10-16-2011, 04:40 PM
stanc Wrote:I'd be a lot more impressed if it were US spec ops units choosing to use the Ultimax.
The SEALs were the ones who cooked up the PIP for the Mk3. There was a Jane's article by Andrew Tillman (Tilman?) on it, maybe a websearch could turn it up?
As far as I know, the biggest problems of the Ultimax are 1) the sights, as it was designed to be a "mobile fire support point" and fired from the shoulder on the move, so when you go prone with it, the sights end up very low, but I believe the problem will correct itself with P-rails and attached optics which will automatically raise the sight level higher, and 2) it hates blanks.
The drums seem to be OK as the people who claimed to have used them never brought up any jamming complaints, but TBH, I'm not sure how well the system will age. What may work from years 1-5 may start to go wonky in year 6+, which I suspect is the main reason for many current 249 jams.
Something interesting. Ultimax in AR configuration.
[URL="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N9U6nRjA1Bo"]
Pity it doesn't have a 60-75 round drum, I can see a combat load of 2 60-round drums in place of water bottles, shift the water to the back pouch, one drum or mag on gun and 4 30-rounder mags in vest, that's 270-300 rounds. Might work for a short engagement.
One of my most memorable sights of this gun was one guy drawing on the range bunt with 100 rounds of tracer at night. Looked like something out of Star Wars.
Anyway, back on topic, didn't many people try the IAR thing back in the 70s with the H-Bar M-16? And didn't it fail miserably? On the bright side, the LSAT may be coming out soon, so if this fails, at least something's able to replace it.
Just don't hold your breath, asphyxia's a nasty way to go.