Tell me about Lend Lease firearms

T

TheWhole9Yards

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Thought this might be an interesting topic to discuss, there is some high level information found using google however I feel there is more to learn from the pool of knowledge here on CGN. What weapons were made under this program? Were they used in front line service? How did they come back?

I have two LL firearms, from my understanding they are the most common. A Savage made No4MK1* and a S&W victory revolver.

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Ian (from Forgotten Weapons) recently relayed that a big reason for the S&W revolvers to the British was because of the failed S&W light carbines that had been pre-sold to the British.... :yingyang:
 
Are you sure it's a M1917? Britain and Canada bought S&W Hand Ejector (HE) models in .455 in some quantities in WWI. The HE and the M1917 are essentially the same pistol with mostly cosmetic differences. There are some .45ACP M1917's with the US Property stamp, usually under the barrel, but I don't think those were part of the British lend-lease program. Could have gone to another country under the LL program though. M1917 will be stamped on the bottom of the grip U.S. Model 1917.
 
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The British contracted with Savage to produce the Number 4 rifle, and Savage and Long Branch co-operated with each other. That is why you can find Long Branch parts in the Savage rifles.

Because of the U.S. Neutrality Laws, the firearms could not be sold to a foreign country unless it was made for the U.S. forces, so that is why they were marked "U S Property." The Army had all these "substitute standard" rifles but not much ammunition for them. The Navy had millions of rounds of .303 ammo, but few weapons to fire it. Thus, these weapons and ammunition was then declared "surplus" and could be sold to England.

Aircraft could not be flown out to the country, but on the Canadian prairies are airfields that come right to the border, with another American airfield on the U.S. side. Aircraft were flown to the U.S. field and parked near the border. During the night, many of these aircraft disappeared, thanks to a stout rope and a tractor or team of horses.
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Cottage Hill Bill said:
Are you sure it's a M1917? Britain and Canada bought S&W Hand Ejector (HE) models in .455 in some quantities in WWI. The HE and the M1917 are essentially the same pistol with mostly cosmetic differences. There are some .45ACP M1917's with the US Property stamp, usually under the barrel, but I don't think those were part of the British lend-lease program. Could have gone to another country under the LL program though. M1917 will be stamped on the bottom of the grip U.S. Model 1917.
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I am certain, at first I also thought it was a 2nd model HE but the butt is marked US Model 1917, the barrel just says S&W D.A. 45
 
buffdog said:
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The British contracted with Savage to produce the Number 4 rifle, and Savage and Long Branch co-operated with each other. That is why you can find Long Branch parts in the Savage rifles.

Because of the U.S. Neutrality Laws, the firearms could not be sold to a foreign country unless it was made for the U.S. forces, so that is why they were marked "U S Property." The Army had all these "substitute standard" rifles but not much ammunition for them. The Navy had millions of rounds of .303 ammo, but few weapons to fire it. Thus, these weapons and ammunition was then declared "surplus" and could be sold to England.

Aircraft could not be flown out to the country, but on the Canadian prairies are airfields that come right to the border, with another American airfield on the U.S. side. Aircraft were flown to the U.S. field and parked near the border. During the night, many of these aircraft disappeared, thanks to a stout rope and a tractor or team of horses.
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and therefor not sold to the British but loaned or leased.

once the US entered the war this was no longer the case but they just kept stamping the 'US Property'
 
All of the Lee-Enfield production from Savage went to the Brits, so all of those would have received the US prop. marking. My understanding is that once the contract was filled Savage transferred the left over parts to Long Branch which is why you see lots of Long Branch guns with Savage parts but not so many the other way 'round.
 
As for the OP's question, there are plenty of Lend-Lease M1928A1 Thompson SMG's sitting on the bottom of the Atlantic thanks to German U-Boats(some estimates place the number as high as 200,000). Those that made it across the pond were used by Commonwealth forces until the STEN was perfected and put into production. Thousands were also sent to the Nationalist Chinese and wound up being used against UN forces in the Korean War.

I once read that a Commando unit - upon receiving their allotment of STEN's - absolutely refused to give up their Thompsons. They took one look at the STEN guns they were given and said "Hell no, mate!!!" :d
 
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