16mm Vega

[SG500]

The 16mm Vega was made in a private venture between 1939 and 1942. It was for an automatic gun. The development interested Lockheed which planned to mount the gun on a Lightning P-38 aircraft. The project was rejected by the Air Force.
The case was derived from the .5 Browning with a necked out mouth.
The round in the photograph has a dummy nose fuze, all inert and empty etc.
(Information taken from "Military Rifle and Machine Gun Cartridges" by Jean Huon).
Dave.

 

[Tony Williams]

Nice one! I saw one of those for sale several years ago, but the cost was too much for me at the time.

 

[Buster]

Apparently post war a large number of 16mm Vega progectiles were discovered somewhere in the US. An enterprising individual bought these and fitted them to ordinary 50 Cal cartridge cases which were necked up to 16mm.

The picture shows an ordinary 50 Cal, next to a fake Vega, and a genuine Vega on the right with the higher neck.

 

[Falcon]

Do the Vega round also have a Rebated rim? They appear to in the picture.

 

[SG500]

Apparently post war a large number of 16mm Vega progectiles were discovered somewhere in the US. An enterprising individual bought these and fitted them to ordinary 50 Cal cartridge cases which were necked up to 16mm.

The picture shows an ordinary 50 Cal, next to a fake Vega, and a genuine Vega on the right with the higher neck.

Thanks Buster, you had me slightly worried then, glad to say mine is a real one - well spotted Falcon, yes the rim is slightly rebated.
Dave