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 3 y ago
Posted 3 y ago
Responses: 240
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I had the chance to fire an M20, 75 mm recoilless rifle in 1962. We also used M1's at that time. This was during my ROTC summer training. By the time I was on active duty in 1966, the M20 had been replaced by the M40, and the MI by the M14. When I got to Vietnam in 1970 I was handed an M16 rifle which I had never fired or handled up until that moment.
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During My Years Of Service It Would Have Been
Sling Shots, Pea Shooters, Spit-Wads, And Large Rocks.
Sling Shots, Pea Shooters, Spit-Wads, And Large Rocks.
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LCpl (Join to see)
A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney - Didn't have to. My Mom, and 2 Uncles, all Delaware/Cherokee, had no idea how to shoot a bow. However, Great aunts, and uncles had hand me down(pass on) stories that kept me, sibs, and other fam. members in suspense.
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A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney
LCpl (Join to see) -
LOL... Ya Got Me !!
But What I Was Attempting To Point Out Is
The Indians Used Bows & Arrows
While The Infantry Blew Them Away With Rifles,
And Few Indians Are Left To Survive...
A Friend I've Known Since We Were 6 Lives In
A Small Community ~ Still 13 Families Since The 1940's ~
~Of Millbrook, Michigan. So Small, Not Even On The Map.
It's More Like A "Plot Of Land"...LOL
You, Like He, Is Part Cherokee: Duane Is Cherokee ~ 50% ~
Father 100% Cherokee ~
P.S. When I Lived In Michigan, We'd Go Bow Hunting For Deer,
On His 60 Acres Of Wooded Land, Which Is Where His House Sits In Front.
He Has Venison All Year Long; And A Trout Stream, He'd Re-Routed
From The Woods, To Run Under His Back Patio...
He'd Fish Directly Over The Railings For Trout Dinner;
With A Beer In His Hand, And His Back To The Kitchen Door.
LOL... Ya Got Me !!
But What I Was Attempting To Point Out Is
The Indians Used Bows & Arrows
While The Infantry Blew Them Away With Rifles,
And Few Indians Are Left To Survive...
A Friend I've Known Since We Were 6 Lives In
A Small Community ~ Still 13 Families Since The 1940's ~
~Of Millbrook, Michigan. So Small, Not Even On The Map.
It's More Like A "Plot Of Land"...LOL
You, Like He, Is Part Cherokee: Duane Is Cherokee ~ 50% ~
Father 100% Cherokee ~
P.S. When I Lived In Michigan, We'd Go Bow Hunting For Deer,
On His 60 Acres Of Wooded Land, Which Is Where His House Sits In Front.
He Has Venison All Year Long; And A Trout Stream, He'd Re-Routed
From The Woods, To Run Under His Back Patio...
He'd Fish Directly Over The Railings For Trout Dinner;
With A Beer In His Hand, And His Back To The Kitchen Door.
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LCpl (Join to see)
A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney - I said "Parents couldnt shoot a bow" but I can. After The Great March {Trail of Tears} great grand dad fam. moved back to Mo. NoGo, which is in Taylor township. We hunted throughout Greene County, and beyond just follow the blue historical signs marking the Trail of Tears Northern route. Fort Lenard wood was just east of there. Getting off the subject, sorry about that. Memories memories, and memories.
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A1C Medrick "Rick" DeVaney
No Doubt, Nor Has There Been, In My Lifetime:
The American Indians REALLY Got F-Screwed Over.
Mugged, Robbed & Murdered... About Like A Trifecta.
The American Indians REALLY Got F-Screwed Over.
Mugged, Robbed & Murdered... About Like A Trifecta.
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Well in my case the 50 caliber was used a lot while i was in Vietnam. I've also used and carried the M1 and also the M2 Carbines while in the Military service. Although i hadn't carried them on active duty My prior time as a Cadet in a Military Academy within a Army ROTC had fired the M1 Garand as well as the 1911 model 45 ACP. For handguns used in My active duty Military service was the Smith and Wesson, Model 15, Combat Masterpiece .38 caliber revolver. ( I actually own one I have fired well over 4,000 rounds through over a 50 year period of time and it still looks and handles like brand new)
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MSG Lonnie Averkamp
SMSgt Lawrence McCarter. Neat! I have a pair of Garands that I have fired in matches (actually, I am taking one to Talladega for a new barrel), but only as a civilian. I did have an M-14 issued to me for a year as a member of a rifle team.
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LCpl (Join to see)
O'YES. That one. Got a dislocated shoulder from attempting to fire it off hand using an M1.
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On active duty, oldest on a range is M60.
As a civilian, I’ve used the M1928A1 (Tommy Gun) and a M1918 30 Cal.
As a civilian, I’ve used the M1928A1 (Tommy Gun) and a M1918 30 Cal.
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While I’ve worked with an M2 for Unit Armour training, the M60 was the oldest I’ve been on a range with…
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We used the M1 Garand Rifle in Basic Training during the summer of 1962 at Ft. Leonard Wood in Missouri. I loved taking it apart and cleaning it.
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03 Springfield. It's what we carried in Navy boot camp. You said used but we didn't shoot them just had to lug that beast around. Shooting wise it was the 1911.
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MSG Lonnie Averkamp
I was going to say that you Navy guys got to play with all the neat, old equipment, ....until I re-read your post.
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My unit still had M16-A2 with the straight 20rnd magazines. And that was in 2000-2003. We did upgrade to the 30rnd mags sometime around 2001.
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SMSgt Lawrence McCarter
MSG Lonnie Averkamp - M1, Garand, 9.5 lbs, 30 caliber gas operated, air cooled, semi automatic shoulder weapon Sir !
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PO3 Mark Johnson
SMSgt Lawrence McCarter - More recoil than I anticipated. The first 3 rounds hit the paper, the next 5 hit the ceiling of the range. I am not a small man, and I had to lean into it pretty aggressively to control it on auto.
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SMSgt Lawrence McCarter
MSG Lonnie Averkamp - The Cadet on the right is Me at eyes right during a parade with the M1 Garand when I was attending Bordentown Military Institute in Bordentown, NJ and was in their Army ROTC program We became very familiar with the eM1 Garand there. After all that though I ended up going into the Air Force and there actually taught others how to use and clean the M1.
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Not the oldest design by any means, but possibly the oldest by date of manufacturer - I was in a tank battalion in West Germany, and the sidearms for our drivers and loaders were M3 "grease guns". Korean War vintage. We had the slightly later design, the 'simplified' version that was cocked by opening the cover and putting a finger in a depression in the bolt to draw it back.
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SGT Patrick Jackson
Yup I just commented on this exact weapon. I think Germany was probably the last location that had them. Not a weapon known for its' accuracy or stealthiness. I remember when walking with it the darn thing rattled like a bucket of loose screws.
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CPT Keith Hood
The one time we got to fire them it was a hoot. Everybody was going "Wow, so this is how Grandpa did it."
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CW2 Donald Loughrey
The Grease Gun was the first weapon chosen by SFOD(D) and those who went through selection had to carry one at all times...without sling and completely assembled. That's from Haney's book "Inside Delta Force". I can see how during an extended period, looking for landmarks for days, it could be cumbersome....
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