GARRY JAMES: HI-LUX VINTAGE MODERN MIL-SPEC GUNS OF D-DAY SNIPER SCOPES 1911A1 ROUND-UP gunsandammo.com JUNE 2019 JUNE 6, 1944, D-DAY: AUTO 75 YEARS LATER ORDNANCE REMEMBERS OPERATION OVERLORD WITH 1911A1 M1 CARBINE & M1A1 THOMPSON TRIBUTES. PG. 35 VICTORY! G&A TESTS WINCHESTER’S NEW WORLD WAR II-SPEC AMMUNITION PG. 54 P. 29 P. 13 P. 80 EMARY POOLE WOOD TSgt. Robert Emary: Every Luger has history, Who is behind the attack on My father’s story, from even a mismatched Ruger, Smith & Wesson and England to Austria. Mauser S/42. their stockholders? JUNE 2019 G&A 35 IN HONOR OF OPERATION OVERLORD AUTO-ORDNANCE COMMEMORATES THE 75TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE NORMANDY LANDINGS. WORDS BY ERIC R. POOLE PHOTOS BY MICHAEL ANSCHUETZ 36 G&A JUNE 2019 | IN HONOR OF OPERATION OVERLORD IN HONOR OF OPERATION OVERLORD | JUNE 2019 G&A 37 Auto-Ordnance Thompson M1 .45 ACP “RANGERS LEAD THE WAY!” THEIR MISSION was to seize German rower magazine slot with a new magazine poration in 1999 by the parent company fortifications at Pointe du Hoc, a promon- catch. Neither the M1 or M1A1 would of Kahr Arms. They have built a strong tory with a 100- foot cliff overlooking the accept drum magazines, which were reputation for semiautomatic Thompson English Channel on the northwest coast largely phased out by D- Day. The rear carbines that resemble and handle like an of Normandy, France. It was the highest notch- aperture sight was also simplified original, though they don’t fire from an point between the American landings at and given protection by triangular wings. open bolt. Many variations are available, Utah and Omaha beaches. The German The M1 featured a smooth, unfinned, but their most recent introduction honors army had installed concrete casemates and 10.52- inch barrel that was not fitted for a the U.S. Army Rangers who fought during gun pits for fortification the year prior, but compensating muzzle device. Early M1s Operation Overlord. had yet to place their large guns. Under used a milled paddle- style fire selector and The Rangers’ Thompson fittingly the cover of fire support from three Allied safety levers, while the M1A1 received a features engravings that commemorate ships, Rangers scaled the cliffs using rope pin- style selector and safety lever. (You’ll their role. On the right buttstock is part of ladders that weren’t nearly long enough. note that Auto- Ordnance’s semiautomatic President Ronald Reagan’s 40th Anniver- Almost an hour later, members of the U.S. M1A1 Thompson lacks the fire selec- sary speech of the landing, along with Army Ranger Assault Group reached the tor lever, but does have the appropriate an image of a Ranger, the Ranger patch top, secured the battery area and defended pin- style safety.) The M1A1, adopted in and a grappling hook used to scale the against counter- attacks until they were October 1942, further simplified the bolt cliffs. The date of the battle appears on relieved two days after on June 8, 1944. by eliminating the hammer assembly and the forearm, while the left side has Maj. A number of the 225 Rangers included fixing the firing pin in place. Gen. Cota’s quote, “Rangers lead the way!” scouts, staff- and non- commissioned Savage produced 722,794 M1 and Images of Rangers, the Medal of Honor, officers, made the assault with a M1A1 Thompsons, while Auto- Ordnance and their leader Lt. Col. Rudder are on the .45- caliber M1A1 Thompson. (Some manufactured 110,602 M1s and M1A1s. stock. Each side of the grip wears a 75th historians believe Auto- Ordnance Anniversary emblem. Applied by Outlaw that there were also primarily built Ordnance, the finish is Cerakote’s Olive 1928A1 and M1 M1A1 models. Drab with controls finished in Patriot Thompsons at the Auto- Ordnance Brown. Armor Black fills the engravings. scene.) The M1A1 Corporation was Having a 161/2- inch barrel, 20- and 30- Thompson was the bought from Num- round magazines, a Kerr sling and three- result of the 1942 rich Arms Cor- mag pouch, it’s a fine salute to those men. simplification of the 1928A1, which was expensive and Auto-Ordnance The Rangers Thompson labor intensive. Type: Blowback, semiautomatic Developed with Cartridge: .45 ACP Capacity: 20 rd. and 30 rd. fewer features by Barrel: 16.5 in., smooth taper the Savage Corpo- Overall Length: 38 in. ration, the design Weight: 11 lbs., 8 oz. was submitted to the Ord- Stock: Walnut, fixed; laser engraved nance Department, then tested Grips: Walnut; laser engraved Length of Pull: 17.125 in. and quickly put into produc- Finish: Cerakote, Olive Drab, Brown tion through Savage and Auto- Trigger: 9 lbs., 5 oz. (tested) Ordnance (AO). Though many Sights: Fixed post (front); parts were interchangable with fixed L-aperature (rear) Safety: Two-position pin lever the 1928A1, the M1 featured PERFORMANCE MSRP: $1,886 a new side- charging bolt, a BEST AVG. Manufacturer: Auto-Ordnance, 508-795-3919, redesigned pilot rod and recoil VEL. GROUP GROUP auto-ordnance.com LOAD (FPS) ES SD (IN.) (IN.) spring assembly, a trigger Black Hills Amm. 230-gr. FMJ 991 34 14.4 2.13 2.9 frame that required a redesign Notes: Accuracy is the average of five, five-shot groups fired from a sandbag rest at of the pistol grip, and a nar- 100 yards. Velocity is the average of five shots recorded by Labradar chronograph. 38 G&A JUNE 2019 | IN HONOR OF OPERATION OVERLORD IN HONOR OF OPERATION OVERLORD | JUNE 2019 G&A 39 Auto-Ordnance M1 .30 Carbine “THIS WE’LL DEFEND.” THE SOLDIERS M1 Carbine remembers it’s generally accepted that M1 Carbines M1, along with its cartridge, was also one the troops who landed on the beaches of had Type 1 barrel bands with either I- cut of the more cost- effective designs to make. Normandy by sea and air 75 years ago. or oval- cut highwood stocks, and a flip- The Auto- Ordnance brand was not On its left side, Auto- Ordnance engraved aperture rear sight. An interesting observa- among the long, original list of M1 Car- the newspaper headlines announcing to tion: putting buttstock pouches to carry bine manufacturers at the time. Under the the world that the invasion had begun, spare magazines didn’t become vogue leadership of Kahr Arms, Auto- Ordnance followed by a selection from Gen. Dwight until weeks after the landings. began production of M1 Carbine replicas Eisenhower’s famous address to his gath- There were many requests for a light- in 2005, first basing it off of the 1944 M1, ered forces. The buttstock features images weight alternative to the M1 Garand, sans the barrel band and bayonet lug, and depicting the beach landings, while the including those from support troops adjustable rear sight. (Auto- Ordnance did patches of U.S. Army divisions and para- tasked with carrying equipment. Com- produce parts for the M1 Carbine during troopers in their drop gear are engraved manders noted that the Garand impeded the war, which were supplied to IBM.) on the right side. A map of the landings is the mobility of these troops, while the Though produced in record numbers shown in part, as are commemorative dog U.S. Army requested a compact infantry at one time, original M1 Carbines have tags for Operation Overlord. Each D- Day rifle for its new airborne troops. Spec- become a scarce and expensive rifle. M1 Carbine is finished in Cerakote Patriot ifications called for a small arm that Collectors hoard them for the many Brown applied by Outlaw Ordnance. weighed no more than 5 pounds and variations, creating a rise in demand and Based on photographs taken near Nor- had an effective range of 300 yards. A interest for M1 Carbine replicas. mandy on D- Day and shortly thereafter, formal requirement for the light rifle was Made to modern quality control approved in 1940. standards, Auto- Ordnance M1 Carbines Readers may already know a version enjoy a reputation of being as reliable and of the story featuring David Marshall accurate as wartime originals. With the “Carbine” Williams, hired by Winchester affordability and availability of magazines to help design a short- stroke gas piston ($40), the M1 Carbine proves to be a fun after serving a prison sentence. With and still- practical firearm that’s meant Williams’ help, prototypes were developed to be shot and modified without fear of to include a Garand- style rotating bolt and hurting the history of a veteran specimen. operating rod. By October 22, 1941, the Since the launch of Auto- Ordnance’s M1 Carbine had been standardized, as was M1 Carbine, the Civilian Marksmanship the .30 Carbine cartridge. Program (CMP) recreated the M1 Carbine With more than 6 million various Match in 2006. (Visit thecmp.org.) makes and models, the M1 Carbine The Soldiers Carbine is a fun- to- shoot Auto-Ordnance The Soldiers Carbine became the most produced American mil- tribute to the M1 that helps to ensure that Type: Short-stroke gas piston, itary small arm during World War II. The we never forget the fallen. rotating bolt, semiautomatic Caliber: .30 Carbine Capacity: 15 rds. or 20 rds. Barrel: 18 in. Overall Length: 35.75 in. Weight: 5 lbs., 7 oz. Stock: Walnut, fixed; laser engraved Length of Pull: 13.375 in. Finish: Cerakote and Parkerized Trigger: 7 lbs., 2 oz. (tested) Sights: Post, fixed (front); dual aperture (rear) PERFORMANCE Safety: Crossbolt, button BEST AVG. MSRP: $1,391 VEL. GROUP GROUP LOAD (FPS) ES SD (IN.) (IN.) Manufacturer: Auto-Ordnance, 508-795-3919, auto-ordnance.com Hornady 110-gr.