What’s Inside a Taliban Gun Locker? (old bolt actions and beatup AKs)

NYT ^ | 9-15-10 | C.J. CHIVERS

[dynachrome]

had in their custody 26 firearms and an RPG-7 launcher captured from Taliban fighters or collected from caches.

Of these weapons, 12 were variants of the Kalashnikov assault rifle, 8 were bolt-action rifles from World War II or earlier, 4 were variants of the PK machine gun, and 2 were small semiautomatic pistols. This was in some ways a typical mix for Afghanistan, although the ratio of bolt-action rifles was higher than what many units outside of Helmand Province have seen.

The ratio is interesting and aligns with the experience of patrolling in and near Marja and other contested areas nearby. Insurgents in Helmand Province seem to have used bolt-action rifles more than in many regions of Afghanistan. Whether this indicates a pressure on the supply of assault rifles and their ammunition or a preference for the longer effective ranges of Lee-Enfield and Mosin-Nagant rifles is not clear

[dynachrome]

Interesting pics at the article.

Including a 1915 Enfield.

[dynachrome]

Even the taliban still use the Mosin Nagant!

[dynachrome]

"For those who have been under fire in Helmand, finding that a large fraction of captured rifles are Lee-Enfields or Mosin-Nagants is not surprising. This battalion’s battlefield collections fit its Marines’ experiences on patrol.

[humblegunner]

Even the taliban still use the Mosin Nagant!

Hell, who don't?

[Parley Baer]

Hmmmm, I have four Lee-Enfields myself. Not a bad weapon that can be reloaded pretty quickly.

[mamelukesabre]

Me. Mauser all the way.

[The Comedian]

Why don't the Democrats outlaw guns for the Taliban, and solve this problem?

Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.

[dynachrome]

True. I still wonder how many the N. Koreans still have stashed in their paradise?

[JoeProBono]

Joseph Stalin aiming his Mosin Nagant sniper rifle

[humblegunner]

Normally, I’d diss them for poor storage conditions and ammo maintenance.

But with the Mosey.. it doesn’t matter.

Those suckers will fire pebbles and prosthetic limbs just fine.

[dynachrome]

Cool, I wonder where that rifle is now?

You can buy the memorabilia of the Soviet Union’s top WW11 sniper, Mikhail Galchkov- NKVD Sniper- 13th Motorized NKVD Rgt. 133 Kills, here. Rifle not included though.

http://www.ostfront.com/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=ROEP-00118&Category_Code=

[mountainlion]

Looks lie a RPG in there also. Where are the stingers and mortars? This is a goat headers collection.

[dynachrome]

Illiterate peasants need a simpler weapon. The AK47 is about as complicated as the average taliban get, I would guess.

[fso301]

In that terrain, a WWII era rifle is what I’d generally opt for.

[JoeProBono]

I have it

[dynachrome]

That’s a pretty one alright!

[omega4179]

Its an indifferently made musket suitable for insurgents.

[humblegunner]

Its an indifferently made musket suitable for insurgents.

It goes boom real good.

I can make an apple-sized pattern with it, standing off-hand, at 100 yards.

It cost me $75.00.

[Squantos]

LMAO !

[JoeProBono]