The Best Standard Infantry Rifle of WW2

**Kagemusha** · 08-06-2005, 23:07

Originally Posted by CBR

Being able to shoot faster means you are not as dependent on the MG for providing supressive fire. The German troops who used the StG 44 was very happy with it using it both in semi and auto mode when assaulting Russian positions.

CBR

Or should we say. shooting Russians as they were assaulting German positions back in 1944-45.

**CBR** · 08-06-2005, 23:09

Originally Posted by kagemusha

Or should we say. shooting Russians as they were assaulting German positions back in 1944-45.

The few after actions reports I have are actually of Germans attacking/counter attacking

CBR

**Kagemusha** · 08-06-2005, 23:25

Originally Posted by CBR

The few after actions reports I have are actually of Germans attacking/counter attacking

CBR

Yes.I know it was mostly used by "sturmkompanies".I was just joking around.

**The Stranger** · 08-07-2005, 12:57

Best Bolt-Action Rifle = Springfield
Best Semi Automaic Rifle = M1 Garand or Tokarev
Best Semi Machine Gun = PPsh
Best Machine Gun = MP44 A.K.A Sturmgewher 44
Best Machine Gun = MG42

**Kraxis** · 08-07-2005, 16:20

The M1.

It has all been mentioned before but I will sum it up (again).

Good rate of fire, if you so chose, good enough accuracy (ranges lessened more and more and actions beyond 300m in WWII and afterwards have been rare to say the least), fair sized clip (many still had 5-6 rounds) and ease of use, both in combat, learning and cleaning.

Most of the others are better in one department or the other, even two perhaps, but if we are to give scores for places then the eternal #2 will eventually end up as #1. That is the reason it is best.

And yes I have shot, disassembled and cleaned the bastard. Compared to the G3 (I believe, it is that blocky assault rifle from H&K with a 20 round clip) I later had to do the same with, it was a treat. And that weapon isn't exactly known to be troublesome.

Btw, and don't hang me up on this as I have only heard this from other netgoers, wasn't the Mosin-Nagant 'only' a copy of the K98 with more pieces in it (k98 2-piece barrel, MN 3-piece)? How then could it be more powerful?

**The Stranger** · 08-07-2005, 16:31

enfield and springfield are very good sniper rifles.

enfield carrying soldiers had 5 bullets advantage most of the time.

**Gawain of Orkeny** · 08-07-2005, 16:35

I dont understand what the big deal is with the M1.. they are simply ammo eaters. If you've fired one, or even an m14, you know that its difficult if not impossible to fire accurately after the first shot without regaining your sight picture. Also, they are accurate semis, but not close to bolts in accuracy.

The M-1 is the gun that won WW2. It and the M-14 are extremely accurate. I could get 10 bullseyes out of 10 at 500 yards and Im sure Div could also. About the accuracy though . It has been covered to some extent here but we found out that accuracy wasnt that important. Even seeing your target wasnt important. In fact one of the hardest things troops had to unlearn was that. The name of the game was suppressive fire. The idea was always for one fireteam to pin the enemy while the others manovere and its still what we use today. Leave the accuracy for the snipers. No other rifle was as improtant a factor for the troops who used it or had as big an impact on WW2 than the M-1. In war they shoot back. Target practice is whole different matter. Dont judge a weapon by how good it is on the firing range but in combat. Again having been a PMI and expert with the M-14 and pistol I think I know a bit about this topic.

Id also like to point out that in terms of stoppong power, accuracy and reliability both the M-1 and M-14 are far superior to the M-16 yet we dont see them on the battlefield anymore. Also its been a longtime but I believe one of the favorite sniper weapons in Nam was still the old springfield.