Here's an S&W I'd never heard of

[jtcarm]

Sorry if this is the wrong forum, but these seem pretty historical.

I came across them in Cabela's Gun Library yesterday.

A 9mm SMG submitted by S&W to the British in WWII.

 

[alaskavett]

Cabelas is not a class III dealer so they are semi auto. I believe the Brits destroyed the majority of them and some years later some were found in the plant and sold in the 70's. Curious as to what Cabelas had them. Kyle

 

[ISCS Yoda]

Very interesting!

 

[murphydog]

They were given C & R status so are legal to own; supposedly they are not safe to fire but some members have done so and are still among the living . Official name 1940 Light Rifle:

http://smith-wessonforum.com/search...of=FORID:10&ie=UTF-8&q=1940+Light+Rifle&sa=Go

 

[jtcarm]

Cabelas is not a class III dealer so they are semi auto. I believe the Brits destroyed the majority of them and some years later some were found in the plant and sold in the 70's. Curious as to what Cabelas had them. Kyle

Yep that's what the history said, the Brits destroyed most of them. Something like 2,200 produced.

I'm curious as to why the magazine is so wide, it looks like it should accommodate a much longer cartridge.

 

[Club Gun Fan]

Yep that's what the history said, the Brits destroyed most of them. Something like 2,200 produced.

I'm curious as to why the magazine is so wide, it looks like it should accommodate a much longer cartridge.

The magazine well is also the ejection port. The size looks deceiving. The magazine is actually half the size you see. If you look at the rifle at the bottom, you will see the bottom plate of the magazine. The space behind it is the ejection port.

 

[deadin]

$9,999.99 ?? Guess they didn't have room on the tag for $10,000.00

Have they really reached this level ??

 

[jtcarm]

The magazine well is also the ejection port. The size looks deceiving. The magazine is actually half the size you see. If you look at the rifle at the bottom, you will see the bottom plate of the magazine. The space behind it is the ejection port.

Ah, thanks for the explanation.

 

[Club Gun Fan]

$9,999.99 ?? Guess they didn't have room on the tag for $10,000.00

Have they really reached this level ??

Not in my opinion. Fellow SWCA member Ernie Rice and I displayed a Light Rifle this past June and we won Judges Choice. We had seven one of a kind experimental Light Rifle pieces in the display. They all came from the collection of Smith & Wesson Historian Roy Jinks. The entire collection cost way less then the $9,999.99 they want.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

As I recall the Light Rifle was submitted to the British and an order was placed, but the guns were found to be so problematic that the order was cancelled and most of those actually delivered were destroyed.

Not one of S&W's success stories.

 

[hkcavalier]

That's the most "art deco" firearm I've ever seen.

The only thing worth more than a rare failed design is a rare successful design...

 

[Gunhacker]

As I recall the Light Rifle was submitted to the British and an order was placed, but the guns were found to be so problematic that the order was cancelled and most of those actually delivered were destroyed.

Not one of S&W's success stories.

And if I remember correctly, the Brits wanted their money back, but S&W didn't have it to give back, and that's how the Brits ended up with all of those Victory model M&P's. Lucky for S&W they we're willing to accept the M&P's in lieu of a refund.

 

[Club Gun Fan]

And if I remember correctly, the Brits wanted their money back, but S&W didn't have it to give back, and that's how they ended up with all of those Victory model M&P's.

Fact is Smith & Wesson used most of the money in design and building the Light Rifle.

 

[Miami_JBT]

The deal saved them from financial ruin. They were hurting with the Depression. Colt was still the majority of the LE guns in the US at the time.

 

[kwill1911]

I think it is obvious but maybe not...it was/is NOT a SMG. It is semi-automatic only.