Guns & Gun Related Stuff

[Quick Steel]

Never got to fire the CAR-15. Desireable but rare, tho one of the advisors had one.

[jerryd6818]

In 1962 we were one of the first boot camp platoons at MCRD San Diego to be issued the M-14. They were fresh out of the crate and still in the Cosmoline. They set up a couple of GI cans, with immersion heaters in them and we cleaned them by dunking them in the hot water in the GI cans. Took us a couple of days to get them clean enough for inspection, then we sat on our buckets out on the platoon street and rubbed Linseed oil into the stocks. Some of them had some gorgeous wood but they all shined like a diamond in a goat's a##. Loved that rifle.

Carried the M-1 during ITR (Infantry Training Regiment the month after boot camp). Didn't care much for it. Never touched an M-16. Did see some during my last year in the Corps in Viet Nam. Mostly Doggies had them. McNamara's Rodent Rifle. Heard a lot of bad things about it jamming and such if it wasn't kept inspection ready clean. Rumors. You know how the military is about stuff like that.

[fergusontd]

Jerry rumors in the military? Shirley not! I think they start out Hey this ain't no s...! And don't call you Shirley, Right! ftd

[jerryd6818]

Ferg, you're right. Any sea story worth it's salt starts out with "this ain't no s...!"

[Quick Steel]

The initial problems with the M-16 came from the decisions of Robert S. McNamara. Because the Army had stockpiles of old powder he ordered it used in the new cartridges. Never mind if it didn't meet the specifications. Then, based on WWII experience, the military asked that the M-16
barrels and receivers be chromed. This helped greatly in the humidity drenched Pacific. Mr. McNamara struck again saying, "If Stoner had wanted them chromed he would have made them that way."

Once these initial blunders had been overcome, the M-16 achieved the potential of its brilliant design.

[Steve Warden]

Anybody familiar with the Ruger Wrangler? https://ruger.com/products/wrangler/models.html
With an MSRP of $249, shouldn't take too long to pinch enough pennies!

[treefarmer]

Steve, I just noticed those new Rugers in the American Rifleman last week. Ought to be a good one. I've got an old Bearcat that I've had since 1964 that has been a great single action to carry fishing, plinking and even instructing grandsons concerning hand guns.
There is an interesting story that goes with my Bearcat, seems the guy I got it from was squirrel hunting with it and he shot a squirrel, jumped up to retrieve it, stumbled crossing a small creek and ended up shooting himself in the leg. I reckon he shot the squirrel, then cocked it and didn't pay attention. I got a good deal in that one as they were only $39.95 new back then and he was ready to get rid of it!
Treefarmer

[jerryd6818]

To me, it looks a lot like a Ruger Single-Six with a different finish.

[Steve Warden]

To me, it looks a lot like a Ruger Single-Six with a different finish.

Yeah. A couple different touches to bring the price down.

[RobesonsRme.com]

QuickSteel wrote, regarding the CAR-15; "Desireable but rare, tho one of the advisors had one."

I was at a small camp on the Cambodian border in III Corps. There were only twelve of us and we all had an M-16.

We had two CAR-15's in the armory and that's what we carried out on ops, which were manned by two USSF, two VNSF, one interpreter and sixty to eighty CIDG Strikers. I don't think I ever saw an American not take the Car-15.

Charlie

[bighomer]

Trained with M-14, carried one in Nam. Artillery didn't get the M-16 till after I left the country, but I had quite the arsenal that I cleaned and kept up with. M- 60 machine gun, M-79 grenade launher and occasionally a 45 on my belt.and always a 25 auto in the fatigue jacket for in town use. Did get to fire a M-16, got detailed to go fire up some ammo so we could get resupplied. Was down on the perimeter next to a bunker where the infantry pulled guard, and a buck sargent let me fire a clip through his, sure wished we had them, hardly and recoil and light as feather. That ole 14 kicked like mule and weighed a ton.

[jerryd6818]

When were you there Biggie 'H'? About the time I was getting ready to rotate (Summer of '66), I saw some Marines (maybe a total of a handful) totein' them around. Rumor had it that the Army got them before the Corps

[edge213]

QuickSteel wrote, regarding the CAR-15; "Desireable but rare, tho one of the advisors had one."

I was at a small camp on the Cambodian border in III Corps. There were only twelve of us and we all had an M-16.

We had two CAR-15's in the armory and that's what we carried out on ops, which were manned by two USSF, two VNSF, one interpreter and sixty to eighty CIDG Strikers. I don't think I ever saw an American not take the Car-15.

Charlie

What is the difference between a CAR15 and an M16?
Aren't they pretty similar?

[samb1955]

CAR-15 Has a different butt stock, shorter barrel and a different flash suppressor and yes they are similar.

[rangerbluedog]

M16 on the right and CAR-15 / XM-177 on the left.

not my pic

IIRC the CAR had a collapsible stock, 12" barrel versus the 20" on the M16, and the CAR had a "moderator" on the barrel - kinda sorta a suppressor.
...and no bayonet lug on the CAR. The CAR weighed about 5.5 lbs, about two lbs lighter than the M16.
I think of it as the predecessor of today's modern M4.

[edge213]

M16 on the right and CAR-15 / XM-177 on the left.cc1fb278ea5ef7769bbebf0102241f98.jpg
IIRC the CAR had a collapsible stock, 12" barrel versus the 20" on the M16, and the CAR had a "moderator" on the barrel - kinda sorta a suppressor.
...and no bayonet lug on the CAR. The CAR weighed about 5.5 lbs, about two lbs lighter than the M16.
I think of it as the predecessor of today's modern M4.

Ok, that makes sense. I knew the difference between an M16 and M4, but wasn't sure where the CAR15 came in.

[bighomer]

When were you there Biggie 'H'? About the time I was getting ready to rotate (Summer of '66), I saw some Marines (maybe a total of a handful) totein' them around. Rumor had it that the Army got them before the Corps

Jerry I was there from Jan. '66 to Jan. '67, I never saw a marine with a 16 , my understanding was they got them in '67 but that was from a couple of jar-head buddies here at home, then again I wasn't around many marines as our duty stations didn't overlap much.
You understand that I was a red leg and that's the reason we didn't carry them. Cannon cocker's got them sometime in '67 I think. The rumor was that each infantry doggie had 2 one they were carrying and one in ordinance. That's probably another "this ain't no shirt" stories.

[jerryd6818]

So we overlapped. I was on Monkey Mountain up by Da Nang. I caught my freedom bird (baby shirt yellow Braniff Airlines to Okinawa for 5 days before heading East) on 22Aug66.

[fergusontd]

Anchored in Da Nang harbor for a week in '68 & '70. Provided gunfire support for Monkey Mountain with our 5" guns. Also had to drop percussion grenades over the side every so often for divers wanting to attach mines to the hull. A Huey gunship caught some ground fire and was losing fuel. Had to land on our tiny flight deck for repairs. ftd

[New_Windsor_NY]

Some old ammunition boxes. The box of shotgun shells is full and the shells are in PRISTINE condition.

[steve99f]

Neat pictures of old ammo boxes Skip!. The UMC is before Remington owned them.

[New_Windsor_NY]

Neat pictures of old ammo boxes Skip!. The UMC is before Remington owned them.

Thank you. Approximate year(s) for the UMC box? My grandfather was a Mt. Vernon, New York policeman. Don't know his exact years on duty but roughly 1915-1936. Could have been his box of ammo.

[steve99f]

wiki says pre 1912 Skip. Could have been his as old ammo boxes stick around if there are a few rounds left in them.

[royal0014]

I have a box of those Kleanbore shorts somewhere.
And the .32's remind me of a Jim Croce song.
Saw an old .32 revolver in a pawn shop last year. I was very tempted ....

[fergusontd]

Jerry, tried to send you a message, didn't send. We were anchored in the harbor as station ship. Never fired the guns but were there just in case.