Summer 2026 Premier Firearms & Militaria Auction
August 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, & 9th, 2026
This auction will feature an outstanding collection of items spanning multiple categories including Modern, Military, Sporting, & Antique firearms & militaria! Below is just a small grouping of select highlights from the massive offering to be featured in this upcoming sale!
EXTREMELY RARE FULLY TRANSFERABLE, CURIO, COLT MANUFACTURED MODEL 1919 30 CALIBER BROWNING AUTOMATIC RIFLE
03-2231 | Cal. 30-06. | S# C101205.
Bbl. 24″. Of all of the Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) variants ever produced, the 30 caliber Model 1919 may be the rarest of them all. The Model 1919 BAR was designed as the first commercial offering and only 1003 total were produced. Of those, 701 were chambered in 6.5mm and sold to Fabrique National (FN). The remaining 302 guns were divided, chambered in a mixture of 30-06, 7.92 Mauser, 7.65 Mauser, 7mm Mauser & even .303 British. This example is one of the rare 30-06 pieces and still remains in beautiful condition today. While the story of the Model 1918 BAR is fairly well known, the Model 1919 BAR is often overlooked, or confused w/ the heavily produced Browning belt feed machine gun, also sharing the model designation of 1919. In 1919 Colt announced the first commercial production of the BAR, designating it the “Colt Automatic Machine Rifle, Model 1919”. Internally, at the Colt factory, it was often referred to as the “Model U”. The first recorded commercial sale following WWI took place on April 11, 1919. They were largely made from military contract overruns, and had only a few differences from the earlier Model 1918. The external differences included a change of the early tubular flash hider, to a simple, blued thread protector. Internally, the recoil spring was relocated inside of a tube in the shoulder stock, rather than inside the gas piston. At a glance it would be easy to confuse it for the military Model 1918. The threaded muzzle sports the thread protector, just forward of the exposed, dovetailed blade front sight. 9.5″ heavily checkered hardwood forend. It has a blued finish on all exterior steel components. The top of the receiver is marked: “COLT’S AUTOMATIC MACHINE RIFLE / MODEL, 1919 – CAL. 30 / BROWNING PAT. FEB 4, 1919 / COLT’S PAT. FIRE ARMS MFG. CO. / HARTFORD CONN. U.S.A. / NO. C-101205”. Safety / selector located on the left side of the receiver, marked “F-A-S”. Folding, ladder style rear sight marked to 1600 yards, w/ battle set peep, protected on sides. Hardwood shoulder stock w/ steel butt plate, retained w/ 2 screws. Rear sling swivel located below shoulder stock. MAGS: 16 steel 20 rd. UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: Steel magazine carrier, complete w/ 15 magazines. Box measures approximately 3.75″ x 6.25″ x 16.75″. Painted OD Green and stenciled “AMMUNITION CHEST CAL-30 M1A1” on front. Locking latch on front. Canvas carry handle on top. PROVENANCE: Military Museum Collection of Shooters Outpost, Hooksett NH. NATIONAL FIREARMS ACT MG REQUIRING BATF TRANSFER BEFORE TAKING POSSESSION. FULLY TRANSFERABLE. STATUS: CURIO CLASS III.
