*Infantry Automatic Rifle.
*Multi-round grenade launcher
*Serpa Holsters.
But they identified a need and are standing pat.
What's that need? Silencers. Cans. Sound Suppressors.
Whatever you call them we need them. The racket on the battlefield while you're communicating...muzzle flash despite the flash suppressors on our weapons and the need to fully integrate night vision devices with our firearms all show the need for the average Grunt on the line to have a can on his weapon.
I personally like the Mini4 from AAC (got to shoot one and its fantastic...you can literally hold a decent conversation with someone rocking out on it next to ya).
But whatever the choice we need to get this done. We definitely need it more than we need the M27 IAR or a new holster!
Update:
Sferrin made a good point. We should fund this through Obama's Health Care Scheme. We can list it under preventative medicine. Hearing loss is an issue in the military after all. Hey, if energy can get the military to fund green energy why can't we get health to fund silencers for the Marine Corps!
Having pulled earplugs out (briefly) at a gun range I feel sorry for our fighting men when it comes to noise. I don't know how they'd don't all come home deaf.
ReplyDeletewell that is another good point.
ReplyDeletei never even considered it but hearing loss is rampant in the military...this can get funded through Obama's health care plan.
It would be interesting for the Army or Marines to do larger scale unit trials with cans. See how they impact maintenance, carried weight, reliability of weapons, and so on. Also look for operational advantages like those you mentioned.
ReplyDeleteWhat about the lost velocity's effect on range? Is it an acceptable loss considering the benefits? Or would you simply remove the silencer when you need range?
ReplyDeletewith the Mini4 it should be negligible. larger cans would give you better sound suppression but would affect it more...but that would be with use in buildings...the mini4 is what i would use when fighting out in the boonies or down range in the zone.
ReplyDeletebut that leads to the next discussion. barrel length. what they got right with the M27 isn't the concept but the rifle itself.
the Marine Corps needs to standardize on that platform.
Why would a suppressor reduce velocity?
ReplyDeleteassuming that you''re trying to get the most out of your can you're gonna switch to subsonic ammo. i assumed that's what he was aiming the question at.
ReplyDeleteusing standard rounds it'll increase accuracy and range....but it'll mostly act as a flash suppressor then...especially the mini4 because it has less baffling than its larger cousins. so you might in the end not gain that much.
damn it ... didn't think this one straight through. thanks for busting me.