A returning tanker (Cali National Guard, aspiring gang-banger) had three of them in his footlocker, with a story about taking care of his own and two friends.
Big heart, doncha know?
Anyway, my first up-close look at the things, when I had to confiscate and inventory the damned things.
Stamped pieces, somewhat crudely assembled, visible welds, poor fitment...all in all, a seemingly useless piece of junk.
Long story short, in a later debrief, I found out just how effective they were when a weapons expert described the rate of fire, etc.
Nasty little buggers, especially for what Uncle had invested in them and the quite crude manufacturing techniques involved in putting them in the field.
I believe, but not really sure, that they are out of the active inventory, but I still remember that incident and wonder just how many made it into the war chests of all the gang-bangers so prevalent back then.
Probably much more than will ever be admitted to.
When was that? Dad was an MP in a Customs unit in Berlin back around 52 - 53....
Here's a great video from Forgotten Weapons on the M3/M3A1, their differences, and a tiny bit of their history: