Mail Call

Mail Call was a television show which aired on The History Channel, from 2002-2009. On the show, retired Gunnery Sergeant R. Lee Ermey answers letters and E-mails asking military questions from the past to today. Gunny answers these questions in interesting ways, usually showing us the information hands on and testing it for the show. This page covers the weapons he has tested throughout the series.
NOTE: Though IMFDB does not permit documentaries this page had been made an exception by Administrators.
=Season 1=
==M1 Garand==
The M1 Garand rifle has made several appearances on the show including an episode in which an M7 Rifle Grenade Launcher (which is used to fire inert M9A1 Rifle Grenades) is fired from it and an episode in which 101st paratrooper re-enactors are seen armed with them. In almost every episode, an M1 is seen on Gunny's jeep saddle.
==M1-C Garand Sniper==
A U.S. Marine is seen firing an M1-C Garand rifle, a modified M1 rifle with a scope mounted for sniper roles. Based on the type of scope mount, it appears to be an M1-C and not an M1-D.
==Browning Automatic Rifle==
A U.S. Marine in the pacific theatre is seen firing a Browning Automatic Rifle or "BAR" in WWII footage.
==Browning M1919A4==
In one episode R. Lee Ermey tests a Browning M1919A4 mounted on the pintle of his jeep. In most episodes, this pintle is fitted with a "dummy" .30 caliber with no bolt or action.
==Browning M1917==
When Introducing the M1919 machine gun, war footage shows soldiers firing the Browning M1917 water-cooled machine gun.
==Maxim LMG08== 
In the episode on "Shooting through the propellers", Maxim LMG08 aircooled Spandau machine guns are seen mounted on airplanes with perforated barrel shrouds.
==Airplane Mounted Lewis Gun==
Aircraft mounted Lewis guns are mounted on airplanes in WWI footage during the "Shooting through the propellers" episode.
==Vickers Maxim==
A Vickers Maxim machine gun is aircraft mounted on a R.A.F. airplane in WWI footage during the "Shooting through the propellers" episode.
thumb|none|400px|Vickers Maxim - .303.
==M1 Carbine==
One of the re-enactors of the 101st paratroopers is seen armed with an M1 Carbine.
==M1A1 Carbine==
One of the re-enactors of the 101st paratroopers is seen armed with a folding stock M1A1 Carbine.
==M1A1 Thompson==
One of 101st re-enactors uses an M1A1 Thompson submachine gun.
==Smith & Wesson Victory==
One of the 101st re-enactors keeps a Smith & Wesson Victory Model in a Navy-style shoulder holster. This is an odd choice, as they were typically issued to Navy and Marine aircrew.
==Norinco Type 56-1==
During the episode on body armor, Gunny uses an Norinco Type 56-1 with a bakelite magazine, fitted with an AKM slant muzzle brake, and fitted with darker furniture to shoot several types of body armor, since it is the most common enemy weapon.
==M16A2 + M203 grenade launcher==
In one episode, Gunny is sent an E-mail asking how grenade launchers work. To show us, he went to Camp Pendleton, California to see how the Marine recruits test them, firing M203 grenade launchers from M16A2 rifles.
For the episode in which Gunny introduces the XM29 OICW, he first introduces the M16A2 fitted with an M203, as if the gun is now completely obsolete due to this gun.
==M79 grenade launcher==
For the episode on grenade launchers, Gunny takes his Blooper to the range at Camp Pendleton.
==Heckler & Koch XM29 Objective Individual Combat Weapon (OICW)==
In one episode, Gunny shows off the at-the-time under development XM29 Objective Individual Combat Weapon (OICW), basically a modified, short-barreled Heckler & Koch G36 assault rifle fitted under a bullpup 20x28mm five shot semi-automatic grenade launcher with a heavy computer scope to calculate airburst. Since everyone has already seen the G36 fire, they only fire the 20mm launcher on this show. While weighing a hefty 18lbs in current form (well over the target of 15lbs), it was hoped future development might produce a weapon as light as 11lbs. Ultimately the XM29 was cancelled in 2005 for failure to meet weight goals and poor performance of the 20mm round.
==Mk 2 hand grenade==
Gunny has been seen pulling out a Mk 2 hand grenade in several episodes, mainly the episodes on grenades and grenade launchers.
==M67 hand grenade==
In one episode, a viewer asks how a grenade works. Gunny heads out to Camp Pendleton, California to see the Marines uses grenades. Throughout the training, M67 hand grenades are used by the Marine recruits and the instructors. Unfortunately, Gunny was not allowed to toss real grenades, so he settled for chucking some duds and editing in real ones blowing up.
==M26 hand grenade==
An M26 hand grenade (or M61 grenade) is seen hanging on the belt of the Vietnam re-enactor during the episode on body armor.
==M18 smoke grenade==
An M18 Smoke Grenade is also seen on the Vietnam actor's belt.
==M1 Bazooka==
An M1 Bazooka is seen on several episodes on the show, mainly the show asking about "Bazookas" in general.
==M1A1 Bazooka==
==M9 Bazooka==
When covering Bazookas, lots of WWII footage is shown of soldiers firing M9 Bazooka rocket launchers.
==M20A1 "Super Bazooka"==
==M136 AT4==
When discussing rocket launchers, Gunny goes to Camp Pendleton, California to watch Marines fire M136 AT4 anti-tank weapons during training.
==M72 LAW==
Before introducing the AT4, footage shows the older M72 LAW rocket launcher.
==M16A1==
During the episode on night vision, soldiers in Vietnam are seen using very large experimental night vision scopes on M16A1 rifles, most likely AN/PVS-2 Starlight scopes.
An M16A1 rifle is also seen in the hands of a Vietnam re-enactor during the episode on body armor.
==M60 machine gun==
Soldiers in Vietnam are seen using M60 machine guns. A current soldier is also seen firing an M60 while the camera films in night vision.
==M60E3 machine gun==
A U.S soldier in Iraq is seen with an M60E3 machine gun during the episode on body armor.
==M16A4==
A soldier is seen in night vision mode armed with a flat rail M16, likely an M16A4 fitted with an EOTech 552 sight and an AN/PVS-14 Monocular Night Vision Device.
==L85A2==
A Gurkha Soldier is seen armed with an L85A2 during the episode on Kukri knives.
==Beretta M9==
U.S. soldiers are seen armed with Beretta M9 pistols as their sidearms during the episode on body armor.
=Season 2=
==M1 Garand==
Like Season 1, Gunny keeps an M1 Garand rifle in a saddle on his jeep.
==M1 Carbine==
An M1 Carbine is seen laying next to Gunny when he tries out a BAR during the episode on soldier's training.
==Browning Automatic Rifle==
Gunny tests a Browning Automatic Rifle or BAR during the episode on soldier's training, claiming he is training down in the dirt, just the way the Marines like it.
Luckily, Gunny's favorite gun makes another appearance when a viewer asks to learn more about it, which Gunny faithfully does and test fires it. Unfortunately, he refers to it as a Bar, not a B.A.R., as it should be pronounced.
==Infantry Mounted Lewis Gun==
One viewer asked Gunny about the Lewis gun, so naturally, he tested it out for the show. While he uses the infantry model, the aircraft model with spade grips is seen used by soldiers in WWI footage.
thumb|none|400px|Lewis Gun MK 1 Infantry - .303.
==Springfield 1903 ==
Springfield 1903 rifles are seen in the hands of American soldiers in WWI footage.
==Hotchkiss M1914==
American soldiers are seen manning a Hotchkiss M1914 Machine Gun in WWI footage.
==Springfield 1861==
In one episode, a viewer asks Gunny who had the better rifle during the Civil War. The two most generic rifles were selected, the Union rifle being a Springfield 1861 rifle. In the end, Gunny decides that the Springfield was the superior weapon. They did win the war after all.
==Enfield 1853==
In the same episode, the opposing rifle represented for the Confederacy is the British 1853 Enfield. While this rifle has ladder elevated sights, the grooved Miné Ball round had better flight stability. In reality, both rifles were about the same.
==Colt 1860 Army==
During the episode on Cavalry riders, Civil War re-enactors use Colt 1860 Army revolvers.
==Sharps 1859 Carbine==
The Cavalry re-enactors use Sharps 1859 Carbines.
==Remington 1858 New Army==
A Remington 1858 New Army is seen used by a Cavalry re-enactor.
==LeMat 1861==
Shown as the preferred weapon of Cavalry riders is the LeMat 1861 revolver. This is likely because it fired nine rounds plus a shotgun round before having to reload.
==Hawken rifle==
A Cavalry re-enactor is seen using a Hawken rifle, even though this is not a military weapon.
==Flintlock Pistol==
During the episode on Bowie knives, a man is seen using a Flintlock Pistol.
==Matchlock Musket==
For the episode on medieval weaponry, a man fires a reproduction Matchlock Musket.
==Handgunn==
Also in the episode on medieval weaponry is one of the most primitive portable firearms, the Handgunn.
==Browning M2HB==
Browning M2HB machine guns are seen many times throughout season two. Probably the most notable being the episode on Marine soldier training, in which Gunny gets to man a .50 caliber designed for indoor training at Camp Pendleton, using gas tanks to fire and recoil realistically like the real deal.
When Gunny visits Fort Irwin, California to watch how OP-4 laser training is done, deactivated M2HBs with gutted out receivers and barrels are seen mounted on tanks.
==M136 AT4==
During the indoors training simulation at Camp Pendleton, one of the Marines is seen using a specially modified M136 AT4.
==FN M240G==
During the indoors training simulation at Camp Pendleton, one of the Marines is seen using an FN M240G machine gun running of the gas tanks. Gunny later tries one of these out.
==FN M240C==
During the episode on Light Armored Vehicles (LAVs), Gunny gets to man an FN M240C machine gun.
==FN M240D==
A soldier lets loose some tracer rounds with an FN M240D machine gun during the LAV episode.
==FN Minimi==
A Marine at Camp Pendleton is seen firing an FN Minimi machine gun.
==FN M249-E2 Squad Automatic Weapon==
The FN M249-E2 Squad Automatic Weapon or "SAW" makes several appearances in season 2 including several of them modified for the indoor training room at Camp Pendleton and soldiers are seen training with them at Fort Irwin, California.
==Mk 19 grenade launcher==
Among the guns in the training simulation is a Mk 19 grenade launcher. When the Marine uses it during training, the operator jams it on him, so he is forced to clear it.
==M16A1==
M16A1 rifles are seen in the hands of soldiers in Vietnam footage.
==M16A2==
The issued rifle of the U.S. forces including Army and Marines, the M16A2, is seen many times in season two.
==M203 grenade launcher==
M203 grenade launchers are seen fitted on issued M16A2 rifles.
==M60 Machine Gun==
M60 machine guns are seen in Huey helicopters in Vietnam footage during the episode on Huey helicopters.
==BGM-71 TOW Missile Launcher==
In one episode, a viewer asks Gunny about the BGM-71 TOW Missile Launcher.
=SNAFU=
NOTE: SNAFU is a DVD only release of bloopers from the TV show Mail Call. You will see guns from other seasons on here again, although with more screen time, since in most cases the guns are the bloopers.
 
==M1 Garand==
As always, Gunny has his M1 Garand stored in the saddle on his jeep. We once again see him fire the M7 rifle grenade from the rifle, although we actually see what the dummy grenade does instead of a rather lame joke about hitting someone's truck and having enough insurance to cover it. We also see Gunny firing the rifle for real at one point.
==M1 Carbine==
An M1 Carbine is seen next to Gunny during a scene in SNAFU.
==M1A1 Carbine==
An M1A1 Carbine paratrooper model is seen next to Gunny in a few episodes and at one point Gunny shoots one.
==M1 Thompson==
An M1 Thompson is seen stuck in a saddle on a German Motorcycle, and also seen in a saddle on Gunny's jeep.
==M1928A1 Thompson==
Gunny is seen firing a M1928A1 Thompson, comparing it to the MP40 submachine gun.
==MP40==
Gunny tries out the MP40 submachine gun to compare with the Thompson. He refers to it as the "Burp Gun".
==Browning Automatic Rifle==
We see some goofs from the episode in Season 2 when Gunny fires the BAR, which proves to be far more unreliable than we see on the aired episode.
==Bren Gun==
Gunny lets loose some rounds from a Bren gun, and we see a few more in the Bren Carrier behind him.
A Bren is also seen sticking out of a Bren Carrier when Gunny takes the wheel, and also manages to mangle the clutch on it.
==Browning M2HB==
Gunny is seen firing a Browning M2HB on an anti-aircraft mount into the air. Hopefully the location he is shooting at has been cleared for 5 miles because firing .50 BMGs into the air is very dangerous.
An M2HB is also seen mounted on an M-3 Scout Vehicle when Gunny drives it.
==Liberator==
Gunny tries out a Liberator pistol for the show. This gun was a single shot .45 ACP dropped to resistance fighters during WWII as a weapon designed to shoot someone and take their weapon. The gun has a 4 round reserve in the grip so the soldier can fire it five times before it becomes useless. The Liberator took all of seven seconds to make in a factory, which makes it the only firearm that takes longer to load than to make. Sadly, all the Liberators were melted down or dumped in the ocean so vintage examples are very hard to find.
== Infantry Mounted Lewis Gun==
Again from Season 2, we see Gunny firing the Lewis gun, but what we didn't see was how the gun blows up in his face.
thumb|none|400px|Lewis Gun - .303.
==Boys Anti-Tank Rifle==
Gunny is seen firing a Boys anti-tank rifle at "America's Favorite Luncheon Meat", a tower of Spam.
==Krag-Jørgensen Model 1896==
Gunny is seen firing a Krag-Jørgensen Model 1896 rifle. 
==LeMat 1861==
Gunny fires the underbarrel of a LeMat 1861, which has several misfires before finally going off, barely even effecting the watermelon it hits.
==M3 "Grease Gun"==
Gunny uses an M3 "Grease Gun" to shoot paint cans, turning a shooting gallery into an art gallery. It is not an M3A1 as evident by the external charging handle.
==Winchester 1897 "Trench Gun"==
Gunny uses a Winchester Model 1897 "Trench Gun" shotgun to shoot paint cans as well.
==M14==
Gunny compares an M14 Rifle to an M16 in one episode.
==M16==
Gunny shoots an M16 when comparing it to the M14. Based on the slab-side receiver and the fact that you can read "Colt AR-15" on the side, it is assumed to be an AR-15/SP1 civilian rifle.
==M16A2 + M203 grenade launcher==
Gunny is briefly seen armed with an M16A2 fitted with an M203 grenade launcher.
==Norinco Type 56-1==
The Norinco Type 56-1 from Season 2 is seen again in SNAFU.
==Browning M1917==
Gunny fires an Browning M1917 in one episode, but we see how the gun seems to have some trouble firing more than two rounds at a time.
==Browning M1919A4==
The Browning M1919A4 from Season 1 is seen once again in SNAFU.
We also see a gutted out dummy M1919A4 mounted on Gunny's jeep on any other episode.
==Kentucky Rifle==
Gunny is seen armed with a Kentucky Flintlock Rifle.
==Flintlock Pistol==
Gunny is seen showing off a Flintlock Pistol.
==Harper's Ferry Flintlock Pistol==
Gunny fires a Harper's Ferry Flintlock Pistol, after several misfires.
==Matchlock Musket==
Gunny fires a Matchlock Musket in one episode.
==Wheel-Lock Musket==
Gunny is seen in one episode with a Wheellock Musket.
==Mk 2 Hand Grenade==
We see Gunny with the Mk 2 hand grenade from Season 1, messing up his lines several times.
==Mk 19 grenade launcher==
A Mk 19 grenade launcher is seen mounted on an amphibious vehicle as Gunny sits in the hatch.
==FN Mk 48 Mod 0==
Gunny is seen firing an FN Mk 48 Mod 0. 
==Heckler & Koch MP5A5==
Gunny lets loose a Heckler & Koch MP5A5 with a Surefire dedicated forend.
==Glock 18C==
Being a member of Team Glock, Gunny naturally has to get some trigger time on a Glock. The model he fires is a Glock 18C, the full-auto Glock 18 with compensator ports on the slide to control muzzle rise, fitted with a 33 round magazine.
==Sturmgewehr 44==
Gunny fires a Sturmgewehr 44, which fires very unreliably.
==Spencer 1860 Carbine==
Gunny is briefly seen firing what appears to be a Spencer 1860 Carbine. It is only seen from one angle so it is hard to be certain.
==Springfield 1861==
Gunny is seen using a Springfield 1861 rifle fitted with a bayonet while wearing the uniform of a Civil War Zouave regiment. 
==37mm M3 Anti-tank gun==
A 37mm M3 Anti-tank gun is seen towed by Gunny's jeep.
==Heckler & Koch XM8 (rifle configuration)==
Gunny is seen firing a Heckler & Koch XM8 in full rifle configuration in one episode.
thumb|none|400px|Heckler & Koch XM8 - 5.56x45mm.
==Heckler & Koch XM8 (carbine configuration)==
Due to the rifle's versatility, the Heckler & Koch XM8 is changed from rifle to carbine configuration. While the gun was also changed to a LMG version, this isn't seen in SNAFU.
==Nambu Type 92==
Gunny fires a Nambu Type 92 heavy machine gun nicknamed the "woodpecker" for its distinctive sound, which has terrible reliability.
Category:Television