Approximately 100 million military personnel from roughly 30 different countries fought during World War II. And in order to fight the war, those military personnel required weapons. Today, we’ll talk about some of the most influential, or at least interesting, weapons used in World War II by United States of America.
Browning M1919 Machine Gun
The Browning M1919 is the first used by Americans. This gun was used by the Allies in general, but especially by the US. The M1919 is the improved version of Browning M1917 design by adding an air-cooling system. This medium machine gun was used for a variety of applications, including light infantry, mounted, coaxial, aircraft, and anti-aircraft defence.
M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle
The M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle, better known as the BAR, was first introduced during the First World War, but it became a standard issue weapon for the US Army during the Second World War. This 30-06 caliber light machine gun was favoured because it was portable but still incredibly effective, with a 1,500-yard effective range and a rate of fire of 600 RPM.
Thompson Submachine Gun
The Thompson Submachine Gun also referred to as the Tommy Gun developed as a trench gun during World War I continued to be used into World War II. It was mainly used by the US armed forces, though other Allied troops also made use of it, much like many other guns made in the US.
Ithaca M3A1 aka Grease Gun
In time to see the war out, the Ithaca M3A1 “Grease Gun” was unveiled at the end of 1944. The Tommy Gun’s firing power was retained, but the Grease Gun was designed to be lighter and less expensive to manufacture.45 rounds of ACP. It was, however, less accurate as well.
M1 Garand
When the M1 Garand, the first semi-automatic rifle to be issued as standard equipment, was introduced at the beginning of World War II, the situation with semi-automatic weapons quickly changed. Given that it was significantly faster than the bolt action designs employed by the Axis countries at the time, this rifle served as a crucial proof of concept for the semi-auto design.
Colt M1911
After discussing American rifles, let’s talk about the Colt M1911, also known as the Colt Government, which is arguably the most iconic handgun from World War II. Though it goes by a different name, the 1911 is one of Browning’s most well-known and enduring designs. Even now, 1911s are still in use by the military, are a favourite in pistol contests, and are generally adored by gun enthusiasts.
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Guns