Posted on Sep 10, 2022
What is the OLDEST model weapon that you used in the Military?
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For many of us, this will probably be dominated by the .45 Cal. Model 1911 Pistol (in service since 1911) and the .50 Cal. M2 Machinegun (Manufactured since 1921). For me, it was the above 2 weapons, plus the Smith & Wesson Model 1905 .38 Special Revolver. Please make this weapons that you actually used, carried, or operated as a service member. (The Navy guys will probably win. They never throw anything away.)
Rifles
Handguns and Pistols
Artillery
Machine Gun Basic
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
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I even vividly remember the size and pain of the M-1 thumb. Learned very quickly how to load it without getting the thumb again. Actually liked that rifle and fired sharpshooter with it. Of course it was 1963, at Ft. Dix NJ. When I got to my duty station in Dreux France, we had the M14. I even bought the civilian model at the PX. Still have it, great hunting gun, what you hit went down and stayed down.
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MSG Lonnie Averkamp
My wife was the ONLY person that I saw who beat the bolt shut on an M-1, without holding the handle of the operating rod back. She reached over the receiver and pushed the follower down on an EMPTY rifle, and got her index finger out of there without getting it mushed. There had to be an angel in that room, either speeding her hand or slowing the bolt.
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SSG John C Quigley II
MSG Lonnie Averkamp - Amen to the angel in the room. That bolt flies really fast!
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I’m not sure how old it was, but my issue M-16A1 in Basic Training (1987) was stamped:
AR-15/M16 MOD
GENERAL MOTORS, HYDRAMATIC DIVISION
AR-15/M16 MOD
GENERAL MOTORS, HYDRAMATIC DIVISION
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M1 Garand in 1967 at Clark Air Base, PI. I had a small Detachment of communicators a few miles from Clark and the 6922 SW. We had a rack of 8 M1's (and my TSgt and I had .45's) and were expected to use them to defend ourselves should we be attacked (by who???). The M16 was routinely issued in those days so I guess we got the M1 because we were bottom of the pile. Clark was abandoned after Mount Pinatubo started erupting in June 1991 so those M1's might still be there-under the ashes.
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M1 Garand in 1967 at Clark Air Base, PI. I had a small Detachment of communicators a few miles from Clark and the 6922 SW. We had a rack of 8 M1's (and my TSgt and I had .45's) and were expected to use them to defend ourselves should we be attacked (by who???). The M16 was routinely issued in those days so I guess we got the M1 because we were bottom of the pile. Clark was abandoned after Mount Pinatubo started erupting in June 1991 so those M1's might still be there-under the ashes.
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MSG Lonnie Averkamp
I returned from Vietnam, via Clark Air Base Hospital. I was eventually cleared to have privileges to go to the EM/NCO Club. Those little "school teachers" who would be your in-club escorts were some of the prettiest things that I ever saw (especially after coming out of the jungles of RVN).
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Lt Col Eric Snyder
Yes. Clark AB was an amazing world all it's own. The Filipinos were great people, talented, and good allies. One of my problems was that every Airman was a millionaire in the Far East and some guys couldn't handle it. For example, I had one troop who got VD so many times he wasn't allowed to re-enlist. I doubt that the world outside overseas base gates is like that today---probably a good thing.
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In 1975 Navy recruits still drilled with 1903 Springfield. I believe we were one of the last companies to do so.
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I first qualified with the M1 Garand rifle in 1963. After boot camp, I qualified with the M15 once in tech school and thereafter with the M16. I also qualified with the M2 machine gun, 1911 pistol, M60 machine gun, and the M79 and M203 grenade launchers.
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Mine would be the M79 Grenade launcher as well as that Smith and Wesson 38. But I had fired an M60 that felt 200 years old, it blew up on me while firing, broken yoke.
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