That is a superb find - I am glad you post these pictures here - Now I have a special project!

Hello Drm50 - Thank you and welcome home!

Laughing at the hooch maid line -

We were about a mile and a half up Hwy 4 from some 5th Rangers (training ARVN Rangers) that got the call to spear head into Cambodia at the part of the border adjacent to us. They were jubilant! You would have thought they were being sent to Disney World. Oh, they couldn't wait. When they finally got back, they pulled up in front of our compound with 3 deuce and a halfs full of SKS's. They wanted to know if anybody wanted one for 60 bucks a throw; they were headed into Saigon to sell them to the clerks for 2-3 hundred a piece. Them Cats were different, they saw a "tour" as 5 years. Vietnam to them was where the fun, rank, and MONEY was at. For fun, they would come back from "town" at night and try to infiltrate their own perimeter for bragging rights! One guy had a chrome pump shotgun that he took on a daylight island sweep off the coast. "Man, the guys were really ****** at me, because of all of the small arms we started getting." It was comforting, at least to me, to have them close by.

Anyone ever hear of the gyrojet pistol?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qpOcdyxvUvc

How about the M65 nuclear rifle?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khyZI3RK2lE

The gyrojet, in all it's iterations, was just not useful on any level. Even today, man fired small weapons using rockets are not viable.

Until the payload is the size of something like the M72 or RPG/B40 or today's Carl Gustav.

1)expensive
2)inaccurate
3)prone to ignition failures

The Davy Crockett, was a complete failure for one reason. The crew, who served the weapon, were within the radius of the fall-out. This did not make the troops very happy.

Another failure, for the same reason was the 280mm atomic munitions fired from the M65 canon, nick-names Atomic Annie.

The only "small" atomic munitions that did have some usefulness was the US's back-packable SADM. Never employed, but it was deployed in several units in Europe during the 50t's thru the early 70t's. I never touched one, but had briefings and know several friends that actually were in units that had them as TO&E. The idea for the SADM was area denial. Explode one in an area to cause the East block advance to be rerouted around an area. Europe is full of train tracks that weave through the mountain valleys. The unit could be placed and the team would retreat to a "safe" area to detonate the munitions. (do google search)

My $00.00002

in the current issue of American Handgunner there is an article on the gyrojet

Awesome stuff - The guys that my dad worked with was the same - Things were moving faster out the back doors than front!

Just to compare but 2-3 bills is quite steep for an SKS -

So many were brought back but no ammo was around to use them - So I believe they sat in closets or attic until much later -


Why yes - It was designed right here by me in San Ramon, CA -

I was at a gunshow in Reno, NV last month - A fella had a pistol and the carbine along with a big box of ammo for sale -

Price was quite attractive for the set -



President Nghiem and a soldier with a MAS 36 -




Self-explanatory -




Another Aussie with FAL -

Me & a buddy found 8 NVA helmets in abandoned Marine 155
position. 7 of the helmets were in good shape, one looked like the
last owner caught a load of scrapnel in the head. Inside had dried
parts of him still there. We took helmets with us on next trip to
HQ. We were going to sell them to Navy, easy to separate from
their money. Our company clerk wanted to buy one. We told him
$20, he took gory one! Being capitalist we took other 7 down
behind motor pool and worked them over with M-60. We felt a
price increase was called for. Sold them to Navy for $35 @.

LOL - Excellent!


Here's a VC jungle workshop gun that was brought back by a member of the "Dirty 30" - First "Combatants" in VN - They were there to start the VN airforce and trained the men - Mainly flew C47s -

If you have more info regarding these Gents - Please add to thread -

Dirty thirty (Vietnam) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

it is my understanding that we had some OSS people in Vietnam fighting the Japs and at the time Uncle Ho was our ally. is that true and is there any books from that time frame up to the 1960's?

THE AUSSIE INFANTRY TROOPS CARRIED THE L1A1 A DERIVATIVE THE FN FAL. THEY SOMETIMES CAME INTO THE HANDS OF AMERICAN TROOPS, AS DID THEIR HATS AND BOOTS. ACTUALLY, OUR JUNGLE BOOTS WERE SUPERIOR TO THEIRS IN THE ENVIRONMENT, BUT THEIRS HAD A "COOL FACTOR". SINCE WE WERE ISSUED 2 PAIRS OF JUNGLE BOOTS, GUYS WOULD SWAP A PAIR OF OURS, FOR A PAIR OF THEIRS. THEN THEY WOULD SEEK TO SCROUNGE UP A 2ND PAIR OF OURS, FROM A FRIENDLY SUPPLY SERGEANT………..

__________________
'Nam 1968-69.DAV,VFW,NRA Inst.

We sure did Steveno -

Here's the latest book on the subject -

The OSS and Ho Chi Minh

Other good reads of subject -

Ho Chi Minh and the OSS

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/04/18/wo...t-91.html?_r=0

Origins of the American War in Vietnam: The OSS Role in Saigon in 1945 :: JapanFocus


Ho and Giap along with members of the OSS "Deer team" -

In my mind that would not be a factor. It was pretty unrealistic for defenders of a Eastern Block attack to think they would survive an attack. You have 3 to 5 thousand T-55 tanks racing towards you it is your job to kill more of them than they kill of you and you will most likely die doing it.
I'm going to die a anyway I'm going to launch as many of those Davy Crocketts as I got. Nerve and Mustard gas would probably be all over as well. Same thing with wearing all that NBC gear. My thinking was that it just allowed you to live a little longer so you could kill a few more of the bad guys before to nerve gas got you.

I had to hit this thread one more time. Somebody said" don't forget the issue snubbies issued tunnel rats. Are you crazy! Do you realize what firing 2"/44 mag. in tunnel would do? I never
did any tunnel ratting but I once shot at a snake in bunker. It
was made out of 1/2 a culvert buried in ditch and sandbagged.
I missed the snake but the blast from 45 liked to bust my ears.
Somebody is watching to much tv.

Actually...Smith & Wesson/AAI 44 Magnum Vietnam Tunnel Gun - Smith & Wesson Forum

__________________
Kevin Williams SWCA1649 HF208

Firing a .45 inside a bunker:
reminds me of the time I fired a .22 Jet (S&W M53) inside a closed car with only the vent window (1954 Chevy) opened enough for the muzzle to poke though

Since I started this thread a few months ago, I never thought it would continue for such a long time, Having never been in Uncle Sam's employ, I didn't have anything to contribute. I do remember a story about Col. Charles Atkins being an early adviser in the mid 50's. He kept getting harassed by a sniper when visiting a certain location. After a few times being a target, he arrived early, crept into the bush and ambushed the ambusher. He was using one of the first Smith & Wesson model 29's in 44 Magnum. He shot and killed the sniper and assumed this was the first person ever killed with a 44 Magnum. He didn't think the 44Magnum was much of a self defense round. Who am I to argue with someone who has ACTUAL experience.

HS/HD .22
This pistol has no Govt. markings. I don't know how it got there. Traded
Chi-Com pistol for it.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

I was a Tail-end Charlie, as far as Vietnam goes. I was there for the wind-down and change-over to ARVN and company. I went to locations in Thailand and did our monitoring of the Trail from there. Saw a number of non-issue weapons and accessories used by Company people, SOG personnel, contract-soldiers and Air America crews. This thread seems to have covered the gamut from start to finish. I truly thank all that contributed input, information and photos. It has educated, filled in gaps and brought a flood of emotions. Thank you all. And......welcome home.

__________________
GA Carry member
Vietnam Vet

WELCOME HOME TO YOU ALSO, BROTHER…….

__________________
'Nam 1968-69.DAV,VFW,NRA Inst.

I was not there but saw some weapons sent to my shop on Okinawa. There were some M2 Carbines with the barrel shortened to just in front of the hand guard and an M1A1 folding stock. These were supposed to be for chopper pilots. They were very compact.

I don't like to tell other peoples story's, so I have been reluctant to post this. Hoping somebody with first hand experience would post the info.

The story came from another gun forum, the OP talked about the .45LC cylinder he still had in his safe. (I can try to find it and post a link, but am not sure if it violates and rules.)

He had bought a Ruger Blackhawk with both cyllinders at the PX, and brought it to VN with the .45acp cylinder. The single action Blackhawk can be loaded from a 1911 magazine.

Sadly when his tour was over, he loaned it to a friend who never came home. Any .45acp revolver would have been good to have over there because of the ammo availability.

A Blackhawk in .30 carbine would have been a good choice too.

Thanks for those who served, and thanks for those who have contributed to this thread making it IMHO the most epic thread ever. Ed

Thank you for starting it!


Very nice HS -


Welcome Home Luangtom -

Happy Holidays to everyone - Welcome Home!!!

I hope you're all enjoying the day with loved ones near and far -

Luong / Saigon1965 -

Welcome home and Happy New Year Gentlemen -


A few more VC Jungle workshop guns -

Wow. That was a great read. Thanks to everyone who posted, and especially those who served.

Like to share these pictures -


A copy of the Webley -








Public security - Saigon/Cho Lon -





These were not unsual back then - But now they are -

Current day storage -

Doesn't do much good to lock that M16A1 through the trigger guard......

Anybody ever hear of the model 29 (RATTER)

There was the Model 29 with short barrel that fired silenced ammunition for use in tunnels. The ammo fired a load of shot but the cartridge case was very heavy and had a captive piston that contained the pressure of firing so the gas never escaped. The load was rather low velocity but likely effective at tunnel-rat range.

Edit to add: Member 29-1 has posted the complete story of these guns here:
http://smith-wessonforum.com/blogs/2....html#comments

__________________
Old paratrooper in NC

pop, and hinge that winter trigger guard down, and walk away

__________________
NRA Life
USPSA/IPSC

It was a model 29 smooth bored to 10mm.. cylinder also bored for that special cartridge

Happy New Year Gentlemen - Chuc Mung Nam Moi - Year of the Goat -


The current regime in Vietnam have the death penalty without much of a trial - I wouldn't worry much of it walking away!


Here's an unusual one from my collection -

A Remington M1917 bring back - Oh the roads it traveled...











Vietminh troops using M1917 -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rlQRy5lSbXU

an interesting note on the High Standard model HD .22 pistols is that if it is designated a Military model, it ain't a USGi procured/issued one, but if it lacks that Miliary engraving, it is one of early ones that our government picked up for either the OSS, or one of the armed forces branches to issue/use. the nra's American rifleman had a nice write up on them several years back.

__________________
be safe,enjoylife,journey well

A wonderful thread. I got nothing to add here other than sincere respect and appreciation for our veterans.

Just when I thought this thread had run its course I saw a segment of Mysteries of the Museum. In it the were showing the last day of Saigon, with US servicemen assisting in the helicopter evacuation of local and embassy personnel. An American airman was carrying a M1 carbine with a 30 round magazine. This seems awfully late, 1975, for a US airman to be using a M1 carbine. And when he turned sideways he was wearing a plow handled revolver.

I wonder if the revolver was a Ruger Blackhawk, chambered for .30 m1 carbine?

The revolver was only in a few frames. Not anyway of seeing any emblems on the grips. Another mystery.