Memorial Day, originally known as Decoration Day, has a murky origin at best, but marks the day we honor those who died while serving our country. Add the name of those you would like publicly remembered to our 2015 Honor Roll.
Today the battle-scarred, submerged remains of the battleship USS Arizona—the final resting place for almost half of the over 2,500 lives lost on the morning of December 7, 1941—remains as a memorial to lost souls and the cost of war.
SKS chest rigs from China are widely available. However, this canvas and leather one from a country no longer allowing exports of antiques is a rare find. It has eight pockets to hold your Type 56 Carbine’s stripper clips in. The PLA’s star insignia is indistinguishable embossed on its shiny metal belt buckle. Over built and in great shape, you will be surprised to know this is a Vietnam Era piece of memorabilia.
Though you know heroes and freedom fighters of yesteryear used much of the military surplus items you acquire, it is rare to come across a piece with such a specific history. Buried deep in a Swiss bunker, we found original WWII, U.S. Mountain Troop ski goggles manufactured by Foster Grant. These well-worn military surplus goggles are a true piece of history. To know that a member of the “greatest generation” fought so hard in such harsh conditions fighting off the Germans, the well-worn goggles are worth every penny.
For those who served, regardless of time, duty station, branch of service, Cheaper Than Dirt! wishes to offer you a heartfelt and well deserved “Thank You for Your Service.”
In this video game age, everyone wants glamour and pizzazz. Yes, there are better guns and calibers and there are more glamorous friends out there as well. Nevertheless, I will always go with the loyal proven commodity. Is the .38 special a good round? I’ll bet my life on it!
And so ends our story of the little rifle that could. It almost never made it to the range must less the war, laughed and scoffed at it still came to game and was loved and revered by those who carried it. For several years, I trusted my life to one. Today I would choose something different but back then I never had a doubt in the little brother, the M1 Carbine.
Imagine standing on a hillside shoulder to shoulder with a line of soldiers. Smoke from heavy musket fire burns your nostrils and the sound of heavy artillery far to your flanks makes a deep thumping sensation in your chest.
Greetings capitalists, from Russia with love, Snayperskaya Vintovka Dragunova is good rifle, da? This is the long arm of the enemy. Vietnam, the Gulf, Afghanistan twice, and Iraq, the spelling of the word nemesis is D-r-a-g-u-n-o-v. Built around the action of one of the greatest rifles ever, the AK-47, how could it not fail to rock the battlefield? It is the one we fear most, the SVD Dragunov.
Your position is under attack. You need to fire copious amounts of bullets. You need to overwhelm the opposing force. Firepower is the essence and it must come from a small group of soldiers. At the very least, you need to double your enemy’s rate of fire. You need a short fast rifle that is quick into action. You need a carbine platform that is easy to carry. You need an assault rifle. The AK47 is solid, the AR-15 runs like a sports car. Your problem is that it is the 1870’s. What do you do now?