1943 Enfield No4 Mk1

[Merc]

I went to the MAX (Military Antigue Collectors) show last Friday in Pittsburgh (Monroeville). It’s one of the major events on the east coast with more than 1000 tables. They’re moving the show to York, PA next year to be closer to the major east coast cities. I’d say it was about 70% Nazi with many German speaking buyers looking for WW1 and WW2 memorabilia which sorta surprised me. Saw Greg Gottlieb there (gun expert from Pawn Stars) and a few other semi-famous faces from TV that I recognized.

Anyway, I did see WW2 rifles for sale. The only Enfield I saw was a Longbranch No. 4 that was in pretty nice shape for $450. I also saw several M1903s, 03-A3s and M1917s for $800 - $900, M1 Garands for $1500 - $1800 and several M1 Carbines for $1500 - $2000. There were a lot of Mausers for sale. Don’t particularly want one so I didn’t look at prices.

The gun prices at these shows are usually negotiable so the asking price sets the ceiling.

[lyman]

I have a friend that has gotten into WW2 (and will do some WW1 soon) reenacting,

he did CW for years, but seems they do less and less each year (really peaked as far as events during the 150th)

he lives in SW VA, and travels to Penn, KY, WV and somewhere in Oh that does a beach landing type event,


he says the participation is very strong,

I also met a guy that was from PA at a NOVA Gunshow a couple years ago, sold him a tripod for his dummy MG42,
he told me there were a lot of events to reenact in in the Penn area,

he also did German

[Merc]

I have a friend that has gotten into WW2 (and will do some WW1 soon) reenacting,

he did CW for years, but seems they do less and less each year (really peaked as far as events during the 150th)

he lives in SW VA, and travels to Penn, KY, WV and somewhere in Oh that does a beach landing type event,


he says the participation is very strong,

I also met a guy that was from PA at a NOVA Gunshow a couple years ago, sold him a tripod for his dummy MG42,
he told me there were a lot of events to reenact in in the Penn area,

he also did German

There seems to be a growing interest in WW2 around here. I’ve been to the re-enactment of the D-Day beach landing that’s held each August in Conneaut, OH that’s complete with landing craft, tanks, tank destroyers, a C47, 2 P51s flying, artillery pieces, jeeps, half tracks, German and US machine guns, tons of M1s, M1903s, No. 4s, hundreds of American, German and British re-enactors that come from all over the country. They do an actual beach landing on a beach at Conneaut, OH on Lake Erie that resembles Normandy. It’s really something to see. Thousands of people attend.

Last year, a little old man and his wife walked up to me and he asked me if I knew what a Bazooka was. I told him yes, I did. He then proceeded to tell me that he used to be the soldier in his outfit who fired the Bazooka at tanks and he only aimed at the tank treads. “A blown up tread meant the tank could only go in circles,” he said. We spoke for a few more minutes and then I shook his hand, thanked him and said good bye. I looked at my program booklet when I got home and there was a photo and bio of the man. He was 96 years old. In 1943, he was the baddest a$$ on the battlefield. He came home with a chest full of medals. I looked for him in the program this year but he wasn’t there.

I march at Gettysburg every November in full uniform as a GAR member to commemorate Remembrance Day which was the day Lincoln gave the Gettysburg Address. Sad to say that fewer CW re-enactors are interested in keeping the memory alive. The parade still attracts lots of attention though and perhaps 800 to 1000 marchers.

Liberals threaten to set off explosives along the parade route these past two years which resulted in a heavy police presence and a shortened parade route. It’s all due to the liberals protesting the Confederate marchers carrying the Rebel flag. It’s the same people who are removing Confederate memorials all over the south.

[lyman]

my friend also goes to gettysburg, and has been allowed to camp on the battlefield or adjacent park property,

he is with the 45th VA,
everything they do is as period correct as possible,

they also marched from Dinwiddie Ct House to Appomattox a couple times, (last on the 150th)

they used my shop van and trailer as a support vehicle,

I'll try to remember to send you a link to the pics I have on photobucket of that event