Posted on 12/12/2010 8:12:54 PM PST by Pan_Yan
Interesting. I remember reading an article in a gun magazine back in the 1970s where the author stated that many tribesmen in Afghanistan were still using flintlocks at that time.
I really regret parting company with that Lee Enfield. As I recall, the serial number was in the 4,000 range. My younger brother and I bought it for $30 at a neighbors garage sale. Bore looked like brand new. A couple of years later, I bought out my brothers interest in it for $15. Years later, I gave it to my older brother. Recently I wondered if I might get it back so, I contacted him but he said he had given it away years ago.
See that green duct tape in the photo? Looks like ‘100 Mile an hour’ tape - Army issue. How did the Taliban get it? Makes me imagine our ‘friends’ there are funneling all sorts of supplies to them.
Scouts Out! Cavalry Ho!
Those are beautiful weapons. I wonder how many times those triggers have been pulled.
My rifle is still covered in cosmoline from the 50’s or 60’s when the guy bought it. A couple years ago he just wanted the $60 he paid for it originally. I have bullets and new cases to reload for it and can hardly wait. It has a light and smooth trigger pull also. It also has a post front sight, which works a lot better for me. The blade sight bleeds into the bull and I have a hard time replicating the sight picture.
I could shoot straighter if I had scopes, but I just can't move away from original configuration. Vintage scopes are just too expensive when I want to save up for a mil spec scope for my M1A.
Lyudmila Pavlichenko was a Ukrainian Soviet sniper during World War II. Her recruiter urged her to become a nurse, but she insisted on becoming a soldier. Pavlichenko had a shooting certificate from a gun club in Kiev that she earned at age 14.
That reminds me of something else I try to forget. My dad bought a new Remington 1911 for $25, and not knowing I wanted it sold the pistol for $50, because he could double his money.
On the bright side, I guy at work convinced me in late 70’s to buy an M-1 Garand from the CMP for $125. I got a rebuilt rifle with a late production Winchester receiver and a beautiful walnut stock.
I think he said he paid about $250 for it. I wanted one.
Does that picture look reversed? Or maybe its a made-up Soviet propaganda pic?
The scope mount is on the same side as the bolt...I don’t recollect seeing anything like that. Also it appears that the bolt is missing from the back of the action by the thumbpiece.
Not that the Soviets would stage anything.... ;)
Interesting photo of the dashing Lyudmila.
K.
Interesting. It appears the rifles were just a prop given to her for the photos.
On the second one you posted, she can’t even get a cheek-to-stock look for it, and the scope mount is still on the wrong side (I had to blow it up to see that - and it almost looks like there is a magazine protruding under her left wrist).
I’m something of a Mosin aficionado. If there is a scope mount like the one in the pictures, I’d like some more info about it from the experts on the forum.
Meanwhile, I appreciate you posting these pics.
If I understand correctly, Lyudmila survived the war and thought young Vasily had been killed. It wasn’t until about the 1960s that she read something about him and realized he was still alive. Fascinating story of the snipers and their tools.
She’s kinda hot, but if she’s mad at me, I think I would stay at least a mile away from her.
The “ghost ring” aperture sights on the Mark Four Lee-Enfield have to be among the best iron sights ever put on a rifle.
Did they think he was the reincarnated Alexander?
re: “The Man who would be King”.
Well...maybe two miles, just to be sure. Maybe three miles....
“
One Way to Retire an Old Rifle
“
Uh, send it to me.
I’ll clean it up and mount it over the fireplace.
Maybe that’s become an ancient and unknown practice in most of the
“civilized” world.
Obama sent it to “Captain Crunch”.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.