Originally Posted By: SaturnIonVue
Originally Posted By: HerrStig
Originally Posted By: SaturnIonVue
Former commissioned "1542" grunt, back in the day, here. The youtube clip is pretty spot on with its statements on the M-16 vs. the AK, so no vigorus argument from me...but as in most things there are tradeoffs to be made and sometimes what a grunt needs or wants in a weapon will vary depending on where you are using it. I can't really say I ever had much of a liking for the M-16. We used to say: "You can tell it's swell!! It's made by Mattel." (Younger guys on here probably never heard that commercial). So, if I may, here is my departure from the original question that others have made great responses to.
Those of us that had a history with the M-1 and the M-14 knew the M-16 was something different! Sure the weapon had some great benefits, but I never really became a convert. The M-14, to me, had all of the advantages of what an infantry weapon should be--except for the weight and carrying all the ammo you could get your hands on. For sure, everything one needs in combat has to be carried in by you, or on you, so of course what you didn't bring with you, you have to be without in a fight. Choices, choices. You also have to use the tools that are given to you, and are TO&E.
My humble opinion is that the M-16 worked well enough in firefights that were close in and personal, as in the jungle or an ambush, but things could get rather sticky when you needed to fire through something thicker than the fabric of a pair of black pajamas. Shooting through trees, bunkers, and the walls of buildings was disappointing when you needed quick and predictable results...so you don't always count on that working for you with the M-16. Even in Iraq M-16's, and derivitive weapons, have no great reputation for penetration. The video of shots fired at those 4X4's in the clip gives good proof of concept of what I'm speaking to. The M-16 is no infantryman's bunker buster.
Is, and was, the M-16 a powerful weapon? Oh yessss. No doubt. But consider this: What is the kinetic energy released by a light projectile moving at 3,200ft per second? I don't remember now...but I can tell you it is/was a lot! However, all that energy is released at or about the point of impact and the projectile (because of its speed) fragments--a lot! Ergo, no depth of penetration to speak of...so the bad guy on the other side of a solid object rarely got, or gets what he so justly deserves. Final answer!? Keep your M-16 and your AK-47. I'll take an M-14 please...I may be tired when the assault is over, but over time, I believe a unit with the M-14, all other things being equal, will win! YMMV.
Can I have my M 60 guy with the M 16 squad? The solid object problem was best dealt with by a Browning Brothers .50.
Sure you can have the M-60s and the M-16s.
But in that time and place the .50cal was "never" TO&E to a rifle platoon or rifle company. The .50cal was usually TO&E to a Headquarters company at the battalion level, along with heavy 4.2in mortors, neither of which were under the "direct control" of a platoon leader or company commander for immediate use. Although the .50cal could be tripod mounted, because of its size and weight, it had little to no role to play in a walkabout jungle environment. It was a great weapon to have when deployed in a defensive position where its range and power, in more open areas, might be very helpful. The .50cal's was/is most often, and usually deployed on a vehicle, like a jeep, 2 1/2 ton truck, ammored personnel carrier, or a tank--few of which usually had a role out in the boondocks of southeast Asia. Of course, there were/are exceptions to these general statements, but they were very rare occurances.
But you can have one or two .50s if you want em.
I don't know about the poor infantrymen who get to walk everywhere and carry all their weapons, but the fun thing about being an MP mounted on uparmored HMMWVs,- my three man teams have two M4s, one M203, 3 M9s, one M249 and one MK19, three teams to a squad. If we are running ASVs we get a M2HB and a MK19 in addition to the SAW. So while 5.56mm is not ideal, we supplement with 40mm HEDP as needed (and as allowed by ROE, which is another animal entirely).
