M1d dcm garand

[Bob Seijas]

I am totally convinced that the fix was in for G&H's M1C. SA did a study of the two designs being considered and the results were plain that the D was better. Ordnance ignored the report, assuming SA was biased -- they were, but it didn't alter the fact that the C was a bit of a clunker. As early as May 1944 an Ordnance guy visited SA and told JCG he might as well quit working on his design, the contract was going to G&H. Making the C was a nightmare and kinda nuts -- they sent receivers to NYC so G&H could drill them because SA couldn't drill five holes? A turnaround time of three months? Each rifle custom fit and interchangeable only by accident? Accuracy not as good as a standard rifle? A 30% failure rate in accuracy testing? History proved SA was right, the C lasted about five years in the hands of troops, then was replaced by the D which lasted over 20 years.

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[JGaynor]

I am totally convinced that the fix was in for G&H's M1C. SA did a study of the two designs being considered and the results were plain that the D was better. Ordnance ignored the report, assuming SA was biased -- they were, but it didn't alter the fact that the C was a bit of a clunker. As early as May 1944 an Ordnance guy visited SA and told JCG he might as well quit working on his design, the contract was going to G&H. Making the C was a nightmare and kinda nuts -- they sent receivers to NYC so G&H could drill them because SA couldn't drill five holes? A turnaround time of three months? Each rifle custom fit and interchangeable only by accident? Accuracy not as good as a standard rifle? A 30% failure rate in accuracy testing? History proved SA was right, the C lasted about five years in the hands of troops, then was replaced by the D which lasted over 20 years.

Kind of a similar story with the USMC 1903A1 sniper. The corps was advised in 1940 don't use a target scope (as they did in WW1). They did anyway adopting the 8x Unertl. Within a year the Commandant was telling his people to get A4's from the army. Yeah, the scopes soldiered on all the way to Vietnam but only because the Corps never throws anything away.

Regards,
Jim