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I agree with you loz AKs are exellent, cheap, very very reliable, if slitly un-accurate (by the way i've never fired one, this is all from what i've read over the years).
there is one fairly miner but proberbly quite irratating problem with it - when you come to go prone and hit the dirt, and take aim you find you just can't, why?:-? - because the magazine is to long, so the barral can't come down enough to fire at anything very easly, you've gotta jiggle around and find some stange possition were you can aim properly! Still, i don't hear anyone complaining about it much.

I agree with Owdun - The .303 was reliable.
One good thing about the SLR though- you could slap a bren mag on it and have more pointy things to shoot with.

It worked for us.

Apart from the firepower I've always thought that if something works - don't change it.

'Aye,

Rifleman - needs a weapon that is robust and accurate, with a decent barrel length to set the round, that lets me hit the target as soon as I can see it and will stop the target.

CQB - needs a weapon that is light, manouverable, responsive and is capable of delivering snap shots and aimed shots

FIBUA - needs a round that could dump enough energy into a single skinned brick wall to make anyone behind it to start praying.

Sniper - needs a low profile weapon that delivers a round when and where it is needed

Surpressive Fire - something that will put lead on the ground and stop lead coming back.

TQ - wants the guys to have weapons that will keep them alive but will aid them to conserve ammo.

Any weapon that will win the fire fight does the job for me, we have always made do and made the best of whatever we have. That is one reason why the British Armed Forces are so highly regarded, and have been for a very long time.

No I dread to think that our guys might go down the Beruit Syndrome way. Well trained troops using well aimed firepower will always do the job. Just cause Elmer has the kit it still doesn't stop the Friendly Fire incidents!!

Way back in the eons of time some Regiments were issued with Brunswick Rifles (no I am not starting up the star thread again) it was powder and shot but allegedly was slightly shorter and lighter (and cheaper) than the good old Bess. It only took those Regiments 30 years to ditch that weapon!




Beruit syndrom

As the man with a small dick will say-it's not what you got but what you do with it that counts.
Funny how most birds would choose 8'' over 4'' most days!
It is no secret that the Individual weapon (to give the sa80 it's chosen name) is a political white elephant and those with the choice will carry something more reliable. But fair play to the lads in CDO units - they have porn star status in the worldwide league of rifleman.

mmm, well said hehe

I can't offer any opinion on the SA80 as I know absolutely nothing about the weapon. I started off with the 303 and remember the problems with the FN and the subsequent adoption of the SLR.

It was interesting to note the opinion of Stueyhill's ex para sniper mate and his preference to the 7.62. During the Radfan, after the adoption of the SLR, the preference of our snipers was the 303 who used to bum the ammo from the Vickers sections.

JR, your mention of the Vickers MMG brought a tear to my eye, having been brought up with it from a boy until they dragged it away from us amidst great protest and anguish, the world as we knew it had just come to an end.

Aye-Andy. :fadein:

Andy,I remember an advance to contact exercise whilst I was in 40CDO,New Territories 49, place called Lo Wu or some such name.
HW troop in support had a bad day.Vicker's used a lovely white object
on the hillside as target,really gave it some,only to find out later that it
was some sort of shrine,and the local's were well pissed off.
Same exercise,some prat on 3" mortar did a wrong switch and dumped
a load too near for the comfort of B troop,who high-tailed it ,not afraid,just being circumspect.
Aye Owdun

Hi Owdun,

Lo Wu is where the raiway station was in the New Territories, just before crossing into China. I recall being there watching them, watching us, watching them. Are you sure that nobody in B troop had pissed off somebody in the mortar section?

One of the most positive advancements in weaponary was the move from the 3 inch mortar,(an area weapon), to the 81mm mortar, (a more accurate and superior weapon). I can still recall the three badgers showing me how to get a few hundred yards extra out of the 3 inch mortar in North Africa, by pouring a half mug of petrol down the barrel before putting the bomb down. A lot to be said for the ingenuity of Royal. The Vickers would still be worth it's weight in gold, you could fell a tree at 2,000 yards.

Enough of this reminiscing.

Aye-Andy

'Owdun' The Place was Fan-ling New Territories,the Small hill as 'Hiram'called it,1.001 steps with loaded Bergan Rucksack,just a small jaunt to keep us on our toe's. Just found a Photograph of Lye-Mun Barracks overlooking the entrance to the Harbour?,and if you can remember that far back,the welcome we used to give all the Troopships comming through the entrance,the old 4inch gun with a couple of thunder flashes down the barrel,just to get the new squadies used to Gun Fire??.Aye jr.PS 'Andy' did you ever use the the vickers 'K' stripped down version of the vickers MMG without the water Jacket,used in the twin role on The Units Armoured vehicles 100 round pan Mags??,got a pic somewhere.Cheers

Hi JR,

Just a bit before my time. No water jacket, how were we supposed to boil the water for our char?

Aye - Andy.

Andy O'Pray wrote:It was interesting to note the opinion of Stueyhill's ex para sniper mate and his preference to the 7.62

Yeah, L96/L96A1 were his sniping babies apparently but the SLR would be his given choice for anything else.



Calibre . . . . . . . . . . . 7.62 NATO (.308 Win)
Operation . . . . . . . . . . Bolt Action
Length . . . . . . . . . . . 44.3 - 47 inches
Weight . . . . . . . . . . . 14.33 lbs (6.5kg) empty without telescope
Barrel Length . . . . . . . . 24 inches
Twist, Right Hand . . . . . . 1 turn in 12 inches
Magazine Capacity . . . . . . 10 or 12 round detachable box magazine
Maximum Effective Range . . . 1000 yards

He rated it quite highly - Anyone here rate the L96A1 ?

Andy you're right of course,the cupper always comes first,but for a fast brew (Cordex) and the hard tack biscuit tin,yer tea's brewed Sgt Major can I have a Long week/end. I seem to remember that the Le-Enfield 303 was converted to 7.62 for sniper purposes correct me if I am wrong.
Cheers Aye jr

We all grew up watching the Yanks gettin the stuffin knocked out in Vietnam, the Aussies were a different kettel as they said with a 7.62 they stayed down with the Armalite the record was fifteen hits still standing.
Give me the SLR anyday..... even with the plastic bits it would bounce and not smash...

Cheers for that Stueyhill, I am now better informed. JR, I don't recall the Lee Enfield being converted to 7.62, unlike the LMG.

Aye - Andy

JR, Where is your etiquette? It was deemed uncouth to brew up using cordex and PE, these items were meant for fishing.

Aye - Andy.