Fall 2023 Premier Firearms & Militaria Auction
November 3rd, 4th, 5th, & 6th, 2023
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!
BRITISH HOTCHKISS PORTABLE MK1* MACHINE GUN
03-1627
Cal. .303 British
S# E20839
Bbl. 23.5″
The rights to manufacture the Hotchkiss Machine Gun was 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 was a hinged, wooden carry handle for quick movement.
Directly below the carry handle were 2 mounting trunnions used to interface w/ the mounting apparatus, in this case a small, swiveling & folding tripod, supporting the Hotchkiss 12″ above the ground. 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.20839”. 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. Tripod correctly marked “MOUNTING TRIPOD .303 INCH HOTCHKISS TYERS 1917”.
MAGS: 1 case of approximately 18 pounds of 30 rd. brass feed strips.
UNATTACHED ACCESSORIES: 1 spare tripod assembly, 2 spare barrels, 1 chambered in .303 British & the other in 7.62x54R. The .303 has aggressive rifling & what appears to be a cosmoline interior coating as well as forward mounted brass tripod trunnions. The 7.62x54R barrel has strong rifling w/ a bright bore.
NATIONAL FIREARMS ACT MG REQUIRING BATF TRANSFER BEFORE TAKING POSSESSION. FULLY TRANSFERABLE.
CURIO CLASS III
