Garand? Springfield? Johnson?

[waksupi]

Here is an interesting read on the Garand being chosen as a battle rifle heading into WW2.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/ar...4292-1,00.html

[Lead Fred]

None of the Marines I knew who went island hopping, ever said one bad word about the Garand. I used to fetch them beers from the frige. A small cost to listen to the greatest generation talk about WWII.

[Uncle R.]

I had an uncle who fought in the pacific islands, although he's now sadly passed away. His son bought him a Garand as a gift when he was an old man. I don't think my uncle ever fired that rifle - but his eyes would shine when he held it, or even just when he talked about it. His memories of the war and the fighting had some very unpleasant edges to 'em - but it was obvious that he was fond of Garands.

[Mike Venturino]

My uncle served in the 3rd Marines on Bougainville and Guam in WW2. The last time I saw him he asked me to help him get a Garand but he died suddenly before I could get it done.

MLV

[buckweet]

my pop carried one in korea....

he bought a winchestr M1 , in the sixtys. wishes he would of bought a few more !

but his is so nice. looks new.

so we traded more stuff around here, and cam up with an old beater, rack grade ?
brother say, let pop use it and save his back... so now pop carrys that old girl all over the place on his 4wheeler,

he just loves the grand ol' garand.

in the meantime.. im still trying to trade him , my rem700 for his winchester model pre-64....model 70... 06'



ha..yeah right.

weet

oh...p.s. pop tells of a story, korea, .. on a bitter cold cold day, him and two others in a ditch, trying to figger out where the sniper was... so all three taking tuns, with their garands, laid down a lotta fire' .... they never did ''see' him.. but he bothered them no more.
30 days later, got back to camp, and took his boots off... had them on for 30 days !!!

[missionary5155]

Good evening
Nearly every article or book I have read about Guadelcanal mentions Marine personel following up Army troops on patrols waiting for one to get wounded so thier Garand could become Marine property. Rear echelon Army groups had "interrior guards" to try to slow down the dissaperance of Garands to Marine personel. Hard to beat that testemony.

[buckweet]

Here is an interesting read on the Garand being chosen as a battle rifle heading into WW2.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/ar...4292-1,00.html

thoughts you was bow-n-arrow man ???





weet

[Mike Venturino]

I got to shoot a Johnson back in the late '60s when I lived in West Virginia but all I can remember about it is that it looked like a python that swallowed a rabbit.

MLV

[waksupi]

Those Johnsons ARE ugly old pigs. Used to see them around gun shows fairly reasonable. Not any more!

[JeffinNZ]

I want a Garand! I want one, I want one, I want one.

There, I feel better. Still haven't got one and they are like rocking horse manure here.

Did I mention I would rather like to own a M1 Garand................

[autofix4u]

My grandpa tells stories of his time in the Navy. He spent several years in the Pacific after WWII. He had a Garand & M1 carbine at times. My brother & I bought him a Garand for his birthday (79th) a couple yrs ago. He had to shoot it "right now", but took time to put bandaids on his thumb first. We laughed so hard till I tried to load it for myself.

[Three44s]

My wife thinks more of my Garrand than she does of me .........

(She keeps me around ........ to keep the Garrand around!!)

Three 44s

[buckweet]

I want a Garand! I want one, I want one, I want one.

There, I feel better. Still haven't got one and they are like rocking horse manure here.

Did I mention I would rather like to own a M1 Garand................

please ? tell us how you really feel ........



weet

[buckweet]

My grandpa tells stories of his time in the Navy. He spent several years in the Pacific after WWII. He had a Garand & M1 carbine at times. My brother & I bought him a Garand for his birthday (79th) a couple yrs ago. He had to shoot it "right now", but took time to put bandaids on his thumb first. We laughed so hard till I tried to load it for myself.

ahhhh haaa !!! another ''mule'' man...

james river huh ? ...

thrush mo. here

weet

[buckweet]

I want a Garand! I want one, I want one, I want one.

There, I feel better. Still haven't got one and they are like rocking horse manure here.

Did I mention I would rather like to own a M1 Garand................

dang ?? i'll trade ya rockin horses....

i'm always cleaning up after mine....


weet

[Lead Fred]

I want a Garand! I want one, I want one, I want one.

Did I mention I would rather like to own a M1 Garand................

I said that for 30 years, After 9/11 I figured it was a good time to get one.

[NickSS]

I had an Uncle (now dead) who fought with the Army through the Pacific campaigns. He was on Guadalcanal, Bougainvillea, a couple of landings in New Guenna and on Lettie in the PI. He collected a few medals including a silver star, bronze star and a distinguished service cross so he saw a lot of combat. He had two things to say about the M1 it always worked and when you hit someone with it they immediately ceased to be a threat to you. Whenever he had a chance he liked shooting my M1 but would not accept it from me as a gift.

[oldhickory]

Good evening
Nearly every article or book I have read about Guadelcanal mentions Marine personel following up Army troops on patrols waiting for one to get wounded so thier Garand could become Marine property. Rear echelon Army groups had "interrior guards" to try to slow down the dissaperance of Garands to Marine personel. Hard to beat that testemony.

Yep!..I heard the same stories, Mike. I've had quite a few of them and the one I have now is by far the best, an early 1943 Springfield. The old fellow who lives near me was a A-A gunner in WWII and when I handed him my Garand, he smiled and said, "This is the rifle!..There's no other!" He lovingly handled it a little, gave it back and said, "This is the happiest time I ever held one of those."At a later time I showed him my M1 Carbine, he could have cared less. Only saying, "I used one of those in Germany after the war to hunt bore with, I shot, missed and the damn thing jammed...Never picked one up again."

I had a Johnson for a short time in the 70s, it worked o.k, but what a clunky thing to handle! I liked the 03s, but always thought the 1917s were a better rifle.

I'll always keep my M1 around, it's still about as good as they get.

[Mike Venturino]

I'm up to three Garands now. Two are SAs, one of which is in the 16,000 serial number range. How I wish that it were all original. The latest one is a Winchester from '44 but its not all Winchester either. I think its the best shooting one of the bunch, though but its still too new to me to be sure.

On my trip to Iwo Jima last year several of the battle veterans on the trip said they dropped their M1 Carbines as soon as they landed and picked up some fallen marine's Garand.

Personally when I take one of my WW2 rifles down to shoot for fun its usually one of the 03A3s but I'm not fighting with it and that's just me.

MLV

[oldhickory]

Personally when I take one of my WW2 rifles down to shoot for fun its usually one of the 03A3s but I'm not fighting with it and that's just me.

MLV

I never had an 03A3, Mike. Just regular ole 1903s with those dog-gone "target" sights on the bbl. I can't even tell you how many A3s I've snubbed over the years, just because of the stamped sheet metal, (live and learn I guess). Well, at least I still have my M1 and 1917! And I don't feel under-armed!