=> Steve Higginbotham writes:
=>
=> >>Just finished basic with a standard semi-auto rifle??? When did we
=> >>switch to a semi-auto rifle for basic training? I thought we were still
=> >>using the M-16, and full auto is part of training with the M-16...
=>
=> Well, when I was in boot camp, we had M-16 A1's and they were full auto.
=> However, you actually only *saw* them fired full auto once, and, if you
=> were one of the lucky dozen or chosen from an entire company, fired it
=> full auto yourself.
Ah, I see you got the budget tour :^) ... When I did my duty, every
one of us was "required" to empty a short magazine (20 rds). And we
were DIVARTY (artillery), of all things. During M16 qualifications,
I got the Expert Medal (BARELY), so I think I was a pretty crack shot.
*BUT*
When it came time for us to "blow our wad", I'd be durned if I could hit
anything on full auto. Even at 50m. The weapon likes to climb, and you
end up spending more energy keeping it level than targetting. When we
got to do short-burst (semi-auto) firing, the situation improved, *slightly*.
The biggest problem with any flavor of auto fire, is that it is almost
a complete waste of time on a *still* target. Some of us got to try
this (short burst firing) out on moving targets, and the success rate
was much better (it was explained to me that a moving target is more likely
to move into the path of any one of a smattering of bullets - in a sense you
are making the surface area of the round much large by throwing out alot of
'em at once. It's the same principle that makes it easier to hit a fastball
with a tennis racket than a baseball bat - increased "surface" area).
There are a number of other reasons to avoid full auto-fire as well.
If any of you have had the "opportunity" to do that, you may remember
how warm the barrel gets (that's why the handguards *wrap* the barrel).
Amoung other things, the hotter the barrel gets, the greater the
likelihood of a weapon jam (in a fire-fight, something like that could
ruin your whole day...). The short-burst style of firing helps to
avoid that. I imagine that is one of the biggest reasons for going to
short burst in the M16A2.
The vets in this group (the US vets, anyway) also may remember that
most weapons designed explicitly for auto-fire are issued with TWO barrels.
Any guesses as to why?
On a slightly different note, most of us hated having to do any auto-fire
qualifications, because it really makes a MESS of your weapon (carbon
deposits), and the day ain't over till the last one is SPOTLESS...
Jason.
I might add here -- It's great seeing the interaction. We have some
sharp minds at play here. Keep it up.
Then again, I might not ... 8*]