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WTS Transferable Winchester 1918 Browning Machine Rifle


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Winchester 1918 Browning Machine Rifle

 

Winchester started manufacturing the BAR with serial number 64001.  So, this example, serial number 101417, is one of the first forty thousand Browning Automatic Rifles made by Winchester! Note in the photo that the receiver is marked “Browning Machine Rifle,” the early designation for John Browning’s invention before this weapon became officially known as the “Browning Automatic Rifle.” This machinegun has an original Winchester barrel, dated December, 1918. Also note, although this BAR has received some of the early 1918A2 parts, the receiver was never marked “1918A2.” Note the absence of magazine guides, common to the A2 version. It has the early style rear sight and gas port regulator, and the earlier military wood buttstock with the cocking handle groove, in use before the plastic stock came into production.

 

Although little is known about this BAR’s history, the bottom of the trigger guard is marked with a large script “S” and the number 144.  See photo.  Someone in the firearms field knows what this early designation discloses.

 

 

The most important quality of this early Winchester BAR is its condition.  As the photos show, this BAR still has its ORIGINAL Blued finish! This is an exceptional example of an early Browning Automatic Rifle.  It is a hybrid version, created from a straight 1918 model, before the 1918A2 had been put into production. Similar examples are shown on page 141 of the late James L. Ballou’s fine work on the BAR: Rock in a Hard Place – The Browning Automatic Rifle. This Browning has been test fired and functioned 100 percent perfect.  It is a true joy to operate. $60,000 plus HIS. Fully Transferable, Curio & Relic and extremely hard to duplicate in this condition.  For questions, please call (877) 437-0251 or email sales@fullautoclassics.com.   Quickly transfers to your dealer by eFile.

 

 

1 Left Full.jpg

2 Receiver Markings.jpg

3 Receiver Rt side.jpg

4 Gas Port.jpg

5 Trigger Guard Markings.jpg

6 Receiver Left side.jpg

7 Rt rec butt.jpg

8 Barrel markings.jpg

9 Barrel Assy Rt.jpg

10 Butt.jpg

11 Proof Marks.jpg

12 Rt Full.jpg

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To confirm its operational condition, seller will provide interested prospective purchasers with video of this BAR shooting,  upon email to sales@fullautoclassics.com.

Thank you for your interest.

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 6/5/2021 at 8:49 AM, 62GUNS said:

PM emailed. Thank you

'62GUNS' Johnstown, Ohio

I have learned that "Service Companies" were attached to various units in World War I.  Their unit badges had the letter "S" on it, just like the mark on the bottom of the trigger guard of this BAR.  Maybe this BAR was rifle number 144 in a WWI Service Company.  Does anyone have information on WWI Service Companies?

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