# The M1 in the Ardennes



## Joe2 (May 3, 2007)

I saw on T.V that it was so cold on that winter that the M1s had to be cocked manually as the cold prevented semi-auto fireing. Please help me on this mater.


----------



## Matt308 (May 3, 2007)

I find that hard to believe. If the primer could be struck, no realistic amount of ice is gonna prevent 48,000PSI from pushing back on that operating rod. 

Probably a misinterpretation. Now the striker mechanism being getting frozen? Maybe. But again, once freed, semi-auto here we come.


----------



## Joe2 (May 4, 2007)

It just proves you can't trust television


----------



## mkloby (May 4, 2007)

Joe2 said:


> It just proves you can't trust television



ya think???


----------



## trackend (May 4, 2007)

I find that a bit hard to believe as well, even on the Russian front it was the vehicle engines that froze not the small arms and that was a tad cooler than the Bulge.


----------



## syscom3 (May 4, 2007)

M1's were used quite successfully in the Aleutions that were quite cold, muddy and wet.


----------



## 102first_hussars (May 4, 2007)

But there wasnt really any fighting on the Aleutions


----------



## syscom3 (May 4, 2007)

102first_hussars said:


> But there wasnt really any fighting on the Aleutions



Ever hear of the battle for Kiska?

Thought so.


----------



## 102first_hussars (May 4, 2007)

Okay yeah i looked it up..............thats a pretty f*cking Looooooooooow intensity fight man, the battle was also fought in August, SUMMER TIME 

i looked at all the pictures of the battle man.......No Snow.......thats means it must have tested the M1's ability because it was so cold.......


----------



## renrich (May 4, 2007)

The M1 worked quite well in the cold in Korea also. Wasn't too low intensity there. Remember the Frozen Chosin?


----------



## mkloby (May 4, 2007)

renrich said:


> The M1 worked quite well in the cold in Korea also. Wasn't too low intensity there. Remember the Frozen Chosin?



Ohhh Chosin Resevoir - where 1st Marine Division was surrounded by Chinese forces. THat same Marine Div rendered 10 Chinese divisions combat ineffective and withdrew.

A couple quotes I believe came out of that battle:

"We're surrounded... that simplifies things." LtGen Chesty Puller
"Retreat, Hell!... we're attacking in another direction." MajGen Oliver Smith


----------



## Soren (May 6, 2007)

The M1 worked fine in cold weather - however extreme cold could make it jam, something which happened in Belgium. However that it had to be cocked manually is pure fantasy, if the mechanism got free'd it was semi auto from first shot and onwards.


----------



## renrich (May 6, 2007)

I am quite familiar with the Garand having trained with it in the service and I can imagine how, if the action is dirty and possibly the wrong kind of lubricant is used and the gas port dirty, under many conditions(not just extreme cold) the action may function in a "lazy" fashion and not fully extract the fired case thus doing away with semi-auto fire. An exceptionally dirty chamber could contribute to that problem too.


----------



## syscom3 (May 6, 2007)

102first_hussars said:


> Okay yeah i looked it up..............thats a pretty f*cking Looooooooooow intensity fight man, the battle was also fought in August, SUMMER TIME
> 
> i looked at all the pictures of the battle man.......No Snow.......thats means it must have tested the M1's ability because it was so cold.......



So the other 2 years the US was there, they ignored problems with the M1?

And I guess the troops training in the upper midwest never noticed its problems when it was -40F?


----------



## Joe2 (May 8, 2007)

Il take that as a 'no the M1 did not loose it's semi-automaticness in the Ardennes...'


----------



## 102first_hussars (May 8, 2007)

syscom3 said:


> So the other 2 years the US was there, they ignored problems with the M1?
> 
> And I guess the troops training in the upper midwest never noticed its problems when it was -40F?



No im not saying that, but i highly doubt the concern was about the weapon quality, considering that most of the casualties were frostbite and flu patients, and victims of friendly fire

but the U.S and Canadian Forces were not there for two years


that battle was started June 6, 1942 and ended August 15, 1943


----------



## Matt308 (May 8, 2007)

.


----------



## syscom3 (May 8, 2007)

102first_hussars said:


> No im not saying that, but i highly doubt the concern was about the weapon quality, considering that most of the casualties were frostbite and flu patients, and victims of friendly fire
> 
> but the U.S and Canadian Forces were not there for two years
> 
> ...



They were there untill the end of the war, thriugh the years untiull the M14 was introduced.

And no reported problems.


----------



## DerAdlerIstGelandet (May 9, 2007)

Matt308 said:


> .



You too?

I slit my wrists....


----------

