Hat Tip to Jonathan for this story.
A journalist, because he lacks knowledge of firearms has filed a false and misleading story. Read it here. A tidbit for your amazement.
KABUL, Afghanistan — The U.S. military's workhorse rifle — used in battle for the last 40 years — is proving less effective in Afghanistan against the Taliban's more primitive but longer range weapons.
As a result, the U.S. is reevaluating the performance of its standard M-4 rifle and considering a switch to weapons that fire a larger round largely discarded in the 1960s.
The M-4 is an updated version of the M-16, which was designed for close quarters combat in Vietnam. It worked well in Iraq, where much of the fighting was in cities such as Baghdad, Ramadi and Fallujah.
But a U.S. Army study found that the 5.56 mm bullets fired from M-4s don't retain enough velocity at distances greater than 1,000 feet (300 meters) to kill an adversary. In hilly regions of Afghanistan, NATO and insurgent forces are often 2,000 to 2,500 feet (600-800 meters) apart.
Calling the M-4 a rifle and not a carbine - and thereby ignoring the real difference between them - is dumb, calling it an updated version of the M-16 is really stupid.
ReplyDeleteA Soviet 7.62mm AK round outranging a 5.56mm, AND being a sniper round... x(
The level of ignorance in journalism is stupefying. I know planes, guns and a thing or two about the Marine Corps, and the military in general. There is almost always something wrong in reporting. Sometimes, it's so wrong it's surreal.
ReplyDeleteMakes me wonder about the subject I know less about. Are they as poorly reported also?
Those M-16A4's with the Trijicon's rock. Silly Army going with too many M-4's. The SCAR is being deployed by the Rangers though.
well said. i really wonder what they were thinking by switching the whole Army to carbines! its insane. but you do know there is a push by some to do the same thing in the Marine Corps.
ReplyDeletewhat i find interesting is that information on the IAR has dried up. we were suppose to have a decision by now.
Whats the advantage of the SCAR over the M-4?
ReplyDeletewell the way that SOCOM is using it, it would be that it comes in 7.62. that in essence means that they have a weapon the size of an M-16 firing a much bigger bullet.
ReplyDeletefunny thing is that when the Army went to the M4 they gave up every advantage that the 5.56 possessed. if they went with an M4 sized weapon but were firing 7.62 out of it (and yeah don't complain gun guys, H&K did the mods already with the 417)....