Posted on 01/17/2021 3:49:37 AM PST by marktwain
Image from Marine.mil Knight Armaments Company Suppressor on M38 cropped and scaled by Dean Weingarten
The Marine Corps is well on its way to procuring suppressors (silencers) for all small arms in its arsenal.
In 2020, the Marines have procured 6,700 suppressors for M4, M4A1, and M27 rifles. Suppressors are in common use with the M38 squad designated marksman rifle.
Another 7,000 suppressors are in the pipeline. The goal is to have about 30,000 suppressors by the fiscal year 2023. From Defense Visual Information Service:
In 2020, PM IW procured about 6,700 small arms suppressors through Defense Logistics Agency’s Tailored Logistic Program, and acquired more than 7,000 additional units on the first delivery order upon the contract award. Brisker said the goal is to field approximately 30,000 suppressors by fiscal year 2023.
There are about 184,000 active-duty Marines. Not all of them are going to be using or issued suppressors at the same time. Perhaps the Marines only need 120,000 suppressors for all their rifles. At the current rate of procurement, the Corps would meet their goal by about 2030.
Four years ago, in 2016, the Marines fielded a battalion equipped with suppressors. From military.com:
In a series of experiments this year, units from 2nd Marine Division will be silencing every element of an infantry battalion — from M4 rifles to .50 caliber machine guns.
From nationaldefensemag.com in 2019:
Another area of interest is a new suppressor for rifles. The Marine Corps is planning to release a request for proposals to industry, Hough added.
(Excerpt) Read more at ammoland.com ...
Besides the tactical value, let’s do everything we can to protect these young warriors hearing...
It should cut down on the permanent hearing loss that results from small arms combat.
Yes.
That is mentioned toward the end of the article.
Aren’t these outlawed by some Geneva Convention?
Other than that, this seems like an obvious thing for us to do for a long time now. No reason to give away your position to the enemy. Who the fuq cares about the Geneva Convention when your life is on the line?
Good. My cousin lost hearing in one ear in 2003 in Afghanistan.
Suppressors are not for battle. If russia n china use them we should question it.
On Xiden’s Third day in Residency, he will order all suppressors removed because the vote must not be suppressed.
No. Never have been.
Perhaps you are thinking of the 1899 Hague Declaration concerning Expanding Bullets.
The 1899 Hague Declaration concerning expanding bullets prohibits the use, as a means of warfare, of ‘bullets which expand or flatten easily in the human body’. The prohibition was introduced mostly with a view to ban the British-made ‘dumdum’ bullet.
$200 tax on each suppressor. That’ll be some big bucks the USMC will have to shell out to the BATFE.
Yes, I’m kidding.
It’s not all upside. They make rifles get dirty much faster. In a long battle, that matters.
ROAR!
They are another piece of kit to carry and maintain.
The Knight's NT-4 being fielded weighs about a pound and a half.
Your position is not given away" no flash, little dust at the muzzle and little sound signature from your firing position to give the enemy cues where to aim.
Commands are more clearly heard.
It is easier to differentiate between your fire and the enemy's in a firefight - since they will likely be unsuppressed.
The only real minus is with the gas tube M4s/M16s: that idiot system pumps gas back into the firer's face and that stuff is nasty. Causes difficulty breathing and tearing in the eyes. Contains ammonia, for one thing.
Recommend that the Corps go to gas piston systems to go with their suppressors.
Another benefit is a lot of them will show up on the (ahem) “surplus market.”
“Surveyed equipment” is what the Navy and USMC call gear that has been trashed. Sometimes they were not, and they get lost on the way out.
Then there are the “parts” that are used for rebuilding them. Put enough “parts” together, and there you are.
Just sayin.
To you and post #3 right behind you of similar post, I am one of those that suffers a lot of hearing loss and ear ringing from Vietnam and all the blasts that ear plugs don’t help. ANYTHING to keep them from suffering what I and millions of vets suffer, will be good.
You’re uninformed.
>>>”Suppressive fire” is useless in combat<<<
Vast overstatement.
Suppressive fire is quite valuable in some circumstances, such as in thick jungle and woods fighting, where contacts are often made at under 100 feet, and the enemy is rarely clearly seen, (but still needs to be shot, or at least convinced to retreat),
And during fire and maneuver, when your maneuver element is totally exposed to enemy fire.
That’s why belt-fed weapons are issued. If “suppressive fire is useless in combat,” troops would just be issued semi-auto rifles.
Very easy......I mean extremely easy to make a homemade suppressor.
I oppose that and believe we should always be lawful and never go around the laws and rules. So don’t do it. It’s illegal.
The company I was with (RVN) had a couple of M-16 suppressors for each platoon.
IIRC after a few rounds, the effect would drop off and they had to be re-packed.
Long ago, I posted a photo of one when we had a unit website.
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