would be perfect for medics to use, but we still get stuck with the M16.It isn't the military's fault. It is politicians. Taking money from the taxpayers for the only federal responsibility, national defense, does not buy any votes. Taking money from the taxpayers to create programs and other pork does buy votes.
Thats what you get when you get your equipment supplied by the lowest bidder.
I'm curious to hear from the M-14 users, also what are the military females view on this subject.
bump
I watch that show "Shootout" on the History Channel sometimes when they feature Iraq battles. It seems to me that I'm seeing a lot less M16s and more carbine-sized automatic weapons.. If they are still M16s, they've been so modified I can't recognize them. Idon't know, comapred to the 40-year-old rifles they are taking from our enemies, I'd say we do OK.
Also, the author doesnt seem to mention pistols or carbines, just rifles.
"Of all the weapons in the vast Soviet arsenal, nothing was more profitable than Avtomat Kalashnikova model of 1947. More commonly known as the AK-47, or Kalashnikov. It's the worlds most popular assault rifle. A weapon all fighters love. An elegantly simple, 9-pound algemation of forged steel and plywood. It doesn't break, jam, or overheat. It'll shoot whether it's covered in mud or filled with sand. It's so easy, even a child can use it... and they do. The Soviets put the gun on a coin. Mozambique put it on their flag. Since the end of the Cold War, the Kalashnikov has become the Russian people's greatest export. After that comes vodka, caviar, suicidal novelists. One thing is for sure, no one was lining up to buy their cars."
Because the Pentagon hasn't yet found a way to shovel the contract for the replacement to H&K? Seriously, H&K is the only manufacturer that I hear mentioned when I read a story about what will replace the M-16.
Oh, and I remember the History Channel stating that the specification for a chromed bore on the early M-16 was dropped in the interests of cost savings.
would be perfect for medics to use, but we still get stuck with the M16.Despite this, the M-16 has had a 40-year run as our standard infantry weapon, having been tortured into an acceptable state. Why, however, are we still using it, considering that all our other Vietnam-era equipment, from helmets to jet fighters, is stone age compared to what he have today?
The ammo is lightweight, so a soldier can carry more of it.
It doesn't have the recoil of the 30-06, so people who aren't used to firing rifles are easier to train.
The high velocity of the round makes it pretty effective at short ranges (100 yds or less).
The long term planners felt that small arms were going the way of the dinasaur. We were supposed to be able to use our superior air power and heavy weapons for most of the fighting and the small arms were secondary.
The downside is that in the desert, the firefights frequently exceed the effective range of the M-16.
Small arms are a primary weapon in urban combat when you don't want to drop 500 lb bombs on a city block or spray a market place with a minigun.
Call me crazy, but I actually like the m16/m4 from a functionality standpoint. My only issue is knock down power. If it fired 7.62 rounds, it would be ideal. JMO.
You guys and gals should read Soldier of Fortune some, if you dont already. They have very good articles regarding weapons being used by our troops. And the changes being thought of for the future.
^6 years in the Infantry and my m-16 never let me down.It was an over used weapon when I got it.But I kept it cleaner than my undies!
The United States Marine Corps Designated Marksman Rifle (DMR, NSN 1005-01-458-6235) is a semi-automatic gas-operated rifle chambered for the 7.62x51mm NATO cartridge. It is a modified and accurized variant of the Springfield Armory M-14 battle rifle built and utilized solely by the United States Marine Corps. The rifle is currently issued with M118LR 175-grain ammunition.
The most notable difference between the traditional M14 pattern rifle and the DMR is the addition of a McMillan Tactical M2A fiberglass riflestock in OD Green color on the DMR. This particular stock features a pistol grip and a buttstock with adjustable saddle cheekpeice. The DMR also features a 22 inch (~56 cm) match grade stainless steel barrel, which, in profile, is noticeably wider than the original GI-spec barrel. These barrels are supplied by two major contractors, Kreiger Barrels, Inc. and Mike Rock Rifle Barrels, Inc. The rifle is also equipped with a simple MIL-STD-1913 rail mounting system built by GG&G Armament Arizona which allows for the attachment of any optic system compatible with the MIL-STD-1913 rail (this would include a huge variety of military riflescopes and imaging devices, most notably the TS-30.xx series dayscope and the AN/PVS-10 or AN/PVS-17 night vision riflescopes; DMRs have been used in combination with Leupold Mark 4 10x scopes, along with Unertl 10x M40 scopes). DMRs utilize the traditional M-14 muzzle device, however, since deployment in Afghanistan in 2001, some DMRs have also been equipped with OPS, Inc. 2-port muzzle brake, threaded and collared to accept an OPS, Inc. 12th model muzzle brake suppressor sound attenuation device. The "basic" DMR (i.e. without secondary sight, magazine, sling, basic issue items, cleaning gear, suppressor, and bipod) weighs 11 pounds or less. The DMR design allows the sight mount, barrel, bolt, and other key assemblies to be repaired/replaced at the third echelon maintenance level. All DMRs are built at the Precision Weapons Shop at Quantico, Virginia.
The DMR is employed by the Marine Corps Scout/Sniper team when the mission requirements dictate the need for a weapon capable of delivering rapid, accurate fire against multiple targets at greater ranges and with greater lethality than the M16A2's 5.56 x 45mm NATO cartridge. It may also be used by the Designated Marksman (DM) assigned to the Marine Security Force Battalion and Military Police units in the execution of their security and counter-terrorist missions. They are also deployed with Marine Corps Explosive Ordnance Desposal teams.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Marine_Corps_Designated_Marksman_Rifle"
One Shot, One Kill
As a Weapons Specialist in the Military, and a competative shooter in the Military, I loved the M1 and the M14. I was around for the transition from the M14 to the M16. I was sent to Colt Arms M16 Armorer School. What always bothered me was the fact that every rifle coming off the line had to be refurbished. The gas tubes and bolts on the rifle need so much special attention, they carbon up and jammed in those days. Hence the later bolt assist. I still prefer a larger caliber, longer range rifle. When my eyes were better, and I was younger, the M14 was good to 1,000 yards in a match.
Because we're too f*&^%$ impressed with bazillion dollar airplanes to spend a tenth of that money arming and protecting the guys on the ground who are doing the bleeding and the dying.
Weapons and ammo bump for later.
The Union army may have been slow to adopt the Spencer but since they had the Condederates outnumbered 4 to 1 and the Confederates were using muzzleloaders, the fact that they issued large numbers of Spencers should be a positive not a negative.
The army had adopted the Krag before the Spanish American War. The Mauser was better but not that much better.
During WII we were the only country to issue a semi-auto as general issue.
The M-14 was a fine weapon, maybe not quite as good as the FAL but not noticeably so.
The M-16 was and is a great weapon. It had a few teething problems as all guns do, but most of these were not the fault of the gun. Even today the problems are not with the basic gun but the configurations.