Camp Lejeune Marines Try Out New Rifle

Marine Corps News ^ | Oct. 2, 2003 | Lance Cpl. Adam C. Schnell

[Ex-Dem]

CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C.(Oct. 2, 2003) -- CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. From the days of Marines wielding muskets, to the current day fully automatic machine guns, weapons in the Marine Corps continue to change to accommodate the needs of battle. The Marine Corps is now adding a new chapter to the history of its service rifles.

For the first time since being chosen as the Marine Corps future rifle, Marines assigned to 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment here were issued and fired their new M-16A4 service rifles recently.

The M-16A4, the fourth generation of the M-16 service rifle, has been in the testing phase for the Marine Corps along with the M-4 carbine rifle more than two years. In August 2002, former Commandant of the Marine Corps, General James L. Jones decided to stay with the tried and true M-16 verses the M-4.

The Marines are looking forward to testing their new rifles out on the range and in the field, said 1st Lt. John M. Jones, executive officer for F Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment.

Getting new equipment can be great morale boosters for anyone, but for a military unit receiving new weapons, they need confidence in using them in combat. Gaining confidence begins with training and some times this process is very long.

The rifle is a little bit heavier, but shoots the same as the M-16A2 we used in Iraq, said Sgt. Anthony J. Stewart, a platoon commander for F Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment.

Every Marine must not only learn how to use the new features, but they also must fire the weapon enough so be confident with its abilities.

This new rifle is almost identical in appearance and firing using the same ammunition and existing attachments, like the M-203 grenade launcher. However, once removing the carrying handle the weapon is capable of providing a lot more potential.

Once the handle is removed, an integrated rail system is exposed. This system allows any optic, laser or night vision sight with a rail grabber to slide into place, said Cpl. Randy J. Dunkel Jr., noncommissioned officer in charge of the armory for Headquarters and Support Company, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marines.

The new rail system is great because you can just take off the handle and put any sight on it, said Jones.

With the new advancement comes change in the way the rifle is stored in the armory.

Everything is going to have to change to accommodate the new rifles, said Dunkel. We're going through some changes right now to make storing the rifles much easier.

As the new rifles are being delivered the older versions will receive an inspection and sent to Marine Corps Logistics Base, Albany, Ga., where they will either be destroyed or redistributed as needed.

The M-16A4 will be better to have in the long run, because in combat you can put on so many new pieces of equipment to make life easier, added Dunkel.

[Abogado]

whoops, 2000 not 2003

[Macknight]

I loved my M14E2 heavy barrel and hated the Mattel M-16 girlie gun.

[SBprone]

In August 2002, former Commandant of the Marine Corps, General James L. Jones decided to stay with the tried and true M-16 verses the M-4.

That was a sound decision. The 5.56mm round fired from a short barrel burns half its powder in the air in front of your face. Major flash and muzzle blast with as much as 500fps decrease in muzzle velocity. OK for special troops who get real close to shoot folks. Bad for regular troops who don't have fancy gear and need to preserve their eardrums.

[Frohickey]

As the new rifles are being delivered the older versions will receive an inspection and sent to Marine Corps Logistics Base, Albany, Ga., where they will either be destroyed or redistributed as needed.

Strike down NFA34, and give all of these old M16A2 to the DCMP. They can charge us $1000 a piece. :D

[geedee]

That sucker's got more parts than the Space Shuttle.

[bethelgrad]

My experience with the M-16 dates from 92-96. I thought it was a fine rifle. I did not have any shooting experience. With the proper training, I easily qualified expert 2 out of 4 times. I credit the weapon and my instructers mostly. My 16 hardly ever jammed, but the SAW I was issued jammed all the time.

[SBprone]

The 14s are gone for good, despite the fact than many remain in inventory. The US will not field a weapon for which parts can no longer be manufactured. To build a forging plant for those receivers you would probably have to hold a seance with a bunch of long-gone engineers and machinists.

[Atlas Sneezed]

Bang

[300winmag]

The M-16 fires an "intermediate range" cartridge, based on the concept that 99.99% of engagements will be under 200 meters. A .308 or 30-06 is just overkill at the range, and just makes for heavier weapon and ammunition.

But put a decent scope on a M-16, and the firearm/ammunition combination is so accurate that it can reliably hit at 600-800 meters. And AR-15-types are used in 1000 meter target shooting, too. They're doing great things with optics these days, and you can put an accurate, compact, and reliable scope on one of these weapons for little cash.

The weapon is now operating in a mode that Gene Stoner never considered. It became a long-range rifle accurately firing a short(er) range round. Paper targets are still punched at that range, but human targets represent something of a problem.

On the other hand, the guy 600 meters from you with his AK-47 has an even bigger problem. All he can do is spray a lot of rounds in your direction, and hope that something is hit. The design tradeoffs that went into the Ak-47 wrote off aimed fire beyond 50 meters, and even that is iffy.

The Discovery Channel recently had a comparison between the M-16 and AK-47. An average shooter with a M-16 got five out of five hits in a nice group on a man-sized target at 200 meters. He couldn't even touch the paper with the AK at that range. Using ultra-slow-motion photography, it showed a M-16 cycling flawlessly on full auto, since all the recoiling mass is basically cylindrical, and on the axis of the centerline of the barrel. The AK-47 was not only vibrating, it was flexing in full auto. There's a lot of mass, and a lot of forces, off-axis in the weapon. You could see the gap between the barrel and cleaning rod open and close as it fired, both pieces flexing at different rates.

[SVTCobra03]

If I shoot an enemy soldier(preferebly a field grade officer or other high priority target) at 1000+ yards with my custom made Remington 700 .300 winmag and Nightforce scope while in my Ghille suit and especially in a valley where it is nearly impossible to tell where the shot came from; his buddies aren't going to be able to return accurate counter sniper fire.

[ASOC]

Actually, the Marines still issue the M-14 with scope at the company level. Marksman rifle. 2 per.

My son is in a FAST team (you guess, I ain't saying) and is hoping to go to the school on the system shortly. He thinks the M-16 w/203 is pretty cool, but the M-14 is a "bob-diggety" -- whatever that is......

Hoo-ah

[JoeSixPack1]

FAST - Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security Team

I salute you and your Son. Semper Fi.

[SBprone]

Two per company, huh? They sound like some really tough guys who can really stalk and shoot. Guys like that usually get their hands on whatever they need to do the job.

[ASOC]

He wants to work as a cop when he finishs his tour.
My sister (a cop) sez he should be able to take his pick of job offers.

Hope so. Never enough good cops.

[JoeSixPack1]

I remember training with the first shipments of 16s. Good weapon, accurate, lightweight, powerfull, easily R&R'd for cleaning etc.

Pretty soon we all started to spell the word "S - A - N - D" when speaking of the ground cover so our weapons wouldn't jam. If you said 'sand', like sandflea, or sandcrab, boom, your weapon had already jammed and your best bet was to just open it up, clean it, and put it back together before anybody even noticed!

M-16's can't spell. We argued about that too!

:)~

[Shooter 2.5]

It ain't your daddy's M-16 anymore.

Muskets fouled.
Trapdoors wouldn't eject.
Krags still used blackpowder against Mauser's smokeless.
Springfieds made troops sign for sick call after a day's firing.
Early Garands had seventh round stoppages.
For the life of me, I can't remember what the problem with the early M-14's was. I think it was minor but I'm not sure which publication I saw it.
The early M-16's used the wrong powder, they needed a chrome chamber and they were issued without cleaning equipment.

[Cap'n Crunch]

Tell him to take the fire dept test. Forget about being the Po-leece.

[RLK]

But the 62 gr. projectile is running out of steam at that range.

---------------------------

That cartrige should never have been used.

[ASOC]

LOL
Truth be told, what ever will make him a happy, productive member of wherever he lives is fine by us.

(Sis really likes being a cop tho, I went in the Air Force - she takes care of enemy domestic, my son, the enemy foreign) I retired and just pay taxes : )

[Cap'n Crunch]

I'm sure he'll do well wherever he goes. Everybody loves firemen, people view the police as the 'enemy domestic.'

Retirement, now that sounds fantastic. (except the taxes part...)