14-304 Garand Picture of the Day

[Mark in Rochester]

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[browningautorifle]

A pic we've seen before, but I didn't notice the cleaning rod attached to the rifle's left side. You can just see the handle...wonder why? There must have been a specific problem with that rifle...

[Paul S.]

Or, he was just the bloke lumbered to carry it for the platoon's use.

[rayg]

More then likely what you said, Ray

[browningautorifle]

Interesting idea...can't see that carrying any weight after five minutes combat.

[RCS]

The Model 1919A4 or A6 and Model 1918A2 would use the solid cleaning rod

[RT Ellis]

More likely he was cleaning his rifle when the photographer asked him to pose for the picture, and he held onto the cleaning rod for the minute or two it took to pose the the the soldiers.

[browningautorifle]

I could buy that, but we've recently seen several cleaning rods fastened to the side of rifles. I just never noticed them before.

[RT Ellis]

I've also seen images of the cleaning rod being carried in the barrel of the rifle, obviously merely for a convenient way of carrying the rod when not in combat. I sure wouldn't go into combat with anything attached to my rifle that wasn't meant to be.

[RCS]

You can also find a number of photos with cleaning rods taped to the handguards of M16 rifles during the early period in Viet Nam