Posted on 04/09/2008 8:03:38 PM PDT by PotatoHeadMick
Seven British soldiers were shot in Basra last year by the same sniper rifle, the Ministry of Defence has revealed.
The troops were picked off one by one on the streets of the southern Iraqi city by a weapon firing high-velocity American-made bullets.
Rifleman Aaron Lincoln, 18, Kingsman Danny Wilson, 28, Kingsman Alan Jones, 20, Corporal Rodney Wilson, 30, Rifleman Paul Donnachie, 18, and two others who have not yet been named, were all killed by bullets from the same weapon, said a spokesman for the MoD.
But he could not verify that a single gunman was responsible.
Rifleman Lincoln, of the 2nd Battalion, The Rifles, was killed on April 2 last year by a single bullet that penetrated his protective glasses and helmet, an inquest in Spennymoor, County Durham, heard yesterday.
Of the five soldiers that have been identified, four were shot in April. Corporal Wilson was killed on June 7.
Ballistics expert Ann Kiernan told the inquest: "There had been several incidents where projectiles have all been discharged from the same rifle."
The bullets were made by arms manufacturer Lake City Arsenal and the hearing was told the military cannot yet provide helmets strong enough to withstand such powerful ammunition.
Rifleman Lincoln's platoon had been sent on to the city streets as part of an operation to divert enemy attention from a re-supply convoy of 30 trucks due at the British camp.
Coroner Andrew Tweddle said he was concerned the bullet had penetrated the soldier's helmet, but noted evidence given that the Army were unable to "provide a higher level of protection".
He recorded a narrative verdict of unlawful killing, adding that Rifleman Lincoln was shot by enemy fire. "He sustained a single gun shot wound to the head,' he said. 'This 5.56mm, U.S. manufactured round was not fired by friendly forces.'
It’s not hard to do. We’ve left or sold literally kilotons of the stuff all over the world in the last 40 years.
Also, someone’s got some problems, because the current helmet is proof against 5.56 NATO.
I don’t get it; are they claiming an American shot him?
Blame America! It’s easy to do.
But he could not verify that a single gunman was responsible.
I would suspect that it's the same person firing the (same) weapon.
The caption to the picture in the article is “Aaron Lincoln: Killed by American-made bullets”.
We’re in the process of moving Iraqi Army away from the AKs and giving them M-16A2/M-14s.
We need to send a Carlos sniper of our own to stalk and kill theirs.
Well, no. Military helmets are not constructed to resist direct hits by battle rifle ammunition. In fact, they never have been.
Just tossing this out there...since I'd bet some freeper might know.
How does the helmet stand up to M855 SS109 Penetrator ammo, 62 grain with steel tipped penatrating core?
It’s Basra, so it could be some bad guys in the Iraqi forces.
Ok, read the article at the link [after posting, in fine freeper fashion]. Lake City Arsenal, huh? Birthplace of my .308
ball ammo boattails. They work real good in an old re-worked Mauser I used to be fond of. But then that gun used to really like 180 grn Federal “Classic”. ‘Can’t seem to find that particular ammo anymore...but it was amazingly good in that old rifle. There were times I could pick off a golf ball at a hundred yrds with set-up, using iron sights, to boot. Don’t quite have the eyes for it, now.
Plus it's available through military surplus, for instance, you can buy it right from Cheaper than Dirt.
Mark
Does that, or something similar come out of Lake City?
Lake City Ammunition is a supplier to the military. The ammo could have been found locally after a battle or stolen after a convoy ambush or any number of other ways. It does not mean it was bought in the US.
Sounds more like someone has one of Saddam's hunting rifle's, ie, a 22-250 loaded with military bullets.
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