We're the Military and Airpower Guys of Jonah Goldberg of National Review Online + a stray we found wandering around looking lost. All original material JHD, BHD, JR, WT, and KA 2003-2007 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/04/hi_fires_11_apr.html Tue, 23 Sep 2008 17:52:46 Z Movable Type 4.12 en Copyright 2008 http://www.rssboard.org/rss-specification Open post for those with something to share, updated through the day. New, complete posts come in below this one. Note: If trackbacking, please acknowledge this post in your post. That's only polite. You're advertising here, we should get an ad at your place... ***************************** This is a bit disconcerting. DSP Satellites See Aggressive New Chinese Missile Testing. --ry(h/t to my buddy Roman) ************************** I know I linked to this in the past already, but the posts for Monday and Tuesday are simply worthy of another link: Kent's Imperative. --ry ************************* The Chief of Staff is retired! Long serve the... http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/04/hi_fires_11_apr.html http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/04/hi_fires_11_apr.html Wed, 11 Apr 2007 22:29:29 -0600 There's a reason why the hiring of prostitutes and the purchase of military hardware is referred to by the same word: procurement. The reason is that both actions involve a severe corruption of logic and morality. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/04/hi_fires_11_apr.html#comment-58809 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/04/hi_fires_11_apr.html#comment-58809 Thu, 12 Apr 2007 11:34:52 -0600 Well, *some* of us have been saying for about a hundred years now, that a cartridge shooting a bullet of a diameter a little less than 7 millimeters, is at the optimum sweet spot for smokeless powder rifles, considering weight of ammo, terminal ballistics, strength of weapons, range, and cetera usw. The Brits were just about to do it in 1914 when OTBEed, we were about to do it in the 30s with the original Pederson cartridge the Garand was agonna use, which was nixed by Doug McArthur (rightly so I think) because we had all of that 30-06 stuff lying around. I think I recall reading in "Cartridges of the World" that they had to reduce charge/bullet weight in the 30-06 to make the Garand work right, but saved the full-load bad ones for the machine guns. I may be a crank on this subject, but am in good company with all of those rational ordnance guys for a century since. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/04/hi_fires_11_apr.html#comment-58802 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/04/hi_fires_11_apr.html#comment-58802 Wed, 11 Apr 2007 19:23:02 -0600 John, No criticism of the MP5 will EVER cross my lips, that is easily the best weapon system I have ever experienced, next to my .303 Enfield I use for deer hunting. What I was saying is that if the 416 is anything as good as the MP5, it could (*possibly*) sound the death knell for the M4. I also have to agree with Confederate, but having yet to shoot the 6.5, I have to defer to what I've heard about it, and all the things I've heard are good. Pogue: Mossberg 500's are great, but I like the Remington 870 Express.....my own little foible, I guess. I just wish my Dad would hurry up and relent....I still want his Ithaca over and under. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/04/hi_fires_11_apr.html#comment-58800 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/04/hi_fires_11_apr.html#comment-58800 Wed, 11 Apr 2007 14:48:27 -0600 gimme both an M14 and a .45 and be done with it. (and not for nothing, piddling over anything smaller than 105mm is mere piddling....) http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/04/hi_fires_11_apr.html#comment-58798 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/04/hi_fires_11_apr.html#comment-58798 Wed, 11 Apr 2007 14:33:51 -0600 Heh. Here, Jim, have a Scoresby! Not kind to PEO-Soldier and their forbears, is our Jim. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/04/hi_fires_11_apr.html#comment-58797 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/04/hi_fires_11_apr.html#comment-58797 Wed, 11 Apr 2007 14:16:25 -0600 I haven't played with the 416, so I can't comment there... The MP-5 is sexy and loads of fun to shoot, but unless you need a supressor for some reason I would rather have a 12 gauge pump (an 870 to be specific, but there are others I'd be equally happy with.) The M-16 family can be reasonably reliable provided it's cleaned and lubricated properly. The Army does a pi$$ poor job of training in those area's to begin with, and while FM 3.22-9 is getting better, it's approach to immediate action and remedial action is terrible. (Strangely enough, I'm running the range for our unit this weekend and we'll be doing malfuntion training on the range as well as some position work other than prone (un)supported...) The mouse gun is pretty reliable when it's taken care of, but finicky when it's not. The only thing good that can be said about the 5.56mm cartridge is that it suckered the Soviet Union into the 5.45mm round. There's a lot of promise in the 6.5/6.8 mm cartridge world, but the M16 has been in service longer than any other rifle in US history. It's time to quit putting lipstick on that pig and move on. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/04/hi_fires_11_apr.html#comment-58796 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/04/hi_fires_11_apr.html#comment-58796 Wed, 11 Apr 2007 13:53:53 -0600 The M-16 family has so many birthdefects, that it is unfixable. That is a given, starting with it's unacceptable cartridge... yea yea a .22 short would kill you too over time. The adoption of that Poodleshooter was from the minute it happened, proof positive to me that the US Army had given up hope of hitting anything with one round... given the sights and the lever on the side for setting it on sprinkle. There are more than enought facts to prove what a hunk of junk it is. The really disturbing question is why doesn't the Army replace that POS. There is no excuse for that. Not money .. not time .. not there is nothing good enough .. yada yada yada. We all say the hurry with which body armor was addressed, up armored Hummers, extra armor for M1 tanks etc ... and the poodleshooters just laid in the sun and bloated. So I am forced to ask, "Why does the Army want a rifle at all? They place so little importance on them." http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/04/hi_fires_11_apr.html#comment-58789 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/04/hi_fires_11_apr.html#comment-58789 Wed, 11 Apr 2007 11:22:20 -0600 Conservative UAW Guys take on the most tasteless campaign bid ever regarding Edwards. ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/04/hi_fires_11_apr.html#comment-58788 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/04/hi_fires_11_apr.html#comment-58788 Wed, 11 Apr 2007 10:20:13 -0600 Patriot Ordnance P416 is similar in concept to the HK system, claims to require no oil or lube at all, and is apparently a bit more simple, to boot. If they make it in a 6.5 Grendal chambering, we might be looking at the best possible evolution of the M16/M4 platform yet. ]]> http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/04/hi_fires_11_apr.html#comment-58787 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/04/hi_fires_11_apr.html#comment-58787 Wed, 11 Apr 2007 10:19:27 -0600 Sandman, could you elaborate on your criticism of the MP5? Bear in mind - the locking systems for the MP5 and HK416 are different - the MP5 uses the roller-bearing locking system, while the 416 uses a rotating bolt. The improvement in the 416 is the use of a short-stroke piston to cycle the bolt (like the SKS/AK system) vice direct gas impingement - thus reducing fouling in the receiver that is characteristic of the M16 system. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/04/hi_fires_11_apr.html#comment-58786 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/04/hi_fires_11_apr.html#comment-58786 Wed, 11 Apr 2007 10:06:05 -0600 Well, since I've never been a fan of the M16 and its derivatives as a battle rifle (though I'm still considering getting SWWBO an M4-clone) I'm not unbiased here. The HK416 is an improvement, and could be done by just buying uppers - but I also understand the Army, looking to the outyears, wanting to skip this generation and move to the next, especially in the immediate budget environment. The question is, can we get to "Every Soldier with a Tank/Artillery Piece/Infantry rifle in a reasonable timeline... Keep your weapons clean, boys and girls. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/04/hi_fires_11_apr.html#comment-58785 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/04/hi_fires_11_apr.html#comment-58785 Wed, 11 Apr 2007 10:00:42 -0600 WooHOO!!!!! I'm first!!! Having never fired the HK416, my allegiance goes solely to the M4 (*which, coincidentally, is my weapon right now*), but having shot the H&K MP5SD, I have to say that if the 416 is anything like that, we might have a problem on our hands. http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/04/hi_fires_11_apr.html#comment-58784 http://www.thedonovan.com/archives/2007/04/hi_fires_11_apr.html#comment-58784 Wed, 11 Apr 2007 09:59:02 -0600