Original British WWI Hotchkiss .303 Portative Demilled Receiver Display LMG with Internal Parts, Tripod, Shoulder Stock & Carry Handle Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a real treat!! We have sold numerous Hotchkiss .303 Portative Cavalry display guns over the years, however they were all built using machined aluminum dummy receivers. This fantastic example is built from a parts set using all original parts on an original BATF compliant non-firing static display receiver, making this a 100% legal display machine gun. This receiver was created by using portions of the original torch cut receiver, including the barrel bushing, combined with some new made steel portions. It has properly had at least 30% of the total length completely replaced entirely with solid steel bar stock. Meaning at least a 1/3 length section of the display receiver is solid steel, making this totally legal to own without a license of any kind.

The rest of the components are all original, complete with many issue markings, including serial number B / 28053 on the barrel and E 15223 on the rear receiver inner plate above the selector. It also comes with the internal components from the parts set, which include the bolt, recoil spring, gas piston, and more!

The display gun has the standard attached carry handle, standard issue 1918-dated “Crow’s Foot” Tripod by H&E, Carry Handle, and detachable “L” shoulder stock. These were extensively used in WWI, being the first truly portable machine gun. Very intricate and very rare!

Technically, this is the Mark I version in “Cavalry” configuration, with the pistol grip and detachable butt stock. It also has had an additional brass bushing mounted on the barrel for a second tripod attachment point, which made it more suitable for infantry use. Some call this the Mark I*.

Really a great example, ready to be part of any WWI display!

Hotchkiss Mark I Light Machine Gun In British Service The Hotchkiss Portative has a very interesting battle history, although the gun is not as widely known as the other British light machine gun, the Lewis. Adopted as the Hotchkiss Portable Machine Gun Mark I, it was based on the French Hotchkiss Model 1909. The British considered it more suitable for mounted troops cavalry and mounted infantry than the more cumbersome Lewis. It was used by some famous units in equally famous battles.

The Australian Light Horse, New Zealand Mounted Rifles Brigade, and the legendary Camel Corp used it in the Desert Campaign in Sinai and Palestine from 1915 1917. In Palestine, it was used by the 4th Australian Light Horse Brigade in their overwhelmingly successful attack at Beersheba (immortalized in the excellent film The Light Horsemen, 1987). This charge is known as the most successful attack by mounted infantry in history. The Mark I was used by the ANZACs in the Gallipoli Campaign, and by British mounted troops in the fighting on the Western Front.