[MG34_Dan]

A friend of mine recently suffered the loss of a relative. He and his family are collecting all the deceased's gun stuff, categorizing it, and getting ready to sell it in order to offset funeral expenses. He called me today to take a look at what they dug up. In the pile of "stuff" was an M2 tripod like I never saw before. It has an aluminum tripod head and a pintle that utilizes a chain attached QD pin instead of a nut and bolt. The pin works exactly like an M35 tripod cross pin. Nobody knows where the tripod came from. I told my buddy it may have been a home made one-off. Whatever it is, it sure is unique. It is dirty as hell and we'll be cleaning it up, when we get a chance. After we get it presentable, I'll take some pictures. Has anyone ever heard of an M2 tripod like this? Oh yea, I almost forgot, the pile of stuff also included a BREN tripod. But, I haven't had the chance to look it over, yet.

 

[gulf state gaurd]

I think James at Allied Armament had a bunch of aluminum tripod heads. Cannot remember the story behind them.

 

[RHW1225]

Its a FN manufactured tripod.

Checkout page 26.

.30 Calibre - Browning Machine Guns

 

[MG34_Dan]

Its a FN manufactured tripod.
Checkout page 26.
.30 Calibre - Browning Machine Guns

The pintle with chained pin shown on page 26 in the manual looks like it, but I can't be sure without more detail. From what I can recall, the right side of the tripod head is also unique. That is not shown in the picture. Also the pintle is a short, single locking groove, .30 caliber type part.

I couldn't find any reference or pictures of an "aluminum", "tripod", and "allied armament" on an inter-web search.

 

[alcova]

Many years ago I had a M2 tripod with an Aluminum head on it ( Painted BLUE if I remember right ) and
the info that I was told was that it was a Canadian version for snow and ice

Walt

 

[RHW1225]

From what I can recall, the right side of the tripod head is also unique. That is not shown in the picture.

The bottom picture on page 26 shows the tripod folded and gives a view of the right side of the tripod head. You can see the different pintle latch area. Also notice the basic shape of the head - it very much appears to be a cast part.


Check out this post - Aluminum M2 Tripod help?????
The tripod pictured in this post matches the manual pictures exactly (except for the US pintle).

 

[MG34_Dan]

The bottom picture on page 26 shows the tripod folded and gives a view of the right side of the tripod head. You can see the different pintle latch area. Also notice the basic shape of the head - it very much appears to be a cast part.
Check out this post - Aluminum M2 Tripod help?????
The tripod pictured in this post matches the manual pictures exactly.

Boy, that sure looks like it. But, my buddy's has the correct QD pintle pin. I also think it uses the exact type of QD pintle for the T&E. That pin is also present.

For the record, here are the pics from the old post you referred me to:

I see that glass identified it as a British model not an FN model.

Another note of interest; I was just informed there is an MG34 kit with cut receiver in his pile of stuff. Everything has matching serial numbers. I can't verify that, yet.

 

[fjruple]

My understanding is that the FN30 tripod was one of their versions that were for sale with their FN30 Brownings. I was always under the impression that the UK had used the M2 version of the US mount for the ground for their British .30 caliber guns.

The Canadians did make an aluminum sled mount for their C1/C5A1. My Canadian source indicates the aluminum sled mount heads were never used for the M2 mounts as replacement heads. Mounts with these aluminum heads were after military put togethers by private vendors who obtained spare parts. I have attached a picture of the Sled mount for your pleasure.

--fjruple

 

[MG34_Dan]

My understanding is that the FN30 tripod was one of their versions that were for sale with their FN30 Brownings. I was always under the impression that the UK had used the M2 version of the US mount for the ground for their British .30 caliber guns.
The Canadians did make an aluminum sled mount for their C1/C5A1. My Canadian source indicates the aluminum sled mount heads were never used for the M2 mounts as replacement heads. Mounts with these aluminum heads were after military put togethers by private vendors who obtained spare parts. I have attached a picture of the Sled mount for your pleasure.
--fjruple

It's funny you should mention the Canadian sled mount. Many years ago I bought an LMG 08/15 that was shot from a custom made cradle. The cradle was mounted on an M2 tripod constructed from a Canadian sled mount head. The LMG shoots just fine.

I got it from one of Dolf's buddies who lived close to Fort Hood. I just assumed he got the M2 tripod there.

 

[MG34_Dan]

My buddy cleaned up his "barn find" M2 tripod the best he could. His wife took some pictures and sent them to me. Here they are in no particular order:

You can see it bears no resemblance whatsoever to my Canadian sled put-together M2. It needs to be refinished, but it's all there including the cross pins and unique elevation dial T&E.

 

[toolmanm203]

Very cool thanks for sharing the pictures Dan :thumbup: I have not seen that pintle before and yet more proof that this place is the perfect learning tool for Browning's.

 

[glassmountains]

British for sure. One is shown in one of the British Ferret Armored Car Manuals.

 

[MG34_Dan]

British for sure. One is shown in one of the British Ferret Armored Car Manuals.

I'm culling through the Dolf books in detail. He must have placed a picture in there somewhere of this tripod. I tried calling Dolf multiple times over the past few days, but to no avail. I think he's in upstate New York visiting family. The story continues...

BINGO!

From: FN Mounts http://browningmgs.com/FN/08_FNmounts.htm

FN manufactured its own version of the USGI M2 tripod. The two photos shown below are both from the FN manual. The most obvious differences are the pintle latch, seen in the image below right, and the "L" pins replacing the pintle bolt and the T&E pin, shown in the photo below left.

 

[MG08]

It's funny you should mention the Canadian sled mount. Many years ago I bought an LMG 08/15 that was shot from a custom made cradle. The cradle was mounted on an M2 tripod constructed from a Canadian sled mount head. The LMG shoots just fine.

I got it from one of Dolf's buddies who lived close to Fort Hood. I just assumed he got the M2 tripod there.

Ok, so we need more photos of the Maxim . that is a cool old gun. Dont know why, but the old guns are just so dang "mechanical". Even my wife thinks they are something special. She shot our 08, and the 1910, now she wants me to look for more of them. ...

 

[MG34_Dan]

Ok, so we need more photos of the Maxim . that is a cool old gun. Dont know why, but the old guns are just so dang "mechanical". Even my wife thinks they are something special. She shot our 08, and the 1910, now she wants me to look for more of them. ...

Sure. Here goes:

Years ago I contacted David Watts about this LMG. He was well aware of it from a previous owner. It was manufactured in November 1917 and he felt was in the same batch as one of von Richthofen's LMG mounted on the Dr1 he died in. Who knows.

This LMG was not mounted in a Dr1 based on the type of cocking mechanism installed. We never determined the type of aircraft it was mounted on. We did feel that the safety mechanism was manufactured by Mercedes. So whatever aircraft it was, it had a Mercedes engine installed.

 

[notso]

I'm culling through the Dolf books in detail. He must have placed a picture in there somewhere of this tripod. I tried calling Dolf multiple times over the past few days, but to no avail. I think he's in upstate New York visiting family. The story continues...

BINGO!

From: FN Mounts http://browningmgs.com/FN/08_FNmounts.htm

FN manufactured its own version of the USGI M2 tripod. The two photos shown below are both from the FN manual. The most obvious differences are the pintle latch, seen in the image below right, and the "L" pins replacing the pintle bolt and the T&E pin, shown in the photo below left.

I was going to chime in that it looked like an FN to me due to the pintle and T&E pins. They are identical to the ones on my FN30 tripod (the ones that look like the MAG58 tripods).