HUH!? SAM-R concept evolving

[Evil Monkey]

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ground/m16-variants.htm

Got this in the link.....

M16A2 Squad Advanced Marksman Rifle [SAMR]

The Squad Advanced Marksman Rifle [SAMR] consists of the Trijicon Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight mounted on top of a M-16A2 with a match-grade heavy barrel and Harris bipod. It is an interim solution. Currently, Marine rifle squads have two sets of distinct weapons: three grenade launchers and three squad automatic weapons. If the experiment proves successful, they could get three SAMs as well. Some squads used SAMs for effective long-range shots against single targets. Others put SAMs in over-watch positions to cover a squad's movement to an objective, while some used them to scour avenues of approach, gathering on-scene intelligence. The scope, which has a unique reticle pattern with a red chevron for a 300-meter aiming point, also improved the ability to range targets at unknown distances. The chevron's upside-down V fits squarely over the shoulders of a man-sized target at 300 meters. The 400-, 500- and 600-meter bars just below the chevron also fits within the outer limits of a man's shoulders at that distance. Marines, shooting the M-16A2 with iron sights, had a first-shot hit rate of 45 percent on targets between 137 and 432 meters. With the SAMR, those rates were 88 percent.

Why 3 SAM-R's? I don't understand why you would need a marksman rifle in every fireteam. Why couldn't riflemen just be equipped with optics and do the same tasks as watching over other squads move forward, or achieve hits beyond typical distances if it's so important? Most importantly, why couldn't the M249 gunner have a optical sight and do the exact same thing in terms of covering an area so that squads can move forward while the riflemen in that fireteam can cover the longer ranges that a MG can't accurately engage?

I know I'm in no position to argue with the intelligent people in the military who come up with these ideas but I just don't understand.

Maybe some of you know a thing or two?

 

[C-grunt]

I had a very similar rifle in 05 when I was my squads designated marksman. My platoon had 2 and we definitely could have used more. Plus its basically just a more accurate M16 so your still a rifleman.

 

[HorseSoldier]

Why 3 SAM-R's? I don't understand why you would need a marksman rifle in every fireteam.

It avoids having either a specialized fire team that does something the other ones cannot do, or having a loose body attached to the squad. Also puts more ACOG-type glass in the squad, which seems to be the wave of the future in the USMC, and which adds to situational awareness, etc.

At least that's my guess on their logic. Kind of one of those more than one way to skin a cat kind of deals.

Most importantly, why couldn't the M249 gunner have a optical sight and do the exact same thing in terms of covering an area so that squads can move forward while the riflemen in that fireteam can cover the longer ranges that a MG can't accurately engage?

SAW can have the Elcan MGO mounted to do something similar, at least in terms of RSTA kind of roles. I don't know what the USMC's basis of issue for MGOs is.

 

[doc2rn]

I would think they may be issuing them to the fireteam leaders since he is supposed to be directing the fire, and he is supposed to be the lead marksman.

 

[Bartholomew Roberts]

Actually, if you look at the new IAR rifle that LWRC is trying to sell the Marine Corps, it is essentially a combination SAM/Automatic Rifle platform.

It is an M16 based rifle with an ACOG; but it uses a short stroke tappet gas piston instead of direct impingement. It has a heavy barrel profile. It also has a funky fire control group where it fires from open bolt on automatic and closed bolt on semi. The idea appears to be for it to replace both the SAW and SAM with a single rifle.

 

[siglite]

I don't know about now, but when I was in, we did a lot of fire-team size movements. We were over-equipped at the time, too. We had a m249, an m203 and a SMAW in each fireteam. Plus we had a 60 gunner for each squad. But it gave fireteam leaders (and squad leaders moving us around) an awful lot of options no matter where we were.

I'd like the idea of every fireteam having one SAMR

 

[Jeremy2171]

That article is so full of errors its not worth reading.........