VERY NICE BRITISH HOTCHKISS PORTABLE MK1* MACHINE GUN

VERY NICE BRITISH HOTCHKISS PORTABLE MK1* MACHINE GUN

03-1806
Cal. .303 British
S# 23973

Bbl. 23.5″. The rights to manufacture the Hotchkiss Machine Gun were was purchased by Great Britain to increase the number of machine guns in inventory during World War 1. Introduced in March of 1916, it was designated the Mark 1 & fed from rigid metal feed strips. Shortly after its introduction, it was revised to have the ability to function w/ both feed strips and belted ammunition. This was done primarily to make it more suitable for use as tank guns & received the new designation as the Mark 1*, introduced in June of 1917. This example is the Cavalry model, which was manufactured w/ a removable tubular shoulder stock attached to a short brass pistol grip. The stock tube was encased in 2 circular wooden pieces & the rear had a hinged shoulder rest to help support & control during use. Typical of the Hotchkiss designs, the barrel is massive, measuring over an inch in diameter at its smallest, increasing to a 6″ section of large cooling fins towards the chamber, measuring over 1.75″ in diameter. Toward the chamber end of the barrel, approximately at the 1/2 way point of the gun are 2 mounting trunnions used to interface w/ the mounting apparatus, in this case a small, swiveling & folding, brass & aluminum tripod, supporting the Hotchkiss 12″ above the ground. Tripod marked “MOUNTING TRIPOD”. This tripod has 360 degrees of movement when employed. The sights are offset to the left side w/ the front sight consisting of an exposed blade. The rear sight is elevation adjustable from 100 meters to 2000 meters. Left side of receiver marked; “HOTCHKISS PORTABLE MACHINE GUN MK1* / PATENTED / CALIBER .303 / No E.23973”. Top cover marked; “BELT OR STRIP FEED”. Feed spring marked “No 2”. The operating mechanism is an open bolt, gas operated, select fire system. The safety / selector is located to the rear of the rifle, combined w/ the charging handle, and has the appearance of a very large bolt action rifle. After charging the system by pulling it to the rear, the degree it is locked closed in will determine whether it is in safe, semiautomatic or fully automatic. There is also an extra position for disassembly, to fully remove the charging handle to the rear so it is extremely important to fully understand this system before trying to operate it.. MAGS: 1 brass 30 rd. & 1 steel 30 rd feed strip.

UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: 1 spare tripod assembly, 1 spare bolt & bolt carrier, 1 spare grip frame, 1 spare charging handle, 1 spare handguard, 2 spare recoil springs & some misc. small parts.

NATIONAL FIREARMS ACT MG REQUIRING BATF TRANSFER BEFORE TAKING POSSESSION. FULLY TRANSFERABLE.

PROVENANCE: From the Lifelong Collection of Brian Linde.

STATUS: CURIO CLASS III