US Small Arms Storage Racks©

 FLOOR MOUNTED

                        

Floor Mounted Arms Racks consisted of either steel, or steel and wood.  These racks were usually located within the sleeping area of the old wooden barracks; sometimes in the center aisle, sometimes in a corner.  I remember our M14's in Basic Training at Fort Dix in January of 1964 being locked in one of these massively heavy arms racks.

After being assigned to the 82d in July 1964 all our M14's were locked in an arms room in wall mounted racks.  There must be many variations of wall mounted racks today due to the adoption of many different M16 type rifles throughout the services.

This subject brings up "Rack Numbers".  A rack number was a number painted/ taped, or engraved (never should have happened, was never allowed) on a stock.  The number indicated the slot in an arms rack assigned for storage of that particular rifle.  There often was a list of which rifle serial numbers went into which slots.  It made things a lot simpler to return all rifles to their allocated slots. An open slot meant a missing rifle.

Notice most M14 stocks on the market have no rack number.  Sure some do, but the percentage is quite low.  Within the Army weapons cards made rack numbering on rifles obsolete.  By the late 1950's/early 1960's the system got easier and better.

Those serving  will remember they had a "Weapons Card".  The card was a small Department of the Army form carried in the wallet.  The card had provisions for Name and Rank, Unit, Type of Rifle, and Serial Number of rifle assigned to the soldier.

The system was simple.  You had to give your weapons card to the unit armorer in order to remove your rifle from the arms room.  The unit armorer then placed your weapons card in your slot within the rack until you returned your rifle.  Most units also placed a rack number on the card for ease of transfer and return.

The rule was you had to have either the weapons card or rifle in your possession at all times.  If a rifle was missing and the unit armorer had your weapons card, it meant only one thing.  You lost it and would pay Uncle Sam to purchase another.  If, as rarely happened, the rifle was missing from the arms room and you had your weapons card in your possession, the investigation would start on the arms room security and procedures to find the stolen weapon. This system was Army wide and probably was different in the other services.  Now when you see a rack number on an M14 stock there is a good chance the rifle was from one of the other services.

Below are racks used with garrison from the 1920's through the 1960's.  ENJOY!!!             

      M1 Garand 6534807 TM<align="center" width="400" height="421">

Rack, Small Arms Storage, M1

FSN as of 1963 1005-653-4807, Ord. Part Number 6534807

        Secures 20 M1 Rifles, probable development mid to late 1930's  

M1A1 Garand M14 8426354 TM

Rack, Small Arms Storage, M1A1

FSN 1095-776-0043, Ord. Part No. 8426354

Secures 20 M1 or M14 Rifles

Probable development 1957 thru 1960

M2 BAR 6536789 TM

Rack, Small Arms Storage, M2

FSN 1095-653-6789, Ord. Part No. 6536789

Secures 10 M1918A2 Browning Automatic Rifles

Probable development mid to late 1930's

M3A1 M1 M14 Pistol 8426355 TM

Rack, Small Arms Storage, M3A1

FSN 1095-776-0044, Ord. Part No. 8426355

Secures 20 M1 or M14 Rifles, and 10 each 1911A1 Pistols

Probable development is the same time as the M1A1

M4 Rack Carbine 7140329 TM

Rack, Small Arms Storage, M4

FSN 1095-714-0329, Ord. Part No. 7140329

Secures 20 M1 Carbines

Probable period of development 1943

M7 SMG 8407182 TM

Rack, Small Arms Storage, M7

FSN 1095-840-7182, Ord. Part No. 8407142

Secures 20 M3A1 Sub-Machine Guns

Probable period of development 1945.

I have one designed in the 1970's which holds only five SMG's.

M1920 03s 6507459 TM

Rack, Small Arms Storage, M1920

FSN 1095-650-7549, Ord. Part Number 6507459

Secures 20 1903/1903A3 Rifles

Period of development, 1920's???

M1920 Pistols 6507453 TM

Rack, Small Arms Storage, M1920 as Modified

FSN 1095-650-7543, Ord. Part No. 6507543

Secures 80 each 1911A1 Pistols

This was standard issue with MP companies as their reliance on

pistols was much heavier than other TO&E units.

M1920 Pistols and 03s 6507454 TM

Rack, Storage Small Arms, M1920 as Modified

FSN 1095-650-7459, Ord. Part No. 6507459

Secures 20 1903/1903A3 Rifles and 20 1911 Pistols

WALL MOUNTED RACKS

M11 M1 M14 8429990 TM

Rack, Small Arms Storage, M11

FSN 1095-897-8755, Ord. Part No. 8429990

Secures 20 M1 or M14 Rifles

Period of development 1957 thru 1960

M11 with adapters TM

Rack, Small Arms Storage, M11 with Adapters

FSN 1095-086-7888, Ord. Part No. 8426852 with one adapter

Secures 10 M1 or M14, and 10 Carbines

FSN 1095-086-7889, Ord. Part No. 8426853 with two adapters

Secures 20 M1 Carbines Only

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