First off, a BIG BIG thank you to past and present soldiers (both living and deceased. Now the question: How much ammo does the soldier carry for his M4 or 16 and does he carry any ammo for the SAW and how much?
Question for those that have served or are serving in the military
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Standard is 210 rounds of 5.56, most commands however, will let you carry more (not less) if you so desire.
A long time ago, in a great green latrine, far, far away, the typical infantry rifleman in my platoon carried 13 magazines (20 rounds ea). Medics and assistant machine gunners carried less (the asst gunner also carried belted .308 for the M60). This is of course in addition to several frags, several smoke grenades, 1 pound of C4 (plus additional C4 if he wanted it for cooking), several canteens of water, C rations (or the LRRP - early for of MREs if we were lucky), det cord, extra socks, playing cards, etc. Usually at least half of us also had a LAW, and a few of us carried Willie Pete grenades. Makes me tired just typing this, but it was a long time ago in a much younger body.
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I use a chest harness that has 5, 3-magazine ammo pouches.
That's 15 mags for the M4 with 28 rounds each, for a total of 420 rounds.
then add 6 Mags for the M9 Sidearm in a drop leg rig.
F*cking heavy
That's 15 mags for the M4 with 28 rounds each, for a total of 420 rounds.
then add 6 Mags for the M9 Sidearm in a drop leg rig.
F*cking heavy
The basic load that we were given was also 210 rnds (7 mags). For the saw on convoys I personally always carried 3 drums sometimes 4. I only used it on convoys since I was not dismounted.
you win dude...You should try a standard search on THR. This subject has been beaten to death. Standard Load for the 5.56 round is 210 rounds. All day every day and guess what some commands make you count those rounds each and every day. You had better not lose one round or its your ass in the sling all the way up the chain of command. Bullets are called rounds in the military and they are accounted for and considered sensitive items. its your a@@.
No problems man. Not everyone has all the time in the world to do thread searches.
I carried a 9mm Beretta......with only 3 mags.
LOL.
Not good.
:banghead:
I carried a 9mm Beretta......with only 3 mags.
LOL.
Not good.
:banghead:
I hear ths quite a bit about soldiers experiences in Bosnia, but I have personally not seen any unit do this in Iraq.
That might be the regs in your world, Sarge, but in my Marine Corps,
in "I Corps", in 1969, every swingin' Grunt carried at least 20 M-16
magazines, loaded with 18 rounds each. We were taught to never "top off"
a magazine, leave a little room for 'spring expansion'.
Most of us carried at least one, or maybe two bandoliers of packaged
rounds, and usually a lot of loose rounds in our packs or web gear pouches.
There's a whole lot of difference in a "standard load", and what an
experienced soldier carries into combat.
Walter
I spent 9 years as a grunt, 3 of those in Nam with 101'st and 1st cav. we carried 300 rounds min. of 223 our m60 gunners and their assistant gunner carried 800 rounds and each member of the squad carried 100 rounds for the m-60. I never had to count a single round or worried about accounting for the ammo, but I was using it up most of the time. Now back in the states we had to account for it out in the range.
Did two tours with the 3rd Marine Division in Vietnam. 67/68/69
When I carried an M14 I had 16 loaded magazines with 19 rounds in each. 304 rounds.
When I carried a M16 I had 33 loaded magazines with 15 rounds in each. 495 rounds.
Carried additional bandoleers for myself. At least one belt for any attached guns (7.62 NATO) couple of bandoleers for the M79 grenade launcher, often one or two LAWs, one gallon of water, k-Bar, 38spl Revolver. 50 rounds for the 38, 2 M26A1's and at least 6 Smoke grenades. Also compass, Aid back etc.
Then my radio. PRC 41 UHF. and then what ever else I might need in my Pack, like batteries for the radio, and C rations. Socks, Tooth powder, etc...
The only problem with all that stuff, was we walked a lot. Often jumping off the back of a Duce and a half we would go to our knees.
Infantry always carry to much.
Go figure.
Fred
When I carried an M14 I had 16 loaded magazines with 19 rounds in each. 304 rounds.
When I carried a M16 I had 33 loaded magazines with 15 rounds in each. 495 rounds.
Carried additional bandoleers for myself. At least one belt for any attached guns (7.62 NATO) couple of bandoleers for the M79 grenade launcher, often one or two LAWs, one gallon of water, k-Bar, 38spl Revolver. 50 rounds for the 38, 2 M26A1's and at least 6 Smoke grenades. Also compass, Aid back etc.
Then my radio. PRC 41 UHF. and then what ever else I might need in my Pack, like batteries for the radio, and C rations. Socks, Tooth powder, etc...
The only problem with all that stuff, was we walked a lot. Often jumping off the back of a Duce and a half we would go to our knees.
Infantry always carry to much.
Go figure.
Fred
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With the 39th we had as much ammo as you wanted to carry. I carried 10 mags, a frag, and a beta mag in my m-4. I also changed out the burst trigger for a full auto. Machineguns always seemed to scarce. When I moved to the M240 I kept my m-4. During op's in the city you had to leave the 240 with the trucks, having an m-4/saw came in very handy. Plus uncle sam pays to replace the barrel. Also nobody seemed to care about losing rounds, you could find loose rounds around any clearing barrel when you entered any fob.
Thanks for all of the replys guys Now, after going thru a magazine what did you do with the empty????? Keep it or toss it?
Now, after going thru a magazine what did you do with the empty????? Keep it or toss it?It is kept and either refilled from the bandoleers in our packs, or at the earliest opportunity to get more ammo. Our ammo does not come packaged in magazines, it is loaded onto 10 round stripper clips.
My basic loadout last time I was in Iraq was 12 mags with 30 rounds each of 5.56, so 360 rounds there, and no, I never had a jam caused by weakened springs
. Then at least one extra bandoleer in my pack. For my M9, I had 4 loaded 15 round mags and an extra 50 round box in my pack. We were also loaded out with frags, smoke, pyro and a satchel charge each. My sawgunners had 5 drums each, so 1000 rounds worth there. The A-gunner had another drum or two as well. The saw drums are thrown out as linked rounds come packaged inside of 200 round drums.
Hearing what hearing.
Last year I had to certify to test kids for hearing. I can't hear squat in any of the high ranges.
We had not invented hearing protection even on the range when I went in.
We didn't have the kool hearing devices, like I use on the range now.
Remember, it is a good survival skill to hear the bad guy before he hears you. With exceptions like Hue, we were fighting in the bush most of the time.
With todays equipment I think the troops could hear better, and be hearing protected at the same time.
go figure.
Fred
Last year I had to certify to test kids for hearing. I can't hear squat in any of the high ranges.
We had not invented hearing protection even on the range when I went in.
We didn't have the kool hearing devices, like I use on the range now.
Remember, it is a good survival skill to hear the bad guy before he hears you. With exceptions like Hue, we were fighting in the bush most of the time.
With todays equipment I think the troops could hear better, and be hearing protected at the same time.
go figure.
Fred
10 mags, 27 rds each. Water in a camelpack. Empties go into the leg cargo pockets.
I load to full, then drop 3 for 27 in the magazine because I have had 1st round jams in some magazines.
If you really squash em in there, you can get 31 in a few. I've had one go to 32, in a standard issue U.S. mag! When I do that, they fail first round 100% of the time.
All that said, this tour I am not chasing the bg. I watch from afar and let the hunters know where the bgs are at. When I did do the chasing (as in 'Hey You! You just volunteered to be my tc/gunner!") I threw another half dozen mags or so in an assault pack, along with some clp, spare nod batteries, and some brown happy meals in case it became necessary.
The Air Force guys I worked with were accountable to each and every round. In the Army, the only answer they wanted concerning ammunition counts was "A lot"
I load to full, then drop 3 for 27 in the magazine because I have had 1st round jams in some magazines.
If you really squash em in there, you can get 31 in a few. I've had one go to 32, in a standard issue U.S. mag! When I do that, they fail first round 100% of the time.
All that said, this tour I am not chasing the bg. I watch from afar and let the hunters know where the bgs are at. When I did do the chasing (as in 'Hey You! You just volunteered to be my tc/gunner!") I threw another half dozen mags or so in an assault pack, along with some clp, spare nod batteries, and some brown happy meals in case it became necessary.
The Air Force guys I worked with were accountable to each and every round. In the Army, the only answer they wanted concerning ammunition counts was "A lot"
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