Marines Ditch the M-16, What?

Marine Corps Times ^ | 7/29/2015 | James K Sanborn

[archy]

I'm older-school still. If you cannot do it with a Gladius, yer a wimp.

[from the Latin:]A stroke with the edges, though made with ever so much force, seldom kills, .... On the contrary, a stab, though it penetrates but two inches, is generally fatal. ... the body is covered while a thrust is given, and the adversary receives the point before he sees the sword. This was the method of fighting principally used by the Romans ...

Vegetius, De Re Militari [circa 5th Century] *source*

Note, however, that Varius disagreed and hedged his bet.

I kind of favour the Pugio myself, though a khukuri is my more common companion. I had a local minister query me about the sort of swords that would have been in common use in Christ's day [per the Chapter of Luke, describing two in use among the 12 apostles] and gave him my best estimate, based on both scripture and history: Peter's falchion and a pugio.

[archy]

Bingo! Will go anywhere with my M1 and Saiga 12.

Don't go to a tank gunnery shootout.

[antidisestablishment]

I prefer something a little older and bigger. Notice the manufacturers:

[nascarnation]

Frigidaire (GM) built a LOT of munitions during WW2.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQ3YZ4foFHk

[DJ Taylor]

‘Ma Deuce’ Days May be Numbered

Probably the longest serving weapon in the U.S. military arsenal is the Browning .50-caliber M2 machine gun. Often referred to as “ma deuce” for its M2 designation, the weapon entered U.S. service at the end of World War I, being scaled up from the Browning .30-caliber M1917 machine gun. The .50-caliber weapon was initially designated M1921.

Using a round designed by Winchester, the .50-caliber machine gun was originally intended for ground troops to use against enemy troops. Subsequently, it was employed as an anti-aircraft weapon and then became the standard armament of U.S. warplanes. In 1932, the design was updated and redesignated M2.

Read more: http://defensetech.org/2008/06/20/ma-deuce-days-may-be-numbered/#ixzz3hOXSSYzs
Defense.org

http://defensetech.org/2008/06/20/ma-deuce-days-may-be-numbered/

[antidisestablishment]

Well, her days may have been numbered, but she numbered many in her day!

[antidisestablishment]

They have been trying to replace the M2 and the A10 since I joined three decades ago, but they are both truly works of art. The bastards should have learned when they got rid of the 45.

Some things just don’t need to change-the M16/AR15, though ubiquitous, never came close. They can change it anytime.

[DJ Taylor]

A lasting memory I have of Ma Deuce is that she will bite you if you don’t pay close attention to her head-space.

[archy]

A lasting memory I have of Ma Deuce is that she will bite you if you don’t pay close attention to her head-space.

She will do worse than that if you remove the backplate with the spade grips on it and then pull back the charging handle without removing the recoil spring. If you do so and its very tiny retaining pin slips out of its hole, it will fly out the now-open rear of the gun and spear anyone behind it. I know a fellow who had it happen, and he was REAL happy he had his plate carrier with the rifle-rated bulletproof plate in it. Not as bad as a .50 hit, of course, but he described it as *worse than a plate hit from an AK round.*

Incidently, Ma Duece's little brothers, the .30 caliber M1919A4 and M37, will also bite you pretty good if you don't keep your middle finger down and out of the way when you reach into the open bottom [ejection area] of the gun and trip the accelerator by hand, particularly when mounted as a tank's co-axial gun. The result is far worse that the well-known *M1 thumb* and after I had it happen in 1967 I have not done it since. And now almost 50 years later that fingernail has still not grown in right.

[archy]

A lasting memory I have of Ma Deuce is that she will bite you if you don’t pay close attention to her head-space.

Oh, and don't use a live round as a hammer or drift to drive in the pins on the gun mount.

[archy]

I prefer something a little older and bigger. Notice the manufacturers:

The M2 Aircraft .50 guns in the gun positions and power turrets of the famed B17 Memphis Belle were AC Spark Plug manufactured guns. In the late 1990s I was part of a maintenance survey on what all the old bird needed for a full restoration; other A&Ps and A&P students from Tennessee Tech did the powerplant and airframe [the main spars were nearly corroded and cracked it two, and the bird would have gone nose-down on one end and tail-down at the other had both cracks continued all the way through. Happily, it was caught and fixed in time.

The flight engineer's top turret was a replacement, dropped in but not hooked up, and some major components were missing from the .50s on board, as seen at the time in the pic here. The late Pony Maples, owner of Ramo Ordnance in Tennessee, too care of that at no charge. And since the USAF Museum at Wright-Pat has taken over the restoration, the top turret, and it's ball turret cousin downstairs- and a LOT of other things- work now.

[antidisestablishment]

That's quite an honor to be involved in such a project! What an amazing aircraft for its time. 13 M2s per ship--one point three guns for everyone on the crew.

I actually shipped a B-17 to the British War Museum in the 80s.

[Squantos]

All the way in and three and a half out, ...... use the headspace gauge as a bottle opener instead.

[Squantos]

I’m good with my Texas built LaRue 7.62 PredatOBR ...... Now if I can afford a Republic Forge 1911A1 made in Perryton Texas I’ll be all set for social BBQ gatherings ......:o)

[Lurker]

I use LaRue mounts and BUIS on my Rock River. Top quality stuff. And those 1911s by Republc sure are perty. Mrs L and I have a brace of stainless Kimbers for fancy occasions. LOL.

Best,

L

[Squantos]

She finally got you well dressed as well....:o) Very nice !!

Stay Safe !!

[archy]

I’m good with my Texas built LaRue 7.62 PredatOBR ...... Now if I can afford a Republic Forge 1911A1 made in Perryton Texas I’ll be all set for social BBQ gatherings ......:o)

I shall notify the chef at once!

[archy]

And those 1911s by Republc sure are perty.

He just likes 'em 'cause they're made in PERRYton. I'm sort of taken with the new M1911A1s from Inland, and plan to shoot one 22 August.

Not perfect, and pricey. But maybe...

[archy]

All the way in and three and a half out, ...... use the headspace gauge as a bottle opener instead.

Back before I was in M60A1 tanks, we had the M2HBTT .50, either in the commander's cupola or on a Chrysler gun mount on top of the turret roof. I was known for wearing a headspace and timing gage on my dogtags, and I got kidded, but I also got to be the *go-to* guy when somebody couldn't find theirs.

Then I was off to the 70th Armor, which had M60 tanks, and in HQ Company, three M60A1s- my babies. And they had the M85 .50 in the commander's cupe, which had a quick-change barrel and didn't need a HS&T gage. Haven't carried one since, 'cept for about ten days in Israel in '73. They had M2s [and .30 Brownings reworked to 7,62!] atop their old ex-German Army M48A2s.

[Lurker]

I do love that woman. You should see the looks in the faces of the youngsters with their Glocks when she pulls that full sized stainless steel masterpiece out. 8 times out of 10 she out shoots them, too!

I am one lucky SOB.

L