Posted on 01/28/2019 4:54:19 AM PST by w1n1
The "trench gun" may be one of the most interesting gun of World War I. When one hears the word most think of the Winchester Model 1897 fitted with a metal handguard and bayonet adapter assembly. What some people don't know is the other shotgun that was issued to the doughboys was the Remington Model 10 pump-action shotgun.
Winchester was at the peak of its production during WWI. This is where Remington made its way in with the Model 10 to fill the demands.
The term "trench gun" was never an official designation but was widely used to denote a short-barrel "riot gun".
World War I "trench warfare" initially was only equipped with Springfield M1903 rifle and Colt M1911 pistol in its small-arms arsenal. However, a special weapon to aid our troops in trench warfare was needed. A conventional bolt-action infantry rifle was too long and lacked the firepower needed to overcome the interlocking trenches and a determined German defenders armed with machine guns.
With a repeating shotgun the soldier in a trench could sweep both sides of it with multiple buckshot rounds. A soldier with a shotgun, can quickly pump and fire, could suppress German trench assaults and clear suspicious dugouts with deadly efficiency.
Another added feature for trench warfare was the implement of the bayonet fixture to the shotgun. Read the rest of Remington Model 10.
Difference between “trench” gun vs “riot” gun
Is that the trench gun used a ventilated hand guard over the barrel and a bayonet mount
Riot guns were short (20 inch) barrel shotguns
Ain’t no fun like Shotgun fun...
Boom...
On a related note, if you haven’t seen Peter Jackson’s ‘They Shall Not Grow Old’, get off your butt and do so.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/They_Shall_Not_Grow_Old
Stay thru the credits for a worthwhile interview with Jackson on the making of the film. See if the theater doesn’t crack up on his comment on personally-owned artillery.
There is a great episode on this and lots of other WWI guns by C&Rsenal. You can watch it on YouTube. Othias and Mae take an in depth look at each gun’s history and development as well as having a shooting session and assessment of the gun’s strengths and weaknesses.
I’m the proud owner of a Winchester 1897 (I suppose along with millions of other people). It was my dad’s primary gun for duck, pheasant, and grouse hunting when I was growing up in the 50s and 60s. I assumed that he was a lifetime hunter, but a few years back when I cleaned out the hidden closet where he stored it , the 1897 was covered with a newspaper featuring Henry Kissinger on the front page, wearing bell bottom pants, and mutton chop sideburns.
I caught it on MLK Day. It was masterful. I also really enjoyed the tune at the end of the documentary.
Nasty looking piece of hardware. All business.
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