Rifleman Q&A: Marine Corps Reisings

by
posted on April 10, 2017
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
marine.jpg

Q: I have seen references to .45-cal. Reising submachine guns that were used by the Marine Corps in World War II. All of the photos I’ve encountered depict full-length wooden stocks. However, I just encountered a photo of a Reising with a folding stock. Was this an experimental version or was it actually issued as well?

A: There were two types of Reising submachine guns procured by the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II. The first type you described is the Model 50, which had a full length wooden stock and a compensator found on the barrel.

The variant with the folding stock was the Model 55 and was procured for use by the Marine Corps parachute units early in World War II. It differed from the Model 50 only in the folding stock and the lack of the compensator on most of the Model 55s.

Both variants were widely used by the Marine Corps early in the war, but functioning problems resulted in most of the guns being withdrawn from combat use and replaced by Thompson submachine guns, M1 Carbines and other arms. The Reising submachine guns remained in use through the end of the war, primarily as supplemental arms in rear-echelon units and aboard warships.

—Bruce N. Canfield, Contributing Editor

Latest

Making Keltec Pr57 1
Making Keltec Pr57 1

Making The KelTec PR57 In Wyoming

To make its PR57 handgun, KelTec invested in an entirely new manufacturing facility located in Rock Springs, Wyo. "American Rifleman Television" headed out for an inside look at the company's efficient production process.

Taurus 66 Combat: A New "Fighting Revolver"

First introduced in the 1970s, the Taurus 66 Combat is a medium-frame revolver that has seen several evolutions in its lifetime, and the latest update creates what the company considers "the final word in fighting revolvers."

Review: Taurus GX2

From cars to cellphones, as a product gets more sophisticated, it usually also gets more expensive. And, as modern handguns get more modular and optic-ready, their prices tend to go up.

Rifleman Q&A: A Garand Puzzlement

"We are a father-and-son NRA member tandem in search of an answer regarding the branding of an M1 Garand rifle. We own an M1 rifle that has markings indicating it was a “lend lease to England,” and it also has a .308 barrel/sleeve."

$160K Raised For HAVA At SIG Sauer Event

SIG Sauer hosted its 9th Annual Honored American Veterans Afield (HAVA) Charity Golf event early last month and raised more than $160,000 to support disabled veterans.

Scout The Trail To A General Purpose Rifle

The search for a universal longarm—one suitable for both hunting and defensive scenarios—is a trek that involves a bit of doubling back.

Interests



Get the best of American Rifleman delivered to your inbox.