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
Responses: 239
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I invented my own weapon while on an FTX just for fun. I took an expended M-60 blank casing and stuck it in the muzzle of my M-16 loaded with a blank. I then launched it like a miniature mortar. The guy in the foxhole farther down the perimeter couldn't figure out why he kept having rounds dropped on his helmet. It was also effective for shooting lizards from the trees. The stupid stuff privates will do when they are bored. :-)
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MSG Lonnie Averkamp
I think that your armorer might have had in issue with your ballistic experiment (but good field expedience).
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Someone else's response tweaked my memory. I never really carried this but fired it on the range and we had them in our inventory. The LAWS rocket launcher. We had to practice with them all the time and it was on the Soldiers Proficiency test for the hands on portion.
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I had a 1911 in the guard, I was the .60 gunner. We had the m2 and while in the navy we had m1 garands for the rifle team. I still have a Springfield 1911 and a garand, love them.
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M1911A1, M3A1 SMG, M2HB, M1 rifle, M1873 Springfield (Patriotic Flag Pageant) M1919A4 and M1918A2 BAR.
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MSG Lonnie Averkamp
Model 1873 Springfield puts you close. I think that the winner is still a man who was in an honor guard with a Model 1722 Brown Bess Musket (Reproduction)
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Was in the Special Forces in Vietnam we had the M1919 air cooled 30 cal machine guns in our camp no M-60's . From time to time I carried a M2 30 Cal carbine , a Thompson sub machine gun , the first issue of the AR 16 . Side arm was a M1911 45 and was given a Browning High power 9mm by a SOG guy .
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MSG Lonnie Averkamp
.30 Cal Model 1919 in an A-Camp? Man, that was the REAL John Wayne movie. Maybe not quite the Oldest Model, but right up there for Class. Welcome home, CMSgt Donald Oneill.
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The 1911, the M2 .50 cal, and even though I didn't "use" it, I did get to fire a B.A.R.
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CMSgt Donald ONeill
I took a B.A.R. out from my camp went and cut a 8 inch tree down with ball ammo and the gun on slow fire . What a blast I had with what ever weapons we had in our camp . One thing that caught my eye and have never seen again was in our ammo dump was 45 ball tracer rounds . The date stamped on the create was dated 1944 . This was in March of 66 .
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MSG Lonnie Averkamp
Great photo. You probably had a gold-faced Seiko self-wind automatic wrist watch there, too????
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CMSgt Donald ONeill
MSG Lonnie Averkamp - You are so correct , I am kicking myself for not buying the Rolex which was 150 dollars . The Seiko was 40 dolaars way back when Thanks for sharing .
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It would be the C-Ration food in a can. It seems like it was made in the early 1800's. We would leave some of it laying around in enemy territory and any hungry enemy would eat it and die.
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Haven't seen anything earlier here yet, so Springfield '03 rifles we used for drill in boot camp looks best so far. Even though they were disabled (we were told) we still "used" them. As for "weapon" you could still club them or attach a bayonet. Also, since the 30.06 round dates back to 1903, you could include it with the Springfield rifle as a vintage weapon item. Myself and hordes of others used it in the legendary M1. My Winchester '94 was used by the military, but I didn't use one then.
And, just to get nit-picky, most GI "1911"s are actually 1911A1s, which came along in 1926.
And, just to get nit-picky, most GI "1911"s are actually 1911A1s, which came along in 1926.
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MSG Lonnie Averkamp
"And, just to get nit-picky, most GI "1911"s are actually 1911A1s, which came along in 1926." Oh, an Attorney here. (Yep, you're correct.)
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