Name the weapon? 1970's Vintage

Mo_Gearhead · 02-22-2008, 09:10 PM

Going through some of my old photos. Any of you ever encounter this weapon?

Setting: 1971 (Nam)

A much younger 'Gearhead' overlooking a portion of 'Elephant Valley'.

Post your guesses.

slodave · slodave's Garage

Grenade machine gun? I can't seem to find a model similar to your photos. Is it based off the M79?

jyl · jyl's Garage

mk 19 grenade launcher?

slodave · slodave's Garage

Quote:

Originally Posted by jyl

mk 19 grenade launcher?

I was thinking that too, but there are differences between the posted pics and what found. Hm.

Milu · 12:01 AM

Looks like a Striker shotgun from South Africa. Or one of the American made variants like the street sweeper or the protecta. Basically a large revolver firing a shotgun cartridge. Except I think the striker dates back to the early 80s.

Tim Hancock · 02-23-2008, 05:05 AM

That has to be some kind of grenade launcher.

berettafan · 02-23-2008, 05:19 AM

way too big a bbl for a shotgun. it certainly appears to fire large rounds either grenade or very big mm. stuff.

Porsche-O-Phile · Porsche-O-Phile's Garage

I was watching a program on the Military Channel the other night where they were talking about SEAL team weaponry (specifically stuff from the Vietnam era) - Hush puppies, etc. That launcher looks suspiciously like one of the weapons used on that program. MK-19 possibly?

Drdogface · Drdogface's Garage

"grease gun" 45 auto slow cycle Not sure of the real name

cashflyer · 02-23-2008, 06:30 AM

The front site hood is similar/same as the M79, and the barrel diameter also looks similar. I would probably guess that it is some sort of grenade launcher, though it does not look like a Mk18 or Mk19.

tabs · 02-23-2008, 11:20 AM

The Receiver looks like a Browning Model 1919 30 cal MG, However it is a Grenade Launcher. Possibly an Armorers Special of some kind. I really am not up on esoteric military weapons. So I can not copmment further.

berettafan · 02-23-2008, 11:25 AM

wouldn't the drum magazine make you think the rounds are rather pointy at the nasty end?

slodave · slodave's Garage

The barrel looks just like the barrel from a "thumper", even the sight looks the same. The tripod looks like it is from the Mk19.

Joeaksa · 02-23-2008, 12:04 PM

Actually it looks like an old WW2 .30 cal air cooled Browning with the pistol grip, that has then had a lot of crap put on the top of it!

Is it some French piece of crap that you guys found and modified?

The two extra magazines by your foot are not marked nor look standard, so its almost got to be some sort of prototype weapon of sorts unless its foreign.

I was in the Army the same time frame you were and do not remember seeing anything like that.

slodave · slodave's Garage

Here's the M79, look at how the barrel looks to be the same...

3.2 CAB · 02-23-2008, 01:08 PM

Resembles a Mk.18 mod.0

MRM · 02-23-2008, 02:23 PM

Looks like a Striker to me, too. I don't think it is a Milcor MGL, but it's possible. I vote Striker.

Buckterrier · 02-23-2008, 04:10 PM

From a friend that owns 150 weapons and 2 16" battleship rounds... it's a variation of an Mk19 40mm grenade launcher. He thought it was odd having a pistol grip vs. a spade grip, (all greek to me). But I knew he'd know, lol.

Buckterrier · 02-24-2008, 03:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mo_Gearhead

Going through some of my old photos. Any of you ever encounter this weapon?

Setting: 1971 (Nam)

A much younger 'Gearhead' overlooking a portion of 'Elephant Valley'.

BTW Gearhead... thanks, that certainly was a rough period in our history. I was one year removed from going. My older brother did have his draft card but was also one of the fortunate ones.

Mo_Gearhead · 02-24-2008, 05:00 AM

Quote: "BTW Gearhead... thanks, that certainly was a rough period in our history"
_____________________

Thanks for that. Indeed a very 'unpopular' war. How unpopular?
The first time ANYONE (including my family/friends) EVER thanked me for serving in that war was about 1984 (and it was a WWII vet) at a party.

No parades necessary. Most of us came back and quietly melted back into society and got on with our lives.

_______________
Additional weapon hints: As someone has observed, those are two, additional magazines at my feet. And ...the ammunition for that weapon came in the wooden box you also see in the photo (not a metal one).