The Firing Line Forums - View Single Post - HD VIDEO: Greatest Battle Rifle of All Time? The M1 Garand

RC20 · September 30, 2012, 12:42 PM

Yea we went through this with the LE.

And yest it belongs elsewhere.

I don't quibble on action type. Its whatever who has what in the period.

If you have a spear and the other guy has a stick you win (most of the time). All this parsing and nuance is nonsense. Not sure if it was Patton or not, but "its the firstest with the mostest".

M1 was the best battle rifle of WWII. Limited by the fact it was chambered in 30-06 and not the original caliber and they did not think outside the box and adapted a clip/ magazine ala the LE. Still outshone what was there, including the LE.

All time, AK47. Best guess is 100 million+ produced and successfully used even to this day. Bad ergonomic and short range, but does exactly what it was intended to do.

Like the little know fact that the M1917 was the major issue rifle of WWI for the troops, the 1903 and its varients served on.

I have picture os Marines on Bogainville with the 1903, so they did not totally shifted after Guadalcanal either. I suspect some preferred the 1903 and kept it through the war (and for some good reasons)

Also pictures of GIs in Italy with half of them having 1903s.

The clip thing is an urban myth.

The M1 was ready before WWII and was being the issued arm with front line combat troops getting it first (ergo huge numbers of 1903s and some 1917 serving through the war in other duties as well as the front.

None of the other semi autos were ready to go, though the Germans did get going in 44 and used (K43, have to look that one up as there were two issues).

It was issued to Eastern Front troops as more effective and needed for the mass human attacks the Russians employed there.

And like all of it, the troops got what they could and used a mix as there was no single solution to the need (urban, jungle, open, woods)

Today if the miligary had any sense they would gow ith a changeoul barrel length and do the same. Standard mix pakcage with some 14 inch, some 16 18 inche and a few 20 inch and allow the missiosn to shfit to a bias of more of 14 if all urban, more 20 if open coutnry.

Ok, per the LE I am out of here as it will go on and on and no one will convince anyone else.

September 30, 2012, 12:42 PM	#13
RC20 Senior Member Join Date: April 10, 2008 Location: Alaska Posts: 7,014	Yea we went through this with the LE. And yest it belongs elsewhere. I don't quibble on action type. Its whatever who has what in the period. If you have a spear and the other guy has a stick you win (most of the time). All this parsing and nuance is nonsense. Not sure if it was Patton or not, but "its the firstest with the mostest". M1 was the best battle rifle of WWII. Limited by the fact it was chambered in 30-06 and not the original caliber and they did not think outside the box and adapted a clip/ magazine ala the LE. Still outshone what was there, including the LE. All time, AK47. Best guess is 100 million+ produced and successfully used even to this day. Bad ergonomic and short range, but does exactly what it was intended to do. Like the little know fact that the M1917 was the major issue rifle of WWI for the troops, the 1903 and its varients served on. I have picture os Marines on Bogainville with the 1903, so they did not totally shifted after Guadalcanal either. I suspect some preferred the 1903 and kept it through the war (and for some good reasons) Also pictures of GIs in Italy with half of them having 1903s. The clip thing is an urban myth. The M1 was ready before WWII and was being the issued arm with front line combat troops getting it first (ergo huge numbers of 1903s and some 1917 serving through the war in other duties as well as the front. None of the other semi autos were ready to go, though the Germans did get going in 44 and used (K43, have to look that one up as there were two issues). It was issued to Eastern Front troops as more effective and needed for the mass human attacks the Russians employed there. And like all of it, the troops got what they could and used a mix as there was no single solution to the need (urban, jungle, open, woods) Today if the miligary had any sense they would gow ith a changeoul barrel length and do the same. Standard mix pakcage with some 14 inch, some 16 18 inche and a few 20 inch and allow the missiosn to shfit to a bias of more of 14 if all urban, more 20 if open coutnry. Ok, per the LE I am out of here as it will go on and on and no one will convince anyone else.