..An old fairy tale put to rest.

[ironglowz]

  I recall seeing in a movie , how the M1 was supposed to have given away a soldier's position and the fact that his rifle was empty, by the sound of the  clip being ejected.

  It seemed dubious to me then and even more so now in retrospect.

  I was issued and used both the M1 and the M14, and still consider the M14 to be a real improvement over the M1. .. But so far  as the clip ejection being such a give away
   I have real doubts on that one !

   Yes, the ping was audible, but mostly covered by the shot going off.  ..And in daylight hours, we didn't need the ping to tell us the clip was ejected, since it popped out right before our eyes..

  I did not consider the M1 particularly prone to jamming because of sand.  I never used an AK, and perhaps the AK is slightly better that way, but I lay that to less han
  stellar machining "precision".  ...Much like the M3 grease gun..rugged and great at close range, but no sniper's rifle.

   Now, the M1 carbine, although very handy, was IMO more prone to jamming by way of sand clogging.

  Besides other features, the M14 had a magazine feed as opposed to a spring clip. Use 20 rounds and replace 20 rounds just that quickly. I never happened to get an "M1 thumb", but know many who did ! 

   i cannot comment on their usage in frozen conditions, since I did not use them in such an environment.

   One place where both the M1 and M14 have it over the new Mattels, is their good base for a bayonet.  That's IMO, since I never was issued an M16.

  For any riot..the old rifles could settle things quickly, without even using a bayonet !  The old "vertical"...or "horizontal butt stroke series"  is almost unstoppable in such a situation.

  Here's a video produced on the subject;   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eRWVQKaBWtA&t=169s
.

 

[scattershot]

I always wondered how anyone could hear that light ping in the middle of a firefight.

[AtlLaw]

Ahhhhh!  A post I can get my war story telling teeth into!   

I was issued and used both the M1 and the M14, and still consider the M14 to be a real improvement over the M1. ..

...the M14 had a magazine feed as opposed to a spring clip. Use 20 rounds and replace 20 rounds just that quickly. I never happened to get an "M1 thumb", but know many who did ! 

I to trained with both the M1 and the M14. But since I never carried either in combat I cannot give any comparison of the actual effect of clip vs magazine.  I can say I carried a lot of M16 Mags in crossed bandoleers and enjoyed a magazine's handiness in quick reload situations.

I also trained with other weapons no longer in service; i.e. the Flamethrower and M1919 LMG.  Admittedly the training in the latter was more of an orientation.  As far as rifles go, I preferred the M1 and never had a problem with it.  But then I never had a problem with the M14 either. And I never got an M1 thumb.  I saw one happen though; during an inspection.  My preference for the M1 was probably a result of my preservice indoctrination by John Wayne movies!.  Strangely enough, I never trained with the M16 before using it in combat situations.

I never used an AK, and perhaps the AK is slightly better that way, but I lay that to less than stellar machining "precision".

I shot the AK, a LOT! (see my forum avatar)  I still like it!  Actually if I had to choose between it and the M16 for RVN type warfare, it would be a tough choice. I had a Kit Carson Scout (Tau) who's M16 jammed during a firefight.  After the smoke had cleared he threw his rifle down and said to me "Dai ui!  M16 numba 10!  You get me AK!" which I did; there were usually plenty laying around.  I did have to be careful when we were around troops other then my own though.  Something about seeing a Vietnamese carrying an AK made them nervous. As an aside, Tau loved Americans, Vietnamese military not so much. He got in a fight with some ARVN (he was big for a Vietnamese) off duty in downtown Phan Thiet once.  Then he took on the White Mice (Vietnamese Police) when they came to arrested him.  I talked to the American civilian adviser to said local police to get him out of jail.  The advisor knew of the "collection" of firearms I had acquired and told me how much he liked the pristine M1D I had.  So naturally I gave it to him and I got Tau.   Bribery was an accepted custom over there... by everyone! And, being a civilian contractor, he probably was able to get it back to the states.

...Much like the M3 grease gun.. rugged and great at close range, but no sniper's rifle.
Now, the M1 carbine, although very handy, was IMO more prone to jamming by way of sand clogging.

In early '66 my unit, B troop, 1/9 Cavalry, 1st Cav Division, was flying out of Plei Me Special Forces Camp.  During one of our little endeavors I was shot down and crashed in the middle of a thousand screaming North Vietnamese whose sole desire was to kill me and my crew.  At the time the sum total of my personal armament was a S&W revolver and 6 rounds of ammunition.  When I finally got back to the camp I went to the A Team Commander and told him of my obvious plight.  We went to his weapons bunker and he opened up a crate of M2 carbines and gave me one, along with all the magazines and ammo I could carry. It flew with me the rest of that tour!   I shot it a lot, under a myriad of conditions with nary a hiccup. 

On my second tour, having learned my lesson, I acquired an M3 Grease Gun, as well as a Thompson.  Unlike the M16, both fit well in the cockpit of my Cobra.  I did have to take the rear stock off the Thompson however.  So, I have carried the Carbine, Grease Gun and Thompson when I was flying.  When on the ground hi-ebber, and day is always a hi-ebber, I used my issue M16 or M16A1.

One place where both the M1 and M14 have it over the new Mattels, is their good base for a bayonet.  That's IMO, since I never was issued an M16.

I agree with that!  The natural way to grab an M16 is by the pistol grip.  And doing basic bayonet fighting drills holding an M16 in that manner is awkward in the extreme!  This may be a moot point since "fixing bayonets" is way out of style.  I don't know if the military even teaches bayonet drills anymore.  The same goes for butt strokes and the like.  I'm a firm believer in the effectiveness of a vertical butt stroke with a battle rifle like the M1 or M14.

Well, so much for my trip down memory lane... 

[Bob Riebe]

      The Marines still do a full bayonet training; the Army -  it depends on the Drill Sargent, some do, some do not.