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M16A1 U.S. Army Rifle Maintenance Comic (1968)
I always get a laugh from reading the Army maintenance comics. [ Many thanks to Sven (Defense and Freedom) for emailing me the the info. ]
Tag: army
U.S. Army Issues New “Green” M855A1 Ammo
AccurateShooter reports on the Army’s new 5.56mm ammunition … The 62-grain bullet for the new M855A1 ammo is a completely new design. While it may appear to have a plastic “ballistic tip”, that’s deceiving. The new bullet created for M855A1 ammo has a [Read More…]
Chinese Army Marksman Competition
These Chinese operators sure know their craft. BadassWeakling explained what the video is showing … I’m only 5 minutes in, but apparently there is a national marksmanship competition coming up. Every “group” (battalion? company?) only gets to [Read More…]
The first 20mm shoulder fired rifle?
The Army has been testing 9mm and 20mm sub caliber training rounds for the AT-4 rocket launcher. At about a hundredth of the cost, the 20mm round provides similar recoil and blast. Army.mil reports … Staff Sgt. Aleksandr Kulik said the 20mm round could be highly [Read More…]
Army issues instructions for painting rifles
PEO Solider has published a document [PDF link] called “Weapons Painting 101″. If you are planning on stray painting your rifle, especially an AR-15, then it is worth reading. [ Many thanks to Lance for emailing me the link. ]
FN protect over Colt M240B contract overuled
A while back the government awarded Colt a contract to manufacture the FN designed M240B machine. FN was none to happy about this! They filed a protest which has just been overruled by the US Government Accountability office. From the ruling … As a final matter, [Read More…]
Playing with the XM25 airburst weapon
Danger Room reporters got the opportunity to test the Army’s new airburst grenade launcher. This screen grab from a high-speed camera shows the round detonating just inside a window target. Brig. Gen. Peter Fuller, the head of PEO Soldier, told reporters that the [Read More…]
Army Modernization Strategy 2010 on the M4
This is what the recently published Army Modernization Strategy 2010 report says about the M4 competition … “Additionally, the Army will enhance SaaS lethality capabilities through several individual weapon initiatives. In an effort to provide our Soldiers [Read More…]
The Army’s M24 “Upgrade”
I have read through solicitation request for the Army’s M24 Sniper Weapon System upgrade. I am struggling to see how it can be considered an upgrade. The original M24 is going to have little in common with an upgraded version. As I read the solicitation request [Read More…]
The Black Rifle no longer has to be black
It is good to see commonsense prevailing. ArmyTimes reports … The Army is finally going to give soldiers the green light to paint their black weapons so they blend in with the terrain on the battlefield. Soldiers have been using commercially available, spray-on [Read More…]
Army Improved Carbine Competition does not specify caliber
Yesterday PEO Solider had a media roundtable discussion. I should have phoned into the event but I only just realized it was on. One of the topics discussed was the Improved Carbine Competition. According to the PEO Solider twitter account, which was live updated during [Read More…]
On the Army’s new “Tan” Improved Magazines
LTC Chris Lehner of PEO Solider wrote a comment on the blog that I thought deserved its own post. He addresses the issue of why the Army did not just adopt one of the existing anti-tilt follower designs instead of developing their own. LTC Lehner here. My program office [Read More…]
“Tan” M16/M4 Magazine Cartoon
This cartoon encourages soldier to upgrade to the Army’s new “tan” M16/M4 magazine. [ Many thanks to Concerned_Soldier for emailing me the cartoon. ]
US Army to use MultiCam in Afghanistan
Solider Systems reports … LTC Cummings of the Army Public Affairs Office has confirmed that the Secretary of the Army, the Honorable John McHugh approved a plan today to begin the fielding of MultiCam uniforms and individual equipment as soon as possible
The M2A1 .50 Machine Gun and Lightweight M240L
The Army was recently demoing the upgraded, and long-overdued, version of the M2 Browning machine gun. Army.mil reports … The M2 A1 is an upgrade to the M2 machine gun. It provides a quick-change barrel and fixed head space and timing to reduce Soldier errors and [Read More…]
Italian Army has started adopting the ARX-160 rifle
The Italian Army has started adopting the next-gen Beretta ARX-160 assault rifle. Shooting Wire reports … The Italian Ministry of Defense has become the first military group to receive shipments of Beretta’s new ARX-160 automatic rifle. The first 1,600 units [Read More…]
This is my rifle. There are NOT many like it
During a firefight in Afghanistan in 2007, British soldier Pte Cole’s SA80 rifle was hit three times by 7.62x39mm bullets! It continued to function and he continued to return fire, despite the fact that the scope, bodywork and pistol grip was ripped off the gun. [Read More…]
New US Army M16 “Tan” Magazine
I first mentioned the new “Tan” M16/M4 magazine back in June. The Program Executive Office (PEO) Soldier agency has just blogged about it … “With the improved magazines, we’re taking weapons reliability up another notch,” said LTC Chris Lehner, [Read More…]
Evolution of the M4 Carbine
PEO Soldier, the Army acquisition agency, have published a timeline showing the 62 ECP (Engineering Change Proposals) that have been applied to the M4 Carbine over the past 18 years1. The original specifications called for 600 Mean Rounds Between Stoppage. The current [Read More…]
Army requests changes to M4 carbine
The Army Times reports that Army weapons officials have presented to Congress six proposed upgrades to the M4. They are … Heavy barrel. This will increase the rate of fire and decrease heat problems but at the expense of weight. Add gas-piston system so that the [Read More…]
Army Marksmanship Unit Junior Shooter Camp
Ken Nelson, who wrote the recent guest blog post about Atlantic Arms, has a son who has just completed the Army Marksmanship Unit Junior Shooter Camp. He has blogged about the experience … Here is an idea…. take 50 junior practical shooters, put them with six of [Read More…]
[Guest Post] The Australian Army’s Weapons Training Simulation System
[ I am pleased to present this guest post written by Brendan Leo, an Australian Army Cadet corporal. ] As a corporal with the Australian Army Cadets, I recently had the opportunity to play with the Weapons Training Simulation System. As the name suggests, this is a [Read More…]
Army still looking got a “subcompact” gun
I had heard no news about the Army search for a “subcompact”1 for quite a long time and thought that the idea had been dropped. Apparently this is not so. The Military Times reports: Despite initial industry suspicion that the Army would let the effort die a [Read More…]
The truth behind the recent M4 controversy
Yesterday I blogged about the M4 reliability controversy story that was originally reported by the Associated Press. At best the writer of the AP article exaggerated many the points. The leaked draft of the of the analysis of the Battle of Wanat reads quite differently. [Read More…]
More reports on M4 limitations. Do the Marines have the right idea?
A leaked US Army report about the Battle of Wanat criticizes the reliability of the M4. On July 13, 2008 200 Taliban fighters attacked 48 US and 24 Afghan troops. Outnumbered 2.7 to 1 the M4 Carbines, which the troops were carrying, could not function reliably under the [Read More…]
DSEi 09: Glock 17 with Thumb Safety
This Glock 17 pistol, with thumb safety, was designed by Glock for use by the British Army. It was on display at DSEi ’09. This is not the first Glock designed with a manual safety. Glock has previously designed a Glock 17 for the Tasmanian Police force that [Read More…]
Army M4 vs. Marine M16A4
There is an interesting article at Human Events about the US Army culture favoring the M4, while the Marines culture being pro-M16A4. Two years ago when I was in Iraq, I noticed there were essentially two different primary infantry weapons (the M16 automatic rifle and [Read More…]
US Army buying .300 Winchester magnum
Strategy Page reports: June 18, 2009: The U.S. Army has ordered 38.4 million rounds of .300 Winchester magnum ammunition for its newly modified M-24 sniper rifles, as well as similar SOCOMs Mk13 models. The new ammo will cost about $1.30 per round. The .300 Winchester [Read More…]
Fielding stripping with your feet
No, you did not mis-read the title. You though field stripping your AR-15 blindfolded was cool, well the Iranian army have got you beat 😉 This is quite possibly the most ridiculous video I have ever watched online!
British Army’s new combat shotgun
The UK have adopted the Benelli M4 shotgun, dubbed the L128A1, as their new combat shotgun. The photo below was taken at a combat display held last week. Click to expand. Private Colin Shead, A Company, 3 MERCIAN, displays the new Combat Shotgun, brought into service [Read More…]