WARPACT Arms Stockpiles

[boogiedowndonovan]

kind of OT, but in the theme of reusing WWII equipment,

wikipedia says that the MP-40 was still being used by the Norwegian Home Guard up till the 1990s. Also some MP-40s used in the Balkans during the breakup of Yugoslavia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MP_40

[dragoon500ly]

kind of OT, but in the theme of reusing WWII equipment,

wikipedia says that the MP-40 was still being used by the Norwegian Home Guard up till the 1990s. Also some MP-40s used in the Balkans during the breakup of Yugoslavia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MP_40

Its interesting the number of WWII gear that is still being used around the world. There was a video a couple of years ago showing Columbia Army troops, using US-surplus M-1917A1 water-cooled machine guns against the drug cartels.

Korean war vintage 3.5-inch bazookas were used by the IDF through the 1980s.

Several African armies still use bolt action Mausers.

[Schone23666]

kind of OT, but in the theme of reusing WWII equipment,

wikipedia says that the MP-40 was still being used by the Norwegian Home Guard up till the 1990s. Also some MP-40s used in the Balkans during the breakup of Yugoslavia.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MP_40

I heard some were in use by the Mexicans up until recently. Is that true

[Schone23666]

Its interesting the number of WWII gear that is still being used around the world. There was a video a couple of years ago showing Columbia Army troops, using US-surplus M-1917A1 water-cooled machine guns against the drug cartels.

Korean war vintage 3.5-inch bazookas were used by the IDF through the 1980s.

Several African armies still use bolt action Mausers.

Actually it does make sense, considering TONS of WWII era crap was made, might as well put it to use somehow...if it ain't broke, use it until it is (which I know is a modification of "if it aint' broke, don't fix it").

[HorseSoldier]

Garands, carbines, and BARs remained common enough in Latin America pre-GWOT that 7th SFG got issued suitable stores of ammo for yearly familiarization training.

[Legbreaker]

Vickers water cooled machineguns are still used for battlefield simulation exercises at Canaungra in Australia. Back when I did that range, they had the things set on tripods on a hill behind us and firing live rounds about 30 feet over our heads as we put in an assault. "Added realism" came in the form of the grass fire that had swept through about half an hour before - nothing like the feel of still smoldering grass stubble stabbing into your flesh at every bound. Even nearly 20 years later I'm still picking bits of charred grass out of my forearms as they come up to the surface.