Going into battle: I'll take . . .

[treeprof]

"The Geneva Convention pretty much limits us to FMJ bullets"

Actually, contrary to popular misconception, it does no such thing. The Hague Convention of 1907 is an agreement to which the US is a signatory party, and it limits "projectiles ... calculated to cause unnecessary suffering". The Hague Peace Conference of 1899, a document to which we are NOT a signatory nation but which we have customarily observed, limits the use of bullets which flatten easily in the human body. It mentions softpoints and incised bullets as examples, but not hollowpoints. Limited use of hollowpoints by the US military has, in fact, been approved, tho their use is typically limited to opposing combatants who are not members of an organized military (e.g. insurgents).

 

[mljdeckard]

In the age of bullets so effective no one really would have believed it, we are still arming our soldiers based on bullet data over a hundred years old.

It is also interesting to note, the law for hunting big game in Utah actually states, you must use a weapon capable of firing expanding bullets. I guess it's bad to make deer suffer with FMJ ammo, but for some reason the same bullets are more humane to humans.

I will use what I am issued. But if I had the option, I would take the same Kimber 1911 I carry every day. I don't agree at all with the OPs opinion that the more modern designs with full-length rails are more reliable. If the rails are filled with slide, there is no room to collect debris in the first place. I think you will have to dig deep to find a platform more battle-proven and universally liked than a 1911. Having said that, I might look at a wide-frame option, if magazines and ammo weren't scarce.

 

[Treo]

Going into battle I'd take EXACTLY WHAT UNCLE SUGAR ISSUED ME. My unit absolutely FORBADE anyone from bringing a personal weapon to Desert Storm there are to many legal issues in such a situation , as well as the resupply issues

 

[bikerdoc]

i would not care to do it again but if i had to

1 as much ammo as i could carry
2 ditto grenades
3 as many crazy 18 year olds as i could find

huuwahhh!!

 

[lee n. field]

Going into battle: I'll take . . .

Whatever I was issued (as long as it's not a pansy .32 or something). If it comes down the where a pistol will make a difference, the S has truly HTF.

 

[1200 meters]

I had basic on M-14 and then later an M-21 system for about 14 yrs.so M-14 is my love. As for pistol I'm fine with a Ruger P97D (.45) single stack mags but only need half the ammo of 9 mm. Any other .45 would do. My other option for rifle would be an AR in .308. BLITZ

 

[RustyShackelford]

I'd take...

John J Rambo!!!!

 

[The_woodsman]

1. Full dragon skin body armor.
2. A gun that fires the most common round currently being used on the
battlefield - more than likely 9mm pistol and 5.56 rifle...
2a. A modified, acccessorized (but only what is necessary for the task)
M4 would be sufficient for the rifle.
2b. A single action only high capacity 1911 based pistol with
night sights and a light rail would be sufficient for a side arm. Like others,
I would specify this to have no full length guide rail (a senseless waste of
steel - worse than worthless in a battle situation).
3. A custom colored and sewed (by my specifications) ruck no larger than 35L
and no heavier than 40 lbs. loaded including carried water to organize
other necessary but unmentioned support gear into.
4. Any gear, clothing and boots to my team's agreed specifications.
6. Last but not least, A team of guys that I would feel comfortable completing
the task with.

Too bad most of our troops don't get these choices.

 

[R127]

So what does everybody expect .45 ball to do that 9mm ball doesn't? There is no such thing as knockdown power so that's out. Standard FMJ isn't going to expand in either caliber. 115gr 9mm can tumble, I do not know if either 124gr 9mm or any .45 FMJ will. I have shot a lot of nuisance animals with different calibers. A non vital hit with a .45 or 9mm loaded with FMJ will not instantly kill a possom do not expect it to instantly incapacitate a human ten or more times larger. In fact non vital hits with high quality HP's don't perform any better.

 

[DougDubya]

.45 ACP full metal jacket does NOT make a full .45 inch hole. It might make a slightly larger hole than .45 ball, but flesh is elastic, and will part under disruption. However, .45 ball will do far better against bone, unless you aim at the curved bone of the skull. Round meets round results in deflection.

R127 has a point - accuracy and shot placement first.

 

[Anonymous Coward]

So what does everybody expect .45 ball to do that 9mm ball doesn't?

Make a bigger hole?

Strike the target with twice the mass of a 115-grain bullet?

What else do you want?
...
I would carry a .357 magnum revolver and a box of 50 shells. And if I became necessary to rely on the handgun, I doubt I'd live long enough to use them all.

 

[Special_K]

This!



No but really, anything that has parts available and can hit a man sized target out to 400 meters.

 

[romma]

10mm

 

[R127]

Make a bigger hole?

The bullet is about 1/10th of an inch wider than the 9mm. Ever shot meat with both? You won't be able to tell the difference. Neither will what you shot.

Strike the target with twice the mass of a 115-grain bullet?

What do you expect that to do?

This isn't 9mm versus .45 this is what does an FMJ load from one do that an FMJ load from the other doesn't.

 

[Doogy]

While serving in the Marines, I performed duties from Presidential Security at Camp David, to a squad leader in the 31st MEU (SOC). While protecting the First Family, I carried both a Sig P226 and an M9, I preferred the latter. With the MEU (SOC), I carried the M9 exclusively.

I have ZERO reservations about the M9, in fact, Beretta 92/96FS are the only weapons I own now as a civilian. The Beretta is a superb choice, with a high magazine capacity, and you can find 9mm NATO rounds on/near any battlefield where we are participating. Taking another gun with a different chamerbed round is not what i'd advocate; when you're out of rounds, you're screwed.

FYI, the Department of Defense doesn't seem to be thinking of getting rid of the Beretta anytime soon, they just placed an order for another 24,000 of them from Beretta USA. Good move, i'd say.

 

[1200 meters]

My preference is a 45, I have several but one favorite. I must say I've had a Beretta 92 since 1980..and a couple of other 9mms and the Beretta NEVER has jammed and fires anything I put in it. Even some Hand loads that the others will not shoot. BLITZ

 

[AJMBLAZER]

FYI, the Department of Defense doesn't seem to be thinking of getting rid of the Beretta anytime soon, they just placed an order for another 24,000 of them from Beretta USA. Good move, i'd say.

Keep in mind that's because the .40/.45 SOCOM/Army pistol search and contract has been put on hold when the Army got budgetary cold feet and pulled out. They need the new Berettas to replace the stuff we're wearing out over there.

 

[kmrcstintn]

2 approaches to this one...

1) military supply & logistics based...hmmm Bushmaster Mil-Spec AR15 M4 carbine with newly manufactured mil-spec 30 round mags; Beretta M9 with Beretta distributed 20 round mags; whatever 5.56mm & 9mm ammo that I am given to use; if assigned to CQB then Mossberg 590A1 & whatever 12 guage ammo I am given to use

2) self supplied & logistically based...hmmm Century Arms imported/assembled Yugo AK 47 w/ underfolder stock & new applicable mags with a generous supply of CommBlock 7.62 x 39 ammo; Glock 17 (just for the sheer survivability of the platform) & new 33 round mags with a generous supply of Euro 9mm NATO ammo; if assigned to CQB then Mossberg 590A1 and generous supply of standard 00 buckshot

 

[Tribal]

Maybe just a little tweak...I'd like a Beretta 93R.

Well, either that or a chromed-barrel PLR-16. Either one.

 

[ZeSpectre]

Going into battle: I'll take . . .

A full platoon of Marines and a nice silver bar on my collar, thank you very much.

 

[doc2rn]

+1 to Jim March