05-21-2011, 05:06 AM
LRRPF52 Wrote:The Garand was the standard service rifle, but was augmented healthily with a mix of M1 Carbines and Thompsons in key leaders' and riflemens' duty positions, in addition to BAR and M1919 gunners. That was a broad mix of weapons capable of CQB out to beyond riflemen distances.Yes, there was. However, the key phrase above is "augmented" by Carbines or Thompsons. There were still far more Garands in a rifle squad, than those two weapons. Surely you don't think the (10?) rifle-equipped troops left CQB to just the one guy in the squad who had a Tommy gun?
Quote:The extreme jerk to the opposite end of the spectrum with the 7.62 NATO single caliber system failed miserably.Indeed. But, that's because they insisted on a full-power cartridge, not necessarily because a one-caliber system can't be achieved with an intermediate-power round. The Chinese came so close, with the 5.8x42. They just went a little too small.