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Denmark's m/75: A Lease-to-Own Rifle (Ad-free)
🕑 Added 2024-03-18 12:00:06 +0000 UTCDenmark's adoption of the H&K G3 is a rather odd story. First off, the Danes adopted the m/66 H&K as its sniper/DMR rifle in 1966, while retaining the M1 Garand as its standard service rifle. Not until 1973 do they decide to update the M1s, and when they do a. major rifle test, the M16 wins. However, they aren't really excited about the prospect of adopting the M16, so they delay the decision for two years and then decide to simply lease rifles from the Bundeswehr. The Home Guard has already been using the G3 as a sniper's rifle for nearly a decade, so they might as well use the same platform...and so what the Danish military gets are generally the oldest, earliest G3s in West German inventory on loan. These would remain in service (albeit with periodic rebuilds as needed) until 1995, when they are replaced by the Diemaco C7.
Comments
ROBERT NABORNEY
I like the idea of leasing to own a rifle - sign me up
Finn Calmer Jessen
In the late 80's to early 90's the G3s were so worn out, they were literally coming apart. My own unit had 3 rifles, where the bolts came apart in the same year. The M4 was bought from Diemaco due to superior build quality. The recommendation came from the Dutch.
Finn Calmer Jessen
Easy explanation to some of the questions above: The overriding reason for retaining the M1 was money. The Danish defence is historically, and chronically, underfunded. There were no funds to purchase new rifles, so they had to suffer the fate of leasing.
Guido Schriewer
since when is fn producing 16s and m4s? would have been by far closer, but greenland that is, though most likely fn was more expensive.
Guido Schriewer
well the m1s would have had an edge in range and sure as hell in power.
Guido Schriewer
LEASING? ok I never heard such a thing. wow a 62 made. mine in basics was 61 made in 1991 and DID NOT WORK. shot not zeroed rifles every time a different one, as mine wasn't going into battery AT ALL, when we got to shoot at all. so... . but as neighbors north had g3's, too... makes sense for danish to get g3. from logistical point of view at least.
Berean
It still blows my mind that the Dane's purchased M-16's from Canada rather than the US.
Bruce Brodnax
Denmark showed a lot of sense keeping the M1 as standard issue: since they were likely last on the lines following a Soviet push across Germany and would have tons of retreating Germans to bolster, using free rifles and ammo courtesy of the US allowed them to put the fund$ that would otherwise have been spent on small arms into such things as updating their naval & aviation electronics suites, which were likely to be of FAR more utility in the event of WW3 breaking out across the Fulda Gap...
Glenn Miller
Very interesting story. Sound to me like some individual made some $ off the rifle rental.
