Sunday 10 March 2013

eBay bug - Britains' Royal Artillery Gun

I seem to have caught the eBay bug (I'm a late starter) and have been keeping an eye out for any of the Britains artillery toys for my Funny Little Wars project. I'm not entirely sure if this was a bargain, but I did really want one of these (No 1201 Royal Artillery Gun) so I felt it was £6 well spent...

As you can see it does have a spot of rust, but I don't think it's in that bad nick. £6 seems OK to me as there are some stupid prices being asked for these...

There again I have over-spent big style this month and am waiting for the wife to say something. The only way I can think of redeeming myself is to put my old Scalextric stuff that's been gathering dust in the attic for years on eBay to fund my new addiction!



Second 1201 Gun arrived - photo studies
I managed to pick up a bit of a clunker at a ridiculously low price (due to being badly titled on eBay I think), it actually cost more in postage than to buy. This poor thing has obviously see a fair bit of action on the play room floor and the mechanism is shot (excuse the pun) and the wheels and barrel are a little crooked. But it seems to me to be a good 'fixer upper'.




UPDATE (again!):
Two things - first I think you can see from the last photo exactly why the gun will not fire - there is an obstruction in the breech. So I have to remove this (it's pretty tightly stuck whatever it is), once this is done the gun *should* fire as intended.

Talking of which, I tracked down the original instructions:-

Box: The latest pattern Royal Artillery Gun Patent No 34218/30 FIRING Pull back breech cover, place shell in breech, leaving about quarter inch exposed. Depress lever on right to fire. The Gun is also designed to fire a shell by an Amorce Cap. Pull back breech cover as for ordinary firing, place Amorce Cap in circular depression, insert shell and depress firing lever. Note, the gun is more powerful and realistic by this method. (Amorce Caps are not supplied with the gun). R.A. Gun No 1201 Copyright Models Manufactured by W Britain in London, England Trade Mark Regd No 459993

Wow! I gotta try firing with a cap! :)

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