RRPG dig - British army dump - 21st October 2012

[LUCKYSTRIKE]

Thanks Steve ,
Ned that's a great image thank you, it certainly looks the same 'Springfield 1903 A3' chuffed with that .

Hi Tony
Thanks for the great info on the Regimental markings and the background, I didnt realise that type of plate was still in use during WW1. Your IDs are great thanks for the help and detailed explanations. Ive also checked out the Pattern 14 rifle and was pleased to find the image below. It is very similar but I think A as marked on the image is wider than on my relic and B appears to be open backed where as my find is closed.



Cheers
LS

[LUCKYSTRIKE]

Hi m3bobby
You must have posted while I was composing my reply so I missed it.
This is getting very interesting, you're thinking Japanese Arisaka wow (Steve got a bayonet head for the same so it's possible) , I'll have to see if I can find any images to help confirm.
Cheers
LS

[m3bobby]

Hi LS, That trigger guard is from a modern sporting rifle rather than from a P14 or 17 rifle. Your example is also not from a 1903A3, they have a flat bar trigger guard rather than a machined guard. It looks more like the original 1903 trigger guard rather than the A3. I still think it could be from a Arisaka

[m3bobby]

Arisaka trigger guard (Stripped and minus the mag housing)



This is a Type38 but I think yours is a variation of.

[TonyE]

Having dragged my P.'14 out of the safe, I agree that the relic is not a P.'14. However, I don't think it is either a Type 30 or 38 Arisaka either. Whilst that would make perfect sense at an old British dump, the magazine floor plate release of both types is in the front of the trigger guard and the relic item has a traditional Mauser push button release in the floor plate in front of the trigger guard. I think one of the key points is the hole in the front of the trigger guard. It is too large for the pin of the Arisaka release catch and the wrong shape anyway.

Having had a closer look I am fairly sure it is a Mauser Gew.98, see pictures.

Regards
TonyE

[m3bobby]

That's it Tony, spot on. The machining is exactly the same.

[Steve T]

Wow ! Nice one !

[LUCKYSTRIKE]

Tony, hats off to you an excellent bit of detective work to pin the ID, very pleased its turned out to be German G98 these were mainly used during WW1 but some reissued during WW2 as the need for available weapons grew. Thanks Ned and m3bobby for all your help.
LUCKYSTRIKE

[LUCKYSTRIKE]

Here are a few more cleaned up finds.

First up is the handle/grip for a Browning .30-cal MG M1919A4.



I love this top of a sword/bayonet scabbard, it was only during the cleaning that I realised it was made of brass. It fits a triangular blade, ie used for thrusting rather than slashing. The triangle dimensions are 22mm but probably held a 20mm blade. It has decorative ridges around the two rear sides.



One side is marked with a 4 ?



Martini Henry or Snider butt plate?



Sten mk V stock clip, it's amazing how well these clean up considering how bad they look when dug



Ive up loaded this pic of a Sten mk V to show the stock in place, notice the butt plate it appears to be the same as a 303 plate. Using them on the Sten would make sense because I imagine being mass produced there must have been ample supplies available to fit to the Sten stock. Looking closely it even appears to show the curve of the oil bottle trap?



Following on from this here is a ropey 303 or perhaps Sten mk V butt plate, I'm showing it here because it's nicely marked on the top tongue and inside face of the oil bottle trap with WD arrows and a B?



Surprisingly it is still possible to dig decent steel butt plates!, here are two that I got sadly not been able to id them.



A little fitting with a lever on one side, could it be from a rifle?



Now when I dug this it excited me, first thought was perhaps the barrel from a pistol, its 15cm long with what appears to be 9mm calibre. But on cleaning it I found it had a groove running down the top and even a hole 5cm down from the end. Another suggestion for use was part of a weapon bolt? Any idea's





and to finish off three more steel butt plates, the variety of relics and butt plates coming off this site is awesome.



Thanks for looking and any help with comfirmation of identities.
Cheers
LUCKYSTRIKE

[Richie B]

The scabbard part is from a British socket bayonet - either the Patt 1895 or Patt 1876.

Here's a Patt 1895