I must admit that I quickly scan the rifles forum for the odd, interesting topic, but rarely stop to read. The reason is that most topics are about the latest/greatest assault weapon, and which is the best choice for the inevitable apocalypse. None of which I find particularly interesting topics. My question is why the great interest in owning one of these assault weapons.
My version of the genesis and evolution of these weapons, which leads to my bemusement of this particular genre of weapon, is: The Wehrmacht has a problem with mass Soviet infantry attacks. The Mauser bolt action, deadly accurate with great range, is too slow. The submachine guns have ranges that don't really kill beyond hand grenade range. The solution is to find a weapon that rapidly fires a pint-sized rifle round to ranges beyond the hand grenade (veterans will remember that this is the difference between a near and far ambush--and affects the tactics one uses). The problem is that the designers can't go to Hitler and demonstrate their new handy little rifle "that keeps the Russians at a safe distance so that we can readily kill them as they are attacking." Too defeatist. Leads to the designers being shot for not having an appropriate level of National Socialist "can do" attitude. So, as so often happens in life, let's go for a name change. It's all in the marketing. We'll just say that it's what we need to attack the Russians. We'll call it a SturmGewehr. Yup, you got it. An Assault Rifle. It captures the right spirit. The name and (hopefully) the skill and ardor of the elite SturmTruppen of Great War fame will appeal to Hitler. It does. And a new type of weapon is born. Fast forward to early '60's Vietnam. Curtis Lemay has bought this nifty new carbine for his Security Police. Light and so hi-tech looking. Not just fighter pilots get the new toys. A few are swapped to local Green Berets, who find that they're just the ticket for the "little people" that they are "advising." If you've seen pictures of Vietnamese carrying M1 Garands and A6's, then you understand why the AR15's were coveted. Didn't do too bad either in killing the opposition's little people at typical rice paddy ranges. Eventually, more and more people wanted in on this easy-carrying weapon, and you can't deny those in combat and hope to keep your job. Westmoreland makes sure everyone gets the nifty little weapon. What had been an Air Force carbine and/or short-range "little people" assault weapon (of the German definition) became the Army's only (and, by default, Main Battle) rifle. The opposition's main backer, the Russians, had captured more than a few of the SturmGewehrs during the Great Patriotic War and liked what they saw. It solved a conundrum of theirs, as well. How to arm a conscript (2-year only) peasant army that has little institutional memory (no NCOs) in a country where the leadership has already gone to great lengths to ensure that there is no local militia because all the guns have been confiscated. The solution is their own assault weapon, for slightly different reasons than the Germans. Still have to get in close because we don't want to teach our folks more than rudimentary marksmanship—so make it fire-from-the-hip (so the troops can keep walking) and automatic (no aiming needed). If the peasants all fire on full automatic, at close range, then someone, somewhere, just might hit something; and allow the tanks to make their breakthrough. By the way, Soviet tank gunnery followed the same premise. A polite term is volley fire.
So now, we have my version of how the US Military got stuck with the M16 and why the Soviets chose the AK47. Back to my bemusement: why so many outside of those two groups like these things. I suppose that having and tricking one out fills a need similar to that which results in those tricked-out pickups that never see mud or dust. And the ammo is cheap. Or for marksmanship competitions where military-style rifles are mandated. Or for the SWAT teams who so dearly want to be SEALs or other operators--and just got to have the same toys. Interestingly enough, we have the SHTF crowd. They are choosing a weapon that was deliberately designed around a scaled-down rifle round and meant for not-quite-close-range high intensity combat. Unless that's what they think that they'll encounter in the impending apocalypse. This choice of round is diametrically opposite to the hand-gun crowd--always seeking the biggest and baddest round/weapon they can find--but probably not comfortably carry.
A final note. Please take this diatribe in the "tongue-in-cheek" manner that was intended. The season of goodwill is at hand, after all. If you think that you seriously need an assault weapon (the emsculated semi-automatic that it is) to fend of your enemies (real or imagined) and take my view with great umbrage, then apologies in advance. I was a fan of the M16 while at IOBC. Then I discovered that the 1911 was easier to carry. After all, the best killer was my real weapon--a PRC-77 linked to an artillery battalion.
My version of the genesis and evolution of these weapons, which leads to my bemusement of this particular genre of weapon, is: The Wehrmacht has a problem with mass Soviet infantry attacks. The Mauser bolt action, deadly accurate with great range, is too slow. The submachine guns have ranges that don't really kill beyond hand grenade range. The solution is to find a weapon that rapidly fires a pint-sized rifle round to ranges beyond the hand grenade (veterans will remember that this is the difference between a near and far ambush--and affects the tactics one uses). The problem is that the designers can't go to Hitler and demonstrate their new handy little rifle "that keeps the Russians at a safe distance so that we can readily kill them as they are attacking." Too defeatist. Leads to the designers being shot for not having an appropriate level of National Socialist "can do" attitude. So, as so often happens in life, let's go for a name change. It's all in the marketing. We'll just say that it's what we need to attack the Russians. We'll call it a SturmGewehr. Yup, you got it. An Assault Rifle. It captures the right spirit. The name and (hopefully) the skill and ardor of the elite SturmTruppen of Great War fame will appeal to Hitler. It does. And a new type of weapon is born. Fast forward to early '60's Vietnam. Curtis Lemay has bought this nifty new carbine for his Security Police. Light and so hi-tech looking. Not just fighter pilots get the new toys. A few are swapped to local Green Berets, who find that they're just the ticket for the "little people" that they are "advising." If you've seen pictures of Vietnamese carrying M1 Garands and A6's, then you understand why the AR15's were coveted. Didn't do too bad either in killing the opposition's little people at typical rice paddy ranges. Eventually, more and more people wanted in on this easy-carrying weapon, and you can't deny those in combat and hope to keep your job. Westmoreland makes sure everyone gets the nifty little weapon. What had been an Air Force carbine and/or short-range "little people" assault weapon (of the German definition) became the Army's only (and, by default, Main Battle) rifle. The opposition's main backer, the Russians, had captured more than a few of the SturmGewehrs during the Great Patriotic War and liked what they saw. It solved a conundrum of theirs, as well. How to arm a conscript (2-year only) peasant army that has little institutional memory (no NCOs) in a country where the leadership has already gone to great lengths to ensure that there is no local militia because all the guns have been confiscated. The solution is their own assault weapon, for slightly different reasons than the Germans. Still have to get in close because we don't want to teach our folks more than rudimentary marksmanship—so make it fire-from-the-hip (so the troops can keep walking) and automatic (no aiming needed). If the peasants all fire on full automatic, at close range, then someone, somewhere, just might hit something; and allow the tanks to make their breakthrough. By the way, Soviet tank gunnery followed the same premise. A polite term is volley fire.
So now, we have my version of how the US Military got stuck with the M16 and why the Soviets chose the AK47. Back to my bemusement: why so many outside of those two groups like these things. I suppose that having and tricking one out fills a need similar to that which results in those tricked-out pickups that never see mud or dust. And the ammo is cheap. Or for marksmanship competitions where military-style rifles are mandated. Or for the SWAT teams who so dearly want to be SEALs or other operators--and just got to have the same toys. Interestingly enough, we have the SHTF crowd. They are choosing a weapon that was deliberately designed around a scaled-down rifle round and meant for not-quite-close-range high intensity combat. Unless that's what they think that they'll encounter in the impending apocalypse. This choice of round is diametrically opposite to the hand-gun crowd--always seeking the biggest and baddest round/weapon they can find--but probably not comfortably carry.
A final note. Please take this diatribe in the "tongue-in-cheek" manner that was intended. The season of goodwill is at hand, after all. If you think that you seriously need an assault weapon (the emsculated semi-automatic that it is) to fend of your enemies (real or imagined) and take my view with great umbrage, then apologies in advance. I was a fan of the M16 while at IOBC. Then I discovered that the 1911 was easier to carry. After all, the best killer was my real weapon--a PRC-77 linked to an artillery battalion.
