British Army Dump - October 2011 - Last RRPG dig of the year !

[Steve T]

Hi all

Well, I don't think it is a PIAT part.

Here are two pictures from the manual. Now unless the bit WH has is made up of more than one of the parts shown, it doesn't appear to be part of a PIAT. Have a look and see what you think.



On the plus side, I have discovered that, in my 'waiting to be cleaned' pile, I think I have the ring component that joins the butt to the main body of the PIAT, ( number 6 on the above picture). I have also seen one of the butt plate inner frame pieces on the spoil pile. It looks a bit like a bicycle seat frame but I am fairly sure it's this bit of a PIAT butt.



The above picture shows the rear sight that both DM and M3 found examples of. I also believe I have one of the rods shown in this picture, (number 46 I think it is).

Now for more bits that I've ID'd. Who found those MG links ? Whoever it was I've ID'd them. They are BESA 7.92 links !!! See picture below. I hope whoever it was that found them they kept them !



Lastly for now, remember that bit I wanted IDing in the picture with the trigger gauge ? Well, I've found it. It's out of the end of the internal steam pipe from inside the jacket of a Vickers. I've circled the bit in red in the picture below.



Here it is again.....



.......now that is a MATCH ! I now have the pipe and the bit that goes on the end Only another 236 parts and I can make my own Vickers

Cheers

Steve T

[Steve T]

Hang on......found another picture that shows the whole mechanism put together.

Now this really throws a spanner in the works as it does look like the bit you've found WH !

What do you reckon ?



I'm not sure at all now !

Steve T

[cornishboy]

Thanks Steve,great to see all these parts coming to life. good effort!

[Steve T]

Hi all

Well, I've been cleaning again Got some really nice bits to show you

First up a pile of Sten bits. You have to see the amount of Sten parts at the site to believe it really. There are literally THOUSANDS of end caps, cocking handles, trigger covers.........ALL over the site. We've got so fed up of seeing them we don't notice them any more !

First time any of the magazine housings have been found. A couple of barrel shrouds and mags, some nice cocking handles and loading tools.



Two different types of bayonet frogs here, a Bren butt plate, three mags and a curio that I have not traced yet.



And here's a close up of the curio. Found three of them and assume it to be part of a bipod/tripod off something. Just don't know what yet.



Bayonet frogs close up. Two different types with different 'fixings'. Can someone ID precisely what they are from please.



Sten cocking handles. Two different types here although one type is far more abundant than the other.



Close up of one of the Sten mag housings.



Close up of the other one. I was thrilled to discover that the circular object next to it is actually the joining piece ! Only a few more bits and I'll have a relic Sten !



Sten mags. Yes, they are badly corroded, but they are still a good find and in decent condition considering they've been buried for 65+ years.



Last pic. Left is a Thompson 20rnd mag, then a Garand clip, then a BAR mag. The first time I believe a Thompson mag and Garand clip have been recovered from the site.



Cheers

Steve T

[GasMasksUK]

Hang on......found another picture that shows the whole mechanism put together.

I think I'm going to literally kick myself after seeing that photo of the PIAT, I'm 80% sure I found that big springy part at that beach with the water can, mortar parts etc. But I left it thinking it was part of a car or just another piece of junk on the beach

All the Sten parts you are finding is great, you must have nearly all the pieces you need to assemble a whole Sten

Thanks

Danny

[LUCKYSTRIKE]

Hi Steve,
Very Nice assortment of finds again and some great id detective work. I think the two bayonet frog ends are for the same type of Bayonet. The left hand one shows a British hanger and is therefore the 1907 pattern and the right hand one is the US P17.
Cheers
LS

[m3bobby]

Hi Steve, The STEN cocking handles are Mk5 safety type (Thats Mk5 handle, not Mk5 STEN) and the other is the Mk2 type (Could be Mk4 but I cant remember off the top of my head). The Mk1 is the really rare one, its really simple to reproduce though as its just like the end of the Mk2 but with a long straight shaft (Bring on the inuendo).

I think a couple of Thompson mags have been found before, I found one on the trip before last although it was in rough shape. Can you post some more photos of the joining piece, the mag housing slides over the receiver tube and the tube is then fixed to the barrel support by rivets and brazing. The barrel then fits into the barrel support and the barrel nut/shroud screws into the barrel support to hold the barrel tight. Then there is a locking device fitted to the mag housing lock plunger which engages the serations on the barrel lock nut/shroud. Its a well thought out idea except for the fact that the user tended to unscrew the lock nut/shroud as he fired, causing the barrel to become loose. This problem was later solved by a tac weld between the nut and barrel support preventing the nut from unscrewing.

Also, the mag housing you have found would suggest to me that the gun they were fitted to were scrap as that part carried the serial number. Also, if they were from a Mk2, the only way it is possible to remove them is to remove the welded on front sight. If there from a Mk5, they come straight off.

[Steve T]

Thanks M3

I'll try and post pics of that bit later, but it is just a plain bit of tubing. There don't appear to be any holes or anything on it at all. Maybe it's just a piece of junk ? Oh well.......

Steve T

[jayh]

Now for more bits that I've ID'd. Who found those MG links ? Whoever it was I've ID'd them. They are BESA 7.92 links !!! See picture below. I hope whoever it was that found them they kept them !



It was me !!!! and guess what i did !.....yep left them there DOH!!!!!!!!

[Steve T]

Oh for goodness sake ! I'm afraid this means both myself and Davejb are going to have to both slap you when we next see you......

Where did you leave them ? Did you chuck them back in a hole or are they on the side somewhere ?



Steve T