Need help choosing WWII USA milsurp

[Hokkmike]

I want to buy a WWII combat rifle used by American forces in WWII. This to compliment my YUGO 24/47 and RUSSIAN Mosin Nagant.

The Garand is TOO BIG for me as I am small in stature with shorter arms.

So, excluding that fine firearm which many said "won the war" what would be a good representative era firearms, complete with sling, bayonet, etc., that I could add to my small collection?

I hope also in time to add a K-98, thought the 24/47 is probably close enough, and then an Arisaka. It will be a small collection.

Suggestions welcome!

 

[Neo-Luddite]

M-1 Carbine

 

[Quiet]

+1 on the M-1 Carbine.

And get an actual USGI, not a commercial production.

USGI
Inland Division of General Motors (INLAND DIV)
Winchester Repeating Arms (WINCHESTER)
Irwin-Pedersen (IRWIN-PEDERSEN)
Saginaw Steering Gear Division of General Motors (SAGINAW S.G.)
Underwood Elliot Fisher (UNDERWOOD)
National Postal Meter (NATIONAL POSTAL METER)
Quality Hardware Manufacturing Corp. (QUALITY H.M.C.)
International Business Machines (IBM Corp)
Standard Products (STD. PRO.)
Rock-Ola Manufacturing Corporation (ROCK-OLA)
Commercial Controls Corporation (COMMERCIAL CONTROLS)

 

[horsemen61]

yep m 1 carbine is the way to go

 

[Riomouse911]

Since the Garand is too big, the M-1 Carbine is about the only thing that fits your bill. I recently bought one from a friend who retired and moved out of the US, it's a hoot to plink with.

 

[vongh]

Might be a little hard to come by and if your not only looking for a full power rifle maybe a Thompson smg looking gun.

 

[OldBrownDog]

M1 Carbine.

Have you held an M1 Garand? I only ask because I find that the stock is very short. Unless weight is the issue, shouldering it shouldn't be a problem if you need a short LOP.

 

[Hokkmike]

Since the Garand is too big, the M-1 Carbine is about the only thing that fits your bill. I recently bought one from a friend who retired and moved out of the US, it's a hoot to plink with.

Dare I ask (ball park) what you paid for it?

 

[1948CJ2A]

Since you already have 2 bolt action rifles, you might consider a 1903 Springfield. Then you'd have 3 bolt-actions from approx the same era.

I've got all 3 plus a Garand. The Garand is my favorite but the 03 is a close second! For me, the other rifles really make the Nagant look like crud.

 

[fpgt72]

I did not see a 1903 brought up...if the 91/30 and 98k are ok then the good ole 1903 is something that could be done as well.

Also some "home guard" units got the old 1917.

And if you are looking for a US made rifle you can get a SMLE made by Savage stamped U.S. Property....those are cool as well.

 

[fpgt72]

Since you already have 2 bolt action rifles, you might consider a 1903 Springfield. Then you'd have 3 bolt-actions from approx the same era.

I've got all 3 plus a Garand. The Garand is my favorite but the 03 is a close second! For me, the other rifles really make the Nagant look like crud.

I also have them all, plus a Krag, and that Krag makes all them look like crap....but that is not really the point.

They are what they are, and a 91/30 in good shape (key) is not a bad looking rifle.

I also have the good fortune to have an SVT40, Garand, and G43....and IMHO the SVT is a far better weapon over the garand it is not even funny. Adjustable gas system, external magazine and no idiot enblock to screw with. And they shoot well enough for a combat weapon...minute of man at 100yards easy.

We also left out the Johnson, but it would be in the same category as a garand as heavy....and about 4x as expensive.

 

[carbine85]

All of the USGI rifles are big except for the M1 Carbine.
The M1 Garand isn't that bad. It should be fine if it's a bench shooter.
M1917 is heavier and longer and the 1903 is lighter and shorter. Both shoot the 30.06. I would assume that the recoil might be a bit harsh for you if the guns are too large to handle.
They really aren't as bad as you might think. My 10 year old Nephew shoots all of them. He also shoots my M44's and 91/30's.

 

[AlexanderA]

Is your main goal shooting, or collecting? If you're trying to assemble a representative WWII collection, whether you are comfortable shooting the M1 Garand is irrelevant. It definitely belongs in the collection.

Regarding the M1 carbine, note that most of them have been rebuilt over the years. The typical WWII gun would not have the bayonet lug or a 30-round magazine.

 

[USSR]

Quote:
Since the Garand is too big, the M-1 Carbine is about the only thing that fits your bill. I recently bought one from a friend who retired and moved out of the US, it's a hoot to plink with.

Dare I ask (ball park) what you paid for it?

Nice Service Grades here http://www.thecmp.org/Sales/m1garand.htm go for $625.

Don

 

[fpgt72]

It is odd that he says the garand is too big as he says he has the 91/30. I would think from a recoil point the mosin would be about the most harsh out of what he says he has. Perhaps that 9lb garand is just too heavy...medical reasons perhaps....who knows, but I do agree it belongs in any WWII collection if only as a bench rest gun....and they are quite fun that way.

 

[Hokkmike]

It is odd that he says the garand is too big as he says he has the 91/30. I would think from a recoil point the mosin would be about the most harsh out of what he says he has. Perhaps that 9lb garand is just too heavy...medical reasons perhaps....who knows, but I do agree it belongs in any WWII collection if only as a bench rest gun....and they are quite fun that way.

Bad shoulder. The 91/30 has a much slimmer profile.

It occurs to me, but didn't they make a "tanker" Garand.

 

[BigG]

I think it was General Patton who called the M1 rifle the Ultimate Weapon.

 

[Reloadron]

Need help choosing WWII USA milsurp

Narrows it down to the war baby, the M1 Carbine with the emphasis on USA Military Surplus. Buy a M1 Carbine, choot it and be happy.

Ron

 

[Fishbed77]

The Garand is TOO BIG for me as I am small in stature with shorter arms

The Garand stock has a rather short length-of-pull and is not difficult at all for short-statured people to operate. It's not a lightweight rifle, but the balance is very good. Recoil is very soft, considering the round. Actually, I can't think of a rifle firing a full-size cartridge that recoils softer than a Garand.

You should definitely shoot one a bit before you rule it out. Plenty of boys carried them and fought with them effectively all the way across Europe.

Also, a $625 CMP Service Grade Garand is hard to beat. One of the best milsurp deals out there.

 

[1KPerDay]

Get a Garand. Accept no substitutes. Coolest rifle ever made.

Second choice, 1903/A3. Lighter than the original 1903 (at least mine is). With the original type straight stock, LOP should be okay for you also.

M1 Carbines are cool, too. And they are tiny.

 

[desidog]

Forget the M-1. Get an M-3.

 

[AlexanderA]

It occurs to me, but didn't they make a "tanker" Garand.

"Tanker" Garands were made, but not by the U.S. military. These were figments of certain surplus dealers, who were trying to think up a way to use the demilled barrels and other parts they had on hand.

There was a request, I believe, from the Pacific Theater very late in the war for 50,000 shortened Garands for jungle (not "tanker") use. But the war ended before these could be made.

The first wave of Garands to hit the surplus market was in the late 1950's/early 1960's (not counting the few that became available through the Director of Civilian Marksmanship). These were often cut-up demilled guns that were cleverly welded together by enterprising scrap dealers. I remember these being sold through Sears Roebuck for about $80-90 (when you could buy a nice surplus Lee-Enfield for less than $10). I still have a rewelded Winchester M1 that I bought around that time. I didn't even realize it had been rewelded until years later -- the job had been done that well.

 

[Riomouse911]

I paid 450 bucks for the carbine, but it was from a friend not a dealer so I got the break.
I paid 500 for my CMP Garands several years ago.
I paid 189 for the Savage made-US Property marked .303 at Big 5 about 12 years ago.
I paid 149 for a 98k Mauser from Samco, again, many moons ago.
I paid 125 bucks for a 1917...but it was sporterized, not stock. I sold it a few years ago because the drilled scope mounts, cut barrel etc wouldn't let it be returned to original without a bunch of $$.
I dont have a Russian M-N...yet.

 

[strambo]

I would get the $625 CMP Garand. I love my Garand and have dinged steel with it at 500 yds. The first time I shot it, it struck me how little recoil there was considering it is 30.06 and how fast the follow up shots are.

I also recently acquired an M1 Carbine and these little things point and balance so well they seem to jump up and into your shoulder! Great HD gun with 110gr soft points as well.

You need to get both, flip a coin as to which comes first!

 

[Float Pilot]

I have a few WWII era US rifles, the one that rings my bell is my 1943 Smith Corona 1903-A3. Nothing says war time more than having a rifle made by a typewriter company.

Mine has the stock cross bolts that were intended to take the extra recoil from firing Rifle Grenades. A chore for which the 1903-A3 was often issued.