The H+R MC-58 Rifle in Service Photos?

[Charlie Flick]

The MC-58 rifle manufactured by H&R in the 1950s was an interesting USGI .22. When the CMP sold the few they were able to obtain there was a lot of interest.

My question has to do with these rifles in Marine Corps service. It occurred to me that I have never seen a period photo of the MC-58 in actual use by the Marines. There have to be photos that were taken, but I have never been able to run any down.

Can anyone here point me to such a photo?

Thanks.

Regards,
Charlie

[n64atlas]

DAlbert might have photos. He collects paperwork on Reisings. I just collect Reisings. There may be pics in the Manual for the MC-58.
It was short lived as they started production in 1958 and the M16 was being introduced in the early 1960's.
Ask the question on this site. It is run by DAlbert: http://www.machinegunboards.com/forums/index.php?showforum=5

[usmc69]

Don't think this a photo of what you are looking for, but it is the only photo of an H&R that I have ever seen in the training scenario.
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n1/usmc690303/USMCHR65.jpg

[Charlie Flick]

DAlbert might have photos. He collects paperwork on Reisings. I just collect Reisings. There may be pics in the Manual for the MC-58.
It was short lived as they started production in 1958 and the M16 was being introduced in the early 1960's.
Ask the question on this site. It is run by DAlbert: http://www.machinegunboards.com/forums/index.php?showforum=5

Thank you for the suggestion, N64. I am acquainted with Dave, have posted on his site before and have discussed the lack of period MC-58 pics with him. Dave is a very knowledgeable and helpful guy.

I have both of the MC-58 manuals and the images in there are useful but don't show these rifles in Marine Corps use. They are what one would typically see in Operator, Tech and Parts Manuals of the era.

I am thinking now that the best source might be either boot camp "yearbooks" or perhaps The Leatherneck magazine from the late 1950s.

Regards,
Charlie

[Charlie Flick]

Don't think this a photo of what you are looking for, but it is the only photo of an H&R that I have ever seen in the training scenario.

Thank you, too, USMC69. Nope, that is not an MC-58 but a Model 65. Nonetheless, it is a heck of a good photo and one of the very few I have ever seen of any of the H&R .22s in service. Also the H&R .22s were not in service long one would think that there still would be more than a handful of decent pics of them in service out in the wild. Thanks for posting this one.

Regards,
Charlie

[dalbert]

Howard and Charlie,

Thanks for the kind words. I have not seen a photo of an MC-58 in USMC use. Charlie, you are correct...Yearbooks and Leatherneck magazines are probably the best bet. If anyone finds a photo, I will be quite interested to see it.

David Albert
dalbert@sturmgewehr.com

[oldtirediron]

I enjoyed looking at the picture of the H&R model 65 in marine corps useage; only photo I have ever seen, Have two of them and a bunch of spare magazines !

[keith smart]

Excellent question. 4 years have passed and I am wondering what may have been learned.
Keith

[Charlie Flick]

Keith:

I have not seen a period photo of the MC-58 rifle in USMC use since I started this thread way back when.

Regards,
Charlie

[cplnorton]

Crap, I had one. Someone posted it on a Marine facebook group I moderated. If I remember right it was in his boot camp book he bought from the late 50's, early 60's.

I will try to look for it again. If I find it, I will come back and post it. But it was definitely a MC58.

[Charlie Flick]

Well, cplnorton, I sure hope you can find that image. The MC-58 guns have pretty much been invisible when it comes to photos taken while in service.

Regards,
Charlie

[keith smart]

Well, cplnorton, I sure hope you can find that image. The MC-58 guns have pretty much been invisible when it comes to photos taken while in service.

Regards,
Charlie

PM sent

- - - Updated - - -


Crap, I had one. Someone posted it on a Marine facebook group I moderated. If I remember right it was in his boot camp book he bought from the late 50's, early 60's.

I will try to look for it again. If I find it, I will come back and post it. But it was definitely a MC58.

PM sent

[cplnorton]

Hey I did find the trials of the MC58 this week. Plus documents on the 65's. I haven't had a chance to fully go through them.

But isn't it believed though the MC58 was built as a training rifle for the M14?

Or am I mistaken?

[usmc69]

Hey I did find the trials of the MC58 this week. Plus documents on the 65's. I haven't had a chance to fully go through them.

But isn't it believed though the MC58 was built as a training rifle for the M14?

Or am I mistaken?

Have seen that written somewhere in the past.

[cplnorton]

Have seen that written somewhere in the past.

Yeah I have a bunch of documents on them now. It looks like they started around 1954 on trying to find a more accurate training aid for the M1 Garand.

They made requests to several civilian companies looking for the specific trainer they wanted. Only a couple responded with Marlin and H&R being the only two that were serious about making a copy for the M1. The Army at the time didn't want a .22 trainer for the M1, and only the Marines did. That is probably why the civilian companies didn't really respond. There wasn't enough money to be made by a small order to the Marines.

H&R by the trials won with the what was called the M65 modified. Then it was designated the MC-58.

But yeah it never had anything to do with the M14. Which suprised me. It was all about the Garand.

[Charlie Flick]

CplNorton:

Documentation on the MC-58 rifles is very scarce. Would you mind posting what you have found on them, as you have generously done before with documents on the Springfield and M1917 rifles?

Thanks.
Charlie Flick