Item:
ON8123A

Russian WWI Imperial Maxim Display Gun on 1911 Dated Early Sokolov Wheeled Mount

Item Description

Original Item: One-of-a-kind. This is the earliest dated Imperial Russian display maxim machine gun that we have ever offered. Rebuilt from original parts to BATF specifications this is totally inert non-firing and is considered a "non-gun" by the BATF so it may be owned without any type of license.

One of the unique features that make this gun so interesting is that the smooth water jacket still shows the deeply engraved Tsarist Royal Cypher of the Double Headed Eagle holding both Orb and Scepter around a shield showing St. George slaying the Dragon. Only weapons used for guarding the Royal Palaces of the Hermitage and the Winter Palace, or in the personal household of the Tsar were so engraved. It is truly amazing that despite the Revolution in 1917 these few examples were not defaced as so often happened under the Government of the Soviet Union.

Another amazing feature is the early wheeled Sokolov mount. This one-of-a-kind mount is of the earliest type we have ever encountered in that it originally had two folding front legs that were officially removed. The mount is clearly dated 1911. The rotating crosshead is mostly all brass and bears multiple numerical markings and much of the paint has been removed from the brass so these markings are quite evident.

This gun must have led a romantic existence serving in the Imperial Russian Army seeing in WW1, went through the revolution and was again used in the 1939 invasion of Finland where it was captured. It remained in the hands of the Finnish Army until released to IMA in 1996.

One of the very rare earliest variations of Hiram Maxim's Russian Water Cooled Machineguns introduced at the later half of 1905. Known by its smooth water jacket constructed from steel with brass facings, and called the M-1905/1910 model, which superseded the M-1905 massively heavy and expensive, all brass water jacket, only made during the first year of production. As these weapons were always painted modern collectors did not discover this steel/brass variety until the release of captured Russian Maxim Guns from Finland in 1996.

Very decorative, very historical from a "Fallen Imperial Empire" and will polish up to be everyman's fantasy; straight out of Dr. Zivago! Movie Trivia: Because of the rarity of the early Russian maxim guns during the cold war the Maxim guns shown in the film "Dr. Zivago" are in fact British Vickers Guns! Yes, yet another illusion shattered!

Approximate Dimensions:

Length (mounted): 56"

Width (mounted): 24"

Height (mounted): 23"

Watch a M1910 Maxim gun fire on our TV show Family Guns on the National Geographic Channel. Understand that an individual must have a special license issued by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to rebuild a machine gun into fully automatic condition. This part set CANNOT be rebuilt without having that license and manufacturing multiple integral parts.

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  • Not eligible for payment with Paypal or Amazon

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