We Tested American Weapons of WW2
205,622
Published 2024-05-29
As always he is joined by Keeper of Firearms & Artillery, Jonathan Ferguson who talks him through the history of all the pistols, rifles and machine guns employed in the conflict.
First up is the Colt M1911, designed by John Browning, an iconic semi-automatic firearm renowned for its durability, reliability, and powerful .45 ACP cartridge. Widely used in military, law enforcement, and civilian contexts since 1911, its robust design and historical significance cement its legendary status.
Second is the M1903 Springfield Bolt-Action Rifle, the U.S. military's primary infantry rifle from 1903 to the late 1930s. Chambered in .30-06, it excelled in accuracy and reliability, and saw extensive use in both World Wars and beyond, becoming a symbol of American marksmanship.
Third up, the M1 Garand - a legendary semi-automatic rifle designed by John Garand. The rifle was the standard U.S. military service rifle during World War II and the Korean War. Known for its reliability, accuracy, and eight-round en-bloc clip, it was the first semi-automatic rifle to be mass-issued, earning praise from General Patton as "the greatest battle implement ever devised."
Last but not least is the M1 Thompson sub-machine gun, also known as the "Tommy Gun," a weapon renowned for its use by U.S. forces in World War II. Chambered in .45 ACP, it features a high rate of fire and rugged reliability. Its association with both soldiers and gangsters cemented its legendary status.
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00:00 Introduction
02:19 Colt M1911
10:36 Firing Colt M1911
13:06 M1903 Springfield Sniper Rifle
17:13 Firing M1903 Springfield Rifle
19:33 M1 Garand
25:38 Firing M1 Garand
28:05 M1 Thompson
37:37 Firing M1 Thompson
42:25 Best Weapon?
All Comments (21)
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It's always a pleasure coming to the Royal Armouries to fire weapons from historical periods! If you enjoyed this video, hit the like button and stay tuned for part two, where Luke and Jonathan will be shooting the weapons of the Wehrmacht. 🔥🔥🔥
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They got his name wrong! It's Jonathan Ferguson, keeper of Firearms and Artillery at the Royal Armouries Museum in the UK .
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"A bullet anywhere on the body is going to be...a problem" The classic British understatement right there.
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Always a pleasure to have you filming on-site, great vid!
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I see History Hit and Jonathan Ferguson, the keeper of Firearms and Artillery at the Royal Armouries Museum in the UK, which houses a collection of thousands of iconic weapons from throughout history I watch.
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“A bullet anywhere in the body is going to be a problem” Wise words to live by.
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It's quite nice of Jonathan Ferguson The Keeper of Firearms and Artillery at the Royal Armories Museum in the UK, home to thousands of iconic weapons throughout history, to do these videos. he is an icon.
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Unfortunate the BAR wasnt included in the list, but still a great video!
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I'm a former US Marine. In our initial instruction on the M1911, we were told that the heavy, slow.- moving round was an answer to the thick bamboo-and-tree-bark armor which Philippine insurgents wore during and after the Spanish-American War. Even in the World wars, against modern armies, the heavy slug would inflict more damage than did a high-velocity .38 or 9mm one.
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The 1911 is absolutely without a doubt the most beautiful handgun ever made.
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For those asking where the BAR and M1 Carbine are, it entirely possible Jonathan doesn’t have any examples he is willing to fire. Carbines are notorious for having their extractors break after a period of time, so it’s possible he didn’t want to damage an original gun. The BAR, I assume it’s possible due to the range limitations and safety. Having fired a BAR from the bipod and shoulder, the gun is fairly controllable, but if you don’t know what you’re doing, it can push you back. Don’t want to shoot an area of the wall not reinforced and have a stray .30-06 round flying through. Keep in mind this is all speculation.
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I question the necessity of editing in fake tinnitus to the video.
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My father served in both ww2 and Korea. He had the highest regard for the 1911 .45 and the M-1
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Wow, the Garand they feature here is an early gas trap version, ever-so-rare today as almost all were converted to gas port configuration before & early on in the US involvement in WWII. There are less than 200 gas traps in existence today. I own 3 M1 Garands myself, including 2 early Springfield Garands (September 1941 & June 1942 manufactured rifles) witn one in original and one restored to original configuration, but I've never even seen a gas trap in person. I'd love hearing the back story on how that early weapon wound up in Great Britain. Keep up the good work gents!
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That is Jonathan Ferguson, KOFAAATRAMITUKWHACOTOIWFTH.
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One of the uses for the Thompson was as a tank crew weapon when they had to dismount. It gave them something more substantial than a simple sidearm, but not so big as to be awkward to keep inside the tank. It was later replaced in that role by the cheaper M3.
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One thing worth mentioning - one man played a part in either the development of each weapon, or the cartridge they fired- John T Thompson
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If anyone is thinking of visiting The Royal Armouries in Leeds, I can thoroughly recommend it. It's probably the best museum I've visited. Let's be honest, any museum that has a Vickers machine gun set up in the lobby for visitors to fire ( electronically at a screen) has got to have a lot going for it. The whole place is a fantastic fantastic study in the history of weaponry, from the medieval to the present day
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Great to see Jonathan Ferguson, keeper of Firearms and Artillery at the Royal Armouries Museum in the UK on History Hit.
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Will we also be getting similar, yet separate episodes on shooting British, German, Japanese, and Russian weapons? As well as some of the few other weapons used by countries like Canada and Australia etc in addition to their standard issue British weaponry?
