, rotated with an electric drill. Applying Kroil to the area and working the rotating cleaning brush back and forth will clean and smooth out the surface, allowing a tight water seal.

One part of the Maxim that seems to attract rust is the fusee spring cover. Even Maxims with a lot of original bluing remaining on the other parts, have browned fusee spring covers. In part this is because the covers are made of sheet metal. Plus, they protrude from the gun and probably received a lot more rough treatment. Frequently these covers have dents which can be easily removed. Remove the spring from the inside of the cover, leaving the indicator mechanism in place. Rest that dented surface on a hard flat surface like a piece of iron. Place a smaller piece of flat steel or iron over the dent on the inside, tapping it gently with a hammer. With patience, most of the dents can be removed. However you may find that some are not worth risking damage to the overall cover and are best left alone. Use your brass bristled brush to clean the serial number and spring tension indicator markings.

After the rapid progress you made cleaning the water jacket, the feed block will seem very tedious. Its many details create numerous surfaces to catch grime and accumulate rust. So don’t be surprised if you spend an entire evening on this part alone. As mentioned earlier, I chose not to disassemble the feed block out of concern for breaking a part. If your feed block has a broken lower feed arm, the feed block assembly will have to be disassembled to replace that part. So tap the retaining pin out of the lower feed arm shaft using a properly-size punch, and carefully work to separate the upper feed arm from the lower feed arm shaft. Kroil is excellent penetrating oil and may loosen the parts after they have been soaked in it overnight.

To clean the feed block assembly, you may have to soak it in a solvent like paint thinner if it is seriously encrusted with dried grease. Brass brushes of various sizes, toothbrushes and a pointed tool made of a soft material like a piece of brass welding rod (not an ice pick or screwdriver which will scratch the surface) will help in reaching into the many recesses of the feed block. As I cleaned this part, I realized how many hours it took highly-skilled German machinists to make this one assembly. I believe more man hours of competent machinists’ time went into making each Maxim feed block than are required of five M-16s. And certainly more skill.

I treated the lock assembly like the feed block, soaking it in a solvent and then cleaning it intact, rather than disassembling this complicated mechanism. As mentioned before, if you want to disassemble the lock assembly, carefully read that portion of Dolf Goldsmith’s book or enroll in the instructive class offered by Long Mountain Outfitters.

By now you have a good idea how to clean the remainder of your Maxim’s parts. Remove the wood parts from the steel assemblies to which they are attached. Try to remove cotter keys so they can be reused. But if they break, you can obtain new ones at the hardware store. New cotter keys will be longer than needed and will have a modern zinc finish. Choose the appropriate diameter cotter key and cut it to the proper length. You can remove the unsightly zinc finish in one of two ways. The zinc finish will disappear if soaked in a mild solution of muriatic acid for a couple minutes. Use gloves and eye protection. Afterwards, thoroughly wash off the part before oiling it to prevent rust from forming. The second approach is to simply burn it off using the flame of a small torch. Both of these processes create dangerous fumes so avoid breathing the fumes and perform the process outdoors.

Restoring a machine gun is an organized process. By now you have disassembled the complete firearm, degreased each part, removed rust as appropriate and cleaned all of the manufacturer’s markings. Before rushing to reassemble the gun, arrange all the parts in an organized fashion on the clean surface. Reinspect them under a bright light to make sure you did not miss details that will become disappointments after the gun is assembled.

Now is the time to address the missing and the broken parts. You may have been fortunate to have a 100% complete Maxim machine gun. Mine had several deficiencies. It did not have a bipod, so I purchased a reproduction from International Military Antiques, a frequent advertiser in Small Arms Review. My Maxim had lost its muzzle booster/flash hider. The pair of flat springs riveted to the inside of the top cover were broken off. The top cover hinge pin had been replaced with a long bolt and nut. The firing pin was broken. One of the screws holding the steam port cover seal in place had also been broken off. I chose to ignore the broken off screw and found my missing parts on the Internet. I also needed the steam hose and purchased a reproduction from IMA.

The identification marks on a firearm are frequently the only link we have to its personal history. So I chose to highlight these markings. Since I already cleaned each of the markings using the brass brush, I now applied carburetor cleaner and wiped each marking with a clean rag. White enamel paint from a hobby shop was then applied to each marking and the excess wiped off with a rag and a flexible plastic implement. It took several tries to start to get the touch needed to make the end product appear satisfactory. Carburetor cleaner worked well to remove my mistakes so I could try again. The serial number etched into the fusee spring cover was so shallow that it did not take the paint well. Likewise, I was not successful with the most important markings of the gun, those on the top cover. I trust you will develop a better technique than I employed.

Your next decision concerns the water jacket: do you want to paint it or leave it unpainted? I chose to paint my water jacket and use the same color to paint the bipod. I had saved the rag used to remove the original German green paint from the water jacket. The best match I found for that color was an aerosol spray paint manufactured by Aervoe-Pacific Company of Gardnerville, NV and designated “Camouflage Paint 987 Olive Drab 34087.” Before painting the water jacket, clean it once again with carburetor cleaner and a clean rag. Then use masking tape to mask off the trunnion and receiver as well as the front sight. Spray painting it was the easy part.

The most rewarding step of this entire process is the reassembly of the gun. First oil the surfaces of all of the pieces before you reassemble them. As the pieces come together, you will feel rewarded for all of your hours of patience. If you do not remember how parts were to be reassembled, consult the digital photographs you took as you disassembled your machine gun or study The Devil’s Paintbrush. If you have to force the reassembly of pieces, you are probably doing it incorrectly.

Your completely assembled 08/15 Maxim machine gun is now a piece of beauty.

In financially prosperous times businesses and collectors knew the value of their money and purchased inventory or added to their collection based on each item’s value. We all understood that common currency. Today, we are more conservative with our money. We have had to reduce our spending to only those basic inventory items or “must have” collectables. Current economic conditions present an opportunity to change our way of thinking in order to maintain or improve our businesses and personal collections.

Our economy has changed the way we do business. Some of us dealers no longer speculate on inventory, even when we know the opportunity may not be there for us in the future. Many collectors no longer have the available cash to expand their collections. Dealers are seeing the consequences of this economy at the bottom line of their monthly Profit and Loss Statements.

When we dealers have stale inventory or we collectors have duplicate items in our collections and cannot succeed in selling them, we may be able to improve our successes by changing our thinking from selling to exchanging our merchandise for more useable commodities.

Today, when collectors want to acquire new treasures for their collections, but find themselves lacking cash, they may chose to reevaluate their position, which is not as bleak as it seems. The lack of cash does not mean collectors are without available assets with which to use to expand their collections, as long as we dealers are willing to expand our thinking as well.

Exchanges – “trading” as we called it as kids, only work when information is successfully assembled and conveyed. The seller of that treasure, that you want to add to your collection, is trying to sell it because he has no other way of placing a value on his merchandise without using the common denominator of dollars. But a monetary price does not mean he will only accept dollars for his merchandise. And when you ask “will you trade”, he is most likely going to decline, because he can not imagine his excitement over something you own. This is because he lacks clear knowledge of what you have to exchange. In fact, when asked, most collectors interested in using an exchange in lieu of cash can not readily say what items they have available to trade.

If you are interested in this new age – and old world – means of expanding your collection, start by considering everything you own. EVERYTHING. Now that information can be transmitted so easily on the internet, assemble your List of Trading Material. Ask yourself these questions:

* What duplicates do you have in your collection? Would you rather have two of one thing or add something to your collection that you don’t yet have?

* Has the focus of your collection changed? What items have you collected that no longer excite you? What’s now available for trade that may not have been in the past?

* What accessories and small parts have you accumulated over the years? Rare parts and accessories have a collectors market of their own and everyone needs spare parts.

Your new list of Trading Material seemed important when you first acquired the items. Now they are boxed away in storage, out of sight and not even thought of as a valuable asset. Yet they are of value to someone and if you do not list them, the sellers you work with will unknowingly miss the opportunity to offer you more than you expected for what you valued the least.

Finally, what treasures in your collection would you consider exchanging for something better? This is a hard question to answer. But the person on the other end of this transaction may decide to extract a similarly rare item from his – or her – personal collection to entice you into a trade.

Remember, merely listing the items on your List of Trading Material does not mean you are surrendering them. You are only telling the world you will consider letting go of them if the world comes up with something even more exciting to you.

That being said, your list may be an even more valuable tool for others if you include a description of what you collect. You may just remind a seller of something he forgot he had – to trade.

This list should not become such a massive project that it never gets done! Your written descriptions should be brief. But if your treasure has unique history, tell that too. If the other party is interested, he will ask you for more information. A group of parts does not have to be methodically inventoried at this point. “Thirty miscellaneous 1919A4 Browning parts” is a sufficient initial description. If the seller is interested, he will tell you. Photographs are effective tools to incite interest and desire. If you can include a photo of each item or group of items with each description, you will have an effective tool to convey what you have for trade. If you do not know how to attach pictures to your list, mention that you have photos available to email to interested parties.

Since we are addressing exchanges, realize that the person you are trying to strike a transaction with may have other interests, as you do. You may be able to turn that dusty Harley Davidson in the back of your garage into a very rare firearm for your collection. So be brave and include everything of value you are willing to part with. List the other items under separate headings so your customer can quickly scan your Trading List.

The authors of this article intend for it to become a catalyst for you to find ways to transact business with other interested people even though available cash may be in short supply in today’s economy. For some exchangers, an exchange becomes a taxable transaction. For others, there is no federal tax consequence due the IRS. The authors are not tax counselors. But generally, individual collectors can make “like kind” exchanges without creating a tax liability on the “gain” received. Gain is the difference between what you paid for the items you are trading away and the value of what you receive. The IRS evaluates dealers differently. Dealers can not enjoy the benefit of ‘like kind” exchanges of their business inventory. Dealers must declare the gain on exchanges. That may discourage some dealers. However, in this economy, most dealers have reduced income and increased expenses, so the addition of exchange revenue may not create much of a tax burden. And, when the dealer resells the items received in a tax paid exchange, the cost basis in the exchanged items is greater, reducing the future taxable gain when the eventual cash sale takes place. Consult your tax accountant for the answers to your questions.

Cash sales and purchases were simple, and they still are when cash is available. For exchanges between two collectors or between a collector and a dealer, the inconvenience of this more complicated transaction will be quickly offset by the joy of completing a transaction without cash. This avenue of trading inventory and collectables could be taken even further. If we all could post our Lists of Trading Material in “Trades Only” sections of our favorite websites, perusing those lists may be great fun! And remember the wise insight we all have heard: “One Man’s Junk Is Another Man’s Treasure.”

Mankind has been making exchanges since the beginning of time. Collecting must go on – lets all work together to make it happen.

Named after the swift desert Lynx, there is a new choice for a high-capacity, synthetic frame pistol in the United States, and it’s just off the boat from Abu Dhabi.

When Small Arms Review was contacted to see if we were interested in testing the initial batch of Caracal pistols imported into the United States, we enthusiastically accepted. When we were told we would also be receiving the very first Caracal Model F registered as a Short Barreled Rifle in the nation, well, we were delighted.

Background

Caracal International, based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), started in 2002. Led by a team of European weapon designers the goal was set to develop a new pistol using state-of-the-art technology and materials. After undergoing a long period of R&D, a test certificate was issued in 2006 certifying the Caracal pistol to be in compliance with the NATO D14 standard, the TA Police Standard and the Federal Armed Forces Technical Purchasing Requirements. It was time to introduce the innovative new pistol to the rest of the world. Among the many International trade shows it would soon appear in, they included ADIHEX 2008, IDEX 2009, EXA 2009 and most recently, S.H.O.T. Show 2010 in Las Vegas, NV, USA. Shipments into the United States are just beginning as we are penning this article. They are being imported by Waffen Werks of Knoxville, TN, USA. and marketed by Caracal USA, also of Knoxville, TN.

Design Features

The Caracal pistols are synthetic frame, high capacity handguns with a short double action trigger system. While the standard firearms do not have an external safety or decocking lever, at some point in the future they may offer a model with an external, push-button safety located above and to the rear of the trigger. Some utilize a unique sighting system and all have a “cocked action” indicator at the rear of the slide. There is also a loaded chamber indicator by means of a small “window” at the rear of the barrel where a round can be observed from the top if the chamber is loaded. They feature an ambidextrous magazine release and an accessory rail directly in front of the trigger guard. They have similarities to many different handguns on the market, but they feature their own low-axis barrel system to reduce recoil. The magazines are a double-stack design with single round presentation for precision feeding.

Caracal Pistol Variations

At the time of this writing there are 3 models available. Those evaluated by SAR were all chambered in 9x19mm although they will also be available in 9x21mm, .357SIG and .40S&W. The Caracal F is the full size version. With an unloaded weight of only 26.4 ounces (750g) the 9x19mm boasts a magazine capacity of 18+1 rounds. The barrel length is 4.09 inches (104mm) with a sight radius of 6.2 inches (157mm). The sights are a blade in front with a single white dot and the rear sight is a fixed “notch” with another single dot below the slot. The Caracal C is the compact model with a magazine capacity of 15+1. Unloaded weight is 26.1 ounces (740g) and the barrel length is 3.6 inches (93mm). The front sight is the same blade with a white dot but the rear sight is quite unique. With a radius of only 1.7 (43mm) inches between the rear notch (no white dot) the position of the rear sight is what makes it stand out. The rear sight is located 4.3 inches (109mm) from the back plate of the firearm, directly in front of the ejection port. While it was met with mixed concerns on our initial handling, it was found to be quite effective and we will go into more details in the performance section of this article. The newest model is the Caracal SC. This sub-compact version weighs in at 22.94 ounces (650g) and sports a 3.3-inch (86mm) barrel. The magazine capacity is reduced to 13+1 rounds, with a slightly longer 15 round magazine with integrated finger groove available. Like the other models, it will also accept the longer magazines of the Model F and Model C when capacity is of more concern than concealability. As of this writing the Caracal SC does not meet the importation “points count” for the United States so it is currently not available for retail sale.

All pistols have a short rail integrated into the frame in front of the trigger guard for attachment of accessories including laser sights, lights or grips. The trigger mechanism is a short double action and all have a visual indicator at the rear to show when the pistol is cocked and ready to fire. The trigger pull comes in at approximately 4.8 pounds (2.2kg) with .31 inches (8mm) of travel. While all have the ability to accept a locking front grip accessory (if previously properly registered as an A.O.W. with the BATFE of course) the Caracal F also has a notch at the rear of the receiver to accept a factory stock (when registered with BATFE as a short barreled rifle).

Range Time

We visited the test range accompanied with several hundred rounds of ammo, a PACT MKIV Pro chronograph and timer and plenty of targets to collect data. Before setting up any equipment, all shooters in attendance wanted to fire a few magazines to get a basic feel for this new platform. The sight system of the Caracal C raised the most curiosity and shooters lined up to spend some time with this pistol first. The SBR Caracal F with the shoulder stock was equally as intriguing and also got plenty of attention. After a brief introductory period where we started counting rounds for a basic function check, we set up some equipment and started collecting data.

The first day out we had four very experienced pistol shooters. Initial testing started with the Caracal C followed by the Caracal F and lastly the Caracal F with the shoulder stock. Testing was conducted at the Small Arms Research Test Facility in Maine and accuracy shooting was recorded at a distance of 10 yards. Targets were standard “Q” targets and blank sheets with a 3-inch red dot for an aiming point for each configuration. One 10-shot group was fired at each dot by each shooter on their own target to see how each configuration change affected their shooting. It is a good comparison exercise because all the variables are the same except for the actual pistol or configuration being used and the groups are all clearly defined while close enough to be used for comparison.

There is a difference in the design of all of the Caracal guns that lessens the muzzle rise. They are designed so the centerline of the barrel is closer to the hand. This makes controlled pairs (previously often referred to as “double-taps”) easier and faster with no loss of accuracy and shot placement. This low centerline is a very important part of the Caracal pistol system and should prove popular to many who try the system.

Phase I – Accuracy

Ammo used in the first round was standard Winchester “White Box” 115gr FMJ. It was duplicated with Wolf 115gr FMJ and Federal American Eagle 147gr FPJ. None of the firearms ever malfunctioned at any time and the results were very similar for all types of ammo. The smaller Caracal C model performed extremely similar to, and in a few cases even superior to the full size Caracal F model. All groups tightened considerably when using the stocked (SBR) Caracal F. Many of the groups were so tight they showed little evidence of 10 rounds being fired. The addition of the stock left no doubt at the enhancement in performance with the sturdy hold it allows.

We earlier briefly touched on the odd sights of the Caracal C and we were all a little amazed at the level of accuracy they allowed the shooters to attain. With the short radius of 1.7 inches between the sights all test shooters had an assumption that it would be a hindrance to accuracy. The part of the equation that appears to make them so effective is the increase in distance between the shooters eye and the rear sight. While the distance from the eye of this writer to the rear sight of the Caracal F and most guns with “traditional” rear sights is approximately 14 inches, with the Caracal C the distance is close to 17.5 inches with the same hold. We are sure this will be the topic of plenty of spirited debate in the future, but the performance we achieved when comparing the two guns was very close to identical, and that is even when using the shorter barrel of the Caracal C, which can frequently degrade accuracy. One comment that rang out numerous times is that the close proximity of the rear and front target made it easier on the eye to get a good focus on the front sight without losing focus of the rear sight. The sight on the Caracal C, named the “Quick Sight” will also be available as an option on the full-size Caracal F.

Testing the real effective range of the stocked version we moved further back after the initial round of shooting to ranges more suited for a “carbine” than a pistol. All shooters found the maximum “sweet spot” with the stocked pistol to be in the range of 15-yards. Groups were fired at 10 yards, 15 yards and 25 yards. At 10 yards, the groups were extremely tight when compared to shooting unassisted.

When testing commenced at 25 yards the groups opened considerably, many even wider than when using no stock. After completing this exercise numerous times it was our conclusion that the stock brought the sights so close to the eye of the shooter it actually made it difficult to focus on the front blade and still maintain a good line of sight with the target area. It was universally believed that a different sight would be very helpful for the firearm to attain its true potential at the further “carbine distances” and the pistol had much more accuracy potential than we could achieve with the addition of just the stock. It would have been interesting to try the sighting system of the shorter Caracal C in conjunction with the stock but we were not able to do so.

The next phase of testing with the stock moved in to 15 yards and a significant improvement was seen at this distance. At 15 yards the groups again tightened up as would be expected for a stocked pistol. The sights, along with the target were in sync with all shooters, much better than at the 25-yard distance.

It was our conclusion that the hardest issue to overcome for accurate shooting at long distances is the sights, which are designed for much shorter distances. To remedy this issue Caracal will have a sight mount available for use with many of the small “dot-type” sights, which will improve the accuracy greatly.

Here are a few comments from the test shooters on the stocked pistol in general:

•Stock Length. One thing this writer found refreshing about the stock was the length. It feels longer than many other pistol stocks. It is comfortable to shoot and at close distances the improvement in accuracy was greatly increased.

•Stock Function. The stock allowed function of all controls while in place, which is a plus. It did, however, take a little manipulation or a conscious effort to perform the normal tasks. One shooter could engage the magazine release in a normal manor while another with shorter fingers could not. Possibly enlarging the space in the stock where it is attached to the pistol could make the controls easier to utilize by allowing more of the shooter’s hand to fit into the space.

•Stock Fit. – The stock locked up tight and retained its position well due to the manual release pin at the bottom of the grip and the engagement slot at the top, under the slide. It is very solid. One thing that may be helpful to some would be a riser or comb built into the stock allowing the shooter to achieve a cheek weld. In its current configuration, even though it steadies the platform greatly, it is not possible to attain a cheek weld and still have the ability to utilize the sights.

Phase II – Muzzle Velocity

Each pistol, along with a factory stock Glock 17 was tested with three types of ammunition. Ammunition tested included Winchester “white box” bulk pack 115gr FMJ, Wolf 115gr FMY and Federal American Eagle 147gr FPFMJ. Muzzle velocity testing was performed at 290 feet above sea level with an outside temperature of 62ºF. Measurements were taken using a PACT MKIV XP chronograph and timer with Infrared screens, measured 8 feet from the muzzle. The Glock was added to the testing for comparison purposes since it is a well-known and heavily tested platform familiar to most pistol shooters.

A full chart is included in this article with all details and the summary is below.

The Caracal F:
Win 115gr FMJ – Average MV 1,137 fps.
Wolf 115gr FMJ – Average MV 1,145 fps.
Federal 147gr FMJFP – Average MV 964 fps.

The Caracal C:
Win 115gr FMJ – Average MV 1,072 fps.
Wolf 115gr FMJ – Average MV 1,104 fps.
Federal 147gr FMJFP – Average MV 920 fps.

The Glock 17:
Win 115gr FMJ – Average MV 1,179 fps
. Wolf 115gr FMJ – Average MV 1,176 fps.
Federal 147gr FMJFP – Average MV 976 fps.

The Wolf ammo was, by far, the most consistent in all platforms with an average total extreme spread (ES) of only 25fps. The Federal was 2nd with an average total extreme spread of 77fps and the Winchester came in at 127fps. There were a few erratic rounds in both the Winchester and the Federal strings that brought the average ES up in both, but none occurred with the Wolf.

Phase III – Basic Function Testing

This portion of the testing actually happens in the background throughout the entire time we are performing live fire exercises. In this particular series of tests we fired approximately 500 rounds of ammo, with the majority of it being the Winchester 115gr FMJ. We were pleasantly surprised that from the first break-in shot to the very last fired (so far) not a single malfunction of any type was recorded.

Just like it was explained to us before these were shipped, the pistols unique “low axis” design made a noticeable difference in the felt recoil and muzzle rise. Controlled pairs were very easy. When the Caracal F was fired with the shoulder stock there was a lack of muzzle rise and the recoil could even be felt as much more of a rearward force than a rising muzzle.

Observations

The Caracal is certainly a unique pistol with plenty of its own characteristics. As we understand the original mission statement this is exactly the goal they wished to achieve during its conception. There are a few specific features we thought warranted commenting on and will leave it up to the end user whether these are positive or not. The first is the trigger. With many semiautomatic designs the reset after firing is so defined it can sometimes be heard as a small “SNAP”, even by other shooters. The reset position on the trigger of the Caracal pistols is more of a soft push with no audible indication. After a very small amount of trigger time the exact point can be felt for tighter groups and follow shots when desired. The back strap area has an aggressive look but our test shooters actually found it to be comfortable and smooth. Some shooters prefer a heavily stippled and rough gripping surface while others do not so this is a matter of personal preference. The sights are a “dot over dot” style. Many of our test shooters tended to prefer, or have at least spent much more time with the standard 3-dot systems where all are lined up horizontally instead of vertically. Although it was not a traditional feel it certainly did not hinder the performance.

Conclusions

Small Arms Review is very pleased to have been asked to bring the Caracal pistols to light in our pages. While there are a few other publications that have requested them, and maybe even received them at this point, SAR has received the only Caracal F registered as a Short barreled Rifle and shipped with the optional stock for additional testing.

The workmanship of all pistols and related accessories has been of very high quality. There were absolutely zero malfunctions of any kind in any configuration and they performed exactly as they were advertised. The recoil and muzzle rise for follow-up shots is extremely low as their design required. The accessory rail was in spec to utilize any of the popular lights, lasers or grips on the market. All who tested these pistols were anxious about their experience with a pistol arriving from UAE, as it was a first for all involved and no one had any reservations about the quality, function and reliability of them after some hands-on testing. Every shooter who had the opportunity for live-fire testing impressed themselves in their shot placement abilities with all the Caracal models and configurations. For such a foreign feeling gun at first impression they performed like something quite familiar within no time. With an MSRP of $720 USD, a realistic price to see at your local gun shops should be in the area of $599.00. In this price range we have no doubt that many people will be seeing these at local ranges soon and impressing themselves the same way we did.

Caracal Pistols Waffen Werks, USA
Knoxville, TN
www.waffenwerks.com

American engineer and inventor Hiram Maxim, living in London, developed an automatic gun that was presented in Great Britain and in several European countries. On October 20, 1886, a ministerial dispatch advised the Versailles Commission of Experiments that Mr. Maxim was authorized to present a semiautomatic rifle of his invention. On November 4th of the same year, another dispatch informed the commission that Mr. Bariquant, representing the inventor in France, would also present an automatic machine gun. According to the official test report, this weapon shot Gatling cartridges, while the files of Maxim-Nordenfelt spoke about a machine gun No. 129, shooting the .450 Martini-Henry.

11mm Machine Guns

During the first tests, the Maxim machine gun appeared remarkable and the Commission wanted to conduct further tests firing the ammunition of the Gras M1874 rifle. Four machine guns arrived on August 6, 1887 and after some tests, three of them were modified by the inventor and were turned over on August 12th. These weapons carried No. 53, 54, 55 and 63.

Each one of these weapons had a single barrel that moved back at the time of firing and ensured the unlocking of a mobile bolt knuckle. It returned to battery by action of a laterally installed spring. The cartridges are installed in a flexible fabric belt with brass eyelets. Its advance and feeding is the result of a distributor associated with displacement of the bolt. Weapons No. 54 and 63 had a rate of fire from 620 to 650 rounds per minute and were fitted with a water jacket ensuring the cooling of the gun. Machine gun No. 55 was fitted with a regulator that appeared as a glycerine-brake that made it possible to vary the rate from 5 to 500 rpm. It is fitted with the same water jacket. The model No. 53 had a cyclic rate from 620 to 650 rpm. Its water tank, under pressure, is installed in the tripod and is connected by a flexible tube, with a small baffle sleeve that surrounds the barrel. Machine guns No. 53, 54 and 63 could be mounted on the following supports: folding tripod made of steel, wheeled mount with armor-plated shield and crinoline mount made of steel. Weapon No. 55 could be installed on: folding tripod with tubular bronze leg forming the water tank and a conical mount made of bronze arranged as a water tank. The weight of the weapons varied from 24 to 35 kg and that of the mounts from 33 to 98 kg. Machine gun No. 55’s weight climbed with the wheeled mount, three cases of loaded cartridges and armor-plate to 190.8 kg.

During the tests, accuracy was considered to be very poor as the sight graduations did not correspond to the ranges and the mounts were unstable:

* H + L = 0.74 m x 0.69 m at 200 m,
* H + L = 1.95 m x 1.20 m at 400 m.

Between 600 m and 1,000 m, the results were even worse and as the rate of fire increased, accuracy decreased. Though this is not surprising today, at the time when automatic weapons were an innovation, they seemed surprising.

The operational tests were satisfactory and failures to fire incidents were scarce in spite of a significant heating of the barrel. Also noticed was a significant depositing of lead in the bore of the barrel; but this fault was charged to the use of lead bullet ammunition without a jacket. After shooting three 334-round belts (more than one thousand cartridges) in less than three minutes, it was also noticed that the chamber was fouling, though not surprising, with cartridges loaded with black powder.

The tests of model No. 53, fitted with a condenser tank, showed that the cooling of the barrel was not carried out in a reasonable way and involved a deformation of the barrel that was detrimental for accuracy. As for the model No. 55, fitted with a regulator, it was noted that its operation was too sensitive to room temperature and that its system was too intricate compared to the possible advantages which it could offer.

In conclusion, the Commission while recognizing the ingeniousness of the mechanisms present on the weapons tested, wanted improvements to the cooling system, the feed mechanism, safety, the belts carrying the cartridges and more stable mounts. In its final report of September 26, 1887, they encouraged the development of the model with regulator and single tank.

Following that, the inventor presented on June 20, 1888, two new machine guns No. 88 and 89 that comprised the majority of the desired modifications. But the first tests proved to be less than satisfactory and the weapons were returned for repair and then returned for testing on July 20th. Their operation was similar to that of the models presented previously. The barrel is cooled better as it sits entirely in the water of the jacket whose capacity was increased to 2.5 litres. The distributor was simplified, which made it possible to cure the problems of incidents of supply met previously. The regulator appeared to operate randomly. The mounts (model with wheels and tripod) were unchanged, but the attachment device of the weapons was improved.

The majority of the defects in firing were attributed to the feeding attachment and a failing of synchronization between the movement of the bolt and the advance of the belt. In spite of the noted defects, it was recognized that the accuracy of the machine guns were much higher than the various distances with that obtained with a collective shooting with rifle. Finally the French officers, conscious of the advantages had by the machine guns, but also of the stresses driven by their use (consumption of ammunition, training of specialized personnel) wanted the inventor to propose to them a new weapon fitted to fire the 8mm Lebel cartridge.

8mm Machine Guns

May 8, 1889, the Versailles Experiments Commission took delivery of two 8mm Lebel Maxim machine guns, carrying numbers 169 and 173. These weapons were fitted with an easily dismountable barrel enclosed in a bronze water jacket of 2.7 litres capacity. The system of waterproofing around the jacket was simplified. The actuating lever was improved, the bolt was lightened and the feeding system modified. These machine guns were then installed on a lighter mount with wheels.

The weapons worked well at the beginning of the tests, but thereafter there were many failure to fire incidents and the breaking of several parts were noted. The rates of fire lay between 550 and 600 rounds per minute. The endurance tests were concluded up to 1,300 rounds. Accuracy was lower than that of a Lebel rifle, with:

* a H + L of 66 x 48 cm at 200 m,
* a H + L of 90 x 70 cm at 200 m,
* a H + L of 100 x 120 cm at 400 m.

After that, the Commission asked that many modifications be carried out.

Following that, Misters Bariquant and Marre, representing the inventor, asked the Commission to test four other 8mm machine guns: No. 174, 612, 613 and 614. These weapons were subjected to tests similar to those carried out previously. The results obtained were compared with those obtained with other machine guns also put to the test at the same time:

* Hotchkiss machine gun,
* Colt-Browning machine gun,
* APX 1895 machine gun, gun made at the Puteaux Arsenal near Paris, it was a Gatling type gun with mechanical repeater system.

The final conclusions were rather severe. While they recognized the ingeniousness of the mechanism, which was judged complex, the many-times improved mechanisms had suffered much from the tests and did not support any more the comparison with a new weapon. And it was recommended that the water cooling system be abandoned in favour of air cooling. This report, dated February 27, 1899, finally rejected the Maxim machine gun that was specifically conceived for the French Army. However, an ultimate model in 8mm Lebel (No. 9646) was presented in 1909, but by then it was too late.

The Show

The 19th annual All Thompson Show and Shoot, in association with The American Thompson Association (TATA), held their event on August 13-14, 2010. 110 members and friends of TATA registered for the event traveling from such diverse places as Wisconsin, Illinois, Virginia, Michigan, Ohio, Tennessee, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Utah and Kentucky to attend the event in Granville, Ohio to display, talk and shoot Thompsons.

On Friday the 13th, the show began at the Thompson Collectors Conference Center, hosted by world renowned collector and author Tracie Hill and his family, with 55 tables of Thompsons and related equipment on display. With the doors opening at 10 a.m., Friday is devoted to a show and tell display of the registrant’s guns and accessories reverently exhibited on display tables throughout the conference center. All makes and models of Thompsons were present as were a wide assortment of accessories, spare parts, stick and drum magazines, web gear, manuals and historical documents – many of which were for sale. The array of Thompsons and the devotion to the subject is phenomenal.

At 1 p.m., approximately 60 attendees filed into the library to attend a PowerPoint presentation by David Albert on reproduction Thompson items. Becoming a real concern with collectors, the unmarked reproduction of Thompson gear and accessories was discussed beginning with the various motives involved: sometimes for profit, sometimes to reproduce an exceptionally rare item for representation in a collection or for use with re-enactors and sometimes to specifically fool the purchaser. Reproduction of items is not a bad thing as long as it is marked in such a way that purchasers know that it is a reproduction. Of great concern is unmarked items that are sold as original to collectors and if used in the field by re-enactors or shooters, over a period of time, the new item gets wear and tear and a patina that makes it look like an original item. The PowerPoint presentation showed many examples of original gear with proper markings and reproduction gear with counterfeit markings. This applies to all manner of web gear, accessories and manuals.

To their credit, the Board of Directors of The American Thompson Association has adopted a new bylaw for their association regarding Reproduction Marking Standards. The American Thompson Association is a group of collectors dedicated to preserving the history, collecting, and promoting the safe operation of legal Thompson submachine guns. The club has a responsibility to future collectors and recognizes that many artifacts and accessories associated with the Thompson are being reproduced, or have been reproduced in the past. As a result, TATA assumes a stewardship role for future collectors, who, upon encountering reproduction items now and in the future, may not be able to reasonably determine their originality. This can have the effect of reducing collector value of original specimens, as well as present unintended (or intended) ethical issues among the Thompson collector community.

The American Thompson Association adopted a standard consisting of marking any new Thompson submachine gun reproduction items with a name or other distinguishable identifying mark that indicates the manufacturing entity, and at least the year of manufacture. The marking should be easily visible, and made in a manner that the item can be readily identifiable as a reproduction, such as die stamping in metal, firmly stamped wood markings, readily accessible publisher marks inside the front page of a paper item, permanently painted markings on canvas material, or other reasonable and permanent marking methods. (An example for stock markings is to mark such items under the buttplate, and on top of the grip, as these are already standard methods, and will not detract cosmetically from their presentation on a Thompson.)

TATA members must comply with the standard, and any reproduction item made by a member after notification of the adoption of the new standard in the club newsletter should be marked according to the TATA reproduction marking standard.

A list consisting of 3 categories of Thompson reproduction items will be maintained:

* New reproduction Thompson items that conform to TATA marking standard, to include known manufacturer information.

* Existing reproduction items that conform to TATA marking standard, to include known manufacturer information.

* Reproduction Thompson items that do not conform to TATA marking standard, to include known manufacturer information.

At a later time to be determined, once greater experience has been gained with managing a marking standard, TATA will present their standard to the NRA as a potential best practice. The standard may also be introduced to other NRA affiliated collector organizations who might want to adopt a similar standard.

The Shoot

Saturday the 14th was devoted to shooting Thompsons at a beautiful nearby range in Newark. There were two structured events and then free range shooting time after that. Thompsons used in the competitions must be in original factory configuration.

The morning event had 43 shooters registered and began at 7:30 a.m. Five shooters at a time would shoot with each shooter having a range officer supervising his or her actions.

• Stage 1. From a distance of 50 yards, shooters will load one magazine with 20 rounds and have a time limit of 25 seconds to fire 20 rounds on one target using semiautomatic fire only.
• Stage 2. From a distance of 25 yards, shooters will load one magazine with 20 rounds and have a time limit of 25 seconds to fire 20 rounds on three targets using automatic burst fire.
• Stage 3. From a distance of 25 yards, shooters will load one magazine with 20 rounds and have a time limit of 20 seconds to fire 20 rounds on three targets using automatic burst fire.
• Stage 4. From a distance of 10 yards (30 feet), shooters will load one magazine with 20 rounds and have a time limit of 15 seconds to fire 20 rounds on three targets using automatic burst fire.
• Stage 5. From a distance of 7 yards (21 feet), shooters will load one magazine with 20 rounds and have a time limit of 4 seconds to fire 20 rounds on three targets using automatic burst fire.

Total rounds fired is 100 rounds. Less time is allotted to the shooter the closer they got to the target requiring speed as well as accuracy. Each target had to be engaged separately and sweeping the three targets in one long burst was not allowed.

Targets used were the standard OPOTA combat silhouette type. Hits inside and cutting the outer silhouette line counted as hits. The shooter with the most hits was the winner. Hits in the INZ (Instant Neutralization Zone – a T shaped area covering the brain and spinal column down to the middle of the chest) were recorded for use in the event of a tie.

Immediately following the first competition, the second competition took place consisting of metal “pepper-popper” knock-down targets. 32 shooters registered for this event. Two shooters would compete against each other in a two-out-of three engagement. A shooter had to knock down his six metal targets before the other shooter knocked down his six targets. The last, center targets, were set at a slight angle so that one would fall over the other in a closely contested event. After all the initial pairing of shooters took place, the winner of each heat then competed against the winner of another heat. This elimination process continued until there were only two shooters left to determine first and second place.

Free range shooting time was available on the main range during the metal target events located on a side range.

All shooting ended at 3 p.m. and everyone went back to their hotel to shower and freshen up for the buffet banquet dinner that was held back at the Thompson Collectors Conference Center at 5:30.

A delicious buffet dinner of tenderloin, chicken breasts and all the sides and trimmings were served along with a dessert selection that would please any taste. Normally held outside, due to inclement weather, the dinner was moved indoors. The winners of the day’s contests were announced after dinner. The morning shoot winners were: 1st place to Charlie LeCount with a perfect score of 100 (with 7 hits in the INZ) and 2nd place went to Tom James with a 95 (with 8 shots in the INZ). The winner of the metal target knock-down pepper-popper event was Dan Block with Tony Veronesi coming in second in a very closely contested and exciting event.

The camaraderie and gathering of like-minded people in a casual setting such as this two-day event is a testament to the diversity of interests that people are more than willing to share. The 20th annual All Thompson Show & Shoot will be held in August, 2011. Check the The American Thompson Association website for the dates and details.

The American Thompson Association
P.O. Box 8710
Newark, OH 43508-8710
Website: www.nfatoys.com/tsmg/tata

Although semiautomatic Kalashnikov rifles are common in the U.S. today, prior to the early 1980s they were not available to collectors in the West. One of the problems of importing AK type rifles into the United States, was virtually all of them were produced in Communist countries, and therefore banned from importation by the U.S. State Department. During this period other semiautomatic-only versions of military small arms were quickly becoming very popular with U.S. collectors.

China, who had gained Most Favored Nation Status with the United States in 1979, began to export semiautomatic AK rifles to the U.S. during 1983. Soon names like Norinco and Poly Tech became familiar terms among enthusiasts. The Chinese AK rifles were inexpensive, retailing under $300 for a full or an underfolding stock model. Accessories were soon added to the import list that included magazines, pouches and 75 and 100-round capacity drum magazines. Among the Chinese offerings was the Model 88 AK rifle, chambered for the 5.45x39mm cartridge, but few were imported before an import ban was enacted.

While the 7.62x39mm AK rifles and accessories began to appear from a number of countries, the same was not true for the 5.45x39mm AK-74; the weapon designed by the Soviets to replace the aging 7.62x39mm AKM. However, after the demise of the Warsaw Pact in 1991, many of its former members began to apply for membership in their old nemesis NATO. During 1999, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland were accepted, followed by Bulgaria, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Romania and Slovakia during 2004 while Albania joined in 2009. Upon being accepted into NATO, member nations were required to adopt NATO standard ammunition. The result was a surplus of 5.45x39mm ammunition and AK-74 part sets, which soon found their way to U.S. shores. More recently, 7.62×39 ammunition has became somewhat expensive and at times difficult to find in quantity, while surplus 5.45×39 ammunition is abundant and dirt-cheap. The desirability for the once elusive AK-74 and the cheap ammunition to feed them has made the AK-74 a very popular option for the AK enthusiast.

The period from the importation of the first AK rifles in 1983, until the 1986 machine gun ban, was less than three years. During this period a relatively small number of semiautomatic AK rifles were converted to select-fire by Class II manufacturers and most of the conversions were performed on Chinese AKs. The limited number of the select fire AK rifles has resulted in an increase in value far in excess of more common semiautomatic conversions, like the AR-15 and Uzi. With the availability of once rare parts kits many owners of the 1980s era conversions have chosen to upgrade their rifles to new configurations, with the 5.45x39mm AK-74 and the AKS-74U “Krinkov” among the most popular.

Today, there are a large variety of semiautomatic AK rifles available for the shooter and collector chambered for the 5.45x39mm ammunition. Also quite common are an array of 5.45x39mm magazines. The magazines once coveted only by serious collectors have become common and available from many different countries. Although the Russians issued composite plastic magazines with their AK-74 rifles, a few countries opted to use pressed steel. Both are available in the standard 30-round configuration and the 45-round RPK version. Unfortunately, there were no production high capacity drum magazines made for the 5.45x39mm RPK-74.

Drum Magazines for the AK Rifle

The Soviets produced a 75-round steel drum magazine, primarily designed for use with the RPK light machine gun, but able to fit and function in a standard AK rifle. These feeding devices were originally manufactured by the Vjatskiye Poljany Arsenal and marked with their star within a shield symbol.

The Soviet design required the cartridges to be loaded one at a time through the drum’s feed tower. After each cartridge was placed in the tower, a lever on the front of the drum’s body had to be pressed upward in a counterclockwise motion so the next cartridge could be inserted. This process requires considerable effort and is time consuming. Inside of the drum are three plastic “cartridges” linked together to insure that all of the rounds would be pushed up through the tower and fed into the weapon. The various components of the drums were welded together. The Soviet pattern drum was adopted and ultimately manufactured by a number of Warsaw Pact nations. Once a rarely encountered collector’s item, the Soviet pattern drums are now common.

The Chinese manufactured two different commercial drum magazines: one with a 75-round capacity the other with a 100-round capacity. Both of the drums are the same basic design, the one-hundred round drum is simply larger in diameter. The design of the Chinese drums is completely different from the Soviet pattern. The bodies of Chinese pattern drums have straight sides, while the Russian pattern drums are tapered. The feed tower on Chinese drums is riveted onto the body at a 90-degree angle to the body so that when the drum is inserted into a rifle the drum hangs straight down. With the Soviet pattern drum the feed tower is attached to the main body at an angle; when inserted into a rifle the drum body is angled forward. The Chinese used rivets to assemble their drums while the Soviets used spot welds. Some of the Chinese drums have a wire loop carrying handle attached. The drums have a hinged rear cover secured by two spring steel clips. However, the primary advantage of the Chinese drum design over the Soviet pattern is that they are much easier to load.

In 1993, President Bill Clinton announced that he would renew China’s Most Favored Nation trade status, despite their human rights violations. However, Clinton did impose one sanction, a ban on the importation of firearms and ammunition. This act effectively ended the supply of the Chinese AK rifles and drum magazines. More recently the 75-round Chinese-pattern drums have become available once again, imported from Korea, Romania and Bulgaria.

Necessity is the Mother of Invention

After many select-fire AK owners decided to convert their rifles to 5.45x39mm, they soon began to take pleasure in the many attributes of such a conversion; cheap ammunition and magazines, reduced recoil and controllable full-automatic fire. However, many missed having the option of the large capacity drums they once enjoyed. Few things could match the thrill of dumping 75 or 100 rounds of 7.62×39 ammo with one pull of the trigger. Well fret no more, the thrill is back. There is now an AK-74 drum available with a 76-round capacity.

The AK-74 Drum Magazine

There are a lot of talented individuals in the business today who see a need for a product and set out to fulfill that need; a 5.45×39 drum magazine is just such a product. Troy Edhlund of the BarrelXchange has a history of designing and producing exclusive products for the firearm enthusiast. Some of his previous accomplishments include: products and unique caliber conversions for the Uzi, MAC 10 and the Browning 1919A4. Also available from the BarrelXchange are high capacity drum magazines for a number of popular firearms. Recently Troy took up the considerable challenge of converting a 7.62x39mm drum into one that would fit and reliably feed 5.45x39mm ammunition into an AK-74 rifle. As a starting point for his project Troy choose the Romanian made 75-round drum. The drums are the easy-loading Chinese-pattern with the hinged back cover. Many obstacles were encountered during the conversion to the 5.45mm round, having a considerably smaller diameter than the 7.62 cartridge. The drum’s feed tower had to be split apart, narrowed and welded back together. The spaces between the rotors designed to accommodate the 7.62 rounds were far too large for the 5.45 rounds but this problem was solved by carefully fitting spacers in the slots of the rotor. Another problem was encountered when it was discovered that some surplus 5.45 ammunition had a slightly longer overall length than others, which required several additional changes to the drum’s basic dimensions. The area around the drum’s latch surfaces also required welding and machining to fit the AK-74’s magazine catch. Although some AK rifles may require some minor fitting to allow the drum to lock-up, this can be easily accomplished with a Dremel tool or file. The manufacturer notes that their AK-74 drums will fit into receivers made by Nodak Spud without any modifications to the magazine well area. The drums can also be adapted to fit and function in the MGI AR-15 lowers.

Loading and Testing

The first step is to load the drum, easily accomplished by simply unlatching the rear cover, and lifting it open. Release any existing spring tension by depressing the button at the center of the rotor. Use caution to prevent injury – keep your fingers away from the rotor when releasing its spring tension! After spring tension is released, rotate the rotor clockwise until the cartridge follower is at the end of its track. Insert five rounds, while holding the spindle with your hand, wind the small spring tensioning key (located under the spring release button) clockwise three clicks. Release the spring tension by pushing the button, the five rounds will be pushed into the spring tower and the last round will hold the rotor in place.

The individual cartridges are then placed into the openings of the rotor, bullet end first. After the drum is loaded the cover is closed and latched. When the drum is ready to be used, a key is provided to apply spring tension to the drum rotor. Four complete 360-degree turns (16-clicks) of the key are all that is required. Additional turns are not necessary and will only damage the spring and internal parts of the drum. For long-term storage purposes, the winding of the drum can be delayed allowing the drum to be stored without any spring pressure on the cartridges inside. Complete loading instructions are shipped with each drum.

Several different full-automatic AK-74 rifles were used to test the drums. To evaluate their reliability a variety of methods were implemented that included slow and fast semiautomatic fire, along with partial and full 76-round mag dumps.

For AK-74 owners who like high-capacity magazines, and the associated long mag dumps, and the current price of surplus 5.45 ammunition, BarrelXchange’s 5.45 drum may be just the ticket.

Hard to get more exotic than this two barreled, drum fed, hand cranked Bira Gun from Nepal, one of fifteen being restored by U.S. Armament Corp. for IMA-USA. The data plate can be seen in the inset below. The Bira was one several late 1800’s period manually operated rapid fire guns at U.S. Armament’s elaborate display. Website www.usarmamentcorp.com.

SAR’s formula for shows combining regular weapons with machine guns is proving to be a success for dealers and attendees. For those who are curious about what goes on at a SAR Show, Robert Bruce offers a look at some highlights from the SAR East event in York, PA.

Most gun shows are exciting enough, but SAR East kicked it up several notches with plenty of exotic weaponry offered for sale to buyers qualified under federal, state and local laws.

For three days beginning on April 30th, the picturesque city of York, Pennsylvania was the place to be for aficionados of machine guns, mortars, silencers, black rifles, and plenty more.

The York Expo Center became a full-immersion gun culture experience with everything from A to Z including load-your-own ammo kits for 37/40mm grenade launchers and graphically gruesome zombie targets.

Moose Lake Publications, SAR’s parent company, handled the Class 3 and Black Rifle section, while local partner Appalachian Promotions brought in vendors from near and far selling “regular firearms,” parts, accessories, ammo, gun books, and militaria.

“It’s the best of both worlds,” said Dan Shea, SAR’s publisher and driving force behind Long Mountain Outfitters and Defense Munitions. “This is the second year for the show and it has grown in size and attendance.”

Shea’s observations were echoed by Appalachian Promotions, who noted that all the vendor tables in the thirty thousand square foot exhibit hall were taken and ticket sales had grown.

Historical machine gun displays were also a big draw, with two added benefits in contrast to traditional museum settings. First, there was no glass to spoil flash photos and to separate viewers from the artifacts. Don’t touch, but you can get your nose literally within inches of factory markings and other details.

Then, owners of the items are usually standing close by, keeping a watchful eye and ready to answer questions or provide additional information.

In addition to “Doc Ed” Weitzman’s lineup of vintage Vickers guns, the Thompson Collectors Association presented ten different versions of the crowd-pleasing Tommy Gun, backed by a whole wall with giant blowups of colorful wartime posters.

Unfortunately, there will not be a SAR East show in 2011. The scheduled date for the show in York coincides with the annual NRA convention and show that is being held in nearby Pittsburgh, PA that same weekend and the draw to that event will affect attendance though Appalachian Productions is expected to continue with their gun show.

A Milestone for Thompson Collectors… Finally

Several months ago the NFATCA published a list of all of the things that we are working on with ATF on behalf of the industry and collectors nationwide. On that list was support that we were offering to the Thompson Collectors Association (TCA) in having the 1928 West Hurley Thompsons added to the C&R list of firearms, as determined by BATFE.

The work behind this initiative actually began in June of 2005 when the TCA requested that the Firearms Technology Branch consider adding “Model 1928 Thompson sub-machineguns (all calibers, including .45 and .22) manufactured in the 1970s and 1980s by the Auto Ordnance Corporation, West Hurley, New York, to the C&R list. In January of 2006 the TCA received a letter from FTB acknowledging their request and informing them: “Upon reviewing the information you provided and conducting our own research into this matter in the context of Federal statutes and regulations, FTB has determined that any fully transferable Thompson submachine gun derives a substantial part of its monetary value due to its intimate association with the social and military history of the United States. Therefore the following submachine guns have been classified as C&R items: All fully transferable Thompson sub-machine guns registered on or before May 19, 1986.

Needless to say, this letter made everyone in the community happy until the following letter was received from FTB two months later in early March stating: “We have just discovered that this reply (referring to the January 2006 letter) was mailed erroneously, while your request was under review. Accordingly we regret to inform you that we must revoke the letter. We are continuing a review of your request and will send you the final FTB determination as soon as possible.”

This letter stunned everyone involved and sparked a lot of criticism from TCA and the industry as a whole. Everyone involved started to take a good hard look at what it would take to have a ruling in effect that would benefit the entire industry and ATF, yet cover the original issues with transferable Thompsons nationwide. The TCA spent many months and a ton of effort in an attempt to bring the issues to closure with little resolve. It was not until several combined energies came together between 2008 and 2010 to assist in bringing the West Hurley issues to conclusion that TCA gained significant traction on this issue. The efforts of John Spencer and Rick Vasquez at FTB, the push from the NFATCA through board member Robert Segel, and the final push from now Deputy Assistant Director Teresa Ficaretta made for the success that we have accomplished with accepting the Thompson rulings. After five years and undying efforts, the Thompson Collectors Association had finally gotten the written recognition that it had asked for, received, and then lost, but regained again in 2010.

On June 16, 2010, John Spencer, Branch Chief for the Firearms Technology Branch, wrote the final letter granting the West Hurley Thompsons C&R status. No small victory for both the TCA and the NFATCA in true partnership with ATF. Let it also be known that thanks to the efforts of Teresa Ficaretta we were able to get this issue finalized. She has shown beyond a doubt that true collaboration between the industry and ATF is a reality. We thank her for her gallant efforts on pushing this issue to closure.

This mission is complete and Thompson owners nationwide should be proud to know that West Hurley’s are now recognized as Curio and Relic NFA items. The NFATCA offers its congratulations to the TCA for their efforts in pushing this forward. As a member organization of the NFATCA this effort represented the first success in our organizations working together to accomplish a major initiative for the industry.

All NFA owners should recognize that this journey was a long one but definitely the result of ATF and the industry working together for success. So if you are still wondering what the NFATCA has done for you lately keep following our articles. Next month will yield yet another accomplishment in our quest for ATF industry success stories. Come join us today at www.nfatca.org.