Today I’m taking a look at a Mosin Nagant converted to .30-06 caliber in the early 1920s by Francis Bannerman & Sons. They were a huge surplus arms and equipment company for many decades – the Century International Arms of their time, in some ways. They bought a bunch of surplus Remington and New England Westinghouse Mosin Nagant rifles as surplus after WWI, and converted many of them to .30-06 for the American hunting market. While a military rifle that was sporterized yesterday has little remaining value, these Bannerman guns are old enough that they have acquired newfound collector status as an interesting curio of the 1920s.
Common legend is that these is particularly unsafe, but I think that is significantly exaggerated. I wouldn’t run hot 220 round-nose loads through one, but I think mild ammo is just fine (if you own one of these, you can make your own decision about firing it or not). Anyway, let’s take a look, and see what the characteristics of the Bannerman conversions are…
http://www.forgottenweapons.com/
At Forgotten Weapons I think the most interesting guns out there are the most obscure ones. I try to search out experimental and prototype weapons and show you how they work, in addition to more conventional guns that you may not have heard of before. You’re much more likely to find a video on the Cei Rigotti or Webley-Fosbery here than an AR or Glock. So, do you want to learn about something new today? Then stick around!
Items you may have missed...
The Kit of Britishmuzzleloaders: PART SEVEN – Battledress, Khaki Drill, and the 1937 Web Equipment
The 1854/67 Wänzl rifle in caliber 14x33R
Seven shot flintock pistol, 20 shot revolver and other rarities at Holt’s booth at 2019 IWA
George Hyde’s First Submachine Gun: The Hyde Model 33
Bill Ruger’s Prototype WW2 Light Machine Gun
Final Prices: RIA September 2017 Premier Auction (and what I bought!)