[Nick1911]

Does anyone know of a site that tells or shows how the M3 'Greese Gun' (as used in WWII) works? I've been told that they are very simple, and only have 5 moving parts; that really intrigues me - I love simplicity of design. Does anyone have pics, or a site that shows this?

Thanks,
Nick

[Jim K]

It has more parts than that, but the gun is very simple. Unlike the STEN, which is selective fire, the M3 is full auto only, but the rate of fire is slow enough that single shots are easy to get off. The M3 has several parts in its cocking mechanism, which uses a sort of crank handle to retract the bolt. The M3A1 is even simpler, having a hole in the bolt into which the shooter sticks his finger for cocking. The firing pin is part of the bolt face, and the extractor is used only as a pivot point for the ejector and to extract a dud round.

Also, unlike the STEN, the bolt rides on two rods, allowing the gun to function in almost any conditions. The same idea is used in the AR-18/180.

Aside from the receiver, barrel and sleeve, stock and stock catch, and magazine and magazine catch, the main parts of the M3A1 are the trigger, the sear-trigger spring, the sear, the bolt, the two rods and their supports, and the bolt springs. There is also an oiler in the butt (the M3 uses a carbine oiler).

Designed specifically for production by American mass-production techniques, the gun is welded together from two stamped halves, an idea later used by Bill Ruger in his .22 pistols.

Jim