MEU(SOC) math?

[Cellar Dweller]

From a locked thread:

A Marine typically fires 15,000 rounds through a MEU(SOC) .45 during a deployment

Spray and pray, indeed!

15,000 rounds/ 7round magazines ~= 2,142 magazines

Assuming the following (reasonable):
1. The MEU(SOC) .45 is a BACKUP weapon, and you've already emptied your AR/GL/LMG/40-watt Plasma rifle
2. You don't have time to run to the supply room between engagements
3. Basic load is what, 3-5 magazines for a pistol? 7-round magazines?
4. Someone ELSE is getting the sore thumbs

2142/3= 714 days, or
2142/5= 428 days of CONSTANT engagement

That's 14 months, minimum, of nonstop combat...either the 15k/man/deployment figure is wrong, or Marines are using too much pistol ammo (and not enough heavier stuff).
Or they need the occasional 48-hr liberty whilst deployed

 

[Andrew Wyatt]

God forbid they train while deployed.

 

[Denny Hansen]

Jumping on the firing line when there are odd-numbered relays (creating an extra space), I've been able to burn close to 2,000 rounds in five days at Gunsite and other courses.

Denny

 

[El Tejon]

Cellar, these are "the shooters." Up close and personal at garlic lamb breath range where often the WoT is being fought, I want our boys to know where and what a pistol is for.

The ammo can go pretty quick in training, between 2K and 3K per week. I imagine depends on the OIC and the team, it may be more. If they want to shoot more, let them.

I hope they are getting enough ammo. Someone tell us what they need and we will get it to them (no, not beer!). God Bless them and let them shoot straight and come home to us safe.

 

[Spark]

I'd be suprised if they didn't burn 210 rounds when training with the MEUSOC - 30 mags worth. That's just 71 training sessions - nothing. They could do that in 2 deployments or less.

 

[Dorian]

I'm going to make a wild assumption and say the article meant 1500 rounds... That sounds like a well rounded bumber for practice.

 

[Cellar Dweller]

OK, forgot the training aspect and was just thinking 15k rounds estimated for primarily engagement purposes.

Then again, my thinking is biased because of my time in the USN (anyone familiar with quarterdeck procedures while in-port will know what I mean).

Or my Army buddies (go dig a hole...done? dig a hole over THERE now!), who didn't see 15k rounds in 4 years!

 

[Tamara]

200-250 rounds is a casual afternoon's plinking in the back yard. I wonder how many of those you could squeeze into a deployment? You reckon it may be a lot?

Remember, the amount of caps busted in training by a radar repair tech is going to be somewhat less than the number popped by a door-kicker...

 

[El Tejon]

CD, as Tamara said, these guys are not "Big Army."

 

[c_yeager]

Im not up on my military jargon but, wouldnt a "deployment" include ones entire time in a country? Or wherever they happen to be stationed? Anyone have an idea what the DURATION of the average deployment? I mean 15,000 rounds in a month is pretty nuts, but 15,000 rounds in a year makes sense. Arent the .45's only issued to certain "special" troops in the first place? By definition the elite should be training pretty much nonstop anyways.

 

[Mal H]

To illustrate the question asked in terms of the sport shooters world: Quite honestly, questioning that the FR Marines shoot that much is analogous to asking if Rob Latham or Bob Munden shoot as much as they claim. Comparing the FRM to Regular Army or even Regular USMC is akin to comparing Rob or Bob to, say, me. The amount I shoot in a single month would be only a rounding error in comparison to the many thousands they shoot in a month, and I shoot more than anyone in the Reg Army would on average.