December 6-8, 2023 Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/6/2023
British Lanchester machine gun, immediately recognizable by its brass magazine housing and classic profile. This model is the culmination of the Bergmann MP/18 System Schmeisser and MP-28 designs as essentially copied by the British in an attempt to utilize less expensive materials and time-consuming manufacturing processes in the final days before stamped sheet metal machine guns became the order of the day. Marked "LANCHESTER MK I*" with British broad arrow proof on top of magazine housing and with a crown proof on underside of magazine housing forward of the swivel pin. 1 original 50-round magazine and a bayonet with scabbard are included with this lot. It is of interest that the common standard Sten magazine interchanges with this gun. Electronic NFA registry indicates "Lancaster, England" as the manufacturer. CONDITION: Overall appearance and finish is extremely fine to near excellent original black enamel painted finish (just as it should be), with loss of finish revealing the brass of the magazine housing on the flats, and to a lesser extent with the finish thinning on the rounded parts of the magazine housing. Wood may have been lightly sanded with some finish reapplied but this is difficult to discern as the edges are still sharp and crisp, and the occasional handling mark and bruises are felt when one runs their fingertip across the wood. Bayonet is very clean with a fine blade, and the scabbard is also extremely fine. Bore of gun is extremely fine to near excellent, shiny and bright. Bolt face is near excellent. Mechanics are crisp. This is a full-auto-only machine gun. One of the finest original specimens of a scarce British machine gun this cataloger has ever encountered. This cataloger can attest that these guns are exceptionally fun to shoot. A pleasant, slow-firing, and historical classic machine gun one can take to the range. 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 2023-12-14