Whatif: Which rifle for WWII Patrol?
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Vern Humphrey
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I had, and passed up, an opportunity to carry a Thompson on operations my first tour in Viet Nam. I elected to leave it in the jeep for an emergency weapon.
1. It's actually heavier than an M1.
2. Relatively short range.
3. Poor penetration in brush and material objects (the enemy tends to get behind things when being shot at.)
Ivy Mike
Member
No matter how fast you are with the en bloc clips of the Garand, I can still fire 30 rounds from an M14 faster than you can with a Garand.
You'll notice my list of drawbacks of the Garand are pretty minor other than the design flaw of not using a detachable magazine. If you get the action of a Garand completely filled with mud and debris, you need to partially take it down to get most of it out.
With the M14, you need to remove the magazine and wait for the gunk to drain. Very simple, and quite effective. I like it and by all reports, so did the troops carrying it...in fact, its still in use today although it has been relegated to more specialized roles.
This is all moot as the M14 wasn't around then.
Gunsnrovers
Member
I'll take the Garand.
1) lots of long range shots in the fields and forests
2) the Thompson is a heavy SOB
3) the BAR is nice, but post war studies have proven that once a BAR gunner was on the line, infantry fire DRAMATICALLY fell off. Guys were more then happy to let the machine gunners do the work and keep their heads down. Not that I blame them.
If we were in town, I'll take the M1 carbine over the Thompson.
1) lots of long range shots in the fields and forests
2) the Thompson is a heavy SOB
3) the BAR is nice, but post war studies have proven that once a BAR gunner was on the line, infantry fire DRAMATICALLY fell off. Guys were more then happy to let the machine gunners do the work and keep their heads down. Not that I blame them.
If we were in town, I'll take the M1 carbine over the Thompson.
mustanger98
Member
First off, I've been off of here for a while because some little oxygen theif wrote yet another virus that found my computer. I'm still not as often getting online because I have to use a library computer.
Okay, tell you what I do about this M1 vs BAR debate. I own a Garand and like it very well. My Granddaddy (Mom's daddy) carried and used both the M1 Garand and BAR in the Pacific in WW2. He told me when he got a chance to set the BAR down, he did and picked up an M1 Garand.
Now, M1/03/03A3 vs. K98k. I also own a K98k and can't tell much difference between 8x57JS and .30cal. M2 ball. So... I'm also reminded of a couple of shows about the 1st Special Forces (aka the Devil's Brigade) and 10th Mountain Division and one of those outfits trained with German weapons as well as US-issued. I recall where they told that they ran out of ammo during their advance, so they picked up German stuff and kept advancing.
The question of where are you gonna get ammo for a K98k? Think about it. If you must use the enemy's weapon, you probably have his ammo. If you must use the enemy's ammo, you most likely have his weapon too. Any time you kill or capture an enemy, you appropriate his stuff. Problem solved.
Okay, tell you what I do about this M1 vs BAR debate. I own a Garand and like it very well. My Granddaddy (Mom's daddy) carried and used both the M1 Garand and BAR in the Pacific in WW2. He told me when he got a chance to set the BAR down, he did and picked up an M1 Garand.
Now, M1/03/03A3 vs. K98k. I also own a K98k and can't tell much difference between 8x57JS and .30cal. M2 ball. So... I'm also reminded of a couple of shows about the 1st Special Forces (aka the Devil's Brigade) and 10th Mountain Division and one of those outfits trained with German weapons as well as US-issued. I recall where they told that they ran out of ammo during their advance, so they picked up German stuff and kept advancing.
The question of where are you gonna get ammo for a K98k? Think about it. If you must use the enemy's weapon, you probably have his ammo. If you must use the enemy's ammo, you most likely have his weapon too. Any time you kill or capture an enemy, you appropriate his stuff. Problem solved.
OP
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DMK
Member
I saw the program about the 10th Mountain. They were trained on German weapons and intentionally used them during at least one attack. They said it caused a lot of confusion among the defenders who kept yelling to them to stop firing. Apparently, they thought it was friendly fire and were hesitant to return fire.
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