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.
According to the last three “Firearm and Ammunition Industry Economic Reports” issued by the National Shooting Sport Foundation (NSSF), the industry-related job growth isn’t concentrated in one or two states—it’s spreading across the nation.
Rock Island Armory introduced its initial 5.0 pistol in January 2023, and after some tweaking and production streamlining, the new 5.0E, with the “E” standing for “Enhanced,” launched earlier this year.
Made in Turkey and based on a local product designed for law-enforcement and military units, the Global Defense SA-9 features AR-15-style features in a compact, large-format pistol configuration.
With its unique construction and rich illustrations, Hector Curriel’s American Ace: Joe Foss, Fighter Pilot provides a new angle on Foss’ early years and his military service.