Weapon Failures in Afghanistan

[Benelli]

Mods: If this is repost please delete. Apparently some of the M4s etc. were failing in a recent battle in Afghanistan. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,563883,00.html?test=latestnews Is this a real problem we should be concerned about? Our Senator certainly thinks so. What struck me was that one guy was on his 12th magazine when the failures started. Was the M4 ever intended to handle that volume of fire? If you think it is a problem, what would you do about it? New platforms? Piston guns?

 

[udiablo]

Would like more "facts", but from what I've read thus far it sounds like that outpost needed more firepower and "assets" than they had available to them.

Really hated to hear about the SAW (249) failure. Expect FN is interested in the details about that one.

 

[mons meg]

dupe thread

http://www.okshooters.com/forums/showthread.php?t=68768

 

[Tazdev67]

There isn't any rifle currently made that will withstand continuous fire. Sounds like they needed more M249's, 50's and other types of heavy machine guns then M16's. Also I believe most in that post were getting ready to ship out and most likely only had limited resources.

The M-16 is a great rifle but they won't shoot rounds forever without having problems. They weren't designed for that.

 

[LightningCrash]

There isn't any rifle currently made that will withstand continuous fire. Sounds like they needed more M249's, 50's and other types of heavy machine guns then M16's. Also I believe most in that post were getting ready to ship out and most likely only had limited resources.

The M-16 is a great rifle but they won't shoot rounds forever without having problems. They weren't designed for that.

249 isn't designed for a lot of fire either

 

[farpoint]

The M14 has a good track record; so does the BAR. Shame the majority of these great guns were discontinuedand destroyed.

 

[thayton]

I had an auto M14 and can say from experience that the barrel can be burned up in a very short time. Cyclic rate of fire + muzzle velocity= amount of heat.
We also had m60's and we changed barrels every couple of minutes, kind of gave us a clue as to what an m16 could take. Seems more like a training issue or failure to keep head out.

 

[CAR-AR-M16]

The M14 has a good track record; so does the BAR. Shame the majority of these great guns were discontinuedand destroyed.

While they are excellent weapons, neither the M-14 nor the M1918 BAR are sustained fire weapons.

 

[sharkbait]

Sounds like they needed a Vickers.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vickers_machine_gun

 

[ltdavel]

Or an old water cooled Browning .30 cal.