September 10-12, 2024 Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 9/10/2024
Nothing attracts good guns from potential consignors than demonstrating accurate, exciting descriptions, and great results. Here is one of the very few Fully Transferable and Curio and Relic-eligible Italian Breda Model 37 machine guns in the NFA registry. Very unlikely that there are more than 5 or 6 specimens total eligible for transfer to non-dealers. This gun is in 8mm Mauser (8x57 mm), which remains a plentiful and obtainable cartridge. Barrel (204A) and top cover (819) do not match the receiver number. Many desirable accessories are included with this gun. The anti-aircraft accessory kit in original wooden box includes shoulder loop, bipod and AA post which snaps onto the tripod, clamp-on AA spider sight, and slide on rear AA sight. Original tripod and original gun transit chest with spare barrel (sn 918A). Loading machine in box. Five original feed strip carrying boxes with 75 feed strips total, and an original gunner’s reserve parts and maintenance kit, which is nearly complete with only two empty compartments. The small parts tin is filled with small parts, and it is noteworthy that there is a spare bolt in this kit as well as the bolt in the gun. This gun was built in Rome in 1941 and so marked on the left side of the receiver. The potential buyer will be interested to know that this gun removes, chambers, and fires each round, and, as part of the cycle of the action, then emplaces the empty cartridge case back into the feed strip. This design and function was intended to keep troublesome brass out of sensitive areas of vehicles or aircraft. The loading/unloading machine is almost a requirement to remove the spent cases from the feed strips and then insert new live rounds. Electronic NFA registry indicates “ITALIAN” as the manufacturer. The potential buyer should review the video on YouTube of another transferable Breda that we sold in 2023. Just search "Italian Breda M37 HMG". PROVENANCE: Dick Wray Collection. CONDITION: Overall appearance and finish is near excellent original black enamel finish. Bores of both barrels are extremely fine, shiny and bright. Bolt faces are near excellent. Tripod and boxes are in original green paint. Some of the strip boxes have splits yet remain serviceable. Anti-aircraft accessory box had a split the entire length of the back of the cover and this is “floating”. This could be repaired by a good woodworker. Gun mechanics are crisp. This is a full-auto-only (nice slow firing) machine gun. This gun was at one time in the personal collection of noted machine gun collector Richard (Dick) Wray of Cincinnati. Anybody who has seen, and perhaps fortunate enough to have shot one of these guns at the range knows how incredibly fun they are to shoot. High condition WWII machine guns from the major nations of World War II have proven themselves to be highly desirable historical collector’s items. Add the recognition of being an excellent and durable design, a popular recreation gun in a caliber readily obtainable, and rarity as a fully transferable specimen of this model, and you have something the discerning, forward-thinking machine gun collector/shooter/investor should seriously consider. Some collectors desire to acquire an example of a rifle-caliber machine gun from each major power which participated in WWII. Their collection will not be complete without a Breda machine gun. THIS IS A NATIONAL FIREARMS ACT ITEM AND REQUIRES BATF APPROVAL PRIOR TO TRANSFER. THIS ITEM IS FULLY TRANSFERABLE ON AN ATF FORM 3 OR 4 AS CURIO AND RELIC ELIGIBLE. JWK 2024-09-084.
Accessories
crate, tripod, links in boxes
Caliber/Bore
8x57mm Mauser