Indholdsfortegnelse for December 2024 i Military Trader

Two mysterious bamboo bullets I have two 6.5 Arisaka rounds loaded with bamboo bullets. Can you tell me anything about them and what they might be worth? —D.B. Thomas, via email Editor’s Reply: We turned this question over to our ace contributor and columnist Peter Suciu for his take: “There are countless stories (myths) of ‘wooden’ or ‘bamboo’ bullets being used because they were somehow deadlier or created wounds worse than traditional medal rounds. The general belief (misinformation) is that upon impact, the bullet would splinter, making removal of the pieces difficult and possibly causing an infection. That is, of course, nonsense. “The truth: Wooden bullets were used by various nations for training purposes and in some cases may have been grenade launching rounds. According to ‘Military Rifles of Japan’…

Here in the UK, this time of the year is called autumn, which for most of you guys is the fall, signalling the fact that things are gradually slowing down, with some places already closing for the winter season. For example, organizations such as English Heritage, which manages and maintains over 350 historical sites, including castles, closes the doors to these places until Easter arrives. Other locations which host events and military vehicle shows, along with private museums, are also closing. Never fear, however, there is still plenty to keep military enthusiasts occupied over the winter months — namely, lots of militaria fairs for collectors. Some militaria collectors actually look forward to the quiet months of autumn and winter because they can concentrate on collecting without worrying about missing a…

When Nazi Germany went to war in 1939, thousands of zealous members of Adolf Hitler’s elite “Waffen Schutzstaffel” (Armed SS) threw themselves into the fight, fueled by years of propaganda which proclaimed that they were the chosen few who could wipe out the Bolshevik threat in the East and clear the way for the expansion of the Aryan race. As with other branches of the German armed forces at the time, members of the Waffen SS wore specialty diamonds on their uniform jackets. These patches were used to indicate the wearer’s occupational specialty, organizational assignment, or former membership in another Nazi party group or branch of service. The first limited variety of Schutzstaffel specialty patches were authorized in October, 1935. Over the next eight years, SS manufactured items, including these…

Located just down the road from Penn State University and about as dead center as possible in the Keystone State is the Pennsylvania Military Museum. It isn’t the largest military museum by any means, nor the easiest to get to. Yet, it is home to important pieces that preserve the history of the sons and daughters of Pennsylvania from the Revolutionary War times to the modern day. While the museum first opened in 1969, its story actually begins in 1864 when a group of women gathered at a cemetery in the rural town of Boalsburg to honor their relatives killed in the still-ongoing American Civil War. They laid flowers on the graves and agreed to pay their respects again the next year. According to local lore, it was the origin…

Two things come to mind when I hear a collector is trying to “get out of it”; either he’s selling everything and retiring from collecting, or he’s trying to sell a particular item to recoup what he paid. I understand why some collectors opt for the former — it may be a lack of interest, a need for money, or perhaps they’ve just decided it is time. Those who try to “get out” of an item that they purchased can be for another reason, possibly that they found out it isn’t real or has other problems. Sure, there may be times when a collector is just selling something especially rare and possibly even paid too much — but most of the time, it is an attempt to recover the money…

MILITARY COLLECTOR SHOWS Nov 17 IL, New Lenox. Midwest Militaria Military History & Collectibles Show. V.F.W. Post 9545 - 323 Old Hickory Road. Setup 8-9am, public 9am-1pm. Paul 815-641-6411, Bob 708-598-4156 Nov 22-23 SC, Ladson. Charleston Militaria Expo. Exchange Park-9850 Hwy. 78. 843-305-6191, www.charlestonmilitariaexpo.com Nov 29-30, TX Temple. Texas Republic Military Show. Authentic Militaria and Historic Arms. Frank Mayborn Civic Center, 3303 N. 3rd Street, Temple, TX 76501. www.texasrepublics.com, 254-300-6446, JohnPastella@TexasRepublics.com Nov 30-Dec 1 CA, Chino. Big Chino Gun Show. Silver Dollar Fairgrounds. Sat. 9am-5pm, Sun. 9am-3pm. D&S Productions Dave Fernandez, 530-567-5192, daf360hd@att.net Nov 30 TX, Humble. Houston Gun Collectors Association Gun Show. Humble Civic Center - 8233 Will Clayton Parkway. 9am-4pm. Otomi Baldazo 713-981-6463, obaldazo2@aol.com, www.hgca.org Dec 1 PA, Chichester. Military Collector and Re-Enactor Flea Market. Upper Chichester Community Center - 1950 Market…

Commemorative aircraft again fly supply runs The Douglas C-47 Skytrain, the militarized version of the DC3 known for its use as personnel and cargo transport during the Second World War, took to the skies to once again transport vital supplies to a stricken area. The commemorative aircraft that once played a crucial role in the Berlin Airlift from June 1948 to May 1949 made crucial deliveries in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. With the Warbirds Over the Beach Air Show in early October, the Military Aviation Museum in Virginia Beach, Virginia looked for a way to help those hit by Hurricane Helene. The organizers scrambled to organize a supply drive at the event. The supplies were then flown by the “Chalk 40”. The museum worked with The Liberty Foundation, a…

When people think of military collectibles, items such as weapons, uniforms, and medals are usually the first things that come to mind. There is also a growing interest in military rations due to the unique perspective they give on the daily lives of soldiers. In the early part of the ongoing Russian Invasion of Ukraine, there were widespread reports of Russian soldiers looting abandoned farms and villages for supplies, even spending time rounding up chickens as they advanced. The Russian supply system was overstretched, and videos emerged of Ukrainian soldiers capturing Russian food trucks filled with long expired military rations, which they went on to burn. It proves that even today’s modern, high-tech armies still march first and foremost on their stomachs. When thousands of soldiers collect together on a…

The last quarter of the 19th century saw European nations competing to find new weapons as conflicts broke out between neighbors, and revolutions brewed within some countries’ own borders. Modernized rifles and sidearms became high on the priority lists of general staffs with a variety of different styles, calibers and systems being produced by companies vying for the funds of any countries in the market. The city of Liege, Belgium had already been an important center for firearm manufacturing since the fledgling gun industry first began in the 14th century. In 1867, brothers Emile and Leon Nagant, who had started a general machine and gun repair business, entered the firearms manufacturing competition after landing a contract to produce Remington rolling blockstyle rifles for the Italian Papal guard. More innovative firearms…