WW2 Rifle Collection--What to include?

i dont think i would take anything away, but i might add an M38 because they are still available, realtivly of small number and still very reasonable. and i might add a springflield 03 as they were used in WWII. a little pricey, but nore more so than the carbine or garand. just my $.02

looks good to me

French MAS-36 maybe it is of that era but in truth I do not know how much it was used.

03 or an 03A3

Not sure what you are considering too expensive, or if you want genuine or just reproductions. I assume you are not looking for a "genuine" WWII collection because WWII issue dates on some of those are super expensive items.

So, if you want a collection that is representative of WWII then you might also consider building an SBR Thompson and maybe even one of the Ohio Ordnance Semi Auto BARs.

The Thompson will run around $1400-1500 including the NFA tax stamp for a simple SBR and the BAR semi's run around $3800-4000.
$1800 or so will buy an SBR Thompson that has been "worked over" to really have a genuine WWII appearance.


Something to consider anyway, especially the M1 Thompson, almost a "must have" to me in the WWII category because it's so recognizable.

USMC88-93 said:

French MAS-36 maybe it is of that era but in truth I do not know how much it was used.

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Use by the French in WWII? Never fired, only dropped once.

You forgot SVT-40, MAS M-44, G/K-43, Berthier, and M91/41 Carcano.

And please refrain from the French-are-cowards idiocy. Indefensible land border with Germany. Look it up sometime.

While never used in combat, I'd add in a Swiss K31 for good measure. I bought mine months ago and absolutely love it!

Mosin-Nagant M38. (Saw action throughout the war whereas the M44 just caught the tail end.)

SVT-40.

1903 or 03/A3 Springfield. Early frontline use by the Marines and used for grenade launching throughout the end of the war.

Arisaka Type 38 rifle.

Finn M-28 or 28/30.

Ohio Rifleman is correct. The Swiss K31. I really enjoy mine. See if you can locate one that has the former soldier's name, etc on the tag under the steel butt plate.

I would say instead of the Mosin-Nagant M44, go with the SVT-40. That would be a real gem for the collection....

There's so many of them that were used it would have to be arbitrary, or you'd have to get really specific. For example, if I were doing it, I might only pick one year, like 1942, just to narrow things down. Of course all the guns I choose wouldn't have to be from 1942. I'd probably also pick only the rifles that were widely issued at that time.

I'd pick guns from countries that were fighting at that time:

US
Britain
Soviet Union
Germany
Italy
Japan

I'd probably go with:

1. M1 Rifle
2. M1903A3
3. K98k
4. M1891/30
5. M1938 Carbine
6. 6.5mm "Carcano"
7. 6.5mm "Arisaka"
8. Rifle No 4 Mk I
9. Rifle No.1 Mk III*
10. SVT 40

MAS-36 did serve, though the rifle really made it's name in the nasty little wars of French Indochina and Algeria.

As for hirundo82's inane comments about the French military, I could start by talking about Lafayette and Rochambeau, or the massive French military and civilian casualties in WWI, but I will just say that the U.S. military personnel that I have known that fought alongside the French in the first Gulf War and the Balkans had no complaints.

IF you can find one, you need to look for the Johnson rifle. It was used by the Marine Raiders, and the 1903a3 is relevant since it was the primary arm of the US Army during the siege of Corrigidor(SP??). Don't forget the little Enfield SMLE jungle carbine. The Brits used those to good effect during their part of the pacific war.

A couple of my picks have been mentioned (1903) but what about the BAR, and the submachine guns used in the war? The grease gun, the Schmeisser, and the ones the Russians used?

P17's were put into use in china as were johnson rifles. And Krags were used in Norway

Don't forget the US Rifle Caliber .30 M1917. A lot of troops in the Philippines had them.

You kinda need to add a French MAS - they were intricately involved in the war, even if they didn't do a lot of direct fighting.

Maybe a 1903 springfield as well, and yes, maybe even a U.S. model 1917 (aka P17 enfield).

My favorite has already been mentioned... The Remington 1903A3

I don't think Springfield ever made an 03A3. The 03A3 was only made my Remington and Smith-Corona. There is a later "junk" model made by National Ordinance in the 60s or so...

...and you could add on the "sniper" version... The 1903A4!
(if you can find one)

Vaarok said:

And please refrain from the French-are-cowards idiocy. Indefensible land border with Germany. Look it up sometime.

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Yeah, sorry about that. I was trying to make a joke and it fell flat. I'm well aware of French martial history and their contributions as our allies.

Personally, I would not add the MAS-36, if like one poster very intelligently commented, you pick one year of the conflict like 1942. The '03 was pretty much regulated to the special situations by then, so I would not use that either. Here is my choice:

K98k Mauser....definitely, Germany, most of the Baltic Axis partners.
M1 Garand or Carbine...remember more carbine's were used than Garand's, look it up!
Type 99 7.7 Japan transitioned between 1939 and 1941 from the Type 38 6.5
No 1 Mark III*...Canada, Australia, and Britian along with the entire commonwealth.
91/30....1/2 the Russian troops that were issued rifles
M 44... too soon in the conflict, not yet issued until 1944!
M 38...principle issued rifle to non combatants for the Russians (i.e. medical, support troops, nco's, etc.), yet made it to almost 10% of the troops. The remaining picked up anything that they found in battle, friend or foe. Less than .5% had the SVT by this time. There were more with pick axes and shovels than SVT's.
6.5 Carcano...Italy was pretty much out of it by now, but????
M95 Carbine...still used at this time by Croatians, Serbs, and some of the rest of the Hungarian federation, even used by some of the Austrian troops. Germany actually still loaded ammo for this rifle right up until the end.

That's my suggestion, and I am working on my own collection:
left to right: first one doesn't count, K98k, T99, 91/30PU, 91/30, M44, M38.

and I've add these in the last couple of weeks:



Already have a M1 Carbine...got put it in the WWII garage with the rest!

...pick one year of the conflict like 1942. The '03 was pretty much regulated to the special situations by then...

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Not hardly. Ever hear of a place called Guadalcanal?

A P08 Luger would fit perfectly in the middle of that "rifle collection". Sorry couldn't help myself. I really like that pistol.

I had a thread going about this a while back, with the idea of SOMEDAY being able to get an example of each (Yeah, I know....). I got up to about SIXTY different models and major variations that were ISSUED weapons, then I kind of abandoned the project when I realized that it was kind of spiraling out of control (and getting a little depressing for my wallet). There were QUITE a few countries involved, and the South American countries that came in as League of Nations allies really throw a wrench into the works, since they had MANY different models in use during the period. And quite a few older pattern rifles were "issued" to units like England's Home Guard.

I'd add the Simonov AVS to the Soviet list. They weren't very common, rather less so than the SVT-38 in fact, but the Finns loved the ones they captured in the Winter War. The Soviet troops didn't like them much, I'll bet the complexity of the weapon was why. Ivan Frontovich was not fond of little fiddly bits, apparently.

And the K.31 was used in combat, just not "Official" combat. Hitler didn't really press on Switzerland, but there were a fair number of "incidents" that resulted in a "frank and thorough exchanging of opinions", with the Swiss apparently carrying the debate on most occasions.