Re: Rail guns (was: US SOCOM desires...)

["Lee Williams" <grizz@xxxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message -----
From: Robert J. Hansen <rjhansen@inav.net>
To: <millenniums-end-l@firedrake.org>
Sent: Tuesday, January 29, 2002 3:41 AM
Subject: Re: Rail guns (was: US SOCOM desires...)


>Some snippage<

> Same logic is applied today, as any machinegunner (hey, Lee, you out
> there?) can tell you.  If you fire a long, sustained burst, the enemy is
> going to see where you are, and they're going to devote a hell of a lot
> of attention your way, and you're going to waste most of your (very
> limited) ammunition.  Short bursts placed on point targets conserves
> ammo and preserves your skin.  :)
>

Yep I'm here, and yes this is how we were taught to do it...short bursts
that is. Also, quite apart from the perfectly good reasons Robert mentions,
short burst fire stops the weapon from overheating too quickly. There are
tales of WW2 Bren gunners plunging their barrels into horse troughs during
the Allied invasion of France, as they had to use them for sustained fire
due to the shortage of anything bigger, like the Vickers for example.

Lee.