In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.

Modern Weapons in 1776 War

Happy GuyHappy Guy Member Posts: 677 ✭✭✭✭
edited September 2006 in General Discussion
Have you ever wondered what effect a single soldier in the Revolutionary War could have had if he merely used a modern weapon ? What if a soldier had a modern bolt action Remington 30-06 with a scope ? Could he single handly change the outcome of famous battles ?

Comments

  • kristovkristov Member Posts: 6,633
    edited November -1
    One hit from a British flintlock rifle and our hero would be just a dead!
  • chris_cechris_ce Member Posts: 1,608 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Yes he would have made a big difference. At that time the british officers stood out in the open for an easy target.
    Just think if they were standing lined up and someone pulled out a full auto.
  • CubsloverCubslover Member Posts: 18,601 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I've wondered what a squad of Seals or Rangers might have done. 1 Sniper, 3 Heavy MG's and 7-8 infantrymen w/M4's could have put a hurtin on em.
    Half of the lives they tell about me aren't true.
  • allen griggsallen griggs Member Posts: 35,692 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    If a Colonial soldier had had a scoped 30-06 at Bunker Hill, with unlimited supply of ammo, it could have turned the battle.
    First, he could hit at 300 yards or more. The range of the smoothbore muskets was 100 yards, tops. In the massed ranks of the British, he could have made consistent hits at 5 to 6 hundred yards, easy.
    Modern full metal jacket ammo would have gone through 2 or 3 British soldiers.
    Once the British got to within 200 yards, the time traveling sniper could have started picking off the British officers.
    Yes I believe a single 30-06 could have turned that battle.
  • 11BravoCrunchie11BravoCrunchie Member Posts: 33,423 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Just imagine if it was an M1 Garand...or a whole company worth of them. I've often pondered this.

    Or M1A2 Abrams MBTs in WWI and II.

    Or A10s in WWII and Korea.

    Or F15s in Vietnam.
  • staind460staind460 Member Posts: 1,223 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    an interesting side note on this topic

    there is an author by the name of ahrry turttledove. some of you may have heard of him.

    he writes what are called alternative histories i.e. what if the south had won the battle of gettysburg etc.

    well one of his books is titled "guns of the South" in which a mysteriouse individual demonstrates an AK-47 style rifle for R.E. Lee who proceeds to arms his troops with the fantastical rifle. it is a pretty good read. i highly recamend any of his work, but that one in particular
  • hughbetchahughbetcha Member Posts: 7,801 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by staind460
    an interesting side note on this topic

    there is an author by the name of ahrry turttledove. some of you may have heard of him.

    he writes what are called alternative histories i.e. what if the south had won the battle of gettysburg etc.

    well one of his books is titled "guns of the South" in which a mysteriouse individual demonstrates an AK-47 style rifle for R.E. Lee who proceeds to arms his troops with the fantastical rifle. it is a pretty good read. i highly recamend any of his work, but that one in particular



    I'll second the motion on Guns of the South. there is also another Turtledove series called world in the balance that is about war between aliens and man.
  • CubsloverCubslover Member Posts: 18,601 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Zulu7
    Just imagine if it was an M1 Garand...or a whole company worth of them. I've often pondered this.

    Or M1A2 Abrams MBTs in WWI and II.

    Or A10s in WWII and Korea.

    Or F15s in Vietnam.


    Same here, or m16's in WWI & II
    Half of the lives they tell about me aren't true.
  • spanielsellsspanielsells Member Posts: 12,498
    edited November -1
    In the days of 1776, it would have been miraculous just to see a semi-auto with a 30-round clip.
  • Spider7115Spider7115 Member Posts: 29,704 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Well, the other side would have equal weapons so I don't know that the outcome would be any different. This reminds me of an old "Twilight Zone" episode where some tankers went back in time to Little Big Horn. They left their tank and took M-1 carbines to join the battle. Their names ended up on the tombstones of all the soldiers killed.
  • spanielsellsspanielsells Member Posts: 12,498
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Spider7115
    Well, the other side would have equal weapons so I don't know that the outcome would be any different. This reminds me of an old "Twilight Zone" episode where some tankers went back in time to Little Big Horn. They left their tank and took M-1 carbines to join the battle. Their names ended up on the tombstones of all the soldiers killed.
    If you go back in time and bring a weapon with you, how do you figure that the other side would have equal weapons?

    The "Twilight Zone" was an interesting show that probed a lot of "what if" scenarios. But, it wasn't the only possible outcome.

    Of course, this is all fantasy-speak, so what's the real difference?
  • tapwatertapwater Member Posts: 10,336 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    ....That Twilight Zone episode always bothered me. Why would anyone leave behind a Stuart tank? Also, they were training in a National Park? With live ammo?

    ....I know, I know, it's a fantasy, but please.
  • mateomasfeomateomasfeo Member Posts: 27,143
    edited November -1
    Just think if one side had tactical nuclear weapons. Do u think that would have changed the outcome of the war?

    Would the outcome had been different if one side had Zombies? Or B52's? Helicopter gunships? Or BLKHRN?

    Oh brother...
  • dongizmodongizmo Member Posts: 14,477 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by mateomasfeo


    Just think if the South had tactical nuclear weapons. Do u think that would have changed the outcome of the war?

    Would the outcome had been different if the South had Zombies? Or B52's? Helicopter gunships? Or BLKHRN?

    Oh brother...


    Or LAWYERS, drunk or sober[:D]
    Don
    The ultimate result of shielding men from the effects of folly, is to fill the world with fools.
  • alledanalledan Member Posts: 19,541
    edited November -1
    Just load me up with a mini gun and all the parts, ammo, body armor etc. that I would need and send me back! In no time at all you will be saying "What War?"[:D][:D]
  • Tailgunner1954Tailgunner1954 Member Posts: 7,734 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by cubslovers
    quote:Originally posted by Zulu7
    Just imagine if it was an M1 Garand...or a whole company worth of them. I've often pondered this.

    Or M1A2 Abrams MBTs in WWI and II.

    Or A10s in WWII and Korea.

    Or F15s in Vietnam.


    Same here, or m16's in WWI & II


    But zen ve vould all be spraken ze doich(sp). Ve hav vayes of making you talk, old man
  • bpostbpost Member Posts: 32,669 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    More important than the guns is Washington crossing the river. In the paintings he is standing tall and proud at the bow of the boat, leading his troops.

    What if, just before the crossing he had a case of the runs; we would not have that famous painting to adorn many a family room.
  • temblortemblor Member Posts: 2,153 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by Tailgunner1954
    quote:Originally posted by cubslovers
    quote:Originally posted by Zulu7
    Just imagine if it was an M1 Garand...or a whole company worth of them. I've often pondered this.

    Or M1A2 Abrams MBTs in WWI and II.

    Or A10s in WWII and Korea.

    Or F15s in Vietnam.


    Same here, or m16's in WWI & II


    But zen ve vould all be spraken ze doich(sp). Ve hav vayes of making you talk, old man

    No kidding.
    Who in their right mind would trade a M1Garand for an M16 for a battle rifle. 03 Springfield is debatable I guess.
  • Happy GuyHappy Guy Member Posts: 677 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by bpost1958
    What if, just before the crossing he had a case of the runs; we would not have that famous painting to adorn many a family room.




    I thought about that one night when i was puking my guts out for 7 hours straight. timing in life is everything
  • 11BravoCrunchie11BravoCrunchie Member Posts: 33,423 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by temblor
    quote:Originally posted by Tailgunner1954
    quote:Originally posted by cubslovers
    quote:Originally posted by Zulu7
    Just imagine if it was an M1 Garand...or a whole company worth of them. I've often pondered this.

    Or M1A2 Abrams MBTs in WWI and II.

    Or A10s in WWII and Korea.

    Or F15s in Vietnam.


    Same here, or m16's in WWI & II


    But zen ve vould all be spraken ze doich(sp). Ve hav vayes of making you talk, old man

    No kidding.
    Who in their right mind would trade a M1Garand for an M16 for a battle rifle. 03 Springfield is debatable I guess.


    The only thing I'd trade an M1 for would be an M14 or possibly an M1A. Really the only thing we could do to change anything in WWII's ground war with modern technology would be to give the troops body armor.

    However, B-52s would be an impressive sight in the skies over a WWII world. I wonder how many fewer islands we would've had to take in the Pacific if we had had B-52s and KC-135s.
  • SperrySperry Member Posts: 5,006 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_7th_Is_Made_Up_of_Phantoms_(The_Twilight_Zone)

    I haven't seen it, but just added it to my Netflicks queue.

    The Repeaters were well respected during the Civil War.
Sign In or Register to comment.