Description
TM 9-2200 Small Arms Materiel and Associated Equipment – April 1949
Item Overview
This original Department of the Army technical manual is TM 9-2200, Small Arms Materiel and Associated Equipment, dated April 14, 1949. Issued during the early postwar period, this illustrated reference identifies the small arms, crew-served weapons, mounts, and related equipment then recognized by the U.S. Army. It offers collectors and researchers a detailed view of the Army’s small-arms inventory between World War II and the Korean War.
Publication Details
TM 9-2200 is a compact identification and data catalog rather than an operator’s manual for one weapon. Its photographs, short descriptions, and technical information help readers identify different models and understand their place in the Army inventory.
- Manual number: TM 9-2200
- Official title: Small Arms Materiel and Associated Equipment
- Issuing authority: Department of the Army
- Publication date: April 14, 1949
- Length: 99 numbered pages
- Format: Illustrated technical reference catalog
- Superseded edition: TM 9-2200 dated October 11, 1943
- Historical period: Early Cold War and pre-Korean War
Publication History
The April 1949 manual superseded the October 11, 1943 edition of TM 9-2200, which was titled Small Arms, Light Field Mortars, and 20-mm Aircraft Guns. The revised title and updated contents reflected the Army’s effort to organize the large amount of materiel retained after World War II. It documented weapons still serving in regular units, reserve forces, training programs, and storage as the Army entered the early Cold War.
Function and Contents
The manual provides a broad survey of Army small arms and supporting equipment. Its entries combine photographs with brief descriptions and identifying data, allowing personnel to compare weapons by type, caliber, model, and military purpose. The book also covers sighting equipment, mounts, ammunition carts, edged weapons, and accessories that supported the operation or transport of the listed arms.
Documented Applications
TM 9-2200 covers pistols and revolvers, rifles and carbines, shotguns, automatic rifles, submachine guns, and .30- and .50-caliber machine guns. Additional sections address grenades, rocket launchers, flare pistols and projectors, knives, bayonets, machine-gun mounts, ammunition carts, and weapon accessories. This wide scope makes the manual useful for identifying both individual weapons and the equipment used with them.
Handgun Equipment History
Army handguns of this period included semiautomatic pistols and revolvers used for personal defense, military police work, vehicle crews, and specialized duties. The M1911A1 .45-caliber pistol remained the main U.S. service handgun, while several revolver types and smaller-caliber pistols continued in training or limited service. The manual preserves their official place within the postwar materiel system.
Rifle and Carbine Equipment History
The rifle and carbine sections represent weapons that formed the core of American infantry armament during World War II. The M1 rifle gave soldiers semiautomatic fire, while the lighter M1-series carbines served officers, support troops, and crews who needed a compact weapon. Bolt-action rifles and specialized target or sniper models remained in the supply system for training, reserve use, and selected missions.
Shotgun Equipment History
The Army acquired several commercial shotgun models for guard duty, military police work, combat use, and training. These weapons included pump-action and semiautomatic designs from major American manufacturers. Their appearance in TM 9-2200 shows that shotguns remained an established, though specialized, part of the Army’s postwar small-arms inventory.
Automatic-Weapon Equipment History
Automatic weapons covered by the manual include Browning automatic rifles, submachine guns, and belt-fed machine guns. These designs gave units portable automatic fire or sustained crew-served fire at different ranges. Many had proven themselves during World War II and continued to equip American and allied forces during the opening years of the Cold War.
Launchers and Associated Equipment History
Rocket launchers, grenade-launching equipment, pyrotechnic projectors, bayonets, mounts, carts, and other accessories expanded the roles of standard small arms. The 2.36-inch bazooka gave infantry units a portable antitank weapon, while rifle-grenade equipment provided additional range and explosive power. Mounts and ammunition-handling equipment allowed machine guns to be used from ground positions, vehicles, and defensive installations.
U.S. Army Small-Arms System Background
The Army treated each weapon as part of a larger materiel system. A complete system could include sights, mounts, magazines, belts, tripods, carrying equipment, spare parts, tools, and ammunition-handling gear. TM 9-2200 brought many of these related items together in one reference, helping personnel understand how individual weapons fit within the wider Ordnance supply and support structure.
History of Use
Many weapons recorded in this manual had served throughout World War II and remained in service during occupation duty, stateside training, and the early Cold War. The 1949 edition provided a current reference as the Army maintained wartime equipment and prepared for new demands. Much of this same materiel later appeared during the Korean War, while older models continued with reserve units, allied forces, and military assistance programs.
Ideal For
This illustrated Army manual is a useful historical reference for anyone studying American weapons and Ordnance equipment from World War II through the early Cold War.
- World War II and Korean War small-arms collectors
- Military historians and researchers
- Museums, archives, and reference libraries
- Gunsmiths and restoration specialists
- Bayonet, mount, and weapon-accessory collectors
- Collectors of original U.S. Army technical publications
Approx length 6", Approx width 9", Approx height .25", Approx weight .5lbs.
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