Idiot alert! Glossary needed...

camster

camster

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Howdy folks.

Embarrassed to ask but, frustrated at not knowing...

What the heck is a "tanker" when referring to milsurp rifles? I read often about "Tankers" and, a buddy here just asked me what it meant...clueless me told him I was clueless but, he did plant the "I wanna know" seed....

What makes a tanker?

Braced for impact....
 
I take it to be a shortened version of a standard service rifle, to allow for quicker exit from the tight confines of a tank.
I suspect a lot are NOT official issue, but cut down copies.
 
maple_leaf_eh said:
In fact carbine would be the correct terminology for a shortened full-length rifle.
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There are a lot of Garand Tankers out there. Apparently they were never really issued, just some development done, but people make them and sell them. Why, because there's a market for them.

Look at the Enfield Tankers seen steadily on the EE. There was no such thing back in the day...

Nice little rifles! A great use for shortened barrel sporters.
 
I'd be astounded if any of these so-called "tanker" Garands or Enfields ever saw the inside of a tank:rolleyes:. Personal weapons for a tank crew are intended for close protection when dismounted or for personal protection when trying to get away from a knocked out/broken down vehicle.

Back when we were issued SMGs for this purpose-small, easy to stow, with a high rate of firepower. During WW2 and after M4 Sherman tanks and other AFVs were kitted out with SMGs as part of on board/EIS equipment. Space is at a premium inside an armoured vehicle so you don't clutter it up with anything more than is necessary.
 
One the few that can be referred to as a tanker version is a version of the Enfield No. 2 Mk I* Revolver, there was a modification made for tank crew. As to a Enfield Tanker rifle as mentioned above there is no such thing, I get really annoyed when I see them advertised as rare Enfield must buy for your collection, it is just a sporterised Enfield.

"Enfield No.2 Mk I* revolver, used by the Tank Corps. The No. 2 Mk I* configuration was double-action only and is therefore missing the hammer spur that would enable it to be manually cocked by the firer."

ref : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Enfield_revolver

Shortened versions of service rifles are usually referred to as carbines, not as tankers, Lee-Enfield Cavalry Carbine Mk I, Enfield Rifle No 5 Mk I—the "Jungle Carbine", Mosin–Nagant Carbine M38/44, Mauser 98K (Karabiner 98), 1873 Springfield Trapdoor Carbine, etc.
 
Wikipedia is wrong about that, although that is the common understanding. The only thing actually made for Tank issue was the special HOLSTER/BELT which strapped the revolver to the THIGH, just above the knee. It had 6 cartridge loops on the outside of the thing, too. ALL Enfield revolvers either were made or altered to the spurless configuration, beginnng well before the War. The special holsters also were issued to truck drivers, BTW.

Standard issue for Shermans was .380 revolvers or 9mm Brownings, with 9mm STENs for bailout cover, given that the 88 didn't turn you into strawberry jam when it hit.

As far as the world-famed TANKER Garands are concered, I would say that not more than about 99.98% of them are fakes, although I could be on the short side here. Same for the TANKER Lee-Enfields: never built at ALL. There WERE a VERY small number of genuine Tanker Garands built for test purposes but NONE ever was issued. It is a fig-newton of a gun dealer's diseased imagination: he had a lot of Garands, likely with bad muzzles, so he picked up sales by faking the Tanker...... and now the world thinks the things are real.

But a Glossary is a really good idea. We could even use it to educate folks regarding CLIPS (which CLIP the cartridges together and are inserted into the magazine, becoming an expendable part of the magazine) and CHARGERS (which are used for loading a magazine but do not become a part of it and are not inserted into it)... and maybe even CARTRIDGE, BULLET and a few other mysterious words that people seem to have trouble with.
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I like how the tanker Enfields seem to cost more than correct, full length ones.

Also, as smellie alluded to, the Enfield revolver was spurless as a manufacturing short cut; since it was DAO there was no need for a spur. It had nothing to do with catching on tank bits.
 
canuck98k said:
I like how the tanker Enfields seem to cost more than correct, full length ones.

Also, as smellie alluded to, the Enfield revolver was spurless as a manufacturing short cut; since it was DAO there was no need for a spur. It had nothing to do with catching on tank bits.
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but thats only because of all the work it takes to make a good looking one out of a chopped down sporter. :D

I have a thread here about my project.

Start with a bubba sporter then find some near matching wood to splice together and make the shorter upper handguards from scratch. JB weld works good to make the front sight protector fit real snug after you ream it out a little to fit the thicker barrel.

and here is my first tanker project

http://www.canadiangunnutz.com/forum/showthread.php?t=250456

n674748850_668926_8433.jpg
 
cantom said:
There are a lot of Garand Tankers out there. Apparently they were never really issued, just some development done, but people make them and sell them. Why, because there's a market for them.

Look at the Enfield Tankers seen steadily on the EE. There was no such thing back in the day...

Nice little rifles! A great use for shortened barrel sporters.
Click to expand...

I have to agree, my grandfather was a tanker in the Eighth Hussars(Princess Louises). He laughed like hell when he saw an enfield marked as a tanker. he was issued a thompson and then a sten (which he despised). He replaced it with another thompson that he "liberated" from an american KIA. He then reported the sten as lost in combat. I think the reality was more like traded it for something (probably liquor).
 
There is NO SUCH THING as a "tanker" Enfield revolver! If you look at the holsters issued at the time, the only thing sticking out of the holster is the GRIP! the rest of the gun is swallowed by the holster. Bobbing the hammer and making the revolver double action only was a production shortcut. Said revolvers were issued to EVERYBODY
As for Tanker Garands, I believe only a dozen were made and NONE were ever issued.
 
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