American Sniper Rifles

skite · 14-01-2006, 02:30 AM

What sniper rifles were used by American GIs in World War 2?

I gather from numerous web hits that the M1-D Garand and the M1903 Springfield were widely used, but I know from my Dad's accounts that he carried a rifle of foreign manufacture with the 36th Infantry Division in Italy and Sounthern France. Unfortunately, Dad is not around to ask any more, and I did not even take the opportunity to write down the country of origin when he shared this story.

I would be curious to hear about other accounts of GIs being equipped with "foreign" sniper rifles.

Gnomey · 14-01-2006, 02:36 AM

The most widely equiped where the M1903 and the M1 although (I'm not sure) some would have been equiped with the Enfield No.4. Other foreign manufacturers I'm not so sure of.

Welcome to the forums Steve.

spidge · 14-01-2006, 05:38 AM

Welcome to the forum Steve.

You will enjoy it here.

Glider · 14-01-2006, 09:00 PM

I think you will find that the M1C-D only made it to the front line in limited numbers the 1903A4 being the standard. This was even used in the Korean War.

As for foreign makes I would have thought the Lee Enfield would be the best guess but I wouldn't bet against a captured German rifle. These were also very effective, ammo being the obvious problem,

Doc · 15-01-2006, 11:35 AM

Quote:

(Steve Kite @ Jan 14 2006, 02:30 AM) [post=44366]What sniper rifles were used by American GIs in World War 2?

I gather from numerous web hits that the M1-D Garand and the M1903 Springfield were widely used, but I know from my Dad's accounts that he carried a rifle of foreign manufacture with the 36th Infantry Division in Italy and Sounthern France. Unfortunately, Dad is not around to ask any more, and I did not even take the opportunity to write down the country of origin when he shared this story.

I would be curious to hear about other accounts of GIs being equipped with "foreign" sniper rifles.
[/b]

Your dad may have been using a battlefield pickup, but it was pretty definitely NOT an American-issued weapon. The US did not formally issue sniper rifles of other national makes, though of course soldiers in combat frequently make use of enemy equipment if they need to. Doc2

Reverend Bob · 15-01-2006, 08:19 PM

A lot of sniping was done without specialized weapons, most by the common soldier with a keen eye and a standard issue rifle shooting with open sights. The term sniper is anyone shooting at an exposed enemy from a concealed position.

Cheers
Bob

Glider · 15-01-2006, 10:22 PM

I would say that a sniper is more than that. A sniper is specialy trained and equiped for the role that they fill, plus the tactical use of a sniper differs considerably from than of a soldier. They may use ordinary equipment but I would suggest that the key difference is the training and tactical deployment of these troops.

spidge · 16-01-2006, 01:11 AM

Quote:

(Glider @ Jan 16 2006, 08:22 AM) [post=44413]I would say that a sniper is more than that. A sniper is specialy trained and equiped for the role that they fill, plus the tactical use of a sniper differs considerably from than of a soldier. They may use ordinary equipment but I would suggest that the key difference is the training and tactical deployment of these troops.
[/b]

I would say they would be in at least (2) categories.

Specialist: As per Glider's description above. Specific for time, place, target opportunity etc

General: Sniping by soldier/soldiers in a particular operation or ad hoc opportunity.

IMHO sniping was/is an art of undetection, opportunity & patience with "dead eye" accuracy in nearly 100% of hits.

Glider · 16-01-2006, 08:44 PM

I would go with that

14-01-2006, 02:36 AM	#2 (permalink)
Gnomey Per Ardua Ad Astra Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Royal Deeside/St Andrews, Scotland, UK Posts: 2,931	The most widely equiped where the M1903 and the M1 although (I'm not sure) some would have been equiped with the Enfield No.4. Other foreign manufacturers I'm not so sure of. Welcome to the forums Steve. __________________ "Never in the field of human conflict has so much been owed by so many to so few" Sir Winston Chuchill, Summer 1940 "To him the people of Britain and the free world owe largely the way of life they enjoy today" Ensciption on Hugh Dowding's (AOC Fighter Command 1936-1940) Statue in London Aircraft of World War 2 Forum - A Warbird Forum

14-01-2006, 05:38 AM	#3 (permalink)
spidge Legendary Member Join Date: May 2005 Location: Melbourne, Australia Posts: 7,962	Welcome to the forum Steve. You will enjoy it here. __________________ Spidge, ------------------------------------------------------- My Avatar is the memorial to the 22 Commonwealth Coastwatchers at the Temakin Cemetery on Betio (Tarawa Atoll) who were beheaded by the Japanese on 15th October 1942. http://www.dva.gov.au/media/publicat...mem_beito.html "You were given the choice between war and dishonor. You chose dishonor and you will have war." (Winston Churchill made this prophetic pronouncement in a House of Commons speech in 1938, just after Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain signed the Munich agreement with Hitler. Chamberlain returned from Germany with the signed agreement in hand, proclaiming that "peace in our time" had been achieved. Churchill attacked Chamberlain's "politics of appeasement" in this and many other speeches.) What did the Australians do in ww2 and other conflicts? Check out this site: http://www.diggerhistory.info/00-pag...ster-index.htm

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14-01-2006, 02:30 AM	#1 (permalink)
skite Junior Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Posts: 1	What sniper rifles were used by American GIs in World War 2? I gather from numerous web hits that the M1-D Garand and the M1903 Springfield were widely used, but I know from my Dad's accounts that he carried a rifle of foreign manufacture with the 36th Infantry Division in Italy and Sounthern France. Unfortunately, Dad is not around to ask any more, and I did not even take the opportunity to write down the country of origin when he shared this story. I would be curious to hear about other accounts of GIs being equipped with "foreign" sniper rifles.

14-01-2006, 09:00 PM	#4 (permalink)
Glider Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 207	I think you will find that the M1C-D only made it to the front line in limited numbers the 1903A4 being the standard. This was even used in the Korean War. As for foreign makes I would have thought the Lee Enfield would be the best guess but I wouldn't bet against a captured German rifle. These were also very effective, ammo being the obvious problem,

15-01-2006, 08:19 PM	#6 (permalink)
Reverend Bob Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: California Posts: 105	A lot of sniping was done without specialized weapons, most by the common soldier with a keen eye and a standard issue rifle shooting with open sights. The term sniper is anyone shooting at an exposed enemy from a concealed position. Cheers Bob

15-01-2006, 10:22 PM	#7 (permalink)
Glider Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 207	I would say that a sniper is more than that. A sniper is specialy trained and equiped for the role that they fill, plus the tactical use of a sniper differs considerably from than of a soldier. They may use ordinary equipment but I would suggest that the key difference is the training and tactical deployment of these troops.

16-01-2006, 08:44 PM	#9 (permalink)
Glider Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Posts: 207	I would go with that

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