M3/M3A1 Grease Gun

In 1941 the US Military began looking for an alternative for the Thompson submachine guns.
In December of 1942 they adopted a new submachine gun, the M3.
Built from an all steel construction using mainly stamped parts, it fired from an open bolt and had simple controls.
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Credit:
Narrator:
Chris Kane
ckvox.com/
Script and research:
By Mike Edge
Animation:
Daniel Turner
Artwork:
Daniel Turner
Music Credit:
Joshua LF Mitchell
/ joshualfmitchell

[@samuraifury9823]

"Flip up, you killing, flip down, you ain't killing"

[@XBOXGamerPro7281]

Someone has seen Fury

[@neil3442]

OH YEAH YOUR NEW NICKNAME IS MACHINE

[@FrederEngelh]

Now you kill,now you dont...

[@space_lemonz4561]

MACHINE!

[@hurk_lifeless_explorer7718]

What if you flip sideways?

[@charlesbrooks94]

Soldiers in 1941: this gun doesn’t look like it’ll be all that great, I think I’d much prefer the Thompson. Soldiers in 1991: You’ve served us well you old warhorse.

[@lolyankovic6952]

Tru

[@mhos6940]

Our mechanics still had them in 1996.

[@landbefortime6898]

@@mhos6940 good gun

[@Kray21728SP]

This is a good SMG. This should be better than the Thompson.

[@dani.zambomagno]

@@Kray21728SP it's cheap, slow that's probably why they thought it wouldn't be better than the Thompson but the Thompson is a first generation SMG with a heavy weight, too expensive and with others big flaw related to it's useless working system unnecessary in a SubMachine-Gun

[@b52goats]

My great grandpa carried this in ww2, at least we had a picture of him carrying one with 3 other guys who had a bar, a m1 garand and a m1 bazooka, he fought in Iwo Jima.

[@aj3751]

*Garand

[@CrossOfBayonne]

The Marines also started using Grease Guns in Korea too

[@cougar2k720]

That's awesome, the entire ensemble are there!

[@Antifurrystaffsergeant7368]

That is good

[@Antifurrystaffsergeant7368]

I am happy for you

[@Waltham1892]

When I was a tanker in the 80's and 90's, we still had grease guns. They worked reliably but the bores were so shot out the bullets key holed at 20 yards.

[@anthonylopez1126]

Cool if you don’t Mind me asking for which country

[@Waltham1892]

@@anthonylopez1126 USA

[@anthonylopez1126]

@Waltham1892 cool and thank you for your service

[@Waltham1892]

@@anthonylopez1126 You don't have to thank me. I cashed all my pay checks.

[@Waltham1892]

@@kayadams9746 You don't have to thank me for my service. I cashed everyone of my paychecks.

[@oxvancool8310]

The Gulf war? Wow nice

[@Simplehistory]

Yeh! I was quite surprised as well

[@oxvancool8310]

Simple History shows you how good the gun was or its reliability or because the army is probably to cheap to replace it

[@Daniel-mf8yn]

Nothing compares to the Mosin-Nagant! Made in 1891, and used from everything from the Russian Empire to the Soviet Union, and even up to modern day wars like the Syrian Civil War and Annexation of Crimea. Over 120 years of use!

[@zilet7844]

Daniel H. Its not really great tho

[@SpecterCat_]

Gonza Coirolo although not great, but just like the AK rifle family. Simple design, easy and cheap to manufacture and reliable.

[@MrGemHunter]

Army: We want a sub machine gun, just the gun though nothing fancy Gunsmith: great, so, plastic finish, wood or? Army: no no no, just the gun Gunsmith: but... Army: JUST Army: THE Army: GUN

[@radjadawamindra697]

Well, the gun is actually the important part.

[@MsZsc]

that low cost though

[@Kray21728SP]

Yeah. It’s better tho.

[@user-cv8qe9ru8c]

This comment kinda made my nite, I don't know why I find it as highlarious as I do

[@lily_astral]

Army Accountant: Listen guy, we can't even afford a damn charging handle, just cut a hole in that bolt and we'll call it even.

[@goofylookincat5028]

i like how most world war 2 games forget the grease gun is there EDIT: I just hadn't played enough ww2 games to see the grease gun

[@mozambiquehere5903]

Jaybird409 cod3 had it

[@goofylookincat5028]

I don't remember it

[@jesalvarez680]

Jaybird409 pretty sure the next cod will have the grease gun

[@rabasi8330]

Sniper Elite 3 had it

[@garmenlin5990]

Brothers in Arms Hells Highway had it.

[@Brandazzo22]

This gun is really badass. I watched a live fire of a grease gun where it knocking targets 50 yards and more away with ease. Even by today's standards, this gun is still very formidable

[@Cristian88.]

Same for M2 Browning, MG42 and M1911. Some guns are just too good

[@cannonball666]

The expression for killing: "getting greased or grease him" comes from this gun.

[@rytacomoto739]

really? that's pretty badass didn't know that

[@ravensquote7206]

Never heard this expression before. Now using this til the day I die.

[@XxNewmilleniumxX]

@@ravensquote7206 New Yorkers and most east coast cities used to use this term as slang and still do from the early 00’s until now.

[@XxNewmilleniumxX]

@@ravensquote7206 “yo he got greased.” “Damn, shorty greased him.” Etc it’s predominantly were used in the black and Hispanic communities.

[@Rifin-pu2hb]

When i was a child i thought the grease gun is german's weapon,because it looks like MP40

[@jaxx9971]

Same, before I watched this video xD

[@landbefortime6898]

@@jaxx9971 great gun

[@potatoeater4838]

Same here.

[@landbefortime6898]

@George Nelson The grease gun have slower fire rate and was used all the way into the Gulf war

[@TheCrowOfJudgement]

Me to kid

[@simonpoelma2066]

Do a special episode on the ppsh-41

[@4thedevil913]

Grünball brush that’s cod life

[@olivergrothe]

Grünball yes!! And The Mauser Karabiner 98 Kurz

[@irma-greensfrontaccount-ja1486]

Grünball fro me its almsot looks like mp40

[@skeszy]

Grünball true

[@fulcrum2951]

ur mom ppsh 41 s 35 round box magazine supplement the drum mag later on due to reliability issues

[@aurathedraak7909]

So greasy! But I didn't even know they still had them during the gulf War

[@laughablepcerrors8986]

R Hopzing im pretty sure the grease gun was used by officers,radio men and assault soldiers

[@laughablepcerrors8986]

But mostly engineers

[@pizzadeliverylookingman6094]

Greese ball

[@Simplehistory]

What do you think about the M3/M3A1 Grease Gun?

[@peacock797]

Simple History it's was amazing for the time and an absolute beast of a gun

[@ram61504]

Simple History will you do a crossover with the infograchics show about tanks then and now? And also do the battle of Kursk on the eastern front and the battle of midway in the Pacific Ocean.

[@FernandoScrocca]

Simple History can you make a video about the arditi

[@momadolittle1970]

Simple History Seems cool! I support your work! Please make more!

[@andrewmatkin9560]

It a good gun for the army in war

[@jessybishop2402]

My grandfather was in Marine recon (2nd recon Bn) in the 1950's and they all used M3A1s. I was surprised they didn't use M1 Carbines or Garands.

[@richardshort3914]

I am always impressed with your level of detail. At the 1:31 mark, where you compare the two, you actually showed the difference between the rear sights. (The very late M3 and all M3A1s had a supported rear sight, which you can distinguish in profile.) Well done, guys. Well done.

[@startmeup935]

My grandpa always talked about this weapon. May he rest in peace.

[@sonduongnguyen5467]

Maybe he used to use this weapon so he keep talking about it

[@redone_0269]

Great video. Could you maybe do a video on the M16's history?

[@mozambiquehere5903]

Do this please

[@lelouchthecoffeeguy4112]

Do this please

[@MrSgtkarl]

How about the m14

[@shard4206]

Ron Jackson gayest gun ever made

[@dinocraftman0096]

Please do this!

[@Barnaby71]

+Simple History I appreciate you guys doing all of this hard work animating and researching for all of your videos. Your videos might not be the best in the animation but it is the best in the design and detail!

[@ninjafatass9105]

FiRe Ray I love the art

[@drewshafer9379]

'See that cover?' 'Yeah' 'Open it up, now you're killing. Close it, now you ain't'

[@simonsaura8138]

Fury!

[@sofft569]

1:16 the way the soldier slowly reaches up then quickly jerks back makes it look like he’s scared of reloading

[@Timboslice475]

Fun fact, the first Delta Force trainees used grease gun in their training while on their ruck marches. Idk if they used in combat though or if they even fired them during the training to get aquatinted with it. Though I do believe they would've at least trained with them since it is Delta Force and they trained with practically any firearm that is in use by friendly and opposing forces.

[@berreta92f]

M1911 next? One of the most iconic pistol in history

[@richardshort3914]

*berreta92f* No, I think it's the P08 Luger and I say this as a guy who owns one of each. [In fairness, though, the 1911 is the better pistol for many reasons, such as slight edge on reliability, big edge on ease of maintenance and major edge on shear stopping power. ]

[@ChaplainPhantasm]

Cuz nothing says "Stop right there!" better than a M1911 :D

[@leoastner888]

Pistol🤦‍♂️

[@DarkMatterX1]

@@ChaplainPhantasm I think Ellen Foley says "stop right there" better.

[@flamingrubys11]

@@richardshort3914 when peropke think of pistol they think of either a glock or a m1911

[@trevorslinkard31]

Finally BFV got the message and added it to the game. Now one of my favorites!

[@chrism6904]

My grandpa talked about using this gun in WW2 (he was in the Airborne). He really liked it, but he preferred the M1 instead. The M1 only took 1 shot to kill someone. He also liked it because it didn't have an extended magazine (like the grease or Tommy gun). So when he was prone, him and the gun didn't have to sit up when firing (possibly getting shot in the head... which happened to one of his friends, unfortunately). I remember staying with him when I was younger... He would have HORRIBLE nightmares/flashbacks. He'd be screaming in his sleep... Id hear my Grandma trying to calm him down... I can only imagine the stuff he went through and did. My other Grandpa was killed in the Pacific... Such a shame I never got to meet him. :(

[@jonathancazares6165]

Can you do weapons and equipment used in the Vietnam War like you did on WW1 and WW2

[@CW-dl2dd]

Project _Beatles I'd love to see vids on field uniforms and equipment

[@franzibe5620]

Project _Beatles you mean M16s and AK47s??

[@hexiusuniverse2984]

PPSH-41???

[@Andy-wc5xw]

József Mészáros yeah. Soviet commisars racked up many kills with that gun

[@the_big_man8778]

József Mészáros best looking too

[@croatianwarmaster7872]

+József Mészáros mg42

[@evs251]

It was a dirty copy of german mp18.

[@pawhunter340]

evs251 you mean mp 40

[@JM-jv7ps]

When my grandfather's airborne unit got issues grease guns ( in Korea), they tested them, found that no one could reliably hit a target with it, then took them back and got their Thompsons back. ..

[@michelleweaver720]

We had 2 of them on our M60A3 Tanks, 1 for loader-1 for driver, Ft. Stewart Georgia 5/32 Armor 84'-87'

[@lewisjohnson3082]

Legendary gun. Amazing that it was used up until the gulf War by many other armies too!

[@discodog6138]

do history on the korean war

[@fatmanbatman9374]

The forgotten war

[@alphonsocaponne7478]

sounds great

[@piotr6825]

Yes

[@11e40r8]

Dad fought in Pacific WW2 and he carried one for a short time. He said he had 2 events when the gun fired by itself, he dumped it for the M1 grand. I myself was a tanker in the Army in early 70's, we trained with M3a1, on the range the first time I shot it I had what they call a run-on. This is where you pull the trigger and the gun fires, but when you let go of the trigger it continues to fire until the magazine is empty. Both Dad and myself think this weapon is a POC!

[@Phoenix_OP]

I have a friend who was a Grunt(Infantry) for US Army from 1977-1987 and he said that a lot of Tank crews used it at his time. Good video and I just learn something new

[@senyai-4905]

Simple history I've been subscribed for about for 3 months now and I think your channel is extraordinary and I learned about ww1 already since I'm in 5th grade going into 6th grade your animations are amazing

[@Simplehistory]

+Salty ___ thanks! Means a lot

[@senyai-4905]

Simple History no problem:)

[@Dylan-gv5wy]

you guys should do a video on Lyudmila Pavlichenko.She was a soviet sniper with 309 confirmed kills.

[@grovstar2000]

The White Death has 500 sniper kills and 200 with his Suomi ( Submashine gun ) . Simo Haya aka The White Death fought in the finnish - soviet war .

[@omgitsjoetime]

A normal person . Ya go Finland

[@Pfsif]

Soviet would never inflate her numbers for propaganda ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ yes, no?

[@wuderoofe]

Much better than anyone that came out of America and besides, they were fighting a real war.

[@EnderMan314-USA]

@@wuderoofe How was it not a "real war" German civilians dont exist either? French? Czech?

[@215618680]

I did a “fam fire” with the M3A1 during OSUT at Fort Knox in 1984. You could actually see the heavy 240 grain FMJ aka “ball” bullets as they slowly arched down range.

[@h.wang_]

The firing sound is so satisfying

[@foughtthelol]

Looking up gun videos on Simple HIstory, next automated video : "Hi I'm Ian Mccollum and today on Forgotten Weapons we are looking at..."

[@benabad4186]

"Hey dave, I making pasta, can you give me the grease gun?" "Sure." (Chhhkkk) (Blam) (Blam) (Blam) "Thanks."

[@joshsweet9763]

I've been subscribed since 35k and I got my simple history world war 2 and simple history world war 1 books back in Christmas 2016.

[@shadowsnake8989]

My grandfather served in Korea and he loved this gun. He used to tell me about how it worked and fired and joked that you could cut a tree in half with it with how fast it fired.

[@wolfkins1307]

Can you do the troubles in Northern Ireland?

[@takeshiyeung7141]

Can u make a vid about BAR?

[@blumenthol]

I was issued one of these as an M1 tank commander in the 1990's. Didn't have much of a range to speak of - but for what it was - it was a great SMG. Big 'cool' factor lugging this around too. I missed it when it was replaced by the 9mm Berretta.

[@TheLastArbiter]

An often overlooked weapon. Great video

[@frendam3468]

I know you get a lot of these requests, but can you show my country some love? CZ have been providing the world with the legendary BREN for ages

[@nathangradinaru5607]

Please make a tiger tank and tiger tank 2 video

[@KillerSpoon575]

They made a tiger video

[@gmmuller100]

Love these videos, with you guys did more weapon overviews

[@nothingspecial2332]

i like the reference to FMJ at 1:44. great film

[@GamesTube80]

What about making a video of the Japanese ww2 SMG type 100?

[@callsigncoyote7931]

If there was a company that made civilian legal ones, I’d buy one immediately

[@FishKepr]

Valkyrie Arms made the briefly. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pH6yn4uXiceblbcsi=UotME8Y3RiT_uiSo My wife and I sat next to Valerie at a dinner once. Nice lady.

[@reems10]

I love your channel, I like History keep it up!

[@biggvshavtivsdickvsii8541]

A very simple, rough but good hardy piece of weaponry. I wouldn’t mind having a practise shoot of one some day on the range.

[@dean5152]

Day Of Infamy: Love It Rising Storm 2: Hate It

[@YugoM92]

Dean they gave it a buff I got a 50 kill game using it

[@padfoot1178]

Dean day of infamy : hate it Rising storm 2: love it But I guess it comes down to opinion

[@NikhilYadav-mj6wj]

I never found that gun in call of duty 2 campaign

[@zakback9937]

Nor on CoD3

[@arrowtt3364]

+nikhil It's in the mp for some reason.

[@justinhemboorger1620]

nikhil singh really were u playing 2 or 2 big red one

[@gerardannink5318]

@@justinhemboorger1620 their only in multiplayer

[@epistimonkapetanios]

I get enlisted memories from this video.

[@wisanggeniaulia9379]

Has amazing sound affect

[@tiffanylockhart7381]

i seen an image. "DON'T RUN IN THIS HALLWAY OR STALIN WOULD NOT APPROVE"

[@MrCradle35]

My fovarite gun m1Grand/Mp40/thomsan/PPSH

[@justinhemboorger1620]

MrCradle35 do some more research youll find alot more. Although they are all beautiful firearms u mention.look up rotary machinegun its cool.

[@arisaka233]

M1 GRAND AND THOMSAN LOL

[@MrCradle35]

kevin_nahuel2010 ok

[@tikunhiplaaja631]

mai fovatire gnu is kalkashinov 37.

[@DannySisto]

MrCradle35 Garand* Thompson*

[@u121386]

Man I just love these videos! Keep it up :)

[@patrickwentz8413]

Our CEV crewmen in Korea used them until 1997. Interesting deadly little killing machine.

[@aarond0454]

Troubles in Northern Ireland?

[@Simplehistory]

+Aaron D04 maybe easter rising soon

[@aarond0454]

Yay

[@epicsheepgamer7002]

They should probably clean it, because it looks so greasy :)

[@imperialnut3146]

I never miss your videos

[@hiddentruth1982]

the u.s. still had some in the 1980's. My dad and uncle ( who were both in the army ) would talk about it sometimes.

[@bagusradityabw6113]

Nice Video, Could you do the MG34 Video???

[@antonioagay2032]

Looks like the mp40, I wonder if it's derived from it.

[@sethl6626]

Antonio Agay while it does look similar, the M3 is a separate design with no parts commonality to the MP40

[@jamessawley213]

It probably had loose inspiration from the mp40, just the concept of a light, low rate of fire submachinegun

[@240pixel]

Sten gun was more of the one that inspired US to with cheap to produce Smg

[@roberth.goddardthefatherof6376]

the basic look is based off it yes, with it's Handel magazine and retractable stock. but aside from that the internals have no similarities, the Grease gun in incredibly efficiently made and simple and as the video says almost made completely of stamped metal parts. the Mp40 was overengineered (the independent firing pin despite it being an Open bolt weapon for example.) and far more expensive.

[@tricepsish]

I've seen you in other videos bagging and putting down German arms. Do you have some chip on your shoulder?

[@kevinlugo3466]

These WW2 videos WANT to make me play Heroes and Generals. Keep up the good quality videos

[@bryanrigby4429]

Its so unique that i love it!

[@robertmiranda1184]

Did anyone else pick at the screen at 0:06 to get that little speck off? Like if you did

[@cloutsosaa]

Lmao they made the Grease Gun from Call Of Duty WWll into a real thing lol

[@danfajardo4420]

Is this a joke?

[@maxgray5189]

I think all the people commenting about video games should comment less.... in my opinion;) ... but hey I'm sure that plenty of people would appreciate it if I would comment like this...

[@crimson3shark749]

yeah one of my fav op guns I use in battlefield v on breakthrough as a defender

[@Applecompuser]

My uncle used this weapon in WW2. I dont know if he liked the weapon, but he told me it was jammed when he had taken prisoners. His unit was in both the ETO and the pacific theater.

[@MrAndylauw]

make tsar bomba

[@mcfch8891]

cringe

[@kanyegaming5296]

im working on the 100 megaton for personal use

[@beyondblesscrissy4063]

albert einstein That will be hard.

[@dan-gheorghe2277]

Do WW1 factions :Romania pls

[@albertbarese4170]

Tovarasul Ceausescu I know why Kim Jong died, because he was il.

[@dan-gheorghe2277]

Vern That's right

[@coconc9148]

servus tovarase! nu-mi maresti alocatia te rog?

[@user-kt8yp5ho2y]

M3/M3A1 also still use in the North Korean special forces and Japanese army. But we already replace the old M3/M3A1 to K1A carbine and K2C carbine.

[@Sensei_Athos_VR]

one of my favorite guns of all time. I love this machine gun and its very easy to control when firing full auto and its fun to shoot. 😇👍

[@GamerBajan]

Do Korean war

[@tidepods4512]

Who plays cod WW2 and clicked the vid because of the name grease gun?

[@dalesearcy5734]

I was able to shoot the M3A1 while I was a crew member on a track recovery vehicle during my time in the USNG. It was fun to shoot and ran well.

[@tahoetom9932]

Great episode

[@canadianturfsandwich1258]

This reminds me of Forgotten Hope, an awesome mod for Battlefield 1942.

[@luuksteller7223]

I have waited for this so long

[@pac1fic055]

I saw one for the first time some weeks ago, fittingly displayed alongside a Sherman tank.

[@Italiandanish]

those Vietnam m3a1 with the muzzle break are awesome guns not alot of those made it around they're extremely desirable

[@stevenveltrie1868]

Had one in Vietnam. Loved it Simple and always worked.

[@dakotarcher09]

You guys should do a video like this for the Garand and 1911.

[@airborneshodan]

Most fun gun I have ever shot. Still remember sun glinting of stream of .45 balls heading downrange like a firehose. Little recoil and accuracy aided by slow rate of fire.

[@redmondpeters7162]

The grease gun is an interesting weapon. One of my favorites.

[@randomlythinglikesholycats7998]

M3a1 got added to a gun game I love And it’s OP

[@alextepe4309]

Fun fact: the grease gun, which fired .45 ammo could also be converted to fire 9mm ammo. That way, captured German ammo could be used. This is why the gun became popular with resistance fighters.

[@angelofreak7]

Want one but likely rare and expensive nowadays. Still it be really cooler on a piece of History

[@bvaughn380]

This gun can pack alot of firepower. good for doing a run and gun and stealth missons in the war it is still a little weak not best for snipers but good for quick fire at peaking enemys in cover

[@lisamcintyre1827]

I love your stuff

[@MaskHysteria]

My grandaddy's gun. He was a Sherman commander during WWII and liked the M3.

[@fizzykitten3208]

Simple history is awesome

[@Luke-si5qo]

Cheap, effective, and light! Yes for me!

[@Quonzer]

Elegantly simple.

[@sargentfoxy155]

Looks cool

[@Doughboy842]

It's a nice weapon. I have a airsoft version of the grease gun. nice and light to run about the woods with. althought a little awkward with the butt in. but when stock extended its all good.

[@demonbasilisk115]

Be nice to see a quick real picture of these