Chrylser Bars?

[Roland, Headless Thompson Gunner]

My first post so bear with me. A dealer at the show in Raleigh this weekend had a BAR at $26K. The story was that it was mfg by Crysler and was number 51 of 61. Does this jive with the BARhistory? I'm a Thompson freak so please indulge.

 

[leid]

Hi Roland,

I have read a few books on BARs and have never seen anything on a manufacturer by that name. Who is the manufacturer as marked on the top of the receiver?

Carey

 

[Roland, Headless Thompson Gunner]

I was mistaken about the Crysler part. The dealier relayed the following: "The BAR is # 51 out of 61 that were built by ERMCO. The guns are call Maples, for E.R. Maples, the man who owns ERMCO" Doesnt mean much to me but the BAR was pretty nice. He wanted 26K for it but tells me he has up'd the price and probably wont sell it anyway.

[leid]

Roland,

The quote below is from "Rock in a Hard Place"and is the only info I have on ERMCO BARs.

"During 1981 and 1982, ERMCO, a division of Ramo Defence Systems of Nashville, TN. produced and registered a short run of 61 full auto BARs made up on new receivers machined from solid steel. "ERMCO" is an acronym, standing for the name of Ramo's then-president, E.R. "Pony" Maples. Serial numbers of the ERMCO BARs ran from B0001 through B0061.

Rumor has it that the wood stocks for the ERMCO BARs were made up by the well-known commercial stockmaker Reinhard Fajen."

Autoweapons.com has a modernized USGI 1918 BAR inbound, I think it is a Winchester. They were asking $26.5K. Or there are several Group Industries BARs out there for $20K or less.

Good luck,

Carey