[centurion316]

I have extended experience with the M-79 and the M-203, including in combat. The M-79 was simple and lightweight, but dangerous due to the inadequate safety. Most experienced grenadiers kept the action broken and usually did not carry a round in the chamber. The other drawback was that the secondary weapon with the .45. The M-203 was safer and the M-16 was the secondary weapon. It was a little clumsy and took longer to load. Grenadiers needed longer to become accurate with the M-203.

I have never fired the M-320, but I have dry fired it and have had extensive discussions with current gredadiers. I like it. I think that in most situations, I would sling my M-4 across my chest and use the M-320 as the primary weapon in a stand alone mode.

[Chainmail]

See my Post #11. I have used the M79 in combat - never considered any less safe than a normal single-shot shotgun; just made sure that the safety was on.

Per my post, I never considered it anything close to being an adequate killer. I have also used the prehistoric M76 grenade launcher firing the M26 frag grenade: now THAT was a killer!

[M-cubed]

I had some experience with the M-79 when I flew LOH loaches as a door gunner in VN....we would duct tape long nails to incendiary grenades and drop them on Hooch roofs to get the fire started and shoot a few rounds thru the 1st hole that became visible.....it was all well and good till we discovered we were catching some shrapnel in our ships if we were too close so we moved on to Willie pete to fill the hole..but still carried the 79 for special occasions..,

oh..and the M-79 would spray a bag of rice quite well....but the willie pete would cook it to a crisp.....

[DugwayDuke]

centurion316 wrote: “I have extended experience with the M-79 and the M-203, including in combat. The M-79 was simple and lightweight, but dangerous due to the inadequate safety.”

I’ve known several Vietnam company commanders who refused to issue the M203 to their troops. They preferred the M79 since it was their experience that their gunners would fire the one round in the M203 and then go full rock and roll with their M16. Refusing to issue the M203 ensured their gunners would continue to provide grenade fire.