Objective Individual Combat Weapons System ("No place to hide" weapon)

Heckler & Koch ^

[mhking]

Goaled to revolutionize the infantry battlefield, the OICW consolidates the needs of the U.S. Armed Forces into one rifle that will selectively replace the M16/M4 carbine and the M203 grenade launcher and accessories.

The OICW integrates these capabilities and adds other functions currently available only as modular units. Capable of firing either the high explosive (HE) 20mm air bursting ammunition or NATO standard kinetic energy (KE) 5.56 mm ammunition, this rifle will substantially increase lethality and survivability on the battlefield. The modular Fire Control System (FCS) will range to the target (with day or night optics) and automatically communicates the range to the ammunition fuzing system. Using advanced turns count fuze arming technology, the ammunition proceeds to the target and bursts precisely overhead. The system goals are to precisely deliver airburst rounds in MOUT and rural terrains that are five times more lethal at greater than twice the range of the M203. The 20mm HE fuze function features include point detonation (P.D.) delay, self-destruct, and a "window mode. "Heckler and Koch (HK) is responsible for the development of the combined 5.56mm and 20mm weapon. Alliant Techsystems (ATK), Hopkins, MN, is the prime contractor, responsible for system integration, testing, 20mm High Explosive ammunition development, training, and support definition. Brashear LP of Pittsburgh, PA, is responsible for the development of the fire control system.

[dcwusmc]

yeah, they loved their '03 Springfield until they got their hands on the Garand. Almost the last truly PRIVATELY designed weapon we had... the M-16 started out that way but got chewed up by the Army. Only drawback to the Garand was magazine capacity. Eight rounds is not always enough. But the 30-06 is one of the best military rounds, IMHO, we have had. It has range, stopping power and endurance... I got to carry one in Infantry Training at Camp Geiger in '67. Loved it. Have one of my own now... Escellent battle rifle.

[AStack75]

New small arms weapon helps soldiers shoot around corners

http://mae.pennnet.com/Articles/Article_Display.cfm?Section=Articles&Subsection=Display&ARTICLE_ID=148187

[dcwusmc]

Help yourself. That "relic" is a harder hitting weapon than most any of today's small arms. Further, how many rounds can you carry for this OICW thing? Not a lot, I'd bet. And if you need batteries to support it, forget it. I want NO battery operated toys in the field. Ask any combat Marine what he'd prefer. In no particular order they would be:
shotgun for close-in work
Blooper (hand-held artillery)
M1, M14
.45 Colt
Bayonet
E-tool
Hand grenades
Radio (for calling in REAL arty)

In other words, weapons that will stop an enemy as far out as possible or, failing that, rugged and simple stuff to destroy him at close range (we used e-tools a lot for REALLY close work)...

[supercat]

As for #1, I believe some of that energy is used to chamber the next round.

Yup. That's how any auto or semi-auto weapon works, though they use different means for capturing that energy.

One problem with such a notion, though, is that such energy generally comes in the form of a lot of power for a very short bit of time. By contrast, things like fancy-shmantzy scopes require power over a much longer period of time. The idea of putting batteries in magazines seems like a reasonable one except that (1) magazines are generally designed to be reusable, a concept the batteries would thwart; (2) the amount of energy required in the course of using a magazine may vary a hundred-fold or even, possibly, a thousandfold. The beauty of Polaroid's solution for their film packets was that the amount of energy to shoot a roll of film is comparatively predictable; the OICW would not have such an advantage.

[Shooter 2.5]

No, it is a relic. The round is indistinguishable from .308 and I'm not even going into all of the other problems with it. Get one from the CMP and bring as many of your friends to qualify for one. Shoot Garand matches with it, play with it, collect them and learn to identify the rare ones. When it comes time to something seriously, use any other battle rifle because the others have left the Garand in the dust.

[Shooter 2.5]

It weighs 18 pounds and an M16 with 203 weighs 16.5 pounds, both fully loaded. While the 203 is a single shot, the OICW carries six rounds of 20MM grenades.

[Cap'n Crunch]

Geiger Tiger's Bump

I was there with the 8th Marines and those ancient squad bays are still there too.

[Travis McGee]

I agree, I just think the 20mm should prove itself as a stand along like the M79 did before coming out under a really crappy short barreled 5.56mm.

[Shooter 2.5]

The 20MM launcher will be offered at the half price sale. LOL

[dcwusmc]

Unless you gotta haul it thru the mud and brush... then you care real quick how much it weighs and how much ammo you can carry for it... Guess you've never been a grunt. Another armchair general would seem about right.

[dcwusmc]

Yep... that's why I love the old blooper... it's 4omm and twice the fun on target!

[pocat]

the new camo suit with thousands of translucent scales

Do you have any links or info on this? Thanks in advance.

[Britton J Wingfield]

8-rounds and then a loud PING to let the enemy know that you're reloading. The Garand really needed a box magazine, but otherwise was damn near perfect. I plan to pick one up, eventually.

[Shooter 2.5]

Check post #86.

[Shooter 2.5]

They're a lot of fun, a great piece of history and you can support the CMP. If you have one long enough, then you learn the problems associated with it.
If you have one that has a horizonal group, the gas cylinder is probably loose. If it doesn't hold elevation, the screw on the elevation knob came loose. The NRA has a pamphlet on the M1 that doesn't cost more than a few dollars. It's no longer a viable weapon, though. It isn't the worst weapon out there, it's just old.
The worst weapon to me is the Mini-30 with the Mini-14 a close second.

[Saturnalia]

What we need is some way to break several laws of physics and create laser-guided plasma death rays.

[Crazymonarch]

Saw a picture in Popular Mechanics magazine 'Whats New' section basically it reflects the surrounding area and blends you into the overall scenary,but thats only the daytime they've got to work on the thermal optics with a microprocessor that will make it match ambient air etc to make it drop off night vision scopes yet.Cant find a link but basically hundreds of fish scales is what it looks like

[tet68]

The Geiger Crud, I'm still coughing up stuff.
Loved those Garands, real work horses.
As far as the clips, shoot six times then toss out an empty
Surprise!

[dcwusmc]

Well, Semper fi, Cap'n. Last I saw Gieger was for an NBC school in about 88 or so... Hadn't changed a lot for sure!

[dcwusmc]

A lot of Marines would let off five rounds at the Japs then toss a clip onto the rocks and wait til one stuck his head up to pop a Marine... and bang, three rounds left, one did the trick mostly... turning a liability into a neat way to pop more japs...