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

["Dom de Bechi" <dddl21455@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

I come from a similar viewpoint to yourself, but surely if suppressive fire
is to be effective, it needs to have a degree of accuracy to make the
recipients keep their heads down? Three-round bursts allow this by cutting
down on recoil and the weapon rising, as well as conserving ammunition. I
know that if I was facing a numerically superior force, I'd want to be able
to make every round count.

-----Original Message-----
From: Erik Sandelin [mailto:esand@empire.net]
Sent: 31 January 2002 00:29
To: millenniums-end-l@firedrake.org
Subject: Re: Rail guns (was: US SOCOM desires...)


A quick side question semi-related to this thread...

A while back the benefits and negatives of the three-round burst / semi-auto
only options offered on some assault rifles and carbines (the M-16A2 and the
M-4 come to mind immediately) were debated. Now, I am not and never have
been in the military. I've never even played paintball. My military
"background" comes purely from reading a lot of books on the subjects of
firearms and SpecOps and watching specials on the Discovery and History
channels, so please forgive me if my question seems a little silly...

How can having only semi-auto and three-round burst available on your weapon
be a good thing? It would seem to me that when a soldier needs full-auto
fire, he (she) REALLY NEEDS full-auto fire! Examples of really needing
full-auto I would imagine would be situations such as countering an ambush
or laying down suppressive fire at a numerically superior force. Wouldn't it
make more sense the give the soldier in question a weapon that is capable of
semi-auto and full-auto fire, and then train the soldier to shoot
three-round bursts unless "rock-n-roll" is absolutely neccesary?

Thank you,
Erik

P.S. - for those of you on this mailgroup who do have military experience,
particularly those of you who have SpecOp experience, you have my most
profound respect.

----- Original Message -----
From: "Leon Harrison" <juni0r@clear.net.nz>
To: <millenniums-end-l@firedrake.org>
Sent: Wednesday, January 30, 2002 6:56 PM
Subject: RE: Rail guns (was: US SOCOM desires...)


> At 12:20 30/01/02 +0000, you wrote:
> >
> >
> > > Bit like, oh dear my optics are broke, well I've
> > > hardly trained to use my
> > > open sights so I'm up the creek without a paddle...
> >
> >Most combat optics are as rugged as iron sights. SUSAT
> >also has an emergency battle sight mounted on top for
> >use if optics are shagged or in FIBUA.
>
> Yes, indeed.  And just as bloody well.  Just making the point that, when
> something is busted, its busted.  Too bad the original SA80 wasn't as
> rugged as the scope mate.
>
>
> > > technical
> > > gear is fine until it craps out or the batteries
> > > die.
> >
> >Not applicable to SUSAT, though.
>
> No, no its not but not my point specifically, just that many do, PNG
> etc.  But I'm sure you know the point I was trying to make mate :)
>
>
> > > Seems to be that
> > > they rather give a soldier a laser range finder
> > > rather than teach him how
> > > to estimate range.
> >
> >Well, most marksmanship/sniper schools do both. It's
> >faster to use a laser. It's the difference between
> >using a calculator and a slide rule.
>
> Yeah I know they do, I am just making the point of good training over
> reliance on fancy toys.
>
>
> > > Well, when we (the Kiwis) and Aussies were in
> > > Vietnam we tended to avoid
> > > wall of lead tactics.
> >
> >
> >Side note. Jungle warfare was what prompted the UK to
> >use semi-auto shotguns. As an anti-ambush tool for
> >putting down 'shock' fire, they were very effective.
> >
> >Mike
>
> Yeah Mike exactly - my father was a combat tracker, he has found memories
> of the Browning Automatic, the ultimate counter ambush tool.
>
> Leon
>
>
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