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American Marines Carried Shotguns into WW1 and Germany Protested. Here's Why:
yt ^ | 07/15/2022 | History's Heroes Heard

Posted on 07/21/2022 6:07:25 AM PDT by max americana

On July 21, 1918, German soldiers captured a U.S. soldier from the 307th Infantry Regiment, 77th Division, near Baccarat, France. He was carrying a weapon they had never seen: a Winchester Model 97 pump-action shotgun.

On September 15, 1918, the German government officially protested the use of the shotgun.


TOPICS: History; Military/Veterans; Society; TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: banglist; guns; history; ww1; ww2
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To: max americana

Johnny got his gun, got his gun, took it on the run, on the run.


21 posted on 07/21/2022 6:51:11 AM PDT by x
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To: max americana

Thank you for an awesome history lesson!


22 posted on 07/21/2022 6:51:16 AM PDT by airborne (Thank you Rush for helping me find FreeRepublic! R)
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To: No.6

I have a rifled spare barrel for slugs for my shotgun. One time I forgot to switch it and shot buckshot through it. It hit in a donut pattern.

My companion dubbed it the “hostage rescue” gun. Just aim at the hostage and you will hit everyone but what you aim at.


23 posted on 07/21/2022 6:55:04 AM PDT by SauronOfMordor (A Leftist can't enjoy life unless they are controlling, hurting, or destroying others)
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To: max americana

Sounds like the krauts just wanted an excuse to shoot POW’s, not that they needed an excuse. It’s ironic that purveyors of mustard gas would have the chutzpah to complain about shotguns.


24 posted on 07/21/2022 6:56:37 AM PDT by Spok (Don’t pee down my leg and tell me it’s raining.)
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To: FLT-bird

Coming from Pershing, it was not a threat. It was a promise.


25 posted on 07/21/2022 6:57:28 AM PDT by sport
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To: max americana
That's rich, coming from the Huns - who introduced poison gas, flamethrowers, massed machineguns, bombing civilians with Zeppelins, unrestricted submarine warfare, and they executed Belgian and French civilians (and any bypassed British soldiers) for various offences after invading their countries.

If anything, we were too nice to the Germans.

26 posted on 07/21/2022 6:57:47 AM PDT by Chainmail (Harrassment, to be effective, must be continuous.)
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To: FLT-bird

A “whiff of grape” had been around a while.


27 posted on 07/21/2022 6:58:20 AM PDT by AFreeBird
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To: Paal Gulli
And sniping (until Vietnam came, when the US military opened its first permanent, full-time sniper schools and began incorporating snipers into our order of battle doctrine).

IIRC they had an elite regiment of snipers in the American Civil War. Specially selected and trained sharpshooters.

28 posted on 07/21/2022 7:03:05 AM PDT by Buttons12 ( )
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To: Chainmail

I bumped an M60 back in the day. 23 pounds unloaded. I hated that Pig.

Until I needed to send some rounds downrange anyway. Then it was my very best friend in all the world.

L


29 posted on 07/21/2022 7:05:50 AM PDT by Lurker (Peaceful coexistence with the Left is not possible. Stop pretending that it is.)
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To: Paal Gulli
And sniping (until Vietnam came, when the US military opened its first permanent, full-time sniper schools and began incorporating snipers into our order of battle doctrine).

Something quite interesting is that snipers are trained in FAR more than shooting.

They are trained in observation and reconniasance, for example. They are trained also to be a Forward Observer for placement of artillery and/or guided missiles.

30 posted on 07/21/2022 7:05:58 AM PDT by Lazamataz (The firearms I own today, are the firearms I will die with. How I die will be up to them.)
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To: Buttons12

Berdan’s Sharpshooters - 1st United States Sharpshooters

The unit’s success prompted the raising of a second regular Army regiment plus several volunteer (state) regiments.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1st_United_States_Sharpshooters


31 posted on 07/21/2022 7:10:09 AM PDT by Reily
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To: max americana
Bunny's preferred weapon
32 posted on 07/21/2022 7:13:41 AM PDT by BradtotheBone (When I die I want the GOP to be my Pallbearers, so they can let me down one last time.)
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To: max americana

“DASS NACHT FAIR!!..”

- says the guys who introduced POISON GAS to the battlefield…


33 posted on 07/21/2022 7:17:06 AM PDT by joethedrummer (We can't vote our way out of this, folks..)
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To: No.6

Maybe they were using 4-gauge shotguns:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Punt_gun

There’s one on display at our local BassPro shop.

They were made illegal for a reason, they killed too many birds and endangered the population.


34 posted on 07/21/2022 7:17:52 AM PDT by packagingguy
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To: max americana

That is both fascinating and informative. I had never heard of the shotgun in WW1.


35 posted on 07/21/2022 7:23:08 AM PDT by gitmo (If your theology doesn't become your biography, what good is it?)
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To: No.6

yeah, the effectiveness of shotguns for personal defense is largely urban legend, especially the fudds who think birdshot or rock salt is effective.


36 posted on 07/21/2022 7:23:15 AM PDT by Manuel OKelley
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To: Lurker
"Then it was my very best friend in all the world."

Ah yes - best buddy in the world and you became the most popular member of your platoon!

37 posted on 07/21/2022 7:28:07 AM PDT by Chainmail (Harrassment, to be effective, must be continuous.)
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To: Lurker

Not so much fun lugging one on the ground, but loads of fun when shooting one off the sides of Hueys. Shooting the 50 cal was just short of a roll in the hay.


38 posted on 07/21/2022 7:31:02 AM PDT by Ponyexpress9790 (Every one that votes democrat is your enemy, there is no co-existing with traitors and terrorists. )
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To: max americana

The shotgun is horrifically underrated by the tacticool crowd who fantasize they will be sniping from 800 yards with their 338 Lapua.
But reality is that a lowly 12 gauge pump is one nasty weapon, and the rest of the world agrees.
It’s also the classic load for hunting Jaguar.


39 posted on 07/21/2022 7:33:20 AM PDT by DesertRhino (Dogs are called man's best friend. Moslems hate dogs. Add it up..)
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To: max americana

And despite the hit western movies, the vast majority of the guns headed out west were shotguns. It was the everything gun to most people.


40 posted on 07/21/2022 7:34:23 AM PDT by DesertRhino (Dogs are called man's best friend. Moslems hate dogs. Add it up..)
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