[DJ Taylor]

Senate Aides now think they know more about military firearms than do our senior military leadership.

[SJSAMPLE]

Yep.
Everybody who can is ditching the AK-47/AKM for the M4 carbine.
More accurate.
More modular.
More ergonomic.

[Perdogg]

There is nothing wrong with the M4 other than the 5.56mm round. Replace the the 5.56mm with the 6.5mm X 39mm grendel.

[Perdogg]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ydP3DUIT_EU

[Vision]

Does that surprise you?

[theDentist]

Oh. I thought they were going to be armed with the weapons and sent out to a local starbucks for coffee, thus having ample opportunity to return fire.

[shadowgovernment]

” a select group of top senate staffers is gathering today to look at what could be the future of the military’s standard assault rifle. “
>>>>>>>>>>>...................
the real shadow government in action, who are the staff of our elected overlords? funny no MSM reports on the” staff”
who influence the elected congressmen..these bureaucrats do not get face time but IMO run things in DC.

[Red6]

Staffers? OMG

They should stay in their offices in DC, watch NBC/CNN and conduct a “study” purely academically. This would save the resources wasted on a demonstration that will only be set-up to bring predetermined results.

Yes, the M4 isn’t the newest and greatest. One can make something “a bit” better, but that’s the problem. ALL THOSE who argue for alternatives (to date) are essentially splitting hairs and looking at microscopic differences in performance to justify spending billions and assuming great risk in other areas typically not considered by these them. Spend the money on hardware where our “net benefit” where the “return on investment” for the soldier and Marine is greater. The reductions in weight, the increased accuracy, the handling of the weapon under rapid fire, the weapons modularity etc..... none of these aspects really give a “significant” advantage in the alternatives out there. As of date, there is simply no real alternative that is a break through making the cost, pain in transitioning (logistics, training....etc), risk (production short falls, possible system failure down the road when they begin fatiguing).......... worthwhile. People don’t realize, it’s not just as easy as buying a bunch of new guns. Yes, they will be new and shiny and look cool. They might even have a rep there that calls them by a cool name. There are many things I can think of, right off the top of my head, where the soldier and Marine would benefit more from on money spent. Resources are limited, spend them where we maximize the return, not chase some marginal gain with a cool new toy.

[Joe Brower]

Friday Fun Thread!

[SECURE AMERICA]

Here's a thought. Instead of Political Hacks or Military Command Officers (read paper pushers/desk jockey) deciding on the qualities of a weapon used in combat, how about we ask the men and women wielding that weapon in the field?
Oh sorry, that is far too much common sense for our Government.....

[Slings and Arrows]

Ah, cut them some slack. If you had the chance to take a day off from pushing paper and go shoot some neat guns, wouldn’t you take it?

[green iguana]

ONLY 30 SIGNED UP!?!?!?!

What a bunch of doofus’...

[Dead Corpse]

DPMS LR308-AP4 or SOCOM II.

[Perdogg]

let me guess. The 6.8mm round is made in Colorado, right?

[antisocial]

“Senate Aides now think they know more about military firearms than do our senior military leadership.”

They probably do.

[TXnMA]

Participants will have the opportunity to observe the effects of different caliber rounds in ballistic jelly, be shown how to fire each weapon and, of course, there will be some hands-on time as well.

Photo op -- along with some serious fun time...

If I were a staffer, I'd sign up!

OTOH, is this what we're paying Senate staffers to do?

[yarddog]

Times have changed since Abraham Lincoln took an Army officer and a Spencer rifle out to the Potomac and shot at a board. Deciding it was a good rifle, he ordered them for the Army.

[dljordan]

“Senate Aides now think they know more about military firearms than do our senior military leadership. “

Maybe they’re just staffers who like guns and don’t want to pass up a free range demo. Well, it’s a thought.

[Billthedrill]

Yeah. Man, there's no way you'd ever get me to take a couple days off work and go shoot a few thousand rounds through a bunch of brand-new rifles for free. You gotta respect the hardship these guys are undertaking for our benefit.

Lucky SOB's.

[wastedyears]

Really, they should also invite firearms enthusiasts to these, as well as some military officials that don’t have an office in the Pentagon.

[Sender]

Our senior military leadership does know a thing or two about firearms, and the M16/M4 is great as it is. However, the same leadership has steadfastly refused improvements and updates as they have evolved. This is military inertia. This has nothing to do with getting rid of the M16 or knocking Colt off the pedestal.

What about the special forces that were permitted to buy their own weapons, and who chose M4 carbines with gas piston uppers? The suits then told them to get rid of the rifles because the didn't field strip in the standard way.

That is stupidity and/or scratching someone's back. As for the cartridge, it wouldn't take a lot of rocket science or excessive money to get new uppers in 6.8 with gas pistons and just hand them out. New barrels, new firepower, new reliability on the same rifle. Solved. No giant research project.