Best Individual Weapon & Equipment in the World

[going grey!]

I have never served in the armed forces but have done alot of shooting in the USA(my brother live's in virginia), I have used the AK,M1A,M16,SLR,303.Thompson,uzi.

Surely the most important thing is that the person useing the gun know's how to use it?

[Tab]

I wish they had told me that in the Army or I might have killed my self

[Pvt. Flanagan]

I dont think anyone has yet to mention the lee Enfields greatest detail? the fact the bloody thing only strips to what a bolt, the main body and a magazine with a W spring, I mean how many weapons are that fantastically simple? a very fine piece of British engineering in my opinion.

[rp3917]

Agree with the enfield being simple, but give me a mag of 30 with another
10 mags as back up any day!

[jos]

Very late for this thread but concerning the AK47.

I have used it (AK47) and the SK in combat, obviously both weapons at different times but in similar conditions. I used the SLR during my time in the RM and know that if I managed to hit any one with that 7.62 round they didn’t get up in a hurry.

As for the AK round not as powerful but I never saw anyone not drop when hit by a chest burst.
The SKS using the same 7.62 short round on semi is a better more solid rifle for selective single shooting.
It’s let down by fixed magazine and having to feed replacement rounds through the open bolt area. I think that’s why the stuck a bayonet on it as it took so long to reload.
When first getting used to these weapons we used a lot of tracer and there is a very marked trajectory curve over distance. But the SK was and is more accurate for single shots than the AK.

Problems with the AK are the position of the safety catch and the length of the magazine underneath the weapon. The magazine doesn’t help when prone in an ambush position and the weapon is best fired on it’s side.
The AK47 I found was really in a class of it’s own within a 100 mts range for reactive fire and was best aimed your opponents right leg and the gun being used to stitch him across the bodily due to weapon recoil, the sight being poor.
It’s also poor when you are changing mags as the release catch is awkward and not as good as the M16 thumb release. The Chinese version of the AK had a better sight (ring sight) rather then the Russian leaf sight model.

One thing you will notice after a real firefight is how hot the weapon gets. This is particularly noticeable at night as sometimes the barrel glows especially on the Rumanian AK47 model, where the steel is of poor quality. You had to be careful when trying to fire a rifle grenade if the barrel was very hot. Best not attempted unless the barrel is cool.

For close work, for me the AK47 is hard to beat, but at longer ranges the SLR is better.
Getting back to the thread it’s really ‘horses for courses’ when it comes to weapons not every weapon is suitable for all tasks.
.

[harry hackedoff]

Good post Jos, old Kalashnikov was on the history channel last week explaining the rational behind the weapon`s low tolerances between working parts. (As in low machine tolerances) He had noted that when the going got really shitty, normal daily cleaning went out the window so he made a weapon that thrives on neglect. Programme had footage of K`s trip to see Stoner (of Armalite fame) and showed how AKs learned from early M16s and there was a definate mini arms race between them. The ammunition for the 74 variant with it`s "hydro-shoc" effect was well demonstrated as was the whole family of weapons based on the AK. It`s going to be around in one form or another for a very long time to come.

[Sonne]

Here's something you may like. From Last year's new scientist.

http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn8275

US military sets laser PHASRs to stun

* 16:05 07 November 2005
* NewScientist.com news service
* Will Knight

Printable version Email to a friend RSS Feed

The PHASR may attempt to address safety concerns by automatically sensing its distance from a target (Image: US air force)
The PHASR may attempt to address safety concerns by automatically sensing its distance from a target (Image: US air force)
Related Articles

* US shoots ahead in stun gun design
* 15 August 2005
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* 22 July 2005
* Police toy with 'less lethal' weapons
* 02 May 2005
* Search New Scientist
* Contact us

Web Links

* US Department of Defense
* Non-lethal Weapons Research, University of Bradford
* UN Protocol on Blinding Laser Weapons, International Committee of the Red Cross

The US government has unveiled a "non-lethal" laser rifle designed to dazzle enemy personnel without causing them permanent harm. But the device will require close scrutiny to ensure compliance with a United Nations protocol on blinding laser weapons.

The Personnel Halting and Stimulation Response (PHASR) rifle was developed at the Air Force Research Laboratory in New Mexico, US, and two prototypes have been delivered to military bases in Texas and Virginia for further testing.

The US Department of Defense (DoD) believes the weapon could be used, for example, to temporarily blind suspects who drive through a roadblock. However, the DoD has yet to reveal details of how the laser works and has yet to respond to New Scientist’s requests for further information.

Laser weapons capable of blinding enemies have been developed in the past but were banned under a 1995 UN convention called the Protocol on Blinding Laser Weapons. The wording of this protocol, however, does not prohibit lasers that temporarily dazzle a foe.
Permanent harm

"In the past, the problem with lasers of this type has been that they often permanently blind human targets," says Tobias Feakin, an expert at Bradford University's Non-Lethal Weapons Research Project in the UK.

But he says newer systems may avoid this problem by using less powerful laser beams. "This new wave of low-intensity laser weapons do not have a permanently damaging effect, apparently," he told New Scientist.

Several laboratories across the world are working on such weapons. But even low power laser systems can cause eye damage if they are used at close quarters or for extended periods.

The PHASR may attempt to address safety concerns by automatically sensing its distance from a target. The limited information released by the DoD includes mention of an "eye-safe range finder", which may mean the laser's power is adjusted depending on the distance to the target. The system is also said to incorporate a "two wavelength laser system", which may be designed to counter goggles that can filter out certain wavelengths of laser light.
Pulsing green light

Neil Davison, another expert at Bradford University, says the situation in Iraq may encourage the US to push for the development of less-than-lethal laser weapons. "They already use bright white lights at vehicle checkpoints in Iraq to dazzle drivers who are approaching too fast," he says.

Several commercial systems capable of temporarily dazzling a target exist. LE Systems, based in Connecticut, US, for example, makes the Laser Dazzler, which resembles an ordinary torch and emits a low power pulsing green laser light. The company says this device has been tested extensively and been shown to cause no lasting eye damage.

The possibility of causing lasting eye damage can be reduced by diffusing the laser beam or rapidly moving it across the target with a series of mirrors.

And the same US military research lab developed another laser weapon more than a decade ago, called the Sabre 203. This device attached beneath the barrel of a normal rifle and emitted a low-power laser light over a range of 300 metres. It was used by US forces in Somalia in 1995 but later shelved because of concerns over safety and effectiveness.

Sonne

[Frank S.]

I'd go for a bit of that meself:

[jos]

Harry, got to agree with you that the Russian designed weapons seem to have better tolarances under field conditions.

I did fire the PPSH once (practice shooting only) and though it was only .32 calibre the amount of fire that can be brought to bare on a target, at close range, was impressive.
I fired at a closed door inside an empty building and literally shredded the door. Ideal for room clearance when fitted with the drum magazine. Being small calibre the penetration wasn't much but this may be an advantage inside buildings. You can get some good fire around corners by bouncing the rounds off opposite walls and having a drum magazine you don't have to change mags often.

As for the AK74 the muzzel flash is something else especially at night. Knocks out any night vision straight away. Very little recoil on this weapon compared to the AK47 which should make for more accurate shooting.
I say the words 'should make more accurate shooting' but this I found depends on the type of situation and the mind set of the shooter under pressure.
One good excercise that Royal PW's taught me was having a stripped weapons and putting it back together fast whilst having an oppo run from 100 mts with a bucket of water.
If you had the weapon together and cocked you didn't get wet.
A few practice runs like this soon taught you to ignore all the distractions and concentrate on the task at hand.

[harry hackedoff]

Jos, here`s a couple of millspec 12 bore shotties derived from the AK. The family name is SAIGA
SAIGA-12C, with folding buttstock, pistol grip and 580-mm long barrel. This would presumably be a police weapon a la Streetsweeper etc




This is the combat version and I`ve given a larger image so you can ping the similarities. The mag holds seven rounds and they fire all the usual carts plus there is a barrel attachment for grenades etc. Folding /removable butstock and 480 mm barrel If this is as good as the AK it`s sure to be another winner.
Trade in the old Enforcer and get yerself one of these mate

[jos]

Harry,
they look good but I'm not sure a shotgun round does the business over 20 mts?
Saying that solid shot would make someones eyes water...

[harry hackedoff]

They looked brills when old Kalashnikov was giving it root toot. Semi auto versus the Browning pump would be a winner for those roles with a shotgun requirement. Elmer is about to issue a semi-auto combat shotgun to the MC, so stand well clear

Ref summat you mentioned earlier about the AK in the prone position. I often wondered why they never turned the action and put the piston underneath like on the PK family of mmgs. Mag on top like Bren, etc.
PPSH, never fired it but handled the one in the weapons museum at CTC, very balanced weapon and light if I remember. Apparently Herman used to love them and proffed as many as he could find.
The Sovs held a competition to replace the PP and thats where the AK was born. It won the comp hands down but Sov generals are more conservative than Maggy Thatcher`s knickers and they went for a less radical weapon. Kalashnikov wasn`t best pleased but as a lowly Sgt there wasn`t a lot he could do about it. It`s been said about many weapons but old Mick did it first with the AK I think. He held back the cocking handle and forced mud into the chamber till it came out of the receiver. Then he fitted a mag and worked the action a few times and fired the weapon. That`s when they realised why the action was so sloppy but it was too late, they`d backed a pup and Mikey had to wait till 1950/51 ish before the first big orders came in. The rest, you know mate
Did he rip the MP44 off? He still says not, they just look similar
I think there`s a case to answer that he was definately influenced but his rifle does have some differences to be fair. Who cares? It`s probably the best assault weapon of the last century and well into this one.
Are you still working in ClubMed Chad as hospitality co-ordinator, btw, only the thing is Doc wants a gig as a glass collector and pot washer You couldn`t have a word could you?
Take it easy mate

[jos]

Harry, I'm here now as GoGo dancing instructor but maybe we can find a place for Doc.?
G string extractor...Foo Foo thrower etc?

Must go now as the Boss wants me out of the office on a field trip... well there are a lot of destitute Go Go dancers in this part of the world and someones got to visit the fallen.
I know it's a tough job but someones got to do it...

[adidev]

The US army is strongly interested in the HK36, manufactured by them of course. But lots of votes are going out for a 6mm version of it which should make a good weapon.

[Whitey]

The older I get the more I lean towards shotguns. Ghostring sights, different loads. Really a great weapon I think for defense. The M-4 if kept clean I think is a good weapon as well. I like accuracy and for a toy it is pretty accurate.
SKS? Well I like it, but mine had a trigger spring issue, but 49 dollars plus shipping bought me a new one and so far so good.

Someone said it though, different weapons for different situations. Like home defense, you shouldn't have a .50 cal in an apartment for defense, but birdshot in a shotgun or a .380 will do the trick.