Syrian Rebel Arms Bazaar & DIY DShK Bolt Action Rifle
A reader sent in these photos allegedly taken of a Syrian arms bazaar in the rebel controlled city of Deir ez-Zor. The photos show a 12 year old boy, with a 1911 pistol in a shoulder holster that is to big for him, manning a stall selling loose 7.62x39mm ammunition, gun cleaning supplies, a RPG launcher SA7 anti-air missile/launcher, a variety of machine guns and a Mosin bolt action rifle.
Another reader tipped us off to this video showing a rebel manufactured single shot 12.7x108mm anti-material rifle manufactured from a DShK heavy machine gun barrel (although an expert told me it could have been made out of a Chinese HMG barrel). The approach they took to making it is very similar to the DIY .50 BMG rifles made in the USA by gun enthusiasts also using surplus machine gun barrels.
Thanks to our readers who sent us these tips.
I founded TFB in 2007 and over 10 years worked tirelessly, with the help of my team, to build it up into the largest gun blog online. I retired as Editor in Chief in 2017. During my decade at TFB I was fortunate to work with the most amazing talented writers and genuinely good people!
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That is indeed a HGM barrel. I have worked on several of them, I have no doubt that is what it is. I am pleasantly surprised that they remembered to weld up the gas port on the bottom of the barrel.
Looks lke the barrel to the type 89 HMG