Printable View
This too is illustrated in the past when early gas trap M1 rifles surfaced from armories for rebuild as far as the '60s. These time capsules should be exploited but likely never will be. As soon as they're stripped it's over.Quote:
Originally Posted by Lee Enfield
There was a big rebuild program at Anniston in the late 80's and early 90's to upgrade the M16A1 to M16A2. My story is similar to Frederick's. I had my first ones issued in ROTC from the Florida National Guard at Stetson University in Deland in 1981. Yes, they were filthy and our "rent" was to clean them spotless before we turned them back in after FTX's. Our cadre were almost all former Vietnam vets and they were stringent. It never paid to be the first in line to turn in weapons! I was issued a GM M16A1 in basic training at Fort Benning in 1985. There was quite a menagerie issued in basic training including XM16E1 lowers in the mix. All had been rebuilt at least once, had the paint finish and a stamped on white DoD acceptance stamp on the front of the lower's magazine well. In the 325th Infantry, we had mostly Colt with a few GM's and H&R's in the mix. We also had the old M203 GL that we simply could not keep tight on the rifles when used in airborne ops. They were a royal pain in the ***. I'd guess the design has been changed substantially now. Funny what Frederick says about cleaning equipment. It was always scarce. When I became an armorer at Fort Bragg, I ordered the heck out of cleaning gear on the old microfysh system we had and cured that problem, at least in my company. I still have my original handy little GI pouch that I enhanced with the cleaning rod and other bits in my range bag to this day!
Hi Jim,Quote:
Originally Posted by browningautorifle
I am assuming you were there for "Operation Jack Frost". Were you with PPCLI or the Para Regt? I was with Charlie Airborne 4/23rd INF.
Shortly after this I was reassigned to one of the leg units at Ft. Lewis that participated in OJF. Met the Bn. Commander and he was all bragging about their successful mission up there. I laughed and said "We kicked your butt,....Sir!" Fortunately, for me, he was reassigned the next month.
All our rifles were Colt XM16E1s from Vietnam and worn out. I swear some of them could shoot around corners.
I had forgotten that. I still have my file here though and yes, that was it. Charlie Airborne was the unit we attached to and I was embedded with a US rifle section, four of us and six of you...I was A Coy PPCLI. I've trained many, many times at Ft Lewis too...enough that I don't need a map there any more. (Well, maybe now...) Wish I'd looked closer at the stampings of those M16s we were issued...might have found something really scarce...Quote:
Originally Posted by BEAR
Speaking of something really scarce (kind of off topic), our Alaska armorer was a good friend and one evening he told to come to the arms room in the morning. So I went down the next day and he was as giddy as a school girl. He told me he had been checking the M1911 grips for chips and cracks so he could replace them. He then showed me a set of grips that had scratched into the backside "Sgt Rulio, Tunisia 1942". He said they needed to be replaced (wink, wink, nod, nod).
Some people have all the luck.
I still have a big long Collins Machete that I pilfered from our tent group up there...didn't know they'd become collectible.
What you meant to say Jim is that "You have long termed borrowed the Collins piece of kit." (The Australian way of getting gear.):thup:
Yes...it's sure been a long term loan though. 41 years near as I can reckon...Quote:
Originally Posted by CINDERS
Perhaps another way to view it? You saved a personal memento from the hands of a bureaucracy who only valued it as scrap.Quote:
Originally Posted by browningautorifle
We also had a 1911A1 made by Singer... but the difference between a long term borrow of grips and a long term borrow of a 1911A1 was a long term stay at Hotel Leavenworth.