11-14-2023, 04:34 PM
In all of US Army small arms history, when was the last time the Army pioneered a new small arms weapon system that gained wide acclaim, popularity with the troops, and welcomed foreign adoption from our allies and other nations?
Im mainly talking about rifles, carbines, SMGs, pistols, machine-guns, and LMGs.
Being an avid historian of this subject, Im drawing a blank for at least the last 5-6 decades, outside of one design that came from the private sector in the 1950s, which the Army Ordnance Board thoroughly rejected, and USAF adopted.
That was the AR-15.
Is there anything besides the AR-15?
M60 was trash, malf-o-matic in every unit I was in that had them.
Minimi is a Belgian LMG, submitted to the Armys SAW trials.
MAG58/M240 is also Belgian, pre-dated the M60. We finally came around to it in the 1990s for infantry and adopted it to replace the M60.
M9 Beretta was Italian, not well-received.
The only other thing is just an evolution of the AR-15 family when we look at the M4 Carbine and its SOPMOD Block iterations, all of which were driven by relationships between SOF units and Knights Armament, Surefire, LMT, Daniel Defense, L3 Harris, Trijicon, and other ancillary systems manufacturers for optics, laser aiming modules, night vision devices, and weapon lights.
Can anybody think of anything?
Im mainly talking about rifles, carbines, SMGs, pistols, machine-guns, and LMGs.
Being an avid historian of this subject, Im drawing a blank for at least the last 5-6 decades, outside of one design that came from the private sector in the 1950s, which the Army Ordnance Board thoroughly rejected, and USAF adopted.
That was the AR-15.
Is there anything besides the AR-15?
M60 was trash, malf-o-matic in every unit I was in that had them.
Minimi is a Belgian LMG, submitted to the Armys SAW trials.
MAG58/M240 is also Belgian, pre-dated the M60. We finally came around to it in the 1990s for infantry and adopted it to replace the M60.
M9 Beretta was Italian, not well-received.
The only other thing is just an evolution of the AR-15 family when we look at the M4 Carbine and its SOPMOD Block iterations, all of which were driven by relationships between SOF units and Knights Armament, Surefire, LMT, Daniel Defense, L3 Harris, Trijicon, and other ancillary systems manufacturers for optics, laser aiming modules, night vision devices, and weapon lights.
Can anybody think of anything?
NRA Basic, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, RSO
CCW, CQM, DM, Long Range Rifle Instructor
6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbooks & chamber brushes can be found here:
www.AR15buildbox.com
CCW, CQM, DM, Long Range Rifle Instructor
6.5 Grendel Reloading Handbooks & chamber brushes can be found here:
www.AR15buildbox.com