The Hession Rifle

The American Rifleman ^ | 23 August, 2012 | Frank Miniter

[marktwain]

Predictably such restrictions reduced the number of firearms in law-abiding citizens’ hands. Then came the Battle of Dunkirk in 1940. As the German war machine advanced, the British Expeditionary Force evacuated back across the English Channel. The retreat was costly. In their haste British troops abandoned most of their equipment. The massive loss of military arms, combined with the fact that the English people had been mostly disarmed, left the British people almost helpless before the advance of the Third Reich.

Luckily, they had gun-owning friends across the Atlantic. In 1940 a group of Americans, headed by C. Suydam Cutting, moved quickly to help rearm England’s citizens. They established the “American Committee for Defense of British Homes” and ran an ad in the November 1940 issue of American Rifleman that read in part: “British Civilians, undergoing nightly air raids, are in desperate need of Firearms – Binoculars – Steel Helmets – Stop-Watches – Ammunition.” The ad then said, “If you possess any of these articles you can aid in the battle of Britain by sending these materials to American Committee for Defense of British Homes.”

Hession, who was then working for Winchester Arms, decided to make a statement. He sent his prized Springfield Model 1903 to the American Committee for Defense of British Homes. Before he did he had two plates attached to its stock. The one on the rifle’s butt read: “This rifle was used by Major John W. Hession” and was used “in winning Olympics Bisley England 1908 – Grand Aggregate Camp Perry 1908 – Worlds 800 YD. Record Camp Perry 1909 … .” A plate placed on the rifle’s fore-end read: “FOR OBVIOUS REASONS THE RETURN OF THIS RIFLE WOULD

[MileHi]

After relating all of this history to Grey, I ended with the moral of the story: “Now don’t you fret Grey, if your people ever need to protect their freedom again from threats domestic or foreign, thanks to the NRA, Americans will be there to help rearm your populace all over again.”

They shouldn't count on that.

[wastoute]

I used to shoot Hi Power rifle regularly for a couple years. Easily over 90% all the time, working on >95% (Master). Hadn’t shot in ten years, tried a match with a little M4 I whipped up a couple months ago. Let’s just say the result was pretty disappointing. To some extent I think it was because the rifle bent a little with the sling as I did better offhand (75) than any other position. WIll have to work on it but it gives me something to do.

It is like sailing, you may think you can but until you compete you don’t know what you don’t know...

[The Toll]

Arm yourself and get training. It’s your responsibility.

If you don’t know where to start please consider real life needs.

1. Concealed carry handgun (level one security)
2. Modern Carbine training (level two security)
3. Emergency Medical (it’s your duty to know this)

At the very least, please consider calling your local Red Cross ans get your CPR-AED certification.

[Farmer Dean]

The Brits allowed themselves to be put in this situation.Let them work their own way out of it.

[Farmer Dean]

When the SHTF a lot of people are going to have a big problem.They have never prepared themselves for a reality where taking a human life is required of them.The vast majority will hesitate and get themselves killed.

[Manly Warrior]

True, but ones NEEDs a rifle to begin with.

[Manly Warrior]

Actually, the weapons were collected by the crown after the war and and and, were ditched in the sea off the coast of Britain. Hundreds of thousands of rifles etc of all sorts.

Britain lost its freedom for the last time in the 1920s. Anarchists made the crown forbid the owners of arms commonly, then in the 1990s, handguns went bye bye too. The English Olympic pistol team is said to have to cross into France to practice....

[Manly Warrior]

Uh Huh. NRA/CMP HP is not at all like anything tactical- you actually have to hit the center to be any good. I am semi-retired from HP, due to health issues of my wife- but the thrill of calling an X at 600yds with any service rifle ( AR15A2/4, M1A/M14, and M1 Garand, all match conditioned) is a wonderful thing.

However, in combat, hitting the meaty pats of a threat brings even more excitement- it means you MAY get to live a bit longer...

You are correct, the average Joe/Jill with their M4gery and some wally world ammo do not know what they don’t know, but it is a start!

Now, most big game hinters who actually bring home meat with their rifles, they I want next to me on the line....after the first experience with incoming rounds, they would likely stand and shoot.

NRA Master across the course (with a NM M1 Garand), Expert mid range prone, etc and most importantly, combat survivor.

Major, USA Retired

[oldvirginian]

“The vast majority will hesitate and get themselves killed.”

True, but a portion will learn and live to fight another day.
The chaff and wheat and all that.

[Farmer Dean]

My problem is,those will be the good people getting killed.The very people that society can ill afford to lose.If the SHTF I will have a group of people here on the farm.If things go bad I would prefer that most of them go defensive while I and a couple other guys that I trust take care of business.

[wastoute]

Never made Master, Thanks God, never saw combat. But I did get a wooden nickel at Butner. Long Range Hi power with.223 AR. They said it couldn’t be done but the guys in the butts at 1,000 said they were coming across supersonic. 80 gr Sierra’s and 26” Krieghoff barrel 1.7.75 twist. It COULD be done, I did it. Case full of compressed powder. Blew half the primers.

[elteemike]

Found this post on GunForums”...Can’t vouch for it either way but it has the ring of truth to it...I would not participate...

“The program was one of the many well meaning,naive, and misguided wastes of time and money which occured in WW II ( on both sides of the aAtlantic ( the other signal one was the “National Scrap Drive” which saw the destruction of many WW I relics , including one of the few German A7V Tanks still in existence in 1940 ( Now only ONE survives, in Australia, in Brisbane, under Museum control and care)

The guns donated were of a Zillion different calibres (most of which not available in the UK) or definitely not suitable for a “military” use.

Initially some Shotguns (12 ga) were issued to the first Home guard units, but when .303 and US Gov’t .30 cal rifles came available, the shotguns were put into store. Pistols were a similar matter...those in readily available calibres ( .38S&W, .44, 32, etc,) were issued out to HG officers, but the majority, again, were useless.

At the end of the War, existing British Policy ( and the New Labour Government which had thrown Churchill out of office in 1945) did not want all these “guns” in the hands of the British Public; and the idea of returning them to the US without any idea of who they belonged to, was also out of the question ( time and cost wise) so they were loaded up on a few landing craft, and dumped into the North sea, along with Billions of rounds of Lend Lease Ammunition, shells and other US stores.

Politicians always Waste the Taxpayers hard-earned and hard-paid taxes, come what may....

Regards,
Doc AV
AV Ballistics”

[Grampa Dave]

#evil slashers!

[FXRP]

Yes. He got it back after the war. It’s in the NRA museum now.

[oldvirginian]

“I would prefer that most of them go defensive while I and a couple other guys that I trust take care of business.”

That would be the perfect solution except for replenishment of the losses suffered by those going offensive.
Gotta get replacements somewhere and experience is the best, and cruelest teacher.

Military basic training takes a group of individual citizens and teaches them how to dress, march, eat, sleep and think as a unit.
It also teaches basic firearm use and maintenance among other things.
The training officers probably know half way through basic who are support personnel and who are the hunters.

When society goes balls up that process will need to be cut to the quick. Not really a choice but a necessity.

In my semi-rural village I’m sure we would put together some type of defensive unit in short order.
The couple of former military and the three LEO’S would have to give training and direction to the rest of us.

Someone once said “you go to war with the army you have, not the one you want.”
It’s an imperfect world.

[going hot]

That is so cool, thanks for the info.

[Keyhopper]

Hash tags= British ninja throwing stars