Your first time...!

[Clark Howard]

The advisor to our high school gun club, (Imagine that, now!) was a police sergeant. He would bring the dept's 1928 Thompson to the range on Saturday. He begged the local National Guard unit for ammo. We had all the 30-06 AP and 45 ACP we could shoot. I fired many thousands of rounds through the Thompson. It was lots of fun, but nothing like the M2HB I fired a few years later. I have served with some highly skilled M-60 shooters, but my fav full auto is the fixed stock MP-5. For anything but a combat assault, I still prefer an Ithaca 37. Regards, Clark

[Liam]

In the Army I shot the M16A1 until in Germany we had to turn them in for the newer M16A2 (w/ 3-rnd burst), M3 Grease Gun which were issued to our track drivers, M60 and the M2 .50 cal. I hate to say how much taxpayer dollars were wasted by me in the field and at the ranges.

[Vern Humphrey]

My experience is that submachine guns are not really very good combat weapons -- you have something as heavy as a rifle, but can only shoot pistol ammo in it. Their primary advantage is that they can be made cheaply with simple manufacturing techniques and used to arm masses of poorly-trained troops.