On the M1 Garand -- Don Burgett 101st Airborne Vet talks about the M1 Garand

[RicInOR]

Read More

 

[Scrammer]

My step-father was a forward artillery observer, who was at Normandy to the end in Europe, 5 battle stars.
He carried an M-1 carbine and hated it. He told me he once hit a German in the shoulder, saw the dust jump from the hit and the damn German just kept running.
He tried to set me straight as which M-1 you should carry.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

I enjoyed both the book and mini series Band of Brothers...
My favorite parts of the series were the opening scenes of each installment with the actual members of the 506th.
Andy

 

[Aero Denezol]

I enjoyed both the book and mini series Band of Brothers...
My favorite parts of the series were the opening scenes of each installment with the actual members of the 506th.
Andy

Mine too.

I have a Service Grade Garand, it has taken me a long time to learn and become proficient with it, but I'm never going to sell it. The weak point of that system are the enbloc clips, which can jam. In my experience the key to using the Garand well is the 1907 sling. All in all it is more accurate than I expected, and a huge advantage over bolt-action rifles from that era.

 

[bbbass]

I enjoyed shooting my wife's sporterized M1 carbine, but I wouldn't want to shoot anyone with it and expect an instant stop... IMO it's a good pistol cartridge for hunting with a TC but that's about it.

 

[CLT65]

The old war stories and what those guys went through serve as a reminder of how good we have it nowadays.

The much-maligned M1 carbine: I think it was a victim of its name as well as its own success. Being an "M1" it was inevitably compared to big brother, but the rifle and the carbine are completely different weapons, for very different roles. It would probably be better to compare it with a pistol or smg, though it was neither of those any more than it was a standard battle rifle of the day.

I've heard it said that it excelled in the support role for which it was intended to the degree that they made six million of them and ended up issuing them for use in combat roles where their effectiveness was limited.

 

[Ura-Ki]

My Grand Dad was a Tanker in WWII and was issued a M-1 Carbine, which he hated and the Grease Gun and Thompson were not much better! For easy carry while buttoned up, it was hard to have a full size, so they did what any good American G.I. would and found a few scabbards and carried Garands strapped to the top and sides to the turret! Problem solved!
The thinking was, for times when needed to be dismounted, they would be the same as any other G.I's, so they should also have the best tools for the job! They would carry at least 2 crates of Garand Ammo in clips, and could/would pass it out to any platoons they came across that needed it! Although they also carried ammo for other weapons, most wanted or needed Garand ammo, NOW!

 

[Boboclown]

But the Garand had one problem...

It was chambered in the small .30-06, instead of something similar to 8mm.

 

[Ura-Ki]

Heresy, Blasphemy, Treason!




Bad clown, BAD!

 

[Boboclown]

Fine fine, should have been chambered in something BIGGER than 8mm mauser!

 

[RVTECH]

30-06 - .309 cal
8mm = .314

The Garand is an AMERICAN rifle and is chambered in the very formidable 30-06.

 

[bbbass]

The much-maligned M1 carbine: I think it was a victim of its name as well as its own success. Being an "M1" it was inevitably compared to big brother, but the rifle and the carbine are completely different weapons, for very different roles. It would probably be better to compare it with a pistol or smg, though it was neither of those any more than it was a standard battle rifle of the day.

I've heard it said that it excelled in the support role for which it was intended to the degree that they made six million of them and ended up issuing them for use in combat roles where their effectiveness was limited.

I seem to remember it was intended to be for Sargeants and above, who really don't do anything anyway, and also as a CQB weapon.... No?

(ETA: Oh, the paratroppers had the M1 carbine with the metal thingy in the rear that goes up)