M3 Greaser

[imntxs554]

Here is a US Soldier firing a M3 Grease Gun. Look how close his face is to the Firearm to use the Sights or that is if there was sights. I know with that short barrel the accuracy was probably not great. Did they make these in .45 to use with the Tommy. I was reading that the Bolts were made by Buffalo Arms. I'm guessing they were the primary Contractor for the M3. Other than the M1 Carbine Barrel what else did Buffalo Arms provide for WW2 Weapoms.

Information

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[browningautorifle]

These were made by Guide Lamp and Marlin. They were originally .45 and they made some in 9mm for yuk and chuckles...they had sights. They were FA but with a slow rate of about 300 RPM they could be tapped single easily.

M3 submachine gun - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I had one for a bit, the springs had been eaten by rust. I used the small springs out of a buttstock of an FN I think it was. The gun ran so fast it would have ten empties in the air at once...I had to have springs made and then it was much closer to original speed.

[fjruple]

Here is a US Soldier firing a M3 Grease Gun. Look how close his face is to the Firearm to use the Sights or that is if there was sights. I know with that short barrel the accuracy was probably not great. Did they make these in .45 to use with the Tommy. I was reading that the Bolts were made by Buffalo Arms. I'm guessing they were the primary Contractor for the M3. Other than the M1 Carbine Barrel what else did Buffalo Arms provide for WW2 Weapoms.

Buffalo arms produced AN/M2 .30 Browning MG, M1919A4 Browning MG, and mainly the M2 .50 Browning MGs. Their production of the M1919A4 was halted early to focus on M2 .50 Browning production. The M1919A4 shortfall was made up by Saginaw Steering Gear of GM the major M1919A4 producer. Its my understanding that in 1943, the US Ordnance Department decided that US commercial plants should focus on one major weapons system for Buffalo Arms that was the M2 .50 caliber Browning MG. Buffalo Arms still produced other parts and weapons systems for the M3 SMG and M1 Carbine. Early in WWII, Buffalo Arms also produced .303 caliber Aircraft Browning for the Brits. Buffalo arms also produced the M3 and M4 .22LR caliber conversion kits for the M1917A1 and M1919A4 Browning MGs. Buffalo Arms was contracted to manufacture others parts as other part contracts were completed. I hope this was helpful.

Cheers

--fjruple

[oldpaul]

M3/M3A1s were issued to tank crews in the 60's and perhaps later and I trained with them in 1968 at the Fort Knox Armor school. There were specific weapon designed racks on the inside of the turret of the M-48 Tank to mount these. The rear sight was just a bent tab with a hole in it, spot welded to the receiver. Even with this crude, non-adjustable peep sight I remember them being reasonably accurate. Tom

[browningautorifle]

racks on the inside of the turret of the M-48 Tank

I remember climbing inside an M60 or an A1 in Ft Lewis at one point, there was still a marked rack for the M3 SMG there as well. That was maybe 1975 or '76?

[imntxs554]

I get it now....I see on Wikipedia they were made by Guide Lamp & Marlin...it's just the Bolt was made by Buffalo Arms.

[fjruple]

I remember receiving three NIB M3A1 submachineguns for our Combat Engineer Vehicle in the late 1970's. Delivered by USPS and left on the front step of the Armory door anyone could have walked off with them.

imntxs564-- Many of the commercial contracted arms in WWII were built from subcontracted parts. Buffalo Arms was one of those subcontractors. The prime example is the M1 Carbine. Several folks over at 1919A4.com have built semi auto M1919A4s from Buffalo Arms parts. Its unique disease for semi auto BA marked M1919A4 not unlike the Border Cities Industries (BCI) marked parts.

Cheers

--fjruple

[browningautorifle]

anyone could have walked off with them.

I would have loved to, I enjoyed mine. I had a second barrel with a can that changed the game completely. I sure went through a pile of ammo with it then...

[RCS]

Sometimes called the "British horseshoe" is a bar tack welded across the mag catch area to prevent an accidental bump which might release the magazine

[2AD_Vet]

I carried one in the late seventies when I was assigned to a mechanized infantry unit and drove a tank recovery vehicle. we could not fit into the turrent or driver seats with M16 and we were not authorized pistols, so they gave us the M3 instead. I don't recall it being very accurate Beyond 50 feet but it was never intended for more than that. I do recall it was a blast to shoot!