EDELWEISS
AH enthusiast
Back in the day when Rhodesia was still Rhodesia and the world was enforcing sanctions as they fought a war against two communist supplied armies, there was a need for weapons. Most came from South Afrika and Portugal. They either supplied the guns directly or acted as a way point for end user certificates from the outside world. At some point FN/Browning Auto 5 shotguns arrived.
Britain had been using Auto 5's in combat since the Malaysian "troubles". Some were simply sporting Auto 5's with up to 26" barrels and some were purpose built (or customized) more fighting configurations. Barrel lengths of the "fighting" guns were still on the longer side by todays standards. They might be as long as 24" or as short as 22 or even 20 inches.
For those not familiar, the Auto 5 is a LONG recoil action, meaning the barrel actually moves back and forth in the action (the length of the shell) during recoil. The moving barrel means clamps for magazine extensions arent possible. So FN was left with either 5 round guns (like the sporting guns you see today) with 4 shells in the mag tube an 1 in the chamber OR a special version. When you google images for Rhodesian shotgun, you will find pics of an Auto 5 with a looooong handguard to cover/protect a 7 round extended magazine tube. THAT is the collectors desired version BUT the standard 5 round guns were used and can be seen in some period pictures. Its just my conjecture on my part but I suspect the shorter mags were easier to acquire (as sporting guns) AND as a shotgun for combat was a lower priority than a FAL or G3, ANY shotgun was better than NO shotgun.
Typically the guns were marked with a "RA and 3 (or 4) digits on the receiver (and maybe bolt) when acquired by the Rhodesian military. I have seen these markings neatly stamped and electro penciled onto the guns. There may or may not be stock numbers painted on the buttstock. The neatness of the buttstock markings varied as well (as an aside I recall US Army armorers using "White Out" to crudely paint stock numbers on M16s, so I doubt much better from a nation at war).
During the Malaysian conflict the Brits came to the realization that a magazine of Buckshot put out more lethal projectiles than a FAL. The range limitation of the shotgun was not seen as a problem in the dense fighting terrain. Additionally the spreading pattern increased hit potential. We can debate whether the lethality of a shotgun VS battle rifle but Id suggest that is another issue as shotguns were in fact used.
So who used the shotguns??? Thats a question for the ages. Some vets claim they were used for nothing more than shooting meat for the cook pots. Other vets have said they were used for base security. Perhaps those are true but there are photos of a squad mostly armed with FALs and one guy with a Auto 5. Theres another period pic of a mounted soldier galloping in the bush with a Auto 5. The mounted picture shows a sporting length barrel and magazine. I think its a fair assumption that they might have been used by someone walking point or on a tracking patrol. The BSAP (British South African Police) were sotra the Rhodesian equivalent of the American FBI (???). They also did field duty and combat patrols. One Branch of the BSAP was P.A.T.U. (Police Anti Terrorist Unit). They also included the C.A.T.U. (Civilian African Tracking Unit). In the late 1970s the CATU was added, to supplement trackers already in service in the pursuing of the enemy infiltrators into Rhodesia. Their tracking methods were based on the traditional skills and techniques of the Rhodesian Shangaan tribe. Their formations consisted of White and Black Rhodesians.
Were they painted? Much has been made of the Rhodesian Baby Puke colour camouflage and application method. For those who havent run down this rabbit hole, essentially, soldiers used paints from the vehicle maintenance shop Land Rover Green and Yellow. No doubt some were reasonably well done, but many were done as fast and crudely as possible. imagine you are the private that was held back from leave because "somebody" has to paint the units rifles. Further imagine the guys from the Motor Shop arent especially happy to have some squadie in their space. There are reports of soldiers using old socks to apply the paint. Period photos show varying results. Today barely any examples remain, and those that do first when thru the hands Mugabe's guerrillas before they were sold off for Western cash. Maybe 20 years ago SARCO imported a few BUT as part of the importation the extended magazine had to be blocked. Even back then they sold for over $1000 and were at best in less than good condition. Those that I handled showed some remaining paint as well as the buttstock numbers.
Why paint them? Well camouflage is a good thing in combat and the Rhodesians had adopted a very effective camo pattern for their clothing. The story that makes most sense to me as to "WHY", is that captured terrorists reported that the long black weapons were easily spotted in the bush. Why the Baby Puke colours? A nation at war and under international sanctions, has better things to import (smuggle) than paint. Land Rover paint was available and it works. Besides back in the day there wasnt Gucci camo inspector
Britain had been using Auto 5's in combat since the Malaysian "troubles". Some were simply sporting Auto 5's with up to 26" barrels and some were purpose built (or customized) more fighting configurations. Barrel lengths of the "fighting" guns were still on the longer side by todays standards. They might be as long as 24" or as short as 22 or even 20 inches.
For those not familiar, the Auto 5 is a LONG recoil action, meaning the barrel actually moves back and forth in the action (the length of the shell) during recoil. The moving barrel means clamps for magazine extensions arent possible. So FN was left with either 5 round guns (like the sporting guns you see today) with 4 shells in the mag tube an 1 in the chamber OR a special version. When you google images for Rhodesian shotgun, you will find pics of an Auto 5 with a looooong handguard to cover/protect a 7 round extended magazine tube. THAT is the collectors desired version BUT the standard 5 round guns were used and can be seen in some period pictures. Its just my conjecture on my part but I suspect the shorter mags were easier to acquire (as sporting guns) AND as a shotgun for combat was a lower priority than a FAL or G3, ANY shotgun was better than NO shotgun.
Typically the guns were marked with a "RA and 3 (or 4) digits on the receiver (and maybe bolt) when acquired by the Rhodesian military. I have seen these markings neatly stamped and electro penciled onto the guns. There may or may not be stock numbers painted on the buttstock. The neatness of the buttstock markings varied as well (as an aside I recall US Army armorers using "White Out" to crudely paint stock numbers on M16s, so I doubt much better from a nation at war).
During the Malaysian conflict the Brits came to the realization that a magazine of Buckshot put out more lethal projectiles than a FAL. The range limitation of the shotgun was not seen as a problem in the dense fighting terrain. Additionally the spreading pattern increased hit potential. We can debate whether the lethality of a shotgun VS battle rifle but Id suggest that is another issue as shotguns were in fact used.
So who used the shotguns??? Thats a question for the ages. Some vets claim they were used for nothing more than shooting meat for the cook pots. Other vets have said they were used for base security. Perhaps those are true but there are photos of a squad mostly armed with FALs and one guy with a Auto 5. Theres another period pic of a mounted soldier galloping in the bush with a Auto 5. The mounted picture shows a sporting length barrel and magazine. I think its a fair assumption that they might have been used by someone walking point or on a tracking patrol. The BSAP (British South African Police) were sotra the Rhodesian equivalent of the American FBI (???). They also did field duty and combat patrols. One Branch of the BSAP was P.A.T.U. (Police Anti Terrorist Unit). They also included the C.A.T.U. (Civilian African Tracking Unit). In the late 1970s the CATU was added, to supplement trackers already in service in the pursuing of the enemy infiltrators into Rhodesia. Their tracking methods were based on the traditional skills and techniques of the Rhodesian Shangaan tribe. Their formations consisted of White and Black Rhodesians.
Were they painted? Much has been made of the Rhodesian Baby Puke colour camouflage and application method. For those who havent run down this rabbit hole, essentially, soldiers used paints from the vehicle maintenance shop Land Rover Green and Yellow. No doubt some were reasonably well done, but many were done as fast and crudely as possible. imagine you are the private that was held back from leave because "somebody" has to paint the units rifles. Further imagine the guys from the Motor Shop arent especially happy to have some squadie in their space. There are reports of soldiers using old socks to apply the paint. Period photos show varying results. Today barely any examples remain, and those that do first when thru the hands Mugabe's guerrillas before they were sold off for Western cash. Maybe 20 years ago SARCO imported a few BUT as part of the importation the extended magazine had to be blocked. Even back then they sold for over $1000 and were at best in less than good condition. Those that I handled showed some remaining paint as well as the buttstock numbers.
Why paint them? Well camouflage is a good thing in combat and the Rhodesians had adopted a very effective camo pattern for their clothing. The story that makes most sense to me as to "WHY", is that captured terrorists reported that the long black weapons were easily spotted in the bush. Why the Baby Puke colours? A nation at war and under international sanctions, has better things to import (smuggle) than paint. Land Rover paint was available and it works. Besides back in the day there wasnt Gucci camo inspector
