I have found online a few interesting equipment manuals from the forties and fifties.
The EM1 used an intermediate calibre round and was a leap ahead of the Enfield SMLE No 4, a bullpup, battledress and putties!
Have a read more at Wikipedia and Tony Williams site
A great weapon design, along with the XE5 Taden GPMG chambered for the same round it would have made for a genuinely great package; its a real shame it never came to fruition. I believe the .280 cartridge was eventually known as the 7mm Mk1Z- no idea why.
Its an amazingly futuristic looking weapon for the time. Must have been like giving the troops a ray gun.
Well the SA80 needs to be replaced soon. Quite like the idea of the Czech 7.62×45 necked down to 6.5mm, perhaps in a Tavor clone.
My last CCF camp was ’56 . Called of early because of Suez !
I was chatting to a weapons instructor who had been on trials of the 280 – he gave impression it was best thing since sliced bread – If I recall there was a requirement to go to NATO standard small arms ammunition that was key point in FN selection.
Bloody hell someone with ditties older than RT!
Nice rifle. Shame it was done for but I suspect it wasn’t particularly better than the SLR.
Awesome find TD! I’ve allways concentrated on the EM-2 becuse it almost made it in to service but the EM-1 is very interesting; especially the bipod!
‘cor… genesis of the ’85! Just seeing that image of a 50′s round helmet tommy (Pg.7) with something looking familiar to today’s is a little funky!
Interesting. I do think that if this was produced now in 5.56, it would still be a viable weapon.
Pity at that time, you guys didn’t tell the US to take a flying leap.
Observer, if we’d introduced this rifle, would 5.56mm actually be needed?
Pedantry warning.
The photos definitely show anklets not puttees.
I remember that puttees came in two varieties, Officer’s that you bought, and issue that were thicker and a darker colour. I had to return the latter and I still have the former (if She Who Must … has not thrown them out or used them for cleaning rags.)
On the post – brilliant find.
Couple of thoughts; as the E.M.1 fires from the closed position there was no need for a dust cover to be clagged on the side as an afterthought. The cleaning and stripping look a bit complicated. Use as an LMG is a bit optimistic I would have thought.
Nick
John (hartley) mind posting a link to what you mean? I am intrigued (being a fan of the CZ works)
@Derek:
any links to info on the Taden? i can’t find anything on it on the web…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taden_gun