Re: XM-8 Rifle

From: Ken Marsh (kmarsh_at_fellspt.charm.net)
Date: 06/04/04 

Date: Fri, 04 Jun 2004 20:15:44 GMT

Hi,

tomaddamz <richardgozynya@yahoo.com> wrote:
#The M-1 Garand had problems functioning when wet,

Yeah, that shows your level of knowledge right there.

The SVT-40 while not mass produced is
#far and away a technically superior rifle,

Not mass produced, and so making it nowhere as near the success of the
Garand.

# the FN-49 could at least be reloaded before it was empty,

And one would expect, by 1949, better things would come along.

# and it didn't let the whole world know
#it. The original concept of the M-1 Garand was supposed to use a box
#magazine ( I am assuming similar to the one used for the B.A.R.).
#This was finally accomplished with the M-14. This rifle was flawed
#from the first issue and the U.S. Army is the one to emasculate it.

The lack of a box magazine, while dated, is hardly an emasculation. It
allowed faster reloading, cheaper manufacture, better use of supply,
MUCH better utilization while prone (how often did troops lie prone
while under fire? Answer: a lot!), MUCH better reloading while prone,
and infinitely better reliability after hard knocks or bayonet fighting.

Some of the other arguments made here in this thread defy explanation.
The SMLE was a fine bolt action battle rifle, and it takes nothing away
from any other battle rifle to say so. The ballistic differences between
303, .30-06 and 7.92x57 are so small as to be irrelevent. As for what
Private Snuffy could do, shooting and hunting were still a common
activities at that time, and if not every soldier was a good shot, every
squad had at least one guy that could nail 'em at 300 yards with
consistancy.

Which brings up another strong point of the Garand I forgot to mention-
great battle sights, with a very long sight radius.

Ken. 

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