Need Help Identifying an antique firearm

Jim McDougall · 12th July 2013, 06:02 PM

Very impressive Aptheo, nice advance research before posting, and welcome to our forums!
I agree this is SE Asian, and though I am far from having any experience with firearms in general, this would appear to be one of the crudely fashioned 'Saturday night special' type guns used in Viet Nam. These seem to be versions of the so called 'Tonkin guns' used by highland tribes north of Hanoi, and other tribes collectively known as Montagnards.

There were many of these in the expected spectrum of variations brought back by forces in Viet Nam in the 60s, and while pretty rough, they are intriguing examples of the ersatz weapons used by these tribes in those times.

12th July 2013, 06:02 PM	#3
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,192	Very impressive Aptheo, nice advance research before posting, and welcome to our forums! I agree this is SE Asian, and though I am far from having any experience with firearms in general, this would appear to be one of the crudely fashioned 'Saturday night special' type guns used in Viet Nam. These seem to be versions of the so called 'Tonkin guns' used by highland tribes north of Hanoi, and other tribes collectively known as Montagnards. There were many of these in the expected spectrum of variations brought back by forces in Viet Nam in the 60s, and while pretty rough, they are intriguing examples of the ersatz weapons used by these tribes in those times.