WWII small arms

My WWII weapons firing experience is v. limited: SMLE No 4 (helluva recoil after firing the SLR); .303" Bren (best-ever LMG). But my most memorable WWII weaps moment was - aged 13 - sitting behind a Vickers .303" MMG. Those brass spade-grips, safety taps & firing buttons in my hands - what a buzz. And Dad wouldn't let me fire it... When I watched the SF fire demo (on a floating target half-a-mile out to sea - I was surprised how slow the ROF was, and how thirsty the water-jacket. A 1gall can turned to steam in a few minutes.

Klive

 

SLR is an excellent weapon, even though it's not WWII. Far better than the M16 we had in Vietnam.

 

fired the sporter spingfield and the lee enfield. the first is a great hunter. but the second is for fighting.

 

I have two bullets and I wondered if anyone could help me know what they are? The small one has GFL M38 1943 on the bottom, the larger one has 18 P.C. CO on the bottom. The rifle shell I have has P132 1Va1 24 39 on the bottom. These were brought home by my dad who fought in France and Germany in 1944-45. Thanks.

 

I guess in this thread I'm a touch spoiled back when I was with a renactment unit (as a medic) I got to shoot a large amount of weapons both blank adapted and not. So here a list for ya'll!

'03 springfield (sold mine and it was the worst move i ever made!)
Mauser Kar 98 WWI issue open topped site and straight bolt. LOVE IT!
M1A1 caribine, Can bit a bit hard to reajust ofter fireing do to the reduced weight of the wire stock but still a blast!
Asaki type 39, Old japanese rifle based off the mauser all I have to say is OUCH! Heavy and kicks like a mule.

Guns i have shot not belonging to me,
Lee Enfield No4 MkI, scoped and unscoped
Lee Enfield No5 MKI
Lee Enfield No4 MKII
The Indian Isapore 2A1 i beleive its called.
Gewer 43
MP44
STG44
FG42
Mosin Nagant 38
Mosin Nagant 1891-1930
Mosin Nagant 44
PPSH
Bren
Sten guns
Replica STV40
M1 Garand
M1 Caribine
BAR
M3 Grease gun (about as acurate and shooting blind folded hahaha)
Reising 50 probably a reproduction but i don't know 100%

Thompson US short and British long barrel both with front grip and drum clip as well as normal configuration.
.30 caliber machine gun (blank addaption)
.50 caliber machine gun (blank addaption)
MG38 and MG42 (blank again)
I don't know the exact designation of the next one but it was simply know as the No4 sniping rifle its an american Enfield not common to my knowledge.
Walter P38
M1911 Colt .45 (an original true COLT made on not hte new springfield junk)
.38 liberty revolver it was US issue but not to the troops normally I don't know full story of it.
Weberly Revolver
Lugers WWII and a WWI from I beleive 1917 or so.
and a solviet hand gun.

Don't remeber everything we shot but there were hundereds of different guns we brought out and shot every thing from obscure makes from different countries to "non existant" weapons such as the M1 Garand Tanker rifle. Oh and a bunch of italian weapons that I have no idea on.

 

what where the sten guns like to play with..

 

Actually my favourites. Easy to put to put together, easy to transport or hide when not assembled, easy to use, easy to clean. Of course the accuracy isn't perfect but it was a robust gun

 

wos there range of the bullets any good at all 100.200 hundred yards??

 

The British tested a Sten at 300 yards and discovered that the bullet was well able to deliver a lethal wound.

 

On my Honey (Stuart turretless) tank we used to use the Thompson Sub Machine Gun (Tommygun) as a weapon for nightime guard duty as this was considered more effective than our Smith & Wesson pistols.

I never ever fired it in anger but was able to get some practice in when I was at the RAC Training Depot in Rieti (Italy).

I only ever used the 30 Browning on one occasion when I nearly killed our driver !

ps
I must now go and find the link to the story !
Found it !
BBC - WW2 People's War - Diary Entries 11th April 1945
I see the same story mentions my Tank Commander using a Tommy Gun

 

Ron, you're priceless!

 

Not really ............

Turretless, perhaps

 

Sorry, I can't give you rep twice in a row

 

wos the tommy gun better ther the sten or the other way around

 

The Thompson was much more solidly built than the Sten, but the downside was that it was much heavier. OK for vehicle crews to have, not so much fun for footsloggers.

 

i have a video/ slideshow of some of the weapons of ww2 just search my username shockwavesoldier

 

Jack I've heard of jamming and a gooing of the grease guns in the Pacific. My father in law though serving on a sub tender had them aboard as they would get on-shore from time to time .....

 

My friend found a luger bullet casing in the woods in northern virginia were i live, very odd that you could find that there

 

Going from poor memory IIRC the M3 was still issued for M1 tank crewman years back.

 

Why would that be odd? 9mm Parabellum (aka Luger) is one of the most common pistol rounds in the United States. There are literally tens of thousands of guns that fire that round in use in the US today.