I cant speak for the Army. As a Marine everyone goes through the rifle range at a pretty good level of time and training, to be basic riflemen/women. We practiced shooting as far as 500 meters with m16A2 service rifles. This was about 11 or so years ago, dont know if its the same routine or not. I also volunteered for a few defensive combat exercises and training ops just prior to 9/11 where I learned the machine guns a bit more. We also got a little bit of close combat/quarters training right before deploying. Here is the kicker; once we were in theatre we were issued carbines and berretta 9mm, none of which I have trained with before. We were giving some training and shot them a few weeks later and luckily, didnt have to use them during that time.To answer your last question, I think whatever weapon(s) one is to use or be issued, they should be well trained on it well before being asked to (potentially) use it.
I take it you weren't an 03 or assigned to a grunt BN? Or were you on a MIT team? We always shot Tables 2-4 several times before deploying in addition to various other ranges. We also always deployed with the same rifles we trained with. I wouldn't be thrilled with having to BZO my rifle from scratch once I got in country.
If you thought that was hard with the M16A2, try it with the M16A1. This is what I used from 1983-1987. It was not until I was transfered to a grunt unit that I finally got to handle the A2. And at my last duty station, I was the NCOIC of the butts. Our range was built in 1912, so was still in yards instead of meters. But after everybody qualified, we took them back to the 600 yard line and let them fire 10 rounds for familiarization. http://maps.google.com/?ie=UTF8&ll=38.090889,-122.274549&spn=0.005489,0.009602&t=h&z=17 The 200, 300, and 500 yard lines are still visible, even 20 years later. The 600 yard line is roughly where the road is now. Most soldiers I work with simply refuse to believe that Marines regularly fire at 500 meters, and 600 meters is not unheard of on some bases with old ranges (like at Mare Island, which was home of the first West Coast Marine Boot Camp, from 1912-1923 when West coast recruit training was moved to San Diego).
But, shooting the M-14 (7.62x51mm with a ton of energy at target and weighing almost 12 pounds loaded), it is like shooting a laser beam. Not only will you hit what you are aiming at 500 yards down range, but you WILL knock it down.
I have done that while standing on top of a tank, with the .50 cal barrel glowing, slipping in motor oil that was poured on the barrel earlier to cool it all with my back turned toward the incoming fire. (I'm no hero, just a dumb kid at the time.)
I think that's part of the problem; never got to shoot my own. I always kept my weapons well maintained, but between the office units I shifted through and being in mechanized infantry units I never had a dedicated M2 to play with. I really wanted to shoot a (*)(*)(*)(*) Mk 68 but never got the chance. Course you guys get to play with both of those an those landing vehicles don't you?
Mk-19 can wreck people when it does work though. Not many wanna come out to play when 40mm grenades are coming their way...especially when the whole defilade thing stops working.
I'm not familiar with the Mk-68. What landing vehicles are you talking about? I was in the Marines but never came anywhere near a boat or the ocean during my time.
True, but they're a pain in the ass to maintain when they're mounted on a vehicle. They make better weapons for fixed positions.
MK. 19, my bad. So many numbers I mix everything up. Hell half the numbers are the same which makes it worse. M2 could be a .50 cal or a Bradley, and M9 could be a pistol or a bayonet! M68s that red dot sight I learned to love (got a cheap one for my .22!). There was another sight that I used on my 240B but I can't remember what it was called. Could hit the 800m target with one round using that thing! (to be fair, it's a double silhouette target). Anyway I was talking about those floating APCs, I think they're slang name is Amtracks? Not sure what the official name is though. The MPs had a cool looking little armored car that would have been pretty sweet. It holds 4 people and has a Mk.19 and either a .50 or a 240, can't remember. I'm also surprised at how small BMPs are, and how tall BFVs are. Glad I'm not Russian, I don't think it fit into one of those tuna can looking things. Anyway I'm getting way off topic, military vehicles are a fun subject.
I was actually firing the Ma-Deuce and Mk-19 today. Both are a lot of fun, other then the 19 just jams to (*)(*)(*)(*)ed much. And you are thinking of the AMPHTRAC (AMPhibious TRACtor), which is now officially called the AAV (Assault Amphibious Vehicle). I have been in them many times back in the day, and are really not much better then the old M-113.
