RAF Sidearms
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Originally Posted by Rosevidney1
MPN11, The illustration you gave appears to have the mortal remains of a Webley or an Enfield .38 and not a Smith & Wesson at the top which has a rigid frame and a cylinder that swings out.
The top one has no remaining visible markings, apart from "CAL .38", but clearly* has the profiles and foresight arrangement of an Enfield .38 Mk 1.
The lower is a Smith & Wesson No 2, well marked with Smith & Wesson and "S & W CTG", and bears the s/n 710685 on the underside.
Both, of course, fired the .38/200 round (or not)
* Pistols of the World, Hogg and Weeks
(MPN11 removes anorak, and resumes normal service)
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Carried a .380 PP for four yrs until issued with a .357 Ruger Speed Six, never had a stoppage. Now have a .32 PPK , one stoppage over a thousand rds through it (it is a 1962 produced one though with only ten rounds through it when obtained last year 
) as for :-
The RMP in Palace Barraks found a problem with this, two especially, the one who tried it with a loaded Browning and the one who recieved a 9mm through his shoulder along with shards of wood and carbon, I escorted the ambulance to the hospital.
My son now has my old PP issued to him as a PPW from the prison service.
) as for :-
Our previous weapon was the 9mm Browning. Much more robust. You could even shoot pencils out of them on exercises. Best thing was, it was heavier so it hurt more when you threw it at the enemy.
My son now has my old PP issued to him as a PPW from the prison service.
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Current Issue?
The 9mm Browning FN L9A1 was replaced for aircrew with the
L131A1 Sig Sauer. I liked the L118 myself.
L131A1 Sig Sauer. I liked the L118 myself.
Last edited by CdoGunner; 3rd Nov 2014 at 16:34. Reason: me being an idiot
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RUCAWO
I think the idea was to fire a pencil using a blank cartridge, not a ball round! Blank 9mm ammo could be obtained from captured German soldiers on exercises and was much prized as it could give those not in the know a nasty fright!
I think the idea was to fire a pencil using a blank cartridge, not a ball round! Blank 9mm ammo could be obtained from captured German soldiers on exercises and was much prized as it could give those not in the know a nasty fright!
Genstabler
I think the pointing and shooting of a 9mm blank with a pencil in the barrel would never be regarded as just 'officerly high spirits'! The possible outcome is cringeworthy.
I think CM was relying upon the energy in the firing pin to eject the pencil. Range: about 4 metres?
CG
I think the pointing and shooting of a 9mm blank with a pencil in the barrel would never be regarded as just 'officerly high spirits'! The possible outcome is cringeworthy.
I think CM was relying upon the energy in the firing pin to eject the pencil. Range: about 4 metres?
CG
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Having owned a Browning MkIII for Service Pistol matches and a SiG Sauer P226 for Practical Pistol matches I can say that, while the former was good, the latter is a far superior weapon.
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I remember on exercise out in the back of beyond sitting around and having a bet with everyone (Money involved) as to what time the fun and games would start, everyone bunged a fiver in the pot then picked a time, all times close to stand too were picked, we'll all bar one who picked a really ludicrous time......
Middle of the night.... Bang, people jump to their muskets and WW3 cracks off in the dark... Blank cases flying everywhere, it was in impressive sight in the dark but as no return fire flashes were seen the war soon died down.... Bastard who fire the first round off ( at absolutely nothing ) at such a ludicrous time saunters over to collect the pot.
Middle of the night.... Bang, people jump to their muskets and WW3 cracks off in the dark... Blank cases flying everywhere, it was in impressive sight in the dark but as no return fire flashes were seen the war soon died down.... Bastard who fire the first round off ( at absolutely nothing ) at such a ludicrous time saunters over to collect the pot.
Aaron - re. Khormaksar ammo, "Snap". On the range, 6 rounds, double tap, needed 14 pulls to get 6 bangs!! Looking for reasons, was told that range ammo was drawn from X Group which, apparently, lived in caves in Sham Sham and was manufactured in the late 90s (1890s!!).
Herod et al - I also subscribed to the five loaded and one empty school. Fat, dumb and happy until a 'Rock' friend pointed that we were variously issued with S&W OR Colt and they rotated in different directions!!
Could have been a load of codswallop but, thereafter went to 4 in and two empty - just had to remember to pull twice ... given our ammo though, it was irrelevant!
Looking for reasons, was told that range ammo was drawn from X Group which, apparently, lived in caves in Sham Sham and was manufactured in the late 90s (1890s!!). Herod et al - I also subscribed to the five loaded and one empty school. Fat, dumb and happy until a 'Rock' friend pointed that we were variously issued with S&W OR Colt and they rotated in different directions!!
Could have been a load of codswallop but, thereafter went to 4 in and two empty - just had to remember to pull twice ... given our ammo though, it was irrelevant!
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Not codswallop CJ...Colts are some of the only revolvers that rotate the cylinder counterclockwise from the shooter's viewpoint. I keep a S&W .357 as my 'nightstand gun' (ahhh...the Colonies) and load it with 5 rounds, but with the empty chamber not being the one under the hammer, but the first trigger pull. I was taught that an AD from dropping the thing is pretty unlikely, whereas the chances to an AD from the hammer snagged on clothing etc is much more likely. Made sense to me, and I figure in case of bad things happening in the middle of the night adrenaline will ensure multiple trigger pulls, with the option of a pause after the first.
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L118
Having owned a Browning MkIII for Service Pistol matches and a SiG Sauer P226 for Practical Pistol matches I can say that, while the former was good, the latter is a far superior weapon. (quote)
I still prefer the L118 much better range however do miss the Stirling which show I have a sense of adventure.
I still prefer the L118 much better range however do miss the Stirling which show I have a sense of adventure.
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I think the pointing and shooting of a 9mm blank with a pencil in the barrel would never be regarded as just 'officerly high spirits'! The possible outcome is cringeworthy.
however do miss the Stirling which show I have a sense of adventure
Although we did some classroom training with the Small Metal Gun at the Towers in 1968, I never fired the thing.
Whereas when I was about 15 or 16, we had several Sten guns in the school CCF armoury, plus a blank firing barrel which had a restrictor to ensure sufficient gas pressure was available for it to work in automatic mode. Unfortunately the blank barrel had cracked earlier, so a chum had taken it to the local gunsmith to see whether they could repair it. They said that they could, so one day he and I walked into town to pick it up. I assumed that the leather bag which my chum was toting was to carry the barrel back, so was somewhat surprised when, in front of someone buying shotgun cartridges or duck decoys or some such in Hintons of Taunton, he pulled a Sten gun out of the bag on the grounds that he needed to check that the barrel fitted OK....
It did, so back we walked to school. I do wonder what Plod would have said if he'd stopped 2 public schoolboys only to discover that we had a sub machine gun with us! On reaching school, my chum picked up some 9mm blanks and off we went to the south playing fields to test it. He loaded the magazine, placed it in the gun and cocked it, whilst I bravely hid behind the nearest tree. Then he fired it - but after 4 rounds it stopped as the barrel disintegrated into a couple of pieces of smouldering pig iron.
My main CCF activity was with the old WW2 and Korean War radios we had - rather safer than the Sten gun! We also had several Bren guns, but at least they were DP only and weren't able to fire. Plus the odd 2" mortar and a 3.5" rocket launcher with a somewhat dented dummy round.
Somehow I doubt whether schoolchildren are allowed to wander across Exmoor with CCF rifles these days....
Whereas when I was about 15 or 16, we had several Sten guns in the school CCF armoury, plus a blank firing barrel which had a restrictor to ensure sufficient gas pressure was available for it to work in automatic mode. Unfortunately the blank barrel had cracked earlier, so a chum had taken it to the local gunsmith to see whether they could repair it. They said that they could, so one day he and I walked into town to pick it up. I assumed that the leather bag which my chum was toting was to carry the barrel back, so was somewhat surprised when, in front of someone buying shotgun cartridges or duck decoys or some such in Hintons of Taunton, he pulled a Sten gun out of the bag on the grounds that he needed to check that the barrel fitted OK....
It did, so back we walked to school. I do wonder what Plod would have said if he'd stopped 2 public schoolboys only to discover that we had a sub machine gun with us! On reaching school, my chum picked up some 9mm blanks and off we went to the south playing fields to test it. He loaded the magazine, placed it in the gun and cocked it, whilst I bravely hid behind the nearest tree. Then he fired it - but after 4 rounds it stopped as the barrel disintegrated into a couple of pieces of smouldering pig iron.
My main CCF activity was with the old WW2 and Korean War radios we had - rather safer than the Sten gun! We also had several Bren guns, but at least they were DP only and weren't able to fire. Plus the odd 2" mortar and a 3.5" rocket launcher with a somewhat dented dummy round.
Somehow I doubt whether schoolchildren are allowed to wander across Exmoor with CCF rifles these days....
We had enough weaponry in our CCF armoury late 50s/early 60s to start a small war. We travelled on trains with No4 Mk1 Lee Enfields. We also had Brens and Stens in the armoury
CCF armouries - still true in the 1970's. I had a regular 6" group at 600yds with the SMLE, and wasn't even in the Shooting Team. We regularly trained with Bren, GPMG and grenades. Our school RSM was the ex-RSM of the Scots Guards, and our History master was an ex-Para SNCO who defended the Bridge at Arnhem. The Head Boy in my year is now a senior Royal Marine.
We could have finished a small war, never mind starting it.
We could have finished a small war, never mind starting it.
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Originally Posted by Wensleydale
Someone told me that Oscar Pristorious had a double tap in his bathroom, but that is just hear-say!......
Nothing. He might shoot you!
I'll get my coat........
"Draw a Pistol (9mm Browning) from the armoury your going on the bank run as the guard".
So off I set feeling quite brave to the bank in Lisburn circa 1975.
I end up standing outside a bank in civvies with the weight of said 9mm causing my skiing jacket to hang down around my knees.
Thinks to self, to anyone in uniform I am a potential bank robber/terrorist, to any member of the IRA I am a military clown attempting to disguise himself as a civvy while clearly carrying a firearm. A very uncomfortable ten minutes followed which I made sure was never repeated.
So off I set feeling quite brave to the bank in Lisburn circa 1975.
I end up standing outside a bank in civvies with the weight of said 9mm causing my skiing jacket to hang down around my knees.
Thinks to self, to anyone in uniform I am a potential bank robber/terrorist, to any member of the IRA I am a military clown attempting to disguise himself as a civvy while clearly carrying a firearm. A very uncomfortable ten minutes followed which I made sure was never repeated.
We referred to a certain (now deceased) ex-Victor captain's VC10 co-pilots as 'Dougies'.
"Why do you call them that?", he once asked.
"Same as Douglas Bader - no operating legs!" came the reply.
Which for those who don't understand meant that the captain hogged all the flying and expected his co-pilots to do the radio work and little else - they didn't get to operate. But he was cr@p on the radio, so perhaps not a bad thing!
"Why do you call them that?", he once asked.
"Same as Douglas Bader - no operating legs!" came the reply.
Which for those who don't understand meant that the captain hogged all the flying and expected his co-pilots to do the radio work and little else - they didn't get to operate. But he was cr@p on the radio, so perhaps not a bad thing!