Words you don't want to hear about a firearm: "We'll come back to this part in a moment..." "All this stuff sort of wiggles off..." "I'm going to use a hammer..."
+ravemastaj - lol, there are firearms out there that REQUIRE a hammer or blunt object for disassembly. I think the ruger MK series .22 pistols is one of them.
The action has a distinctive and somewhat satisfying metallic ring that I kind of dig it. So appreciative that Ian is getting to shoot some of these relics.
This little guy was in Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault and it immediately caught my attention. I never knew Americans had SMGs in WWII other than Thompsons and M3s.
@@yatsumleung8618 Admittedly, it wasn't the best, but on my PC the control delay was so big (something like 0,1 - 0,2 s) that it played really badly no matter what weapon I picked. So, I didn't mind it, while I had ammo for it.
I was a Marine in the 60's, did a tour in RVN 69-70. I'd always heard that the Reising was a POS and took that for granted, because I knew little about the gun. I learned a lot watching the video, though. While the M50/55 was not a ready for prime time combat weapon, like the man says, it was available and it mostly worked. Don't think that's the only time that the Corps fielded a crappy weapon, however. Fast forward to the mid-60s and the M-16. Leatherneck Square, Hill 881, the Rockpile. A lot of Marines (soldiers, too) got killed because their black rifles quit. Powder fouling, ruptured cartridge cases, no correct lube and incorrect or non-existent cleaning doctrine caused men dead with their cleaning rods in the bore trying to clear the stoppage. By the time I got there, I carried a M-16A1 and the early issues were mostly fixed. Fifty years later, the M-16 platform is the most popular rifle in the country.
I was there in '66-'67, we changed out the M-14's for the M-16's, "Feb. '67, I believe, bad news, I got a .45 from a PF, $50, back up piece, others sent home for Colt Pythons, Police Positives for back up pieces.
William Halter Thank you! I had heard about this, the M16 was designed to use a specific type of Gun Powder that didn't cause nearly as much fouling as the type the Military insisted on useing, as well as thinking it wouldn't need to be cleaned as much. Even a .22 rimfire will foul and quit working if it isn't cleaned, I wasn't aware it was deliberate, those responsible should have been forced to carry one of these fouled Rifles in the Feild in Veitnam under the same conditions those who lost their life's did. It's as bad or worse than the Officers in charge of making and testing Torpedoes in WW 2 refusing to admit their Torpedoes were defective and blaming it on the Men who had to watch helplessly as they bounced of Japanese Ship's, alerting them to the presence of their Submarine. Because of the expense, only two were tested before the War, one worked, the other didn't. It took over two years before they were forced to admit they sent Men into Battle with Torpedoes that had a 50% failure rate. It's Hard to Forgive or Understand Officers, who for the sake of Proffit and their Careers, Knowingly Sent Brave Men into Combat with Weapons they Know are Defective, Let Alone Sabotaged! No Sane Person wants to Fight in a War, it's something that has to be done by those who made the Military their Career, I've had Friends that fought during the Tet Offensive, some in Kayson, one in a little village near by, only 3 of them got out. Firing beehive rounds from a 155, with the shells fuzed to Explode 15 feet from the barrel, that was Tom Fite, a Marine in Kayson, the village Survivor was a Sea Bee I shared a Apartment with, he didn't ajust well after the War, a lot of bad dreams. He didn't talk much about it, I didn't ask, just helped him at a bad time in life and helped him get a job. When young Men go to War, few come back young, even less are who they were when they left. As a Nation, we ask a lot of those Men and Women who fight our Wars, and don't treat them as well as they deserve. I worked in a Foundry at Stelight Cabot Corp. I helped cast the turbine engines for the Cobra Attack Helicopter in 180° heat, but thought it easy compared to what those who fought went through. Respect to You and Those who never left, doing what had to be done. While I've often been ashamed of our politicians, I've Never Been Ashamed of those who risk their lives for our Country. I'm not particularly Patriotic, but I've seen what these Wars cost those who fight them, too many times, to believe the debt owed them can ever be repaid. A good life to you for all you've done.
@@paulshayter1113 Better accuracy versus Long bore life and dependable, I'd take dependable! Military! Sometimes their very good, other time's very bad decisions.
In addition to the police issue market, the fully-stocked Reisings were reissued to the Security Forces guarding Defense Factories in WWII. _Nothing_ went to waste during WWII.
@@pivotboy2062 Or the time the Brits pushed a bunch of newer lend-lease Corsairs over the side off Australia because the US wouldn't take them back and the Brits didn't want to pay for them. Wonder if anyone has ever tried locating those? People with the money and gear have gone on searches in the oceans for less.
@@C77-C77 ...or the time the British War Department took Churchill's word literally, "every man must have a weapon of some kind, be it only a mace or pike", and made 250,000 pikes.
Your new catchphrase - "This gun has gotten a pretty bad reputation, but it's not always entirely justified". Nice to remember that stuff like this is shades of grey!
Depends. Given that disassembly is difficult, it's not surprising that the military didn't like it. The military doesn't want a gun that the user can't easily take apart for cleaning etc.
It's a very fair statement. A lot of guns given bad raps boils down to it just not being suited to usage cases or in the case of something like early m16's, faulty ammo and almost non- existent cleaning. This thing had it's own barrel of problems but a lot of it just comes down to not going through any changes to suit military usage.
That's actually very interesting. When was this? I'd imagine it would definitely get the job done in an urban environment with less need for constant worry about weather conditions or having to constantly pay attention to ammo usage or worry about it wearing and tearing through constant confrontations or just overall being subjected to tough conditions on the field. Also seems nice and light. I can see why police organizations chose to use these.
@@diddydoo5299, that was between 2000 and 2006, when I was a police officer in Rio de Janeiro. The funniest thing is that the rookie cops saw Reising and despised it... but when they practiced shooting with the "Old Reising" in a firing range, they didn't want to know about any other weapon (other than an assault rifle). Too bad there weren't many of them ― I don't even know if they're still in the Rio de Janeiro Police arsenal. To get an idea of what I lived for 6 (long) years, this documentary is very enlightening: ruclips.net/video/-h6IBdeIbK4/видео.html
Unrelated to the weapon, but the comment at 1:00 regarding the army and marine equipment reminded me of something my grandfather told me. When he was active duty in the Marines he says he remembers the army was testing what would eventually be called the AR15, meanwhile his whole platoon and a couple others were still issued M1 Garands. They didn't even have enough M14's to go around.
@wyomarine M14 is obsolescent, not obsolete. The Navy still uses them to throw lines, on shark watch, and sometimes as marksman rifles(basically everything you want a bigger cartridge for).
@@MrChadsimoneaux When you have people in the water for some reason(rescue ops, small boats, man overboard, swim day) and there is a chance of sharks(warmer water typically means sharks). The 7.62mm bullet of an M14 is more likely to do damage underwater. Open to interpretation whether it's for the shark or the person being eaten.
I knew a guy when I worked for the Postal Service, he went in the Marines in 1965. The Marines were being issued the M-14 at that time, but in basic training they used the M-1. They didn't have enough M-14s to go around after Vietnam issue. I fired the M-14 in the Navy. Great weapon, weird place for a full automatic switch.
MOHPA is one of the best games ever made. This SMG was my favourite gun. I remember being on the beach, after saving the pilot. Only me and the pilot had this gun.
It's one of rare ww2 weapons to appear to ww2 FPS games, along with Johnson lmg, (well, Johnson rifle is very rare, only appearing in brother in arms 3 sons of war) but Johnson was uncommon one.
Thank you,Ian. The average Marine has long -prided itself at being twice the warrior of any other member of any other branch with half the weapon..one must remember..all the elite troops in ww2 weren't necessarily issued garands,BARs,Thompsons,fg-42s and mp-40s. some were just issued steamrollers and shovels.
Marines are decent warriors. Almost as good as Army soldiers - marines just have twice the ego. Look at battle reports from Iraq/Afghanistan: Marines had MUCH higher casualty rates compared to the Army even when comparing nearly identical operations/threat levels. And yet Marines, to this day, somehow always point to the fact that so many of them die in combat as proof that they are good warriors. Never understood that mentality.
Holy crap it looks crude. At first glance I was thinking it is some underground resistance product from Eastern Europe or Japan, but then I remembered that resistance forces and Soviets made much better looking weapons.
You know, that flimsy stock actually might be the reason why it doesn't have so much kick: the thin frame acts as a spring that deforms and therfore absorbs a lot of the energy from the recoil. If it had a proper and ergonomic buttstock attached to it that design actually still might be a very viable stock design for a modern SMG.
+Filipe Amaral Not neccessarily. None of the wires are perfectly aligned to the direction of the recoil, and their diameter is a lot smaller than their overall length. Therefore, they'd behave like bars in terms of strength theory, and would be affected by buckling. Combine that with the widely rounded corners of the wire, and you have a lot of distance to cover between the weapon and the shoulder where the wire can deform and somewhat migitate the recoil energy. If the upper wire was perfectly straight and aligned to the barrel and lock, and the corners were bent in a very small radius, that definitely would ruin your day (and shoulder) though.
I thought it would be more from the action bar that moves up front giving some moving mass up front while keeping the moving mass of the bolt light, and thus the gun balanced.
If only Eugene Reising had a military consultant when he made this, it could have been an excellent military weapon. Lots of good ideas in this package.
+MsDjessa If you will notice, in the slow mo, that the shell casings spin 180 degrees as they leave the chamber and the open end of the shell impacts on the rear of the ejection port so the shell acts like a tiny bell giving you that metallic clatter.
There were two of them at a MG shoot around 2008 that I went to. Both the owners said that you DO NOT disassemble it at the range. Both had reliability troubles as the day went on and they had to keep tightening screws as they worked their way loose.
EXCELLENT Review! 30 years ago, you could buy transferable models of the Reising for UNDER $500! Collectors just didn't want them that much because of all the problems you mentioned. NOW it'll cost you thousands to get one, problems or no!
My Dad , who was a navy hospital corpsman in the Pacific, told of guarding the nurses quarters on Florida Island in the Solomon's , using a folding stock Reising gun, circa; 1943
Great video Ian. I always found them interesting. An interesting foot note to these guns is their use by the legendary Navajo code talkers. If only they had more refinement time before combat.
You have one great job there!!! I so enjoy what you bring to life in your videos..the weapons you have shown and described that i had no idea ever existed...keep em comming.
My dad arrived on Guadalcanal in November 1942 as a private in the 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Air Wing, 14th Marine Air Group, Service Squadron 14. Not exactly a front line gyrene, but camped on Edson's bloody ridge none the less. Some fellow marine took his bolt action Springfield from him and handed him a M55 Reising (he remembered that it had the wire folding stock). My dad had no training with this weapon, and could not even field strip it. Luckily he never had to use it, since his duty was operating a caterpillar tractor to haul a wheeled water tank to the mess tents.
Well done and thank you so much Ian. I read about this USMC SMG over 40 years ago. The reviews were not so good. Yes it is too complicated in the strip and assenble but your firing is a hole different ball game. For a .45 ACP SMG that looks very controllable, so more rounds on target which all any shooter needs. Thanks from Greg in Thailand
The Reising M-55 submachine gun was the template for the prop MP-40 machine pistol used on the 1960s TV show "Combat!". In many of the first and second season episodes a modified M-55 was used to resemble the MP-40, usually when they were not being fired. To the trained eye these prop guns were obviously not a real MP-40. When the MP-40s were actually fired in the shows battle scenes it was the real thing. Several of the prop M-55/MP-40 Reisings were sold many years ago in the J. Curtiss Earl auctions. They had many of the MGM guns from their armory that were sold during the liquidation of the studio in the early '70s. This included the Sgt. Saunders 1928 A-1 Thompson and at least one MG-34, as well as other original World War II weapons.
For something that appears so simple, it's amazingly complicated under the hood. A straight blowback would have been simpler, if heavier, and far more reliable. I like the way it looks, but unless I'm forced to take it, I'd stick with a Grand or Thompson. Thanks for the video Ian!
That mechanism is nearly identical to the Mossberg 152 .22 semi auto rifle. The bolt itself is incredibly similar in shape and design, as is the striker/hammer. Even the single action screw that holds it to the stock is very similar. It would be interesting to know if Mossberg copied or adapted this design.
Thank you! I have never seen this thing in this detail and always wanted to! Odd how the this was standard issue for USMC tankers in 1941, then, 2 standard issues later the "improved" M3 Grease Gun by 1945 and throughout the 60s even! Wow, check out the ejection! The shell spins a full 180 degrees while still in the gun before it bounces and is clear. 19:07
I'd like to see a modern version of this little sub gun. Refined and properly engineered to handle a beating. that weight is really good even by todays standards! Might have to make it one of my projects after i finish my gunsmithing degree
I tend to use SMG's more than any other weapon in PD 2. I usually take a saw my primary. It would be great to see guns like the PPSH and B.A.R make it into PD 2 at some point as well.
lucky43113 i bet you that he grew up researching all these guns. No Internet back then, probably lived where there wasn’t much to do, but a local library or book store. Grew up later and had access to Internet and continued his love for firearms. Oh and also probably grew up shooting.
@@Roberob1189 This is probably true. I would also say in terms of firearm theoretical knowledge, it is pretty much all statistics. Somebody who is inherently good at statistical understanding can categorize information of a specific item fairly easily, while also being able to inference (assume) information that is missing based on similar examples.
the Reising could have been very good with some changes. First they would have to set up the production so all the weapons (atleast of the same variant) was interchangeable (between the majority of parts atleast) and also id suggest trying to make it able to accept Thompson mags (since having mags beeing interchangable between the Reising and the Thompson would have been a great + overall) Since there where no major inherent problems with the design that could not have been polished away to a large degree (as far as i know) Since most of the problems the marines had with it where production and not design related. (as in parts not fitting other Risings and it rusting to quickly etc)
The marines had a lot of Thompson's at the start of WW2. A lot of marines got there own tommy's in the 20's and 30's for use in the banana wars. In 34 when they became a tax stamp issue they just turned the guns over to there units to keep from having to pay for the stamp. The marines {god love'um}all ways liked to do things there own way. Still do bless there hart.
It's good to see unbiased work on weapons that are often maligned yet not always rightly so. Problematic though it was, I'm sure the Reising made a good account of itself all things considered, especially since the alternative was no SMG at all. I wish more people would appreciate the positive aspects of things even when they aren't perfect instead of parroting the 'i herd it wuz junk' mantra so oft spouted by ignoramus gun writers looking for a cheap guffaw. It would be neat to see a semi auto reproduction of this, though I'm not holding my breath.
+Rad Chad Oh absolutely. I just appreciate the fair and objective assessment Ian provides to even the bottom of the barrel. When Ian's done with it we know not only if but also why it was or wasn't any good.
Doughboy- I completely agree with your statement; Ian will take a gun, talk about its design and history, take it apart and then talk about its function, and then talk about whatever controversy or hearsay comes with it afterwards. Often, if there are functional issues with a gun it comes out simply by taking it apart and analyzing it. Gun people are often the most partisan and overtly critical of any genre I’ve seem, and their biases are off the charts, but Ian does his best to be open and clinical with his reviews, and that’s why I think he’s the best out there.
Did a requal today at my police department. Range master brought it out for us to use. Kinda neat to be able to be able to shoot a cool piece of history.
That's because you didn't have to deal with the maintenance issues and its tendency to jam in combat. If you had you would have done what the Marines did thrown it in a river
+tenhundredkills The Marine Corps are bad asses and don't need new equipment. Their level of skill and expertise more than makes up for advanced technology.
+Blaine Bugaski I wonder what they do to people at the marine corps to make them say that crap with a straight face... I guess maybe they are the strongest regular force (ie not counting things like the Army Rangers, Delta Force, Navy Seals), but you always hear the biggest loads of jingoistic machismo bull from either Marines or people who are related to Marines. I'm sure not all Marines are like this but it seems downright comical how often this stuff turns up.
The Marines say it with a straight face because they are Marines, not sissy comedians. If Marines were only given books of matches to defeat an enemy, they would most certainly improvise and wipe the opfor off of the face of this earth.
Considering the Marines often do the dirty work before the Army goes in, the Marines should have first choice. Also, because the Marine Corp is small, distribution would be quick. Having seen the demo, I am impressed. Far better than I thought with a good rate of fire. Clip a detachable shoulder pad to the wire coat hanger and you could have a winner.
Marines don’t go in before the army. If anything SOCOM does which consists of cross branch SOF units. Plus you can’t count out Airborne units so your point is invalid. Also CIA is probably already in most countries well before the first shots are fired.
Earl Johnson, sir, as a veteran of the US Army I see where you are coming from; however, I _think_ he was talking about back in 1942 in which case the CIA wasn't around, SOCOM as it is known today was not around, and actually the Marine Raiders were the closest thing we had to any type of "SF" unit along with maybe the Army Airborne Rgts.
To be accurate, "some" Marines got M-1 Garands before "some" soldiers. Many of the Marines at Midway (June 1942) had been provided with Garands, and photos can be located of them being present prior to the battle. "Some" of the soldiers landing in North Africa in later 1942 can be seen carrying Springfields sometime before they were replaced. The Marines at Guadalcanal...in many cases... got Garands by stealing them from Army depots (often during air raids...) It was claimed by many Marines that the only Japanese ever hurt by a Reising were those hiding in nearby bushes...struck by Reisings being thrown away by Marines. - YP -
I would think that a few easy modifications could have made this gun much easier to field strip and clean. If Reising had thought about those things, he might have ended up with the premier submachine gun of the war.
+Brass 'n Barrels Firearms Channel My next suggestion would be a set of new springs for the gun; Wolff makes them. Beyond that (ie, general machine gun maintenance stuff) I don't have much to offer. I'm definitely not a Reising armorer.
my god who would actually desing a gun this complicated to disassemble. you have showed us way more complicated machineguns that were easier to disassemble
My old man was a Marine's Marine! Enlisted to go to Korea, landed at Wol Mi Do island, Inchon (Red beach). Fought up and down the Korean peninsula. Went to OCS while I was in utero, (1953-54), served 2 tours in Viet Nam and retired a Bird Colonel after 36 years. I am a 2nd generation and my son and daughter are 3rd gen. Yes! The USMC gets hind tit at every sucking session, the shitty end of the stick, the oldest, cheapest and brokest gear! But they get the effin job done by adapting and overcoming and understanding that they exist to break things and kill people. If anybody could take a Reising into a tropical climate and keep it working, they could! I remember the Sgt.Maj. in my father's command talking about the Reising he was issued just prior to Guadalcanal as the "best P.O.S. submachine gun the Marine Corps ever issued him till he got a Thompson just before Iwo!" His Reising got "lost" during a river crossing when he heard some Thompsons were available.
+Rev. Steven Taylor My Grandpa was 3ID, US Army in Korea. He landed at Wonson, and they were actually TERRIBLY equipped. He told me he landed at Wonson with an old Second World War model M1 Carbine with it's rifling all shot to shit, and a half full magazine. Shortly after he "traded" weapons with an NCO who had fallen asleep on guard duty. He got a brand new M2 carbine out of the deal, lol! He saw a lot of action in the chaotic early part of the War, but his unit specifically within the 3ID were instrumental in breaking the Marines out of their encirclement in the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir. Where was your father assigned within the Marines while in Korea? Did he too fight in the "Frozen Chosin"? That'd be cool if they fought in the same battle, and my grandpa was instrumental in insuring your father's safety.
I''ve had the chance to shoot both this and the Thompson in f/a and I greatly preferred the reising, that disassembly looks horrible though, would be next to impossible in the dark.Ian, have you ever come across a federal engineering xc900 / xc450?
I don't understand why paratroopers in the Pacific didn't simply choose the M1 Carbine. I know it's not full auto with a 20 round magazine, but at least disassembling it before a battle isn't awkward.
It depends I guess. If I was in a situation with a lot of CQB I'd take the Reising in a heartbeat. Also the awkwardness is a bit dependant on what you're used to. As Ian said the Reising was taken because the other stuff wasn't available at the time. If you're used to how this gun disassembles it isn't that awkward anymore.
+Stealthygunner X The drum kinda defeats the whole argument of "awkward to handle" though. The loading process alone takes ages and I bet it doesn't like mud and sand. And you have a hard time storing spare ones and it makes the weapon extremely bulky (which the Thompson already is without it). There is a reason why they went with the stick mag later.
I want this gun so bad, I want to keep it mounted above my fireplace so when I have guests come over and we're all sitting around eating fancy cheese and talking about our lives one of my friends will ask "What kind of gun is that?" At which point I will go on a rant about the single worst SMG I've ever seen in my entire life.
marines and raiders went through hatches off subs their size helped get them out just that much faster. most people dont understand how fast you have to fire in combat up close. they used pie plates and bb guns to teach quick fire. this is like the first car15
In the lates 1980s I was on a mil to mil training exchange with Ecuador. In the unit’s weapons room in Quito were old arms they still maintained in active inventory, to include several Reising SMGs (full stocked versions only; also had Halcon SMGs, Thompsons, Spanish Z-83s, AuGs in 9mm and H&K MP-5s, etc.). As the small arms officer, I chose a Reising, because I could and bc they were rare. Shot well, slow rate of fire, dependable bc I kept it clean, and 20 rd mags; I had however some 12 rd mags but I don’t remember their having long ribs on the sides, just shorter. BUT, in that 6-week program, TWO of the bolts broke! I was on my THIRD bolt by the end. The slit on the end of the bolt, into which the action bar fit to cock the gun, sheared off. I guess metal fatigue since the 1940s. Lesson learned - admire the old stuff, just don’t shoot them.
Diogenes running into Reising's office with a wire coat hanger: "behold, a stock"
Damn it, can't have shit without someone talking about Diogenes.
@@Tunkkis lol
@@Tunkkis Who is diogenes? The philosopher?
@@adanzavala4801 Yep, that's the one.
@@adanzavala4801 google "BEHOLD A MAN"
that's what the joke is a reference to
"Reising wasn't stupid. This gun isn't stupid."
I don't think Ian has ever sounded so defensive XD
It's because of his disability, being a lefty.
@@mr.pitjoey2910 How is being left handed a disability?
@National Collectivist the forbidden circle 😳
Designing a weapon for Marines and making it this complicated to field strip wasn't exactly a genius idea.
@@Sosaparks is this when we start N chains in the forgotten weapons comments sections?
Gun on inspection: Looks like a grease gun with wood
Gun on dissasembely: *WHAT THE HELL?!?!*
Perhaps he was secretly swiss?
Words you don't want to hear about a firearm:
"We'll come back to this part in a moment..."
"All this stuff sort of wiggles off..."
"I'm going to use a hammer..."
+ravemastaj - lol, there are firearms out there that REQUIRE a hammer or blunt object for disassembly. I think the ruger MK series .22 pistols is one of them.
"And if the gun jams, the manual says to pick it out of the barrel with a pencil."
+ravemastaj "I'm going to use a hammer..." -Jeremy Clarkson
_"And, I swear to you, this is what the manual says to do-"_
manny022
The marines hated the _metal_ finish, because the gun tended to rust quickly.
The action has a distinctive and somewhat satisfying metallic ring that I kind of dig it. So appreciative that Ian is getting to shoot some of these relics.
Agreed it sounded really interesting the gun is cool in my opinion, although I can see why it wouldn’t be ideal for most military applications.
Yeah, that's exactly what I noticed as soon as I heard it... Very cool sound.
Yep, nothing sounds like a Reising.
It sounds pretty bad ass.
This little guy was in Medal of Honor: Pacific Assault and it immediately caught my attention. I never knew Americans had SMGs in WWII other than Thompsons and M3s.
+Václav Fejt yeah, we had a few oddballs....
When I played MOHPA, I always ditched it as soon as possible...
M2 Hyde
@@yatsumleung8618 Admittedly, it wasn't the best, but on my PC the control delay was so big (something like 0,1 - 0,2 s) that it played really badly no matter what weapon I picked. So, I didn't mind it, while I had ammo for it.
Loved it in MoHPA! Caught my attention as well considering it's one of 4 automatic weapons.
I was a Marine in the 60's, did a tour in RVN 69-70. I'd always heard that the Reising was a POS and took that for granted, because I knew little about the gun. I learned a lot watching the video, though. While the M50/55 was not a ready for prime time combat weapon, like the man says, it was available and it mostly worked. Don't think that's the only time that the Corps fielded a crappy weapon, however. Fast forward to the mid-60s and the M-16. Leatherneck Square, Hill 881, the Rockpile. A lot of Marines (soldiers, too) got killed because their black rifles quit. Powder fouling, ruptured cartridge cases, no correct lube and incorrect or non-existent cleaning doctrine caused men dead with their cleaning rods in the bore trying to clear the stoppage. By the time I got there, I carried a M-16A1 and the early issues were mostly fixed. Fifty years later, the M-16 platform is the most popular rifle in the country.
I was there in '66-'67, we changed out the M-14's for the M-16's, "Feb. '67, I believe, bad news, I got a .45 from a PF, $50, back up piece, others sent home for Colt Pythons, Police Positives for back up pieces.
Roland Cote Wasn't part of the problems caused by the Military useing the wrong type of gunpowder for this firearm?
William Halter Thank you! I had heard about this, the M16 was designed to use a specific type of Gun Powder that didn't cause nearly as much fouling as the type the Military insisted on useing, as well as thinking it wouldn't need to be cleaned as much. Even a .22 rimfire will foul and quit working if it isn't cleaned, I wasn't aware it was deliberate, those responsible should have been forced to carry one of these fouled Rifles in the Feild in Veitnam under the same conditions those who lost their life's did. It's as bad or worse than the Officers in charge of making and testing Torpedoes in WW 2 refusing to admit their Torpedoes were defective and blaming it on the Men who had to watch helplessly as they bounced of Japanese Ship's, alerting them to the presence of their Submarine. Because of the expense, only two were tested before the War, one worked, the other didn't. It took over two years before they were forced to admit they sent Men into Battle with Torpedoes that had a 50% failure rate. It's Hard to Forgive or Understand Officers, who for the sake of Proffit and their Careers, Knowingly Sent Brave Men into Combat with Weapons they Know are Defective, Let Alone Sabotaged! No Sane Person wants to Fight in a War, it's something that has to be done by those who made the Military their Career, I've had Friends that fought during the Tet Offensive, some in Kayson, one in a little village near by, only 3 of them got out. Firing beehive rounds from a 155, with the shells fuzed to Explode 15 feet from the barrel, that was Tom Fite, a Marine in Kayson, the village Survivor was a Sea Bee I shared a Apartment with, he didn't ajust well after the War, a lot of bad dreams. He didn't talk much about it, I didn't ask, just helped him at a bad time in life and helped him get a job. When young Men go to War, few come back young, even less are who they were when they left. As a Nation, we ask a lot of those Men and Women who fight our Wars, and don't treat them as well as they deserve. I worked in a Foundry at Stelight Cabot Corp. I helped cast the turbine engines for the Cobra Attack Helicopter in 180° heat, but thought it easy compared to what those who fought went through. Respect to You and Those who never left, doing what had to be done. While I've often been ashamed of our politicians, I've Never Been Ashamed of those who risk their lives for our Country. I'm not particularly Patriotic, but I've seen what these Wars cost those who fight them, too many times, to believe the debt owed them can ever be repaid. A good life to you for all you've done.
spooky shadow hawk, Another problem with the M16 was that it was supposed to have a hard chrome bore which the powers that be didn't feel was needed.
@@paulshayter1113 Better accuracy versus Long bore life and dependable, I'd take dependable! Military! Sometimes their very good, other time's very bad decisions.
As they always say. “Want logistics, join the army. Marines make do”.
generations kill
After having seen the gun actually shoot, I like it. Disassembly? That would be a nightmare.
But firing it? That looked awesome.
In addition to the police issue market, the fully-stocked Reisings were reissued to the Security Forces guarding Defense Factories in WWII.
_Nothing_ went to waste during WWII.
Except the time the us built an entire factory to build M7 Medium ranks before deciding the tank was trash
@@pivotboy2062 Or the time the Brits pushed a bunch of newer lend-lease Corsairs over the side off Australia because the US wouldn't take them back and the Brits didn't want to pay for them. Wonder if anyone has ever tried locating those? People with the money and gear have gone on searches in the oceans for less.
@@C77-C77 ...or the time the British War Department took Churchill's word literally, "every man must have a weapon of some kind, be it only a mace or pike", and made 250,000 pikes.
Your new catchphrase - "This gun has gotten a pretty bad reputation, but it's not always entirely justified". Nice to remember that stuff like this is shades of grey!
Depends. Given that disassembly is difficult, it's not surprising that the military didn't like it. The military doesn't want a gun that the user can't easily take apart for cleaning etc.
Also, hand fitted parts is NOT good for a military gun.
It's a very fair statement. A lot of guns given bad raps boils down to it just not being suited to usage cases or in the case of something like early m16's, faulty ammo and almost non- existent cleaning. This thing had it's own barrel of problems but a lot of it just comes down to not going through any changes to suit military usage.
It's an EXCELLENT weapon!
Very good for use in urban confrontations!
I used it when I was a police officer (investigative) in Rio de Janeiro.
That's actually very interesting. When was this? I'd imagine it would definitely get the job done in an urban environment with less need for constant worry about weather conditions or having to constantly pay attention to ammo usage or worry about it wearing and tearing through constant confrontations or just overall being subjected to tough conditions on the field. Also seems nice and light. I can see why police organizations chose to use these.
@@diddydoo5299, that was between 2000 and 2006, when I was a police officer in Rio de Janeiro.
The funniest thing is that the rookie cops saw Reising and despised it... but when they practiced shooting with the "Old Reising" in a firing range, they didn't want to know about any other weapon (other than an assault rifle). Too bad there weren't many of them ― I don't even know if they're still in the Rio de Janeiro Police arsenal.
To get an idea of what I lived for 6 (long) years, this documentary is very enlightening:
ruclips.net/video/-h6IBdeIbK4/видео.html
How long ago was that
Unrelated to the weapon, but the comment at 1:00 regarding the army and marine equipment reminded me of something my grandfather told me.
When he was active duty in the Marines he says he remembers the army was testing what would eventually be called the AR15, meanwhile his whole platoon and a couple others were still issued M1 Garands. They didn't even have enough M14's to go around.
@wyomarine M14 is obsolescent, not obsolete. The Navy still uses them to throw lines, on shark watch, and sometimes as marksman rifles(basically everything you want a bigger cartridge for).
@@Grimmwoldds Shark watch?
They just stand guard with rifles in case of sharks?
@@MrChadsimoneaux When you have people in the water for some reason(rescue ops, small boats, man overboard, swim day) and there is a chance of sharks(warmer water typically means sharks). The 7.62mm bullet of an M14 is more likely to do damage underwater. Open to interpretation whether it's for the shark or the person being eaten.
I knew a guy when I worked for the Postal Service, he went in the Marines in 1965. The Marines were being issued the M-14 at that time, but in basic training they used the M-1. They didn't have enough M-14s to go around after Vietnam issue. I fired the M-14 in the Navy. Great weapon, weird place for a full automatic switch.
@wyomarine LOL
So, if you name your boy "Eugene", is he just going to HAVE to become a gun designer?
Warhawk close. He is going to have a very sad life
no if you name him john then he will design a revolutionary new rifle type
What if I name mine "Michael/Mikhail"?
Ivan Lee he will make a new cheap yet durable rifle then die poor because he never patented it
I’ll name my child Walther.
it looks like a kids drawing of a gun aha
When a kid is holding a stick pretending its a gun, it's that gun
Skengis Khan no no no. Do you remember those packs of little plastic guns you could get at the store? Like the super small ones? It looks like those
you havent seen grease gun yet.
I wanted to like this post, but it had 333 thumbs up so I didn’t want to ruin that. Nice comment xD just what I was thinking
I dunno. I feel this is said too much about guns that, quite frankly, don't.
Now the Crossfire MK1. *That* looks like a gun a kid would draw.
Your first video on the Reising is actually how I found Forgotten Weapons. Very glad I decided to look up that old design back in the day.
Rod Serling carried one in the S.Pacific , wwll .
Saw heavy combat, wounded.
Didn't sleep well for the rest of his life.
No scandals.
He worked himself to death - died young.
Rob True He didn’t die! He’s simply...lost...in the twilight zone.
@@knifedance2402 things you learn every day!
My old department had one of these given to them by the Feds. It's still in its presentation box.
Ehh Medal of Honor Pacific Assault memories come back to live :D
+Wiertel12_pl The one in this vid has a much more respectable firing rate and stability/control though!
Criminally underrated Medal Of Honor game. My personal favourite alongside Allied Assault. Many memories indeed
MOHPA is one of the best games ever made. This SMG was my favourite gun. I remember being on the beach, after saving the pilot. Only me and the pilot had this gun.
It's one of rare ww2 weapons to appear to ww2 FPS games, along with Johnson lmg, (well, Johnson rifle is very rare, only appearing in brother in arms 3 sons of war) but Johnson was uncommon one.
@@leonmcaffrey4625 Johnson rifle is in Hidden and Dangerous 1.
Thank you,Ian. The average Marine has long -prided itself at being twice the warrior of any other member of any other branch with half the weapon..one must remember..all the elite troops in ww2 weren't necessarily issued garands,BARs,Thompsons,fg-42s and mp-40s. some were just issued steamrollers and shovels.
That is sounds true
at least on WW1, most Spec Force use shovel, grenades, an knife for trench raid
Marines are decent warriors. Almost as good as Army soldiers - marines just have twice the ego. Look at battle reports from Iraq/Afghanistan: Marines had MUCH higher casualty rates compared to the Army even when comparing nearly identical operations/threat levels. And yet Marines, to this day, somehow always point to the fact that so many of them die in combat as proof that they are good warriors. Never understood that mentality.
@Feo Savoyan Based on what, oh great sage?
Ooh"-rah
Come this way
Small and light, very controllable recoil, i can see this being useful on a raid or room to room fighting. But unholy heck that field-strip!!
Holy crap it looks crude. At first glance I was thinking it is some underground resistance product from Eastern Europe or Japan, but then I remembered that resistance forces and Soviets made much better looking weapons.
You know, that flimsy stock actually might be the reason why it doesn't have so much kick: the thin frame acts as a spring that deforms and therfore absorbs a lot of the energy from the recoil. If it had a proper and ergonomic buttstock attached to it that design actually still might be a very viable stock design for a modern SMG.
+Filipe Amaral Not neccessarily. None of the wires are perfectly aligned to the direction of the recoil, and their diameter is a lot smaller than their overall length. Therefore, they'd behave like bars in terms of strength theory, and would be affected by buckling. Combine that with the widely rounded corners of the wire, and you have a lot of distance to cover between the weapon and the shoulder where the wire can deform and somewhat migitate the recoil energy. If the upper wire was perfectly straight and aligned to the barrel and lock, and the corners were bent in a very small radius, that definitely would ruin your day (and shoulder) though.
+Filipe Amaral For you.
that all depends on the type of steel used, spring steels are great at flexing and regaining it's original shape afterwards
I thought it would be more from the action bar that moves up front giving some moving mass up front while keeping the moving mass of the bolt light, and thus the gun balanced.
No.
I dig my Model 50 Reising. Measured cyclic rate on mine is above 900 RPM with all ammo tried.
My dad worked at H & R for many years, beginning in the 1940’s.
I think he made these.
If only Eugene Reising had a military consultant when he made this, it could have been an excellent military weapon. Lots of good ideas in this package.
thinking of using this in the tropics in combat gives me a sinking feeling not a Reising one
Joshua Lansell-Kenny puns.
@Joshua Lansell-Kenny
Ha! I see what you did there!
And yes, I liked it. :-)
It makes such unusual metallic sound.
+MsDjessa If you will notice, in the slow mo, that the shell casings spin 180 degrees as they leave the chamber and the open end of the shell impacts on the rear of the ejection port so the shell acts like a tiny bell giving you that metallic clatter.
the disassembly seems like a total nightmare to me...
+Knechtor I think it fails the 'blindfold' test. Nice little SMG though.
John Brooks
Agreed, the gun itself seems pretty nice.
There were two of them at a MG shoot around 2008 that I went to. Both the owners said that you DO NOT disassemble it at the range.
Both had reliability troubles as the day went on and they had to keep tightening screws as they worked their way loose.
Marines have a knack for using outdated equipment and kicking ass better than anyone else. Semper Fidelis!
My dad fought with a Springfield and BAR until Okinawa. His Pacific island ilyad began in 1943.
The Marine corps literally through their M55s into a river in the middle of The fight for Guadalcanal because of their poor combat performance
M55: "Not everybody hated them"
its like a radio station saying :youre listening to the NUMBER 2 RADIO IN YOUR REGION!
Just the people who had to use them
EXCELLENT Review! 30 years ago, you could buy transferable models of the Reising for UNDER $500! Collectors just didn't want them that much because of all the problems you mentioned. NOW it'll cost you thousands to get one, problems or no!
Love that metallic sound when it fires.
My Dad , who was a navy hospital corpsman in the Pacific, told of guarding the nurses quarters on Florida Island in the Solomon's , using a folding stock Reising gun, circa; 1943
Part of that rate may be the age of the mainspring.
I really enjoy seeing Ian pleasantly surprised by a weapon's performance. Could almost see him trying not to grin too much.
Great video Ian. I always found them interesting. An interesting foot note to these guns is their use by the legendary Navajo code talkers. If only they had more refinement time before combat.
I always thought those were weird submachine guns, but mechanically they are very interesting. Some very clever ideas they use.
Seen a lot of pitchers of the Reising used by Marines in WW2. Always wanted to see one fired. Good info and close up shots. Good video. Thanks.
You have one great job there!!! I so enjoy what you bring to life in your videos..the weapons you have shown and described that i had no idea ever existed...keep em comming.
This gun is fascinating! Things like this are why this channel is so great!
Never heard of it before, boy does it sound good though
My dad arrived on Guadalcanal in November 1942 as a private in the 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Air Wing, 14th Marine Air Group, Service Squadron 14. Not exactly a front line gyrene, but camped on Edson's bloody ridge none the less. Some fellow marine took his bolt action Springfield from him and handed him a M55 Reising (he remembered that it had the wire folding stock). My dad had no training with this weapon, and could not even field strip it. Luckily he never had to use it, since his duty was operating a caterpillar tractor to haul a wheeled water tank to the mess tents.
Excellent video, Ian. As usual, your narration is outstanding , as is your shooting!
Good video, Ian. Always a plus when you get a chance to live-fire the guns for us.
Well done and thank you so much Ian. I read about this USMC SMG over 40 years ago. The reviews were not so good. Yes it is too complicated in the strip and assenble but your firing is a hole different ball game. For a .45 ACP SMG that looks very controllable, so more rounds on target which all any shooter needs. Thanks from Greg in Thailand
Living the life in Thailand... That's 👍
Does Rock Island Actuation house get mad when you collaborate with with other Auction houses?
+Jack Sparrow Nope.
+Jack Sparrow Lol, nice profile pic. Wasn't expecting to see him here.
Jack Sparrow Actuation?
Mostly, I'm impressed that somebody came up with an SMG that looks even rougher than a Grease Gun
The Reising M-55 submachine gun was the template for the prop MP-40 machine pistol used on the 1960s TV show "Combat!". In many of the first and second season episodes a modified M-55 was used to resemble the MP-40, usually when they were not being fired. To the trained eye these prop guns were obviously not a real MP-40. When the MP-40s were actually fired in the shows battle scenes it was the real thing. Several of the prop M-55/MP-40 Reisings were sold many years ago in the J. Curtiss Earl auctions. They had many of the MGM guns from their armory that were sold during the liquidation of the studio in the early '70s. This included the Sgt. Saunders 1928 A-1 Thompson and at least one MG-34, as well as other original World War II weapons.
The Rubik's Cube of SMGs!! Sounds really cool, too!
For something that appears so simple, it's amazingly complicated under the hood. A straight blowback would have been simpler, if heavier, and far more reliable. I like the way it looks, but unless I'm forced to take it, I'd stick with a Grand or Thompson. Thanks for the video Ian!
These need to be included more often in WWII shooters
That mechanism is nearly identical to the Mossberg 152 .22 semi auto rifle. The bolt itself is incredibly similar in shape and design, as is the striker/hammer. Even the single action screw that holds it to the stock is very similar. It would be interesting to know if Mossberg copied or adapted this design.
The wooden frame , the metallic sound, the shitty stock... I love it.
18:23 "It doesn't climb all that badly"
Pretty funny considering it's called the reising.
Okay, it's funnier out loud
Thank you! I have never seen this thing in this detail and always wanted to! Odd how the this was standard issue for USMC tankers in 1941, then, 2 standard issues later the "improved" M3 Grease Gun by 1945 and throughout the 60s even! Wow, check out the ejection! The shell spins a full 180 degrees while still in the gun before it bounces and is clear. 19:07
I'd like to see a modern version of this little sub gun. Refined and properly engineered to handle a beating. that weight is really good even by todays standards! Might have to make it one of my projects after i finish my gunsmithing degree
That appears surprisingly controllable.
+Gun Sense (drmaudio) It really was.
This gun should be in Ro 2
+pheonix028 Something like this would be great in PayDay 2 as well. :)
I tend to use SMG's more than any other weapon in PD 2. I usually take a saw my primary. It would be great to see guns like the PPSH and B.A.R make it into PD 2 at some point as well.
Rick Hope
Browning could be an LMG with very little slowdown, to mirror its originally proposed "marching fire" role.
I was also thinking that outlaws like Clyde Barrow used B.A.R's to great effect, it would be a great touch if you could make his chopped down version.
Rick Hope
Yeah, I was thinking that too; they could just handle it like they did the thumper launcher and the O/U shotgun.
I remember my grandfather talking about his reising as a kid I remember him saying that the sights were there for show but it always went bang
Yes and I could imagine the Marines would get 1917 revolvers instead of 1911s.
how long does it usually take you to prepare for a video. You either have a great memory or a ton of research prior to making the video
lucky43113 i bet you that he grew up researching all these guns. No Internet back then, probably lived where there wasn’t much to do, but a local library or book store. Grew up later and had access to Internet and continued his love for firearms. Oh and also probably grew up shooting.
I really hope it's his memory.
Queue cards...
@@Roberob1189
This is probably true. I would also say in terms of firearm theoretical knowledge, it is pretty much all statistics. Somebody who is inherently good at statistical understanding can categorize information of a specific item fairly easily, while also being able to inference (assume) information that is missing based on similar examples.
I imagine he does a quick read up before each video. If you notice, his videos always have cuts in them, so he doesn't do them in one go.
Gotta love that smile...a man who loves his job...
This gun has a weirdly large number of mechanical features I've seen on Crosman co2 airguns and old Savage .22 semi-autos.
It is always a great pleasure to watch your videos on guns, this was not an exception...
the Reising could have been very good with some changes.
First they would have to set up the production so all the weapons (atleast of the same variant) was interchangeable (between the majority of parts atleast)
and also id suggest trying to make it able to accept Thompson mags (since having mags beeing interchangable between the Reising and the Thompson would have been a great + overall)
Since there where no major inherent problems with the design that could not have been polished away to a large degree (as far as i know)
Since most of the problems the marines had with it where production and not design related. (as in parts not fitting other Risings and it rusting to quickly etc)
+Mattebubben Exactly, if they made a collector version in semi only and a "tacticool" version I'd bet plenty of people would rush to buy one, or four.
My department used Reisings in both SMG and Semi-automatic carbine configuration until the 1970s. They were actually well liked, by all accounts.
Was that odd metallic sound noticeable in person, or is it some kind of product of the recording?
Yes, it was pretty noticeable in person. It's an artifact of the locking system, I think.
Forgotten Weapons
How strange. Thanks for replying on such an old video!
May it be the hammer, which I think you called it, hitting the back of the bolt?
i think it's the firing mechanism itself what you are hearing
It is pretty neat to have the gun's mechanism make notable noises while working.
The marines had a lot of Thompson's at the start of WW2. A lot of marines got there own tommy's in the 20's and 30's for use in the banana wars. In 34 when they became a tax stamp issue they just turned the guns over to there units to keep from having to pay for the stamp. The marines {god love'um}all ways liked to do things there own way. Still do bless there hart.
It's good to see unbiased work on weapons that are often maligned yet not always rightly so. Problematic though it was, I'm sure the Reising made a good account of itself all things considered, especially since the alternative was no SMG at all. I wish more people would appreciate the positive aspects of things even when they aren't perfect instead of parroting the 'i herd it wuz junk' mantra so oft spouted by ignoramus gun writers looking for a cheap guffaw.
It would be neat to see a semi auto reproduction of this, though I'm not holding my breath.
+DoughboyJonesmk2 H&R made semiauto-only examples, called the Model 60.
+Rad Chad Oh absolutely. I just appreciate the fair and objective assessment Ian provides to even the bottom of the barrel. When Ian's done with it we know not only if but also why it was or wasn't any good.
Doughboy- I completely agree with your statement; Ian will take a gun, talk about its design and history, take it apart and then talk about its function, and then talk about whatever controversy or hearsay comes with it afterwards. Often, if there are functional issues with a gun it comes out simply by taking it apart and analyzing it. Gun people are often the most partisan and overtly critical of any genre I’ve seem, and their biases are off the charts, but Ian does his best to be open and clinical with his reviews, and that’s why I think he’s the best out there.
Did a requal today at my police department. Range master brought it out for us to use. Kinda neat to be able to be able to shoot a cool piece of history.
In my mind I always pronounced the Reising as Riesling as in the type of wine. Not sure why but it sure sounds better to me.
Nice evaluation, fair information on the good and bad aspects, balanced!
i liked using this sub machine gun in the game Medal of honor: Pacific Assault
Frosty TheLion I hated it, the game was fantastic (it still is) but the raising in moh was a pain to aim imo
Haha yes... I remember the first level I got it. The 20 round magazine and the low damage gave me such a pain.
That's because you didn't have to deal with the maintenance issues and its tendency to jam in combat.
If you had you would have done what the Marines did thrown it in a river
I love the sound of the action... gritty as hell.
So why is it that the Army gets new weapons before the Marines?
+tenhundredkills The Army is historically bigger and more important. The USMC is an arm of the Navy, and for a long time was very small.
+tenhundredkills The Marine Corps are bad asses and don't need new equipment. Their level of skill and expertise more than makes up for advanced technology.
Blaine Bugaski
I asked one of my classmates (a Marine) and got almost the exact same response, haha!
+Blaine Bugaski I wonder what they do to people at the marine corps to make them say that crap with a straight face... I guess maybe they are the strongest regular force (ie not counting things like the Army Rangers, Delta Force, Navy Seals), but you always hear the biggest loads of jingoistic machismo bull from either Marines or people who are related to Marines. I'm sure not all Marines are like this but it seems downright comical how often this stuff turns up.
The Marines say it with a straight face because they are Marines, not sissy comedians. If Marines were only given books of matches to defeat an enemy, they would most certainly improvise and wipe the opfor off of the face of this earth.
I designed this fine weapon back in 3rd grade. Except the stock was two-by-fours, the barrel PVC, and a strap made of the finest repurposed twine.
This makes me feel nostalgic to Medal of honor pacific assault
That metallic rattling sound it does is really cool
It looks like a Pirate's musket. Is there a safety? I didn't see any or hear it mentioned.
+Blaine Bugaski Yes at 6:50 he says full forward is FA middle is SA and full back is Safe
Thanks! I missed that!
I just have to say - The gun sounds really, really good when you shoot it. That metallic snap of a report is just very appealing.
Considering the Marines often do the dirty work before the Army goes in, the Marines should have first choice. Also, because the Marine Corp is small, distribution would be quick.
Having seen the demo, I am impressed. Far better than I thought with a good rate of fire. Clip a detachable shoulder pad to the wire coat hanger and you could have a winner.
remember that the army and navy are rivals. the marines derived from the navy
Marines don’t go in before the army. If anything SOCOM does which consists of cross branch SOF units. Plus you can’t count out Airborne units so your point is invalid. Also CIA is probably already in most countries well before the first shots are fired.
Earl Johnson, sir, as a veteran of the US Army I see where you are coming from; however, I _think_ he was talking about back in 1942 in which case the CIA wasn't around, SOCOM as it is known today was not around, and actually the Marine Raiders were the closest thing we had to any type of "SF" unit along with maybe the Army Airborne Rgts.
You mean like D-Day? Just kidding haha, I honestly consider this line of reasoning backwards and juvenile.
Truly demonstrates an ignorance of history.
still one of the best channel on my youtube list. thx mate. really awesome videos. :)
I demand outtakes!! ;D
To be accurate, "some" Marines got M-1 Garands before "some" soldiers. Many of the Marines at Midway (June 1942) had been provided with Garands, and photos can be located of them being present prior to the battle. "Some" of the soldiers landing in North Africa in later 1942 can be seen carrying Springfields sometime before they were replaced. The Marines at Guadalcanal...in many cases... got Garands by stealing them from Army depots (often during air raids...) It was claimed by many Marines that the only Japanese ever hurt by a Reising were those hiding in nearby bushes...struck by Reisings being thrown away by Marines. - YP -
btw in MOHAA Pacific it was awsome:)
oh I never remembered that gun there
I would think that a few easy modifications could have made this gun much easier to field strip and clean. If Reising had thought about those things, he might have ended up with the premier submachine gun of the war.
i've got a family member with one of these, but it only fires two or three rounds and then wont cycle without manualy closing the bolt. Any ideas why?
+Brass 'n Barrels Firearms Channel The most common cause of problems in automatic weapons is defective or damaged magazines.
+Forgotten Weapons yep, we've replaced those. Fires fine in semi-auto, just not in full
+이동연 Closed bolt, delayed blowback.
+Brass 'n Barrels Firearms Channel My next suggestion would be a set of new springs for the gun; Wolff makes them. Beyond that (ie, general machine gun maintenance stuff) I don't have much to offer. I'm definitely not a Reising armorer.
+Forgotten Weapons I do not think there are Reising armorers left. You are about as close as we are going to get, ha.
my god who would actually desing a gun this complicated to disassemble. you have showed us way more complicated machineguns that were easier to disassemble
My old man was a Marine's Marine! Enlisted to go to Korea, landed at Wol Mi Do island, Inchon (Red beach). Fought up and down the Korean peninsula. Went to OCS while I was in utero, (1953-54), served 2 tours in Viet Nam and retired a Bird Colonel after 36 years. I am a 2nd generation and my son and daughter are 3rd gen. Yes! The USMC gets hind tit at every sucking session, the shitty end of the stick, the oldest, cheapest and brokest gear! But they get the effin job done by adapting and overcoming and understanding that they exist to break things and kill people. If anybody could take a Reising into a tropical climate and keep it working, they could! I remember the Sgt.Maj. in my father's command talking about the Reising he was issued just prior to Guadalcanal as the "best P.O.S. submachine gun the Marine Corps ever issued him till he got a Thompson just before Iwo!" His Reising got "lost" during a river crossing when he heard some Thompsons were available.
+Rev. Steven Taylor great story telling, thank you for sharing!
+Nathen Colberg Thanks. Love the channel. Just sayin'.
+Rev. Steven Taylor Maybe they were issued Reisings to give the Japanese a fair(ish) chance.
Rev. Steven Taylor well put Reverend
+Rev. Steven Taylor My Grandpa was 3ID, US Army in Korea. He landed at Wonson, and they were actually TERRIBLY equipped. He told me he landed at Wonson with an old Second World War model M1 Carbine with it's rifling all shot to shit, and a half full magazine. Shortly after he "traded" weapons with an NCO who had fallen asleep on guard duty. He got a brand new M2 carbine out of the deal, lol! He saw a lot of action in the chaotic early part of the War, but his unit specifically within the 3ID were instrumental in breaking the Marines out of their encirclement in the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir. Where was your father assigned within the Marines while in Korea? Did he too fight in the "Frozen Chosin"? That'd be cool if they fought in the same battle, and my grandpa was instrumental in insuring your father's safety.
I love that design but I can see issues during the field break down in war time. Well presented thanks...
I''ve had the chance to shoot both this and the Thompson in f/a and I greatly preferred the reising, that disassembly looks horrible though, would be next to impossible in the dark.Ian, have you ever come across a federal engineering xc900 / xc450?
Guj g
+27dcx You get used to taking it apart after you do it a few times, but it is only to be done on a clean table and not in a foxhole.
The barrel and receiver apart from the stock looks badass
I don't understand why paratroopers in the Pacific didn't simply choose the M1 Carbine. I know it's not full auto with a 20 round magazine, but at least disassembling it before a battle isn't awkward.
especially the m1a1 carbine with the side folding stock
It depends I guess. If I was in a situation with a lot of CQB I'd take the Reising in a heartbeat. Also the awkwardness is a bit dependant on what you're used to. As Ian said the Reising was taken because the other stuff wasn't available at the time. If you're used to how this gun disassembles it isn't that awkward anymore.
Stealthygunner X I would rather have a Thompson in the Pacific if I could the .45 was damm good in the jungles
AK47 Eason Especially if you're one of the lucky ones who gets a Thompson with a drum
+Stealthygunner X The drum kinda defeats the whole argument of "awkward to handle" though. The loading process alone takes ages and I bet it doesn't like mud and sand. And you have a hard time storing spare ones and it makes the weapon extremely bulky (which the Thompson already is without it). There is a reason why they went with the stick mag later.
A fine presentation, full of historical anecdote and technical appreciations. Nice work.
I want this gun so bad, I want to keep it mounted above my fireplace so when I have guests come over and we're all sitting around eating fancy cheese and talking about our lives one of my friends will ask "What kind of gun is that?" At which point I will go on a rant about the single worst SMG I've ever seen in my entire life.
It's not horrible. I'm surprised that the grease gun beat this.
+mikethemaniac1 Really stupid if you think about it, just a mag or 2 in and its basically inoperable.
+mikethemaniac1 True they did, the handle was prone to snag on things !
+inamadworld I plan on showing my Reising, Sten, and Macs to my Daughter's perspective Boyfriends when she grows up.
I hope you don't mean to intimidate the kid with those.
marines and raiders went through hatches off subs their size helped get them out just that much faster. most people dont understand how fast you have to fire in combat up close. they used pie plates and bb guns to teach quick fire. this is like the first car15
I thought grease guns were issued to tank crews
+Brett Dwigans Once they were invented, yes.
+Forgotten Weapons LOL
you dont get it huh? this precedes the grease gun, and like Ian said the USMC always drew the short straw when it came to acquiring equipment
Brett Dwigans this was made before the M3 Grease gun. The grease gun was made as a simpler, easier to manufacture version
actually designed for the paratroops div
In the lates 1980s I was on a mil to mil training exchange with Ecuador. In the unit’s weapons room in Quito were old arms they still maintained in active inventory, to include several Reising SMGs (full stocked versions only; also had Halcon SMGs, Thompsons, Spanish Z-83s, AuGs in 9mm and H&K MP-5s, etc.). As the small arms officer, I chose a Reising, because I could and bc they were rare. Shot well, slow rate of fire, dependable bc I kept it clean, and 20 rd mags; I had however some 12 rd mags but I don’t remember their having long ribs on the sides, just shorter.
BUT, in that 6-week program, TWO of the bolts broke! I was on my THIRD bolt by the end. The slit on the end of the bolt, into which the action bar fit to cock the gun, sheared off. I guess metal fatigue since the 1940s. Lesson learned - admire the old stuff, just don’t shoot them.
Medal of honor Pacific Assault brought me here
This thing has always been strangely cool to me. Thanks for bringing her out!