Band of Brothers and the M1 Garand.

I decided to wait :(!

I really started to think about it and there is no need to put myself further in debt to get two new guns that I would want to spend large quantities of money to feed. I already have an M1A that I need to focus on and enjoy. The Garands are just going to have to wait until I pay off the new TV and home theatre system. I hate reality. But as McArthur said, "I shall return." Just wait for me Garand, I will come for you baby, I promise!
 
All you "wish I had a Garand"ers should get one while you still can. I've never regretted my purchase. My Garand is a dream to shoot. Serial No. 3,3xx,xxx, made in '44. Replacement barrel dated 9/45, throat erosion 2. Replacement wood, but everything else is WW2 vintage. The balance of the rifle is excellent and makes it very easy to handle. For such a powerful cartridge the recoil is surprisingly light. The sound, the muzzle flash, the metallic "ping" the clip makes when it ejects...Watching BofB makes me eager to get back to the range! By the way, if you guys like Band of Brothers you should enjoy reading books by Donald Burgett. He was an NCO in the 2nd squad, 2nd platoon, Able company, 506th PIR, which means he was in action in all the places Easy company was, just in a slightly different portion of the battlefield. His books are "Currahee", "The Road to Arnhem", "Seven Roads to Hell", and "The Rhine and Beyond". His combat accounts are honest and well written, and the between action stuff is fascinating as well.
 
I've had a Garand for years and enough to "stack" arms. To have three Garands form a tripod is quite a sight to behold in the living room or den. Come to think of it, every American should have three Garands.
 
I have to admit I love the "ping" of the clip telling you it is time to reload. Ten clips on your belt with their pull tabs and a few bandolarios with their cardboards and you are set. MWT
 
You'all are right, nothing says last stand for freedom like the sound of the PING! ejection of an en block clip. I am seriously jealous now, i want to stack garands too!
 
I too like the Grand its one of my faviorte rifles to shoot. But It doesn't compare to a good box mag. rifle like a M-14, FAL or the Mouse Gun.

By the way how many of you guys want a real combat round have ever seen what a round of M-193 ball will do to a man?

Something else. Comparing taking a couple of tactical rifle classes to being trained in the Infantry is not quite the same. Actually a soldier that has taken Basic Combat Training is a lot more versed than a person that take a couple of tactical classes. That's my opinion.

For those who like to hear the ping "great" you listen to the ping and I'll put another 22 rounds on the target while you're reloading.

Oh by the way I had a year incountry in actual ground combat experience.

Turk
173rd Abn Bdge. (Sep)
Vietnam 69-69
 
Turk,
I wont argue that the Garand isn't absolete as a bullet hose style infantry weapon. It is a historical throw back to another time when good young men fought and died to rid their world of a very sick couple of governments. The Garand is living history that is still viable today as a shooter and militia rifle. However if anybody would want to assault positions at close range urban and otherwise (ie Afganistan) with a Garand instead of a SAW or M4/M16 I think they would need to have their head examined.

I am sure you are proud to have served in the Infantry and I am thankful you did. I will defer to you on any arguments about the infantry and training as such. However there are a lot of civilians who are capable riflemen who havent served and this is their forum too. I also hop to never see what m193 ball wound looks like on a human. A 165 grn spitzer boat tail soft points tear up white tail deer and it aint pretty either.
 
Mithirium,

Your post.
<<<The Garand is living history that is still viable today as a shooter and militia rifle. However if anybody would want to assault positions at close range urban and otherwise (ie Afganistan) with a Garand instead of a SAW or M4/M16 I think they would need to have their head examined. >>>

I totally agree the Garand is a rifle to be reckoned with but the same can be said about a 03, Mauser 98 or an Enfield assaulting troops that are dug in. But the point is what you do is to pound the trenches with Redleg and ARA before you assault a dug in position and hopefully you’re in a Mech. Unit that’ll take you as close as possible with Big Boy (tank) support. Nothing better than Infantry supported by Armor or if you’re a tanker Armor supported by Infantry.

<<< However there are a lot of civilians who are capable riflemen who haven’t served and this is their forum too. I also hop to never see what m193 ball wound looks like on a human.>>>

I’m not saying a combat vet is better than anybody else or this forum is just for combat vets. I’m quite sure most individuals on this board that have never been in the military would be great infantrymen if trained in the craft. The point I was making is that there's no way I believe that a person that has attended a couple weekend classes knows more than a person that has earned the 11B MOS whether they have been in actual combat or not. One thing I will say is that actual ground combat gives you a different look at life.

I’m quite sure there are a lot of civilians that can out shoot soldiers (Nationals are an example) but there’s more being any infantryman than just pulling a trigger. Concerning the M-193 ball round point was I trying to make is I’ve seen a lot of terrible wounds from a 16 and in most cases the exit wound looked a lot worst than a 7.62 NATO round from a M-60 (which I carried for 4 months). Large caliber verses small caliber which is best? I’ve seen an enemy soldier take a round from a MaDuce and still able to fight. Where does the caliber size stop?

Numerous times on the board posts make reference to Paint Ball games. Guys it’s a GAME. In games this includes Infantry war games people are more reckless due to the out come? You get hit in the chest with a paint ball you go home and wash it off but if you get hit with 7.62x39mm Russian round you go home in a body bag. Once you’ve got in coming your whole attitude changes to caution and survival.


You all have a good day.

Turk
 
Okay, Gang. There's a bit much of "thread-drift" trying to get going. We don't need it, okay?

I've always enjoyed the Garand. I'd shot several hundred rounds through a friend's, before going into Basic in early '54. (That's 1954, Dennis.)

The one I have now is a re-weld, bought back around 1981. It was an excellently done job, with no visible indication of the join. With some match parts and its glass-bedding, it's an easy two-MOA shooter, even with my eyes.

My father went ashore on D-Day, a captain in the Combat Engineers. He managed to bring his Carbine home with him, apparently preferring it to the M1.

The CE bored him, and he kept sneaking off to do stuff like be a Forward Observer for an Arty outfit for a few days. (The previous FO had been killed.) He apparently went out on sneaky-pete patrols with Infantry units, based on comments about how the German habit of buckling the throat latch of their helmets made it easy to grab the helmet lip from behind and break a neck over the "off" forearm.

Old stories...

Art
 
Sorry about the drift Art .

Turk, I appreciate your input and we are on the same page for sure. I think for a lot of people Band of Brothers has been a real eye opener to what you and other combat veterans have had to go through. BOB has given us all probably the best chance yet to begin to understand what our Fathers,Grandfathers, and Sons have had to endure and for that I am grateful. Frankly it leaves me in shock, awe, admiration, fear, sorrow, and tons of other emotions. I have nothing but the upmost respect for anybody who has ever wore a uniform and served.
My wifes grandfather was a B24 navigator in the 8th Air Force, he has been glued to BOB and is amazed at what the ground troops had to go through. They flyboys went through hell too but at least after 5-12hrs it was over and they could at least sleep in their warmed room and have food in the morning. He likes the Garand too but did't get so attached to them as some of the ground forces
 
The Garand was the right rifle, used by the right men, at the right time in history. All that have come after are measured by the example set by our greatest generation with the finest battle rifle. They have earned that place in history.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top