A Lahti AT rifle.
A bit more of history from the end of the article:
Beginning in the mid-1950s, the Lahti AT rifles began to be advertised by American surplus arms dealers. For several years the Lahti L-39 was priced at $99 in its transit case and with a full complement of accessories. The Lahti was originally available without restriction, but since it is larger than .50 caliber (12.7 mm), it was labeled a “destructive device” and subject to NFA regulations by the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968, and the Gun Control Act of 1968.
Ah, such a toy to have, assuming you have the space to put it in.
4 comments:
"Thunderbolt and Lightfoot"
I like the silencer...
"he Lahti was originally available without restriction... "
Maybe since nobody that owned the Lahtis were misbehaving with them.
I recently read for the 2nd time, the book Unintended Consequences, by John Ross, and items like this Lahti figured into the plot substantially.
I sort of felt a bit cheated, when I became old enough to understand more, by the fact that my dad was just a deer hunter, and not really into guns other than taking his Remington 721 in 30/06 out a week or so before Michigan's opening day of rifle season, November 15, to "sight it in". By that, he would take the box of shells that he had for a few years, and fire 2 or 3, at a paper plate, from about 100 yards, using the straight 4 power Weaver scope, always hitting near the center, groups not being a consideration.
Then, one of the rest of the 4 boys, which ever ones of us were hunting that year, since my twin was not much into deer hunting and my oldest brother always hunted, took my dad's other rifle, a beautiful example of the 30/40 Krag, the carbine version, or a sporterized type, I don't really know, and using the open sights, did the exact same thing. Then it was back home, ready for opening day.
I could hunt from the age of 14, and did so until the age of around 30, when life got twisted about, and I moved to the city, after a divorce and remarriage. Supporting 2 families meant that I had to work too many 12 hour days of 7 days a week, often for months on end. It was only about 5 years ago that I got to hunting again, when my oldest son married and moved back to Michigan from California, with his California bride. They bought a huge log home on 20 acres in the boonies. And I hunted with him for around 3 years. The last year, two years ago, I finally shot my last deer, a nice spike horn. In Michigan, you can now hunt from a tree stand with a gun, and so I used my usual 12 gauge with open bore, 18 inch pump, set up mostly as a home defense gun. Using the new to me 1 OZ slugs, I shot him from 50-60 yards, with no hold over, and hit him exactly where I aimed, and he went down just like you see on television shows.
I was excited, as you can believe. I almost always used a shotgun, as in Michigan, I liked to get into woods, and felt like I saw more deer, and felt safer with the public land that I often hunted on. I had one person draw down on me from around 300 yards away once, looking at me with his scope. I had binoculars, and assumed he was just checking me out, but I ducked behind a heavy tree, and was scared shitless.
In the past, I hunted hard, to help feed my family. Now, I got to hunt for the plain joy of spending time with my son, and in the outdoors. The big problem I encountered was that my present wife, and my 26 year old daughter that lives with us, do not like venison. I gave a lot of it away to family and friends. My son has this only rule that he doesn't want any deer killed on his property to go to waste, and I concur completely. There are places that will take donations, but I am not that big on killing just to kill. I do like to shoot, but now that I have the choice, I stick mostly to handguns. Oh, I did kill one deer with my dad's 30/40 Krag. The gun is like they say, the action is butter smooth. When my dad passed away, I was the executor to his estate. I gave that rifle to my other son, who lives in Kentucky. He has a small collection of military guns, including an M1 Garand, and an M1 Carbine.
I just bought a S&W model 3913 from my oldest son. One of the very first semi auto DA/SA pistols that replaced the .38 specials that the police carried. This was a gun that he got from his MIL when she died, and it was from California. I doubt that is had 200 rounds through it. It is in 9mm and it is a beauty. Have a great winter season, and stay safe out there with all the nutjobs around.
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