Iraq/Afghan vets, report on the M16/M4.

[KTALGSTO]

Unfortunately a round that would meet the needs won't fit in the above mentioned crappy M16 magazines or M16 magazine well.

i have the solution for a bigger round that will single stack in your standard ar magazines!! all u need is the upper.. i found one on rockriverarms..
http:////www.rockriverarms.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=category.display&category_id=253

oh yeah and i have an ar with 11.5 inch barrel and it hasnever had any problems besides the magazine..the one that causes the problem is a 40 rounder and the last round wont load the bolt stays back with an extra round in the mag thats the only problem ive had it is accurate too! i shot a 3 shot group today at about 50 yrd (backyard setup)shootin rapid fire nothing slow and paced out and put them basically right on eachother they were all touching.

 

[Mags]

very good never failed

 

[C-grunt]

Hey my old thread. Well lets see if we can get more info in it. Still waiting for the 2 guys who were nearly killed to speak up.

 

[LoneRider]

Navy Individual Augmentee here presently deployed to the Sandbox. I carry a Colt M4 carbine and a Beretta 92FS.

Disclaimer: Due to my job I'm mostly a FOBbit. I have been out on patrols and supply convoys but not often. I've not had to use my weapon in anger...yet.

The M4's only given me one issue and that was because the magazine I was using had issues. I turned it over to the armorer immediately thereafter and was issued a new one. (I obsessively clean my weapon on a daily or even twice daily basis time permitting).

The other thing I'm not too crazy about is the M68 Aimpoint they issued us. I find it too delicate and I'm not a fan of optics that need batteries to function optimally. I'd sooner carry an ACOG or similar scope.

An old teacher of mine from High School was an NCO who had an M16A2 fail to chamber a round under fire during the 1991 Gulf War.

Personally, while the M4/16 is maintenance intensive, I find it to be a good and versatile weapon system.

 

[5whiskey]

USMC Infantry, 0351/0311 squad leader. Mine worked well, it was always the crew-serves that had to be cleaned constantly.

 

[F-Body Demon]

I Carried a FN M16A4 with optic, it never let me down. But I was always cleaning it, maybe once every 4 or 5 days. It wasn't because I was motivated to do so as much as I was just bored out of my mind. But the in that amount of time the rifle would develop a coat of fine sand inside of it no matter what. Still like I said, it never let me down.

Maybe the bad wrap is coming from neglegent troops who don't care to clean their weapons. You would hear it from time to time at a clearing barrel when some guy would pull the operating handle back and it sounded like his weapon had sandpaper inside of it.

Oh yeah I never left CLP on my weapon anywhere either. If you did it only gave that moon dust something else to stick too.

 

[John Parker]

Just wondering for anyone over there, did you guys ever pick up and carry any ak variants?

I had a Chicom AKM that was excellent while in Iraq, and a very nice Russian AKM while in Afghanistan.

 

[earlthegoat2]

There was nothing wrong with the M-16A2 I had. The Pave Hawks and the enemy were the main problem for me

 

[Tim the student]

I went twice, both times in Diyala province for a total of 28 months. I shot my rifle in combat, and in training in Iraq. I had no issues with the rifle due to the rifle itself. I have had some malfunctions at ranges while testing new mags I got. Getting rid of the bad mags got rid of the problem. I knew it already, but it certainly reinforced that you need to test your gear, even if it is brand new.

Too little CLP is not good, and neither is too much. Too much CLP attracted a lot of talcum powder like dust into the rifle. Diyala is a mix of jungle-like huge palm groves, and the open desert you picture when you think of Iraq. Believe me, some places look like pictures of Vietnam.

We got Militech about half into my first tour, and I used that for most of my two tours. I like it. If I had to go back again, I would probably use that. Doesn't seem to protect at all against corrosion though.

A little PM goes a long way.

Very true. You take care of the rifle, and the rifle will take care of you. There is a reason weapons get cleaned before you do.

YMMV

 

[wideym]

I had an M4 with an M68 primarily as a back up for my 240B while on rolling in an 1114 during patrols, but used it exculsively on foot partols and 24-48hr LP/OPs in Baghdad. My 240B had issues with the feedtray cover pin and would jam after about 40 rounds, then I used the M4 until things cooled down enough to fix the MG while under fire.

Later I bought a TAONSN1 ACOG and had it shipped to me. I had also changed the burst kit out for a regular fullauto trigger for use with my Beta mag. Belt fed MGs were in short supply, even repair parts, at the time. During one particularly heavy engagement one of my platoon's 240B was hit in the reciever with a 7.62x54 PK MG round, totally fubaring the gun. We ended up stripping several parts off of it to repair our other 240Bs, including the feedtray cover pin I needed. When we turned over our sector and stopped patroling, we had to turn in our belt fed MGs to a central depot in Taji with the promise we would recieve new MGs at our home station at a later date.

The primary problem with weapons jamming was due to NCOs not insuring the joes cleaned their weapons regularly, even though it only took a couple of minutes every other day. It situation finally came to a stop when the PL invited a reporter imbedded with our company to fire his gunner's 240B at a range. I knew the gunner never cleaned his MG and once had to use it for a mission when the PLs gunner wasn't available. I jammed after one round due to it's filithy condition. The reporter and the gunner couldn't get the MG running and ended up using my MG, embarracing the PL.

 

[Broken11b]

TW25b... loved it in the sandbox.

Only problem I ever had in the box was when I was issued a replacement rifle, Gulf war era Mattel m16-a2... broken handguards and the buffer spring retention nub thingy broke. Couldn't break my weapon open to clean it for a few days. Still fired great, but it was a failure waiting to happen. Had to supplement it with an underfolder AK we picked up until I could get an american replacement.

 

[Wesson Smith]

This type of thread is my absolute favorite here at THR. I could read these for hours on end, when our military folk share their experience and insight on combat weaponry. Thanks!