Tanker Carbines - Looking for opinions!?!?!?!?!

[Dutch4122]

For some time now I have been considering one of the short barreled "Tanker Carbines" that some distributors have for sale.  The two that appeal to me the most are the Navy Arms SMLE No. 4 Mk II (.303 caliber) and the Mitchell's Mausers M-48 Yugo "Tanker" (7.62 Nato).  The Navy Arms "Tanker" is priced over $300.00 :roll:  and the Yugo "Tanker" from Mitchell's is priced over $500.00 :shock: ; however the Mitchell's Tanker is supposed to be all new manufacture and the Navy Arms Tanker is supposed to be some kind of arsenal re-build.

Does anybody have any experience with these carbines.  I know that neither is "historically correct" and that is ok because I want them as shooters and maybe for a truck gun.  Just don't want to get ripped off at such high prices.

Any opinions would be appreciated.

[Mainspring]

I'm not sure, but it seems to me that I heard that some Tanker rebuilds had cut & welded receivers.  

I have now reached the end of my M1 Tanker knowlege base.

[1911crazy]

If you just want a "truck gun" then why buy an expensive gun that is going to get knocked around and possibly get scratches here and there?? I would say go for a Mosin M44 they don't get any better than this for a short gun and are priced so cheap too($50). And you can get russian hunting ammo in wolf or barnaul for $6 a box too. This baby will knock the socks off anything from coyotes to bear. The only down side to a short barrel with anyone of these is she kicks a little harder. I also have a yugo preduzecci 44 is a 98 mauser that has a short barrel too same as the M48 but a lot cheaper. They can be found now in pawn shops cheap too($125). She is just a german mauser in yugo clothing they were assembled by yugo's with german parts very similair to the chinese sks/sino story but these were captured after the war. With that said my next choice would be a cheap yugo sks semi-auto($109) cheap 7.62x39 ammo shorter than a mauser almost the same as an M44 in lenght just more fun/firepower. Too small for bear but good for deer/coyote.             BigBill

[Dutch4122]

BigBill-

You make a very good point.  I'll give the Mosin carbines a closer look at the next gun show.
 

[1911crazy]

Years ago 7.62x54 ammo was harder to get and expensive I had a M39 mosin I never shot because of that but now things have changed there's military ammo and hunting soft point ammo so cheap if I had to do it all over again i would never have bought my '06 of course it was $175 new w/scope back then(70's) but now its like $600+ or a new savage for $400 when I could buy a mosin m44 around $50 now that uses $6 a box ammo heck that puts us in the hunt for way under $100. I sure know what route I would go for sure now. And you get a gun thats just as good too.                                             BigBill

[savageT]

Big Bill,
Can you give us a little background on these "Tanker Carbines"?  Where does the name come from and are these Russian Mosins?  I think it would be great if we could give a little background (ie. Country of origin, caliber, era, what army's used them, etc.) on a particular model when you first introduce question about a new gun.  For instatnce what is the G series you asked about???  Thanks for the help.  We have to be educators as well as students too.

Jim

[1911crazy]

"tanker carbines" Are short barreled guns that tankers used, short carbines to get in and out of the tank with ease. It really has no ties to russian mosins but the M44's are short like tanker carbines their are 303 britts that are similair too the jungle carbine model. I think their are "tanker garands" and M1 carbine tankers thats were the "tanker carbine" label came about. On the "G" gun I talked about is the G43 she is an 8mm german semi-auto rifle some were scoped sniper models I have to say they have that rugged german look to them which caught my eye but the prices are 1,000+ for one. Which makes me kringe just like when I see garands at the show for $750 to $1200 and yes I know i'm looking at german rifles in the same price range too. I can't buy many at $1,000 price range my limit is $200 to $300 tops or less?? But if more extra cash comes along I want something special to remember my past experiences by.                                                                     BigBill

I think that surplus military gun prices will surpass the modern gun prices someday because the supply is running out and most military guns in the future we can't own because of their full auto capability.

[S.S.]

If my CRS does not kick in, I will go into a little
history.  The "Tanker" name actually originated from
a handgun not a rifle. The cocking spur in the hammer
of revolvers kept snagging on "Stuff" inside the tank.
The spur was removed from several types of revolvers
from several different countries at about the same time,
so no one can actually claim credit for the Idea. The most
commonly encountered revolver of this type would probably
be the Enfield #2 Mk 1 *  in 38/200 caliber. I have one of these
handguns and it is quite serviceable.  Most tank crews were issued
sub-machine guns  & handguns in WW II and all following wars.
The exception to this I think is the M1 Garand. My research shows
that after WW II the Italians created a shortened version of it
for tank crews (Fore runner of the BM 59).
 There is an interesting photo that I have seen
of a tank crew from WW II though!  The fellow sitting in the
commanders hatch appears to be holding a very short M1 Garand!

Another note of interest, The "G" in G 43 is not a series of the
rifle, It means "Rifle/Gun 43" Gewere (Spelled wrong i'm sure) is
German for rifle or gun. The Germans use a lot of compound
words in naming their wapons.  For example, STG 44 means
Sturm (Storm/Assault) Gewere (Rifle/Gun) Model 44. The first
use of the term "Assault Rifle"  or  "Storm Rifle"

Isn't history fun!!!

Duty Calls!!!
I'll come back to this later, Gotta Get back to work!

[1911crazy]

The STG44 was the very first assualt rifle and i think if it came any earlier i think the out come of the war could be different. But the air support and bombing campain is what most likely stopped the german war machine we cutoff supplies and manufacturing capabilities too. The russians on the other hand made sheetmetal stamped machine guns and had squads of guys armed with these automatic weapons and their tank was rated the one of the best in WW2 so firepower is what did it for the russians but they did suffer in the beginning. The cold brutal russian winter did it too.
                                                                          BigBill

Its funny that the russians and germans were working on new higher firepower weapons and we just sat back with what we had. I think we are always playing catch up with when guns are involved. Even our supply trucks can't keep up with our armor divisions we learned that in '91 and didn't adjust for yet? Our supply trucks need turbine engines too. We rely on air power/support too much if it fails our guys die and I don't feel good about this.

[S.S.]

We do rely on our air power too much !!!
If we ever have to go up against some one with
their own formidable air power, (China,North Korea)
it will be a whole new ballgame. Don't get me wrong,
our troops are well trained and diciplined. But if the tables
turned and it was someone else dumping cluster bombs
on them, How will they do?  We now know who our friends
are, and I am not sure that many members of the
European Union Are our friends anymore.  Your friends don't sell
your enemies weapons to kill you with (FRANCE, Missiles)
I see the European Union as a threat in the future, Not only
Militarily but economically as well.  

It has become an ugly world we live in folks!!!!

[savageT]

Hey Gentlemen!
This stuff is fascinating information!......That's exactly what I was hoping you would do.  Background info makes the item much more tangible and provides reason for seaching out the obscure.  I wish we could get photos to go along.

Jim

[S.S.]

Is there a way to post Pictures on this forum?
I have not tried that yet!

[1911crazy]

I really think its time to regroup and dig in, tighten up our borders and take care of our own here and the hell with the rest of the world feed the hungry and give the less fortunate shelter. You can't say too much about France but thank's for those new 49/56's that were only dropped once?? At least Germany is letting us use the air bases and air their space there to refuel and support/supply depot all the wars we are having in Afganistan and Iraq. Even russia sold them(Iraq) arms to try on us?? So the cold war isn't over? Or should I say the "hot war" it is heating up?  I don't think its over yet in Iraq he's just waiting for the right moment I don't trust anyone they all switch sides to their advantage. In the end you know we will turn the sand to glass if needed. I feel really bad about the american lives lost on the beaches of Normandy for the candy @ss turn coat French they would be speaking german today for sure. But we know there is no winning anything in a war we are all losers both sides. But they needed to be spanked after 9/11 I think they(sand fleas) all had a part in it.
                                                                BigBill

[Jose Grande]

I bought one of those Turkish mausers for a truck gun. I load 180 cor-locs on 40gr. of 4895 in a cut down 30-06 case. Shoots great!! :grin:
It's 8MM o' course.