Recovered USMC M40A1 sniper rifle

[Tory]

Not quite, Dan-o!

Quote:

The gun has evil spirits? I remember a TV show about a (evil) gun that every owner used it to kill someone. Typical hollyweird crap.
A person not comfortable with it fine.

That was a Hawaii Five-0 episode!

NO; that was Dead Man's Gun. I enjoyed that series and wish they would re-run it (God knows they've re-run everything else to death!).

 

[akodo]

i have just started reading Flags of Our Fathers by James Bradley,whos father Jack is the man in clear profile raising the flag at Iwo Jima,was a Navy Corpsman who won the Navy Cross for action unrelated to the flag raising. Not only was he courageous,he was modest,as his family was not aware of the award until after his death in 1994.

I didn't know this until a local home state news station interviewed the man (WCCO TV IRC, in MN) but the truth of the matter is that famous photograph and the scupture on which it is based depicts the 2nd raising of the flag at Iwo Jima, a staged rasing for photographer. The old vet said few knew and many called him a liar, even though he had the documents to prove it. The news station did some digging and were able to back up the vet's story.

 

[frmrmarine248666]

Killing that insurgent sniper probably saved a lot of American lives. The insurgent sniper was using a car and videotaping the whole event. If any of you have seen the insurgent sniper propoganda video, then you know how many Americans that rifle has probably killed. In the video, the insurgent is almost always shooting out of a car while videotaping. The video shows about 20 to 30 American soldiers and Marines being shot by this sniper. It's probably not all the same guy, but the MO fits, so this insurgent has probably killed a sizeable number of Americans, and it's a good thing he's dead. I know I wouldn't want to use a gun that has killed that many Americans.

 

[wheelgunslinger]

I can understand what he's saying about the bad spirits. It's like saying that the rifle has bad mojo now. I wouldn't want to use it, either.
I've seen some of the insurgent videos, and if you think those guys are a bunch of hajii's who can't find their butt with both hands, you should watch them. Then, you'll understand why it's so difficult and frustrating for our troops.

I'd say the Unertl scope was likely broken in the attack, or the weapon was dropped. hence, the tasco. Scout/Snipers have done more with less.

 

[Eleven Mike]

Former Marine,

I've also seen the Jubei video, or whatever the name is. The music rocks, but most of the snipings in the video are botched. I don't know if any of the soldiers in the video died, and you don't know that this rifle was used in the video. It's my guess the terrorists recognized the quality of the weapon system, and gave it to someone with the skill to use it well without screwing up and getting captured or killed. Assuming that, it seems likely to me that it killed a few, video-taped or not, before that gentleman's skill ran short.

 

[duckandcover]

Just wanted to post the following link that has pictures and more info about the recovery of this rifle. Definitely a heads-up play by the U.S. sniper/countersniper team.

http://www.strategypage.com/gallery/articles/military_photos_200671902726.asp