Weapon experience in the military: US Army

[ATWA]

The Army trusted me with an M16, nothing else. I spent my time from 1979 to 1982. Everything else I have ever owned or fired has been in civilian life. My understanding is that enlisted MILPERs now qualify with sidearms. Is that correct?

It is correct. If you are an MP you will go through extensive training with the Beretta 9mm, and you have to qualify with it as well.

On the rest of the thread, my favorite weapons that I have trained with would probably be the MK-19 and the M249 SAW.

 

[Canis-Lupus]

NATO Weapons?

What NATO or other nation's military weapons did you find best in class?
Ex-Soviet had to be the AK-47 + IMHO an RPG beats a LAW any day 4 penetration. Israeli was for me the UZI.
Bundeswehr had good pistols and rifles.
Feel sorry for the Brits SA-80, IMHO composite crap.

Canis-Lupus

 

[Jaeger]

I was lucky enough to have the chance to train on and fire a lot of weapons and frankly, I loved all of them. Even the ones that were "lacking" in whatever way. A bad day shooting still beats a good day doing most other things.

Having said that, the weapon I most enjoyed shooting was the M110A2 8 inch howitzer. There's just something about "pulling tail" and sending a 200 pound projo 12-18 miles downrange. And with (to the best of my recollection 25 years later) 128 lands and grooves, she was an accurate beast.

 

[DocBoCook]

My very first armed watch in the US Navy was Bow watch with a M-14 and a M-9 in 2002 on a supply ship on the left coast. I have ever since been in love with the M-14

 

[ricbak]

~~ I have ever since been in love with the M-14

Hallelujah...Amen...

I carried one on my first tour in the "Nam" in summer of '68. I am glad to see the rifle making such a come back.

 

[DocBoCook]

Hallelujah...Amen...

I carried one on my first tour in the "Nam" in summer of '68. I am glad to see the rifle making such a come back.

No comeback in the Military. They started phasing it out on the East coast, and they just hadn't finished yet. They were gone after the first of the AOE's were decommissioned.

 

[ricbak]

No comeback in the Military. They started phasing it out on the East coast, and they just hadn't finished yet. They were gone after the first of the AOE's were decommissioned.

I'll see if I can get some better info other than "Hearsay". I have a family member who is heading to Afghanistan soon, and has 2 tours in Iraq. When we were together a while back, He was saying that a scoped verson of the M-14 was being used. I thought that was good being not a big fan of the Original M-161A's The AR's have come a long way from those days.... I'll see what I can find out.

 

[ricbak]

Just a quick search...

No comeback in the Military. They started phasing it out on the East coast, and they just hadn't finished yet. They were gone after the first of the AOE's were decommissioned.

M14 | NavySEALs.com - Experience the SEAL Edge

~~Although the M14 was phased out in the 1960’s, M14 variants are still used in the U.S. military. Navy SEALs started using modified M14s as sniper rifles as early as Vietnam. They have used them in Afghanistan and Iraq, primarily as designated marksman and sniper rifles. Navy SEALs keep the M14 in inventory due to its excellent accuracy, effectiveness at long range, and strong takedown capabilities of the 7.62mm round.

 

[DocBoCook]

M14 | NavySEALs.com - Experience the SEAL Edge

We all know that the S.E.A.Ls don't count. They can have any weapon they want, foreign or extinct

 

[charliej47]

:victory: The Government taught to use any weapon handed to me with a brief description of it characteristics. I qualified with the M14, M16A1, 1911, M79 (got pretty good with it too), M203, LAW, .357, MP5, 9mm, 12GA combat - :butcher:

 

[Canis-Lupus]

Roger that DocBoCook,
Agree: "We all know that the S.E.A.Ls don't count."
They still use the M-60 as a 7.62 hand-held MG,
IMHO that is heavy-duty fire-power. BUD's 4 life
Never met a SEAL I wasn't running away from off duty, or in training.

Canis-Lupus

 

[bundeswehrvet]

Hmmm,
Tie for real fun...
M60A1 firing a 105mm APDS...
AH-1G firing the pylon mounted 20mm from the left inboard

Worst US Mil Weapon
M73 Coax, back on the big boys (M60A1's)....to say it was unreliable, jammed all the time and was worthless is to give it a compliment. Happiest day of my career as a tanker is when we were issued brand new Belgian made M240's....

Most interesting...
M3A1 grease gun...took about as long to load the mag as it did to empty it

First Mil weapon fired
M14 at Camp Pendleton

Last US gubmint Mil weapon fired
M9

An the absolute most fun you can have while hanging it out there, scaring yourself to death....salvo'ing 2.75 FFAR during night diving fire, trying to hit the target without getting tgt fixation and burying yourself. Cobra's.....man they were fun!

 

[charliej47]

I was never as good as my brother with the M-14. He got to go to sniper school and use the M-14 sniper version in Nam. I really liked it when I got to play with it later.

 

[Jetblaine]

I was 17 when I qualified at Fort Ord with an M14. Went to Vietnam at 18. I spent some time in the back of a war wagon. 45, M16, M79, M60, and the 50 cal, 360 degree turret mounted. I forget, was that called an M50? My favorite was the M14. I had good eyes then. I had 60 out of 61 hits. Aim low can't miss.

S&W 686 4" between our pillows
Taurus PT145 CCW
S&W 442 back-up CCW
CZ .380 wife's CCW

Moving from California to Nevada soon. Hope to get a few assault rifles.

 

[SonoraRebel]

Small Arms: M1903, M1 (Garand), M1A1/A2 (carbine), M14 A1/A2, M16, XM161E, M1918A2, M1928A1/M1A1, M3, Rem 870, Win M97, Moss 590, M79, M203, MK18, M60, MA2, M1911-A1, M39, S&W revolvers of various types and calibres. Varous SMG's from various 'n sundry as well as pistols.

M3/M24, MK 12, M61A1 (20mm cannon, platform mount)

AK-47, SKS/Type 56, M44, RPK, MG42 & others
leasantry:


Oh yeah... US NAVY... Aviation Ordnanceman

 

[JRI]

Enlisted USMC FEB-68.
Parris Island: Qualification w/ M-14, .45 Pistol
Camp LeJune: Training w/ M-50, M-60, M-79, LAW, Flame Thrower and all the toys available.
Qualification & Assigned MOS 0331 M-60.
Pendelton: Qualification: M-16
RVN: M-60, M-50, .45 Pistol, M-16, LAW, Grenades, Pop-up Flares, Claymores, C-4. plus all the free ammo you could carry.

 

[old dude]

m1 carbine ,m1 garand,m 14 ,m 60,45 colt auto, 3.5 rocket launcher,many others types after the service.

 

[sgtbill]

Another old dude

M-1 M-14 M-16 Mod. #70 Win. Mod. # 700 Rem. M-1911-a1 M-60 - Ma Duce Just about every weapon that the Military had from 1963 untill 1978 when I got out.

USMC 8541
USAF small arms specialist
Bill

 

[Oram Security Consultants]

USMC 0311 (Infantry)
USMC 8541 (Scout Sniper)

M-16A2, M-4, M-40A1 Sniper Rifle, M-40A3, M82A3, M14 DMR, M60E3, M249, M240G, Mk-19, M-2, M203, LAAW, SMAW, AT-4, M-9, Claymore, M1911, 60mm and 80mm mortar, 30mm Bushmaster (Main gun on an LAV), C-8 (Canadian version of the M-16), SA-80, AK-47, SKS, PKM, RPK, Steyr AUG (Boarder Patrol guy had it) Sako TRG-22/42, Accuracy International AWM ............... think that's it for in the military.... now outside the Mil I can add a few more.

 

[namvet]

M14

My very first armed watch in the US Navy was Bow watch with a M-14 and a M-9 in 2002 on a supply ship on the left coast. I have ever since been in love with the M-14

When I joined the army that was the rifle I was given and loved it wish I could get one anybody know where you can get them let me know never saw a m16 until I got to nam I got the m16 it sucked wouldn't own one