How did the "Grease Gun"get its name?

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - How did the "Grease Gun"get its name?

Posted: 5/16/2002 2:26:46 PM EDT

Just like the topic says...How did the "Grease Gun"get its name?

medcop

Posted: 5/16/2002 2:29:09 PM EDT

[#1]

Because of its appearance (close resemblence to a cartridge stype grease gun).

Karl

Posted: 5/16/2002 2:32:06 PM EDT

[#2]

whats a stype? What he said, because it looks like a grease gun.

Posted: 5/16/2002 2:33:13 PM EDT

[#3]

absolutely correct krazy_karl........

did ya ever shoot one ? they're a blast !!

Posted: 5/16/2002 2:36:37 PM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:
absolutely correct krazy_karl........

did ya ever shoot one ? they're a blast !!

Yep, krazy karl's right.

Posted: 5/16/2002 3:11:27 PM EDT

[#5]

Thanks! I knew I could get an answer here....that is why I love this board!

medcop

Posted: 5/16/2002 3:44:53 PM EDT

[#6]

Yup, looks like a grease gun alright.

While they were fun, I wasn't terribly impressed with them. About the only way to hit your intended target was to hold the gun sideways and walk the fire into it.

Posted: 5/16/2002 3:48:41 PM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
Yup, looks like a grease gun alright.

While they were fun, I wasn't terribly impressed with them. About the only way to hit your intended target was to hold the gun sideways and walk the fire into it.

Yeah, they aren't accurate at all, but the simplied and cheaper construction, compared to an 11+ pound machined Thompson receiver was a godsend to US wartime factories.

Posted: 5/16/2002 4:58:49 PM EDT

[#8]

They were mainly designed to allow tankers to hose "crunchies" off their tanks. They cost about $6 each to manufacture, and high production numbers were far more important than accuracy.

-Troy

Posted: 5/16/2002 6:44:12 PM EDT

[#9]

As one of the weapons of a tanker, we were trained to shoot them at Ft Knox in Adv Ind Tng (Armor). The targets were silhouettes at 50 yds and most of us couldn't hit the target. The most notable things about them were the very slow rate of fire and the way it lurched forward when the bolt was released on an empty chember (it fires open bolt).

Posted: 5/16/2002 7:00:52 PM EDT

[#10]

I have never used one..is the barrel even rifled?

Posted: 5/16/2002 7:05:15 PM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:
I have never used one..is the barrel even rifled?

Early ones yes , those made to be shipped out oversea in a rush weren't , I heard they used plain ole water pipe for the barrels !

Posted: 5/16/2002 7:12:26 PM EDT

[#12]

An outfit in Olympia makes a semi-auto version:

www.valkyriearms.com/m3.htm

I've seen one but did not get a chance to handle it.

Posted: 5/16/2002 9:33:13 PM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
Quoted:
I have never used one..is the barrel even rifled?

Early ones yes , those made to be shipped out oversea in a rush weren't , I heard they used plain ole water pipe for the barrels !

Sheesh! Most powerful military in the world and they're making ultracheap inacccurate submachine guns with waterpipe barrels!

If things got that bad why didn't they just copy the German MP40 or Russia PPSh guns? Or better yet issue the MP40s our troops confiscated en masse. No more worrying about ammo drops either.

Posted: 5/17/2002 1:53:08 AM EDT

[#14]

Even though the M3 was designed to be VERY inexpensive to produce, I doubt that water pipe was ever used for the barrels. The guns themselves were pretty durable, too.

And I don't think America was yet considered a world superpower at the time. Winning WWII was THE single event that definied us as one of the world's superpower nations.

Posted: 5/17/2002 4:15:35 AM EDT

[#15]

If things got that bad why didn't they just copy the German MP40 or Russia PPSh guns?

At the time, the US military's logistics system was set up to supply .45 ACP pistol ammo, not 9x19mm or 7.62 Tokarev.

Posted: 5/17/2002 5:11:01 AM EDT

[#16]

Here's a Grease Gun in action, taken 5-11-02

Has a distinct report/blast when fired.

Posted: 5/17/2002 6:54:39 AM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
An outfit in Olympia makes a semi-auto version:

www.valkyriearms.com/m3.htm

I've seen one but did not get a chance to handle it.

$750 for a pistol caliber post-ban semi-auto made of stamped steel? Who are they kidding? I can get a brand-new Bushmaster for that kind of money.

Posted: 5/17/2002 2:16:42 PM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:
If things got that bad why didn't they just copy the German MP40 or Russia PPSh guns?

At the time, the US military's logistics system was set up to supply .45 ACP pistol ammo, not 9x19mm (cut)

Not a problem when you are awash with captured 9x19 ammo. Grease gun was a poor excuse.

Posted: 5/17/2002 2:36:46 PM EDT

[#19]

Quoted:
Not a problem when you are awash with captured 9x19 ammo. Grease gun was a poor excuse.

I think that's quite an overstatement. Contrary to your statement, the M3 grease gun isn't too bad for it's intended use: a cheap, reliable close range bullet hose.

Posted: 5/17/2002 2:45:13 PM EDT

[#20]

Quoted:
Even though the M3 was designed to be VERY inexpensive to produce, I doubt that water pipe was ever used for the barrels. The guns themselves were pretty durable, too.

And I don't think America was yet considered a world superpower at the time. Winning WWII was THE single event that definied us as one of the world's superpower nations.

You ought to visit the military's small arms museum , you would be surprise what they used and they did use water pipe . Turns out it was as strong as the barrels made from scratch and all it took was a little lathing action to have them ready . Freaked me out when my grandfather told me that !

Posted: 5/17/2002 2:55:45 PM EDT

[#21]

I'll do some more research. I'm still pretty skeptical about the water pipe thing.

Posted: 5/17/2002 3:01:45 PM EDT

[#22]

I was too for years until I saw stories on how the make guns in Afghanistan ! They use everything , from parts of cars to railroad ties . Regardless I'll try to find some hard documentation on this .

Posted: 5/17/2002 5:44:04 PM EDT

[#23]

www.angelfire.com/ar/classicfirearms/M3greasegun.html

world.guns.ru/smg/smg32-e.htm

www.soft.net.uk/entrinet/us_weapons6.htm

Posted: 5/17/2002 5:58:54 PM EDT

[#24]

Didn't we also make some stamped metal single shot 45 called the Liberator? Come on! I know somebody out there has a pic?

Posted: 5/17/2002 6:49:19 PM EDT

[#25]

ECS,
Yep, I saw and handled an original "Liberator" pistol at a Tampa, Fl. gunshow about six months ago. It was in the original box and came with the cartoon instructions-no language! The guy wanted about 1200.00 for it. A real piece of history and as a WWII weapons collector I really thought about it.
Oh well, maybe next trip!
BTW, my dad was a WWII vet (ETO) and said one of the best parts about his training was the Grease-gun course in Ft. Jackson. He said you would walk down a wooded lane and targets would pop-up at the gunner; you'd then get to "spray" them'til they dropped. The odd thing about it was that when he was involved in the Bulge battle he said he hardly ever saw any M-3's or Thompsons. Mostly M-1's or Carbines like he was issued.

Posted: 5/17/2002 7:25:15 PM EDT

[#26]

Quoted:
Didn't we also make some stamped metal single shot 45 called the Liberator? Come on! I know somebody out there has a pic?

American Shooter did a show about the guns of WWII last November. I recorded on the hard drive on my Dish Network reciever and watched it just 3 nights ago. They showed the Liberator and showed the cartoon instructions. The idea was to kill the German and take his weapons and ammo.

They also talked about the 'grease gun' and the stampings, but said nothing about water pipe. Aren't (at least back then, if not now) water pipes made of lead and are very soft. I would think that would not be suitable for a barre.

Posted: 5/18/2002 12:13:11 AM EDT

[#27]

How on God's green Earth did this thread run on two pages...oops! I guess its because of responses like mine!

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - How did the "Grease Gun"get its name?

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