Best Movie Scene for Milsurp Fans

Note that they are rhyming off s/ns for "low number" Springfields; good for movie shooting only.;)

Hardly.

On February 7, 1928 after considering all the factors the Chief of Field Service, U.S. Army, General Samuel Hof, made the following policy for the United States Army:

"Our ammunition is getting worse and accidents may be somewhat more frequent. On the other hand, some of these early rifles have been in use for many years and undoubtedly some of them have worn out several barrels. I do not think the occasion merits the withdrawal of the rifles of low numbers in the hands of troops until the rifle is otherwise unserviceable. On the other hand, I do not think we are justified in issuing such rifle from our establishments. I recommend that we instruct our Ordnance establishments to no longer issue rifles with these questionable receivers, that such rifles be set aside and considered as a war reserve and the question of the ultimate replacement of the receivers be deferred. When rifles are turned in from the troops for repair the receivers having these low numbers should be scrapped."

The U.S. Marine Corp, because of an even more limited budget than the Army, did not follow this recommendation and never retired any of its low numbered receivers until they were replaced with the M1 rifle in about 1942. The need for rifles caused by World War II saw many of the low number receiver rifles taken from war reserves and issued to U.S. and foreign troops.

As mentioned, the Marine Corp made no effort to replace their low numbered Springfield rifles, and these rifles saw heavy use on Guadal Canal between August 1942 and February 1943. No receiver failures were reported in the training period before the battles, and during the four major battles that occurred in the seven month period in 1942-43.

The movie was released in September 1941 and filmed in 1940. At this point, no low-number spring fields were released from service yet. They were all either sitting in war reserve (as were nearly all rifles as the US hand't entered WW2) or were being actively used by the Marines.

So in other words, the fact the yard low numbered is either just a coincidence or the film makers were trying for realism by quoting serial number ranges appropriate for 1917 when the film takes place.
 
The Chinese movie Assembly gets my vote. A few minutes after the opening scene you get a battle between Nationalist and Communist Chinese forces featuring an assortment of milsurps from K98s to Mosins, Bren MGs, at least one M1 carbine, grenades, bazookas, pistols, smgs etc in an urban setting.
 
Fast forward to today with the low vs high number M1903 Springfields. The general consensus is to not shoot the low number M1903s because of the possibility of receiver failure. I've owned and shot a number of M1903s extensively, but will not shoot a low number. The last one of the low numbers that I had was a WW2 rebuild with an as new barrel and many other excellent parts which found their way onto other rifles.

The debate continues, but most people choose not to shoot a low number M1903. Having said that, I once found a Remington M1903 with a cracked receiver ring. The Remingtons were made of very tough alloy steels, but somehow this one had failed.

An original, un-rebuilt low number would certainly be a collector's prize though.
 
Most of the shots show original M1903 sights on the rifles not the later M1905. Cooper switches sites between scenes.
 
Ya, that was a good movie, but I am kind of partial to "A Bridge Too Far" (any scene with the para's) or "Gallipoli" (any scene after they join up)
 
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Inglorious Bastards takes the cake...The original or the Re-Make.

I just want to know more about the 9mm B-Patrone that they used in the MP40's. I haven't been able to find one reference where these were approved by Hitler or mentioned in development. But obviously they existed...how else could a 9mm do that much damage? LOL.

My other sad moment was watching Indiana Jones and the Lost Ark. Sadly they didn't have MP40's, MP38's or P38's in 1936, ohh well, they got it right in the Crystal Skull.
 
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