Greasy, greasy......

[pdstout]

M3

Nice!!! I love the M3. No frils, just buisness!
P. Stout 07FFL/SOT

[captainhoot]

Thanks PD.

I saw your as well. Very nice, from what I can see of it.
I am very glad to finally get one. The hunt has been on for some time,
but I finally ran one down....
The grease guns have always (and always will be) an ICON of WW2
and the Allies for me, so owning one was a no-brainer for me and the
focus of my collection...

-Capthoot

[phild]

Very nice SMG and accessories. I carried one of those for a good while back several decades ago and found it very reliable....never a jam.

The mag pouch that I used was like the second type that you posted....I still have mine somewhere and it was very well used and worn when I got it....in other words the stampings are very very hard to make out.

[Claven2]

Got to be the ugliest SMG ever made Even cheaper than a STEN! The A1 variant took it to the extreme - you had to hook your finger in front of the bolt and manually pull it back to cock it!

[captainhoot]

Thanks guys.

Phild:
Thanks for your service !!!
It would be interested to see or (buy) your pouch if you are interested
it at all. I think they are neat weapons, and so simple that it is hard to
malfunction....
Claven:
Beauty certainly is in the eye of the beer-holder !!!
I have never seen the Grease gun as 'ugly', but that is a personal,
subjective call. Maybe not the most pleasing weapon to the eye,
but not as ugly as some of the ultilitarian sten guns !!! Now those
are ugly to me !!!
Having said that, they all have a certain character, though. The
grease gun has more in my opinion....
Yeah, it got ridiculous to me when the thought of cocking the weapon
using the finger in the bolt-hole...

-captainhoot

[Claven2]

I didn't mean to denigrate the weapon, it was effective and worked well enough - I just don't find it the most aesthetic gun ever fielded

As stamped and welded guns go, the MP40 looks so much more elegant, don't you think?

for machined, the MP41 and the Thompson both look GREAT with the walnut stocks.

The M3A1 can't have been anywhere near as popular with the toops as the M3. I wonder if it was possible to get "M3 finger"?

[phild]

Just a few more remarks to clear up my earlier post: The one that I carried and all the other ones that I recall seeing were the M3A1 types with the hole in the bolt. This also served as a saftey with the bolt cocked and the dust cover down as a lug of sorts on the inside of the cover would engage the hole and keep the bolt from riding home...at least that is what I think that I recall.

I have owned an MP-40 and there is no comparison in looks between the two although I have never seen a SMG compare in looks to a MP38 or 40 except (sort of) the Thompson. Still the M3 series took the manufacturing process (largely automotive stamping or in British speak pressing) to level way beyond even the MP-40.

Cpt.Hoot's example is far nicer in condition than any that I encountered in service and I will say that these are very substancial weapons to hold and fire. They are heavier than they look and are very solid.

I will try and get some pics to Cpt.Hoot on my mag pouch...although it's condition is nothing compared to the examples that you posted.

[SOLDAT1]

Hi Andrew<O
What a great addition to your great collection! she may be not so pretty but I bet it is sure nice to shoot

Robert<O

[captainhoot]

Thanks Guys.

Robert will get to shoot it when he comes here again.
Phild. It would be interesting to see the pouches, if you can scare
them up.
Claven. it's interesting to follow some of the design changes with these
weapons, and think about whether or not it was a great change or
maybe an ill-conceived one....
Makes you say "Hmmmmm"....

-Captainhoot

[Ordnance]

Very nice M3 and collection of accessories. I agree the grease gun has a certain character to it. To me, it has always been one of the definitive WWII U.S. weapons, just as much as the Thompson or M1 rifle. It's also my favorite U.S. SMG for shooting, partially because its slow cyclic rate makes it cheaper to shoot.

The M3 was also the first machine gun I ever tried to buy. In 1966 or 67, when I was about 14, I sent a letter to Service Armament Co. in New Jersey and tried to buy a dewat M3 for the whopping sum of $49.95. Their reply was they were sold out but I always suspected it was based on the look of my letter, which looked like it was a kidnap ransom note, or merely written by a 14 year old. In any case, it was another 8 or 9 years before I found an M3 to buy for the collection.

I also wanted to add a couple other interesting grease gun accessories to your search. First is a box of magazine dust caps. The post-war versions were thin black rubber, much like those for M1 carbine mags. These are the WWII version in clear plastic. I haven't seen any for sale for a while but they aren't particularly scarce.



The other item is a canvas zippered stowage case for the M3. It's shown here with its original wrapper and one version of the Thompson canvas case. I assume its primary purpose was for gun stowage in a half track or other open military vehicle, just as the Thompson cases were. Note the leather mounting tabs. These are pretty scarce and I've only encountered a few over the years.

[Johnnie]

Congrats on a nice M-3. I carried an A-1 version for awhile in Vietnam, and found it to be totally reliable. The slow cyclic rate even allowed you to single shot if you got trigger manipulation down. I even tried some Remington semi-wadcutters through it, and they actually fed, although it would short recoil sometimes due to the light load. I think it is actually one of the more unfairly maligned weapons of WW2. Heavy, but with the stock closed it hung around the neck well, while carrying a radio on the back.

Cheers,
Johnnie

[Don D.]

One of my favorite SMGs to shoot, right after the Swedish K which was actually a very simular weapon. Niether one would be good crossing an open field of any size but for close combat in the thick brush or building clearing you can't beat it.

[captainhoot]

Thanks Guys for those replies and posts !!!
Ordnance:
Thanks for those pics. I have actually found a couple (as in 2, not a
"Jerry Springer couple", which could be 3, 4, 5, 6 or more ) of the
clear plastic mag covers at local gun shows. They have Gov't contract
numbers on them. I have not seen the cardboard box, though. Very
cool !!! The canvas cases are cool as well. I have not seen that
particular version for the Thompson either.
Johnnie:
Very nice to hear about the personal stories of using the M3 in combat.
Thanks for your service !!!
Don.
I agree completely. Nice to hear comments about the weapon and how
it is regarded by the forum members.
Thanks guys.

-Andrew

[Chet Sowersby]

Boy, does this bring back memories! Back in the seventies I was a range officer here in California at Camp Roberts. We were just processing through new recruits for future use wherever the in the world it might be. One live fire I had six brand new never been fired M3's on hand. They still had the paper tags with wire ties attached to the bolts and recievers. They were from General Motor's (Cadalic Gage I belive). We slapped them together and they functioned as they were intended to. The rate of fire was so slow that we joked that "charlie" could jump out of his hole and get a shot off on you before the next round in your M3 could get down range! What a utilitarian weapon.

Chet

[captainhoot]

Chet.

That's a funny story...
Interesting. Thanks for posting.

-Andrew