May 18, 2022 Extraordinary Firearms
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 5/18/2022
Absolutely beautiful fluted jacket Vickers water cooled machine gun in commercial contract serial number range as registered by Richard Wray of Cincinnati. Unarmored commercial with original chains, and drain plug hardware (no cork present). Gun is currently in 7.62x54Rmm with modified to 7.62x54R brass feedblock and 7.62x54R lock extractor. Additional accessories include a nicely boxed set of 8mm Mauser conversion parts (1 8mm barrel, “7.9” marked steel feedblock and a complete “VSM” lock with unmarked 8mm extractor). Additional barrels beyond what are in the gun, and in the 8mm conversion kit are 2 7.62x54R barrels, and 3 .303 barrels. Also there is an additional 7.62x54R feedblock and 3 complete locks in 7.62x54R. There are 3 additional complete .303 locks and 2 additional brass .303 feedblocks present as spares as well. For belts there are 3 250-round brass tabbed cloth “1943” “Dunlop” belts which were originally .303, but are now “stretched” and 2 of these hold steel cased Romanian 8mm Mauser ammunition (in a nice steel box with tin insert boxes which hold these belt very nicely). Can No. 2 has 3 250-round brass tabbed cloth “1943” “Dunlop” belts filled with clean brass cased .303 “ASO” headstamped ammunition, in tin insert cans. Can No. 3 has 3 empty 250-round brass tabbed cloth “1943” “Dunlop” belts in tin insert cans. There is Guiette Manufacturing Co M7A2 Vickers/Maxim belt loader included as well, and crate with 2 sealed 440-round spam cans of 7.62x54R ammunition. 2 original British leather gunners tool pouches (1 set) are included with this lot which contain: Brass hammer, belt repair pliers, broad arrow marked hog-nosed pliers, spanner wrench, broken case extractor, Russian Maxim fusee spring tension gauge, screwdriver, tapered punch, and lock takedown punch. Other useful spare parts to have on hand are in a zip-lock bag, and include: 1 complete cork-chain-drain cap assembly, a second cork only with hardware, and a cork without hardware. Also 3 coils of barrel packing, 3 muzzle disks, 3 firing pin springs, 2 firing pin (1 short and 1 long), 1 .303 booster cup, 2 lock levers, 1 gibbs spring, 1 fusee goose-neck, 1 trigger bar, 1 sear safety bar, 1 fusee spring, 2 bags of cotter pins, a plastic container of brass belt repair pieces, and large brass hex barrel packing tool. A complete World War II Vickers tripod (1942 marked) with original belt box holder, water can, and 2 steam condensing hoses are also included, as well as an original green painted transit chest. Clearly, the collector/consignor of this fabulous ensemble knew exactly what he should have to be able to shoot this fine example of a Vickers into the 21st Century, and to be able to shoot it in .303, 8mm Mauser, or 7.62 Russian depending upon his desire and the availability of ammunition. Electronic NFA registry indicates “Form 2 Registration" as the manufacturer of this gun. Incoming paper ATF form 4 indicates “VSM” with Cincinnati address, “3906 Colerain Ave” in the manufacturer’s block. CONDITION: Overall appearance and finish is extremely fine original commercial blue finish thinning to a grey and brown patina at the high edges of the corrugated water jacket. Finish thinning to a grey patina at other high edges. Typical green verdigris at the muzzle booster. Action is very clean. Wood handles extremely fine with light handling marks, and very attractive. Bore is extremely fine, shiny, and bright. Bolt face also extremely fine. All spare barrels have extremely fine or better rifling, and near excellent finish. Spare locks also extremely fine. Belts are extremely fine and serviceable with evidence of use. Mechanics are crisp. This is a full-auto only machine gun. After World War I, Vickers did seek to sell their guns commercially on the world market, and several countries, including Portugal, Japan, and others availed themselves of the opportunity. These commercial guns are beautifully made, exhibiting the finest fit and finish of any Vickers guns produced, as they were not made during “wartime conditions”. From the perspective of the modern-day collector/shooting enthusiast the Vickers is one of the most desirable of the rifle caliber water-cooled machine guns because they are most readily and easily converted to different calibers according to the desires of the owner. There is not much more that a would-be shooter/collector could ask for in a Vickers gun than is offered right here. 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. JWK 2022-3-43
Accessories
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