Which rifle to carry during WW2

Cocked&Locked said:
but neither one is available in WW2, so pick again lol
Click to expand...

Winchester model 70 was available and used in WW2 though in very limited numbers.


Military Use

The United States Marine Corps purchased 373 Model 70 rifles in May, 1942. Although the Marine Corps officially used only the M1 Garand and the M1903 Springfield as sniper rifles during the Second World War, "many Winchester Model 70s showed up at training camps and in actual field use during the Pacific campaign."[10] These rifles had 24-inch sporter barrels chambered for .30-06 Springfield. These rifles had serial numbers in the 41000 to 50000 range and were fitted with leaf sights and checkered stocks with steel butt plates, one-inch sling swivels, and leather slings. It has been reported that some of these rifles were equipped with 8X Unertl telescopic sights for limited unofficial use as sniper weapons on Guadalcanal and during the Korean War. Many of the surviving rifles, after reconditioning with heavier Douglas barrels and new stocks between 1956 and 1963 at the Marine Corps match rebuild shop in Albany, Georgia, were fitted with 8X Unertl sights from M1903A1 sniper rifles. The reconditioned rifles were used in competitive shooting matches; and the United States Army purchased approximately 200 new Model 70 National Match Rifles with medium heavy barrels for match use between 1954 and 1957. Many of the reconditioned Marine Corps match rifles were used by Marine Corps snipers during the early years of the Vietnam war with M72 match ammunition loaded with 173-grain boat-tailed bullets. A smaller number of the Army's Model 70 rifles also saw combat use by Army snipers; and some were equipped with silencers for covert operations in Southeast Asia. These Model 70 rifles never achieved the status of a standard military weapon; but were used until replaced by the Remington Model 700 series bolt-action rifles which became the basis for the M40 series sniper rifle.[11]

One of the reasons the U.S. Marine Corps replaced their Winchester Model 70s was that the post-1964 variants of the Model 70 did not meet U.S. Marines' standards.[citation needed] Despite the introduction of the Remington Model 700 rifle, the pre '64 Winchester Model 70 was still used by the US Marine Corps' scout/sniper teams during the Vietnam War alongside the Remington Model 700 rifle. The original wood stocks were found to be warping in both rifles after a few years of service and both rifles were given fiberglass stocks to remedy the problem.[12] Existing Model 70s still in service have had their stocks replaced with a McMillan fiberglass stock, such as that found on the Custom Extreme Weather variant.[citation needed]

One of the best known U.S. Marine Corps snipers who used the Winchester Model 70 during the Vietnam War was Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock who used a Winchester Model 70 sniper rifle chambered in .30-06. It was this rifle, equipped with a standard 8x43 Unertl scope, that Hathcock used to kill a North Vietnamese enemy sniper by shooting him in the eye, through the scope of his Mosin-Nagant, a Russian military rifle. Hathcock's rifle is on display at the Quantico, Virginia Marine Corps Sniper Museum.


From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winchester_Model_70


My choice would be an M1 Garand.
 
Even Tiger I had the formidible 88. Regarded as one of the best guns of the war.

And the 17 pounder on a Sherman was not very effective against Tigers. Needed a lucky shot. From the rear or close side.


And can we please no do a "what ww2 rifle would you choose@ thread again?
There's been 5 in the last year for sure.
 
Sherman Firefly(17 Pdr. 76.2mm.) is still a Ronson. Beats a rifle every time though. The PBI carry rifles. Cavalrymen carry SMGs and pistols.
 
Why are guys mentioning sub-machine guns, light machine guns, and tanks? The topic of the thread is Rifles.

In terms of rifles, it would be clearly the M1 Garand. Semi automatic, fast to load, very reliable in all weather conditions, and massive amounts of spare parts and ammunition since the majority of the American front line forces were equipped with the M1 rifle.

While the prospect of a bolt action rifle seems romantic, the nature of war had changed by WWII, and semi-automatic rifles had a distinct advantage over bolt action rifles.

The STG-44 was the technical winner in terms of WWII rifles, but due to the late introduction, and the relatively small number produced cause logistical issues with spare parts and ammo, I wouldn't have wanted to carried one.
 
Soldiers don't get much of a choice on this. They get to use whatever their army issues them. If you look across the spectrum of basic infantry rifles issued by the combatants during WW2 all rifles were reliable, safe and acceptably accurate. Virtually all of the various bolt rifles were basically refinements of proven WW1 models. Reliability of weapons in action is largely a function of training and discipline as well as the availability of suitable cleaning kits and oil/lubricants.

The only truly revolutionary infantry rifle which was fielded on a large scale during WW2 was the M1 Garand. Other combatants continued to use bolt rifles with the basis of infantry squad/section firepower being provided by more modern LMGs/MMGs like the BREN and MG34/42.

If the OP has a preference for Japanese females and/or rifles, I suggest a visit to Hawaii during the winter tourist season. The hotels on Waikiki beach are overrun with young Japanese women wearing a variety of unusual clothing incl 10 inch heels, frilly Organdy party dresses, English school style uniforms with neckties and faux tartans, and even facemasks. If you visit the US Army museum at Ft DeRussy (a former coast artillery site) you might even see some of them examining and taking pictures of a display case full of Japanese WW2 weapons and military artifacts.;) You can also see mobs of them clicking away at the USS Arizona Memorial and aboard the USS Missouri, places where the military destiny of Japan in WW2 started and ended.
 
Groan .... another version of the 9mm vs the .45 ACP argument .....

I gotta go and tell my M1 that it's supposed to get "gummed up" after a session at the range. It's obviously not performing up to reputation.

And I must look up the difference in bore size between a 7.92mm Mauser and a .303 Lee-Enfield .... ;>)
 
Are we joining a particular military? Then whatever they issue. Unless you choose to pick up the enemy's weapon. Then don't get captured with it.

Are we partisans? Then whatever we can scrounge up, probably off the dead.

Are we working as mercenaries? This would be the only option to allow you to pick and choose. Then I would take whatever is appropriate for the area that I am operating in. No point in using a M1 on the Eastern front. You will run dry very quickly and be up that creek without a paddle, putting you into a situation where you need to pick something up making the whole discussion moot. Same goes for the Arisaka anywhere is Europe, M91/30 in the West, etc.

But I have to agree with FP and Sharps, one of these threads ever 2 months gets very tiresome.
 
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