doubletap9
CGN Regular
- Location
- Niagara Peninsula
Interesting Vickers Armstrong "ammunition testing device" ( on a Mauser 98 action )
Hi All,
I’ve acquired an interesting piece I’d like to share with you all. I haven’t been able to find out too much about it, I’m awaiting replies on a few inquiries to Military Museums in Britain to try and positively identify it. I believe it could be some sort of ammunition accuracy testing platform for the British Military from the “Vickers Armstrong” company, post war ( going by what I could find out from the proof markings and stampings ) … but it’s all guesses at this point.
The only back story I have on it is from the man that picked it up back in the late 60’s, early 70’s. It apparently was imported in a gun and equipment lot from a British Museum that closed around that time. There were supposedly four or five others like it, in different calibers in the same lot. This is apparently the only one that made it here. I searched “Vickers Armstrong” and similar to see if it possibly could be one of the caliber-developing test guns built when they were doing the Pedersen Rifle project back in the day, but so far can’t piece anything concrete together. I can’t even find a picture of one that looks exactly like it, very similar to a Mann Accuracy Device though.
It weighs around 20lbs, 7 x 57mm Mauser caliber. The receiver is a “Gew 98” Mauser ( 1908 ) and the stock and receiver have Waffenstamps in several places. I’ve never seen a bolt assembly quite like it. Standard 98 Mauser, but the handle has a brass knob inset in it. The barrel is a thing of beauty … 2 inches in diameter, rifling still very sharp and clean, top is stamped “.283 “. Previous owner test fired it with ammunition that came with the gun in the box with the bipod assembly … the gun had very little recoil, obviously due to the weight. I have no plans to fire it personally at present, at least not until I find more out about it.
All I have done for cleaning was a liberal wipe-down with an oily rag to get 40 + years of gun-safe dust and some remnants of dried cosmo off, and a bore cleaning to see the condition of the rifling. Could use a little TLC with a toothbrush, but it is in fine condition overall.
It really is a neat piece, and I will add any further information I find out about it. If anyone has any info to add, feel free ..
DT
The second claw-foot was missing when it was imported ...
Hi All,
I’ve acquired an interesting piece I’d like to share with you all. I haven’t been able to find out too much about it, I’m awaiting replies on a few inquiries to Military Museums in Britain to try and positively identify it. I believe it could be some sort of ammunition accuracy testing platform for the British Military from the “Vickers Armstrong” company, post war ( going by what I could find out from the proof markings and stampings ) … but it’s all guesses at this point.
The only back story I have on it is from the man that picked it up back in the late 60’s, early 70’s. It apparently was imported in a gun and equipment lot from a British Museum that closed around that time. There were supposedly four or five others like it, in different calibers in the same lot. This is apparently the only one that made it here. I searched “Vickers Armstrong” and similar to see if it possibly could be one of the caliber-developing test guns built when they were doing the Pedersen Rifle project back in the day, but so far can’t piece anything concrete together. I can’t even find a picture of one that looks exactly like it, very similar to a Mann Accuracy Device though.
It weighs around 20lbs, 7 x 57mm Mauser caliber. The receiver is a “Gew 98” Mauser ( 1908 ) and the stock and receiver have Waffenstamps in several places. I’ve never seen a bolt assembly quite like it. Standard 98 Mauser, but the handle has a brass knob inset in it. The barrel is a thing of beauty … 2 inches in diameter, rifling still very sharp and clean, top is stamped “.283 “. Previous owner test fired it with ammunition that came with the gun in the box with the bipod assembly … the gun had very little recoil, obviously due to the weight. I have no plans to fire it personally at present, at least not until I find more out about it.
All I have done for cleaning was a liberal wipe-down with an oily rag to get 40 + years of gun-safe dust and some remnants of dried cosmo off, and a bore cleaning to see the condition of the rifling. Could use a little TLC with a toothbrush, but it is in fine condition overall.
It really is a neat piece, and I will add any further information I find out about it. If anyone has any info to add, feel free ..
DT
The second claw-foot was missing when it was imported ...
