When America entered World War II, the standard U.S. military submachine gun was the famous Thompson M1928A1. The downside of the Thompson Submachine Gun—the Tommy gun—was that it was heavy, hard to produce and expensive to produce. Thus, the Army requested a new submachine gun to replace it. The new variant, known as the M3 Grease Gun, offered low cost, could be produced quickly and was simple. However, it still wasn't simple enough and was made even simpler with the introduction of the M3A1. The crank handle on the M3 was taken off and replaced with a finger hole on the side of the bolt for the M3A1, creating less problems for soldiers during combat. The M3A1 saw service during World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, and even up until Operation Desert Storm in the early 1990s. For more on the U.S. M3A1 Grease Gun, watch this "I Have This Old Gun" segment from a recent episode of American Rifleman TV.
The number of applications for a National Firearms Act (NFA) tax stamp—federally required for lawful ownership of suppressors, short-barreled rifles and similarly configured shotguns, among others—has more than doubled in the past four years.
Can you identify this .36-caliber percussion pistol? It has no serial number or markings of any kind, save the number 17 on two of the parts. I did not completely dismantle it.
Kimber's R7 Mako micro-compact handgun was a serious departure from the company's traditional lineup of handguns, but as we uncovered in our testing, there's a lot to like about this latest concealed-carry gun.
Today's optics are a far cry from the glass used yesteryear. Now, optics incorporate amazing technological innovations, all ensuring that shooters can get on target quickly and easily.