Rifle that shoots no ammunition!!!!!!

[Geordie bloke]

Hi All. As a youngster I used to be in the Sea Cadets, and we regularly used to use the local Territorial Army 25 yd indoor .22 rifle range which I loved and got the taste of cordite and oil and wanted more.
In the Cadet armoury in the bowels of the building we had the de-activated No 4s which were used for rifle drill/guard etc and whilst down there cleaning the place up I noticed a packing case and opened it.
Inside were Enfields but the No 1 version I think, but upon inspection it was apparent that they could not fire live ammunition and were in fact a training rifle and once cocked fired a metal pin/spike popped out of the muzzle.
To operate the shooter lay down and a miniature target was placed on the wall at the same height as the muzzle which was positioned about 1/2 an inch from the muzzle and upon 'firing' the spike popped out and pierced the target.
Now I am sure that they had some benefit, but not sure why someone would go to all that trouble when they could use the real thing!
Must have been a trigger pulling/sight acquisition/training tool. Anyone heard of these things before?
Cheers

[ovenpaa]

More than heard of, I have seen one in the flesh and also read of them on the webynet (Rifleman site maybe?) Fascinating things although it does remind me of the Dad's Army "Up two three, bang two three, down two three" thing :lol:

[Dave 101]

Theres a Swift training rifle which does what you are describing , heres some info http://rifleman.org.uk/index-50.html

Dave

[tikkathreebarrels]

Now I am sure that they had some benefit, but not sure why someone would go to all that trouble when they could use the real thing!
Must have been a trigger pulling/sight acquisition/training tool. Anyone heard of these things before?
Cheers

Dave's already mentioned the Swift aka Overpriced hen's teeth. I remember not more than 15 years ago seeing one as a wall hanger in a pub. Don't know if it was complete internally but I could not prise it away from the landlord.

Looking back they were, I suppose, a bright idea which meant you could instil basic rifle training in the vicar's front parlour and avoid having to deal with flinching and recoil: in fact as dry firing is often recommended to overcome flinching, they would be something of a good thing.

[Blu]

Geordie: I remember them, we used to have two such rifles when I was an Army Cadet. Jeez thinking back how times have changed. We used to meet on Wednesday night and Sunday afternoons in the cadet building of the local TA centre. Every third Sunday afternoon we would show up in combat kit, draw No4 rifles and blank ammunition, usually ten rounds. We would then march from the TA centre with rifles and ammo to a place called Colington Dell about two miles away. Colington Dell was a large wooded area that was used by everyone for Sunday afternoon walks and the likes.

Once at the Dell we would be split up into two groups, one group would be the defending force of a chosen location which was usually on top of the single hill in the Dell and the other group the attacking force. Then battle commenced. We would all quite happily blast away at each other with the blank ammo and no one ever complained or called the Police, indeed folks used to stop and watch our little battle with some amusement, some even used to applaud when it was all over and we were counting the dead.

I don't imagine with the world the way it is the Cadets do that anymore which is a little sad, by the time I joined the Army I had a fair understanding of infantry tactics, could read a map and draw a range card from a hide along with a few other skills.

BTW Geordie, them there Sea Cadets and Air Training Corps, poofs :lol: ACF all the way.

Blu

[Geordie bloke]

[quote="Blu"]Geordie: I remember them, we used to have two such rifles when I was an Army Cadet. Jeez thinking back how times have changed. We used to meet on Wednesday night and Sunday afternoons in the cadet building of the local TA centre. Every third Sunday afternoon we would show up in combat kit, draw No4 rifles and blank ammunition, usually ten rounds. We would then march from the TA centre with rifles and ammo to a place called Colington Dell about two miles away. Colington Dell was a large wooded area that was used by everyone for Sunday afternoon walks and the likes.

Once at the Dell we would be split up into two groups, one group would be the defending force of a chosen location which was usually on top of the single hill in the Dell and the other group the attacking force. Then battle commenced. We would all quite happily blast away at each other with the blank ammo and no one ever complained or called the Police, indeed folks used to stop and watch our little battle with some amusement, some even used to applaud when it was all over and we were counting the dead.

I don't imagine with the world the way it is the Cadets do that anymore which is a little sad, by the time I joined the Army I had a fair understanding of infantry tactics, could read a map and draw a range card from a hide along with a few other skills.

BTW Geordie, them there Sea Cadets and Air Training Corps, poofs :lol: ACF all the way.

===========================================================================================

Hi Blu, yes we poofs in the Sea Cadets used to do night exercises (no not those kind of night exercises that you kn*b jockey/pongos did in your sleeping bags) LOL. But we went out in two groups and tried to capture the opposing team or something they had (a nuclear weapon or suchlike), but they only gave us No 4s but no blank ammo as it would have woken the locals.
They did tell the police that there was a bunch of us poofs running about from midnight until six in the morning, but the local plods were well ok with that, but try doing that now and see what happens.
But I agree with you that the Air Training Corp were a right bunch of brylcreem boy mincers and were to be laughed at with derision and scorn.
Hugs and best wishes,
Jolly Jack

[ovenpaa]

The Army cadets still get out and do things in our part of the country, I was walking the dogs along the woods early one evening and could see them spread out in the distance, occasionally there would be a shout and they would throw themselves into the ditch and then climb out a few minutes later.

We caught them in the end and I do remember the scowl on the face of the young thing hiding in the hedgerow as I gave her a cheery wave on the way past :lol:

[Dangermouse]

Makes a change to hiding in a ditch watching the young things walk past..

[Geordie bloke]

I still love hiding in ditches waiting for nubile ladies to pass in the evening sunshine, but the current tagging order restricts me somewhat!!!

[ovenpaa]

You two are bad on so many counts..... :lol: