Posted on 08/13/2014 11:34:23 AM PDT by C19fan
Born out of the necessity rapidly to put inexpensive submachine guns in the hands of American soldiers and Marines, it was so cheap it looked like a mechanic’s tool rather than the product of advanced American industrial know-how.
It was supposed to serve as a replacement to the iconic and expensive Thompson submachine gun, but developed a reputation of its own that kept it in the U.S. military inventory from World War II all the way through Desert Storm.
Nobody really loved the M-3 that G.I.s dubbed the “Grease Gun.” But nobody really hated, either.
(Excerpt) Read more at medium.com ...
I’ve wondered whether this was the origin of the verb “to grease” someone, meaning to kill him. Do you know?
IMO....they used Thompsons or whatever was available when that word came into being..mostly revolvers..
I think it was more related to the act of “pumping” a bullet or bullets into someone as it relates to the pumping action of a grease gun..
Thus “you greased him”...
Last one of these I saw was at Fort Riley back in ‘94. I wish I had one of my own.
Got to shoot one at the local pistol range. A serious hoot!
Had one issued to me when I was a tanker back in the ‘70s. A very odd weapon. It was fully auto but fired so slow it was like someone shooting a semi auto quickly...but not as quick as you could shoot a semi-auto shotgun.
It fires from an open bolt, that means, when you pull the trigger, about one and a half pounds of metal (the bolt) slams to the front of the gun to chamber and fire a round. This has a somewhat detrimental effect on fine sight alignment.
The firing pin is just a bump on the front of the bolt. This bolt continues to slam back and forth until you release the trigger, shaking the whole weapon. This bolt also takes a while to keep changing directions, giving a rather slow rate of fire. A 1911 auto with a decent trigger can give a higher fire rate (for 7 rounds). I would rather carry a nice 1911 auto with a lot of mags.
It is hilarious to shoot one, but really tough to place rounds accurately.
works like a hose
Spray and pray... Who needs sights, anyway.
I had one when I was a tanker in the 60s and remember they wanted to climb quickly to the right. Short bursts and bring it back down. We never really got enough practice time with them to be proficient.
Ah, you also?
Never issued one but did have to fire it some.
As I clicked onto the thread I was remembering that slow cyclic rate. It was almost so slow you could feel that bolt slide forward, Bang!, big hunk of metal bolt fly to the rear, go forward picking up a round and Bang! it started again.
As they say - fired from the open bolt position.
You described it perfectly.
By “issued” I mean when ever we went out into the field. Not like I got to keep one in my locker or anything...but your probably knew that.
Years ago, you could buy a complete Sten gun parts kit in Shotgun News for under $200. Everything was there but the receiver tube was torched, making it inoperable. Then some smart ass entrepreneur started selling steel tubes that were just the right size and had a decal applied showing where the appropriate cuts had to be made. It was months before the ATF caught on and shut him down. I wonder how many unregistered Sten guns are floating around out there.
bttt
bfl
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