Answers to Trivia Quiz: Great American Firearms

[82Rigger]

So's ya'll can see how ya did!

Correct answers in bold font.




1. This Confederate sidearm incorporated a 16 gauge "shotgun" barrel in addition to a 9-shot revolving cylinder.

n. LeMat revolver

2. At Saratoga during the American Revolution, rifleman Tim Murphy gently squeezed the trigger, and 300 yards away British General Simon Fraser tumbled from the saddle

m. Pennsylvania (Kentucky) rifle

3. This infamous firearm caused the demise of one of America's greatest Presidents.

l. percussion Philadelphia derringer

4. Using one of these at Adobe Walls, Texas in 1874, hunter Billy Dixon dropped a mounted Comanche warrior at a distance estimated by witnesses as "about a mile". Army surveyors later measured the distance to be 1,538 yards.

k. .50-90 Sharps buffalo rifle

5. Each of General Custer's 7th Cavalry troopers carried one of these.

j. Colt .45 Single Action Army revolver

6. Gen. George Patton called it "the greatest battle implement ever devised".

i. M1 Garand rifle

7. This was a preferred weapon of bank-robbing duo Bonnie and Clyde in the early 1930s

d. Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR)

8. During prohibition this weapon earned the nickname "Chicago Typewriter".

h. Thompson submachine gun

9 Eugene Stoner designed this weapons system which was first purchased by the U.S. Air Force.

f. M16 rifle

10. Medal of Honor winner Sgt Alvin York was issued one of these before departing for France in World War One.

g. 1917 Enfield rifle

11 This American shoulder arm was designed by ex-convict and bootlegger David M. Williams.

c. M1 Carbine

12 Only 1100 of these were originally made. At 4 1/2 pounds, this huge revolver was carried in holsters suspended from the saddle pommel instead of a hip holster.

b.Colt Walker .44

Bonus:

During the Civil War the Confederates sneeringly referred to it as "that damned Yankee rifle that they load on Sunday and shoot all week!"

e. Henry repeating rifle

[Packo]

Steve....are you sure about Alvin York? Why would he have been issued an Enfield in America instead of an 03'? My Daddy had an 03' on the Canal....thought for sure York had an 03'.

Pack

[82Rigger]

Pack,

Sounds like you're getting the U.S. M1917 Enfield mixed up with the British Lee-Enfield (SMLE) rifle in .303 British caliber.

The M1917 Enfield was a U.S. rifle in 30/06 caliber. Its design was a US/UK effort.

When the British Empire entered World War I, it had an urgent need for rifles and contracts were placed with companies in the United States for the Pattern 14 rifle in .303 caliber. In the case of the P14 rifle, Winchester and Remington were selected. When the U.S. entered the war, it had a similar extreme need for rifles. Rather than re-tool completely, the factories, under the close supervision of the US Army Ordnance Department, altered the design for caliber .30-06. Winchester produced the rifle at their New Haven, Connecticut plant and Remington at their main facility at Ilion, New York and at another plant in Eddystone, Pennsylvania. The M1917 Bayonet was also produced and used on several other small arms.

The new rifle was used alongside the M1903 Springfield rifle and quickly surpassed the Springfield design in numbers produced and units issued. By November 11, 1918 about 75% of the AEF were armed with M1917s. After the armistice, M1917 rifles were surplussed or placed in storage.



M1917 Enfield:

[82Rigger]

Pack II,

The rifle that York used to capture the German machine gun nests and soldiers has long been controversial.

York stated many times after the war that when he earned his MOH he was armed with an '03 and a captured German Luger pistol.

This could well be the case, as in combat the weapons in your hands at any given time are often dictated by the situation of the moment.

[Keith_Hixson]

But I'm not sure I missed it. That 1903 Springfield and 1917 Enfield controversy.

After a little research. In the movie he used a German Luger pistol when in reality he had a 45 Colt Automatic. Still controversy surrounding which rifle Springfield or Enfield. Some experts believe quite strongly it was Springfield and other an Enfield. Could have been either since both fire the 30-06 and both saw action in battle during WWI.

Keith

[Army_Brat84]

Never knew I was a gun expert, but I somehow got them all right. I am looking forward to next Tues. as one of my friends in CAP who is in Army ROTC is taking a few of us through the M9 familiarization course.

[Packo]

Well, although still confused as to which rifle he actually had, the picture answered a question I had for quite a while. In the Movie, Lost Battalion, about WWI, I noticed the rear sight blades on the American rifles and thought, who was the tech advisor on this movie. The Springfield doesn't have that box site???? Well, not knowing about the Enfield I thought it was another movie blunder. Not now. Keith, not sure about York having a .45. I don't think they were issued to enlisted men in WWI like they were in WWII. My only reference is the movie and the book, and I haven't read the book since 7th grade. The movie is clearly a captured Lugar and a Springfield, but that's a movie.

Thanks for all the info.

Pack

[QM3steve]

SMOKIN'!

[Keith_Hixson]

In several articles on SGT York, and descriptions all claim he had a Colt 45. He was a squad leader and may have had one. Also by the time he captured the all those Germans he was the only NCO or Officer left in his platoon so he may have borrowed one from his dead LT. because he didn't need it any longer.

Keith

[82Rigger]

Keith,

I had to smile at your comment on the Henry rifle question...

"...and the Indians had them and Custer didn't"

Padre, you are correctissimo!

During the archeological exploration of the Little Bighorn site in 1986, hundreds of .44 Henry cartridge cases were found.

Forensic examination of those cartridge cases found that they had been fired in 108 DIFFERENT Henry or Winchester '66 repeating rifles.

It's not surprising that Custer's five companies were annihilated.

It's surprising to me that Reno's and Benteen's companies made it out alive.