Replacing the M16/M4

Personally i dont really think there is a "best" gun, it depends on the circumstance and situation.

Sure i have my favorites but other people differ in their favorites..

Its all subjective.

 

Exactly. That is also why you will typically see several different weapons in use in a platoon/company/batallion/regiment/division. And it all depends on the needs of the unit and the situation.

Sure, the MK-19 is awesome in open terrain, but it's effectiveness in built-up areas like towns is cut down dramatically. And also in a town an M-2 is great for knocking out fire from inside a building. But if you are worried about civilian casualties, you will not use and and use a 240B instead.

I wonder if the OP is aware that in an average Infantry Company, there are at least 4 direct fire weapons available: M9, M-16 (or variants), M-249, and M-240B. Plus the various indirect or missile weapons that vary from branch and unit, from the LAW, AT-4, SMAW, Javelin, and others. Then there are the indirect fire weapons, from the M-203/320, 60mm mortars, and more.

That is a lot of variance in a small unit. Increase to Battalion level, and add in M-2, MK-19, TOW, 81MM mortars, and even bigger things. And of course the various laser designators, that allow these units to call in air strikes and heavy artillery with pinpoint precision.

I know I have humped through many ddifferent kinds of terrain with my weapon, combat load of ammo (normally 210 rounds), 2 bandoliers in stripper clips (another 280 rounds), 4 grenades, 12-15 40mm grenades, and more. And we all knew that if somebody ran out of ammo (or was injured-killed), we could take ammo from each other and replace what we expended. And as part of every immediate after action drill, we redistribute ammunition as needed.

The last fraking thing I would have wanted is to be a squad leader after assaulting a position, and when I asked for "Beans-Bullets-Bandaids", have to dort through a tally of "400 5.56 (magazine), 50 7.62x51, 75 .45, 300 9mm, 120 .357, 15 .12 guage, 10 40mm, 220 7.62x39, 120 .30-06..."

Hopefully I made a strong point there. Because when I was a squad leader, the only calibers I had to worry about was 5.56mm box and 5.56mm belt, and 40mm rounds. Both the M-16 and M-249 share the same round, and if needed we could feed magazines to the SAW, or unstrip the SAW rounds from their belts and feed them into magazines (or if we had time and clips, even belt them ourselves).

I have also read after-action reports (Somalia being one of them) where wounded Soldiers and Marines would be reloading magazines from stripper clips. Civilian ammunition does not come in these, which could mean the difference between life and death if you are in a firefight and need to reload your magazines quickly. I can reload an M-16 with 30 rounds in about 5 seconds with stripper clips. Good luck loading your civilian rounds that quickly.

 

Always good for making the fingers tough.

 

It's funny, in that I am now in an Air Defense unit. Many times over the years it has made for strange reactions to me.

For the last 4 years, I have always had looks from those I serve with, because I have a speed loader tucked into my helmet band. Most of the time, it is puzzlement because they either do not recognize it, or wonder why I have it with me.

I did the same thing when I was a grunt (as well as almost everybody else I knew), and told them it was there in case I ever needed it. And most of them seem rather clueless as to why I would ever need such a thing. They mostly seem to think that they will never have the risk of comming under direct combat.

Sometimes that changes, when I inform them that PFC Jessica Lynch was part of the 507th Maintenance Company, which we now know as Fox Company, 5-52 ADA (which is located 100 yards from our barracks). Thankfully, some of them then get it, and understand that no matter who you are with or where you are, you may end up comming under fire.

 

This is a pretty kool little site Mushroom

I have bought stuff from here several times

http://www.extremeoutfitters.us/

 

I had an A-2 back in 86 thru 91. It rarely jammed. I am a fire arms instructor in a federal LEO branch at present so I get to fire off the M-4 ALOT. The M-4 is very reliable and has great ballistics providing you use the right round. All this talk of piston driven vs gas impingement being a reason to upgrade wepon systems is moot now.. the difference in reliability is small when very basic maintenence is performed.

At the moment I do not believe that the M-4 should be replaced. It is a reliable and accurate weapon. A simple change of twist rate in the barrel and you would be able to fire 75 grain rounds more accurately.. which would improve ballistic performance, this change would be very cost effective since all that would need to be changed is the barrel and wouldnt require a sudden change in ammo or current weapons.. plus it could easily be done over the span of a year without disruption of current weapon use.

As far as carrying a Desert Eagle .50 cal... only an idiot would hump that thing around lol...I would much rather carry a ful size Springfield Armory XDM .40 cal... lighter.. much less recoil... way better sight reacquisition and more ammo..

 

Good post. Spot on. Now go train on Call of Duty so you can give your opinion some creedence value

 

Never played the game but I'll tell you what man, I want the new Jeep rubicon call of duty black ops version something fierce, I think it's almost 60 grand.

Looks mean though

 

This is one thing a lot of what I call "Paramilitary Wannabees" just do not understand. They get their knowledge from playing video games, reading Soldier of Fortune, and telling their buddies which gun they think is coolest because it can blow bigger holes in other people.

I talk from real-world military experience. 15 years active duty, 10 of those in the Infantry.