{"title":"Vickers Display Guns and Parts Sets","description":"The Vickers machine gun or Vickers gun was the water-cooled .303 inch (7.7 mm) machine gun produced by Vickers Limited, originally for the British Army. It was in service from before the First World War until after the end of the Second World War.","products":[{"product_id":"original-east-german-cold-war-era-sks-style-bayonet-training-rifle-with-sling","title":"Original East German Cold War Era SKS Style Bayonet Training Rifle With Sling","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginal Item: Only One Available. This is a wonderful training item dating back to the East German Cold War Era. Training rifles such as these fall into the category of the “non-firearm” types as they were not produced with any real components. The purpose of these training rifles was to ensure that both the soldier and their issued weapon systems would not be harmed. The “bayonet” on the end of the fake barrel is a spring loaded plunger, designed to retract as if you are running your target through.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe rifle itself is in fantastic condition and shows signs of faithful use. The plunger still retracts but no longer detaches from the end, the sling is still solid and the stock has no significant cracks present. As far as it goes for the exact origin of it, the general consensus after researching a bit is that they are East German with the possibility of being from an Eastern Bloc country.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eComes more than ready for further research and display. \u003cbr data-mce-fragment=\"1\"\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Original Items","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40635742814277,"sku":"ONSV23MGD18","price":225.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/files\/ONSV23MGD18__01.jpg?v=1701120926"},{"product_id":"original-british-vickers-machine-gun-parts-set-with-colt-tripod-and-transit-chest-nepalese-contract-serial-number-12","title":"Original British Vickers Machine Gun Parts Set with Colt Tripod and Transit Chest - Nepalese Contract Serial Number 12","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginal Item: Only One Available. When IMA purchased 55,000 weapons from the Royal Nepalese Army in Kathmandu Nepal in 2003 we received 18 World War One .303 British fluted jacket water-cooled Vickers machine guns with matching tripods.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese guns were the complete Vickers contract specially supplied for the mountain Kingdom of Nepal and were serial numbered N1 through N18.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThese Vickers guns were a special order in the mid 1930s however the contract was routed through some international arms dealers of the day no doubt because of political or commission based considerations.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe principal go-between was one Rameshwarlal Bazaj who placed this special order with Soley-Grimard, a joint venture between British and Belgian arms brokerage houses. Originally the quantity was to be 36 units but was cut by 50% to just 18 and these were shipped in 1935.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe guns have some of the earliest Vickers features including of course the fluted water jacket and were supplied in the original commercial satin blue finish.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eExtraordinarily, each gun was fitted with an optical sight mount very similar in style and location to the MG 08 optical system (sight regrettably absent). Additionally each gun was accompanied by a matching numbered tripod (number location is on original tripod data plate). Each of these original tripods was made by COLT and are the U.S. Pattern but the data plates were customized. Still showing \u003cstrong\u003eVICKERS MACH. GUN \/ TRIPOD \/ MARK IV \u003c\/strong\u003eon the upper half the Colt inscription below was removed and \u003cstrong\u003eSOLEY - GRIMARD\u003c\/strong\u003e stamped in its place. This was done presumably in the hope of future reorders.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAcross the center of the data plate is a large rectangle stamped \u003cstrong\u003eNEPAL № 12\u003c\/strong\u003e, which matches the gun. The brass crossheads are all marked with matching serial numbers but plus 100 resulting in \u003cstrong\u003eN 112\u003c\/strong\u003e on this example, making this an incredibly rare, very limited Vickers contract with a hint of intrigue of the pre WW2 covert arms market. \u003cstrong\u003ePlease note that at some point the chains and mounting pins were removed from the crosshead, probably to use as spares long ago.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis parts set comes in its original wood transit chest with inlet to allow use with the optical sight mount. Despite arriving in Nepal just before WWII it appears these never left the mountain kingdom during the conflict and as a result have remained in remarkably good condition retaining most original finish etc.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Vickers Parts set offered here has Serial number \u003cstrong\u003eN12\u003c\/strong\u003e or \u003cstrong\u003e12\u003c\/strong\u003e on most of the major components, with the exception of the lock, which was probably replaced long ago as the main wearing parts. Marked parts include the water jacket, feed block, top covers, spade grip assembly, crank lever assembly, barrel extension plates, and more. There may also be crossed out markings next to the new serialization as well. Many components also bear early markings of \u003cstrong\u003eV.S.M.\u003c\/strong\u003e (Vickers, Sons \u0026amp; Maxim), very desirable early markings.\u003cstrong\u003e There is no barrel included with this set, as they were not able to be imported.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHistory of these weapons is discussed in some detail on pages 112 to 115 in the book \u003cem\u003eGUNS OF THE GURKHAS\u003c\/em\u003e by John Walter, which chronicles the Nepalese cache acquired in 2005.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Original Items","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":42994171510853,"sku":"ONAC25116","price":5995.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/files\/VICKERS__00.jpg?v=1751475999"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/collections\/ON3617__20.jpg?v=1563392113","url":"https:\/\/www.ima-usa.com\/collections\/display-guns-parts-sets\/replica-non-firing-guns.oembed","provider":"International Military Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}