Update 27th January 2015— 

• Tom Uren, well known Labor politician and former Bombadier with tthe 2/1st Heavy Battery in Sparrow Force on West Timor, passed away Sat 24/1/15.

• The Faris British collection catalogue will be available in a 2-disc set with .pdf files along with DVD Robert Faris memorial and collection album. 'FULL ON - FULL AUTO' should be available around April.

• A new internet firearms sales site in Oz, www.universalusedguns.com.au
  Check out their offerings. Based in Victoria, the manager is Andrew and after a hearty chat, we are happy to swap links. Good luck guys!

• We recently worked on a short documentary on Cobb & Co. at Surat and Yuleba in western Queensland. An interesting mix of Aussie history and country people, horses and the like. The DVD is $25 plus $4 p&p; if you are interested, contact Ian idskennerton@hotmail.com 

• John Swinfield passed away in his sleep on 10th November in Sydney.
  Peter Thurley in Tasmania passed away shortly before John. Peter was a dealer at many gun shows and always had a good offering of collector rifles and shotguns. His British shotgun collection was second to none in Oz. 
  Tony Edwards (A.O. Edwards, M.A.) was a specialist in .303 British ammo, he updated the "Lee-Enfield' chapter on ammunition, a valuable section in the final edition. Tony passed away 22nd Sept. after a long battle with cancer.

• For New Zealand illustrated lists of rifles, carbines pistols, bayonets, artillery & AFV's from colonial times to present, go to www.armsregister.com  This excellent and frequently updated site is researched and maintained by Kiwi stalwarts Phil Cregeen and John Osborn. Great job, lads!

• New .22 rimfire sporting rifle from Lithgow, the LA101. This 'CrossOver' is a bolt action 5-shot rifle, a fitting successor to the Slazenger Models 1 and 12. It is touted to become available in .22LR, .22 WMR and .17HMR chamberings. The design is distinctively European and the 5-round plastic magazine is CZ compatible. Left-hand models are to be available and centre-fire variants in .223 Remington and .308 Winchester reported to be in the pipeline.
  
  The barrel is cold hammer-forged, medium weight profile with target crown. A synthetic one-piece stock adds to a Steyr Mannlicher appearance. No fixed sights fitted, intended for Weaver style bases and telescopic sight. The trigger is not adjustable, with 1lb and 2lb springs.

• Our first Small Arms Series Live DVD & computer resources CD is getting closer to release... The first issue is '.303 SMLE with Brian Labudda', a 1hr 23min DVD with history, models & markings, safety, live fire, field cleaning, armourer stripping & maintenance, range shoots and collecting segments.
  
  The accompanying interactive CD has out-of-print books as .pdf files, old and new photos in model folders, armourers charts as .tiff & .jpg files, research material such as manufacturing specifications, et cetera. Price for the 2-disc set will be $35; copy protection will be installed to prevent illegal copying.
  
  Next in the series will be '.303 Rifles No.4 & No.5 with Brian Labudda' , expected availability later this year. The planned series will include pistols and machine guns of British, U.S., German and Soviet origin. We are moving away from publishing due to declines in readers and fewer new enthusiasts along with increased restrictions on firearms and edged weapons collecting and ownership. DVDs and computer related media seem to be the way now.  'A picture is worth a thousand words' - details on movie and DVD even better.

• New US postal address for A&M Press... 1638 NE Beverly Drive, Grants Pass, OR 97526, USA. Our post office sub-station closed end of 2013.

• A new sniper record? Aussies this time. Delta Coy., 2 Commando Regt. in Helmund province. Two SAS marksmen fired simultaneously with .50 Barrett M82A1's at Taliban; GPS recorded 2.815km, killing the commander. Bullets were 6 seconds in the air; targets did not hear the shot. The 'Telegraph' story quotes 2 men firing simultaneously so unknown who scored the kill. From our experience, a little unlikely as the chance of having targets ID'd, verified and permission to engage, then ranging and confirmation by the spotter, and two troopers squeezing off at the same time is tall odds. Maybe SAS anonymity, not wanting to be named. But this beats the earlier British record of 2.47km.

• More on Sparrow Force now with a new website promoting a British aspect, 79th Light Anti-aircraft Bofors batteries that arrived on West Timor only a few days before the Japanese invaded, bombed as they unloaded the guns. Grant McLachlan in NZ posted details of his grandfather, has written a book available through his new website www.sparrowbook.com 

• New www.sparrowforce.com website is updated as more photographs come to hand. Our DVD & computer CD sets 'Footsteps of Sparrow Force' and 'Guns & Gear of Sparrow Force' are available now, see top left of our home page. Our dear friend Dr. Harry Medlin, ex. Lieut., 2-i-c 2/1st Fortress Engineers in Sparrow Force, passed away 6th March. R.i.p. Harry.

• Our 'Enfield Pattern Room' DVD is available now. With its specialised content, the copy run is limited. $19.50 plus $5 p&p in Australia, $8 p&p to N.Z. and $10 p&p to America & Europe.

• Singleton Infantry Centre Museum had a multi-million dollar, double-storey rebuild. At Singleton army base, it is open to the public Thursday-Sunday from 9am to 4pm, except public holidays. There is an Infantry Corps shop and Lone Pine Kiosk. Entry is $8 adults, $5 pensioners, children under 16 are $3. Ankle-biters (nippers under 5) are free. Discount family rate $20 and groups of 20+ are $4 each but groups need to make a booking. Their website is at www.infantrymuseum.com.au and e-mail is info@infantrymuseum.com.au Telephone (02) 6575 0257, fax (02) 6575 0239. Truly worth a visit.  

• See the Lithgow SAF Museum new pages at www.lithgowsafmuseum.org.au Quoted as the premier on-display military small arms museum in Oz today.

• New book: Barrack Hill, A History of Anglesea Barracks 1811-2011 by John Lennox & John Wadsley celebrating the 200th anniversary of this Hobart institution. 258-page hard cover, 180+ images. Funds to Legacy and Australian Army Museum Tasmania. $50 ea. plus p&p, e-mail John at jolona@netspace.net.au for orders. Pack & post is $11.20 within Australia.

• Another website dear to our heart... www.birminghamgunmuseum.com 

• New 7.62mm NATO Sharpshooter rifle for the British Army? The L129A1 by Lewis Machine & Tool Co., Milan, IL The first batch of 500 Stoner type rifles was delivered, more likely to follow. One piece upper with full-length Picatinny rail, quick change stainless barrel in 305, 406 & 508mm lengths on a one-piece upper. Looks like an AR10 with M16 shorty butt.

• The Lee-Enfield's superiority as a battle rifle: British Sgt. Snoxall recorded 38 hits on a 12-in. bull at 300 yards in sixty seconds. The rifle was charger-loaded to fire as many rounds as possible in one minute, dubbed 'the mad minute'. No other turn-bolt service rifle can claim such a record. Enfields rule!

• 40 Handbooks : US Krag, Carcano, MAS 36, Beretta Pistols, Hi-Standard Pistols, Glock Pistols, .303 SMLE, British No.4, M17/P14, Mauser Rifles, Win. Mod 97, Win. Mod 12, M1 Carbine, M1 Garand, 1903 Springfield, FN FAL, M-14, AR15/M16, Browning HP, C'96 Mauser pistol, .45 M1911, Luger, P-38, Makarov, AK47, SKS, Mosin-Nagant, Mod 70 Win, Mod 94 Win, .22 Mod 61 Win, Jap Service Pistols, 6.5 T'38 Arisaka, 7.7 T'99 Arisaka, S&W Revolvers, Walther PP & PPK, .22 Ruger Mk I & II, Schmit Rubin, Ruger Mini-14, Ruger 10/22 & Mod 1892 Winchester.

• Check our www.enfieldcollector.com site; there will eventually be pages on .577 Enfield, Snider-Enfield, Martini, MLM & MLE, SMLE, Rifle No.4, &c.

• Proofed Action Assembly numbers confirm original fitting of a breech bolt & body on SMLE's, especially Lithgows, stamped before the serial number after proof. PAA numbers are small engineers stamps under the bolt handle and on the corresponding area at the rear, right of the action body.

DVD & CD $35

DVD & CD $35

DVD only $19.50

Sten Mk V, VI & II(S)

WinM1892

Ruger10/22

SchmidtRubin

Mini-14

US Krag

NOW ~~~  Small Arms Identification Series   last releases ... US$10.00 ea.
SAIS #22 British Empire Sniper Rifles with parts, line drawings, mounts & scopes.
New information on the Canadian, Australian & Indian conversions.
SAIS #23 Lee-Enfield Parts Catalogue shows MLM, MLE, SMLE, No.4, No.5 & .22 rifle parts by items. Side by side comparisons: bodies, bolts, sights, nosecaps, furniture, &c.
SAIS #24 9mm Sten Mk V, VI & II(S) to complement SAIS #11 on the Mk I, II & III Sten models. This is the final booklet in our Small Arms Identification Series manuals.