Using a rifle as a club

[sassenach]

Soldiers are sometimes depicted in films using the butt of the rifle as a club in hand-to-hand fighting. Is this something that they were trained to do, or mere improvisation?

[Acknown]

Not quite what you mean I suspect, but see the 'buttstroke' demonstrated from about 1:00. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8Yeiyur5ps

Also: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buttstroke

Acknown

Edited 1 February , 2019 by Acknown
Correction

[sassenach]

Thanks; very interesting. Don't imagine they'd use this method with a bayonet fixed.  

[trajan]

I was taught to use an SMLE with a fixed bayonet.... A l-o-o-on-g time ago... In fact. '"Butt One" (upwards under the chin) and "Butt Two" (straight on the face) come to mind...

[Steve1871]

Remind me not to get you mad at me there Julian, SMLE Butt to face would ruin my weekend😳

[Gernika]

Who knows !

[Richard2]

A guy with whom I used to work told me that he used his M16 as a club to kill an NVA soldier.  He also destroyed his rifle, it broke when it hit the enemy.   The incident is related in the book “Charlie Company: What Vietnam did to Us”.  From what I have seen of the SMLE and other Great War rifles, I very much doubt that any of them would break if used as a club. I think the strength and general quality of rifles have greatly declined.