Mail Call: Difference between revisions
Mail Call: Difference between revisions - Internet Movie Firearms Database - Guns in Movies, TV and Video Games
Mail Call: Difference between revisions
'''''Mail Call''''' was a television show which aired on The History Channel, from 2002-2009. On the show, retired Gunnery Sergeant [[R. Lee Ermey]] answers letters and E-mails asking military questions from the past to today. Gunny answers these questions in interesting ways, usually showing us the information hands on and testing it for the show. This page covers the weapons he has tested throughout the series.
'''''[[Mail Call]]'' is a television show the aired on the history channel from 2002 till 2009. On the show, retired Gunnery Sergeant [[R. Lee Ermey]] answers letters and E-mails asking military questions from the past to today. Gunny answers these questions in interesting ways, usually showing us the information hands on and testing it for the show. This page covers the weapons he has tested throughout the series.'''
'''NOTE: Though IMFDB does not permit documentaries this page had been made an exception by Administrators.'''
'''NOTE: Though IMFDB does not permit documentaries this page had been made an exception by Administrators.'''
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==Browning M1917==
==Browning M1917==
When Introducing the M1919 machine gun, war footage shows soldiers firing the [[Browning M1917]] water-cooled machine gun.
When Introducing the M1919 machine gun, war footage shows soldiers firing the [[Browning M1917]] water-cooled machine gun.
[[Image:MCBrowningM1917-1.jpg|thumb|none|600px|A soldier fires a Browning M1917.]]
[[Image:MCBrowningM1917-1.jpg|thumb|none|600px|A soldier fires a Browning M1917.]]
[[Image:MCBrowningM1917-2.jpg|thumb|none|600px|Soldiers fire a Browning M1917.]]
[[Image:MCBrowningM1917-2.jpg|thumb|none|600px|Soldiers fire a Browning M1917.]]
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==Norinco Type 56-1==
==Norinco Type 56-1==
During the episode on body armor, Gunny uses an [[AK-47#Norinco Type 56|Norinco Type 56-1]] with a bakelite magazine, fitted with an AKM slant muzzle break, and fitted with darker furniture to shoot several types of body armor, since it is the most common enemy weapon.
During the episode on body armor, Gunny uses an [[AK-47#Norinco Type 56|Norinco Type 56-1]] with a bakelite magazine, fitted with an AKM slant muzzle brake, and fitted with darker furniture to shoot several types of body armor, since it is the most common enemy weapon.
[[Image:Type56S.jpg|thumb|none|400px|Norinco Type 56-1 - 7.62x39mm.]]
[[Image:Type56S.jpg|thumb|none|400px|Norinco Type 56-1 - 7.62x39mm.]]
In one episode, Gunny shows us a new gun in development by Heckler & Koch, the [[XM29 OICW|XM29 Objective Individual Combat Weapon (OICW)]], basically a [[Heckler & Koch G36]] assault rifle fitted with a 20mm five shot semi-automatic grenade launcher with a heavy computer scope to calculate airburst. Since everyone has already seen the G36 fire, they only fire the 20mm launcher on this show. While weighing a hefty 18lbs in current form, they hope to shave down the weight to 11lbs in the future.
In one episode, Gunny shows off the at-the-time under development [[XM29 OICW|XM29 Objective Individual Combat Weapon (OICW)]], basically a modified, short-barreled [[Heckler & Koch G36]] assault rifle fitted under a bullpup 20x28mm five shot semi-automatic grenade launcher with a heavy computer scope to calculate airburst. Since everyone has already seen the G36 fire, they only fire the 20mm launcher on this show. While weighing a hefty 18lbs in current form (well over the target of 15lbs), it was hoped future development might produce a weapon as light as 11lbs. Ultimately the XM29 was cancelled in 2005 for failure to meet weight goals and poor performance of the 20mm round.
[[Image:MCXM29OICW-1.jpg|thumb|none|600px|An operator aims down the H&K XM29 OICW (left) and a FPS view of the computer scope (right).]]
[[Image:MCXM29OICW-1.jpg|thumb|none|600px|An operator aims down the H&K XM29 OICW (left) and a FPS view of the computer scope (right).]]
[[Image:MCXM29OICW-2.jpg|thumb|none|600px|An operator fires the H&K XM29 OICW down range.]]
[[Image:MCXM29OICW-2.jpg|thumb|none|600px|An operator fires the H&K XM29 OICW down range.]]
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[[Image:MCXM29OICW-6.jpg|thumb|none|600px|Close up on the trigger group. Note the "Airburst" button to control airburst or simple impact detonation, as well as distance buttons to control location of airburst. Note the 5.56mm stamp.]]
[[Image:MCXM29OICW-6.jpg|thumb|none|600px|Close up on the trigger group. Note the "Airburst" button to control airburst or simple impact detonation, as well as distance buttons to control location of airburst. Note the 5.56mm stamp.]]
[[Image:MCXM29OICW-7.jpg|thumb|none|600px|An operator fires the XM29.]]
[[Image:MCXM29OICW-7.jpg|thumb|none|600px|An operator fires the XM29.]]
[[Image:MCM9A1Bazooka-1.jpg|thumb|none|600px|Gunny with an M20A1 "Super Bazooka." ]]
==M136 AT4==
==M136 AT4==
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==M16A4==
==M16A4==
A soldier is seen in Night Vision mode armed with a flat rail M16, likely an [[M16#M16A4 Rifle|M16A4]] fitted with an EOTech 552 sight and an EOTech 3x magnifier.
A soldier is seen in night vision mode armed with a flat rail M16, likely an [[M16#M16A4 Rifle|M16A4]] fitted with an EOTech 552 sight and an AN/PVS-14 Monocular Night Vision Device.
[[Image:MCM16A4wEOTech552and3xMag.jpg|thumb|none|600px|A soldier armed with a decked out M16A4. The soldier behind him appears to have a CAR-15 variant, which isn't seen good enough for a positive I.D.]]
[[Image:MCM16A4wEOTech552and3xMag.jpg|thumb|none|600px|A soldier armed with a decked out M16A4. The soldier behind him appears to have a CAR-15 variant, which isn't seen good enough for a positive I.D.]]
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[[Image:SNAFUM3Greasegun-3.jpg|thumb|none|600px|"Oil painting with a Grease Gun! Makes sense, don't it?"]]
[[Image:SNAFUM3Greasegun-3.jpg|thumb|none|600px|"Oil painting with a Grease Gun! Makes sense, don't it?"]]
==Winchester 1897==
==Winchester 1897 "Trench Gun"==
Gunny uses a [[Winchester Model 1897|Winchester 1897]] shotgun to shoot paint cans as well.
Gunny uses a [[Winchester Model 1897 "Trench Gun"]] shotgun to shoot paint cans as well.
[[Image:SNAFUWheellock-1.jpg|thumb|none|700px|Gunny with a Wheel-Lock Musket.]]
[[Image:SNAFUWheellock-1.jpg|thumb|none|700px|Gunny with a Wheel-Lock Musket.]]
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==Glock 18C==
==Glock 18C==
Being a member of '''Team Glock''', Gunny naturally has to get some trigger time on a Glock. The model he fires is a [[Glock#Glock 18|Glock 18C]], the full-auto Glock 18 with compensator ports on the slide to control muzzle rise, fitted with a 33 round magazine.
Being a member of '''Team Glock''', Gunny naturally has to get some trigger time on a Glock. The model he fires is a [[Glock 18C]], the full-auto Glock 18 with compensator ports on the slide to control muzzle rise, fitted with a 33 round magazine.
[[Image:Glock18c 01-1-.jpg|thumb|none|400px|Glock 18C with standard 19 round magazine - 9mm.]]
[[Image:Glock18c 01-1-.jpg|thumb|none|400px|Glock 18C with standard 19 round magazine - 9mm.]]
[[Image:SNAFUGlock18C-1.jpg|thumb|none|600px|Gunny loads up the Glock 18C.]]
[[Image:SNAFUGlock18C-1.jpg|thumb|none|600px|Gunny loads up the Glock 18C.]]
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==Nambu Type 92==
==Nambu Type 92==
Gunny fires a [[Type 92 Heavy Machine Gun|Nambu Type 92]] heavy machine gun nicknamed the "woodpecker" for its distinctive sound, which has terrible reliability.
Gunny fires a [[Type 92 heavy machine gun|Nambu Type 92]] heavy machine gun nicknamed the "woodpecker" for its distinctive sound, which has terrible reliability.
[[Image:Japanese Type 92 Heavy Machine Gun.jpg|thumb|none|400px|Nambu Type 92 HMG - 7.7mm.]]
[[Image:Japanese Type 92 Heavy Machine Gun.jpg|thumb|none|400px|Nambu Type 92 HMG - 7.7mm.]]
[[Image:SNAFUType92-5.jpg|thumb|none|600px|Gunny pulls back the charging handle and opens the dust cover on the Nambu Type 92 machine gun.]]
[[Image:SNAFUType92-5.jpg|thumb|none|600px|Gunny pulls back the charging handle and opens the dust cover on the Nambu Type 92 machine gun.]]
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[[Image:SNAFUType92-3.jpg|thumb|none|600px|A little bit of Gunny's anxiety: "Jam. You see the Japs weren't to smart when it came to making weapons. Did you notice that stuttering sound? I guess you didn't since only one round went off, how can it stutter? That's ''dumb''."]]
[[Image:SNAFUType92-3.jpg|thumb|none|600px|A little bit of Gunny's anxiety: "Jam. You see the Japs weren't to smart when it came to making weapons. Did you notice that stuttering sound? I guess you didn't since only one round went off, how can it stutter? That's ''dumb''."]]
[[Image:SNAFUType92-4.jpg|thumb|none|600px|Gunny finally gets the gun to fire more than one round. Note how he loaded the belt strip on the right side now.]]
[[Image:SNAFUType92-4.jpg|thumb|none|600px|Gunny finally gets the gun to fire more than one round. Note how he loaded the belt strip on the right side now.]]
=To Come Later=
[[Image:MailCallBazooka.jpg|thumb|none|600px|Gunny with an ''[[M1 Bazooka|M20 Super Bazooka]]''.]]
[[Image:MailCallKnobCreek.jpg|thumb|none|600px|Gunny shows off an [[Galil|IMI Galil]] during the episode when he visits Knob Creek. While I could likely I.D. these guns myself, I'll let you guys have some fun. Keep it organized please. And don't worry, I'll be sure to do an in depth analysis of the Knob Creek episode later on.]]
That's definitely an M82A1 .50 BMG in the background on the field [[User:Shooter|Shooter]]
I can see a Dragunov, M1A1 and M3 at the very least on the table. [[User:The Wierd It|The Wierd It]] 15:35, 19 October 2009 (UTC)
Is that not the muzzle brake of a PK or early-PKM in the extreme left of the photo? You can only see some of the barrel and the muzzlebrake.[[User:SAWGunner89|SAWGunner89]] 17:14, 11 November 2009 (UTC)
[[Category:Television]]
[[Category:Television]]
Latest revision as of 08:01, 16 February 2022
Mail Call was a television show which aired on The History Channel, from 2002-2009. On the show, retired Gunnery Sergeant R. Lee Ermey answers letters and E-mails asking military questions from the past to today. Gunny answers these questions in interesting ways, usually showing us the information hands on and testing it for the show. This page covers the weapons he has tested throughout the series.
NOTE: Though IMFDB does not permit documentaries this page had been made an exception by Administrators.
The M1 Garand rifle has made several appearances on the show including an episode in which an M7 Rifle Grenade Launcher (which is used to fire inert M9A1 Rifle Grenades) is fired from it and an episode in which 101st paratrooper re-enactors are seen armed with them. In almost every episode, an M1 is seen on Gunny's jeep saddle.
A U.S. Marine is seen firing an M1-C Garand rifle, a modified M1 rifle with a scope mounted for sniper roles. Based on the type of scope mount, it appears to be an M1-C and not an M1-D.
In one episode R. Lee Ermey tests a Browning M1919A4 mounted on the pintle of his jeep. In most episodes, this pintle is fitted with a "dummy" .30 caliber with no bolt or action.
In the episode on "Shooting through the propellers", Maxim LMG08 aircooled Spandau machine guns are seen mounted on airplanes with perforated barrel shrouds.
One of the 101st re-enactors keeps a Smith & Wesson Victory Model in a Navy-style shoulder holster. This is an odd choice, as they were typically issued to Navy and Marine aircrew.
During the episode on body armor, Gunny uses an Norinco Type 56-1 with a bakelite magazine, fitted with an AKM slant muzzle brake, and fitted with darker furniture to shoot several types of body armor, since it is the most common enemy weapon.
In one episode, Gunny is sent an E-mail asking how grenade launchers work. To show us, he went to Camp Pendleton, California to see how the Marine recruits test them, firing M203 grenade launchers from M16A2 rifles.
For the episode in which Gunny introduces the XM29 OICW, he first introduces the M16A2 fitted with an M203, as if the gun is now completely obsolete due to this gun.
In one episode, Gunny shows off the at-the-time under development XM29 Objective Individual Combat Weapon (OICW), basically a modified, short-barreled Heckler & Koch G36 assault rifle fitted under a bullpup 20x28mm five shot semi-automatic grenade launcher with a heavy computer scope to calculate airburst. Since everyone has already seen the G36 fire, they only fire the 20mm launcher on this show. While weighing a hefty 18lbs in current form (well over the target of 15lbs), it was hoped future development might produce a weapon as light as 11lbs. Ultimately the XM29 was cancelled in 2005 for failure to meet weight goals and poor performance of the 20mm round.
In one episode, a viewer asks how a grenade works. Gunny heads out to Camp Pendleton, California to see the Marines uses grenades. Throughout the training, M67 hand grenades are used by the Marine recruits and the instructors. Unfortunately, Gunny was not allowed to toss real grenades, so he settled for chucking some duds and editing in real ones blowing up.
M18 smoke grenade - Yellow.Error creating thumbnail: File missingAn M18 smoke grenade hanging on the re-enactor's belt. Note how it has yellow smoke markings.
M1 Bazooka
An M1 Bazooka is seen on several episodes on the show, mainly the show asking about "Bazookas" in general.
During the episode on night vision, soldiers in Vietnam are seen using very large experimental night vision scopes on M16A1 rifles, most likely AN/PVS-2 Starlight scopes.
A soldier is seen in night vision mode armed with a flat rail M16, likely an M16A4 fitted with an EOTech 552 sight and an AN/PVS-14 Monocular Night Vision Device.
Gunny tests a Browning Automatic Rifle or BAR during the episode on soldier's training, claiming he is training down in the dirt, just the way the Marines like it.
Luckily, Gunny's favorite gun makes another appearance when a viewer asks to learn more about it, which Gunny faithfully does and test fires it. Unfortunately, he refers to it as a Bar, not a B.A.R., as it should be pronounced.
One viewer asked Gunny about the Lewis gun, so naturally, he tested it out for the show. While he uses the infantry model, the aircraft model with spade grips is seen used by soldiers in WWI footage.
In one episode, a viewer asks Gunny who had the better rifle during the Civil War. The two most generic rifles were selected, the Union rifle being a Springfield 1861 rifle. In the end, Gunny decides that the Springfield was the superior weapon. They did win the war after all.
In the same episode, the opposing rifle represented for the Confederacy is the British 1853 Enfield. While this rifle has ladder elevated sights, the grooved Miné Ball round had better flight stability. In reality, both rifles were about the same.
Shown as the preferred weapon of Cavalry riders is the LeMat 1861 revolver. This is likely because it fired nine rounds plus a shotgun round before having to reload.
Browning M2HB machine guns are seen many times throughout season two. Probably the most notable being the episode on Marine soldier training, in which Gunny gets to man a .50 caliber designed for indoor training at Camp Pendleton, using gas tanks to fire and recoil realistically like the real deal.
When Gunny visits Fort Irwin, California to watch how OP-4 laser training is done, deactivated M2HBs with gutted out receivers and barrels are seen mounted on tanks.
During the indoors training simulation at Camp Pendleton, one of the Marines is seen using an FN M240G machine gun running of the gas tanks. Gunny later tries one of these out.
The FN M249-E2 Squad Automatic Weapon or "SAW" makes several appearances in season 2 including several of them modified for the indoor training room at Camp Pendleton and soldiers are seen training with them at Fort Irwin, California.
Among the guns in the training simulation is a Mk 19 grenade launcher. When the Marine uses it during training, the operator jams it on him, so he is forced to clear it.
NOTE: SNAFU is a DVD only release of bloopers from the TV show Mail Call. You will see guns from other seasons on here again, although with more screen time, since in most cases the guns are the bloopers.
M1 Garand
As always, Gunny has his M1 Garand stored in the saddle on his jeep. We once again see him fire the M7 rifle grenade from the rifle, although we actually see what the dummy grenade does instead of a rather lame joke about hitting someone's truck and having enough insurance to cover it. We also see Gunny firing the rifle for real at one point.
Gunny is seen firing a Browning M2HB on an anti-aircraft mount into the air. Hopefully the location he is shooting at has been cleared for 5 miles because firing .50 BMGs into the air is very dangerous.
Gunny tries out a Liberator pistol for the show. This gun was a single shot .45 ACP dropped to resistance fighters during WWII as a weapon designed to shoot someone and take their weapon. The gun has a 4 round reserve in the grip so the soldier can fire it five times before it becomes useless. The Liberator took all of seven seconds to make in a factory, which makes it the only firearm that takes longer to load than to make. Sadly, all the Liberators were melted down or dumped in the ocean so vintage examples are very hard to find.
Gunny uses an M3 "Grease Gun" to shoot paint cans, turning a shooting gallery into an art gallery. It is not an M3A1 as evident by the external charging handle.
Gunny shoots an M16 when comparing it to the M14. Based on the slab-side receiver and the fact that you can read "Colt AR-15" on the side, it is assumed to be an AR-15/SP1 civilian rifle.
Being a member of Team Glock, Gunny naturally has to get some trigger time on a Glock. The model he fires is a Glock 18C, the full-auto Glock 18 with compensator ports on the slide to control muzzle rise, fitted with a 33 round magazine.
Due to the rifle's versatility, the Heckler & Koch XM8 is changed from rifle to carbine configuration. While the gun was also changed to a LMG version, this isn't seen in SNAFU.
