favorite military rifle

[sawdeanz]

I guess I would have to pick some version of the enfield based on the old mantra that the U.S. made a target rifle, the germans a hunting rifle, and the brits a battle rifle! The indian one I have isn't my favorite as I would prefer one of the ones with peep sights and handier size, but at least I can more easily find ammo to shoot in it.

However my dream gun would be the fg42 mentioned earlier, that is a super fascinating gun from a design standpoint. Maybe if '68 ban is repealed I can get one of the ones from smg guns in full auto, at which point I would want for nothing...

 

[scottbird]

funny how all this works out, most of the posts here are what was asked for, your favorite WWI-WWII rifle and why. I have read some that say they like the rifle of their choosing because theirs is the best. well indeed I am sure that they are all very good, and some may be better than others, but the way I feel is what is good for you may not be for me.
for instance the M1 grand. yes it was and is a great rifle, for me it is worthless, I messed up my shoulder and cant take the recoil of the 06. for me to own a rifle I cant shoot is worthless, and as you can see I am not a collector. yes I could fire it if it was an emergency and that was all I could get to. I will in no ways say that it was or was not a good rifle. I use the 303 #1 mk3. it is what I like, I enjoy shooting, and just plain like.
the theme was your favorite rifle and why, because I think it was the best rifle made, is not an explanation, it is an opinion. now if you were to say as some did, (and I respect them for it) I grew up on the M1, owned it for years, has done great service for me, and that is why it is my favorite.

I am not judging anyone, and I know I am guilty of it more than anyone, instead of pushing our views on someone else about a firearm, why not first listen to why they went with what they chose, then we can compare what it is able to do, compared to another caliber.

 

[morcey2]

Of the ones that I currently own, I have several favorites for different purposes:

Historical relevance: Finn captured 1933 Tula M91/30. It has parts from every single mosin-producing armory and the back half of the stock is from an Austrian mosin conversion (8x50R, I think).

Fun to shoot: M38 Mosin

Hitting what you're aiming for: 1903 that I rescued from a pawn shop and added a C-Stock. I have a yugo capture K98k and a VZ-24 that are both very close in accuracy, but they're just a hair behind.

Extended range sessions: Garand

Working the action: VZ-24

 

[Panzerschwein]

The SKS is probably my favorite after some thinking on it.

And yes, it WAS in fact used in the closing days/weeks of WW2 on the Eastern Front in pre production form, so it does in fact count as a WW2 rifle.

 

[GBExpat]

for instance the M1 grand. yes it was and is a great rifle, for me it is worthless, I messed up my shoulder and cant take the recoil of the 06. for me to own a rifle I cant shoot is worthless, and as you can see I am not a collector. yes I could fire it if it was an emergency and that was all I could get to. I will in no ways say that it was or was not a good rifle. I use the 303 #1 mk3. it is what I like, I enjoy shooting, and just plain like.

If you can fire full-power rounds out of a Nº1Mk3 off of that bad shoulder, you can do the same with an M1 ... and the M1 will be easier on the shoulder.

 

[Gunnerboy]

Hmmm favorite ww2 Weapon? ... How about a little RPD action! haha

 

[Panzerschwein]

As for WW1 era rifle, give me a Mosin-Nagant M91!

 

[d2wing]

Garand of those wars.

 

[Bullseye]

I like the 1917 Remington 30-06 because it was my first "cheap" deer rifle that I got in a bargain barrel at a sporting goods store when I was a kid.
Everyone made fun of me with the old army gun while they had their fancy scoped modern rifles. I gave it up needing cash and only got a couple hundred bucks for it but that was at a profit.
Wish I still had that same rifle today. I often look at them in online auctions these days.

If I absolutely needed another rifle, I might go looking for an Eddystone Remington or Winchester 1917 but something always puts it on the back burner, mainly the price I'd have to pay to get one again.
Mine shot super straight and was in great condition.

 

[henschman]

If I had to pick a fighting rifle from that time period, it would probably be the Remington Model 8 in .30 Rem with the POE 15 round detachable mag conversion. It would make for a relatively light, short, controllable rifle with plenty of firepower. The Model 8 saw limited military use, so it counts!

 

[Mosin Bubba]

^^Is it just me, or does that gun look a lot like an SKS? Might be where the Soviets got it from...

 

[JRH6856]

Maybe it's just you. Other than the similarities that most rifles have with each other in configuration, I don't see any similarities at all. Or maybe it's just me.

 

[stubbicatt]

My favorite is a SVT 40. To think that the Soviets, with the state of industry in that country at the time it was designed and produced, were able to incorporate so many advanced features in the rifle amazes me.

Readily accepts optics, if properly notched receiver. Fluted chamber to aid extraction, later used in the G3. Gas regulator so that it could shoot any commonly available ammunition. No "slow powder/heavy bullet bent operating rod" issues here. Ease of disassembly for maintenance/cleaning. Neat little trap door in rear of receiver that easily accommodates a cleaning rod for the preferred cleaning from the breech technique. Muzzle brake that is quite effective. Balances well in the hand. Accurate enough.

The magazine that accepts cartridges through a charging clip that stacks the rounds so that one does not get rim lock. Last round bolt hold open. Just a neat design.

And it is so much fun to shoot.

 

[HoosierQ]

I am going with the 6.5 Swedish Mauser. I had a chance to buy one (the first ever shot I ever had at buying a milsurp) and I dithered and lost it. I just didn't know enough. Been kicking myself ever since. One of the best rifles ever chambered from one of the best rounds ever. Heck of a combination.

US model of 1917 is right up there. Ditto rifle and cartridge distinction.

 

[davidhan]

The Lee Enfield No.4 is probably my favourite, but I have a soft spot for some of the Scandinavian rifles too.
I have a Norwegian M/94 and a Swedish M/38 short rifle. They're both lovely rifles.

 

[gto.kroh]

This is as a tough one..
M1 garand. Cause its a garand what else needs to be said.
Ppsh. What a ridiculous rate of fire...
Mp40. Amazing german engineering.
Mp44 also known as stg44
This thing was way ahead of its time and if it would have been built before it was ww2 may have had a whole different scenario.....amazing rifle. Very controllable and very accurate....pure craftsmanship in that baby....

 

[barnbwt]

Probably the K31, since you can play catch as you shoot.

TCB

 

[Panzerschwein]

If I had to pick a fighting rifle from that time period, it would probably be the Remington Model 8 in .30 Rem with the POE 15 round detachable mag conversion. It would make for a relatively light, short, controllable rifle with plenty of firepower. The Model 8 saw limited military use, so it counts!

My God.

Is that rifle yours? It's a BUTE!!! LOVE it! I've been on the hunt for one for some time. If I recall one was present at the scene when Bonnie and Clyde went to go see the baby Jesus. VERY interesting and COOL rifles!!!

PS: I don't think it looks like an SKS, except maybe the chargin handle but that's it.

 

[highpower]

I find it interesting that most of the major powers went to war in WWII armed with basically the same battle rifles that they had twenty years earlier. Obviously the US had a superior rifle in the M1 Garand as it was semi auto and was by all accounts a robust and reliable weapon. The Russian Tokarev was not issued in large numbers and did have some reliability issues.

I think that I would have to separate the two wars as I would definitely want to have a Garand over any of the other guns commonly available in war two. All the other guns used by the major belligerents were nineteenth century designs that were still being recycled in a time where the nature of combat had changed forever.

If I was pinned down to a particular rifle for the first world war, I would have to opt for a No1MkIII based on its magazine capacity.

 

[henschman]

Cooldill, nope, unfortunately I don't own a Model 8 -- that is a pic I found online. Seeing it being handled really shows how handy it is compared to something like an M1. It is a good pound and a half lighter, too. The .30-06 is a great 600 yard cartridge, but that's not where most of the action happens in real life gunfights. I'll take lighter weight, lower recoil, and higher capacity any day for that role. Also, aperture sights are great for the target range in broad daylight, but they suck in low light and for low visibility targets... you know, like you frequently have in real life. I'll take some nice simple adjustable notch sights any day. Yes, Frank Hamer used a Model 8 in .35 Rem equipped with the POE magazine conversion to kill Clyde Barrow.

It is similar to the SKS in ways... semi auto intermediate power .30 cal rifle with an internal box mag that can be readily converted to larger detachable mags and top-loads with stripper clips... but the SKS has double the capacity in either configuration. Visually they aren't too similar... just the squared-off rounded back of he receiver and maybe the bolt handle. You can see that Kalashnikov copied the Model 8's selector lever for the AK-47 too.

 

[Vern Humphrey]

If I was pinned down to a particular rifle for the first world war, I would have to opt for a No1MkIII based on its magazine capacity.

I think the top choice for WWI was the rifle we used, the M1917 "Enfield."

This rifle started out as the British P13, chambered for a .280 cartridge about equal to the modern 7mm Remington Magnum. When the war started, the British dropped the cartridge, opting to stick with the .303 Enfield (for which they had lots of manufacturing capability) but took the P13 to the US, where three US plants manufactured it in .303. This version was the P14.

When the US entered the war, those plants were wrapping up their contracts, and the US Army contracted for them to produce the same rifle -- but in .30-06. This was the Model 1917.

We had far more M1917s than M1903s, and the M1903s were basically used for training in the US, with the troops being issued M1917s for combat.

The M1917 is extremely strong, has a wide fat-topped front sight protected by outward curving guards or "ears" (Like the Garand) and a ladder style peep sight. The magazine would also hold two more rounds than the M1903, although we continued to issue ammo in 5-round clips.

The M1917 had the best sights and was chambered for the best cartridge.

 

[ApacheCoTodd]

Limiting it to my own possession...

Garand
M-1 Carbine
1903 fer lookin' at
1903A3 fer shootin'
FR8 in .308 as a nod to the Mauser

This is considering past opportunities to own most of the others made. It also takes into account those owned and let go as well as the ones still owned yet don't make the list.

I guess currently though there is one I would put on the list had I the sense to buy one when they were in pickle barrels in Fayetteville: A "Johnson" rifle.

 

[MountainBear]

It could be my Garand. But then again, it could be one of my three or four 1903a3. But then it could be one of my two 1903. But then there's the two swede's. And the three VZ24's. And the K98, and the two turks. Damn. I have a problem.

But it's a good problem to have. The Garand is original with the exception of a replacement stock. One of the 03a3 is original. The K98 is a restoration project and will be original again someday. The rest are actions, barreled actions, or sporterized rifles that I have accumulated. I still need a G&H 03 sporter, a sedgley sporter, an NRA sporter, a factory oberndorf sporter...

Now if only I had a bucket full of $100 bills...

 

[krinko]

This week, a 1912 LSA No1 MkIII with a 1939 barrel---so it qualifies for WW1 and WW2.
-----krinko

 

[GBExpat]

The Garand is original with the exception of a replacement stock. One of the 03a3 is original.

I think that must be referring to "correct" because there is no way for you to know that they are "original" unless you or someone you know has owned them from the moment they left the OEM.

K98ks, on the other hand, have all of their bits stamped with, at least, the last couple digits of their serial number so you have a better chance of determining a true "original".