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LOT 1647
U.S. M2 60mm Mortar, Class III/NFA Destructive Device - Serial no. 29104, 60 , 25 inch round bbl., green paint finish. Developed in the late 1930s, the M2 60mm Mortar was the U.S. Army’s go-to company level indirect fire weapon through World War II, Korea and Vietnam. In the latter two wars, the opposing forces are known to have been supplied with a direct copy of the M2 manufactured by the People’s Republic of China, putting this weapon on both sides of the fight. The design is a traditional “Stokes” style, with a fixed firing pin at the base of the tube and a combination of tube angle and adjustment of round charges setting the range, allowing for great flexibility in angle of fire and a high rate of repeat fire on target with a trained crew. A pair of hand-cranked mechanisms in the bipod permit windage and elevation adjustment, with an M4 sight with angle indicators and dual spirit levels mounted to the left side and a 1945 dated data plate on the right. The mortar tube is green painted, with a leather and canvas carry strap/muzzle cover, and set into a green painted spiked baseplate. Included with the lot is a wooden ammunition crate marked for illumination rounds (crate is empty). CONDITION: Very fine, with 80% of the military green paint finish, showing mild wear and handling marks overall. The leather shows minor cracking but is generally in fine order. The tube is untested, but the firing pin is present and the adjustments and sight are in good order. NOTE: This Destructive Device is a National Firearms Act (NFA), fully transferable Class 3, which is registered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, (BATFE) under the provisions of 18 U.S.C. Chapter 44 and 27 CFR part 478. Estimate: 6,000 - 9,000
LOT 1648
General Electric U.S. M9A1 “Bazooka” Shoulder-Fired Recoilless Rocket Launcher, Class III/NFA Destructive Device - Serial no. 120876, 2.36 inch cal., 60 inch round bbl., green finish, metal stock, plastic grips. An evolution of the M1, the M9A1 was part of the “Bazooka”/”Stovepipe” line of shoulder fired anti-tank rocket launchers. The first of its kind, the Bazooka was a massive shift in how infantry dealt with tanks and armored vehicles and replaced the then underpowered anti-tank rifles of the inter- war era with a shaped charged rocket that could cope with the armor plating of the day. While other designs have come about, the basic principles are still in use today, and “bazooka” is still a recognized nickname for the entire class of weapon. The M9A1 was introduced in 1944 and would see America through the close of World War II. Constructed from two sections of steel tubing, the launcher could be broken down for storage and transport, with a flip-out optical sight for aiming and an integral magneto in lieu of an ignition battery. Both halves are marked “M9A1” near the junction point, and the serial number near the breech. CONDITION: Very fine, retaining 85% of the original green paint finish, showing mild wear and handling overall. The ignition system is untested, and the optics are in fine order, and a contrast in color between the front and rear halves of the tube. NOTE: This Destructive Device is a National Firearms Act (NFA), fully transferable Class 3, which is registered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, (BATFE) under the provisions of 18 U.S.C. Chapter 44 and 27 CFR part 478. Estimate: 5,000 - 8,000
LOT 1649
British WD&S M2 2 Inch Light Mortar, Class III/NFA Destructive Device -
Serial no. L150903, 2 inch , 20 inch round bbl., brown finish. A former mainstay infantry weapon of British/Commonwealth infantry forces, the 2 inch mortar was used to provide indirect HE fire, smoke cover and illumination rounds in a relatively lightweight package. Overall finish is a brown paint, with the serial number, caliber and maker’s marks on the detachable threaded tube. The baseplate is a streamlined “spade” design echoing the Japanese “knee mortar”, with a spring loaded firing mechanism. CONDITION: Very good, with 80% of the brown repainted finish, showing some flaking and wear, along with areas of exposed patinated steel and areas of rough texture in the underside of the tube. The firing mechanism needs to be mechanically reset, but is otherwise in mechanically good order. NOTE: This Destructive Device is a National Firearms Act (NFA), fully transferable Class 3, which is registered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, (BATFE) under the provisions of 18 U.S.C. Chapter 44 and 27 CFR part 478. Estimate: 2,250 - 3,500