Ausie weapons part 1 2 3 4

Automatic Lee-Enfield Conversions

From 1918 to 1945, the lack of a self-loading rifle in British service resulted in several attempts to produce one. One approach to this was to convert the standard-issue Short Magazine Lee-Enfield into an automatic rifle, thus negating the hassle of adopting an entirely new gun.

The first patent for a self-loading SMLE conversion was taken out in 1918 on behalf of Arthur Trevor Dawson and George Thomas Buckham, two British engineers who had hundreds of patents to their name. Like most of their inventions, their auto-SMLE was never actually made.

The earliest prototype for a weapon of this type is a gas-operated Lee-Metford rifle of an uncertain make. It was a basic gas-operated affair with a redesigned bolt, operated by a sliding cam slot.

r/ForgottenWeapons - Howell-pattern prototype, built around a surplus Lee-Metford rifle.

Howell-pattern prototype, built around a surplus Lee-Metford rifle.

Afterward came the Howell. This was a rudimentary-looking conversion that utilized a long gas tube running from a gas port in the barrel to the bolt. The bolt’s movement was guided by a large cam that resembled a sword guard. The operation was somewhat violent so efforts were made to protect the user’s right hand from the bolt’s movement. This included adding a basic pistol grip to the stock and a manner of protective sheathes around the trigger. The conversion was a rather crude one, but it worked quite well.

r/ForgottenWeapons - The Howell conversion.

The Howell conversion.

Unfortunately, not a lot of information was recorded about the Howell. The designer was one Mr. N. Howell and his conversion probably dates back to World War I - it is not known exactly when, but probably later in the war. Howell conversions were still being performed into the early 1920s. Where the conversions were performed is also not known. The intention was almost certainly to arouse military interest, although the end of the war probably brought an end to any chance of adoption.

In 1937, perhaps anticipating a second war, Mr. Howell brought the conversion to the attention of the army once again, and once again there was no interest. In 1940, the Board of Ordnance received a proposal to issue the Home Guard with Howell conversions for use as anti-aircraft weapons, although contrary to popular belief, this proposal was denied and no such weapons were ever issued to the Home Guard.

After that the Howell disappeared. But the concept lived on in several wartime designs from across the Commonwealth.

In 1941, a New Zealand motor repairman, Philip Charlton, evolved the concept further. Designed in response to New Zealand’s shortage of arms, the Charlton conversion was designed to take old Lee-Metford rifles and convert them into light machine guns. He forwarded his proposal to the New Zealand Army, who placed some faith in Mr. Charlton to deliver 1,500 conversions.

Charlton’s conversion was of a more advanced design. Like the Howell, it used gas operation and an angled cam slot to operate the bolt. However, it also had the capability to fire rapidly at a rate of 700rpm. This was achieved by adding a second tube underneath the gas tube that contained a return spring and guide rod. The Charlton was also built to feed from modified 30-round Bren magazines. A finned barrel, pistol grip, vertical foregrip, and bipod were all built onto the gun and the end product barely resembled an SMLE at all.

r/ForgottenWeapons - The Charlton automatic conversion with SMLE mag.

The Charlton automatic conversion with SMLE mag.

r/ForgottenWeapons - The Charlton with the modified Bren magazine.

The Charlton with the modified Bren magazine.

r/ForgottenWeapons - The Charlton conversion blueprints.

The Charlton conversion blueprints.

Charlton performed these conversions at his motor workshop in Hastings. Many of the surplus rifles he was to convert had become decrepit and the army could not spare any replacement parts, so Charlton had to outsource repairs to several other workshops in the local area, dragging down the production time considerably. Soon enough the supply of Lee-Metfords was expended and SMLEs were now used instead. Production came along very slowly but ultimately all 1,500 units were finished before the war’s end in 1945.

After the war, most of the Charlton conversions were put into storage in a military depot in Palmerston, which was later destroyed in a fire, taking most of the Charlton guns with it. Now only a few survive today and are mostly museum pieces.

In 1944, the Electrolux company of Australia produced two prototypes of an improved Charlton gun. The operated was the same but it was built to a better standard with a new, redesigned body. This version could have been quite reliable but by the time it was produced, there was no interest in the design.

Australia also had another SMLE conversion. It was designed in 1944 by Sgt. William Ekins, from a family of gunsmiths, and was similar in concept to the Howell. Blueprints for the conversion were drawn up at the Australian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers workshops, but it is not likely that a working model was ever built.

r/ForgottenWeapons - The Electrolux-built Charlton conversion.

The Electrolux-built Charlton conversion.

r/ForgottenWeapons - The Ekins automatic rifle from Australia.

The Ekins automatic rifle from Australia. Austen - England MK-1 Machine gun 9 mm Luger | Rock Island Auction MK1. AUSTEN Submachine Gun – The Armourers Bench. MK1S. Austen Mk II – 02 – The Armory ! kokoda 1
kokoda 2 Australian Kokoda Mk.1 & 2 submachine guns (1943 - 1951) : r ...

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Pin on Interesting and rare guns mccrudden. Andrews Machine Carbine. AMC. OWEN GUN PROTOTYPES

The Australian War Memorial has at least one of each Owen gun prototype in its collection. Pictured side by side, it is interesting to see how the development of the gun progressed from shed-built contraption to standard-issue small arm:

(1): Owen’s .22 prototype submachine gun, home-built from rifle parts, a drum magazine operated by a coil spring and a trigger made from a piece of spring steel.

(2): The original second experimental Owen made at Lysaght’s factory and chambered in .32-calibre.

(3): The third experimental Owen, chambered in .45ACP. The barrel used was a repurposed Martini Henry rifle.

(4): One of two fourth prototype Owen guns in the AWM collection, all produced in .38 by Lysaght. This is a short-barrel version, the second is a long-barrel variant.

(5): The fifth prototype Owen, the first version chambered in 9mm. The action is similar to the .38 version and retains the long barrel.

(6): One of the first production Mk.I Owen guns made at the Lysaght factory. It features a skeleton stock made from steel strapping and is fitted with a Lee Enfield sling.

# Australian Electrolux Prototype Electric Machine Gun (Apparently). Anyone have any information on this.

r/ForgottenWeapons - Australian Electrolux Prototype Electric Machine Gun (Apparently). Anyone have any information on this.

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AC III Thunderbolt Cruiser Tank AC III Thunderbolt Cruiser Tank - Tank Encyclopedia AC IV 17-pdr Armed Sentinel Cruiser Tank AC IV 17-pdr Armed Sentinel Cruiser Tank - Tank Encyclopedia. [A production AC1 tank]

An AC MkI tank on trials.

Yeramba self-propelled 25 Pounder

Boomerang from No. 5 Squadron RAAF

Tank AA, 20 mm Quad, Skinkhttp://www.wardrawings.be/WW2/Files/1-Vehicles/Allies/3-UK/03-CruiserTanks/Sentinel/AC4-Sentinel.htm. Hull and turret of the Australian Experimental Light Tank, sometimes ... AELT

Early production Ram Mk II at CFB Borden

A Sexton on display at the Dutch Cavalry Museum in

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Tank Cruiser, Ram Mk I
Ordnance QF 2 pounder / 40mm gun (171 rounds).
Tank Cruiser, Ram Mk II
Early production: Mk III QF 6 pounder (57 mm) gun with 92 rounds.
Late production: Mk V six-pounder. Auxiliary turret and sponson door removed. Browning .303 in (7.7 mm) machine gun fitted in ball mount.
Badger
A flamethrower equipped tank. The first Badgers were Ram Kangaroos with the Wasp II flamethrowing equipment (as used on the Universal Carrier) installed in place of the bow MG. Later models were turreted Rams with the equipment in place of the main gun.
Ram Kangaroo
Ram with turret removed to give an armoured personnel carrier capable of carrying 11 battle-ready troops (or – more often – as many as could fit) as well as the two crew. See Kangaroo.

  • AC IA [8]
  • 1x QF 6-pounder gun
  • 1x Vickers machine gun
  • 3x Cadillac V8 engines
  • AC IB [8]
  • AC III “Scorpion” [8] An AC1 that was to be produced in Victoria with mostly components imported from the US. Not related to the AC3 Thunderbolt.

Rhino Heavy Armoured Car WarWheels.Net- Rhino Armored Car Index Pin on WW2-Tanks and vehicles of the Australian army AUSTRALIA. TRUCKS, 15-CWT. WIRELESS SIGNALS (AUSTRALIAN). THREE-QUARTER ...