14 May 2022 Garand Picture of the Day

[Mark in Rochester]

Information

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[oldfoneguy]

Is it accepted practice to have a rifle grenade set up like that inside?

[eb in oregon]

Is it accepted practice to have a rifle grenade set up like that inside?

Nope. Bad practice IMO. All my training (24 years just on the Army side) dictated if in a "Hot Zone" and on a little stand down time, personal weapons (rifle/pistol) can and should be loaded and safe. Grenades are put away and insured safe. Rifle grenades only need be pulled off and stored until the break is over. High explosives are powerful and unforgiving.

[Mark in Rochester]

Nope. Bad practice IMO. All my training (24 years just on the Army side) dictated if in a "Hot Zone" and on a little stand down time, personal weapons (rifle/pistol) can and should be loaded and safe. Grenades are put away and insured safe. Rifle grenades only need be pulled off and stored until the break is over. High explosives are powerful and unforgiving.

U.S. RIFLE M1 .30 SN# 1616152
Manufactured by Winchester, New Haven, Ct. - M1 rifle damaged in accident at Camp Drum, N.Y. Barrel spilt due to using a ball round instead of an M3 round to launch a rifle grenade. Barrel badly damaged. Bolt and internal parts missing. Stock separated from receiver. Three G.I.'s were killed in this accident. This is a WIN-13 rifle. It was manufactured sometime between January and June of 1945.

Markings:
Receiver: U.S. RIFLE/CAL..30 M1/WINCHESTER/TRADE MARK/1616152.
Stock: 192 in white paint.
Barrel: S-A-10-49.
Operating rod: 6535382-SA.

Weapon transferred to the Museum on 8 August 1963.

The web site photo is a staged U.S. Army photo.

Notes: "I don't know if it is recorded, but the story I heard concerning this weapon when I first got here (1977) was that it was being fired in the 1950s by a NY State Nat. Guard unit someplace in western NY State. They were firing grenades and instead of using the regulation blank round for that purpose they fired a grenade using a live round. According to the story I heard, a sgt. and two recruits were killed in the resulting explosion. I might note that in cleaning the weapon I found traces of earth, particularly in the butt plate, but no trace of blood or anything else of human origin. Watch out for sharp edges on the metal - any blood on this thing is mine - Type O Pos." - William E. Meuse, NPS Curator.

"Improper Use of Ball Cartridge. Use of a ball cartridge instead of a special cartridge when launching a grenade is likely to explode the grenade, which will damage the weapon and cause serious injury to personnel." - TM9-2210

[Flying10uk]

There was a documentary on a few days ago about WW1 female factory/munition workers. At one munition factory in the UK, during WW1, there was an explosion and a number of female workers were, unfortunately, killed. It was suggested on the documentary that the likely cause may have been "when the fuse was being fitted/screwed into the shell" at the factory. But I didn't think fuses were normally fitted to shells until just before they are fired or is this practice, of fitting the fuse at the last possible moment a more recent thing, perhaps WW2 onwards? Did they ever install fuses in shells at the factory?

[Daan Kemp]

The photo looks staged, shoes [not boots] empty, etc. Barrel wouldn't peel open like that - I think. Provenance of happening vague. Warning to be careful and safe. Urban legend...?

---------- Post added at 05:23 AM ---------- Previous post was at 05:20 AM ----------

Ammunition factory in Pretoria WWII exploded. Hearsay - no accurate record of deaths, many of the workers were orphans, records destroyed with factory. Factory never rebuilt but the ammunition shelters and berms still standing.

[Mark in Rochester]

The photo looks staged, shoes [not boots] empty, etc. Barrel wouldn't peel open like that - I think. Provenance of happening vague. Warning to be careful and safe. Urban legend...?

---------- Post added at 05:23 AM ---------- Previous post was at 05:20 AM ----------

Ammunition factory in Pretoria WWII exploded. Hearsay - no accurate record of deaths, many of the workers were orphans, records destroyed with factory. Factory never rebuilt but the ammunition shelters and berms still standing.

The web site photo is a staged U.S. Army photo.

[eb in oregon]

Barrel wouldn't peel open like that

I think it would. That bullet is striking the grenade (and detonating it) while the pressure is still high in the barrel. With the added energy from an explosion on the end of the barrel it could most definitely peel that barrel like a banana. The explosion itself would have blown the rifle stock up.

[ssgross]

so this rifle is in a museum somewhere - but I couldn't find any other pictures anywhere.

[browningautorifle]

so this rifle is in a museum somewhere

I'll bet it's in SA museum site. (Bill Meuse, Museum Curator, Springfield Armory NHS) Seems he was the senior curator.