kilimanjaro
New member
Rumor has it that the South Korean rifles and carbines may be allowed back in, but it's just a rumor and the left is not going to give in without a fight.
New wave of foreign milsurps coming?
- Thread starter Cary Gunn
- Start date
Just for fun, let's look at some of the armed forces figures for WWII. These are approximate, include only the major nations (Chinese figures are not reliable) and of course not every member of a nation's armed forces carried a rifle or other small arm. Still...
U.S. 12,209,000
USSR 33,000,000
UK 3,000,000
Germany 18,200,000
Japan 5,500,000
Total 71,700,000
That folks, is a whole lot of (mostly) men and a lot of small arms. Plus police, para-military (like the Gestapo) are not included, although they were armed.
We know that millions of those arms were destroyed in combat, millions more scrapped by their captors, millions more dispersed around the world to small nations or political "fighters" of various kinds, mostly not under any kind of government control.
Jim
U.S. 12,209,000
USSR 33,000,000
UK 3,000,000
Germany 18,200,000
Japan 5,500,000
Total 71,700,000
That folks, is a whole lot of (mostly) men and a lot of small arms. Plus police, para-military (like the Gestapo) are not included, although they were armed.
We know that millions of those arms were destroyed in combat, millions more scrapped by their captors, millions more dispersed around the world to small nations or political "fighters" of various kinds, mostly not under any kind of government control.
Jim
JoeSixpack
New member
is that number of guns or number of men?
I heard stories of Russian conscripts going into battle.. only the first couple lines would be armed.. men behind them would follow along and pick up the rifle if the man in front died.
I heard stories of Russian conscripts going into battle.. only the first couple lines would be armed.. men behind them would follow along and pick up the rifle if the man in front died.
Jeffrey1971
Inactive
Just an additional thought on the French MAS49 or variants - they may no longer be active duty combat rifles, but I have definitely seen a few being carried by airport patrols. Could a certain number be tucked away in various CRS and Gendarmerie depots?
I'm in and out of Orly on a weekly basis, and the variety of arms carried by the variety of police/army patrols is interesting. While they dislike it if you do too many double-takes for obvious reasons, it is interesting to see. Yesterday a CRS patrol was carrying an AC556 with a nicely checkered stock. Hats of too them, I always try to say thanks.
I'm in and out of Orly on a weekly basis, and the variety of arms carried by the variety of police/army patrols is interesting. While they dislike it if you do too many double-takes for obvious reasons, it is interesting to see. Yesterday a CRS patrol was carrying an AC556 with a nicely checkered stock. Hats of too them, I always try to say thanks.
While it might not have happened the place and time depicted in that film, I'd hesitate to say it never happened anywhere during WWII.
The Soviet Union was not noted for being particularly concerned with the survival of its individual conscripts. They were a resource to be used, and used up as needed. The part about Commissars machine gunning their own troops to "inspire" their attack is absolutely something that did really happen, in several places and times. Likewise the Soviet method for clearing a mine field in a hurry. Drive your peasant conscripts through to set off the mines.
Warm bodies were a resource the Soviet Union had. And had in greater quantity than materiel (weapons, etc.) at many places and times during the war. German survivors of Soviet "human wave" attacks have recounted how not all of the troops they faced were armed initially, many in the following waves were expected to pick up and use the arms lost by those killed in the initial waves attacks. The same sort of thing was faced by US troops in Korea, during Chinese human wave attacks. It really did happen.
The Soviet Union was not noted for being particularly concerned with the survival of its individual conscripts. They were a resource to be used, and used up as needed. The part about Commissars machine gunning their own troops to "inspire" their attack is absolutely something that did really happen, in several places and times. Likewise the Soviet method for clearing a mine field in a hurry. Drive your peasant conscripts through to set off the mines.
Warm bodies were a resource the Soviet Union had. And had in greater quantity than materiel (weapons, etc.) at many places and times during the war. German survivors of Soviet "human wave" attacks have recounted how not all of the troops they faced were armed initially, many in the following waves were expected to pick up and use the arms lost by those killed in the initial waves attacks. The same sort of thing was faced by US troops in Korea, during Chinese human wave attacks. It really did happen.
Gunplummer
New member
Jeffrey1971--
According to our sources, the last MAS 49's released were from the Police units and went two ways. Some were sold to gunshops as active rifles and some were sold as deactivated wall hangers. As far as I know, none of these guns came out of arsenal storage. All of the rifles Centry imported were rebuilt and came out of storage.
According to our sources, the last MAS 49's released were from the Police units and went two ways. Some were sold to gunshops as active rifles and some were sold as deactivated wall hangers. As far as I know, none of these guns came out of arsenal storage. All of the rifles Centry imported were rebuilt and came out of storage.
Jeffrey1971
Inactive
Thanks for the reply, interesting. I'll try to do some checking on this end. I was surprised enough last time I saw one being carried to mention it to a friend at the time and it stuck in my mind. What I can't tell you anymore is if it was a Gendarme, a "regular" police officer, or a CRS officer. Definitely not Army as their gear is uniformly standardized.
I've always liked the looks of the MAS 49, but have not shot one.
I've always liked the looks of the MAS 49, but have not shot one.