RIFLE CLEANING KITS

[Mervyn Mitton]

Found this old cleaning kit in a box. Probably South African for the R1 rifle and could date from the 1970's. I think Leigh could make this into an interesting thread - if it hasn't already been done ?

[Mervyn Mitton]

[Brian Wolfe]

Hello Mervyn,

That's a nice cleaning kit. Over the years I've seen, but not owned, several different kits and I think this would make an interesting thread if the other members have these in their collections. I hope they are not like me and passed these up when they were available.

On a related note. Yesterday we went to a local Antiques Mall - it was the cost my wife paid for her fabric store shopping that day - and I noticed some WWI British bayonets for sale. I remember when I was a lot younger - that in itself is becoming a achievemnt - and these sold for 99 cents to $1.50 each. The $1.50 ones were in mint condition! At the time I had a Lee Enfield that had seen a lot of use so I decided to add a worn-looking bayonet to it as a mint condition bayonet would just not look "correct". I had a devil of a time finding one that had the worn-look I was seeking. I recall paying the 99 cents for one which even came with its original scabbard.

The price of the bayonets at the Antiques Mall? They were all in near mint condition and were priced at $150.00 and higher! I just had to give my haed a shake as I remembered passing these up, for the most part, due to the vast number that were available back in the day.

So much for my meandering trip down memory lane.

Regards

Brian

[The Saint]

My contribution to the thread, Rhodesian FN cleaning kit, 1970s.

Edited March 10, 2010 by The Saint