my U.S. military collection...

[merc]

consist of .....
a Smith Corona 1903A3 (Oct. 1943)
a Springfield M1 Garand (Jan. 1944)
Mossberg M44 .22 training rifle (1940's)
Colt 1911 (MkIV-gov't model)
AR15 (representative of the M16 since I can't have a real M16--rats)
IBM M1 carbine

Not too large a collection but it IS mine and I am proud of it.

How about you guys?????????

[dvl]

Bigger than my collection!

• Navy Arms repro Remington Zouave that my Dad bought me when I turned 15
• Model 1863 Sharps Rifle "Veterans' Issue"
• 1942 S.A. M1 Garand
• Brown Bros. Field Drum (Civil War)
• Asst. CW Leather Goods

[dvl]

Through the wonders of computer databases I have established that my Sharps was issued to Company E, 6th New Jersey Veteran Volunteer Infantry, mustered in at Camp Olden, Trenton, New Jersey. Not far from where Dad bought it!

I suppose it's hardly right to keep in in Mass.

[inplanotx]

Now dats purdy!

I suppose it's hardly right to keep in in Mass.

You are absolutely correct. Please hurry up and send it to me in Texas. Looks like a good Southern gun anyway.

[dvl]

It's on it's way. Hope you enjoy it!

No, wait, it's going to some guy named Marlin. Maybe he'll forward it.

[dvl]

Maybe you all can help me identify some unusual markings on the breech of this model.

[inplanotx]

Nice job. Cute !

[John Krzos]

I got an-

1903 Springfield Mark I
1953 Springfield M-1 Garand
M-14 Norinco
AR-15 DPMS
2-1911 Springfield's
IMI M-1 carbine

all great guns, well taken care of and shot when I can get to the range. Told the wife all I want now is a Barrett m-89 before I retire(in six years), so I have to save my pennies and find a state that won't hinder my owning one, to settle in. Along with all my cowboy guns, I need a bigger safe!

John Krzos

[Xracer]

John.....are those Springfield 1911's, REAL Springfield Armory (United States Armory at Springfield, Massachusetts) M1911's?

[John Krzos]

Yes, one is a Springfield Armory-Champion .45, 4.025 bbl, blue and the other is a Mil-Spec. Full size, .45, 5" bbl., parkerized. They're not much and not collectible, but they are mine and theyre paid for.

[Xracer]

Sorry John, I think you misunderstood me.

During WWI (1917-18) The Springfield Armory manufactured approx. 25,800 M1911 pistols.

The REAL Springfield Armory (the United States Armory at Springfield, MA) was established by the U.S. Government in 1777 and operated thru the Revolutionary War, War of 1812, Civil War, Spanish-American War, WWI, WWII, and Korean War....and finally was closed in 1968.... http://www.nps.gov/spar/history.html

The Springfield Armory was noted for producing the Springfield Rifles of Civil War fame, the "Trapdoor" Springfield of the Indian Wars and Spanish-American War, the U.S. Army Krag Rifle & Carbine, the Springfield M1903 of WWI, the M1 Garand of WWII & Korea, and the M14 of early Vietnam fame.

About 1970, a commercial company bought the much of the surpus parts, machinery, and name rights to the name "Springfield Armory".

The current Springfield Armory pistols may be copies or clones, but they're not military M1911s.

FYI.....military M1911s and M1911A1s were made by:

M1911 (WWI - 1917-1918) were made by:

Colt, Springfield Armory, and Remington-UMC.

M1911A1 (WWII - 1941-1945) were made by:

Colt, Singer, Union Switch & Signal, Ithaca, and Remington-Rand.

[flopshot]

man, this thread's got my juices flowing again. won't bore you with my list, looks alot like the above. years ago sarco in nj had a semi auto reciever kit for the BAR and sold a BAR parts kit also. for about 500.00, late 80's money, you could have a civilian BAR. awsome history. does anyone know if this is still an option? checked out sarco and no recievers listed anymore.

[blackhawkkid308]

1903-a-3 remington 1942 national ord 1903-a-3
M-1 garand springfield 1944
M-1 carbine (aftermarket)
4) M-1a springfields 1984 1991, 2000, & 2003
2) AR-15's one 16in one 20in

colt govt model 1911a1 1944

non-us
1891 russian nagant 1916
2-1896 swedish mausers 1899(orbendorphs) k-31 swiss
1 yugo 48 8mm mauser
that's all
blackhawkkid308

[new sks 2005]

i dont have very many but heres my list-
1969 chinese sks
1945 mosin m-44
1942 mosin 91/30
1943 british mark 1 no.4

[southernshooter]

Thats a good selection. Most of the guns I have owned have been military or police weapons at one time or another.

[MRMIKE08075]

`03 SPRINGFIELD (RIA)
M1917 ENFIELD (EDDYSTONE)
M-1D SNIPER GARAND (WIN)
M-1 GARAND (WIN / LMR BBL)
M-1 GARAND (SPRING)
MOSSBERG 44US
ROSS M1905 (US MARKED & PROOFED)
M-1 CARBINE (out of state with relatives)
1911A1 (REMINGTON RAND)
M1836 A WATERS PERCUSSION PISTOL


this just covers US MARTIAL ARMS...

now if we were talking:
SWEDEN
FRANCE
SWITZERLAND
ENGLAND

it would be different...

best regards, mike.

[hoser1]

Enfield no 4 Mk 1 1944
Parker Snow musket 1863
Trapdoor Springfield 45-70
2 SKS Yugos (do they count?)
Colt 1911A1 1943
Colt 1911A1 1941 blue
another Colt 1911A1 1943
A model 1883 reichsrevolver 10.6 mm (don't know if its military)
Mauser (Walther) K43 8mm auto
2 1909 Argentine Mausers rechambered to 30-06 One is getting rebarreled back to 8mm
Post ban AK47 Hungarian (not military but looks it)
Ar15 (not military but looks it)
That's it I think.

[cpt.bales]

i have

1911A1

mosin M44 ( 1946 )

yugo sks

[polishshooter]

When I was a kid, I set my goal that I was going to have a collection of at least ONE sample of every issued shoulder fired weapon of the US Army from the Charleville Musket, to the M16A1. I figured my biggest chore would be getting lost in the Civil War...

But then again, I also was going to become a LAWYER too....







So after 25 years in Retail, my specialty is POS Russian Rifles!

But I HAVE had BUNCHES of them, but currently only 13 or so...and a lone Steyr M95 Calvary Carbine....besides the shotguns and handguns that don't count!


I USED to own a nice Garand, but then I started racing.... ...but that's ANOTHER story....




But while I DO regret selling the Garand, I do NOT regret NOT going to law school!

[Pistolenschutze]

Originally Posted by polishshooter

. . . my specialty is POS Russian Rifles!

Well, I see you finally admit it, Polish. Now, had you begun collecting fine German Mauser rifles all those many years ago . . . Just kidding, just kidding!!!!

Seriously, what's your opinion of the Steyr 95, Polish? I've seen a number of them advertised for sale from time to time, but know almost nothing about them as military weapons. I understand they are a straight pull bolt design, something like the Schmidt-Rubin K31. I kinda gather they didn't serve all that long for some reason.

Back in the misspent days of my youth, I too cherished dreams of becoming a lawyer for a time. Those dreams lasted until I stumbled into the title insurance business, and over the subsequent 25 years or so, worked with attorneys almost daily, mostly because much of my work was in claims. My illusions of attorneys as paragons of democratic virtues and upholders of the law were shattered forever.

[polishshooter]

Actually, PS, the Steyr M95 actually served LONGER and saw more service than ANY straight pull, including the Swiss straight pulls, right to the end of WWII. It might have even served longer if production wasn't stopped by the Nazis during WWII. I think it is actually a better, stronger design than the Smidt.

I think Herr Mannlicher was a better designer than Herr Mauser, just less of a PT Barnum huckster, and more of a Nationalist in the age where EVERY country had to have their OWN design, and no one else could have it!

I have owned two M95s, a "sporterized" one I bought from my Bro-in-law the Mauser collector when I was like 17, with 200 rounds of ammo, for $25. I LOVED that rifle, innacurate as heck with the LOWEST setting of 300 meters you had to aim like 3 feet LOW to hit at 50 yds but then I wasn't a rifle shooter at the time either...

The ammo at the time was like $1/round, and it was impossible to reload for it at the time (it's the round I tried the supposed "hydraulic" method for depriming Berdan and got nothing but WET... I SWEAR it's a good idea that just doesn't WORK )

I traded it on a .22 at a gunshop after I had fired all the ammo, about two years before all the Nazi 8x56RH hit the market so cheap! (Timing is EVERYTHING, and like usual, mine SUCKED... ) At LEAST I saved all my clips!

Anyway, I found a cherry M95 about 10 years ago at a flea market for $100, which had a painted stock, that I stripped, to find a BEAUTIFULLY grained reddish hardwood stock underneath. It is still probably my favorite carbine of all time.

In fact, I'm looking for a matching Budapest Arsenal one to "fill out" the collection.

There is a "cult" of M95 shooters and collectors out there, with even their own websight.

I WISH I still had my "sporterized" one, it would have made a DANDY "Scout" brush gun!

Lee makes the dies now, and you form the cases rather simply from Russian x54 brass with a $12 Lee case former, and I even saw Hornady factory ammo for it at the last show, for like $22/20.

The problem always was the buddits, they are .329, and nothing but the .318 Westley Richards used them, so no one made them, except custom. Custom Buddits went for over $1 each, so most reloaders use cast.

BUT I read somewhere that Hornady or somebody is coming out with .329 bullets, which stands to reason if they sell the loaded ROUNDS, so it may be my NEXT project...

I also know a militaria shop about 30 miles away that has a beautiful sporterized M89(?) Steyr in the original 8x50R I've been looking at for the past 10 years that I might have to make an offer on someday...

The Austrians and Hungarians used the M95 extensively in World War I, against the Russians and the Italians, (but those were chambered for the 8x50R) and also in WWII against the Russians. The Germans tried to rechamber them to 8X57 (like they screwed up so MANY other designs trying it... ) but finally gave up and started making the rounds and stripper clips for it by the millions, which is what is readily available now, usually for like $3 to $4/10, really neat ammo, 1938 headstamped, with neat tiny swastikas and eagles on the boxes, headstamps, and strippers, and I've NEVER had a misfire with it...SOG has recently also listed the ammo NOT Nazi headstamped (original Austrian or Hungarian) for a few cents cheaper, like $2.50/10, without strippers though. You need the strippers for this design or it's a single shot.

The Germans issued the M95 to their 2nd line "Eintzentruppen."

I also had a chance to buy once an M95 full length RIFLE pretty cheap, which I still kick myself for, they are kind of rare...in 1934, Austria cut most of their full size rifles to carbine length, and they are called M95/34. At the same time they converted all of them from the 8x50 to the 8x56, which is signified by the large "S" on the barrel shank. If it DOESN'T have the "S" it is probably still 8x50....but most have been, I usually only see the earlier M89s in 8x50 any more..

The M95 like mine is the actual cavalry carbine, with a little different stock, handguard, sling swivels, and the smaller rear sight, the M95/34s will have the longer rifle rear sight.


I have covetously eyed my M95 MANY times RECENTLY in the rack when i have been getting down or putting back one of my M44 sporters...if it wasn't so darn CHERRY I would probably have already chopped it....

It is DEFINITELY the "Recoil King" of my arsenal, the 8x56R kicks a LOT more than the 7.62x54R, AND the M95 is MUCH lighter than the M44 or M38s too...

They are SO much fun to shoot. You HAVE to use the strippers, or it's a single shot, the stripper goes in like a Garand, and when you fire the last shot, the stripper falls out a slot in the bottom of the mag, allowing you to reload QUICKLY. And when you unload, there is a mag realease button that ejects the clip out the top like a toaster, only with a LOT more zip!

The bolt is MUCH simpler than the Smidt Rubin, kind of tricky to put back, because you have to "set' it, and it trips EASILY if you aren't careful putting it back. Plus it's kind of cool letting some Mauser "expert" try and remove the bolt, waiting how long before he sheepishly asks how it's done
(you push FORWARD on the trigger...)

It seems to be a much stronger action too, those locking lugs are BIG. When you fire it it takes a pretty good yank to open it, but it is a LOT faster than a normal bolt. I'm always wondering why straight pulls didn't catch on more...

[Pistolenschutze]

Thanks "muchly" for the info on the M95, Polish. I've never actually seen one, and you're right, I would never have guessed how the damn bolt came out. I've seen the ones being advertised out there, and they are indeed quite tempting from a collector's perspective, especially now that ammo seems to be readily available for them. If they catch on, I suspect we'll see more ammo produced for them.

Originally Posted by polishshooter

I'm always wondering why straight pulls didn't catch on more...

Yeah, after shooting the Schmidt-Rubin, I certainly agree with you, Polish. A straight-pull is obviously more difficult (and thus clearly more expensive) to produce from an engineering and manufacturing standpoint, but it solves a number of problems, not the least of which is what to do about those pesky left-handed shooters that rifle-instructors used to hate so much. A straight-pull also eliminates the need to move one's arm so much to cock the piece, and that would seem to aid in staying covert under certain combat conditions.

[polishshooter]

Yeah, I fired both of my M95s fairly rapidly, not anywhere like a Garand or an SKS, but MUCH faster than any turnbolt, and you can more or less keep it on your shoulder between shots. "More or less" because with the recoil slamming you around, and the stiff "yank" it takes to cycle it, you don't keep the sights on the target very well in rapid fire, but then again, for "supressive" rapid fire to keep someone's head down while somebody else flanked him to toss a grenade, it would work MUCH better than any other bolt-action EXCEPT maybe the Enfield using the "thumb and forefinger on the bolt, middle finger for the trigger" method taught to British troops for "assault" in WWII, and that stripper clip loads faster than any other, kind of like the Garand's.

I'll dig up that M95 website, it's on my old computer. It's pretty neat what guys are doing with it.

SOG has both Steyr and Budapest Arsenal M95s available. The only thing I warn you about is SOMETIMES people advertise them as M95 when they are actually M95/34s and vice versa. But either one is kind of cool, and both shoot well and are historical. It's just that there are a lot more M95/34 "Carbines" around than actual M95 Cavalry Carbines.

Oh yeah, they made a few different variations of the actual M95 cavalry carbine too, mainly the position and types of the sling swivels, I read somewhere they kept taking suggestions from the field, to find the best way to sling it while on a horse...and I was lucky, my "new" one came with an original WWII Austrian web sling, that you don't find much any more.

I still don't have the bayonet for it yet, but Sarco has them for sale for like $40 in good condition, $25 for "slightly damaged," and sometimes different jobbers will advertize Nazi "Ersatz" all steel stamped bayonets for them, which was from what I've read the first "Ersatz" bayonets made.

[noplay6978]

M 1 Garand National Match Type 1 Springfield Armory

M1 Carbine Underwood Elliot Fischer

1911 a1 Remington Rand

[Teejay9]

WWII US arms that I have owned:
M1 Garand (Win)
1903A3 (Rem)
M1 Carbine (Nat'l Postal Meter)
1911A1 (Colt 1942)
S&W Victory
All had the necessary accouterments, slings, belts, holsters, bayonets, etc.
All are gone now. TJ