Original British WWII SBML Two-Inch Mortar MKII Set with Transit Chest, Sight, Inert Bomb, Ammunition Chests, Gunner’s Valise, and More Original Items

Original Items: Only Ones Available. An outstanding WWII British Mark II 2-Inch Mortar with a plethora of Original wartime accessories! This is the first 2-Inch Mortar of this particular type we have had the pleasure of offering!

The Mortar, and the accompanying Mortar Shell are demilitarized to BATF (Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives) specifications, are totally inert and legal to own without Federal License.

The Set comes with the following:

– MKII Two-Inch Mortar. The Mortar appears to have been repainted several times over the years. Elevation and Traverse work properly. Firing mechanism functions. Some markings and numbers are visible at the breach, but we are unable to discern a date or maker’s markings. Comes with a spare elevation locking nut.

– Clamp-On Bubble Sight. Marked with Broadarrow and “SGT. 2 IN. MR. NO.3 MKII/BUFFWELL ENGINEERING & MACHINE CO.” The condition is good with a fair amount of original bluing, and white/red paint in the sighting tangent. Both glass leveling bubbles are intact and work. There is some corrosion evident on the sight.

– Inert Two-Inch Parachute Illumination Round, dated February, 1943. Body is Broadarrow stamped. Aluminum fin assembly exhibits proof and inspection stamps. Transit cap on the fin assembly is intact and dated 1941. This is an excellent condition example of a rare round, with intact stenciled markings and original paint.

– Two Mortar Bomb Ammunition Chests. Both Dated 1943. Both retain their original paint, with stenciled markings in yellow. Original paper labels are still affixed to either box as well. Both boxes were intended to carry eighteen mortar bombs in cardboard tubes.

– Two-Inch Mortar Bore Cleaning Brush

– British Military Hammer. Marked “M179H” on the head.

– Three Two-Inch Mortar Lifting Charges which fit in the fin assembly. Two made by Kynoch of England, and one
by Dominion of Canada.

– Four Bakelite Transit Caps for Two-Inch Mortar Rounds. Each marked “2” MOR”.

– Canvas Gunner’s Web Canvas Valise. Empty without contents.

– Canvas Web Strap

– Museum-Grade Replica of one of the Mortar Bomb Packing Tube Assemblies. Often seen carried out of the boxes by British Tommies in WWII, this is a highly accurate representation of one of the “Battle Pack” Cardboard/Canvas packaging assemblies which were intended to be removed and carried by the mortarmen. Each set carried Six Mortar Bombs. The whole assembly filled one of the three internal “racks” inside the steel ammunition chest.

This is an excellent opportunity to obtain a rather elusive WWII British/Commonwealth piece of ordnance which is often missing from even the most extensive collections of WWII militaria!

The Ordnance SBML two-inch mortar, or more commonly, just “two-inch mortar”, was a British mortar issued to the British Army and the Commonwealth armies that saw use during the Second World War and later.

It was more portable than larger mortars, and had greater range and firepower than rifle grenades. Its main purpose was to produce smoke for cover and -through high trajectory and HE shell – engage targets “immune to small arms fire
The two-inch mortar was one of a number of small mortars brought into service by European nations between the two World Wars.

Due to its small size, and for simplicity, the mortar had no forward strut or bipod like larger designs needed. The barrel was held at the correct angle by one soldier while the other loaded and fired the round. The original design had a large base plate and sights for aiming which used spirit levels. As the design matured, the baseplate became smaller and the sights were omitted. Aiming was by eye and relied on the firer’s judgment and experience. With such a short barrel the normal firing method, where the bomb was dropped down the tube and a pin in the base of the barrel struck the detonator in the tail of the bomb, would not work, so firing was by a small trigger mechanism at the breech.

The bombs were cylindrical with a (perforated) four finned tail. For the HE projectile an impact fuze was fitted in the nose of the bomb.
Post war, the two-inch mortar was kept in service to fire smoke and illuminating rounds. It was replaced by the Royal Ordnance 51 mm infantry mortar in the late 1980s.

Specifications

• Calibre: 2 inches (50.8 mm)
• Length: 21 inches (53 cm)
• Weight: 10 + / – 1⁄2 pounds (4.8 kg)
• Firing mechanism: Trip (small trigger)
• Elevation: 45-90°
• Range: 500 yards (460 m)
• Rate of fire: Eight rounds per minute