M14 Forum

carpshooter · November 28th, 2009, 07:27 PM

I had one while in Nam ,never fired it as I had an issue m-16 for that . I think the one mag I had for it held 32 =45 auto rounds ,not sure about that ,but I left it there to another jarhead as it was not issued to me !

Anyone here ever use one of these ?

Trung Si · November 29th, 2009, 07:36 AM

I had an A1, I was with an ARVN Unit on my last Tour, I got it from them, I used it as a Burm Weapon and it worked!

M1A's r BEST · November 29th, 2009, 09:07 AM

I have a buddy at work who carried one in Vietnam. He said he tried the M16 and didn't like it. The tried the CAR15 and didn't like it (but thought it was better than the M16). He tried a Thompson SMG but said it was way to heavy. He finally got hold of an M3A1 (he said he had to stick his finger into the bolt to cock it so that makes it the M3A1, right) and he said it was ideal, in his mind, for what they were doing. He was in a ranger outfit and their job was to locate the VC and call in for the "cavalry" to come take care of the bigger enemy forces. They ambushed small groups (claymores and gunfire) to collect weapons/intel.

He said it always worked. It always took out the target.

Tenboremag · November 29th, 2009, 10:39 AM

We had both the M3 and the M3A1 still in inventory in the late 80's. I qualified expert with it while I was working range support but, could not wear the submachinegun bar because I was not authorized to carry one. That was for the vehicle recovery crews.

Trung Si · November 29th, 2009, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M1A's r BEST

He finally got hold of an M3A1 (he said he had to stick his finger into the bolt to cock it so that makes it the M3, right)

Yup! thats an M3 A1, the M3 had a big Cocking Handle!

carpshooter · November 29th, 2009, 01:42 PM

Thanks ,now I know that the one I had was the M3 !

mack7.62 · November 29th, 2009, 02:20 PM

I always liked the grease gun, other than loading mags. IIRC it had a rate of fire of 350-450 rpm so it was easy to squeeze off single shots with a little practice.

m.

Steve in Allentown PA · November 29th, 2009, 03:16 PM

In the '70s and '80s 2nd Armored Division issued M3s and M3A1s to tank crews - two per crew, one in the driver's compartment and one for the loader. We all thought they were cool and, apparently, so did the infantry guys we worked with from time to time. More than once some 11B would offer to trade his M-16 to one of my guys for his grease gun. No way. We all knew we had the coolest bullet launchers.

As was mentioned, the grease gun had a low cyclic rate which allowed single shots through trigger manipulation.

During one tank gunnery season someone left a grease gun laying on the turret floor instead of mounted in its rack. When the TC traversed the turret, the barrel was caught between the turret and hull and got bent 90 degrees. I suppose the offending GI could have claimed he did it on purpose so he could shoot around corners.

Trung Si · November 29th, 2009, 03:35 PM

Guys! I lied to You, mine was an M3, not an M3A1 when I mentioned the Bolt retracting Handle I distinctly remember mine having one, It's Heck getting Old!

steve12 · November 29th, 2009, 05:16 PM

I have had this one for quite a few years.It is a Guide Lamp M3A1. It shoots more accurately then most people give it credit for. With the suppressor on it's unbelievably quiet.

Sustinemus · November 29th, 2009, 06:34 PM

Ahhhh!!!

You're a lucky man, steve12!

That is one of my all time favorite dream machines!

M1A's r BEST · November 29th, 2009, 06:42 PM

If you haven't seen it, try to find Attack Force Z. It's an early Mel Gibson movie (before he was a big star). It's about a commando force doing a recon (sort of) into mainland China during WW2 and dodging/killing Japanese soldiers while looking for a downed B29.

Lots' of suppressed grease gun action in that movie.

Motown7.62 · December 6th, 2009, 09:31 AM

Never got to fire one of those but did get to see some while I was in Germany from 1989-1991. I was an MP and was providing security in Hamburg at the airport there for the 2nd ACR that was deploying to the Gulf in support of Operation Desert Shield in late 1990. The tankers had them hanging around their necks. I couldn't believe they were still in the U.S. arsenal. I guess if you have a good thing don't get rid of it.
I wonder what tankers carry in their vehicles nowadays??

Motown out

Sustinemus · December 6th, 2009, 10:18 AM

Quote:

I wonder what tankers carry in their vehicles nowadays??

I suppose on the unit and whatever is found in their TOE&E inventory. A kid of mine had a pistol and an M16A2 with a broken stock from an M4 in his tank. That was sandbox '04-05.

Lewis · December 6th, 2009, 10:43 AM

The work that I did in Nam had me in contact with a few Marines, a couple of them did have the old full auto grease gun. One of them was fond of quoting Gen. Puller, he told me that Puller once said "More "enemy troops"(cleaned up for political correctness) were killed by grease guns being thrown away that by being shot." I never got any more trigger time than a mag or two but I thought it was a hell of a close combat weapon with the heavy .45 slug, wasn't too impressed with build quality with the stamping but plenty of very effective weapons have been made with the stamping process.