Gravel Belly or otherwise?

[Bayou Redd]

My Basic Training was right after Viet Nam; 76 to be exact. It was easy to tell with live fire what folks were comfortable with. We all learned how to pull the trigger for a 3 round burst & some of us did better than others. Folks who grew up hunting & shooting were very comfortable with that technique as well as semi-auto fire. Folks who weren't tended to just start spraying. It's just my opinion, but I think that out brothers who saw the actual battlefield were no different. The military pulls in as diverse a group of people as is out there and yesterday just like today, there is a difference with weapon handling comfort zones. Nothing is 100% when you're dealing with such diversity, but in my case, I fear the sniper more than 10 screaming yahoos coming at me, so I choose the m14.

 

[Prince Yamato]

I think I'd want the lightest in recoil and weight. Maybe an mp7 or p90 and either a Glock 19 or 5.7 pistol.

 

[jerryd]

Was issued both in jan 67 used both till dec 68 and have been carrying a 1911 since!!! They both work why change?????

 

[SwissArmyDad]

9mm and 5.56...

I shoot much better with those two calibers than I do with .45 and 30-06, and really like the handguns/rifles that fire them.

In a world where only hits count, those two would be best for me.

 

[JTHunter]

With the lighter recoil of those two calibers, it is easier to get back on target, if you did lose your sight picture at all. The problem is that you might have to shoot again with those lighter loads.
With the heavier loads available in the higher calibers, even if you did lose your sigh picture, chances are you don't have to worry about it.

Unless you missed!

 

[rwilson37643]

I would say that one of the first questions you must ask is how much ammo is enough?
I just weighed some ammo, if 300 rounds are enough I would prefer .308 at 16.11 pounds over .223 at 8.16 pounds, but if I need 1000rounds, I'll take .223 at 27.20 pounds over .308 at 53.7 pounds. the state of the supply line would be a very important consideration.

 

[Eric M]

AR-15 and a Browning Hi Power or CZ-75 is what I would use.

 

[Wildbillz]

Someone once said

"We may never be able to develop a weapon that is both light enough and has the desired firepower that the US Infantryman wants"

I don't know who it was? But more true words have never been spoken.

WB

 

[xfyrfiter]

I read an article a couple of years ago that had the USMC under scrutiny for too many head shots, suspicion of using advanced weaponry or some such. Came out that it was a line soldier with standard M4 and ACOG. these weapons are very accurate and will do the job with the right trigger puller behind them. BTW I think this was a UN directed article.

 

[Redlg155]

I would think it strange as well since head shots should be the exception rather than the norm. A M4 with an ACOG can be very accurate, but it does have its limitations.

 

[SimplyChad]

Im currently boots on ground in afghanistan. Our average firefights are takin place at over 800 yards. Sometimes its 1200 plus with enfiled and mosins. Enemies on higher ground trying to drop rounds on guys. At that distance the M4 is only spray vs spray until the EBR or 240 gets to the area. Just about every solider im my platoon wishes they had the m14. When the EBR gunners go on leave the almost fight over them. Yea they are longer and take more time for accuate movements but having the ability to actually reach that guy a click away. No contect in the war Im fighting now. M14/1911.

 

[Driftertank]

IIRC, the boggle over the high incidence of headshots in Iraq was that somebody somwhere figured that the only way we could get so many headshots was if our guys were executing captured insurgents and claiming it was happening during firefights.

Again, IIRC, what the research found was that many firefights were initiated as an ambush by insurgents behind roof coamings and barriers, and the only target presented to our guys was the head and shoulders. So that's what got shot at.

Yes, despite all the "spray and pray" detractors, our guys are still BY FAR better riflemen than their adversaries, for the most part.