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I'm always amazed at how things disappear from military inventories while everything was registered and tracked and that. I can't see any other way than through acquaintances and accomplices that mask it somehow, but those would have to reach quite deep. Even saying it is lost doesn't always work as you would be made to search for it - or because it makes no sense in the case of a plane nose...

 Maréchal des Logis Walter wrote:
I'm always amazed at how things disappear from military inventories while everything was registered and tracked and that. I can't see any other way than through acquaintances and accomplices that mask it somehow, but those would have to reach quite deep. Even saying it is lost doesn't always work as you would be made to search for it - or because it makes no sense in the case of a plane nose...

I mean, ultimately your quality control and security are composed of 18-20ish soldiers. There's duty, and then there's this cool idea I had to make a beer cooler out of a harrier nose cone, and have a nose party. You know which way the enlisted folks are going.

And that's before any inventory paperwork is done wrong, and it's easier for something to vanish than figure out why the count is wrong, since it probably means telling a superior officer that they made a mistake.

Which, as we know, superior officer can't possibly have done. My aid in the optic stock I had to atten to as a "secondary job" as a maréchal des logis once managed to lose binoculars. They went out, never came back, and he never remembered who he gave it to. But we had ourselves borrowed it from the regiment's overall stock, so that got me into some trouble.

 Maréchal des Logis Walter wrote:
I'm always amazed at how things disappear from military inventories while everything was registered and tracked and that. I can't see any other way than through acquaintances and accomplices that mask it somehow, but those would have to reach quite deep. Even saying it is lost doesn't always work as you would be made to search for it - or because it makes no sense in the case of a plane nose...

I think someone mentioned it in the early portions of this thread, but it reminds me of a story of a guy who had a military surplus store.

He would regularly buy lots of stuff from military auctions. One time he bought a bunch of rifle crates. When he got them back to the store one of the cases was heavier than it should have been, upon opening he found the dozen M16s the case was designed for still inside.

He called and gave them back. I probably wouldn't have been so honest.


But yeah. "Hey, should we open these cases and make sure they are empty before sending them to auction? Nah, thats above our paygrade!" -some Private, probably

It also assumes everyone is firing on all cylinders all of the time.

We’ve all had duff days, I’m sure. Where due to hangover, distraction or just….whatever, Mr Brain doesn’t want to cooperate. And so we make daft little mistakes and errors we may not notice for a bit.

Put a crate in the wrong pile. Misread a number. Put a stencil on the wrong box. Shipping labels swapped. All teeny tiny seemingly inconsequential errors which can all add up to “I’m sure I had 127 Abrams in this particularly large garage” type stuff.

To be fair, the army works in a way that tires to prevent things getting meessed up by a bad day or a poorly gifted individual, as those are commonplace in the army. Not 100% proof though.

Besides, that's also partly thr point we try to get to in fireamrs courses.

https://www.naturabuy.fr/Carabine-ManuArm-Mono-coup-22Lr-item-11977673.html

Right, after I finished with my Falcor that is know well better looking, and fonctionnal, I'm buying this single shot 22lr. It needs a little filling on the front (I'll trust that I can manage that as a soon professionnal tig welder... maybe I shouldn't though as i usually weld stainless tubes for champagne or acid.). I'll then let my inner bubba loose somewhat and try to modify some things on it: mostly see if it were possible to cut and reweld the bolt lever straight for my left handiness. Again, trusting in the fact I'm 2 months away from being certified tig welder after all.

As for the rest, I'll see. This is a gun with little to no collector value, and affordable, perfect for me learning. Maybe try my hand at some reshaping of the front of the stock... In that case, I'll need both a new set of files and of course, appropriate welding rods. Brownells france seems to be shipping nickel/steel alloy rods, that are better suited than just steel rods. Besides, stainless steel rods are a no no, especially on the barrel as I'll have got to re blue it.

And, on the fence about also getting myself that relatively cheap beretta 92s. Yes, the price they pay me for working on construction site far from home rose, if you're wondering.

https://www.armoccase.com/pistolets-semi-automatique/4322-pistolet-beretta-92s-9x19-occasion.html

 Maréchal des Logis Walter wrote:
I'm always amazed at how things disappear from military inventories while everything was registered and tracked and that. I can't see any other way than through acquaintances and accomplices that mask it somehow, but those would have to reach quite deep. Even saying it is lost doesn't always work as you would be made to search for it - or because it makes no sense in the case of a plane nose...

Back in the 1990s, I seem to recall hearing of a base that discovered they had an inventory of wagon parts from the Mexican War still in inventory. There was this one place I worked that had a room set aside for equipment dating back the Eisenhower Administration. When you have a gakky grasp of the equipment you have, gak gets lost.


But I still keep praying to find a Willy's MB still in the box.

That's some poor management right here lol

 Maréchal des Logis Walter wrote:
https://www.naturabuy.fr/Carabine-ManuArm-Mono-coup-22Lr-item-11977673.html

Right, after I finished with my Falcor that is know well better looking, and fonctionnal, I'm buying this single shot 22lr. It needs a little filling on the front (I'll trust that I can manage that as a soon professionnal tig welder... maybe I shouldn't though as i usually weld stainless tubes for champagne or acid.). I'll then let my inner bubba loose somewhat and try to modify some things on it: mostly see if it were possible to cut and reweld the bolt lever straight for my left handiness. Again, trusting in the fact I'm 2 months away from being certified tig welder after all.

As for the rest, I'll see. This is a gun with little to no collector value, and affordable, perfect for me learning. Maybe try my hand at some reshaping of the front of the stock... In that case, I'll need both a new set of files and of course, appropriate welding rods. Brownells france seems to be shipping nickel/steel alloy rods, that are better suited than just steel rods. Besides, stainless steel rods are a no no, especially on the barrel as I'll have got to re blue it.

And, on the fence about also getting myself that relatively cheap beretta 92s. Yes, the price they pay me for working on construction site far from home rose, if you're wondering.

https://www.armoccase.com/pistolets-semi-automatique/4322-pistolet-beretta-92s-9x19-occasion.html

I have nothing useful to add (having no skills or experience in this area) but following along with interest. Commenting so you don't feel you are posting into the void on this

Me too, 5 years from now we will be seeing beautiful restored gold inlaid 19th century duelling pistols following his latest refurbishing

Damn, I wish I had the gunsmithing skills to do such stuff! But hey, gotta start somewhere! Big thanks to the both of you for the post

 BaronIveagh wrote:

 Maréchal des Logis Walter wrote:
I'm always amazed at how things disappear from military inventories while everything was registered and tracked and that. I can't see any other way than through acquaintances and accomplices that mask it somehow, but those would have to reach quite deep. Even saying it is lost doesn't always work as you would be made to search for it - or because it makes no sense in the case of a plane nose...

Back in the 1990s, I seem to recall hearing of a base that discovered they had an inventory of wagon parts from the Mexican War still in inventory. There was this one place I worked that had a room set aside for equipment dating back the Eisenhower Administration. When you have a gakky grasp of the equipment you have, gak gets lost.


But I still keep praying to find a Willy's MB still in the box.

The amount of random gak laying around because no one wants to deal with the paperwork, or knows why it was there, and if it's still needed or not, is ridiculous.

That being said, sometimes it's just accidental - "Huh, I'm at home with this controlled item in my pocket after an exercise - boss?" 'Uh, all the paperwork says I have all those, so give it here and pretend this didn't happen' is a thing at times.

Although there was a case of a disposals officer giving rocket launchers scheduled for destruction to organised crime to wipe his gambling debts, so anything can happen at any level.

We have the Abrams story as well, except for us it was torpedos going to a mechanic repair unit.