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The Longest-Serving Guns In Military History
19FortyFive ^ | 2/5/2021 | Peter Suicu

Posted on 02/05/2021 6:48:25 AM PST by Onthebrink

The British Army first used the Magazine Lee-Enfield in combat soon after it was introduced in 1895 in its campaign in the Sudan the following year. The bolt-action, magazine-fed repeating rifle was actually a redesign of the Lee-Metford that had only been adopted in 1888. Chambered in the new.303 British cartridge, the Lee-Enfield became the first British rifle to fire a “smokeless” cartridge.

(Excerpt) Read more at 19fortyfive.com ...


TOPICS: Government; History; Military/Veterans
KEYWORDS: blogcrap; blogpimp; clickbait; crapblog; geewhiz; goaway; gun; guns; military; readtheresthere; spamspamblogsandspam; usmilitary

1 posted on 02/05/2021 6:48:25 AM PST by Onthebrink
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To: Onthebrink
(Excerpt) Read more at 19fortyfive.com ...

No.

Get a job.

2 posted on 02/05/2021 6:56:36 AM PST by humblegunner (Balls To Picasso.)
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To: Onthebrink

Where’s the 1911?


3 posted on 02/05/2021 7:27:41 AM PST by magyars4 (To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men!)
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To: humblegunner
Get a job.

You mean like Blog Karen?

4 posted on 02/05/2021 7:40:27 AM PST by Rinnwald
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To: Onthebrink

I believe the gun with the longest in-service life is the Browning M2 .50 cal “Ma Deuce” that hits its 100 years in service this year and is likely to continue into the future.


5 posted on 02/05/2021 7:53:44 AM PST by T.B. Yoits
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To: Onthebrink

Excellent article; accurate, concise and well illustrated. Thank you.


6 posted on 02/05/2021 7:55:06 AM PST by Always A Marine ("When you strike at a king, you must kill him" - Ralph Waldo Emerson)
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To: T.B. Yoits
I believe the gun with the longest in-service life is the Browning M2 .50 cal “Ma Deuce” that hits its 100 years in service this year

You would be mistaken. Reading the article before commenting is an interesting concept!

7 posted on 02/05/2021 7:57:33 AM PST by Always A Marine ("When you strike at a king, you must kill him" - Ralph Waldo Emerson)
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To: Always A Marine

—yep—when I saw the headline, I thought “Brown Bess”—


8 posted on 02/05/2021 8:27:02 AM PST by rellimpank (--don't believe anything the media or government says about firearms or explosives--)
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To: Always A Marine

One among us, who surely rates the Freeper Emeritus title, used to use a tag line something like “proudly commenting without reading the article since 1998”.


9 posted on 02/05/2021 8:27:20 AM PST by jimtorr
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To: magyars4

The 1911 is an obsolete, inaccurate jammomatic using HP ammunition without expensive, extensive modification to it’s original design.


10 posted on 02/05/2021 8:38:32 AM PST by MikeSteelBe (We will be safe from terror when we treat Islam like postwar Germany treated Nazism)
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To: MikeSteelBe

I forgot to add flame away. This will be fun.


11 posted on 02/05/2021 8:39:05 AM PST by MikeSteelBe (We will be safe from terror when we treat Islam like postwar Germany treated Nazism)
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To: MikeSteelBe

Gotta disagree...I have two, a Kimber and a Dan Wesson that will shoot anything I feed them.
And..
The article was about military firearms with the longest history of use....I believe the 1911 is 70 years or so.


12 posted on 02/05/2021 8:46:57 AM PST by magyars4 (To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men!)
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To: Onthebrink

I will go with Winchester.


13 posted on 02/05/2021 9:09:48 AM PST by razorback-bert (This year shall be known as PANIC of 20.)
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To: MikeSteelBe

Interesting but fallacious statement.

The M1911/A1 in stock 1911, S70 etc configurations are at least as accurate and reliable as any later models of SA handguns.

Indeed a highly tuned ball or wad fun or combat gun of 1911 pattern will be much more accurate and potentially less reliable with common fodder than a stock version, but for a combat use, the stock 1911 or any SA handgun will keep all shots in the lethal T out to 25 yds/m.

Even the 1911A1s that I used in the Army from the 1980s through its replacement were very loose and refurbed many times. They all allowed me to shoot expert scores on the CPQC or even in a few Leg matches.

Personal preference is not rational in light of evidence based knowledge.

All said, I carry other than a 1911 mainly but it is not for that platforms age or characteristics.

Regards


14 posted on 02/05/2021 9:42:53 AM PST by Manly Warrior (US ARMY (Ret), "No Free Lunches for the Dogs of War" )
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To: T.B. Yoits
I recall reading while I worked in Canada about 10 years ago that the Lee Enfield was being retired from the Canadian Rangers. The closest thing I can describe the CA Rangers in US equivalent is a cross between a forest ranger and western US deputy sheriff. Rugged outdoorsmen that literally can survive in the bush. Many are First Nations or Inuit natives that grew up in the territories and northern extents of the provinces.

I recall another Canadian Ranger happening several years ago involving Americans winter overlanding. Two highly prepared trucks set out to travel the Alaskan Highway north then onto an ice road to a small village on the Arctic Ocean. The AK highway was was closed down by a blizzard then reopened so they continued north. It turned out the gate was only briefly open before closing again because another storm brewed up. Their trucks were the only vehicles on a 100+ mile stretch of road.

A Ranger was worried about their safety and headed into the storm to check on them. The American were fine, hunkered down with their trucks when he caught up. While everyone was talking, the Ranger (who was carrying his rifle) told them to look closely at a nearby ridge line. They saw several wolves sitting, watching. The Ranger told them the wolves were stalking them for dinner. And that's why they really valued the reliability of the reliability of the Lee Enfield.

The Lee Enfield was their standard rifle since WW1 and never replaced because of reliability. It worked at -40F, had adequate accuracy and stopping power including moose, bear and wolf. I understand it's been completely retired now but don't know what the replacement is. Maintenance issues finally became too burdensome. They were plum worn out.

15 posted on 02/05/2021 10:07:53 AM PST by Hootowl99
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To: magyars4; Manly Warrior

Kimber and Dan Wesson are 2X-3X cost of most new handguns. New overpriced 1911 have throated chambers to feed HP and lose critical case support. Also, many new 1911 designs have upgraded coil spring extractor like new designs.

A number of new 1911s have feed ramps integral with barrels. There are two major problems John Browning fixed on Hi-Power design.


16 posted on 02/05/2021 2:09:53 PM PST by MikeSteelBe (We will be safe from terror when we treat Islam like postwar Germany treated Nazism)
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To: MikeSteelBe

Well the original design has served me well for almost 40 years.
My opinions are based on real life usage not internet articles.


17 posted on 02/05/2021 2:34:36 PM PST by magyars4 (To sin by silence when they should protest makes cowards of men!)
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To: MikeSteelBe

Indeed but so what does that have to do with a stock 1911?

Entry level 1911s function just fine, have combat accuracy and reliability w/o such mods, but nothing wrong w/ those tweaks either. Have you seen what one can do a/ a Glock?

I have adequate experience w/ a S70 1911. Eats everything, will print 2.5” at 25 yes w/ FGM 230 hardball.

Hasn’t had a type 1-3 stoppage on over 2500 rounds, mostly 230 grn reloads.

But we have choice.

Regards


18 posted on 02/05/2021 3:56:50 PM PST by Manly Warrior (US ARMY (Ret), "No Free Lunches for the Dogs of War" )
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To: magyars4; Manly Warrior

My opinions are based on getting over-rated 1911s to work based on 20 years of experience getting them to feed truncated cone HP and shoot good groups without modification. I wasted good money on them because of magazine articles.

I shot first place in my class in my first IDPA match and shot many plate matches.

The problem was not me.


19 posted on 02/06/2021 2:09:10 AM PST by MikeSteelBe (We will be safe from terror when we treat Islam like postwar Germany treated Nazism)
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