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Tuesday, 9 July 2019
Firing a STERLING SUB MACHINE GUN.
I've fired plenty of different sporting guns, but as part of my CCF and Officer Training courses, I was also invited to fire a variety of military weapons. Amongst others was the standard Lee Enfield .303 rifle with a kick like a horse, the Bren Gun that you fired lying down (very unpleasant), and the simple Stirling Machine Gun, which was almost toy-like.
The Stirling was by far my favourite. It sprayed bullets at quite a rate, of which about one in thirty was roughly on target. I believe the gun itself cost about 12/6d to make.
If I'd ever had to lead men into battle, it's certainly the weapon I'd have chosen. It gave a feeling that one was 'clearing a path'.
Those target men 'going down like ninepins' (at the end of the video) must have been faked. With a Sterling it would have been impossible.
The Thompson used a 0.45” calibration bullet while the Stirling was 9mm. The Stirling was replacement for the Sten gun which really was dangerous to the user as well as the target.
The 303 was lovely to shoot, straight as an arrow, it had a kick but then it did go a very long way. My memory of the Bren gun, as a cadet, was it was very heavy and if it was not cleaned it reverted to semi automatic mode. I used the SLR which was a bit plastic. Never tried the new stuff. Last time I was near the cadets was in 1978....fun times.
I think if you are after rabies there were rumours of Bren guns rechambered for the .410 shotgun cartridge. Expensive carnage...
I agree that the .303 was very accurate, but I did find it a bit of a brute. I would have hated to carry one into battle. I didn't like anything about the Bren. Firing from the hip (Rambo style) might have been better, but the prone position was nasty.
The Sten, the predecessor of the Sterling, wasn't actually that bad a weapon. It was though an open bolt design that was prone to getting fouled with dirt in combat. My father, though an officer, preferred to carry one in WW2 in Franceand Germany as it was far more useful than a pistol. Oddly enough years later as a sniper I carried a sterling as a backup weapon to the Accuracy International rifle I used. It was very handy for close up work indeed. I never thought the. 303 that bad but the slow rate of fire must have cost many men their lives in WW2. We'd have been far better off copying the US Garand. The Bren was useful but its small magazine was a terrible limit on its ability to produce suppressing fire. That was why they adopted the GPMG whose ability for sustained fire saved many lives in the Falklands incidentally.
Your knowledge about such things is obviously far greater than mine. As youngsters we fired these things simply to understand how they felt to fire. Most of us had gone out Rabbiting with a 410, but that was the limit of our experiences.
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Optimistic Cro!
The difference between an optimist and a pessimist, is that the optimist enjoys himself whilst waiting for the inevitable! I AM that optimist!
This is a daily, optimistic, 'photos and comments' blog. I make no judgements (only occasionally), just notes. If you wish to comment in any way at all, please feel free. Everything and everyone (except the obdurate and dictatorial) is very welcome.
I was born just south of London, but for the past 50 years I've lived in S W France. I am a painter by profession, and writer by desire. Lady Magnon and I live between an ancient cottage in a tiny village in perfectly tranquil French countryside, and a bijou townhouse in Brighton UK. In France we have plenty of fruit trees, all situated amongst a view that takes the breath away, in the UK we have a handkerchief sized patio. We also have a Border Collie called Billy. I try to treat our planet with respect, and encourage others to do likewise (without preaching).
Contentment is a glass of red, a plate of charcuterie, and a slice of good country bread. Perfect!
I shall have to get one for the OH as the pesky rabbits are proliferating at a great rate of knots.
ReplyDeleteIt would be wonderful for Rabbits.
DeleteI've never fired a gun
ReplyDeleteAnd would love to
You'd love to fire a Sterling; you feel like a gangster.
DeleteThey were very popular with the British Army. I don't know whether the replacement has ever been so popular, whatever it is. Methinks maybe not.
ReplyDeleteThe Sterling was the UK equivalent of the US Thomson (or Thompson) machine gun. Very gangster-ish.
DeleteIs this your new way of clearing pests from the veg garden?!
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately I had to give it back; they wouldn't let me keep it.
DeleteThe Thompson used a 0.45” calibration bullet while the Stirling was 9mm. The Stirling was replacement for the Sten gun which really was dangerous to the user as well as the target.
ReplyDeleteThe 303 was lovely to shoot, straight as an arrow, it had a kick but then it did go a very long way. My memory of the Bren gun, as a cadet, was it was very heavy and if it was not cleaned it reverted to semi automatic mode. I used the SLR which was a bit plastic. Never tried the new stuff. Last time I was near the cadets was in 1978....fun times.
I think if you are after rabies there were rumours of Bren guns rechambered for the .410 shotgun cartridge. Expensive carnage...
I agree that the .303 was very accurate, but I did find it a bit of a brute. I would have hated to carry one into battle. I didn't like anything about the Bren. Firing from the hip (Rambo style) might have been better, but the prone position was nasty.
DeleteFor calibration read calibre and for rabies read rabbits
ReplyDeleteThe Sten, the predecessor of the Sterling, wasn't actually that bad a weapon. It was though an open bolt design that was prone to getting fouled with dirt in combat. My father, though an officer, preferred to carry one in WW2 in Franceand Germany as it was far more useful than a pistol. Oddly enough years later as a sniper I carried a sterling as a backup weapon to the Accuracy International rifle I used. It was very handy for close up work indeed. I never thought the. 303 that bad but the slow rate of fire must have cost many men their lives in WW2. We'd have been far better off copying the US Garand. The Bren was useful but its small magazine was a terrible limit on its ability to produce suppressing fire. That was why they adopted the GPMG whose ability for sustained fire saved many lives in the Falklands incidentally.
ReplyDeleteYour knowledge about such things is obviously far greater than mine. As youngsters we fired these things simply to understand how they felt to fire. Most of us had gone out Rabbiting with a 410, but that was the limit of our experiences.
DeleteINSTEAD OF GETTING A LOAN,, I GOT SOMETHING NEW
ReplyDeleteGet $5,500 USD every day, for six months!
See how it works
Do you know you can hack into any ATM machine with a hacked ATM card??
Make up you mind before applying, straight deal...
Order for a blank ATM card now and get millions within a week!: contact us
via email address::{universalblankcards11@gmail.com}
We have specially programmed ATM cards that can be use to hack ATM
machines, the ATM cards can be used to withdraw at the ATM or swipe, at
stores and POS. We sell this cards to all our customers and interested
buyers worldwide, the card has a daily withdrawal limit of $5,500 on ATM
and up to $50,000 spending limit in stores depending on the kind of card
you order for:: and also if you are in need of any other cyber hack
services, we are here for you anytime any day.
Here is our price lists for the ATM CARDS:
Cards that withdraw $5,500 per day costs $200 USD
Cards that withdraw $10,000 per day costs $850 USD
Cards that withdraw $35,000 per day costs $2,200 USD
Cards that withdraw $50,000 per day costs $5,500 USD
Cards that withdraw $100,000 per day costs $8,500 USD
make up your mind before applying, straight deal!!!
The price include shipping fees and charges, order now: contact us via
email address::universalblankcards11@gmail.com