Posted on 02/23/2011 8:10:07 PM PST by marktwain
Four Americans, including a Seattle couple, aboard a private yacht hijacked by Somali pirates are dead this morning, and readers reacting to the CBS story on-line are wondering why any of the pirates were taken alive. Likewise, after the Seattle Times caught up with the story at about 7:25 a.m., it didn’t take long for readers to suggest that the pirates be taught a lesson.
The incident is hardly a first in that part of the world. Somali pirates have been emboldened by the willingness of some victims to pay outrageous ransoms. Reports indicate that negotiations were underway between the pirates and a U.S. warship nearby.
Today’s dead are identified as Seattleites Bob Riggle and Phyllis Macay, along with Californians Scott and Jean Adam, who owned the Quest, whose home port may be Marina del Rey, where the Adams lived.
Then we should bring the Navy in and blast those Somalian (sic) MF's back into the stone age (or farther back into it). If a Somolian (sic) ship is at sea and is not fishing, blow them up and ask questions later.—Seattle Times reader
Early in the Obama administration, Navy SEAL marksmen took out some pirates holding a merchant captain hostage, but one can now conclude that message was insufficient to convince pirates that attacking boats or ships on the high seas, sailing under the American flag, is a bad idea. It will be up to the administration to take appropriate action. Examiner readers are encouraged to comment below, explaining what you think would be appropriate.
Meanwhile, what can private vessels do to discourage pirates or defend against them?
This column checked on line and it appears that it is legal – with some red tape, naturally – to carry arms aboard.
(Excerpt) Read more at examiner.com ...
Let’s be real here. In some cases hand guns, shot guns or even long guns on board would be good, but against pirates? You’d need mounted .50 cal at a minimum. I’d go with 20mm cannon and rocket launchers or basically you’re just committing suicide by pirate.
Flare gun vs. jacked over a pumpkin also a fail. Bounced off. Useless idea, only works in movies.
Jacked should be jacket.
Ah... excellent choice. Glad to know there are people out there who think like me.
;-)
No, accuracy is most important. I’ve done a LOT of shooting on the ocean. Fifty caliber is not needed, and can’t be carried by any civilian vessel under at least 60 feet anyway. It’s just too heavy.
What counts is accurate semi-auto rapid fire. Each splash is used to guide following rapid fire shots. It’s almost like using tracers, you KNOW where your bullets are going. Put a 4X ACOG on an accurate semi-auto rifle, and you will be picking off pirates before an iron-sight AK is even in the fight. Wild harrassing fire is worthless against a seaborne sharpshooter who is killing pirates one after the other at 400 yards.
All firing is offhand, because the yacht is always moving under you. Sitting indian-style with the rifle not supported on your knees is best. A 5.56 semi-auto rifle is great because they are fast and flat shooting and you can sustain better rapid fire. The skill is to adjust fire using your splashes. One rifleman with an AR/ACOG combo could very quickly kill a dozen pirates who are spraying the ocean with unaimed AK rounds.
I have shot thousands of rounds of 5.56 on the ocean. We blow up head-sized balloons and let them go. They stick to the water, and “go away” as you are sailing forward. If you miss, you see a gout of water next to the balloon. Hit the balloon, it disappears. You can pop balloons at 100s of yards, with a low-recoil semi-auto using aimed rapid fire.
I agree 100%. The yacht is being sailed to some port by SEALs as we speak. They don’t need special training, they have it already!
Torps would be nice, but not required. Barret 50s and their other rifles would be plenty, as I discuss above.
I have sailed into two dozen countries with weapons. Sometimes I declared them, sometimes not. I never once got a “down to the keel bolts” search. Never.
The big Barrett fifty is too heavy to use from a small boat, because you cannot fire accurately from a rest. The boat is moving at all times, so you can only fire accurately offhand, using your splashes to adjust fire in fast semi-auto. If you put that 50 on a rest, say your cockpit combing, the barrel will just go up and down uncontrollably. And obviously, you can’t fire it offhand. Best is 5.56, because the key is to put out a lot of accurate rapid fire, from offhand (usually sitting offhand), using your splashes to adjust fire.
Question: Why is the USN unwilling or unable to enforce summary justice on the high seas?
All of the sailboats I’ve been on already have plenty of hiding places.
The 25mm/12 guage could also be kept handy in port.
At sea, no need to hide weapons. They are always ready, and we always did a lot of shooting. The 360-degree range is always open, no fees or dues. Your bullets and your sound cannot reach as far as you can see. And adjusting fire by splash makes it an entirely different way to shoot.
Put a 4X scope on an AR, and between 400 and 200 yards, you would just slaughter pirates waving AKs and RPGs.
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I did die and come back...I can tell you that..that experience was entirely love and understanding to a level that cannot be described in human terms. There was a complete absence of any negative whatsoever, which we never fully achieve in life. These brave Christians either had first hand experience or faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Their being called home is what is natural, none of us live longer than we are supposed to. BTW, you don’t have to die to “meet” Jesus, you can know him now. Open your heart and pray humbly and genuinely and open yourself to him and he will let you know he is there...truly.
Thanks for the tips. Ruger Mini 14 w/Luepold scope, 357 and bolo but no boat.
I know where there’s a stainless steel Ruger Mini-14 a few miles off the coast of Huatulco, Mexico.
Only if you have the will to use them if necessary.
Makes sense. I guess I was looking at the Barrett as something that could do significant damage to the pirate vessel as well, preferably the hull, below the waterline. Picking off a couple of pirates might discourage them for a little while, but if they want your boat, they’ll try again when conditions are more favorable to them. Putting big holes in their boat, especially the hull, (or other vital areas such a fuel tanks) might make them decide it’s better to head back towards land.
Could you sling it from the rigging to help compensate for quick corrections of sea conditions? At which point I guess you’re not really using the scope for pinpoint accuracy, more like a mini MA2. You’d still have other onboard using smaller calibers targeting the baddies.
Just curious.
Sorry, the Somalis have AK’s. You need a good .50 Cal and lots of ammo. You engage them at a distance with devastating power.
Dunno.
You’d need a good range to be able to drive off pirates, before they overwhelmed you with return fire from AK’s and RPGs. I think an RPG has a range of ~300 meters, so you’d need to be able “reach out and touch someone” at a greater range.
So, if you were an EXCELLENT shot, a good scoped rifle might do the trick. Just pick ‘em off, one at a time, starting with the helmsman. If you could get a bead, you could put a few in the engine, too.
Otherwise, you’ll need a good MG with lots of tracers to hose the bastards down. Or something bigger...
The US doesn’t allow you to own post 1968 automatic weapons, heavily licenses pre-1968 automatic weapons and most ports don’t allow you to bring weapons into port. The good guys are pretty much a serious disadvantage here.
“Fifty caliber is not needed, and can’t be carried by any civilian vessel under at least 60 feet anyway. It’s just too heavy.”
LOL! But my rocket launchers are OK?
Guess you missed my tongue in cheek tone...but it’s a fun conversation.
Only if the pirates are into taking casualties. In every instance that I have read about, when the pirates run into armed resistance, even from a single pistol, they go away and look for easier prey.
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