It seems that it would be hard to do something like this, but we hear stories of it happening...

 

Is it just 'stories' or did it happen more than we think...?

I would say that based on my experiences with veterans and their firearms, that it would be a real rarity for soldiers to have gotten their M1 rifles home. I have encountered a lot of WWII veterans, mainly officers, who brought home their service pistols, and LOADS of enemy firearms, but really not much in the way of long guns.

 

Back in the 1960's, a lot of the WWII long arms, Garands and carbines, were removed from government armories and sold by national franchises like Montgomery Ward, Western Auto, Sears, and J.C. Penney. I would assume that the vast majority of M1 rifles in the hands of veterans more likely came from those sources that having been brought home in their duffle bags. 

 

There is the story about Audie Murphy going on the Merv Griffin Show and quoting the serial number of his M1 Carbine. A viewer had purchased that exact rifle and made the effort to get the carbine back to Audie Murphy. In this day and age, whoever owned it would have put it on a large auction and expected a significant payday for having that kind of luck.

 

Allan

3 minutes ago, Allan H. said:

I would say that based on my experiences with veterans and their firearms, that it would be a real rarity for soldiers to have gotten their M1 rifles home. I have encountered a lot of WWII veterans, mainly officers, who brought home their service pistols, and LOADS of enemy firearms, but really not much in the way of long guns.

 

Back in the 1960's, a lot of the WWII long arms, Garands and carbines, were removed from government armories and sold by national franchises like Montgomery Ward, Western Auto, Sears, and J.C. Penney. I would assume that the vast majority of M1 rifles in the hands of veterans more likely came from those sources that having been brought home in their duffle bags. 

 

There is the story about Audie Murphy going on the Merv Griffin Show and quoting the serial number of his M1 Carbine. A viewer had purchased that exact rifle and made the effort to get the carbine back to Audie Murphy. In this day and age, whoever owned it would have put it on a large auction and expected a signifi

Allan

Great info Allan! Makes sense and regarding the 1960's sales, my neighbor bought an M1 Carbine for $25 through the mail around that time. Imagine?! Lucky..  ;D

33 minutes ago, Allan H. said:

I would say that based on my experiences with veterans and their firearms, that it would be a real rarity for soldiers to have gotten their M1 rifles home. I have encountered a lot of WWII veterans, mainly officers, who brought home their service pistols, and LOADS of enemy firearms, but really not much in the way of long guns.

 

Back in the 1960's, a lot of the WWII long arms, Garands and carbines, were removed from government armories and sold by national franchises like Montgomery Ward, Western Auto, Sears, and J.C. Penney. I would assume that the vast majority of M1 rifles in the hands of veterans more likely came from those sources that having been brought home in their duffle bags. 

 

There is the story about Audie Murphy going on the Merv Griffin Show and quoting the serial number of his M1 Carbine. A viewer had purchased that exact rifle and made the effort to get the carbine back to Audie Murphy. In this day and age, whoever owned it would have put it on a large auction and expected a significant payday for having that kind of luck.

 

Allan

Here’s a link to the Audie Murphy carbine.

 

https://www.mathscinotes.com/2017/12/audie-murphys-rifle-and-the-power-of-databases/

 

All good points, and I have owned at least one M1911A1 that I was able to confirm was issued new to a Marine who was stationed on Guam, as was told to me by his son (who sold it to me)....a 'story' nonetheless, but the pistol was a mint example in the box and I was able to verify it all independently  with shipping records....so it  all worked out beautifully.

 

I just acquired another Garand for my collection that was proclaimed to be a 'bring-back', but the appeal of the rifle to me is that it is all original and unaltered in every aspect, even the sling looks like it has been on the rifle since late 1942-early 1943....all truly in 'closet' condition-- quite a time capsule.

Illicit activities, by their nature, are hard to quantify, but anecdotes can only be used to develop a more refined question; never an answer. Mostly good for entertainment - and misleading those even less inclined to base opinions on facts.

 

Take a look at this from a high level staff meeting held at the Pentagon in March 1945. Doesn't look like the Army thought that gear disappearing was all that rare in WWII. The lack of property accountability requirements means the exact quantities of particular items is unknowable. If Customs kept track of seized items, that list has not been located.

 

This overlooks bringbacks entirely. And how much stuff walked off of stateside bases - the Army had well over 2 million in the U.S. when this report was written.

 

Is it possible? always

 

 there's the USMC officer LTC Harry Torgerson who came home with his Johnson Carbine

 

I suppose if its 1945 and you're on the Queen Mary in NY harbor your going to get inspected by MP's several times and again at Ft Dix separation center besides the inspection before boarding.

 

but if your ''connex'' gear is laid out for inspection in 2005, and the MP's show up 2 hours late, inspect a dozen joes footlockers, then tell the other hundred or so ''ok close them up '' someone might drop something into a box taking a nice boat ride.

 

 

and I have seen a very few individuals who got firearms into the US from Baghdad so i never say never to the inventiveness of a G.I.  legalities aside.

 

only stuff i brought back was a russian steelpot  i found one night in Ameriyah and a french lizard pattern jacket right off the guy firing a mortar into tigerland, Dumb SOB didnt realize we were literally around the corner

It is not a Garand, but I have a vet bringback 1943 Lee Enfield.  The family I got it from bought or traded for it circa 1950 to use as a hunting rifle.  I just assume a GI picked it off the battlefield somewhere and figured 'why not take this home?'