MilSurp of the month for March, 2014: Unusual Curio or Relic. VOTES TOTALED

Entry #1 Not really rare but seldom encountered Lahti M-1940

A true Scandinavian heritage pistol; the Husqvuarna made Lahti 9mm pistol. Designed by Aimo Lahti in Finland it was designation the Model L-35. It is similar in basic shape to a Luger but any semblance, other then caliber, is purely coincidental. The Finns licensed the gun to Sweden who called it the M1940 when they adopted it that year.

During WWII the Danes tried to train and equip a Free Danish Brigade in Sweden and they were armed, in part, with the M1940. At the end of the war the Danish Police were provided with M1940. They are marked like mine, with the Rplt S. serial number (Rigspolit means Police). There were about 10,000 of these Danish Police Guns. If you look close you can see the Swedish "Triple Crown" on the holster flap just above the brass loop.

I've shot this gun using both ball and JHP ammo it is a straight shooting gun that I enjoy. It was not cheap; $900+ for the gun, holster, three magazines, cleaning rod, and magazine loading tool but I think as a "One of Ten Thousand" gun it was worth it.



lahti_holster_rig.jpg

husqvarna_lahti.jpg

lahti_2.jpg
 
Last edited:
I don't know if this qualifies, but here it is.

These are Lazy Dog Bombs. They were designed to be put in a sort of "cluster bomb" they were dropped from a bomb which opened up and dispersed them across a battlefield. They were supposed to hit the ground with the same energy as a .50 cal bullet. Here is some info on them.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lazy_Dog_(bomb)


image_zps21ce20a1.jpg
 
Entry #1

For your consideration: my great grandfather's M1873 (?) Prussian artillery sabre, scabbard and a map of field manuevers for the 1st and 2nd Guard Infantry Division (Berlin), dated 1890. The map is very fragile, but has his name penciled inside with "Kannonier" and "1st Battalion" below it. The saber is in poor condition and bears no maker's or unit marks. The Portepee is not correct. I wish I could find out more about his service, but Prussian military records were destroyed in the allied bombing of Berlin in 1945.

 DSCN0001.jpg DSCN0004.jpg DSCN0002.jpg
 
Last edited:
Entry #2

As it is with many families of German origin here in the U.S., I had relatives fighting on both sides in WWI and II. In WWII, I had an American uncle in the Army Air Force and a German cousin in the Heer. Sadly, they're both gone now.

I know very little about my cousin's service, but when I last visited with him, he gave me a copy of his discharge, which was issued at Camp Berghausen in 1945. I don't imagine that many of you have ever seen such a document:

HK Discharge.jpg
 
That is cool. I did not realize that released German prisoners so soon.

Terrys said:
As it is with many families of German origin here in the U.S., I had relatives fighting on both sides in WWI and II. In WWII, I had an American uncle in the Army Air Force and a German cousin in the Heer. Sadly, they're both gone now.

I know very little about my cousin's service, but when I last visited with him, he gave me a copy of his discharge, which was issued at Camp Berghausen in 1945. I don't imagine that many of you have ever seen such a document:

View attachment 96808
Click to expand...
 
Entry #2 Enter the Spaniards

Another grouping of something different: A trio of Spanish Astra Pistols. Top to bottom is the 600 chambered in 9mm Parabellum; Middle a Model 1921 more commonly know as a Model 400 in 9mm Largo; and the bottom is a Model 300 in 9mm Kurz, aka .380 acp.

The 400 came first for the Spanish; carried by the Armed Forces and was used by both sides during the Spanish Civil War. Despite their strange looks the guns are great shooter, accurate, and digest ball and hollow points. At first I was leery about buying a gun in 9mm Largo until I stumbled into a deal from Sarco - they had cases of 1950s-60s non-corrosive Spanish ammo available for, at the time, a good price.

Now some history about the Model 300 and 600. The 9mm Kurz compact gun was developed and produced at the request of the German Military (during the Spanish Civil War); many were purchased; marked with a Waffenamt (as mine is); and a lot of them found their way in the the Luftwaffe being issued to pilots and crews of the Condor Legion.

The story of the 600, chambered in 9mm Para. is more interesting; with Germany's need for small arms during WWII they turned to the "Neutral" Spanish government of Franco and asked the Spaniards to sell them the Astra Pistol although chambered in 9mm Para. Spain began to deliver the guns to Germany across the French Border; when the Allies successfully invaded France the Spanish-French border ceased to be a transport point for the Astras to Germany. Those crafty Spanish warehoused the guns which were already paid for by the German Government! At the end of the war the Germans were allowed to create and arm a police force. Re-enter the Spanish; who sold (for the second time) them the Astra 600s they had warehoused! The other two photos (of the 600) show the German issued leather holster and a German name, written in ink, of probably the officer it was issued to.

A600_A400_A300.jpg

A600_holsterfront.jpg

A600_holsterflap.jpg
 
Last edited:
dhuze said:
I don't know if this qualifies, but here it is.
Click to expand...

Perfectly qualified.

T.

- - - Updated - - -

USMA-82 said:
Very nice! Our tastes are similar - I also have a Swedish Lahti and an Astra 600. Have you ventured into any other Spanish pistols - Llama, Star, etc.?
Click to expand...

I almost bit at a French WWI contract Spanish pistol in 7.65mm; might have been a Ruby, don't remember.

T.
 
Here is an unusual SKS. It is one that is a stamped receiver not milled. It is all matching. The stock is a little ruffed up but overall good. It just turned into a C&R this year. It was made in 1963. I bought it at the Big-E gun show some years ago for not much money. I found this on The Gunboards from Tex about them
"The Arsenal "0138" seems to be the most common arsenal mark if you can call them common, the other two arsenals that made the Stamped Receiver SKS's were 0144 and 0145.
From what I have been able to find out from my friend in China is that these were field test guns and only about 7,000 were manufactured. This information is not cut in stone, so you can just store it in your file. All the 0138 SKS's fall in the same serial number range of 700xxxx series."







 
majspud said:
At some point I'll get a nice mid war T99 with Mum to fill out the Jap end of my collection.

T.
Click to expand...

Kinda like this one?

photo30_zpsf6f4a575.jpg


IMG_1118_zpsd0f043d6.jpg


IMG_1119_zps47de83b1.jpg


photo20_zps089069cc.jpg


photo21_zpsdd1f8ed1.jpg


photo22_zpscf7678ca.jpg


This was my grandfather's take home from World War 2. Thank to you guys here on the boards I was able to clean her up and get it to fire last week, after it have been improperly stored and not maintained since it was brought back from Japan. Figured that I would share it here as well.

If anyone wants the full story and some before and after pictures, I have a thread up here: northeastshooters.com/vbulletin/threads/241742-My-Grandfather-s-Type-99-Arisaka
 
USMA-82 Entry #2

U.S. Cavalry - 1920 vintage

Here is a picture of my Grandfather - Charles Sinclair Kennedy - during a demonstration at Fort Ethan Allen in Winooski, VT sometime in the 1920's.

While he was demonstrating his skill in horsemanship, his squad was demonstrating their fearlessness as he jumped over them. Notice the 1903 Springfields being held behind their heads to protect against a dragging hoof.



Those were the days!

*
 
Last edited:
I offer you my fully restored Springfield M1903 Mark I. I've posted about it before, so if that disquals me, so be it. But I'm like a proud papa with this rifle.

Original thread: http://www.northeastshooters.com/vb...ark-I-Restoration-Project-(Warning-Pic-Heavy)

All parts are either period or original, with the possible exception of the dished windage knob, and that's debatable.

I picked it up in late 2010 when I walked into Zero Hour and thought "you don't see those everyday". Nonethless, I knew the rifle was not in original condition, given a number of standard 1903 parts made by Remington, indicating to me a typical WWII rearsenal. I bought it with a "R" marked stamped rear sling swivel, scant non-finger groove stock, as well as all the unique Mark I parts swapped out for regular M1903 parts. Thus began my scouring the internet to find the relatively rare Mark I parts. I got lucky and found everything in relatively short order. It always draws attention at green shoots, and I love telling the story of the Pedersen Device--as some of you know.

Pedersen Device Wikipedia article: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pedersen_device

Unlike most of the Mark I's out there that have been rearsenaled, wih those parts, this one would thus be capable of accepting and using a Pedersen device because of the parts.

Just in case you wanted to know, Mark I differences:

http://i56.tinypic.com/28c21yu.jpg

Also, you can see the stock has a carve out under the pistol round ejection port on the left side of the receiver.

Pics:

http://i1340.photobucket.com/albums/o737/OfficerObie59/100_2085_zpse6dc7314.jpg

http://i1340.photobucket.com/albums/o737/OfficerObie59/100_2087_zpsefac29f4.jpg

http://i1340.photobucket.com/albums/o737/OfficerObie59/100_2090_zps5b201671.jpg

http://i1340.photobucket.com/albums/o737/OfficerObie59/100_2091_zpscfef7ee9.jpg

http://i1340.photobucket.com/albums/o737/OfficerObie59/100_2096_zps00e43bae.jpg
 
A little birdie tells me I might be allowed to submit this one...

Mauser C96 "Broomhandle". Inherited from my maternal grandfather, R. Potter Campbell, Jr. (COL, USA, USMA '41) on his passing in 1997. He took it from a German officer in 1945 as a Battalion XO Major in the 13th Armored Division.

The story went something like this... As my grandfather and his men advanced their tanks into Germany, they began to take incoming artillery fire. They spread into a defensive position and quickly established that, whattaya know, the artillery shells were all landing in the same crater.

The tanks carefully flanked and captured the German position, only to find the howitzer manned by a ragtag group of young and old. They had been taught how to load and fire, but not how to aim, the piece!

As the soldiers surrendered and were disarmed, my grandfather confiscated this 1917 "wartime commercial" Broomhandle from the officer in charge. It bears proof marks of the Kaiser Wilhelm and Austro-Hungarian armories, and remains in nearly flawless condition.







 
Wow that Broomhandle is quite the authentic militaria artifact. It's cool that you can still fire it!
 
Picked this up last weekend at the Nashua Gun Show with my C&R. Ortgies hammerless Pistol in .32

gun.jpg
The Ortgies pistol was a hammerless semi-automatic pistol produced in Germany in the years immediately after World War I, first by its inventor Heinrich Ortgies and then by Deutsche Werke. Inexpensive, but of good quality, the pistol achieved considerable success at contemporaryshooting competitions and, as an export product, was popular in North, Central, and South America. Famous Gangster John Dillinger owned one .
 
Cpl McCaughey said:
Kinda like this one?

This was my grandfather's take home from World War 2. Thank to you guys here on the boards I was able to clean her up and get it to fire last week, after it have been improperly stored and not maintained since it was brought back from Japan. Figured that I would share it here as well.
Click to expand...

Personal, historical, and gorgeous… This is a real good one! Intact mum even.
 
Terrys said:
As it is with many families of German origin here in the U.S., I had relatives fighting on both sides in WWI and II. In WWII, I had an American uncle in the Army Air Force and a German cousin in the Heer. Sadly, they're both gone now.

I know very little about my cousin's service, but when I last visited with him, he gave me a copy of his discharge, which was issued at Camp Berghausen in 1945. I don't imagine that many of you have ever seen such a document:
Click to expand...

Fascinating! I can tell you that he wore glasses and had a scar on his right foot, as well as being of average fitness and able to work.
 
Ben Cartwright SASS said:
This is not a milsurp weapon but it is a relic. My Dad picked this up on Iwo Jima off a dead Japanese Marine. the "rust" on it is blood. It is a pencil case complete with pencils also some jap money. There are more things like this on my website I did for him and his men http://www.hq224usmc.com
Click to expand...

Great artifact, and great tribute with the website!
 
Here is my final contribution. This pistol and its battle damaged holster was,I believe, the the first gun I posted here on this board. I will post the pics here and if you want to see the original thread you can hit the link at the bottom of this post. That was a great thread by the way Martin.

While I embellished the parts of the story I did not know, the basics about how the pistol was saved and how it came to me are true. In short, a guy stops by an elderly aunt's house to visit. She is a widow and her husband had been in combat in the Pacific. The aunt had cleaned out her attic of a bunch of stuff and put them in plastic trash bags to be taken to the dump. After his visit and on the way out the nephew saw the bags and offered to take them to the dump. He threw them in the back of his pick up. At the dump he was taking them out of the truck when one ripped open and out fell this pistol, some bayonets and medals. The nephew saved the items and sold the gun for money for his aunt.

When I first saw it I thought someone had shot it with a shot gun. Then I took a closer look and saw that the pock marks were shrapnel damage. Some of the holes still have the steel fragments in them. This pistol is untouched from damage, which leads me to conclude and assuming the gun is original to the holster that the Japanese officer was using the gun and it was in his hand when the grenade(assuming it was a grenade) hit. I wish I new the story of that day. But it is lost forever and what is left is this historical evidence.

dscf0410.jpg dscf0413.jpg dscf0411.jpg dscf0408.jpg dscf0416.jpg dscf0414.jpg dscf0412.jpg

Original thread: http://www.northeastshooters.com/vbulletin/threads/121672-What-Would-Your-Milsurp-Say
 
Last edited:
OK, this one got lost in the shuffle. Let's start voting. PM me or use the attached form. Remember to use the entry number off the first post.

First Place: Entry #
Second Place: Entry #
Third Place: Entry #

T
 
And the winners:

#1

1. Maninblue1861: Type99 Japanese Arisaka in the original GI shipping crate
3+3+3+3 = 12

#2 TIE

16. Terrys: 1890 M1873 Artillery Sabre and map (family history)
1+2 = 5

7. Ben Cartwright SASS: Bring back Japanese pencil case from Iwo Jima
2+1+ = 5

#3

3. martin08#1: Vietnam bringback Type-63 North Korean SKS, retrofitted with a field constructed grenade launcher
2+3+2 = 5

Thanks to all for playing.
 

Similar threads

Thought this was cool for the milsurps and guitar players.
Replies
0
Views
125
mac1911
M
This is for the mosin folks…..
Replies
6
Views
320
mac1911
M
OK, Which One of You Bought This Vintage Sniper?
Replies
7
Views
387
Mountain
Mountain
What type of rifle?, no obvious markings
Replies
5
Views
346
majspud
majspud
Model of 1917 Enfield
Replies
11
Views
564
cjrubes
cjrubes
Back
Top Bottom