Costs of World War II infantry rifles?

[Naphtali]

During World War II the British Number 4 Mk. 1 and Mk. I*, and German 98k and similar Mauser patterns in occupied countries, were primary infantry rifles - and bolt action. I anticipate each side manufactured several million each. What did each of the two rifle patterns cost to manufacture?

I am not including rifles of different pattern, such as Ishpore and Australian Number IIIs or 98/40 and Norwegian Krag.

 

[Aukula1062]

That is a pretty good question. I've heard several pretty reliable sources quote Sten SMGs were something in the neighborhood of $15.00 US to produce and the Thompson 1928 style guns being somewhere around $ 250 US. Ian from forgotten weapons said George Hyde's M3 subgun was around half the cost of the M1A1 Thompson. I can't remember hearing anything about infantry rifles. Both of the rifles you mentioned had cost cutting features incorporated during production. The 98K being effected more than the Number 4 MK 1s.

 

[walnutred]

Interesting question and a quick internet check gives a variety of answers. This site: A Rough Guide of the Costs of Guns During WWII | War History Online says Garands cost $85 at the beginning of the war and &45 at the end. However CMP says the cost was $94- $97 throughout the production contract.

Looking at the prices I can't help remember the comment that the main reason we didn't adopt the MG42 after the was they didn't cost enough to produce. According to web site I posted the MG42 cost about 1/5 that of a M1919. Although many of the MG42s were probably made with slave labor, so you have figure that into the cost.

 

[AJ]

This says M3 submachine gun - Wikipedia in the box on the right side, $15.00 in 1943. Have heard that price mentioned in other places.

As an aside, I watched our armorer at MCAS Rose Garden. Thailand destroy a crate full of them in 1972. He was behind the hanger and smashing them flat with a sledge hammer. Tried to talk him out of one, but no dice. The word had come down from Wing Headquarters to destroy them. And Yep! they were accounting for each and every one!

 

[alwslate]

The M3 "Grease Gun" was produced by Guide Lamp, a subdivision of General Motors in Anderson, IN in WW2. Somehow some of them turned up in Anderson private homes many years after WW2. There was an amnesty period for unregistered full auto weapons until it ended in 1968. I was offered a brand new one by a friend in 1971 for $350. Talked to a LGS owner that I did business with sometimes. He told me about the penalties if caught so I passed on the deal although I wanted the gun.

 

[walnutred]

We were issued M3s in 1993 for our ammo drivers. They were either unused or post WW2 rebuilds because they looked brand new. When the M3s first came in I degreased, field stripped and reassembled one of them, much to the surprise of the other NCOs and the Battery Commander.

 

[45Smashemflat]

The STENs were super cheap, like less than $10.00 as I recall. Pretty funny when you look at what a transferable one would cost today…

 

[LVSteve]

I'm surprised at the low cost of the Bren gun. I must assume that this refers to the Mk2 version with the drastically simplified receiver.

 

[rockquarry]

There is much variation on prices of these guns, depending on source; apparently many sources are not good ones. It's difficult to know who really has accurate figures. Books written by recognized experts are perhaps far more credible than other sources, including Internet.

 

[Greyman50]

Here’s the initial cost of Winchester M-1 30 Carbines from Larry Ruth’s “ War Baby”. Trying to find some other books with actual cost of US weapons in WWII. Moving sux

 

[jeeps]

Interesting question and a quick internet check gives a variety of answers. This site: A Rough Guide of the Costs of Guns During WWII | War History Online says Garands cost $85 at the beginning of the war and &45 at the end. However CMP says the cost was $94- $97 throughout the production contract.

Looking at the prices I can't help remember the comment that the main reason we didn't adopt the MG42 after the was they didn't cost enough to produce. According to web site I posted the MG42 cost about 1/5 that of a M1919. Although many of the MG42s were probably made with slave labor, so you have figure that into the cost.

The 30-06 was to long for the MG-42 design in its current size. Tested by Army but jam prone.

 

[Greyman50]

IIRC “ Hatchers Notebook” has some prices, mines packed up….

 

[Farmer17]

I read that German Mauser K98s cost about $28 at the beginning of WWII and MG 42s cost $131. M1 Garands were about $83 at the beginning of the war and dropped to under $40 at the end. They may have been that cheap because the manufacturers needed to get rid of them and there would not be much demand for many years. M1 carbines were produced by the millions in the $35-$40 range and the M2 Browning .50 caliber was a whopping $1,500 in WWII but they could probably charge whatever price they wanted because it was THAT good!