In June of this year Tom Laemlein sent me an advanced copy of his latest Book, The Browning Automatic Rifle produced by Armor Plate Press. I had had a small part in the production of the Book. I was surprised by a Photo on P.13 of the Book captioned: “#14 – A U.S. Congressman takes his turn with the BAR on the Congress Heights Range in late spring, 1918.”Had I seen this photo I could have corrected the date, as it was Feb.27, 1918, I immediately recognized the Place and the People by their web gear. I felt strongly the face and figure were also familiar, none other than John Moses Browning, Himself. From the snow on the ground it is Mid Winter at best. My own Book had a statement to the effect that John Browning was not present at the Demonstration. That does not preclude his arrival after it was over to evaluate the First Public showing of Winchester’s early Production.

How does one prove beyond a shadow of a doubt a Photograph that is almost 100 years old? There exist three Publications that covered the Event. Two of them have been meticulously examined by the Author. The first was, “Arms and the Man,” the early version of the NRA’s Magazine, the “American Rifleman.” The second, a Hearst Publication was sent to the Author in the late summer, this year. The third was ,”Vanity Fair.” What positive statements can one make regarding this historic photograph? It is obviously a man in his sixties, of great height, six foot or greater. He knows proper firing techniques, having complete control and is comfortable with the BAR. He has a slight paunch from years behind a desk or drawing board. He is well dressed with a hat identical to JMB’s favorite hat. From his vest there appears to be a single large linked Gold chain similar to one seen in contemporary photographs of the great man. He appears to be clean-shaven, but since he has white hair it is difficult to see his chin or mustache due to his proper weld on the butt stock. Even his nose is obscured; more is the pity, since noses are a Positive ID point. Which brings us to his ears another positive indicator; all of the Browning brothers have a unique dimple in the lower lobe of their ears.

The photograph in question was sent to The Cody Museum and to the Railroad Museum in Ogden Utah. No one there could positively prove or disprove the identity as John Moses Browning. This author would very much like to have it authenticated, as this would be the only photograph that was not posed and he is firing his greatest rifle in History. To this end, I will offer an Autographed, one of two hundred series of, Rock in a Hard Place to the first one who can either prove or disprove the authenticity of this photograph as being John Moses Browning, or not!

One of the prime movers behind the scenes in the production of the BAR was Edwin Pugsley. He was a giant of a man and as CEO of Winchester attended to the details of production and experimental firearms. Not much has been written about him except in the book on the BAR, Rock in a Hard Place. In it is described how Mr. Pugsley took the only prototype that Colt had to Winchester to make production drawings over a single weekend. Only a man of Pugsley’s stature could have pulled an entire engineering staff together to accomplish such a massive and precise undertaking. Edwin had joined the staff as an engineer in 1911 and rose through the ranks to eventually become president and CEO of WRA.

A little known but amusing anecdote of Mr. Pugsley is that a neighbor of his, Charles Addams, a noted writer and cartoonist for the New Yorker magazine, immortalized Edwin Pugsley in the campy, creepy classic cartoon The Addams Family. Pugsley became the mundane and morose son of Morticia and Gomez Addams. Though amused, Edwin was far more proud of his award winning design work on a sundial, which today sits beautifully in a garden at Old Mystic Seaport in Connecticut.

Pugsley’s genius in addition to working on difficult production problems was dealing with other design genius’ and their weird and irascible behavior. He ran interference with David Marshall “Carbine” Williams on the M1 Carbine. He also worked with Elmer Keith on the M70 – he was not a problem but a legend in his own time. Pugsley was a man of strong character with genius abilities, but was also an artistic thoughtful man. A true Renaissance man whose guidance of Winchester and their products live in the classic weapons we all know.

One of Mr. Pugsley’s and “Marsh” Williams’ designs did not make it to production, though it should have.

The Winchester Automatic Rifle: the WAR

In 1943, work began on a possible replacement for the venerable BAR. In mid 1944, the army published requirements for the possible replacement. This would be a difficult task since the BAR was such a unique and respected weapon.

Winchester led the way in this program with the T-20 series; the modified M1 Garands. The whole Garand series of T-20s with a BAR magazine was entirely too light for the full auto role, a fact that was rediscovered in the late fifty’s with the M14 and M15. The whole T-20 story is well illustrated and told in WHB Smith’s classic Small Arms of the World, Eighth Edition.

What is glossed over, without photo or explanation, was the “in house “Winchester designed WAR (Winchester Automatic Rifle): a spinoff of the G30R program attributed to David Marsh Williams of M1 Carbine fame. In fact, it looks rather like an M1 on steroids. Utilizing the famous tappet system so successful in the carbine, it also has elements of John Garand’s famous rifle. This is not farfetched since Winchester was a prime contractor on M1 rifles.

The WAR story became reality to this author on July 12, 1996 when Steven Beatty, Curator of the Springfield Armory Museum NHS held one of these gingerly in his hands, serial number 12. He proudly proclaimed, “All the major sources say that ten of these were fabricated. Even Winchester doesn’t have this one.”

From the photos you can see that it has a slightly curved 20-round magazine and a spindly bipod. It utilizes a turning bolt and a cammed operating rod similar to the M1 Carbine. It is selective fire with a lever located on the top left hand side of the receiver – sure to get hot after a few rounds.

Obviously, this rifle would not stand the abuse the BAR will, but it would have made a beautiful sporting rifle. The only good source of information on this fascinating but obscure rifle was written by Konrad Schreier, Jr. for Armax, the Journal of the Cody Firearms Museum in 1990.

During the latter days of World War II, Winchester produced a semiautomatic rifle in .50 cal. BMG based on David Marsh Williams’ short stroke tappet piston design. In a testament to John C. Garand’s strong design, they used his M1 action, beefed up for the potent round.

No one knows what prompted them to develop a .50 caliber semiautomatic rifle except possibly to prove the upper limits of this system as by this time no one except the British were using this caliber for single shot use.

The rifle weighed over 25 pounds, was 62 inches long with a barrel of 36.5 inches: a massive rifle. The worst of it was the short metal buttstock with a tang that hung over the top of the shoulder. It must have been horrendous to fire.

Only one was ever produced and it shows signs of extensive use. It had been sent to the Frankfort Arsenal where it was used for the testing of the .50 BMG caliber rounds produced there.

(The author would like to thank Donald G. Thomas for supplying the original information and the Winchester .50 comes from the publication ARMAX, The Journal of The Cody Firearms Museum, in an article published by the late Konrad F. Schreirer, Jr. titled Winchester Center Fire Automatic Rifles, of Volume III, Number 1, 1990.

Sometimes it pays to take a second look through one’s source material. Doing this resulted in the following discoveries. An invoice dated January 17, 1938 revealed the following information. The Wisconsin National Guard recorded the shipment of 18 M1922 Cavalry Model Browning Automatic Rifles to the Rock Island Arsenal for Modification to the new 1918 A2 improved model. The serial numbers prove that the M1922 were not separately serial numbered, but rather randomly selected from all three World War I manufacturers as there are Colt, ,Winchester, and Marlin serial numbers. What makes this a treasure, you might ask? Suppose you happen to have one of these guns in 1918 A2 configuration? What a treasure!

It is the opinion of this author that there is no such thing as a “mint gun.” Only coins can be mint. A piece comes off the production line, it becomes like a living entity, it begins to age and have a life of its own. It gets test fired and begins to get scratched. It might get placed in a museum but the elements take their toll. Or, it may go into combat and it has scars of war. The M1918 rifle may be upgraded to a M1922 Cavalry Model, then again modified to M1918 A1 and, eventually to M1918 A2 and parkerized. This is the metamorphosis of the Weapon and who are we to change its appearance cosmetically or to improve or retrofit its original appearance? After all, we are only custodians of the weapon to preserve it for the next generation. In some ways it owns us. It will always be a refinished gun.

Suppose you find one of the BARs on this list that was originally a M1922 Cavalry Model, it would be great to have it in this rare incarnation. In this article you will find photographs and drawings that might help you in your quest.

What else was found in this cache of documents? On page 60 of Rock in a Hard Place there is found a photograph of First Lieutenant Kenneth F. King acting as an A-gunner to Lt. Val Browning somewhere in France, October, 1918. A document titled Transfer of Ordnance Property, dated March 9, 1918 from Major D.W. Moore, Inspector of Ordnance, Winchester Repeating Arms Co. was executed to send four Browning Machine Rifles to Kenneth T. King, 1st Lt. OD N.A .at Washington, D.C. Can we prove that this might be the serial number of the gun in the photo? No, but we now know that each gun was shipped with 20 magazines and also a list of spares: magazine filler, 1 for every 2 rifles; connectors, 1 for every rifle; extractor springs, 1 for every rifle; firing pins, 2 for every rifle; magazine catch spring, 1 for every rifle; recoil spring, 1 for every rifle; sear springs, 1 for every rifle; and finally, slings, 1 for every rifle. Winchester BAR numbers 64978, 64845, 64897 and 64722 were delivered to Lt. K.T. King on March 9, 1918. One of these BARs may be seen being fired by Lt. Val Browning.

From the very beginning of the BAR’s use in the field, attempts were made to increase the magazine capacity of the BAR. Colt immediately designed a 40-round magazine. It was offered early on as an accessory. One of the first BARs tested by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police was supplied with a 40-round magazine in addition to the 20-round regular and referenced as early as August, 1917. In the Photographic Collection of the Imperial War museum there is a photograph dated 1917; so early on, they had the 40-roundd magazine in stock, and in France. They proved to be impractical, heavy and cumbersome in the prone position. What happened to them?

On February 27, 1920, The Infantry and Cavalry Board called for a Modified BAR that could take the place of the M1919 for Cavalry use. This led to the short lived M1922 Cavalry model with a heavy barrel and a bipod they suggested would fill the need for a light Browning. Later a monopod was added. They also tested special carriers and mounts for both horse and mule carry. Most interesting and little known, they asked that 40 thirty-round magazines be produced. They also requested that special canvas carriers be supplied: 20 to go to Camp Benning, and 20 to Ft. Riley, Kansas. This is the last mention of them. Where are these treasures now?

With the price of NFA firearms increasing every day, you may possibly find it more exciting and rewarding to collect the rare accessories and accoutrements. Who knows what treasures reside in attics, warehouses, and closets? Do your research, study the materials and get out there and look. They are out there somewhere, just hiding and unrecognized until you find them. Good Luck.

The United States M3, often referred to as the “Grease Gun,” was either loved or hated by its user. In this article we will discuss in detail its design and experimental versions. Also will be told the story of a soldier who actually used an M3A1 in combat and still loves the old warhorse: crude but deadly.

Col. Rene Studler, Chief of R&D U.S. Army Ordnance, put together the design team of George Hyde and Frederick Sampson. Mr. Hyde was a noted arms design engineer and Mr. Sampson was an expert in the field of stamped materials and worked for the Guide Lamp Div. of General Motors. This was the perfect combination for the project. Utilizing readily available and noncritical materials they developed a new design. This design could be subcontracted out to small home machine shops all over the country for rapid manufacturing.

The first model was the T-15, which was to fire the 9mm cartridge. The first mistake they made was to utilize the Sten magazine: its only fault was it fed from a single feed double stacked magazine. The other problem was to make the ejection port size suitable for a 9mm cartridge only. They also included a selector to give semiautomatic fire. On the next model, T-20, they eliminated the selective fire capability and began to concentrate on the .45 ACP cartridge. One excellent design feature was the use of dual operating rods and springs. They could be adjusted so that the bolt never bottomed out. The heavy .45 ACP bolt was carefully engineered so that it never struck the back of the enclosed tubular stamped receiver. At this point there was only one description that stuck, “It looks like a grease gun.” Thus was born the nickname which still remains.

Someone corrected the ejection port and built in a simple but robust safety. Open the cover and it is ready to go and closed it is on safe. Incidentally, the cover cleverly moves the bolt back off of the sear. It is almost fool proof.

The wire stock, a tubular dual rod device was made even more practical by threading the ends of the rod to take a standard cleaning brush. The stamping for the receiver gave an ample pistol grip with pressed in serrations. The whole receiver is welded together with a sturdy threaded insert for the barrel with had a rugged collar. All in all, the M3 is a robust, reliable and compact submachine gun – all this for the measly sum of $20.94.

The M3 had two flaws that were corrected later. First, the cocking handle was complicated and prone to breakage. Second, disassembly was also complicated in that it had to have the trigger and cocking mechanism removed before the bolt assembly could be removed.

The M3A1 final design was adopted in December 1944, so that not many made it into combat. The improvements were simple. First, eliminate the cocking mechanism and lengthen the ejection port so that the bolt could be retracted by direct digital contact. Second, improve the bolt so that the ejector went through the bolt allowing the whole assembly to drop out in one piece by simply unscrewing the barrel assembly: pure and simple. Another modification was to the wire shoulder stock. They wisely included a magazine loader and bent the stock to allow it to be used as a wrench to loosen the barrel nut assembly.

Inland Division of General Motors produced a total of 646,000 M3 and M3A1s during WWII. Ithaca Gun Co. made 33,227 for the Korean War.

Variations and Experimental M3s

One attempt seldom mentioned, the T 29, submitted in the fall of 1944 was to chamber the SMG for the .30 Carbine cartridge. Though only three were made it was found that the 30 Carbine load was a bit much for the spring action. In addition to that there were already over 6 million carbines in service.

Bell Laboratories developed several suppressed variations of the M3. Bell Laboratories Report on Suppression of M3s from Silencers Patterns and Principles – Frankfort Arsenal Report R-1896 August 1968, reports: “By far the strangest was the “around the corner” gun, developed for use by Tankers. This gun would enable the Tankers to shoot the enemy who were trying to get in and under the tracks. The first combat use was by the Germans who used it against Russian sappers who tried to blow the treads of German tanks. It seemed they could not depress the MGs far enough to take out the Russians. By attaching them to their Stg 43s or MP 44s, they could literally fire on their own treads. The interesting fact is that the Germans went to the U.S. Patent Office to get the design for an “Around the Corner Gun.”

Present Day Use

Three wars and numerous conflicts have proven the old M3 to be a viable weapon. It can take enormous punishment and keep on running. It works in the hottest, coldest and dirtiest of environments. It even works underwater.

There are reports as late as the 1990s that M3s could be found racked up in tanks. After-action photos of the Iranian hostage crisis disaster showed suppressed M3s in the wreckage of the C-130.

The Battle Patrol: Combat Use of the M3

Most people remember the M3 as either an object of ridicule of a “funny old WW II gun” racked up in tanks. One of its greatest assets was its compactness and ability to be disassembled into a package for use behind enemy lines on clandestine operations.

Little is found on the actual use of the gun in combat though we have here an actual story of a man who used the M3A1 to effectively neutralize an enemy patrol and win the Silver Star; an award just below the Medal of Honor. Private First Class Frank C. Taraburelli, a native of Revere, Massachusetts, was only 20 years old at the time. A Ranger in the Second Battalion, his weapon of choice was an M3A1 Grease Gun. Though few were issued at the end of the War, the Rangers got the first ones off the assembly line.

In March, 1945, Frank had volunteered for a special combat patrol to feel out the defenses on the Siegfried Line. His actions of wiping out a German machine gun nest with fire from his M3A1 and the use of a hand grenade won him the coveted Silver Star. His memory, even today, is sharp and clear. He vividly remembers how he took out four German’s with a five-round burst from his trusty M3A1. His most cherished souvenir is a fireman’s axe that he took from a German he had recently dispatched. As proof we have seen an actual photograph taken shortly after the action. This photograph shows the ingenuity in the modification of his weapon. Rather than the “movie commandos,” he had chosen not to tape three heavy magazines together. Instead, Frank had chosen a V shaped stick to attach two magazines with bullets up. This puts less wear and tear on the weak magazine catch and it is quicker to insert the new magazine.

A special patch was created and authorized for the use of the men who served in these Special Combat Patrols. It consisted of a “bloody battle axe,” similar to the one captured by PFC Taraburelli. On 9 June, 1945, eleven men were awarded special permission to display this commemorative patch on their uniforms.

9mm Conversion Unit

Since the original prototype was in 9mm, it should be noted that the Ordnance Dept. had intended that the SMG be used by the OSS and resistance groups behind enemy lines. Though the final design was in .45 ACP, there was a small but unsuccessful effort to creating a 9mm conversion unit for the versatile M3. There is no evidence that the OSS ever got any 9mms.

We have an original 9mm bolt, in the original box; Part Number C-153427. Also marked clearly on the bolt is RIA for Rock Island Arsenal. For some reason, not many were made as it is not uncommon for them to be found in issued boxes. Very few completed units are ever seen. Unfortunately, the 9mm magazine well adaptor for the M3 or M3A1 is even rarer. Its part number, C-153430, fits both, but try and find one.

In the 1980s, a retired engineer by the name of Roger Ladd set out to construct a complete 9mm conversion for the M3 and was soon frustrated by the lack of conversion units for the magazine well. He painstakingly measured the dimensions of the M3 .45 magazine and the 9mm Sten gun. He then fabricated an adaptor that would be attached to the Sten magazine. He took a Sten barrel and adapted it to an M3 barrel nut and combined with his new-in-box bolt and built and fired his conversion unit.

The M3 admirably fulfilled its mission goals. It was cheap to manufacture with a minimum of critical materials. It was rugged, reliable and easy to maintain. The latter version, the M3A1 had all the tools that were needed built into the weapon. The stock had a built in magazine loader and was so configured that it could be used as a wrench to loosen the barrel nut. An oiler was built into the pistol grip. The complete gun could be broken down into a thirteen inch package for clandestine operations. The gun was extremely versatile in that it could be suppressed and it could be made to shoot around corners. Pretty she wasn’t but was reliable and would always do the job.

This has to be not only the rarest gun on the line; it is also the rarest BAR in private hands. The subject of this piece is the M1922 Cavalry Model BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle).

Very few, if any, survived the modification to M1918A2 that was so badly needed for World War II. On February 27, 1920, The Infantry and Cavalry Board called for a modified BAR that could take the place of the M1919A4 for cavalry deployment of a Light MG. It could be put in place instantly without preparation. The special BAR weighed fully loaded 25 pounds, where the 1919 weighed 31 pounds and had to be set up and then loaded. For the fast moving cavalry, this could be carried on mule or horseback for instant use. The short lived M1922 Cavalry Model had a finned heavy barrel with a bipod attached to the forestock. A monopod with an elevation mechanism was added to the buttstock. An improved rear sight cover was added with a sights adjusted to the new weapon. They actually considered dropping the 1919 series of light machine guns for this model.

There is a BAR with a heavy barrel at the Springfield Armory Museum that is heavily charred. Its 6.5 pound finned barrel is discolored from the heat. The tag states that John M. Browning personally put 5,000 rounds through it as rapidly as possible. The barrel was very similar to the one found on the M1909 Benet-Mercie model used at the turn of the twentieth century. Browning, as was his wont, had to prove the feasibility of putting so many rounds through his BAR.

They also developed special carriers and mounts for horse and mule carriers that held the BAR in a scabbard with four, three hundred round, metal boxes for loaded BAR Magazines. Most interesting and little known, the Board asked that forty, thirty-round magazines be developed to increase firepower. They also requested that special canvas carriers be developed top hold the 30-round magazines. Twenty were to go to Camp Benning, Georgia, and twenty to Ft. Riley, Kansas.

It is well documented that 40-round magazines were developed. There are photographs of them in France taken in 1917. Additionally, the Colt Monitor was advertised with 40-round magazines available. Where are these 30-round and 40-round magazines now? That is the big question. Keep looking – as there must be a few still out there.

The K-Ships:

In 1942 and 1943, German U-Boats lurked off the east coast of the United States and the Florida Straits; a particularly fertile hunting ground for Nazi submarines. As America was caught relatively unprepared for war in December 1941, there were few resources available to defend America’s coastlines.

During this time the U.S. Navy employed lighter-than-air, non-rigid airships or “Blimps” to serve as hovering observation platforms for maritime reconnaissance and also to provide escorts for the vital convoys and coastal shipping. The silvery Blimps, called “K-ships” by the Navy, were very stable platforms but they were also quite slow and presented a huge target. They were not considered to be combat aircraft per se, but for their duties of convoy escort and anti-submarine warfare, they were armed with depth bombs and a .50 caliber machine gun mounted in the nose of the gondola car.

Blimp patrols were generally long and uneventful, but there was one remarkable incident that may have influenced the idea to create BAR mounts specially devised for blimps.

On the night of July 18, 1943, the U.S. Navy Blimp K-74 (from Blimp Squadron ZP-21 based at NAS Richmond, Florida) was engaged in convoy escort duties over the Florida Straits and with her onboard radar located a German U-Boat running on the surface. As no American surface units were available to engage the enemy and the U-Boat was proceeding directly towards the convoy she was escorting, K-74 attacked U-134.

K-74’s depth bombs failed to release, and the crew engaged the sub with their .50 caliber machine gun as well as small arms. Return fire from the U-Boat’s 20mm AA guns knocked out one of K-74’s engines, punctured the gasbag in several places and wounded one crewman.

In return, K-74’s fire damaged the submarine and it was not able to submerge. U-134 left the area, and was recalled to its base in France due to its need for repairs. The sub never made it home and was sunk by British bombers in the Bay of Biscay.

As for K-74, the damaged blimp crashed into the sea. While the crew was in the water waiting to be rescued by the U.S. Navy destroyer Dahlgren, tragedy struck when a wounded crewman was attacked by sharks and disappeared. The rest of the crew were rescued, and thus ended the only known gun battle involving a U.S. Navy Blimp.

Although the photos of the BAR blimp-mounted gun found in U.S. Navy files were dated October 1943 (unfortunately they were uncaptioned and offered no details about the project), there is no way to know for sure if this experimental mounting was conceived before or after the incident with K-74. It is possible that the blimp-mounted BAR concept came prior to K-74’s gunfight with U-134, but testing was accelerated after the blimp’s combat with the sub.

The mounting of a .50 caliber Browning machine gun in the gondola car makes more sense than the BAR due to the long range and striking power of the .50 caliber rounds and the nature of the blimp’s escort missions. However, the cramped conditions of the gondola car make the BAR a better option than anything else in the Navy arsenal, particularly as supplemental firepower to the .50 caliber nose gun. If K-74 had possessed two socket-mounted BARs in addition to its .50 caliber on that fateful night, the situation might have been different, but once the Germans opened fire with their 20mm AA guns the issue was never really in doubt.

The assessment that the BAR would have likely been used aboard a blimp to engage floating sea mines, and explode (or sink) them from a safe distance from a relatively stable aerial shooting platform is entirely plausible.

From its adoption in 1917 for the use in the trenches of France to the M240 GPMG in the sands of Iraq, John M. Browning’s superb BAR action has served this country in myriad and strange ways.

What started as an automatic rifle to clear trenches in World War I, it continued to serve in World War II and Korea as a Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW). In numerous and bloody battles all over the globe it has been respected and cherished by our fighting men. In the 1950s the BAR evolved into the “ideal belt fed” GPMG, the M240 Series.

It came as no surprise that the BAR could be used in an antiaircraft mode but it was also used in aircraft for defense. But, by far the most unusual use for the BAR was by the United States Navy when it was mounted in lighter than air crafts, commonly called Blimps.

The 1937 Hindenburg disaster pretty much doomed the lighter than air craft as a weapon of War. The USA avoided the problem as they used and had an unlimited supply of the inert helium gas.

After the tragic loss of the Dirigibles Akron and Shenandoah, Lakehurst, NJ began to concentrate on the non-rigid aircraft, thus the use of the Blimp as the primary lighter-than-air craft. Thus began the most successful implementation of blimps for air defense. In 1939 they developed the K-Craft blimp and it became the workhorse of World War II that could patrol and destroy the U-boats with bombs, torpedoes and machine guns. Able to fly cover for convoys, Navy blimps could patrol for weeks at a time and hover over suspected targets and were high enough for excellent radio relay and interception.

The biggest problem besides their vulnerability due to the nature of the gas bag was weight restriction. The gondola beneath the body of the aircraft was small and weight had to be kept to a minimum. The helium that kept the craft aloft was contained in air sacks so that loss of one would not be its downfall.

As for weaponry, the blimp carried a modest amount of incendiary bombs and also mines. Not much thought was given to defensive weaponry though their primary defensive weapon was the M3 Browning Aircraft .50. What was additionally needed was a light, rugged, and reliable machine gun. Someone had the bright idea that the BAR might admirably fit the bill. It was a battle proven, relatively light automatic gun that was accurate and easy to load with a limited but adequate capacity that had no belts dangling in the compact gondola. The BAR could fulfill one of the most effective roles for the blimp by tracking and destroying floating mines. It would also allow them to fire on small vessels and keep them under constant surveillance. The blimp helped provide an umbrella of protection along the coastal waters of North and South America, and across the Atlantic Ocean as far north as Greenland.

There are a few very clear and distinct photographs of an early 1918 A2 BAR mounted in a blimp. The butt stock is definitely wooden as the grain of the wood is clearly visible. The forearm has been removed so we cannot verify the vintage. There is a hinged shoulder rest so it is dated at least after October 12, 1933. One must remember that the U.S. Navy was last on the list of available technology, so it must be a very early A2 modified from a vintage 1918. The distinct wear marks on the magazine confirm that the same rifle was used in at least three of the photographs. The rear sight is of 1922 vintage and parkerized, not blued, indicating a very clear replacement to the rifle. The best time to place this BAR is between 1939 and 1942.

The foregrip has been removed for the insertion of the rifle into a robust ball-and-socket mount that is then inserted into one of the gondola windows. The operating slide is clearly visible in the photos. The flash hider is an A2 capable of taking a bipod. This rifle is mounted at the rear of the Gondola as there are much larger windows in the front and there is a latch in the door frame denoting close proximity to the exit door. One can clearly see that the selector is on F – the slow speed: perfect for accuracy and conservation of ammunition.

One picture shows the same rifle with a modified antiaircraft sight similar to one found on the Browning M3 .50 caliber. It is a collapsible ball front with a small crosshair rear. What is most interesting is how they have mounted the rear sight to the top of the BAR providing for a very sturdy mount for the sight. One wonders why it had never been done before or since.

The photographs rather speak for themselves and show a rare and unusual use of the famous Browning Automatic Rifle.

(We owe a special recognition for these rare and remarkable BAR photographs to Thomas Laemlein and to acknowledge the kind assistance of Mr. Carl Jablonski, President of the Blimp Historical Society based out of the NAS at Lakehurst, and to Ricca Zitarosa, a retired WWII veteran of the “Lighter than Aircraft Group” stationed out of NAS Lakehurst.)

One day in October, 2004, the Director of the Nahant Public Library, Daniel de Stefano, was cleaning out an old corner of the Attic. The lack of funds to maintain the building weighed heavily on his mind. He suddenly tripped over an old pipe. When he lifted the end of the “pipe” he discovered it was no pipe at all, but the muzzle of a machine gun. Daniel and John Welsh, a library trustee, began to study the artifact in great detail. Thus began a long odyssey through the bureaucratic system. It was a treasure hunt, at times exciting, at other times terrifying.

It was indeed a machine gun, a powerful Army weapon, but what if it was worth some money? Research revealed that it had been donated to the library by Lt. Mayland P. Lewis, a clerk attached to the Adjutant General’s Office (1918) in France. Lt. Lewis had picked up the machine gun from a pile captured by Cpl. Alvin C. York, on Oct.8, 1918. Without any “red tape” or any authority he just brought it home. Further exploration revealed that with the proper provenance connecting the Maxim to Alvin York it could fetch as much as $100,000. Unregistered it would be contraband, subject to seizure and destruction. At this point it was decided to turn the Maxim over to Chief Bill Waters and Sgt. Robert Dwyer of the Nahant, MA Police Dept. for safe keeping.

Nahant’s Welcome Home Parade for “The Boys From Over There” in 1919

It was Friday, July 4, 1919, eight months after the eleventh hour, of the eleventh day, of the eleventh month of 1918 when the Armistice that ended the “War to End All Wars” had been signed. On the small island of Nahant the residents gathered. The marchers in the parade from the military were all in uniform to celebrate the return of the boys from “over there.” The women are in their white shirtfronts and the men are in their light suits topped with the traditional straw hats. The military personal are miserable in their tunics of wool. Only the occasional Atlantic breeze gives them some relief. The town is decorated in patriotic bunting. All the veterans of the Civil War and Spanish War are present. The Boy Scouts have been given a special honor to pull a small red wagon with an actual “Hun” machine gun and other captured weapons. The machine gun is a Maxim 08/15, one of the 35 machine guns captured by Sgt. Alvin York, the Hero of the Argonne, recipient of the Medal of Honor, DSC, and Croix de Guerre as well as the Legion of Honor given by Marshal Foch, Supreme Allied Commander.

Description of the Historic Maxim Gun

The gun is a typical M1908/15 Maxim Light Machine Gun, one the most common machine guns of the Great War. It is number 3364 b, manufactured by Erfurt in 1918. This government arsenal produced 33,000 Maxim M1908/15s, and was not the most prolific of the makers. That honor goes to Spandau, which produced a half a million, which is why many still refer to German machine guns as “Spandaus.”

The gun is just as it was in 1919, a dirty weapon not cleaned in 90 years, but also it had not been deactivated or altered. Tattered remnants of the original cloth sling still clung to the buttstock loop. Lt. Lewis verified that he chose this weapon from the pile captured by Sgt. York, thus giving this gun the desired provenance.

It is complete with lock (not matching), muzzle booster, filler cap and bipod. The bluing is fading but not rusted. The bore is typical of a weapon fired with corrosive ammo and not cleaned. The action was smooth and the lock easily removed. It is just as if it had been taken from the field on 8, October, 1918. One had the feeling that if water were added to the jacket, a belt inserted, and the action cocked back twice, the “old relic” would come back to life. The gun still had the attachment for the 100-round drum or could be fed from a 250-round belt box. Upon closer examination, the remains of green paint could be seen as some guns have been found in camouflaged design. Its caliber is 7.92x57mm, commonly called 8mm German. The rate of fire was 550 to 600 rounds per minute and though the “light machine gun” weighed 43 pounds with the bipod and with 5 pints of water in the water jacket, it was still an efficient fighting machine.

Sgt. Alvin C. York

Most of our readers are familiar with the Sgt. York story having grown up with the 1941 MGM movie Sergeant York starring Gary Cooper. Movies are far from accurate and often take liberties with the truth. A remarkable 29-page document has emerged which will be the sole basis of York’s history. An inspirational story, full of scripture and truth, it is The Diary of Alvin York by Alvin C. York. Many myths are destroyed and truths revealed in the words of a brave and devout Christian.

Alvin Cullum York was born on December 19, 1897, at Pall Mall Valley, Tennessee; the third of eleven children. Lean and tall, Alvin grew up in the Mountains of Appalachia. He worked hard and honed his wilderness skills with rifle and axe. He became an expert shot but was a little rough, and a bit of a trouble maker. That was until he found his faith in a stern Fundamentalist sect that guided the rest of his days. When the draft came in 1917 he willingly reported for duty. The movie embellished his agony, but correctly showed the strong influence of his company commander, George Edward Burton. They became strong friends and Alvin named his first born after him. The son is still alive today.

Alvin York did not like to kill but readily “teched off” the enemy when it was necessary. York not only served, but due to his native insight and backwoods skill with a rifle he distinguished himself in an outstanding way in the woods of the Argonne. He and sixteen other men, under the command of Sgt. Bernard Earley were sent out to reconnoiter the surrounding hills. They came under fire of many Maxim machine guns. York was acting Corporal at that time. Nine men were killed and Early was severely wounded, leaving York in charge. He took out several machine gun nests with precise fire from his (in all likelihood) 1917 Enfield (not the ’03 Springfield as is commonly believed). Along with a captured German Major they enticed 132 men into surrendering. A German officer and five men with fixed bayonets began to charge him at a distance of 25 yards. Having only half a clip left in his rifle, he drew his 1911 Colt pistol and dispatched the six quickly advancing Germans starting with the sixth man at the rear and worked his way up until none were left.

In all, this combat feat was remarkable with 132 enemy captured along with 35 machine guns. For his action Sgt. Alvin C. York received The Congressional Medal of Honor. Gen. “Black Jack” Pershing personally gave him the D.S.C., Marshal Foch, the Legion of Honor, and later, April 24, 1919, Foch also gave him the Palm Croix De Guerre. Ever humble, York refused to acknowledge the action as his alone. He was a real Hero.

The Captured Maxim

“What happened to the captured Maxim,” one might ask? This brings us to Sunday, March 22, 2009. Through the united effort of the town officials, Director de Stefano was able to find a museum with federal funding that was thrilled to receive an authentic Sgt. York artifact. It will find a home in a special exhibit at the Museum of the Appalachia in Norris, Tennessee. To celebrate this Victory, Director de Stefano invited the public to view the “Maxim from the Attic” and be photographed with this historic artifact before it left for its new home.

The above story underscores the need for HR Bill 442, the Veteran’s Heritage Act. If it were not for the stalwart effort of a few dedicated people this precious heritage would have been lost forever.

The 29-page diary of Sergeant York can be seen at: www.acacia.pair.com/Acacia.Vignettes/The.Diary.of.Alvin.York. html#The%20Diary

(The author would like to thank the following for their assistance: Daniel de Stefano, Director of the Nahant Public Library; Bonnie D’Orlando, The Nahant Historical Society; Sgt. Robert Dwyer, Nahant Police Dept.; John Rice Irwin, Curator, The Museum of Appalachia; Chief Bill Waters, Nahant Police Dept.; and Stephen R. Hamel, VP OO, Inc.)

It may be a matter of opinion that one of the rarest machine guns on the line at the old North Country Shoot on June 21, 1996, was a Madsen LMG designated L.A.M.15. To some, it looked like a “funky Bren” LMG. If asked what it was, the response would be a Madsen. “Oh, the SMG that opens like a clam shell.” No, this is one of the first LMGs and the longest produced machine gun in history. As reported in the October 2008 issue of Small Arms Review (Vol. 12, No. 1), the Madsen had a design that converted a Martini, single shot rifle to a full auto machine gun. L.A.M. M15 means “Leichte Automatische Muskette, M15.” It has been purported that in 1915 the Germans had purchased 500 LAM 15s from Madsen as a transition to the Maxim 08/15s. Very few have survived to be legally registered.

Test firing proved to be difficult as it was awkward to insert the magazine without a cascade of rounds arcing out into the air: frustrating at best. Because the Madsen is a short recoil system it has a tendency to recoil heavily resulting in the tendency of the bipod legs to flop down. This was corrected by an old Germanic “expediency,” a Faber rubber band secured the legs to the barrel during firing. You will note a single round beneath the weapon and an open ejection cover that opens when first firing. This is a good point, to allow the port to be protected from debris and foreign objects getting into the mechanism.

It was a thrill to fire such a rare and historic weapon, serial #56.

Make: Madsen Muskette
Model: LAM M15 “Leichte Automatische Muskette M15
Manufacture: Denmark, Dansk Rekylriffel Syndicat, M1915
Caliber: 7.92X57mm, 8mm German
Production: Allegedly 500 for German Army in 1915
Length: 45 inches
Weight: 20 pounds
Barrel: 23 inches, 4 grooves, RH twist
Magazine: Thirty round single stack
Cyclic Rate: 450 rpm
Muzzle Velocity: 2,350 fps
Photo Origin: Taken by Patricia Ballou, on June 23, 1996
Location: Old North Country Shoot, Stratford Hollow, NH

Excluding the many Browning designed weapons, the Madsen machine gun holds the distinction of being one of the oldest and longest produced machine guns in history. Though used by thirty four different countries, it was never adopted officially by any major nation. It has been chambered in every military caliber used in the world, rimmed or rimless, from 6.5mm to 25mm. Little has been written about this remarkable weapon that introduced the concept of the light machine gun. From its conception in 1902, it remained in continuous production until 1970 when Madsen went out of business.

Both John Browning and Sir Hiram Maxim did what would be considered by today’s standards, virtually impossible: they converted a lever action Winchester 1873 rifle to full automatic. Browning utilized the gas from the muzzle blast to operate a flapper that worked the lever action of the Winchester Rifle and Maxim took the Winchester and made the recoil forces at the butt plate operate the same lever action. Somewhere along the line (approx. 1898) the concept of converting a single shot repeating rifle into a full auto landed in Denmark. Julius Rasmussen used as his inspiration the Peabody-Martini (British) falling block single shot rifle. On June 15th, 1899, he applied for the first patent employing this design. However, in 1902, Lt. Theodor Schouboe was granted a patent on the same principle. No one is clear how this occurred. The gun went on to be produced by Dansk Rekylriffel Syndikat under the patents supplied by Schouboe and, for some reason, the gun was named after W.O.H. Madsen, the Danish Minister of War. It was also manufactured in England and known as the Rexer or DRRS.

During its sixty eight years of production there were many minor variations of the Madsen – over one hundred are known. However, there were basically three primary models: the first, a magazine fed LMG, the second a belt feed tank or aircraft model, and the third proved the most fantastic adaptability of the design. In 1926, The Dansk Industries announced the development of a 20mm automatic aircraft cannon utilizing the same Madsen mechanism. Though not widely used, a hydraulic buffer allowed for a 23mm version used in German Fokker aircraft.

The first US testing was done at the Springfield Armory on September 9, 1903. A total of 7,163 rounds were fired, during which enough malfunctions occurred to justify the official conclusion that the Madsen weapon had not reached a state of reliability to warrant adoption. Though Lt. Schouboe himself had conducted the firing, he had to rise to a kneeling position to clear stoppages – a condition with which one can certainly sympathize but can be fatal in combat. US special order No. 86 dated August 5, 1921 provided for a further test of the Madsen in .30-06 at Fort Riley, Kansas. Supposedly redesigned, the Model 1919 included provision for both a bayonet and elaborate, detachable flash hider. It was still deemed unsatisfactory.

The Germans experimented with a variety of newly developed weaponry and, as a stopgap, the Germans used approximately 500 Madsens in World War I (referred to as a Muskette and given the designation Leichte Automatische Muskette M15) until they developed the Maxim 08/15 that then became their light weight machine gun of choice.

In 1923, the Dansk Syndicate assigned its chief engineer, Mr. Hambroe, to redesign the Madsen mechanism for more efficiency. All he did was to add a muzzle booster that greatly increased the cyclic rate to 1,000 rounds per minuet making it ideal for aircraft use. He also added a strong spring buffer to absorb the shock of the booster. The real beauty of the aircraft gun was its ability to use disintegrating links and could be synchronized to the propeller.

During WWII, America was equipping the Dutch East Indies with Johnson automatic rifles. Johnson Automatics, better known as Cranston Arms, supplied barrels for the Madsen LMG.

In 1950 the last evolution of the design featured a quick change barrel and a tripod soft mount with a remote firing devise.

By all concepts of logic, this gun should not work as it is a mechanical nightmare – but it does indeed work. The key to its operation is a cammed “switch plate” that allows recoil to perform the actions of loading, firing, extracting, and ejecting the spent rounds. The term “switch plate” is a 19th century expression of a device that caused a sequence of functions to be completed in rapid succession for a railroad train. In this case, a switch plate multi-tasks the functions for the machine gun and is the mechanical heart of the weapon. The Madsen is known as a long recoil system, i.e., the barrel and breach mechanism reciprocate together inside of a barrel shroud and receiver box. This action works the lever that, like the Martini Rifle, accomplishes the task of ramming the round into the chamber with such force that it often deforms the cartridge case. If the round does not fire it is difficult to clear the stoppage.

Test firing was conducted with Madsen Mle. 1950, serial number 1475. The gun did not function flawlessly. It soon became evident that great care had to be taken in placing the magazine into the top or it would spill rounds into the magazine well. When a shell got down into the mechanism it did not chamber or fire and it was a chore to remove the offending round.

As mentioned above, the power of the ramming arm often distorted the case making it a ramrod job to remove from the chamber. Then, one had to carefully work the case to the ejection port that is part of the reciprocating mechanism attached to the barrel. Nevertheless, when it did work, it was a joy to fire. Amazingly, it was found that the magazine was unnecessary to fire the weapon. Four rounds could be dropped into the magazine well and the gun would fire all four. Single shots were readily obtained as the cyclic rate was approx. 550 rpm. The bipod was not sturdy enough to prevent dumping the machine gun over into the dirt. The offset sights were sufficient and accurate. The magazine is a top feed double stacked 30 rounder until it enters the gun. It then becomes a single feed with the round being retained by a large spring that also acts as a magazine catch. There are several positive points about the Madsen design. First, its top magazine feed allowed gravity to enhance its entry into the mechanism; second, a bottom feed that was positive and powerful; and finally, the Madsen fires from an open chamber reducing the chance of a cook off.

When one carefully examines this design, there is a tendency to write off the Madsen as a “mechanical monstrosity” that like the Bumblebee should not fly. But, upon more careful examination, the designer, whoever he may be, took a tried and true Martini rifle and applied 19th century railroad technology, added robust parts, and designed a machine gun that is found in museums around the world. At the old MOD Pattern Room there was an entire long table devoted to Madsen LMGs, with more national crests than the fabled Roundtable. Many armies tried the weapon and modified strategies around it to apply the weapon. This is an unsung pivotal weapon in the small arms field. In the end, it was a versatile design that deserves a better niche in history.