During the past twenty years, interest in the M1 rifle has grown dramatically.
Consequently, the nuances of the rifles design and manufacture have been scrutinized more than ever before.
Still, many firearms enthusiasts have questions about the early M1 rifles and how the weapon evolved.
One of the biggest areas of interest is in identifying the gas trap version of the M1.
This method traps some gas in the space between the rifles muzzle and a specially designed muzzle cap.
The trapped gas is then forced backwards through a cylinder to drive the action of the rifle.
Even so, when war came to America in December 1941, distribution of M1 rifles was spotty.
Ultimately, a gas port system is used by most gas-operated rifles and machine guns today.
Such are the strange nuances of the massive U.S. logistics effort during World War II.
The Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941 caught America by surprise.
Our military, in the overall, was unprepared for war.
