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I'd also like to hear the story. When we were coming back from Iraq, we were told, in no uncertain terms, that absolutely no firearms could go.
I'd also like to hear the story. When we were coming back from Iraq, we were told, in no uncertain terms, that absolutely no firearms could go.
Last edited by TomSudz; 09-19-2009 at 06:40.
Do you mean that you were told that you couldn't fill out the paperwork (forgot the form number) to ask approval to have it declared a "trophy of war"? IF so, they've changed the rules from when I was in, during Viet Nam.
Donzi
"...a book you'd recommend..." Go here. There's a how-to on the right colume. http://www.surplusrifle.com/smle/index.asp
Spelling and grammar count!
Times Have Changed
For the worst, I'd say, and it has cost several members their careers, and for some, their freedom. We couldn't bring back any weapon parts whatsoever or even a bayonet...
Viet Nam was a totally different time than post 9-11. During Viet Nam you could mail guns home no problem, they could NOT be full auto, but know of many SKS's, bolt action rifles and even a few muzzle-loaders(friend of mine found a cache of Pattern 1857 short Enfields). That all changed. Now they are not even allowing pre-1898 rifles if they use a center fire cartridge, like Martinis and Rolling Blocks. The bayonet restriction is new. Sounds like the Obama crowd is getting to work. Know of one man who able to bring some out, but he worked at headquarters and knew who's permission to get and which papers to get signed. 99% of the troops don't have that kind of access.
The form in Iraq is CFLCC Form 603-1 (Modified), CFLCC War Souvenir Registration/Authorization. There is a part which states, "I, as Owner or Recieving/Reviewing Officer, do hereby certify that,"Originally Posted by Donzi
Line no. 6 says, "I understand that war souvenir weaponry is not authorized."
I have the form with the bayonet (which, apparently, is not a weapon, go figure) I brought back.
Marine,
Go to page 2 on Guntalk on the "No he won't carry...." thread and read the posts by P. Greaney and Nick Riv..
I belong to a vet group of all Nam vets who were in combat in country in 1968. We meet weekly and many have relatives in the war zones in the Middle East. We all agree that the current military climate makes bringing back weapons of any kind almost impossible. P.Greaney commanded a military customs inspection unit that inspected and sealed all unit equipment prior to it's being returned to the States with the unit. He notes how one Guard unit managed to legally bring back a number of weapons.
The person asking my help on this rifle may be telling a "sea story" and may have purchased it stateside for all I know and I certainly won't ask him.
Having said that, how hard would it be to slip a SMLE into a heavy, greasy, hot piece of armor or other equipment knowing that an inspector would never dig around and find it? I imagine that there are a lot of drug dogs sniffing returned units as drugs always come in from a war zone. It was completely out of control during Nam with Graves Registration people filling caskets with drugs to get them stateside.
My tour was very similar to Nicks up to and including taking my .38Spl derringer with me and bringing it back. Fortunately, I never had to use it as it was my "last ditch" weapon. Our unit was about 80 troops when up to full strength and we had our own tiny firebase. We had to provide our own defense which we did. We were immune to U.S. military harassment from outside our unit while within our own perimeter as we all had security clearances and were a high security mission STRIKE unit. We could and did use any number of unauthorized weapons within our perimeter (BARs, Garands, Thompsons, Sterlings, M2s etc.) in addition to our issue M14s, M16s, M79s and M60s. In my section fighting bunker I had my own Sterling, BAR, Garand, Garand M1D/M84, and Thompson as well as my issue weapons. All but the Sterling were easily had as we'd given the South Vietnamese Arm all of our Korean War small arms and we'd trade with them to get the weapons and ammo we needed. The only weapon that was hard to get was the Sterling and both the Special Forces and CIA field agents had them so a trade was harder and more expensive than for the other weapons. The Sterling was a superb weapon and ran like a sewing machine although it was only 9MM. Our trading position was very good as one of my guys had a Uncle in Reno that would ship porno films to him. They were like gold as trading material.
Nam was like the Wild West in some areas away from REMFs with the only concern being to be as effective as possible. Fighting out of our own firebase made ammo and parts availibility and uniformity a problem easily solved. Up in I Corps one time on an ambush patrol 1/2 klick outside our perimeter, I ran into an army patrol that looked more like a Viking raiding party than anything else. Completely out of control but very good at patrolling and making Charlie and the NVA very nervous at night.
Most units were not like this but just enough were to make great subjects to fuel psycho Nam war movies for decades to come.
Sorry about the very long answer to a short question. Guess I better get back on my meds
SMLE Parts
Say... This is gonna be old info, but you can get lots of SMLE parts from Numrich.
Best advise is to get a "Field" head space guage from Brownells and check the head space before you shoot the gun. But like I said, this is probably old news.
As far as the stock is concerned, you might try Easy Off Oven cleaner. Spray on, let work for 15 minutes, remove with steel wool, wipe with wet towel. Remove wood from barrel and action first. Tip: The rear sight protectors remain with the fore end.
I just bought a Lithgow SMLE the other day, and I am about to try the Easy Off thing.
Hard to believe these almost 100 year-old rifles are still in use. Doubt many M-16's will be hanging around in a similar time, but you can never tell...
Don't ever use oven cleaner to clean up a rifle stock. Oven cleaner works by breaking down organic substances from metal and porcelin etc. Wood is an organic material. What happens is the wood is sapponified when EZ Off hits the surface. That's why all the dirt & grime comes off. It comes off with the disolved wood at the surface along with all the natural oils which belong in the wood.
Sure, it looks good as gold to an untrained eye but the wood fibers are now contaminated with compounds which continue to break down the wood over time. That stock may be 100 years old today. Use oven cleaner and it won't last another 100 years!
That oven cleaner bullcrap spread on the internet more than a decade ago. People who were too lazy and too impatient to use safe methods so they went looking for a shortcut. Then they bragged about how well it worked with little regard to collector value. It's been proven time and time again NOT to use those chemicals but people still insist. Why?
__________________________________________________ ___________________
Never quite as old as the other old farts
Obama. A lifetime of affirmative action gone wrong.
You certainly can bring back rifles and bayonets. However, some liberal douchebags and ignorant commanders who won't read the regs will tell you otherwise. If it was purchased from a local, it is not technically a war trophy and can be imported with the correct customs red tape if you plan months ahead. It's easier to get it through as a war trophy if you have a commander that doesn't believe everything is an illegal war trophy. Believe me, I have gotten both sides of this briefing enough times to make me sick.
In reality, the same general rules were in place in WW2. They were just mostly ignored.
I own firearms not to fight against my government, but to ensure I will not have to.
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