Survey of Marine Infantry Reveals Complaints About Rifle

[Bartholomew Roberts]

A survey of Marine infantrymen in combat revealed the following complaints about their issued small arms and combate experiences:

82% of those surveyed actually saw the enemy only some of the time when shooting. Only 58% of those shooting reported aiming for the majority of their shooting.

Clearly the issue caliber isn't getting the job done either as an astounding 78% reported firing multiple times either "always" or "most of the time".

Cleaning also continues to be an issue with 11% reporting cleaning the rifle several times a day and 69% reporting cleaning the rifle at least once per day.

In the fill in the blank section of the report, you can even read the 83 survey pariticpants' own words on the subject.

For example, more rifle reliability issues: "(the stock cannot) withstand the beating an infantryman dishes out"

"(magazines) which would be be more resistant to rust"

"For one thing a weapon lighter than the one I now have and which would be easier to keep clean. A projectile that could do more damage than one of our present type."

Of the 83 infantrymen, the majority overwhelmingly favor newer, more modern small arms. Only five made comments suggesting that they considered their existing small arms to be the best. The general mood of the report is probably best described by these comments:

"What would help me the most is a weapon lighter than the M14 and more compact. It must be as durable and accurate as the M14, and be effective up to at least 400 meters and preferably 500."

O... did I mention that the survey is from 1967 and the small arms being complained of are the M14 and 1911 pistol?

Rust and stock breakage are cited numerous times concerning the M14. On the 1911, people made few comments but the general desire seems to have been for more magazine capacity and better range.

Overall the survey is a good read, if only to enjoy the irony of some of the comments in light of the current debate on small arms.

 

[coloradokevin]

Thanks for posting that. It is funny in some ways...

It's kind of like the things we joke about in policing. That is, a cop's favorite thing to do is complain... Collectively, we always have something "we" are bothered by! The bosses joke that if they ever notice that we've stopped complaining, then they'll be concerned.

Apparently the same is true for the military, in some ways!

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

No problem: Lighter weapon, but more powerful - get right on it, Pentagon! I too would like my pocket pistol to fire a 155 mm howitzer round with no recoil and no cleaning required. Duh!

 

[SSN Vet]

My first commanding officer had a saying....

"if the crews not bitching, there not happy"

it's when they stop bitching that you need to be concerned.

 

[Slamfire]

O... did I mention that the survey is from 1967 and the small arms being complained of are the M14 and 1911 pistol?

Raw soldier statements are just like any survey. You will get a wide variety and a wide variance in replies.

The Marines in this survey seem not to have been issued the M16, even though there are positive statements about the M16. There are positive statements on the M14.

A common theme was a desire for a faster firing weapon than a semi auto M14, and a lighter weapon. I saw a lot of issues with rust. I did not notice a whole bunch of compliants on the M14 being unreliable in function or lethality. Similiar surveys on the first M16's issued in combat would have been much more negative about function.

The M1911's were last made in the 40's, so they were using pistols that had 25 years of hard use on them. I heard from a number of Vets how their 45's just rattled and were very inaccurate.

The poor ground pounder is so loaded up with gear that he really wants something that is lighter than a feather, totally reliable, totally indestructible, and when he points it in the general direction of the enemy, he wants to create divots the size of the Grand Canyon.

We are getting there, but not quite there yet.

 

[Eightball]

We are getting there, but not quite there yet.

We need to introduce the Smith and Wesson J-frame based lazer-cannon system.


Nice post, it's nice to see that in some cases, the more things change the more they stay the same.