[TommyGunn]

TommyGunn,

IF the "mainstream press" had been even minimally HONEST about RVN, we "VietNam era GIs" wouldn't have gotten a "black eye". =====> The press, starting in 1965, LIED LIKE RUGS about the war.
(When the TRUTH didn't "make good press", the press LIED & "created stories" out of thin air.)

For example, CBS "News" accused a college friend of mine (an Infantry 1LT, AmeriCal Division) of "war crimes" that allegedly happened TWO YEARS after Jerry was KIA. When his wife provided certified/dated copies of his death certificate, the "news division" accused him of OTHER "war crimes" that allegedly occurred THREE YEARS after his death.
(By law, nobody can libel or slander the dead.)

IF anyone reading this believes ANYTHING claimed by "the mainstream press", without INDEPENDENT PROOF, they are FOOLS imVho.

yours, sw

I don't doubt that for a second SW.

Remember the "Tet Offensive?" The enemy simultaneously attacks a number of S. Vietnamese cities? To Walter Cronkite, et al, this was a horrible disaster for America and showed we were utterly losing the war.
In reality it was a military disaster for the enemy and our forces pretty easily countered the enemy. Really. I've spoken to vets who were there ... the only difference they noted was they had "more targets to shoot at.":twisted::mrgreen: That sounds pretty decisive to me....atleast.
I can't answer for what Walter Idiot Cronkite was thinking ......

 

[stand watie]

TommyGunn; All,

Several years ago, I was invited to lunch (by a COL, ANZAC) with GEN Giap at THE RETURNED SERVICES LEAGUE (AUS) in WDC. The old General openly stated that Tet '68 was such an utter disaster for the PLF/VC/NVA that he EXPECTED to be shot by firing squad, when he next returned to Hanoi.
(Giap, of course, in the jungle had no access to US mass media for weeks after Tet.)

Giap also said that he was both STUNNED, VASTLY RELIEVED & DELIGHTED that the "enemy force's press" would "so mislead the general public about a great victory against our revolutionary forces".

yours, sw

 

[dfariswheel]

Imagine it's January-February 1945 and the US Press convinces the public that the war is lost because of the Battle of the Bulge.

General Giap said years later that they were ready to ask for peace when they realized the American Press was saving them.

 

[stand watie]

dfariswheel,

EXACTLY SO. - I believe that there is a 7-letter word for such people, which begins with "T".

yours, sw

 

[Ratfink2u]

Thank you Vets

The sad part about Vietnam is that men responded to their countries call, unconditionally, and were treated as criminals by their fellow countrymen. How shameful and disgraceful those people should feel. (Jane Fonda & John Kerry come to mind) Somewhere we failed those hero's by allowing those demonstrations and media lies to become "our beliefs" about that war. We lost support of our warriors as a nation due in part to our politicians failure to stand-up and tell the truth. We allowed the "minority" to rule and influence the "majority" as we so often do in the U.S. I was privileged to sit next to a returning Green Beret on a domestic flight in 1968. He was cautiously friendly with this 10 yr old boy but convinced me "we" needed to be there. He instilled in me the desire to turn 18 and join him.
Thank you all who served, mostly thanklessly, in Vietnam. God bless you for answering your country, when it wasn't "popular" to do. That's true Americanism at it's shinning best IMVHO.

 

[Retmsgt.]

Irish, I know this is an older thread but I wondered what the Garand you got was like?

Also, a good rule of thumb for ammo is no faster than 2800fps with 150s, 2640fps with 168s and 2550 or so with 175s. The problem with modern hunting ammo is where it makes peak pressure, in the last third of the barrel. See, the problem with Garands isn't chamber pressure(They'll handle 120,000psi overloads), it's the Port-Pressure, which is considerably lower, around 4-7,000psi. Anything higher than that and you increase Bolt-speed and you end up tearing the tab off of the Op-Rod handle.

I have a chrono and I've clocked just about all the Surplus ammo there is. I've only had three military loads for the Garand hit 2800fps, AMA91(Danish ammo, non-reloadable), HXP-76(Greek,very excellent ammo) and TW-43( Twin City AP ammo). All the Lake City I chrono'd struggled to pass 2725 with some as low as 2600fps. This is all 150 grain loading except the TW-43, I believe that was 172 grains.

I reload all my Garand ammo now, I run 47.8 grains of IMR-4895 with a 150 and a 3.330" OAL, gives me 2750fps, is easy on the rifle and shoots very accurately. for matches I use 168grain SMKs(Sierra Matchkings) and 46.5 grains of IMR-4064 for about 2640fps and 3.340"OAL, extremely accurate load.

hope this helps and you're really enjoying your Battlerifle.

 

[IrishCop]

Sarge, I got the CMP Special. It has a Springfield receiver which dates to 1943, a new Criterion barrel, new wood, and refurbished GI parts for the innards. A new M1 for all intent and purposes. I wanted a rifle that was not only a shooter, but would, if my wishes are followed, be in the family for generations.

The wood was VERY dry, but well figured. I've hit it with about 10 coats of linseed oil using 0000 steel wool, and it looks pretty good now.

After asking about ammo here, I popped for 200 rds of Greek ball ammo, and use that exclusively. Thanks for your input on what OTC ammo would work in my rifle. The info here at Gun Hub has been, as usual, reliable and dead nuts on.

I really, really like my M1. As I said earlier in this thread, I now have rifle to go with my Inland M1 carbine and a Colt M1991, which is close to a GI .45. Would love to add a Thompson to my safe, but unless I hit the lottery, that ain't gonna happen.

Have a Great New Year!