Reising1 Posted July 26 Report Share Posted July 26 This listing https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/4098/252/us-guide-lamp-m3-class-iiinfa-cr-machine-gun-with-silencer for a M3 in Rock Island's upcoming December auction says ...."many M3s were reconfigured to M3A1 standard and had this handle discarded. Bolt is however a M3A1 replacement.." I never heard conversions were common and can't image that would have been cost-effective then or now. Maybe the listing is referring to the field modifications in the pictures showing M3s with receiver cuts and a handle added to the M3 bolt when the charging crank broke but to me that is not bringing it to the M3A1 standard. I also wouldn't think a M3A1 bolt would work in a M3 without reworking the evection port which I don't see in the pictures and doing other work inside. Anybody have a source that suggests conversions were common and address using an A1 bolt as a replacement in a M3? Maybe this is just drafting that could be better and a typo on the bolt but I thought I'd ask here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Got Uzi Posted July 27 Report Share Posted July 27 Typical RIA play on words and selling a line of BS that the “high end” investor will believe and not research. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillinBama Posted July 27 Report Share Posted July 27 I’ve never heard of such, and none of the books or articles I’ve read ever mention this. I agree with got Uzi, creative writing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Got Uzi Posted July 27 Report Share Posted July 27 RIA does some great “writing” when it comes to their listings….just like the “A serial number range” Thompson’s they sell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StrangeRanger Posted July 27 Report Share Posted July 27 It's not unusual for RIA to err in their descriptions sometimes intentionally sometimes out of ignorance. They list this MP34 as chambered in 9mm Luger but every other MP34 of which I am aware that carries the 660/1939 markings and the Luftwaffe cartouche is in 9mm Mauser. The altered S/N is also questionable, possibly the initials of whoever dewatted the gun https://www.rockislandauction.com/catalog/4098/?lotNumber=1312 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rekraps Posted July 27 Report Share Posted July 27 14 hours ago, Reising1 said: This listing https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/4098/252/us-guide-lamp-m3-class-iiinfa-cr-machine-gun-with-silencer for a M3 in Rock Island's upcoming December auction says ...."many M3s were reconfigured to M3A1 standard and had this handle discarded. Bolt is however a M3A1 replacement.." I never heard conversions were common and can't image that would have been cost-effective then or now. Maybe the listing is referring to the field modifications in the pictures showing M3s with receiver cuts and a handle added to the M3 bolt when the charging crank broke but to me that is not bringing it to the M3A1 standard. I also wouldn't think a M3A1 bolt would work in a M3 without reworking the evection port which I don't see in the pictures and doing other work inside. Anybody have a source that suggests conversions were common and address using an A1 bolt as a replacement in a M3? Maybe this is just drafting that could be better and a typo on the bolt but I thought I'd ask here. There is no way to easily convert the M3 to M3A1. Considering the guns were produced for about $15 each, I highly doubt this was done. Plus, the M3A1 receiver has a much longer ejection port, different head spacing for the bolt etc. and the internals are not the same at all. I say zero chance this is accurate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reising1 Posted July 28 Author Report Share Posted July 28 Thanks all. Didn't want to come right out and say the description is BS without checking. Calls into question all of the cataloging expert's descriptions. Maybe an intern did it. I enjoy RIA's catalog and the photography is beyond outstanding, but all the major firearms auctions are getting more out of control in their hype and "expert" descriptions (that they tout then try to disclaim). RIA leads the pack in pushing "the story". Depending on what you can negotiate, great places to sell but not great places to buy. My problem is more and more of some things I collect now rarely appear elsewhere and I'm not getting any younger. Thankfully some of them are not as popular as Thompsons, Colt early generation SSAs etc. that draw the most attention. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Outsider Posted July 28 Report Share Posted July 28 Auction descriptions in general have a lot of inaccurate information in them weather it be a firearms auction or an industrial auction. I have a business friend who runs a facility for an industrial auction and every so often I run across an inaccurate description that I text him about so he can correct it. Most times auction people are not real familiar with what they are auctioning and do the best they can with the info they have, and sometimes they do it to gain more money on the auction. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillinBama Posted August 5 Report Share Posted August 5 With the advent of AI I suspect this will both continue and increase in frequency, if my experience with AI is any indication. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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