M1918 Winchester B.A.R. Furniture Question

[azboater]

My recently acquired C&R Winchester Lens Lease

British Proofed M1918 B.A.R. Is still in original Semi/Auto

Configuration

it arrived with A2 furniture including A2 Tripod,

foregrip, & Firestone composite buttstock it also has a Korean War 1953 dated HSA barrel installed it also arrived with an original set of M1918 wooden Furniture foregrip and stock

 

Question: can the original furniture, buttstock & foregrip be installed with no issues being that it is not an original barrel

And any buttstock issue with possibly a buffer conflict?

Thanks in Advance

[Annihilator]

Why should it be a lend and lease when it has a 1953 dated barrel ?

[azboater]

Ummmm.......

It got replaced sometime after it returned from England?

Just a guess......

[Annihilator]

You should check if it is really select fire, if not, then it probably has a long buffer installed, the genuine 1918 had a short buffer. I do not know if the long buffer fits in a WW1 wooden stock. Others on this forum sure will know. As for the hand guard, they are interchangeable.

[azboater]

Yes it is single fire F & Auto fire A as in M1918

Fired it yesterday and today no hiccups

It is Not slow/Fast auto fire as an M1918A2

So your saying I could have the original buffer that fits the wooden stock?

Does the M19A2 stock work with the original M1918 model buffer?

[jim c 351]

AZ,

Should be no problem installing original wood.

I tend to think someone liked the looks of the A2 better than the 1918, so they switched stocks, had it parkerized, and replaced the barrel.

I did the same thing with my OOW semi BAR. I removed the beautiful walnut stock and installed a Korean era composite stock.

If I decide to sell it, I'll switch back.

My Winchester is also a lend lease and retained the semi/full feature.

Since you gun is still semi/full its doubtful the buffer was messed with.

Jim C

[azboater]

AZ,

Should be no problem installing original wood.

I tend to think someone liked the looks of the A2 better than the 1918, so they switched stocks, had it parkerized, and replaced the barrel.

I did the same thing with my OOW semi BAR. I removed the beautiful walnut stock and installed a Korean era composite stock.

If I decide to sell it, I'll switch back.

My Winchester is also a lend lease and retained the semi/full feature.

Since you gun is still semi/full its doubtful the buffer was messed with.

Jim C

Jim,

Exactly what I was looking for, Thanks!

Annihilator: Thanks for the input also appreciate it!

[azboater]

Jim,

Another question, since you have one,

were these lend lease guns Parkerized before or on return from being sent overseas by the US?

Or did M1918 guns remained original blued?

Mine is so uniform it looks Arsenal refinished not civilian parked

But I don’t have proof either way

Thanks in advance

[jim c 351]

AZ,

My Winchester has original blued finish and so has most lend lease guns that I have seen photo's of.

I believe these guns were imported by dealers and upon return were never in custody of the US govt. Therefore I believe your gun was civilian parkerized.

If your gun had a hand stamped A2 and converted to fast /slow, then it may have been done by the US military.

My gun looks like it sat in a warehouse in England.

Perhaps your gun saw field use by the Home Guard and had much finish wear and perhaps worn rifling. That would explain everything.

Jim C

[azboater]

AZ,

My Winchester has original blued finish and so has most lend lease guns that I have seen photo's of.

I believe these guns were imported by dealers and upon return were never in custody of the US govt. Therefore I believe your gun was civilian parkerized.

If your gun had a hand stamped A2 and converted to fast /slow, then it may have been done by the US military.

My gun looks like it sat in a warehouse in England.

Perhaps your gun saw field use by the Home Guard and had much finish wear and perhaps worn rifling. That would explain everything.

Jim C

Thanks Jim,

appreciate the follow up

Nick

[emmagee1917]

The WW1 barrel went from fat at the reciever to thin for the rest of the way quicker than the A2 barrels . Check the top cut out to see if there is enough elbow room to fit . If not , it prob'ly be fitted without too much work .

Chris

[deerslayer]

You can put an A2 stock on an original 1918...but not the other way around. You won't get an A2 buffer tube into a 1918 stock.

[emmagee1917]

You can put an A2 stock on an original 1918...but not the other way around. You won't get an A2 buffer tube into a 1918 stock.

 

True , the tube sticks out of the earlier , shorter , 1918 stock . But in this case , he may have the original 1918 tube in the gun , in which case it would fit .

Chris