Canvas covered Rifle Rack

Jeff_Lee · Post by **Jeff_Lee** » Sun Sep 09, 2018 9:32 am

I've had the good fortune to find and buy an original windshield rifle rack for my 1951 M38. This rack is canvas covered and has a large zipper closure. The canvas is in pretty good shape. The canvas is firmly attached to the metal tray with a riveted metal plate on the bottom, with what appears to be a serial number.

I have seen many of the metal shells that mount up to the windshield - but no canvas. There is a photo of a canvas covered one in Miller's M38 book, but no explanation. I am assuming that it is a foul weather cover, to protect the M1 in the scabbard.

Does anyone have some history on the canvas vs. no canvas versions? It is a foul weather version? Is it appropriate for a '51 M38 - I know Korea had plenty of foul weather!?
Were all the scabbards covered when new, and the "naked" ones I see stripped of their canvas covers for easier access to the weapon... or a jammed zipper?

Jeff

Post by **wesk** » Sun Sep 09, 2018 10:15 am

Like many jeep accessories they are another one not used on the M38. At least there is no documented use. That means for a show jeep it may cost points at judging time. For the rest of the jeeps just use what you like.

People like to refer to the M38 as the Korean War jeep. This is not very accurate. Yes a few served in Korea but 90% of the jeeps in Korea during the actual war years 1950 - 53 were MB's and GPW's. Most units did not care for the new 24 Volt jeeps with the 7.00 x 16 tires because their supply systems couldn't support them yet. They ended up mostly at unit headquarters for VIP use. By early 1953 the more popular new M38A1 became the Comm jeep of choice because of it's greater power and weight handling capabilities and by the armistice was the only comm jeep used in Korea in large numbers.

Jeff_Lee · Post by **Jeff_Lee** » Sun Sep 09, 2018 2:32 pm

Thanks Wes, that is great information. I wouldn't have thought many A1's would have found their way to the Korea conflict that late in the game.

There must have been some level of intent to accommodate the rifle rack mount on the M38, given the 3 brackets and the pre-drilled holes in the windscreen? Are the brackets and mounting holes for the A1 the same as on the M38 windscreen?

If the scabbard was desired, would the motor pool order the scabbard and brackets and mount it locally?
Cheers,
Jeff

Post by **wesk** » Sun Sep 09, 2018 4:54 pm

The M38A1 did not come with any facilities for a rifle rack. That's why the M38 was no surprise that during the preceding two years to the M38A1 production the M38 saw very little if any use of the rack. The first 50 M38A1's in Korea were introduced deliberately for field testing experiment July 53 and by the time the armistice came in September they were an absolute "We want more" jeep that quickly sent the M38 back to the states.

Jeff_Lee · Post by **Jeff_Lee** » Sun Sep 09, 2018 6:07 pm

So on the question of with canvas, or without canvas, the naked scabbards are a field upgrade of a field upgrade!?

Post by **wesk** » Sun Sep 09, 2018 7:48 pm

The gun racks were an issue item of the period for use on the M38. Canvas covers were not in the M38's parts list.

So not sure what field upgrade of a field upgrade you are calling what?

In actual combat conditions canvas covers if available would have been rolled up and stored someplace.

I am sure someone somewhere managed to do a lot of custom work on the m38 but nothing officially documented, indexed or listed.