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This is getting very interesting, because I am really wondering what qualifications, training and experiences some of the people who are making Posts really have to support their views.
I must say that I am of the opinion that people like SMELLIE are the ones to pay attention to when it comes to reading the posts on this thread.
I happen to know SMELLIE, and I live about 20 miles from him, so we have Coffee regularly, discuss things, and chat about some of the more "interesting" posts made by people on the Forums. At 71, I am one of those "old farts" who have about 60 years of shooting experience, some military experience, and some rather thrilling moments in life at the sharp end of the stick.
Both of us are old target shooters from way back, particularly on the Military Ranges. SMELLIE was taught to shoot by William "Bisley" Brown, a six time member of Canada's Bisley Team, and three times it's Captain. He was good enough to qualify in score to go to Bisley, but due to a young family and finances, he could not afford to go.
I know what this is like, because I was in the same position. High enough scores to qualify, but even with the DND subsidy at the time, it still would have cost over a month's wages to go and someone starting out with a new family just could not afford to pay this. My "Mentor" was an old Sergeant-Major who was retired caretaker at the local Armouries. He also had been an Instructor at the School of Musketry in Hythe, England. You might say that we both learned to shoot from the Best, but most of all, we were taught proper cleaning and maintenance of our rifles.
SMELLIE graduated from University with a Degree in History. His Thesis on Small Arms is still quoted today. He has been a Newspaper Editor, and later when he moved West, he worked in a very large gun shop where he did gunsmithing and repairs. He was also friends, and shot as a partner, with one of the most meticulous experimenters of reloading and shooting that ever fired a rifle.
If you happen to know his real name, and you look in "Cartridges of the World," you will see that name and an acknowledgement by the Author of SMELLIE's contributions to the knowledge he has made to that Book.
He is an acknowledged authority on Military Small Arms, but particularly the SMLE/Lee-Enfield and Ross Rifles, along with the Maxim Machine Guns.
SMELLIE has visited the Pattern Room. To get permission to do this, you have to have a VERY good reason, and you are investigated before permission is granted. He wanted to study the early Maxim Machine Guns there. A display was set up for him, and when he walked into the room, he spotted something right away. He walked up to it, and while he was looking at it his Guide noted that they knew it was a Machine Gun but were unsure of just what it was. SMELLIE then said it was the first, (Number 1) Maxim machine gun, and he proceeded to take the lock out of it, show it to the Guide, and said "See here, serial number 1." He then told the Guide that three of these prototypes were made, with the location of the other two, at Hythe and U.S. Naval Museum in Annapolis Maryland.
Then to make it more interesting, SMELLIE pulled out one of his notebooks, checked it, pulled out another one, and informed the Guide that if they phoned the Museum of Science and Technology on the other side of London, they would find that Maxim's original patent drawings and correspondence on the gun were there. The Guide call an Assistant and sent him off to phone. About 15 minutes later, the Assistant came back and announced, "The papers are there, but they have no idea of where the gun was." SMELLIE just stood there with a big grin on his face.
Using his notes, SMELLIE later sat down and within an hour, he wrote them an Operating Manual for the 1889 Maxim Machine Gun.
I think from his posts and willingness to impart knowledge, information and help to the Members of this form, SMELLIE is a valuable asset and Member.
It would be interesting to see just what qualifications that some of the people here who are a bit more rabid on their views actually have.
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talk about "the Spanish inquisition" some people have no sence of haha!
