tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-386077914312449748.post1976721460317167320..comments2024-03-27T20:37:08.065+01:00Comments on Defence and Freedom: Modern small arms calibres (Update)Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-386077914312449748.post-85386997044214591172009-11-17T14:48:33.896+01:002009-11-17T14:48:33.896+01:00Norfolk, we've got a brand new MG4 and a still...Norfolk, we've got a brand new MG4 and a still quite new G36. There's no hope for a completely new weapon. Here's no real pressure effective.<br /><br />We might sometime switch to an intermediate calibre, but only so if it's a new NATO standard.<br /><br />I personally prefer a 5.56-7.62 intermediate calibre plus a 7.62-12.7 intermediate calibre (snipers, vehicle armament).<br />That's much less realistic than a simple addition of a bit metal (tripod) to the squad STAN.<br /><br />LW tripods certainly have shortcomings, but the bipod is apparently even less satisfactory.S Ohttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03359796414832859686noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-386077914312449748.post-66155951547645369142009-11-17T01:48:17.526+01:002009-11-17T01:48:17.526+01:00Hi Sven,
I had wondered what the results would h...Hi Sven, <br /><br />I had wondered what the results would have been with the new U.S. tripod. Having been a former GPMG gunner (amongst other things), the notion of lightening a tripod (we used a different one with a full 6400-mil traverse and mortar sight, not the old .30 Browning tripod with something like a 140 or so degree traverse - but just about as heavy), while intriguing, struck me as overly optimistic. Just as the Brit MoD seeking a (presumably substantially) lightened GPMG. Like it or not, there are good reasons for the original weight of such kit. Durability and reliability just the start. <br /><br />That said, while being partial to the Grendel in particular, and to the arguments for a Squad/Section-level calibre in the 6.5 to 7 mm calibre in general, disposing of the 7.62mm at Platoon/Troop-level, as some advocate, may be going too far, even if the 5.56 was replaced by something much more substantial. I hasten to add my admiration for the old .30'06 as a MMG calibre - however unlikely as that might be, now. Not so sure about .30'06 as a sharpshooting calibre at Squad-through-Platoon-levels, though. Magnum calibres, while awesome in capability, seem a little excessive in the hands of non-snipers, although some (like Wilf) who are more knowledgeable than I in this regard are, of course, rather more favourably disposed. <br /><br />And forget tripods for LMGs/ARs at Squad/Section level - unless one intends to equip such levels with calibres that can properly utilize them - such as 7.62mm and above (or at the minimum, at least 7 mm). No point in providing tripods for 5.56mm or similar weapons when paper figures show that while it can penetrate a steel helmet at 1,300 m, it cannot drop a man reliably at a quarter of that range. <br /><br />Best, <br /><br />Norfolk<br /><br />N.B.: While the 5.56mm DM round holds some promise at more modest ranges, and might seem a reasonable compromise candidate, it might well still fail to get the job done comprehensively at Squad/Section-level, obviously at longer ranges.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-386077914312449748.post-65636508995500280712009-11-15T12:56:47.318+01:002009-11-15T12:56:47.318+01:00Additional reading material.
http://www.quarry.ni...Additional reading material.<br /><br />http://www.quarry.nildram.co.uk/btbjdw.pdfAnonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-386077914312449748.post-67665348028913320902009-11-15T03:01:17.142+01:002009-11-15T03:01:17.142+01:00Sven,
I trained several hundred soldiers on the M...Sven,<br /><br />I trained several hundred soldiers on the M192 tripod while they were qualifying with the 240B machine gun. Our experience was that while it was very light to transport and easy to set up/tear down it was rather delicate, especially when sand, dirt or grit got into the elevation/traverse mechanisms.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com