All posts by Betty Williams

Battle History Pt 1

On April 29, 1864 Union general Franz Sigel was ordered up the Shenandoah Valley by General Ulysses Grant during Grant’s campaign to get to the Confederate capitol at Richmond in 1864.  While Grant was fighting Robert E. Lee at the Wilderness, he wanted Sigel to capture the breadbasket of the Confederacy.  The movement of Sigel’s army through the valley can be described as slow at best, as it took three days to cover the twenty-two mile span between Martinsburg, West Virginia and Winchester, Virginia.  The army stopped frequently and patrols were sent out at the rumor of enemy presence in the area.  Once they reached Winchester Sigel stopped to drill his men for several days.  While in Winchester drilling and conducting mock battles the army’s supply trains from Martinsburg were captured, most notably by the 43rd Virginia Cavalry under Lieutenant Colonel John S. Mosby, including Sigel’s personal supply train.  Confederate cavalry under Captain John H. McNeill destroyed the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad’s repair shop and storage yard on May 5 while Sigel’s army sat in Winchester. 

At this point Confederate general John Daniel Imboden, who was positioned on the 2,300-foot crest at the north end of Massanutten knew every movement of Sigel’s army.  Imboden’s cavalry was responsible for slowing down the advance of Sigel’s army towards Staunton, Virginia, which was seventy miles southwest of Sigel’s latest stopping point at Strasburg, Virginia.  Imboden knew if he could keep the Union army’s patrols busy Sigel would not advance his forces.  The best strategy, according to Imboden was, “to attack these detachments as far from Strasburg as possible and delay their return as long as possible.”  On May 9 Imboden’s forces set out and ambushed the Union patrols, causing 150 casualties between two armies that were thirty miles apart and further slowing the movement of Sigel’s army. 

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European Pistols used in WWII

European Pistols

 

After the World War 1, the various combatants in the various countries and battalions were faced with the issue of using deadlier and more efficient weaponry. The efficiency was in terms of the number of rounds that could be fired from one load, the speed at which these bullets could be fired, and the noise levels. To this effect, the Germans, the Englishmen and others all developed pistols that were more sophisticated than the enemy. The Gewehr 88 was one of the European Pistols used in WWII. It was used by the German  under the infamous leadership. It used smokeless gun powder, which means that it was neater to use and in terms of noise, it was quieter.

wwii
The Browning high power was another of the European Pistols used in WWII. It was a very advanced gun that was more quieter and could fire the 40 mm caliber bullets. It had the capacity to fire 13 rounds of ammunition, and considering it was back in the 1926, it could have been the equivalent of the AK 47 of today. The Browning was used in over 50 countries back in the World War II before it was later advanced to a more modern pistol.
The Luger P08 pistol was another of the many European Pistols used in WWII. It was designed for use in the WWI and advanced for use in the second world war. It was used by the Imperial German army back in the war and was manufactured by an arms firm in Berlin, where it was the taken over by the Mauser company for further advancement for use in the second world war.
From the above descriptions, the Germans were very committed in the art of gun making and can be said to be one of the main dealers in European Pistols used in WWII which would explain why the likes of the Germans prospered thus.

If you are a WWII Veteran you are approved for a  VA Loan

Classic American Rifles

Introduction

A rifle is a gun that is usually fired from the shoulder level. Most have a long spiral grooved barrel whose role is to spin the bullet making it more accurate especially over long distances giving accuracy.

Some of America’s classic rifles:

1. The Marlin Model 336

This model was introduced in 1948. Since then, there have been more six million 336 model rifles that have been introduced. The rifle is best for hunters and this model, despite using a number of variations; it has mostly chambered the 30-30 Winchester and the 35 Remington cartridges.

2. Winchester Model 70

The Winchester model 70 was introduced in 1936. It is mostly referred to as The Rifleman’s Rifle’ It is also a favorite for most hunters and sport shooters. It is a favorite because of the mauser-style extractor that ensures a reliable feed. It is also has a 3-way wing tip safety giving it great accuracy.

3. Winchester Model 1984

It is commonly referred to as the Model 94. It is best known for deer hunting. It is light, comfortable, has fast shooting and is highly effective for shooting in short distances.

4. Savage Model 99

This model was released in 1899. It is one of the most classic deer hunting rifles. It is referred to as the one of the greatest all round deer rifles ever made. It has a decent trigger; one that takes a well to the scope and thus firing to a high intensity giving accuracy. It is also referred to as the ultimate lever action design. This rifle was also the first to use smokeless powder.

5. Winchester Model 100

Introduced in 1960 as a twin to the model 88 level, the Winchester model 100 is a 6.5 pound caliber rifle with a 19 inch barrel. It is also quickest to learn on how to handle.

Thanks for reading this post it took me a few hours because i had a vehicle lockout issue leaving to work today.

Conclusion

There are over 10 American classic riffles with Winchester being among the best. Most of these rifles are mainly used for hunting and sports. And each is used for different hunting purposes dependent on as hunters’ reference.

 

Top 5 Modern Pistols

Hi everyone i know it’s been a long time since my last post i wanted to give a review on my top 5 pistols of the modern era. There are so many great military weapons to choose from, so narrowing this list down to just 5 was pretty hard. I did about 10 hours of research to make my decisions. I have personally tested 2 of these weapons.

Well without further waiting here is my list:

1.) The Beretta M9 Semi-Automatic

m9

This weapon is great because it is American manufactured and it’s also been a primary side-arm for our military forces since 1990 if you can believe it. There have been reports of changing this in recent years

2.) Beretta Px4 Storm Semi-Automatic

This italian made pistol has some serious power even though it’s only a 5 to 6 inch long pistol. Take a look at one by searching the px4 name. 

3.) Colt M45 Semi-Automatic Service Pistol

Back to the USA. The Colt 45 is an american classic. This weapon is still used by military personal and will continue to be for years to come.

4.) Cooper Pocket Five-Shot Revolver 

Ok i know it’s supposed to be a modern list but i couldn’t leave out this 1860 classic.. It reminds me of old Cowboy vs Indians movie flicks. You have to appreciate history sometimes.

5.) Pindad G2 Semi-Automatic

Couldn’t leave off this list without one Asian made pistol. The Pindad G2 is a great semi automatic weapon that could be used for fun, military, or home protection. Asians do not get enough credit for their craftsmanship and attention to detail on their weapons

That concludes my list for today, i’ll come back with a new one next week! If your wondering what’s been new with me i moved and started working with a new tow truck company Spokane Towing Service if your in the area email me.

Thanks for reading!

Welcome To My New Blog

Hi, this is Betty W. I have this blog to post about military related interests. I want to this to become a valuable resource to everyone who likes and enjoys military history and equipment.

Other than posting from this blog i work for a tow truck company I really enjoy my job but i wish i had more time to devote to this site. I am able to gather ideas for this site at work however.

I am specifically intrigued by WWI and WWII but all wars and battles i take interest in. I’m sure i’ll get to more about that in later posts here on this site.

I guess that’s all i have for now, we’ll talk to ya soon!

-Betty