XM25 "good enough"

[jcustis]

I love seeing the deer in the headlight look when I ask why they do not have "hold off" markings taped onto their sling.

I've never heard of that technique either. What does it involve?

[jmm99]

so ODB or Ken can shell both of us - windage and elevation clicks + ?

from a target shooter only. According to a Marine friend (Vnam vintage), you also get into the target's speed and angular attitude with respect to the shooter (1/2 body width, full body width, etc., leads).

Regards

Mike

[Ken White]

From the book:

f. Marked-Sling Method. To use this method, the grenadier must--

(1) Loosen the sling, assume a kneeling position, and place the forward foot in the sling.

(2) Ensure the sling is taut and vertical between the front sling swivel and the boot. If not, the rounds will impact at a greater range than desired. To check this, tie one end of a string or thread to a weight, such as a cartridge case, and tie the other to the sling swivel. Let it hang freely, and align the edge of the sling with it to ensure the sling is vertical.

(3) Fire several rounds to determine the desired range.

(4) Where the sling is held to the ground by the foot, mark the sling with colored tape, paint, ink, or whatever is available. Mark the position of the buckles so that, if either is moved, the grenadier can return them to their original positions and be assured of constant range accuracy.

(5) If the sling gets wet, it may stretch or shrink, indirectly causing the rounds to impact closer or farther than desired.

LINK.

[Uboat509]

Actually, hold offs refers to the point of aim for that weapon at a given distance. The idea is to know what your point of aim is so that you don't have to adjust the sites.

SFC W

[Ken White]

and I read what ODB said, hold offs. However, the tape and the reference just prior to the M79/M203 to me implied he was talking the sling marking with respect to shooting grenades and said 'hold offs' instead of 'expedient elevation markers for specific ranges' (handy for FPF and several other things, not least a channeling barrage from two or three launchers...).

Proper hold offs, as those you mention, IMO need to be known and remembered -- carried in the mind, not (written?) on tape on the sling. I'd ask what good they are there, particularly at night or in low vis or when one is in a terrible big hurry -- or else...

Or are we all missing something?

Only ODB knows and he must be out and about, having fun somewhere...

You really want to get a deer in the headlights look, ask even experienced people about fire tunnels.

[jcustis]

Well Ken, even though the FM doesn't provide a visual reference, I was imagining that the grenadier, with prpoer hold-offs marked on his sling, could loosen it to X length, take a knee and with the weak leg's foot, step on the tape mark, elevate the barrel until the sling was 90 deg to the ground, mounted the buttstock to his shoulder, and fired the round.

I can see how that would best work for night firing only. Or am I getting it all clearly wrong with that imagery?

[Firn]

From the book:

f. Marked-Sling Method. To use this method, the grenadier must--

(1) Loosen the sling, assume a kneeling position, and place the forward foot in the sling.

(2) Ensure the sling is taut and vertical between the front sling swivel and the boot. If not, the rounds will impact at a greater range than desired. To check this, tie one end of a string or thread to a weight, such as a cartridge case, and tie the other to the sling swivel. Let it hang freely, and align the edge of the sling with it to ensure the sling is vertical.

(3) Fire several rounds to determine the desired range.

(4) Where the sling is held to the ground by the foot, mark the sling with colored tape, paint, ink, or whatever is available. Mark the position of the buckles so that, if either is moved, the grenadier can return them to their original positions and be assured of constant range accuracy.

(5) If the sling gets wet, it may stretch or shrink, indirectly causing the rounds to impact closer or farther than desired.

LINK.

Shouldn't it mean shorter range, or do I get this wrong?

Firn

[Firn]

Edit: Unless you are talking about really high angles, something like ++/+55°. With such high angles some markers on the sling would make sense and the 40mm GL would be used like a very light mortar.

Firn

[Kiwigrunt]

I've not heard (or thought) of using a 40 mm in this manner but many commando mortars are indeed 'slung' like this 60 mm Hurtsomebugger.

[Firn]

I've not heard (or thought) of using a 40 mm in this manner but many commando mortars are indeed 'slung' like this 60 mm Hurtsomebugger.

Yes that is what I thought too. The difference is that you rest the GL on your shoulder. With high arcing fire the description makes perfect sense. With a couple of markers you could also use the GL for deliberate, almost vertically plunging grenade fire on relative near enemy positions. I don't think you can use the original sights for that kind of work.


Firn