OK guys, give me a list of the must have most important battle rifles.

[Blitzkrieg]

I heard different on Custer's weapons. I heard it that the U.S. Gov'mint didn't want the lads to be wastin' all that expensive ammo, so the general Cav. were not issued the five (or is it seven?) shot repeaters. HOWEVER, you better believe that the Natives had them. One of several reasons Custer's actions were suicidal that day (Go Natives, gettin some payback!).

At least that's how I learned it anyways.

The main reason Custer lost IMO is he rushed forward in an attempt to stop the slaughter of settlers, leaving his Gatling guns behind. Custer was a dashing young General who died protecting his people

 

[Gaucho Gringo]

Shortly before the Battle Of Little Bighorn, Custer's troops who had been carrying Spencer repeating rifles for the 11 years after the Civil War had had them withdrawn and were reequipped with single shot Trapdoor Springfield Rifles. Most of them had never even shot their new rifles in anything resembling battlefield conditions and combined with the unfamiliarity with the rifles, their inherent ammunition problems and the fact that a large number of Native Americans had repeating rifles doomed them from the start. Add in Custer's abandoning his Gatling Guns and artillery, his reckless head on charge into the enemy without proper intelligence and not listening to his Indian scouts just compounded the problem. The problem is even to this this day the US Army will not admit it makes mistakes, it is above that. This is the one great failing of the military, it is not wrong the person who is singled out as the scapegoat is.

 

[20buellteam]

Finally some other arm chair historians- always like hearing the stories. One vacation trip I can highly recommend is a visit to the Custer battle field site which I think is a National monument. When we made that trip we also stopped at the museum for firearms and western art in Cody Wyoming. My wife had to pry me out of there. Yellowstone park is on the way too. Lots of wild life shooting opportunities there.....with your camera

 

[timac]

I agree the MAS 49/56 in 7.5 French is a excellent rifle.

My list would be as follows:

STG 44- the mother of all modern battle rifles
M1 Garand - "the greatest battle implement ever devised" by General George S. Patton
Martini Henry- served the British Army for 30 years, on many continents
FN FAL- served 90+ countries, still in use today.
AK47- its cred speaks for its self.
M16/M4- still going since 1969
Winchester 1873- The gun that won the West.
Karabiner 98k- Served Germany till the end.
Mosin Nagant- Served Russia through 4 wars

 

[mrblond]

I agree the MAS 49/56 in 7.5 French is a excellent rifle.

My list would be as follows:

STG 44- the mother of all modern battle rifles
M1 Garand - "the greatest battle implement ever devised" by General George S. Patton
Martini Henry- served the British Army for 30 years, on many continents
FN FAL- served 90+ countries, still in use today.
AK47- its cred speaks for its self.
M16/M4- still going since 1969
Winchester 1873- The gun that won the West.
Karabiner 98k- Served Germany till the end.
Mosin Nagant- Served Russia through 4 wars

Great list.. the Martini, the M1, the 98k and the MG are all very much buyable for about anyone and some are pretty cheap., not sure about the Winchester and I know the rest are 35k firearms atleast. maybe more for the STG 44.

 

[trainsktg]

Ah yes, the Martini Henry, the battle rifle of Victorian Britain. Zulu!

Martini Henry .577/.450, First Time at the Range - YouTube

Keith

 

[gaijinsamurai]

The main reason Custer lost IMO is he rushed forward in an attempt to stop the slaughter of settlers, leaving his Gatling guns behind. Custer was a dashing young General who died protecting his people

In all of my research of the Battle of the Little Big Horn, I've never come across accounts of settlers being massacred at the scene.
If you could provide me with the source of your info, it would be appreciated.

Thanks.

 

[gaijinsamurai]

My collection consists of:

FAL variants x3 (Belgian/Brazilian, Israeli LB, Brit L1A1)
H&K G3 clone
Enfields (x6)
Mauser K98s (x4)
FN 49
Martini-Henry
M1 Garand
Swedish Mausers (x2)
SKS
AKs (x4)
Galil (well, a Golani, to be honest)
M1 Carbine
Arisaka
SIG 556
ARs (x3)
1903A3 Springfield
P14 Enfield
Mosin Nagants (x2)

When funds/opportunity allow, my next addition will be a MAS 49/56.

 

[Blitzkrieg]

Zulu, final scene.. the Martini Henry in action at Rorke's drift

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfqgsA2McdA

 

[Blitzkrieg]

In all of my research of the Battle of the Little Big Horn, I've never come across accounts of settlers being massacred at the scene.
If you could provide me with the source of your info, it would be appreciated.

Thanks.

Not at scene but all around the West the attacks were growing in number as the tribes rose, and also joined at LBH. The Indians biggest tactical mistakes were disunity and believing a single battle was the war. The Scots made the same sorts of errors VS the English

 

[gaijinsamurai]

Okay, thanks.

Agree. The Indians were pretty much doomed, but sometimes I wonder if they might have been able to hold on a little longer if there hadn't been the animosity towards the Sioux on the part of the Crow and other tribes. Can't really blame the Crow for siding with Custer, as they were the owners of the Black Hills before the Sioux pushed them out.
Cortez was able to defeat the Azteks partly due to other Mexican Indians siding with the Spaniards.

 

[PORSCHE928S4]

FN FAL They still use it now watch the news you will see it they do not call it "The Right Arm of the Free World" for nothing !

 

[coop44]

K98, smle #1 & #4, 91/30 mosin, 1899 springfield (krag), 1903 springfield, m95 steyr, any schmidt rubin swiss rifle, Garand, M14.

All significant for a number of reasons, reliability, length of service, sheer numbers made, design, effectiveness, or just unusual.

 

[mrblond]

Okay, thanks.

Agree. The Indians were pretty much doomed, but sometimes I wonder if they might have been able to hold on a little longer if there hadn't been the animosity towards the Sioux on the part of the Crow and other tribes. Can't really blame the Crow for siding with Custer, as they were the owners of the Black Hills before the Sioux pushed them out.
Cortez was able to defeat the Azteks partly due to other Mexican Indians siding with the Spaniards.

Even to this day, the Crow and Sioux dislike each other.

 

[mrblond]

oh, and dont leave out the Brown Bess.. doubt we would even be a nation without it.

 

[fry]

fn fal, M1 Garand, Ak47

end thread

 

[bill may]

my 3 SKS my T53 my MN M91-30