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Weapons I carried during my career

GAU5A/AA & XM-177(Pre-M4 carbine)
M14/M1A
1911A1
Browning Highpower
M82A1 Barrett
M79
M60
HK21
MP5 Series
M148/M203
M12 or M870 Shotgun
Swedish K & M76 S&W

I was lucky enough to be in a job that allowed "me" to make sure my weapons and ammo were up to the task to be performed......prior to deployment or hostilities. I understand small team logistics are better suited to such selection and use but MOUT wasn't something that popped up yesterday. Rangers have used the short barreled pistol grip equipped shotgun for decades to breach reinforced doors . The lessons learned during DS/DS 1 regarding lubrication of firearms in desert conditions seems to have been ignored.

As to the M9 Beretta I was never issued that weapon, albeit I trained with it a bunch, it worked fine for me. We kept our 1911A1's and were allowed to carry a personal P-35 Browning Highpower if the mission needs allowed.

Were I to be tasked today to issue a list of standard weapons for MOUT needs I am of the opinion that a M4 carbine with a M203, A M249 SAW, and a Designated Marksman with either a SR25 or M1A (prefer the SR25 as the rifelman wouldn't "appear" to be anything special to a enemy sniper), a pistol grip sawed off 12 gauge pump like a Serbu 12 gauge albeit I'd like to have a 6 round magazine tube that would dictate a longer barrel.....(est 3 hinges hit twice as a minimum need) .......and the 1911A1 in 45ACP.

All these things being brought up have been known for years.....the small indentation on the primers, the CLP use in desert conditions like Kuwait, Saudi and Ft Irwin !! But hey if the DOD's current leadership will listen now then keep shouting and bitching loud and long ! Hopefully someday they'll listen.............

Just my opinions ............Stay Safe !

I guess we're not the only old farts in the forum.

Ditto on the M14/M1A, 1911A1, M60, M870 sawed off at both ends short shotguns....loads alternate between 00 and slug.

THEN we got serious....for the patrols where we expected to "greet" some barges or vehicles coming down "the river road"...
We'd have the 'yards hump a full 106mm R/R rig and about ten rounds - depending on the number of 'yards..together with a couple of thermite grenades if we had to destroy our heavy weapons and haul ass.

81mm Mortars with a mix of Woolly Peter and HE....
C14 with detonators and blasting cord....

Later, we "liberated" an old Thompson .45cal Sub-machine gun with two straight magazines --- This was an unbelievably effective and reliable weapon in our "close" environment under the canopy, and I don't understand why it dropped out of favor..

And you know.....We NEVER had a problem with a torso or head shot not being enough. The 7.62 and the .45 are both proven rounds.....but there are a whole lot of dead VC and NVA with 5.56 stitching in their asses that would be surprised to hear it wasn't a lethal round...

The three "problems" with the M14 that killed it for modern warfare..
1. Too long --- for close quarters
2. Too heavy -- both the weapon and equiv. number of rounds to carry.
3. Too much gun for our "little bitty" allies.....

But, that damned M14 would sure as hell kill anything you hit well with it -- way out past 5oo yards...

Can not comment on any weapons past the M14....never needed or wanted to need one.

Semper Fi