Interesting gas trap

[karl schmidt]

NATIONAL ARCHIVES STILL PHOTO BRANCH, RECORD GROUP 111 SIGNAL CORPS

Information

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[WarPig1976]

What is the rifle used for? My guess is it fires tracers as sighting rounds?


"Nuts"

[ChipS]

My guess is it fires tracers as sighting rounds?

Mine, too. In the Korean war era they put an M8C .50 cal spotting rifle over the barrel of the M40A1 106 mm recoiless rifle. It works real well. My former MOS.

[RCS]

Same photo on the cover issue of Billy Pyle's "The Garand Stand Report" Fall 2012 #88. The GSR states photo was taken at Ft Sam Houston, TX in July 1942

[Mark in Rochester]

Rare garand accesory

[browningautorifle]

It's a cheap version of a sub cal. ($60,000 more or less?) Remember the 1903A2 was a sub cal for the 105? howitzer? Just a barreled action. They lay the gun and then fire a round (tracer or otherwise) to see if they were on.

[karl schmidt]

[RT Ellis]

Sub-caliber guns are used differently from spoting rifles. The sub-caliber ammunition is usually similar in ballistic performance to the main gun ammunition, and used to train sighting and adjustment exercises, the sub-caliber rounds being allot less expensive than main gun rounds. Usually no main gun rounds are fired until after the crew has been sufficiently trained that firing main gun ammunition is justified. The ideal sub-caliber device is a barrel that actually fits into the barrel as was the rifle M1903A2, however another standard weapon mounted as in this image was an inexpensive way to provide gunnery training.

I've seen M16 5.56mm rifles mounted on the 105mm main gun on M48A5 tanks, and plastic targets about 2 inches wide, used for gunnery sighting exercises.

[browningautorifle]

I've seen M16 5.56mm rifles mounted on the 105mm main gun on M48A5 tanks, and plastic targets about 2 inches wide, used for gunnery sighting exercises

That's very interesting. I'd love to see that used.

[ChipS]

I guess I didn't read the description with the photos. Traning device makes more sense than a prototype spotting rifle. The mount doesn't look stout enough for combat service.