Aussie Soldiers in the Pacific

[Alpo]

I don't know how the Aussies did it, but my understanding of how the US Marines did it when going ashore in the Pacific.

 

They would have a 50 round drum in the gun. When they shot it dry they would pull it out and drop it, and replace it with 20 or 30 round sticks. The reasoning being - at least according to the article I was reading - was that the drum magazines were too heavy, and too difficult to reload unless you had a table to set them on.

 

 

This is a C drum - 100 rounds - but it's the same principle. You see right underneath the words C-type. The magazine key. And the magazine key spring. You have to lift the spring and push the key out of the slots. Then you take the key off. Then you take the top cover of the magazine off. Then you fill up the spaces in the magazine with ammo. Then you put the top back on, put the key back on, push it in place so that the spring locks it all together.

 

Royal PITA. And if you're trying to do this while sitting in the jungle muck, and holding it in your lap, it goes WAY beyond pain in the tuchus.

 

That's one of the reasons that drum magazines cost so much. They're sort of rare. Because a whole bunch of them are in the Pacific - either actually dropped in the Pacific Ocean when they ran dry, or dropped in the jungle muck of the Solomons to rust away

[Major Crimes]

2 hours ago, Buckshot Bear said:

With a quick search I haven't been able to find any photos of drum mags, but I'm 100% positive that I've seen photos in my research.

 

 

Is it just me or does he look a lot like William Dafoe?

 

It isn't William but he looks like him to me?

 

[watab kid]

3 hours ago, Alpo said:

From the pictures in this video, there is no sling involved. The rifle musket appears, to me, to be squeezed between the left elbow and the rib cage, and held in place simply by friction.

 

 

OK , then it is uncomfortable 

[Buckshot Bear]

@Major Crimes

When I first saw that photo years ago researching, I really thought for a little while it was my Dad. 

 

[Black Angus McPherson]

19 hours ago, Subdeacon Joe said:

 

Especially since Major had used it earlier in the thread!

 

 

 

 

He did??   Ooops, I completely missed it.