Two good posts, both right on the money.
Use the system the way it was designed and it generally works. Whether the correct system was specified and procured is a different matter...:rolleyes:
I was lucky enough to work the troop test on the M60 at Campbell in 57 and that on the M16 at Bragg in 63. In both cases the recommendation of the division to DA was overrules on political grounds; the M60 to justify Springfield Armory (the original) and the M16 because Colt had contributed to Kennedy's 1960 campaign.
Overcleaning has ruined more weapons than anything else, bar none.
Good leaders get their troops to automatically go into maintenance mode at all lulls and halts; really good and well trained troops do it reflexively and it take only seconds to check all their web gear and weapons...
Good troops also unconsciously count the rounds they've fired (easy to do when you almost never fire on automatic; which is what should happen) and thus don't need holes or clear tracks in their magazines to know the number of rounds remaining. Technology subsituted for training is never a good fix...
They did like it. The recommendation that left the
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Rifleman
Ken,
I find your take on it interesting. I was under the impression (perhaps wrongly?) that some of the old SF hands were among the few who liked the AR15/M16 when it first came out. I thought they seemed to think it suited their needs even if it wasn't a traditional main battle rifle.
My impression was formed from two books: the controversial The New Legions by Donald Duncan; War Story by Jim Morris.
82d was to (1) develop a shortened parachute version of the M14, (2) keep the M14 for worldwide service (3) buy AR-15s For the South Viet Namese (a few were purchased) and (4) buy some AR-15s for 'special purpose units.'
We invited guys over from SWC (7th SF Gp) to take part in the test and they did. The original weapon with the original ammo did better than did the M-16 with that really dumb Bolt Closure Device and the less powerful (and dirtier) powder in the cartridge. The far later move to the hybrid heavy / light barrel and the shorter barreled M4 still using the SS 109 (M855) cartridge was just dumb, though they did dump the ball powder.
The Air Force also wanted the AR-15 because LeMay liked it. :confused:
The Marines did not want it. The rumor that some Marines at the time wanted to bring back the M1903 (the original, straight stock variant) is probably not true. :D
We killed a lot of pigs for the Oscar Meyer packing plant in Fayetteville. The recommendation was predicated mostly on stopping power. A secondary concern was maintenance, tertiary was fragility. I know Division forwarded that to DA recommending approval as did XVIII Abn Corps. We were told DA sent it to DoD and I'm sure that the fact that TRW (who had the M14 contract at the time at $90.00 a copy, cheaper than the M1) had contributed to Nixon's campaign and Colt had contributed to Kennedy's had no bearing on the SecDef's decision in overruling the DAB (who supported the Army) in order to buy the then $274.00 M16. :rolleyes: