lufkin made ammo clips? I didn't know that -

A lot of manufacturers during the war made products outside of their usually field. In Canada there was a board that would look at companies and their capabilities and match them up to a list of products required for the war. Everything from tanks to canteens

James Crombie

yeah, I can understand whirlpool and mortars and cannons, I could understand Lufkin making bomb sight parts or something but ammo clips? One would think (well, that's what I get for thinking) that the skills to produce precision measuring stuff is quite different from massproducing little bent pieces of metal - then again, a Lufkin tape measure is not very expensive, so maybe.....

anyway, it really struck me as particularly odd

I had a Lionel Log that was made by the model train company. Beautifil brass instrument. Melted into a lump when my house burned down

The M1911A1 .45 cal Pistol used by the US armed forces for so many years had a lot of unusual companies making it. Colt and Remington Arms, made them of course. But so did Remington Rand (typewriters), Singer (sewing machines, bomb sights, and they also built some of the famous Link Trainers that were used to train so many pilots, in their Binghamton NY plant), Ithaca Gun Co, Union Switch and Signal Company, Springfield Armory (the government one, not the private co that is around now days) and Rock Island Arsenal.

Also during the war the same thing happened with the M-1 Rifle (International Harvester was one), and the M-1 Carbine (IIRC some were made by a company that made jukeboxs). GM even made several different type of airplanes.

Yup. I especially enjoy the wartime "OK, now you're making guns for a while" historical aspects of this. I have an M1 Carbine made by I.B.M. for instance. Think about it - they were making complex, precise metal devices already, it's a natural fit.

On Thu, 28 Dec 2006 19:29:37 -0800, with neither quill nor qualm, "William Noble" quickly quoth:

Why, because they make appliances out of sheet metal and motors?!? I'd -love- to see a diagram of THAT logic. ;)

-- My future starts when I wake up every morning... Every day I find something creative to do with my life. -- Miles Davis

You missed the funniest one, I forget which, but one of the toy companies made them also. Like Fisher-Price or some such. ...lew...

Remington, the gun company, made sewing machines and typewriters in the

19th century, and that division after merging with Rand did the electric shaver and then the Univac computer after buying Eckert-Mauchly.

I seem to recall that the first typewriter to use QWERTY layout was a Remington.

Tim.

I'd be inclined to think it was a natural for them. These people had a lot of experience with punch presses, which play a role in the production of measuring tapes. If for no other reason, the hook on the end of the tape, and the hook that one uses to clip said tape to the workbelt. That being the case, conversion via two or three stage progressive dies to produce clips would be a natural.

I get the idea that the US, as a country, had a totally different attitude about the war then as opposed to the war now. Anyone able to assist readily did so. As old as I am, I can just barely recall the war, with ration stamps and tax tokens standing out best in my memory.

Harold

Would you perhaps be thinking of Mattel and the M-16 ? Early 'Nam era ... but I think they only made the stock .

No this was 45s in the WW II area. ...lew...

I am pretty sure that I listed everyone that made the M-1911A1 during WWII. I have a list around here somewhere of all serial numbers for use by the US Military and civilian licensed by Colt M1911's and 1911A1's. When I find it I will check it to make sure. This list has the blocks of serial numbers assigned to different manufacturers by year, and the serial numbers they used up to the end of WWII. IIRC this information was also provided by Gen. Hatcher when he was tech editor of The American Rifleman, as a pamphlet, and may be in one of his books. Hatcher's Notebook?

They were also made under license from colt in other countries such as Argentina (Ballester-Molina), Spain (Star and Llama) and in Norway. These pistols made in Norway were later incorporated into the German armed forces after they invaded Norway. One of the most highly prized 1911's is a rare

1945 Kongsberg-Colt with German military proof marks. There was also some limited production of non-licensed M1911's in .45 ACP and in .38 Super in Mexico, but it is debated if these should be considered as true1911's, as some parts are of slightly different design and dimensions.

During WWI they were made by Colt, Springfield Armory, Remington-United Metallic Cartridge Co, Burroughs, and Savage Arms. Several other companies had contracts to make them but contract were cancelled due to the end of the war, and I don't recall offhand how who made what and how many.

Magazines are integral to the fireing operation. Rounds are pulled from the magazine and are chambered in the barrel.

Strippers are used to Load the magazine.

Except in Garands and Carcanos.... and they are often called Enbloc Magazines.

Your stripper clips are indeed that. The short ones btw..are a mixture of Mauser and Springfield stripper clips. The moldy gray ones are Springfields, the shiney chrome ones are likely for the 98 Mauser and the brass ones..probably either Springfield or P-17 Enfield...though its possible they are for Argentine Mausers. Small picture..hard to tell

The Long ones..for the M-16/variants. Similar for M1 Carbine though slightly different. The stripper clip guide in the center is for the M16 and uses the long strippers.

Gunner

Political Correctness

A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical liberal minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.

A very large portion of the M16 rifles used in Vietnam were made by Mattel, the toy maker.

Hence the term Mattel Toy when refering to the M-zipteen

Gunner

Political Correctness

A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical liberal minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.

Dont forget Saginaw Steering Gear also.

Political Correctness

A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical liberal minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a turd by the clean end.

Manufacturing was effectively nationalized during WWII. I've seen old newsreel footage showing how we went from making lipstick cases to cartrige cases on the same press. I bet if you think a bit you might just remember seeing it your self. It is a piece that gets used offen in history channel type stuff.

M1 Carbines were made by Rock-ola, Saganaw Steering gear. I think International Harvester made Garands iirc. I thinK GM had a bomber plant down by Willow Run, MI.

Wes S

Urban legend. Only the handgrip was made by Mattel, the rest by Colt.

See urban legends