LugerForum Discussion Forums - View Single Post

Johnny Peppers · 06-09-2002, 11:28 PM

Pete,
Lend-Lease weapons were US made weapons that were sent to our allies in WWII to aid in the defeat of the Axis Powers. The President of the United States could accept most anything as payment even down to "direct or indirect benefits". The most common Lend-Lease weapons that we see are the M1 Rifle and the 1911A1 pistol. Most of the Lend-Lease aid went to the British Empire. I only mentioned the Lend-Lease weapons for the fact that they too have the required commercial British proofs. As the weapons were released by the British government for commercial sale, they went through either the London or Birmingham Proof House.
As stated earlier, the Proof Act of 1925 required the words "NOT ENGLISH MAKE" on foreign made weapons and the proof marks were enclosed in a circle.
I am not going to say the author is wrong as I have no idea one way or the other, but prior to 1925 the proof marks were not in a circle and after 1955 they were not in a circle on US weapons coming back from England. This is true of foreign made weapons, so if it was a requirement it was only during the 1925/1955 time period just as the NOT ENGLISH MAKE was a requirement.

06-09-2002, 11:28 PM	#4
Johnny Peppers User Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Calion, Arkansas Posts: 1,042 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Pete, Lend-Lease weapons were US made weapons that were sent to our allies in WWII to aid in the defeat of the Axis Powers. The President of the United States could accept most anything as payment even down to "direct or indirect benefits". The most common Lend-Lease weapons that we see are the M1 Rifle and the 1911A1 pistol. Most of the Lend-Lease aid went to the British Empire. I only mentioned the Lend-Lease weapons for the fact that they too have the required commercial British proofs. As the weapons were released by the British government for commercial sale, they went through either the London or Birmingham Proof House. As stated earlier, the Proof Act of 1925 required the words "NOT ENGLISH MAKE" on foreign made weapons and the proof marks were enclosed in a circle. I am not going to say the author is wrong as I have no idea one way or the other, but prior to 1925 the proof marks were not in a circle and after 1955 they were not in a circle on US weapons coming back from England. This is true of foreign made weapons, so if it was a requirement it was only during the 1925/1955 time period just as the NOT ENGLISH MAKE was a requirement.