EPISODE IV: A NEW HOPE
Used by: Sandtrooper

This was the large blaster carried by the lead Sandtrooper of the squad sent to intercept the Millenium Falcon at Docking Bay 94. The prop was made from a Lewis Mark I machine gun, the .303 British version. There is also a .30 U.S. Government version, but the prop was created in England so the British version is more likely (There are no outer visual differences between the two). Manufactured by BSA (Birmingham Small Arms) Co. Ltd. of England, it was in production from 1912 to1925.

Overall Length: 1283 mm (50.50 in.)
Weight: 11.80 kg (26 lb.)

Lewis Automatic Machine Gun / Model 1914 Patented

The most obvious modification of the gun is the removal of the drum ammo magazine from the top of the receiver. Next, the bipod on the front of the gun was removed as well as the sling attachment ring, slightly forward of the bipod and visable in the photo below. After that a it was possible for a ridged piece of tubing, possibly 4 inch drain pipe, to be slid down the barrel of the gun and attached forward of the former location of the magazine. In the approximate location of the original front sling attachment the forward end of the new sling was attached around the body of the gun with the other end attached to the original rear sling mount underneath the stock of the weapon.

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