M-1 Rifle

[connie]

Here are Wikipedia's notes on the "M-1 Garand" of WWII vintage. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M1_Garand

Posts 2, & 5-8 on the following thread deal with questions that lead to this rifle as a granddaughter searches for more info about her grandfather's experience in the 424th:
106thdivision.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=looking&action=display&thread=468

Do I have the correct weapon here, Floyd-- the one noted in the above post? (It seems to be the alternative to the M-1 Carbine that you so disliked.)

Connie

[floydragsdale]

Hi Connie:

Yes, that's the Correct weapon. The M1 Garand Rifle was the weapon that the American Infantry Soldier trained with, slept with, ate with, carried in parades and, carried into combat during WWII.

The M1 Garand Rifle was one "hell" of a good weapon. In comparrison, it made the Carbine Rifle seem like a toy.

Floyd

[engenious]

Connie and Floyd-- I was lucky enough to hold an original M1 Garand at a World War II reenactment last month. It was amazing to hold the weapon that my grandfather had in those pictures, and it makes my research come alive! I was surprised at how heavy it was -- 9-1/2 pounds-- without ammunition.

[floydragsdale]

Here's a hard to believe story about the M1 Garand Rifle.

There was a "graduation exersise" when we finished basic training (an 18 week course). All of our M1 rifles (ca 150) were put in one pile). While blindfold every man had to find his rifle in that pile.
When you ate, slept and trained with that gun for 18 weeks, there was no probem, blindfold and all, finding your "M1" in that pile of rifles. A soldier knew by the "feel" of the weapon, if it was his gun or not.

Floyd
425t Regiment

P.S. During basic training sessions we had to learn how to disassemble our rifles (the M1) blindfold, clean it and then put it back together again.

Some G.I's thought that was a "stupid" thing to do, yet on the front lines that know how came in darn handy more that once.

That kind of training was more valueable than cutting grass with a bayonet which is what some guys had to do when they got too far out of line.

[bigjohn]

I had the pleasure of borrowing a friends M-1 for the PA Police Olympics several years ago to compete in the service rifle competition. Heavy...yes it was but I don't think a more beautiful and functional rifle has ever been invented!

I won a bronze medal with it too, not too shabby for the first time ever using one.