What goes in this hole on a .45 Grease Gun?

[msmp5]

I'm hoping there's some smart guys on here that are knowledgeable about the US GI WWII era .45 caliber "Grease Gun". Specifically ..........

What goes in this hole on a .45 Grease Gun? (See pic.) The location is just aft of the mag well and forward of the trigger. Any info - operational or historical - will be very much appreciated.

 

[Atavar]

Retracting handle?

 

[GaryNC]

Not an expert but a DuckDuckGo search makes me think think there was a Crank that was used as a charging handle.

M3 submachine gun

Shooting Illustrated



(l.) The M3 was charged using a crank under the open bolt. (r.) Controls on the M3 were rudimentary and awkward.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

The pivot hole for the retracting handle axis (the retracting handle crank would be on the right side.)

 

[CapnMac]

As above, the crank handle used on the "no A" M3.

From memory, installing an M3A1 or later bolt (with the finger pulls) obviates the need for the crank. And, this was a half-way common KW era Army modification.

Changing the bolt wants swapping out the ejection port cover.

 

[msmp5]

OK, the bolt on this particular gun does have the finger pulls. Perhaps it was later modded to the M3A1 style ...... just took the lever off and never filled in the hole or changed that cover plate. Thanks everyone for the info!

 

[msmp5]

So here's another question ........... reference the same pic in my original post: What is the purpose of the semi-cylindrical "catch" - or whatever it might be called - that looks like it is riveted on just aft of the hole where the [missing] retracting handle would have gone? (It doesn't appear to be depicted on any of the M3A1 schematics that I found when googling just now.)

 

[JohnKSa]

That's because, as mentioned above, your gun isn't an M3A1, it's a plain M3.

It is the oiler clip. It holds the oiler which is missing.

https://www.gunpartscorp.com/gun-manufacturer/us-military/machine-guns-usm/m3-grease-gun

Part 47.

https://lomax-militaria.com/media/image/95/24/8b/12724-02.jpg

Looks like you can still find oilers for sale.

 

[AlexanderA]

Here are some pictures of my M3 Greasegun.

Left side. Note that it uses the standard M1 Carbine sling and oiler.



Right side. Bolt forward. The ejection port cover, when closed, acts as the safety, whether the bolt is in the forward or retracted position.



Right side, bolt retracted. In this position, with the port cover open, the gun can be fired (with a full magazine) by pulling the trigger. (Like a Thompson, it fires from the open bolt.)



General comments:

The black paint on the OP's gun indicates that it was British Lend-Lease. That was the condition of my gun when I first laid eyes on it. I had it refinished (Parkerized) while waiting for ATF approval.

Regarding upgrades from the M3 to the M3A1, you can see that I have an M3A1 barrel and wire stock on mine. The M3A1 barrel has flats on the collar so that the wire stock can be used as a wrench, and the wire stock is modified so it can used as a magazine loader (the ends are tapped for brushes so it can be used as a cleaning rod). Of course I have the original parts as well. These changes are reversible.

Substituting an M3A1 bolt would require major butchery to the receiver (lengthening the ejection port). Not happening to a gun worth in excess of $20,000. (I happen to have an M3A1 bolt just for comparison.)

 

[AlexanderA]

From memory, installing an M3A1 or later bolt (with the finger pulls) obviates the need for the crank. And, this was a half-way common KW era Army modification.

OK, the bolt on this particular gun does have the finger pulls. Perhaps it was later modded to the M3A1 style ...... just took the lever off and never filled in the hole or changed that cover plate.

Here is a picture of the M3A1 bolt assembly. (Below it is the M3A1 housing, without the crank.)

This just won't work in an unmodified M3 receiver (which is what is shown in the OP's picture). That rear hole is for the safety hook on the ejection port cover, when the bolt is in the forward position. You must have the longer M3A1 ejection port, and ejection port cover. The hook on the short M3 cover will bump into the bolt, and the cover won't close. The cover being able to close is all-important, because that's the only safety mechanism on the gun.

The forward recess is where you insert a finger to cock the gun (in lieu of the crank). The bolt has to come back far enough to engage the sear. You wouldn't be able to do that because, on an M3, the rear edge of the ejection port would be in the way. (The front recess also doubles as the place to engage the safety hook, when the bolt is in the rear position.)

OP, what you have is a mixmaster gun that is inoperative. You need an M3 short bolt and the ratchet / crank assembly to cock it. (Maybe you have the short bolt? Compare it to this one. In any case, you certainly need the crank assembly.)

 

[entropy]

Well since someone ruined it and got the right answer, pintle mount hole for a Jeep doesn't seem as funny......

 

[12Bravo20]

Well since someone ruined it and got the right answer, pintle mount hole for a Jeep doesn't seem as funny......

And here I was going to say that hole is for the doohickey that holds the M3 into the thingamabob that in turn mounts to the front ball mount.


Seriously I knew others would give the correct answer so I refrained from replying (until now). I haven't messed with the M3 or M3A1 since we had to to turn them all in for the Beretta M9 in late 1992/early 1993. And pretty much all of them were the A1 configuration by that time. In fact it was quite rare to even see the original M3 version outside of a museum or in some obscure weapons stash.

I will freely admit that I have forgotten quite a bit since 1993 when it comes to the M3/M3A1. But I will say that you should heed AlexanderA and not try to make the wrong parts fit or work. Use the correct parts. AS noted the cover is the only safety.

 

[halfmoonclip]

Alexander A, that is the best looking grease gun ever. Wow! The ones in my old Guard company, for the tankers, looked like they had been dragged behind the armor with a log chain. Seem to recall they generally worked, but they were fugly.
For you guys up there in the rare air of full auto, any preference between the M3 and the A1? Handling them, 50 years ago, it always seemed charging the A1 with cold, stiff fingers, would have been a challenge.
Moon

 

[AlexanderA]

Alexander A, that is the best looking grease gun ever. Wow! The ones in my old Guard company, for the tankers, looked like they had been dragged behind the armor with a log chain. Seem to recall they generally worked, but they were fugly.

Well, as I said, it was re-Parkerized. With the black paint gone, the only indications that it was a British Lend-Lease gun are the British proof marks. But they are on the original M3 barrel, which I currently don't have on the gun.

For you guys up there in the rare air of full auto, any preference between the M3 and the A1? Handling them, 50 years ago, it always seemed charging the A1 with cold, stiff fingers, would have been a challenge.

You are right. The crank on the original M3 gives you more leverage. Those are some powerful recoil springs.

As a private owner, it's possible to pick and choose among M3 and M3A1 features. That's why I have the M3A1 barrel and stock on mine. These are clear improvements. Other M3A1 changes, such as eliminating the crank and moving the oiler to the pistol grip, can't be done without butchering the receiver.

As far as handling, (a) the gun is heavy, and (b) it has a slow rate of fire. If I had to carry something like this, I would prefer some kind of shorty M16.

The cone-type flash hider, which clamps on the end of the barrel, doesn't eliminate the flash. It just hides it from the firer. That's important because muzzle flash is pretty severe in dim conditions.