Posted on 06/07/2017 10:19:45 AM PDT by w1n1
In this segment of WW2 firearms, two lucky shooters from Iraqveteran8888 Youtuber got a chance to fire the M3A1 "Grease Gun" and in doing so they were in awed by its raw power. Watch as they shoot this historic firearm, showcasing how forceful it still is today.
According to Wikipedia, “The original M3 was an answer to the somewhat complex design and high production cost of the M1A1 Thompson during World War II.” This 'Grease Gun' was made cheaper for WWII, and used actively up until Desert Storm.
Did you notice how accurate the firing was? It was by no means created for precision shooting as it’s main purpose was for area shooting.
This gun was semi accurate up to 75 yards, so if you're looking to get your own soon be sure to shoot within this range. Chambered for the .45ACP cartridge, it is notable for its very low rate of fire – 350-400 rpm, which made it quite controllable and easy to shoot for relatively inexperienced troops. See the rest of the grease gun WW2 footage here.
Form follows function.
I fired one of these. My impression was that it was possible to hit the broad side of a barn ... if fired from the inside.
/sarc
It is one of those tools that met a need.
Can be fabricated at any well equipped machine shop, yes?
I remember when you could buy one of these demilled through the mail. A few minutes with a file to remove the weld and you were ready to rock and roll!
Bookmark
We had them in our small 40 man Air Force unit in the ‘60’s. I think you could get a faster rate of fire from a 1911! Not even close to an MP 40.
An old tanker told me his unit was issued Grease Guns during the first Gulf War. Don’t know if that was widespread or is he was just lucky.
The idea was to throw a lot of lead into the air, making it highly hazardous to step into the zone of the spray. This strategy kept the combatants from the other side from advancing through areas without sufficient cover.
Totally different from a “marksman”. Those specialists were expected to aim and place the projectile rather accurately into a specific target.
Since my M-14 was much more effective at all ranges, I ditched my M3A1.
The Thompson was much faster and easier to control.
It was also field convertible to fire German 9mm SMG rounds.
I remember one of the Call of Duty games this thing was just no contest hands down the best indoor/alley gun in the game.
Couple that with best sniper weapon in the same game, Mosin–Nagant, you had the possibility of running the table on any map.
The local range has a “Machine Gun Night” a couple of times a year.
Fun gun.
If it ever got down to bad guys within 75 feet I would have used my 1911 because I could hit a target with that.
Carried one of these in the field for awhile.
One word: Boat Anchor. (well, maybe two words)
The little thing by itself wasn’t heavy but steel magazines full of .45 ACP made for a load.
Utterly reliable and a great brush chopper.
I used to see Montagnards carrying those. I always wondered where they got them.
My late father trained on one in the Army. Said it was very controllable with its slow rate of fire and straight back stock.
Key to making it shoot straight was NOT to hold the wire stock firmly against you shoulder but sort of let it bounce off as the bolt moved forward. The recoil would bounce it back and you could walk the fire into any target is a short time.
Never fired the M3 but did fire a M1A1 made by savage. frankly I did far better with hits at 25 M on repetition setting than on the automatic setting. The Thompson has excessive drop in the stock and with the higher rate of fire, well it seemed to have excessive vertical dispersion. On the repetition setting, with that slight stabilizing influence of time, you would get more hits past 25 M than with full auto on a 20 W by 30 H pistol target.
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