This is a fine example of a desirable WWI British Mark II Lewis Light Machine Gun. The Lewis Gun was originally developed in 1910/11 by Lt.Col Isaac Lewis for the Automatic Arms Company in Buffalo NY. He used a gas-operated turn bolt design with a large barrel jacket that had cooling fins inside. He offered it to the U.S. Government in 1911, however they didn't see the importance of this weapon and had already adopted the French Benet-Mercie LMG. So Lewis demonstrated it in Europe where it was adopted in Belgium in 1913 and was manufactured by the Armes Automatiques Lewis Company of Leige. It was also demonstrated to the British who immediately saw the importance of the weapon and its design and negotiated the rights to manufacture it by the BSA Company as the Model 1914. At the outbreak of WWI it was the standard British LMG used by the British Army with a light weight version used by the British Royal Airforce. It was eventually used on a limited basis by the U.S. Army in 1917. It has a distinctive/large barrel jacket that encases the air cooling sleeve. The gun has a wooden pistol grip, detachable buttstock and bipod. The folding rear sight is adjustable for elevation and graduated to 1900 yards. The top of the receiver is marked: "Lewis Gun/Mod 1914-Pat." in two lines ahead of the rear sight. The top side of the receiver is marked: "Manufactured by/The Birmingham Small Arms Co LTD./ENGLAND/ for" and the right side is marked: "Armes Automatiques Lewis/BELGIUM". The original serial numbers "41150/E" have been lined through and a new serial number, "A/645", and the Broad Arrow British Army property mark are stamped below the original serial number. The original serial number has been lined out on the forward portion of the receiver and barrel and both components have been re-numbered: "A/645". The bolt is numbered "7315". The Broad Arrow is stamped on most major components. The receiver and cooling sleeve have a dull blue arsenal type finish with the barrel jacket being green painted. The magazine/ammunition pan is blued. The butt and pistol grip are oil-finished walnut. The right side of the butt has an original round, brass unit identification disk, that is marked "A COY.3 NO.4 MDDX". The Lewis Gun is complete with a wooden transit chest. The exterior of the chest is dark brown with a light flesh tone interior paint. The Lewis Light Machine Gun with its light weight and high rate of fire was the first practical light machine gun. It comes with two drum magazine an original blued bipod, and a set of field maintenance tools in a leather pouch.

Fine with 70% of its blued/green painted exterior finish with edge and high spot wear overall. The crate is in very good condition with 80% of its repainted interior and exterior finishes. NOTE: This item is restricted as a National Firearms Act (NFA), fully transferable Class 3, which is registered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, (BATFE) that is classified as a "Curios or Relic" as defined in 27 CFR, 478.11. These weapons are still subject to the provisions of 18 U.S.C. Chapter 44 and 27 CFR part 478.