#Bsa
The Rimfire Report: The Complex British-Made BSA Ralock
Hello and welcome back to another edition of The Rimfire Report! This ongoing series is all about the rimfire firearm world and its many different types of guns, ammo, and shooting sports. Last week we talked about the direction that the rimfire industry might be going and while we were talking about odd designs in the modern age, that got me thinking about quite an odd design that came out of the post-World War II era – the BSA Ralock. BSA or Birmingham Small Arms brought the Ralock rifle to the scene in 1947—an entirely consumer-focused rifle that was a blend of top-notch quality, unique design, and a dash of machine gun inspiration. Let’s dive into what makes this vintage firearm tick, from its funky features and limited production history to where you might find one in the wild today.
HOT GAT or FUDD CRAP? Baby Martini or Obscure and Teeny?
Welcome everyone to the 217th edition of ‘Hot Gat or Fudd Crap?’, one of our many series here on TFB. If you’re new to the series, this is where we look at the most obscure firearms that are actually for sale and ask the question – is this Gat a sweet deal or only have Fudd appeal? Each week the TFB staff weighs in with their thoughts, but readers get the final say in the poll at the bottom of each article.
The British Machine Carbine From 1940-1953, Courtesy Forgotten Weapons and ARES
The Sterling L2A3 was the iconic Cold War submachine gun of the British Army. Inexpensive to make, compact and rugged, it was a design that incorporated the experience from the Sten submachine gun, a weapon which though inexpensive really left a lot to be desired. In a recent video, Ian from Forgotten Weapons and working in concert with Armament Research Services (ARES), produced a video overview of some of the British developments in submachine guns (which they called “machine carbines”) just before, during, and after World War II. These designs helped pave the way for the Sterling, which saw service all the way through the Gulf War until its retirement in 1994.
New Canadian Rangers' Lee-Enfield Replacement Designated C-19
The first new rifles in the prototype batch made by Sako in Finland have been issued to Canadian Rangers, and initial reports are positive. The rifle, which has been designated “C-19”, will replace the venerable but aging .303-caliber Lee-Enfield rifles that have served the Rangers since 1947. The Canadian Armed Forces website reports:
BSA Prototype .45 ACP Pistol at James D. Julia
One of the neat things about taking the plunge into the archives, documents, videos, and even blog posts concerning firearms history, is that it really shatters the perception of a “complete” picture of firearms history created by tabletop books that attempt to catalog “every” type of firearm. A great example of what I mean is the BSA prototype pistol in .45 ACP, up for auction at James D. Julia. Forgotten Weapons has, again, provided coverage of the auction, including this great video on the handgun.