Posted on 02/15/2012 7:06:30 PM PST by smokingfrog
Fort Campbell, KY – It weighs 3.5 pounds, has a barrel length of 7.75 inches, fires 12-gauge shells and can be mounted on the M4 carbine or act as a stand alone firearm; it is the M26 Modular Accessory Shotgun System and the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault) is the first unit in the Army to be issued the combat enhancer.
“This is a new capability that is now in your hands for you to conduct your mission downrange,” said Col. Scott C. Armstrong, with Project Manager Soldier Weapons, during a presentation ceremony held at Fort Campbell’s Strike Academy, February 7th. “This is a big day, not just for the 2nd Brigade, but for the Army.”
Picatinny Arsenal-based PMSW is a group that supports Soldiers through the development, production, fielding and sustainment of current and future weapons systems. PMSW fielded the M26 MASS to the 2nd BCT, also known as the Strike Brigade due to the unit’s profile and future deployment schedule.
“We’re glad to be the first unit to put this weapon to work and there is an appreciation for all that goes into this,” said Col. Dan Walrath, the Strike commander, while holding the new Strike Shotgun.
After the ‘hand-over’ ceremony, the weapons were issued to Strike’s engineer company, Company A, 2nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion and Strike’s military police with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd BSTB. For three days, under the guidance of PMSW, the Strike Soldiers learned how to assemble, maintain, repair and effectively fire their new weapons.
(Excerpt) Read more at clarksvilleonline.com ...
I’m not sure what that is.
Looks like it could be a Wilson Combat or GG&G BUIS.
Bravo Company (BCM) makes a nice one too.
I use a Daniel Defense fixed sight with my Eotech and it doesn’t bother me at all.
When are the AA-12 shotguns going to be finally deployed?
I want to get my hands on one of them.
Most likely it would require it's own tax stamp as a SBS.
Me Likey !!
Forgot to mention, if you ever watched Sons of Guns, one of their first projects was the "Master Key," consisting of a cut down Saiga Shotgun mounted under an AR-15. It's available for sale at Red Jacket Firearms.
Should work well if you’re on point in close quarters against anyone without armor.
Here’s to hoping that the plan is to deploy it outside the US.
Actually, that is a popular misconception. A 12 ga out of 7 in will pattern well at 15 and even 20 yards. The 12 ga round is optimized at 12 inches. It is not like a rifle round that benefits from extra barrel length. It is doing all that it needs to at 12 inches and a little less barrel length does not have a dramatic drop off like a rifle either.
I have shot a friends serbu super shorty and was amazed. Interestingly, the 3 in 00 had a greater spread than 2 3/4 00. Not worth the extra money or kick. He is still doing penetration testing BUT I would have no hesitation using one out to 20 yards. Aiming it is the hard part, but the load does exactly what it does out of a 18 in barrel for most bad guy distances.
Semper Fi
Could have sworn I saw this on Sons of Guns last year.
‘Pump action .223 was not desirable.”
In my “not so humble opinion” .223 is rapid fire power, lower penetration , longer range, where as 12 guage is higher penetration, can be rapid fire, shorter range. Just not compatible.
The USMC used them out in the Pacific in WWII.
A friend of my brother's borrowed one from his dad, back in the 1970's, and I remember him showing us that. Hold down the trigger, and it was bang-bang-bang-bang-bang, as fast as he could rack the slide.
Ah. You meant the short barrel. My mistake.
“You meant the short barrel. My mistake.”
No, my mistake. A pump action .223, to me, makes little sense.
or I are confused. .223 in WWII?
Generally referred to as a hallway (or alley) sweeper..not an entirely bad thing.
What amazes me, or maybe not, is that back in the 60's the M16 was boosted by being light weight and using a light round..."you can carry more ammo".
So, 45 or so years later they've strapped several pounds onto the puppy, messed up the shoulder to aim point geometry, and added a second issue of ammunition (with various loads) in the name of progress (?)
On the other hand, at 3.5 pounds and given a skeleton stock, it'd be a comfort strapped to your leg if you had to venture into a nasty neighborhood.
I've always wondered about that. In the dense jungle, wouldn't a shotgun make sense? Maybe one guy per squad carrying one. Seems to me a 5.56 round would deflect if it hit limbs or whatever more than 50 feet out. Whereas a load of buckshot would be effective at the ranges encountered in the bush, i.e. pretty damn close.
Any Nam vets care to weigh in?
It’s amazing!
After almost five decades of tinkering, bolt-ons and cajoling, they’ve come up with an M16 variant that has as much short range oomph as an M14 has out to a few hundred yards!
With a little more work, it will be as good as a Garand!
Video at: http://youtu.be/HapoGIMHUsY
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