Do many milsurps exist from Colonial Africa?

A

avroe

CGN Regular
Rating - 100%
46   0   0
Curious if anyone has any interestingly marked pieces based on the firearm having been made in a former colonial country that has since become an independent african country?

What sort of firearms were commonly issued to colonial troops trying to keep control of africa in the last years?

I'd love to add a couple of pieces that represent this time in history to my collection, and am looking for ideas on where to start my research.
 
Portugese Kropatschek Model 1886 Rifles and carbines were used intensely in Africa. Also a number of Mauser-Vergueiro 1904 rifles were used by South Africa in WW1, those are marked DMGLM on the buttstock. A number of Italian Vetterli 1871/87/16 and Steyr M95 rifles with the AOI marking denote service in Northern Africa. Enfield No.1 MKIII* and No.4 MKI rifles with the U-Broad Arrow marking denote service in South Africa. Also a number of Belgian Mauser M-50 rifles will have a special marking Force Publique (FP) wich indicate service in the Congo. Naturally a number of assorted Models of rifles with the OVS and ZAR markings were used by the Boers during the Boer Wars in South Africa.
 
Last edited:
I had a South African property marked Savage No4 Mk1* which I bought at the humungous Syracuse, NY gunshow many moons ago and subsequently sold to a fellow in Edmonton. It was in excellent condition.
 
Wasn't the UN giving many people in africa money for their firearms? I would think many of the older milsurps would have been the first turned in.

I have a steyr 1886 with bayonet , how would I know if it was african or maccau issue?
 
Although I can't be sure it ever did get to the Belgian Congo, this old SRC 94 was made in 1913 for the Belgian Army, and intended for use in the Belgian Congo. It has a "metric" sight ladder and unique side mounted sling swivels. The one pictured has a rifle butt stock, but I do have the correct rear sling swivel and the correct butt plate. Although research material is scarce, I did find that only 200 were made in this configuration. I haven't found any Belgian proof stamps on it.

Win94ax.jpg

94ax.jpg


If anyone has any more to add to the history of these carbines, please do.
 
If you paid attention during the Nicholas Cage movie 'The Lord of War', the answer is the AK 47. And not many of them get out of Africa - ever.
 
Throughout Africa, you can find military European firearms from all over the world. Africa was a dumping ground for European Colonial countries for over a century. Just about everything you can name from single shot muzzle loaders to revolver, pistols, bolt action rifles, rolling blocks, falling blocks, sub machine guns, machine guns etc. You name it. Africa is still a dumping ground today. Take your pick and start looking around. It's surprising how much stuff there really is. Last year, South Africa destroyed thousands of MLLEs and SMELE rifles.
There is stuff buried all over that continent. Much is being destroyed as we sit in front of our computers but just as much is coming in to replace it.

FN FALs were one of the most common rifles in Africa for years. They probably still are. AK47s, SKSs, M16s any French, British, Asian, Russian, Italian state of the art weapons to name a few.

I don't even want to go into the reasons why they are being dumped so indiscriminately.
 
I guess France too probably had a fair amount of semi automatics brought into its african holdings during the last 100 years.

Does anyone know if France stamped or marked in any way a difference between regular french army rifles and african colony firearms?
 
About 20 -25 years ago many French weapons came out of former French North African colonies and none had any special markings showing use outside of France.
 
I have an all matching Italian Vetterli 1871/87/16 in good+ condition with the AOI marking stamped on the butt stock. JUst need the bayonet to go along with it.....
 
In general, unless the rifle was used by a government that remained STABLE after the colonial period (e.g. south africa), the milsurps are probably worn to rust from hard use by locals, rebels, warlords, etc.
 
Any idea which models specifically came in this wave?

Quite a selection:

- Gras Model 1874/80 Rifles

- Model 1873 revolvers

- Lebel 1886/93 Rifle

- Berthier 1890 Cavalry carbines

- Berthier 1892 Artilley carbines

- Berthier 1907/15 Rifles

- Berthier 1916 Rifles

- Mas 1949 Semi-Auto Rifles

- Mas 1949 Syrian Contrat Semi-Auto Rifles (fitted with a MAS 36 style bayonet).

- MAS 49/56 Rifles (Less than 10 pieces)
 
There were a couple of hundred Martini 303Brit, carbines sold by Wolverine about 15 years ago that were Khartoum stamped. They were replete with British marks as well.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom