Quote:
Originally Posted by incommin
I find this thread interesting but can't shake my old beliefs that there is no such thing as a good multi purpose anything. A rifle is basically a tool for launching a projectile. A rifle needed for urban combat is going to be different than the one needed for long open spaces. We are not a army of marksmen anymore, haven't been since the VietNam war. We expend a lot of rounds into an area to make one kill. It used to be that there were a variety of weapons within an infantry platoon to cover a wide band of circumstances. Now everyone has the same basic tool....... Jim
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Jim:
I think the guys today are better marksmen than during other wars. I have seen significant and positive changes in how leaders view marksmanship these days which is essential in the long run. The NCO's are also much more knowledgable and are able to create a very good military marksman to a much higer degree than before. Surprisingly, I see this ability increase each year which is pretty remarkable in terms of the Army. Please understand I am speaking in terms of the Army which to most civilians would seem to be incredibly slow.
I hear guys talking about urban combat verses longer ranges. I think the average soldier today will take a shot at something farther away than an Infantryman in WWI, II, Korea, or Vietnam would attempt, but I doubt those distances are past 300 meters about 95% of the time for a multitude of reasons -- the primary one probably is that the guy just can't see that far due to terrain.
I have differing views of barrel lengths than most. I never viewed a 18 - 22 inch barrel to be a hinderance in terms of fast movement of the rifle. I do view the stock length and its ergonomics to be the critical factor in both speed and precision for a service carbine or rifle. The M-4 isn't bad to 300 meters but a M-16A2 with a collapsable stock is better and a guy won't notice the extra six inches of barrel what so ever when doing CQB. Not as loud as an M-4 either but who is listening anyway? He, he, he.
Gene