am i wrong in not liking this?

[glennsche]

http://www.ima-usa.com/original-wwi-wwii-rare-gurkha-made-smle-no-1-deactivated-rifle.html

if the rifle is as rare as they claim, why "deactivate" it? wouldnt it be better remembered and respected as a rare piece of history in its original (shootable) form?

these IMA guys... while i appreciate what they do on the one hand scaring up old things and neat novelty items and effects, they also kinda piss me off because they're making a lot of fakes of everything (bayonets helmets etc).

what do you lads think? is IMA a force for good or an agent of darkness? i ... i cant decide. Evidence for both, imo.

[Emdawg]

I wonder how they plug the barrels on those. Can it be undone?

[Springfield45]

I agree. I have got a couple of antique guns from them that I am very happy with. But I hate to see historic guns defaced. I don't think they want to deal with getting an FFL so instead they deactivate them to sell them. I don't know. But you could get a working SMLE for less than they are charging. Aim Surplus had the for $275. So lets be honest, guns from Nepal just do not bring that high of prices.

[pitfighter]

It may have been a liability concern if it was capable of firing modern smokeless ammo but not proofed appropriately.

[19K]

Or that's how the received them

[Bobby Ricigliano]

I have bought repro stuff from them via Ebay, no problems really. The repro 1907 slings are really good quality for $25.

[Jarhead]

It's their property to do as they wish

[bigbossman]

I wonder how they plug the barrels on those. Can it be undone?

Looks like they put a bar in the chamber/bore:

[Fate]

Watched some show with IMA as the feature focus. The owner's a bit of a loon. I don't like how they dabble in both worlds (collectors and repop).

[pitfighter]

Dealt with them a LOT over the years - just read the ads carefully and do your research.
There are some awesome deals and finds in amongst a lot of the other stuff they sell - my Lafette mount was a sensational find, price-wise, and a few other things are genuinely not bad deals.
But, it is by no means true that everything on their site is good value or authentic