Posted on 05/30/2010 8:49:32 PM PDT by ErnstStavroBlofeld
In the damned if you do, damned if you don’t category, the Army’s new M320 grenade launcher is facing stiff criticism over one of the principle advantages of the system requested by Soldiers and touted by the Army.
There were lots of M320s among Joes in the 3rd BCT of the 101st Airborne — in fact I don’t remember seeing a single M203 among them. But just about everyone I asked about the new H&K-made M320 was that they miss the 203. I got the sense that this was mostly a reaction against changing from a tried and true system to one with a couple more whistles and bells than the simple, streamlined M203.
Soldiers complained about the pistol grip handle catching on things, the forward grip and the sighting system. Even the side loading mechanism didn’t impress — though the Army touts that capability as a plus since it allows the M320 to take longer, more high-tech rounds.
But it’s the last criticism that really surprised me, and actually put me in the position of pushing back to give the Joes some perspective about what they were actually saying.
I’m sure many readers remember the rumblings back in the depth of IOF over bringing back the M79 grenade launcher. Joes and Marines both were saying that additional firepower slung over the shoulder would give the kind of accuracy in a pinch the M203 couldn’t.
(Excerpt) Read more at kitup.military.com ...
Give me the old school M79 any time. That thing looks like a toy.
Actually I like It.
OK! The Blooper and your Springfield are on the way, old trooper.
Listen sport, this M320 gizmo can have 6 rounds in the air and on exact target(s), while you are breaking your M79 for a quick reload. Seen it on TV
progress keeps happening. The Army is being dragged, kicking and screaming into the future.
Yes
YT vids of the M320
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GPuYoJJ1Zco
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QRqBPqe0tNE
I’d like to carry an M32 six shot grenade launcher.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aX-99a1JCc4&NR=1
Since it’s slung under the rifle anyway, WTH does it need that front grip for? You couldn’t hold it by that and the pistol grip, because the rest of the weapon would be waving all over the place. If the 203 needed to be upgraded so it could accomodate the new rounds, fine, but at least make the weapon so the pistol grip and front grip can be removed when it’s mounted to a rifle. Let the magazine function as the rear grip, like the 203, and you’d have a fine weapon system.
I served when the 203 ruled. The best mod to that thing was replacing the leaf sight with the rear quadrant sight. But this mongo REVOLVER is I think, the best of all worlds. When I first saw it in the movie Predator I thought it was another Hollywood phony. Lo and behold, it actually went into the arsenal!
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