Discovery Channel's Barret special: D'oh!

[yhtomit]

Hey, I'm in a glass house pitching stones I realize, but had to note the goof just spotted on the Discovery channel's special (being played right now, though I don't know it it's a repeat) on Barrett's .50 cal sniper rifle, and the show's bald-headed host (sorry, perhaps someone can tell me his name ) holds up a .223 cartridge and describes it as the standard round for most U.S. military rifles, but between the .223 and the (monstrous) .50 caliber cartridge, he holds up a .308 cartridge and describes it as the standard round of the ... AK-47.

However, I will note that I make this gripe only out of envy. I mean, anyone can mistake an AK-47 for a NATO standard-issue weapon, right?

OK, now this makes me wonder if any of the NATO member countries (several of them ex-Soviet satellites) have in fact issued AKs in .308. I know that one can buy .308-chambered AKs, but ...

timothy

 

[MSGT9410]

LOL I just saw that too, and thought that guy was a moron.

They claim the guy is a Navy SEAL too...

 

[IZinterrogator]

Nobody claims Jamie is a Navy SEAL except for people who have no clue. It is not listed on any bio I have ever seen. As for the screwup, these guys live in San Francisco. Do you really think they qualify as firearms experts?

 

[Crosshair]

Wonder why he isn't a SEAL anymore and he is working as a host for a cable TV show.

 

[Jim March]

Wait, y'all are getting your shows mixed up.

Mythbusters never claimed to have a SEAL, ex-SEAL or anything similar on board. The two main hosts are authentic special effects pros from Hollywood and aren't billed as anything but. Despite being based in the SF Bay Area the show has done a GREAT job of not demonizing guns in any way, shape or form other than to show what they can actually do in REAL LIFE - debunking many gun-related myths along the way.

Awesome show!

Then there's a new "weapons of war" show on Discovery, I forget what it's called with a single host who IS described as a former SEAL. He probably is. Doesn't mean he's not capable of screwing up the difference between 308 and 7.62x39.

 

[Eleven Mike]

They claim the guy is a Navy SEAL too...

Stupid civilians. If you were a SEAL like me, you would also know that the AK really shoots .308.

 

[1911_CQB]

sometimes the discovery channel makes me laugh...:banghead:

 

[MSGT9410]

It wasn't Mythbusters, it was "Future Weapons" or whatever it's called.

And of course, AK's technically shoot a .308, but who refers to AK rounds as .308? AK = 7.62x39. .308 = 7.62x51

 

[carebear]

<the on set conversation>

Host - "In contrast, this is a 7.62mm NATO, the standard round of the M-14 and FN-FAL."

Director - "CUT! Millimeters? This is America. And what the heck is an M-14?"

Host - "Umm, it's the old US military rifle. We used it in Vietnam. The round is used by snipers now."

Director - "I've never heard of it, so neither has the audience. Pick another comparison!"

Host - "Well, technically it's the same diameter as the AK round...."

Director - "AK? Like AK-47? Like the gangsters use? That's better, use that one."

Host - "But, that's really a different rifle and..."

Director - "Never mind that. ACTION!"

 

[MSGT9410]

Sadly, something to that effect probably really did happen on the set that day.

 

[MTMilitiaman]

Technically, the AK has a .311 bore. Imported ammo is usually .311 caliber. Only domestic rifles and ammunition are .308 caliber. So even claiming the bore diameter is a stretch.

IIRC, however, the South Africans had a version of the Galil chambered in 7.62x51 NATO. I think they called it the R5 or something like that.

The show overall seems like a lame attempt to dig into The Gunny's space by putting up some competition for "Mail Call." It fails. Navy SEAL or not, the guy strikes me as annoying and he doesn't seem to be near as gun-nuttish as Ermy. That is not a compliment to Discovery's host, either.