Weapons failed US troops during Afghan firefight

greg334

Veteran Expediter
Echoes of Vietnam.....McNamara must be in the DoD again.

IT is funny he was the cause of the M-16 mess, and he is the hero of the libs because he said Vietnam was a mistake.

You know I was wondering something, is the AK-47 a weapon that is under a patent, seeing it was a soviet weapon.

The reason I am asking is since its inception, it has been in service in one way or another in all types of conditions. The replacement the AK-74 has been in service since the late 70's and is basically a modified AK-47.

The thing works under a lot of really harsh conditions, and with water and sand.

During that time, we have gone from a sturdy rifle, to the M-16 which had a lot of problems to the M-4 which is still having problems.

So why are we using the M-16 variant when we should be seriously looking at the AK-47 design and using something like that.
 

layoutshooter

Veteran Expediter
Retired Expediter
The patent on the M4 runs out soon or has already. Just look at where the M4 is made and see who the Senators are from that state, case closed. Barret could most likely make a MUCH better rifle than Colt is able to make. There is also a "NEW" version of the tried and true M14 being made and used in limited roles in the Army. Now that was a REAL rifle.
 

chefdennis

Veteran Expediter
The miltiary regularly test new weapons for replacement of what they are currently using in the SCAR testing. Over the years they have rejected more then a few weapons that would have been superior to any given now used weapon for reasons that were as stupid as the markings on the tested weapon were not what was coded on the test paper work.....typigraphical errors....ask. Robinson Firearms about the XCR...ask sig saur about getting the 556 seris weapons into our military....its not about getting the best weapon for our troops use, its about politics.........
 

FIS53

Veteran Expediter
Don't know about patents on the Kalishnakov AK-47 (russian version - original) as it is copied by a variety of nations. China makes a version and there are several Pakistani versions (some are of poor barrel quality). The Russians make several versions of it including a sniper version with a longer barrel.
Yes the AK-47 does take a beating. The CDN army demonstrates it capabilities in a one day session where they drown it, bury it in sand and in snow (in a freezer) and after each time they retreive it and fire it. This is to show our guys that the enemy that has this has a weapon that fires more often than not under inclement conditions.

One of the reasons it is so good is the simplicity of it. It is not a complicated weapon and has fewer moving parts than some others. It is not made to high exacting engineering specs thereby allowing for a little slack in some parts allowing for sand and dirt to not cause a jam as easily as other weapons. Hence a light weight ease of use gun.
Rob
 

iceroadtrucker

Veteran Expediter
Driver
M-1 was a great little weapon during WW11

M-16 and M-16 A1 & A2 are good little weapons and are what they are.

M-14 is OK and so is the M-4.
MP 5 for close quarters Combat then go to the 9MM

50 cal sniper Rifle wonderful weapon and easily obtained.

ERMA SR 100 337 with night Vision Scope Deadly.

AK47 is what it is. Put up against an M-16 A2 in the Jungle it will win hands down.

Weapons for me

AK47 & the 50 Cal sniper. Close quarter Combat the MP5 and then Go to the 9mm.

The M60 Machine gun was replaced by the 240 then of which was replaced by the 249. Which is ultra lite Nick named the SAW . Now case in hand
as Scottie would say the more complex you make the system the easier it is to stop up the piping.
Now Check out the fire storm all electronic and it has no moving parts. and is deadly.
Then check out the Hell fire weapon system as well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8hlj4EbdsE


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iYXBvCrzbHo

Sand is the destroyer over there not only for weapons but Vehicles and aircraft as well.
 
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