M3A1 Grease Gun

M3A1 Grease Gun

M3A1 Grease Gun
Specifications
Type	Submachine Gun
Caliber	.45 ACP
Feed System	30 Round Magazine
Rate of Fire	450 Rounds/Min
Muzzle Velocity	275m/s
Maximum Effective Range	110m

History

America observed the effectiveness of submachine guns employed in Western Europe, particularly the German 9×19mm MP 40 and British Sten submachine gun and initiated a study to develop its own "Sten" type submachine gun in October 1942, even though the Thompson was a good weapon it was expensive and laborious to produce. The result was the M3 “grease gun” so call because it looked like a mechanics grease gun. The M3 was a cheap and reliable weapon. The first combat operations in which the M3 saw use was in the hands of some paratroopers of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions during the Normandy drop as part of the D-Day invasion. Initially, many soldiers who were issued “grease guns” were not impressed with them and were reluctant to give up their trusted Thompsons. However, as the M3 began to see combat use, its reliability and lighter weight were seen as positive attributes, and most G.I.s, albeit grudgingly, came to accept the roughly hewn grease gun as a worthy successor to the finely crafted Thompson. It remained in service long after the Second World War ended being issues to US troops up to the first Gulf war.

See Also

Infantry Weapons of Battleground Europe American Weapons Boys Anti-Tank Rifle ·Browning M1919A6 . BAR · M1903 Springfield · M1 Garand ·M1 carbine ·M1A1 Thompson · M3A1 Grease Gun · Mk 2 Fragmentation_Grenade · M8 Smoke Grenade · LG 50 mm mortar · M1911 Colt · M9 Bazooka British Weapons Boys Anti-Tank Rifle · Bren Mk II LMG · Lee-Enfield No.4 Mk I · M1928 Thompson · sten Mk II · No.36 Mills Bomb · No.77 Smoke Grenade · 2 inch mortar · Webley Pistol · PIAT French Weapons Boys Anti-Tank Rifle · FM 1924/29 LMG · Fusil MAS mle 1936 · Fusil MAS mle 1940 · Fusil mle 1886 M93 "Lebel · MAS.38 · Grenade à main offensive modèle 1915 · Grenade fumigène · LG 50 mm mortar · Pistolet mle 1935S · M9 Bazooka German Weapons Panzerbüchse 39 · MG-34 · Karabiner 98k· Gewehr 43 · Gewehr 41 · FG42 · STG44 · MP-40 · MP34 · Stielhandgranate 24 · Nebelhandgranate 39 · Granatwerfer 36 · Luger P08 · Panzerschreck 54 Italian Weapons Beretta Model 38 · Carcano Modello 1891 Universal Weapons Ammo Resupply Pack · Combat Knife · Satchel Charge