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What exactly is wrong with drum magazines other than noise?

There are 75 rnd drum mags for RPK series.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ioQ499lFoE

The USMC ran the IAR program; it was apparently an attempt to get a reliable assault rifle under the disguise of a very light machinegun. So far they succeeded to buy at a few, but at least they now...

Compost, the U.S.Army runs small arms development programs.
It's not in the business of actually buying any small arms developed in these programs.


This is the same as with combat and recce...

Demand for officers is less a problem than a solution in the medium term.

Kill 2/3 of staff positions, assign the officers to line units in new command jobs.

They'll be happier and you solve...

It shouldn't.

Armies that expect real wars - not petty expeditions - have to expect that even entire battalions get crushed in a matter of hours. Squads certainly have to expect multiple...

Average probably not, but there were times when Enfield bolt action rifles and their copies dominated the popular Afghan armament. Those rifles were made for long-range rifleman fire, albeit not for...

It's in practice likely less a grenade launcher than a thermal sight that uncovers even some camouflaged opfor and can see through smoke and night.


People get too fixated on firepower at times.

Smuggling? Decent hunting scopes are good enough for the job, and easily available even in countries with gun control laws. It should be extremely simple to get some - even without some form of...

The British have budget troubles, I doubt there's any new standard rifle program that eluded my sight. They spent quite a lot on the upgrades a few years ago and the more special arms such as sniper...

The disadvantage of a bullpup (ambidextrous operation, for example when firing around corners) can be neutralised mechanically, but its advantages are still mostly diminished by

* forward mag...

To be honest, that became a hallmark as early as '42, then rooted in the lacking numbers of experienced leaders.

'59 document on ranges

http://www.cfspress.com/sharpshooters/battle-ranges.html

press the "quote" button

That's part of the reason why I'll never be a good trainer at anything, I guess.
I take too much for self-evident and not in need of a demonstration.

I think the problem is rather that certain practices are a no-no in either case, and were still applied in AFG. An example would be setting up a base on (relatively) low ground - until it's being...

Tragic fact is that humans lose intelligence after their 15th year. We become dumber and dumber and need to compensate for this with education, training and experience.
That's why your age is...

I also recall from my basic training an episode that fits here:
I was in the Luftwaffe and had my very first 36 hr exercise in an old IHAWK SAM battery. These things have artificial ridges, about 5...

Fire support did not help the U.S. platoon because there wasn't much it could have done in the few minutes. Calls for artillery fire are slow and calls for company mortar fire not really effective...

a) No problem, for most defenders do not need to open fire at long range - that's the job of snipers, mortars and artillery.
b) Not true unless you omit observer positions on the ridge.
c) No...

It's also inaccurate.

Let's look at Fig.8. It makes no sense whatsoever.
MG1 in prepared position, riflemen in the open? Nonsense.
MG1 without MG2? Nonsense.
Riflemen separated like that from...

I read it long ago and don't remember unusual stuff in it. What's so special about it?

The trade-off is itself dependent on the scenario.

Keep in mind the very much varying kill share of fragments and bullets. The fashionable hard body armour plates would probably be much inferior...

That's why I referred to a DIVISION's daily report. A smaller force.


@Rex Brynen:

Years of uninterrupted peace in continental Europe before WWI:

for UK: 58
for Austria-Hungary: 46
for...

I disagree. You narrow down the context to a tunnel vision.

Taliban:
marginal opponents

army on the European model:
Able to create a big mess, and everybody who thinks in 'Taleban are tough...

My exact point is a combination between the above, this
http://council.smallwarsjournal.com/showthread.php?t=9841
(especially the suppression thing) and a third phenomenon:

Imagine you've got a...