Electrolux Charlton: Washing Machine Company Converts Bolt Action to Semiauto (Ad-free)
Added 2024-03-25 12:00:02 +0000 UTCThe Charlton was a conversion of a bolt action Lee rifle into a light machine gun, designed by New Zealander Phillip Charlton. Some 1500 were made in New Zealand, but a bit later it appears that there was an effort to also produce the gun in Australia. The Electrolux company (the same one that makes washing machines and other home appliances today) made a few prototypes.
The Electrolux version is different from the original in a couple ways. While the basic conversion mechanism is the same, the Electrolux is more refined, with a shorter gas system and a fairly clean action cover oven the working parts. It is also semiautomatic only, intended to be a should rifle where the original was made for the LMG role. Electrolux also used standard No1 MkIII rifles as its base, where the originals were made from a variety of mostly worn out Lee Metfords and Long Lees.
The Electrolux contract was cancelled in June 1944, and only a few prototypes were made. This example is in the British Royal Armouries collection, to whom I am grateful for the access and the trust to take it apart for you!
Comments
That has a lot of machining. It must be almost as expensive as making a semi-auto from scratch...
Jeff Price
2024-04-12 10:51:23 +0000 UTC"Someone came up with a nightmare. A real nightmare." (Robert Redford as Major J. Cook in "A Bridge Too Far") Yet another example that not only german engineeers can bring up excessively complicated stuff.
Klaus Ortlepp
2024-03-28 18:03:37 +0000 UTCI bet Jonathan has a great deal of confidence in you by now Ian. As well he should. :) Excellent video
WayneWiiki
2024-03-25 23:26:00 +0000 UTCThere was concern about naval raiding parties, in addition to the more crazy idea of full blown invasion
adam
2024-03-25 21:32:50 +0000 UTCwow. talking about too complicated huh. lets just do blowback subguns... . ---I don't know if that would have made ANY sense for the japanese. I never thought they could have went for NZ but australia. why... have aussies in their necks. then again... hardly anybody would assume they would do that.
Guido Schriewer
2024-03-25 18:25:08 +0000 UTCFor the longest time I have I wondered about the Charlton conversion. I’ve seen pictures of it but now I know how it functions. This was a very informative review of a World War II concept. Firearm. Keep up the good work.
Eugene Neigoff
2024-03-25 16:42:23 +0000 UTC"Behold the horror that lies beneath" - one of my favorite firearms descriptions ever.
Derek Elsberry
2024-03-25 16:12:20 +0000 UTC
