U.S. small arms of WWII – What would you carry?

[shield20]

'Nother vote for the Johnson. And the 1911 of course. Go 'Chutes!

 

[phonesysphonesys]

I would carry a BAR again. I still have my K Bar. Any volunters to be my assistant and carry the extra magazines? I love that select fire. Got to have a 1911 also.

Semper Fi

 

[U.S.SFC_RET]

M1 Garand, a proven winner. I don't know why anyone would ever consider carrying an M1911A1 into battle, they are next to worthless because by the time you are close enough to square off to the enemy you are outgunned and dead.

 

[jad0110]

I added the following background information as an "edit" to my starter post to answer a few questions:

EDIT: There were originally far more choices in the poll, including the Johnson rifles, Browning pocket autos, and others. However, THR limits the number of poll choices to 16, so I went with the more common stuff and put in an "other" category. For this same reason, I could really list all model deviations (not to mention it'd be time consuming) such as M1911 and M1911A1 or M1903, M1903A3, etc.

Also, assume that you are limited to ammunition readily available at the time (in other words, no modern expanding ammo).

I can now see why it would have been interesting to leave off the most popular choices, the M1 and the 1911 to see what people would have chosen otherwise.

Oh well, another day, another thread.

 

[denfoote]

Just to be contrary!!!

The MP40 and the P38!!!

 

[the lone gunman]

Think an M1 and a 1911. for me anyway.

 

[Biker]

Actually, when I went with the Thompson, I was thinking Vic Morrow in "Combat" and house to house fighting. The Thompson would shine in such a role, I would think.

Biker

 

[Stickjockey]

Most likely: M1 Garand + 1911

Far-out, Walter Mitty fantasy: 1911, as a back-up to 6 Browning .50's mounted in a P-51.

 

[Threeband]

My father carried a 12 guage shotgun and a .45 revolver, but that was guarding POWs in Tennessee.

My Uncle was a REMF in the ETO. As a clerk typist, he was issued a M1917.

Me, I voted for the M1 and the 1911A1.

 

[buck00]

K98 Mauser

 

[CajunBass]

Actually, when I went with the Thompson, I was thinking Vic Morrow in "Combat" and house to house fighting. The Thompson would shine in such a role, I would think.

Biker

If my old memory serves me right, both Sgt. Rock, and Sgt. Fury carried Thompson's. Shoot, let's expand it and get a Haunted "JEB Stuart" tank.

Good enough for them. Good enough for me. Between those guys, they killed half the German army.

 

[oceansands]

I picked the M1 Carbine and the 1911. I picked the carbine because it is smaller and lighter and has a greater mag capacity than the M1 Garand 8 round clip. I like the range of the Garand, but I likethe rate and amount of the Thopmson, so the Carbine is a nice middle ground. I mean come on everybody knows why I choose the 1911.



With that said, the M1 Garand is my favorite riffle over all.

 

[TexasRifleman]

I'd take a BAR, but only the original 1918 with select fire and no bipod, and a colt 1911.

I dunno, the bipod works pretty well.....

 

[Tommygunn]

Actually, when I went with the Thompson, I was thinking Vic Morrow in "Combat" and house to house fighting. The Thompson would shine in such a role, I would think.

YES! ANOTHER COMBAT! fan!!!!!!
And yes, the Thompson was very good in that role! Of course a lot of ammo got wasted, since they didn't always open the door before blasting and some blasted rooms wound up being empty.
Of course the Garand & Carbine were also used, since there really weren't enough SMGs around.

 

[shep854]

Yet another M1 Garand and M1911A1.

For all-around versatility, the Garand works. If I understand the scenario, you most likely won't have much choice of where you go. If you can specify ONLY a short-range location, or non-combat posting, the smaller weapons are good choices. But what if you pick a carbine or subgun and wind up in N Africa?

 

[M40A1]

BAR and 1911 all the way!

 

[Thain]

Hmm... what about the Chauchat?

 

[Alexfubar]

Garand and 1911. , with a pair of Mustang p51's on call.

 

[RevolvingCylinder]

M1 Thompson and Smith & Wesson Military & Police.

 

[possum]

i would take the stg 44 of the german presuasian if that was an option, but if not i would take the m1 garand if it had to stay american as a primary, and i would take a 1911 of course as a secondary.

 

[Dr.Rob]

The BAR is still my fave weapon of WW2, and that would be my choice. Yeah it's heavy, bulky, only has 20 rds... still my fave.

I picked the 1917 Colt revolver because I have one. I understand BAR gunners were issued 1911A1's (or at least the ww2 BAR belt has a pistol hanger on it).

My answers would be a little different if I was a Limey.

My relatives in WW2 were mostly PTO in the Navy, while my paternal grandfather was issued a '45' his primary weapon was a B-29. He was a flight engineer.

I had a great uncle killed in an accident in post war Berlin he had been a radio man in the infantry started as private, ended as a Lieutenant, and in the MP's... he was killed when the shotgun in his jeep accidently discharged during the course of his duties -- that's how the telegram read. that's the only source of info I've ever seen for shotguns to be in use in the ETO.

 

[jad0110]

Okay, I had to think about this one for a while. Pretty lame, since this is my own thread .

For a primary I was torn between a BAR and a Garand. What swung my vote for the Garand was the extra weight of the BAR. I've never fired a Garand, but have held a number of them. They are heavy enough!

Sidearm choice was very difficult. I was deadlocked between a S&W 1917 45 ACP or the 1911. I really like both, but had to go with the 1917 because I typically shoot wheelies a little better. The M&P may have been my choice, given modern ammo, but I'll stick with the 1917.

 

[Elza]

Garand and 1911.

I have a 1943 Springfield Garand. Of all of my weapons it would be the last to go. I truly love the old girl. (And to heII with Carolyn McCarthy!)

 

[threefeathers]

My very first assigned weapon in an infantry squad. I was 16 had lied about my age and gone in the AZ Guard. The BAR. One year later in Berlin 1960 again the BAR. Later I had an M-1 Garand, then in 61 a Carbine. Later that year we got M-14's.

 

[loose cannon]

i picked the bar and the 45acp wheelgun.

belt feds a nice for static warfare but a moving targets harder to hit.

and im gonna be movin