Favorite Small Arms of WW2

[Corto]

Lee-Enfield No. 4 MK1

I cross posted this on another thread, but I can't help it, I just want to show it off...

Given that it's a bolt action weapon, whoever was meant to use must've been seriously trained in marksmanship to make every shot count. No spraying and praying with this baby.

It's a very elegantly designed weapon and apparently very durable. There's a YouTube video of a 10th Mountain Div infantryman who just found one in Afghanistan, and it was still in perfect, serviceable condition.

 

[Spitfire]

Hard to answere, but I tell you what aint: The Stengun.

My father - who was in the danish resistance during WWII - once told me how his stengun fired a whole magazine into the ceiling, just because he banged the butt of the stengun against the floor.
He never used that weapon again after that.

 

[eightbore]

hmmmmm.....

Surprised to see only one mention of the P35 Hi power 9mm! The fact that both allied and axis powers issued this pistol speaks volumes I think. It might also sometimes come in handy to be packin' a pistol that used enemy and allied ammo, mags, parts etc.

Handgun
Primary - 1911 and spare mags on my belt
Secondary - HP35 and a couple mags in a tanker shoulder rig

Carbine
M1 Thompson

I think I'd be content with the above and carrying a few hundred rounds of 9mm and .45. I'll let my buddy carry the Garand and all that heavy 30-06 ammo. lol

Best,

eightbore

 

[SamMarlowPI]

Surprised to see only one mention of the P35 Hi power 9mm! The fact that both allied and axis powers issued this pistol speaks volumes I think. It might also sometimes come in handy to be packin' a pistol that used enemy and allied ammo, mags, parts etc.

Handgun
Primary - 1911 and spare mags on my belt
Secondary - HP35 and a couple mags in a tanker shoulder rig

Carbine
M1 Thompson

I think I'd be content with the above and carrying a few hundred rounds of 9mm and .45. I'll let my buddy carry the Garand and all that heavy 30-06 ammo. lol

Best,

eightbore

I'll 2nd that

 

[The Wingnut]

Getting harder to find and more valuable, and not often even recognized as an issue weapon:

Used for pistol training and by the OSS as a covert weapon, usually with a suppressor. If you can find one, it's a great plinker. Just be careful with takedown and reassembly.

 

[Alan Eardley]

IIt's a very elegantly designed weapon and apparently very durable. There's a YouTube video of a 10th Mountain Div infantryman who just found one in Afghanistan, and it was still in perfect, serviceable condition.

I spend time in Northern Pakistan and there are many of these (some locally made copies) still in use. You can almost tell the age of a man without seeing his face. If he's over 60 he will almost certainly be carrying a Rifle No. 4. If he's younger, it will probably be an AK-47 or AK-M.

Here are some photos of a local gun-maker in Adam el_Khem taken in the 1960s. Suprisingly, some of the guns produced at that time are of very high quality.

The same basic tools and methods are still in use today - a favourite job is to turn 'clapped out' AK-Ms into AK-SUs. I guess we know where Osma got his from, eh?.

Alan

 

[Corto]

If he's over 60 he will almost certainly be carrying a Rifle No. 4. If he's younger, it will probably be an AK-47 or AK-M.

Amazing!
Thanks for your post. Very enlightening.

That's a part of the world I've always wanted to visit (sort of!).

 

[Mustang]

The soldiers best friend, the M1 Garand. (which I proudly say I own and have the backstory)

How can you tease like that? Do tell...please

My favorite is probably the BAR.

 

[Warden]

The good old SMLE for me

I love mine, it is comfortable and to me is perfect in every way.

Although from a historians point of view the impact of the MP43 "Sturmgewehr" or Assault Rifle, changed small arms forever (well that's my viewpoint).

Harry

 

[Tommydean]

My favs...
pistol would be 1911

long gun? well..I have to say i just cant get enough of shooting the
MG-42!! very few parts and man does it go through ammo!!!

Tom

 

[KL15]

The good old SMLE for me

I love mine, it is comfortable and to me is perfect in every way.

Although from a historians point of view the impact of the MP43 "Sturmgewehr" or Assault Rifle, changed small arms forever (well that's my viewpoint).

Harry

Sturmgewehr without question changed small arms. I'm of the understanding that it was the basis for the AK-47. Without question the best fully automatic "assault" rifle ever made.