Today Ian is back with NFA specialist John Keene of the Morphy Auction Company to talk about US military machine guns. Specifically, how intact and original examples end up in the civilian market. Some models, like the Reising, as very easy to find in completely original condition (almost hard not to, really). Others, like the belt-fed Browning 1917 and 1919 models are very rare in original condition, and are almost always found as parts kits built on newly-registered receivers. What drives these differences?
Book review
Book Review: Col Chinn’s 5-Volume Opus on Machine Guns
George Chinn’s 5-volume opus machine gun-icus is a massive and extremely valuable reference work on the development of machine guns, as well as aircraft machine guns and aircraft cannon. It also includes and entire volume […]
Interview
Interview w/ Biofire’s Lead Designer: Features and Reliability
When I visited Biofire, I was able to spend several hours discussing the history of the gun with its creator, lead designer, and lead engineer. We also completely stripped one of the guns down to […]
Semiauto pistol
Colt Checks out the Spanish Wondernine: the Star 30PK
This pistol sold for $3,163 at Rock Island in December 2, 2018. Star entered the Wondernine era in 1978 with their Model 28 pistol, a double action 9mm offering with 15-round magazines. It was one […]
Ian, gust curious, it appears that you have a new Watch. What watch do you have?
It’s a Marathon arctic GSAR.
Thank you. Looks nice on you !
Nice watch indeed. Just a bit of experience with these things – not sure if you have a solid billet or one with pins to hold the band. If the latter, you can say “goodbye” at some point to your “rugged” timepiece. I wish Bertucci made a dedicated diving watch but, for the money, I have never done better.
The focus on “collecting opportunities” rings somewhat hollow to someone born in 1986 mere months after the Hughes Amendment. As it stands, I’ll never be able to afford ANY machine guns, and with the current derangement of the ATF and their harassment of FFL’s including family friends, I no longer want a C&R license nor ANY NFA-controlled items.
Interesting comments about 1911’s not returned from Vietnam. My father was combat veteran served in Korea. Was in the Army reserve into the 1960’S. Called up and went to Vietnam in 1968. He was aware of the pistol situation. He purchased two Argentine 1911’s and smuggled them into Vietnam inside th e doors on the two big and slow 10 ton 6X6 trucks they used in convoys. Drivers carried them in shoulder holsters. Used with good effect several times in VC convoy ambush attacks