The Historic And Rare Colt Monitor! For Guys Who Like Guns!

History
#1

For military history proponents and guys and gals who like guns, the Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) is well known! Many were produced and used by military forces around the world from 1917 through the 1970’s.

The COLT MONITOR variant, an improved version of the Browning Automatic Rifle is extremely rare!

Interesting history of the Colt Monitor adopted as the FBI “Fighting Rifle” in the 1930’s.

image

”Both the R 75 and R 80 failed to achieve any significant sales. However, the R 80 was adopted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation(FBI) as their first (and only) official “fighting rifle”, despite the company only purchasing about 90 R 80s in total. Another 20 or so R 80s went to other police agencies, but that was about as far as sales went. In total, only about 125 R 75s and R 80s were produced over its lifetime, with production discontinuing due to high costs of manufacture.[2][1]”

EXCERPT ABOVE FROM LINKED ARTICLE BELOW

BELOW IS ONE FOR SALE…BRING YOUR JINGLE…AND A BIG CHECKBOOK!!

https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/75/2586/fully-automatic-colt-r80-monitor-bar-machine-gun

6 Likes
#2

I just watched that forgotten weapons video a week or so ago. I love that channel. Ian is like a walking encyclopedia when it comes to anything that goes boom.

2 Likes
#3

Yup. Agreed. Like him also. I would also like to own a Monitor!

1 Like
#4

Great find! :heart: watching classics in action

2 Likes
#5
#6

This is what the bar should have been, it was a bit heavy and the mags were a bit cheaply made but other then that it was quite accurate and very deady,
It certainly nailed the japs in ww2.
I have never fired one but would love to, browning was a real genius, the bar was a weapon for a big strong man usually cos of its weight etc.
Thanks for the post, i have fired a real ww2 lee enfield my uncle owned and many other rifles over the years.
im in love with military history even though i loathe any types of violence whatsoever.

2 Likes
#7

Check this out. Mannlicher 1888

IMG_20200825_183600766~2
IMG_20200825_183600766~23000×4000 2.34 MB

2 Likes
#8

Wow! Would love a monitor. What a cool piece of history and pretty bad a** rifle as well. I like my MPX and MCX but would take a monitor in a heartbeat!

1 Like
#9

Awesome Sarge! Did a little looking as I was not familiar with this weapon. Very widely used by many nations through many different conflicts. Attached a unique little vid about a customized version of the Mannlicher! Interesting!

Thanks for sharing…cool Rifle!

#10

Any idea of the differences between the Mannlicher 1888 and the Mannlicher-Carcano M91/38 that Lee Harvey Oswald is said to have used? I have little knowledge of the Mannlicher. For me it’s always been either old lever action rifles or newer platforms of any type.

#11

This one was from north africa. Not sure how exactly it ended up happening but it was issued to my friends grandfather around the end of ww2. He wasn’t involved in any fighting at the time but they had to issue him something. So that’s how the u.s. military ended up issuing an old foreign rifle to a grunt in the mid 40s lol. The old man told me be careful shooting it cuz the bolt on some of em would fly out and mess you up. It’s a solid gun but i’ve still never fired it. If i remember correctly it’s the original caliber too, 11 mm i think.

#12

I probably have a book about it somewhere but not off the top of my head.

#13

Something to chew on SittingBull…

In March 1963, Lee Harvey Oswald, using the alias “A. Hidell,” purchased a 6.5 mm CarcanoModel 91/38 carbine (also improperly called Mannlicher-Carcano) by mail order.

EXCERPT FROM ABOVE IN LINKED ARTICLE BELOW

#14

Oh wow Sarge im so jealous my friend haha you lucky man.
Great your still here Sarge i like you brother your a good man aye.
Take care keep posting too please thats unreal that pic.

#15

I fired one of those about 30 years ago… They are light weight, I did notice the sites are not the best… It could’ve been just that rifle though… I wish I had the spare $$ for one of those…

#16

That’s a good read Airborne, thank you.

From the article-
“ On March 12, 1963, Oswald ordered the rifle with an attached telescopic sight from an advertisement in the February 1963 issue of the American Rifleman magazine (official publication of the National Rifle Association), paying $19.95 plus postage and handling.

#17

You just negated all your previous big time talk about yourself.

1 Like
#18

I’m sure you have me confused with one of your imaginary friends… What the heck… Tell me your theory ?!.. I have nothing better to do for about a 1/2 hour…

#19

Well. times up… I’ve got better things to do… Have a good night… Tell the voices you hear, I said hi…

#20

I would too, but with only approximately 130 ever manufactured and needing special licenses to legally own an automatic weapon (see link below), it would be costly. Namely it would be costly to buy a weapon like the Monitor due to rarity…one in link I provided previously above somewhere sold for $110,000.00 US! Becoming legal to own an automatic weapon is doable and not expensive providing you live in a state within the U.S. that allows ownership and you pass certain criteria. I could not tell you of those who live in other nations!

Don’t know if the MPX or MCX you possess is fully automatic, but the models manufactured for civilian use are semi-automatic. The rest is none of my beeswax!

Yeah, I drool about the Monitor also!