This is a desirable WWI reactivated Lewis Machine gun as manufactured by the Birmingham Small Arms (BSA) Manufacturing Company. Prior to WWI these were considered the premier, air cooled, light machine gun and was the first machine gun to actually be mounted and successfully used on an airplane in flight in 1912. These were originally produced in 1910/11 by the Automatic Arms Company of Buffalo NY. They are a gas-operated, open bolt design that uses a long stroke operating rod mounted under the barrel that is connected to the bolt. This design was developed by Samuel McLean and later improved by Lt. Col. Lewis who added the large outer barrel jacketed and rear cooling fin assembly on the barrel. During WWI, this version was produced in both Belgium and in England by the BSA company and was effectively used by several countries during WWI to include both the British and Belgium Armies, and U.S. AEF. The top of the receiver is marked in two blocks "Manufactured by/The Birmingham Small Arms Co. LTD./ENGLAND/for" and "Armes Automatiques Lewis/BELGIQUE". In front of the rear sight it is marked "LEWIS AUTO GUN./MOD. 1914 PAT.". It has a fixed front sight with a large tangent rear sight graduated from "1-19" (100-1900 meters). The rear end of the barrel jacket, rear receiver and top cover were all numbered "A 34049". The bolt is numbered "Y4302". It has numerous original British Crown proof and acceptance marks. It comes with four of the circular drum type magazines, (each holding 47 rounds). Also included with this lot are two disassembly wrenches, a ruptured shell extractor a spare bolt as well as two packets of spare parts, mostly small internal parts, an oiler cans and two drum recoil springs in their storage containers. This desirable machine gun has an all blued finish with a dark walnut stock and pistol grips. This lot comes with two books; the Belgium Rattlesnake by Easterly and the SA Identification Series, .303 Lewis Machine Gun by Skennerton. This lot includes a total of four magazines.

Very good as reactivated with 95% plus of an arsenal type refurbished blued finish overall showing minor light pitting underneath the blue finish. The barrel jacket is more of a dark brown patina which maybe the original finish, and it also shows some areas of light erosion/pitting overall. The stock is in fair condition showing some heavier pressure dents on the sides with a large chipped area on the heel and left side of the tang. It also appears that this weapon was reactivated at some point as the lower right side of the barrel jacket was at one point welded to the front edge of the receiver. The receiver has been repaired and remachined in that area and looks correct while the lower right side of the barrel housing still has the visible old welded area. NOTE: This item is restricted as a National Firearms Act (NFA), Fully Automatic Weapon that is currently registered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms and Explosives (BATF&E) that has been classified as a "Curios or Relic" as defined in 27 CFR, 478.11. These weapons are still subject to the provisions of 18 U.S.C. Chapter 44 and 27 CFR part 478.