Currently soldiers have no way of selecting their own weapon. Sometimes, mission/job specific requirements give them various weapons. The average Joe gets an M16A2. If they are of the right rank/position/know the right person in the armory, they can get an M4. Officers, tankers and pilots generally are issued an M9 (pistol). Some get issued an M249. The 249 is an automatic crew type weapon. It is belt or magazine fed.

The guy in Ft Hood who shot up those people brought his own weapons on post, a very big no-no.

 

I'm curious about this too. I see a lot of pics of our Marines overseas with many different configurations of the AR platform.

 

I'm curious about this too. I see a lot of pics of our Marines overseas with many different configurations of the AR platform.

The AR-15 is an M16 with the 3-round burst option removed. The M16A2 is semi-auto or 3-round burst only. The M16A1 (no longer issued/used) was a semi-auto or full auto weapon.

You line about AR platform is inaccurate. The AR is built on the M16 platform. The chicken (the M16) came before the egg (AR-15).

 

They dont get to pick as others stated sometimes its based on the mission. I also think its how a person qualify's. I know SF troops are a little more relaxed and can have some picks. They get the goods.

 

They dont get to pick as others stated sometimes its based on the mission. I also think its how a person qualify's. I know SF troops are a little more relaxed and can have some picks. They get the goods.

Actually, you are issued the weapon and then you qualify with that weapon specifically. Now, if you shoot a certain way, you can be selected for certain missions and then issued a new weapon and re qualify on that weapon. Example, a person in Boot Camp shoots perfect several times in a row. He may get a visit from a talent scout for the Army shooting team or from the sniper school. Then he would be given a different weapon and qualify with that weapon. You really can't give somebody a new weapon and send them into the firefight. They would not know how the weapon shoots or have the sites set up for them. The mission dependency is based on the unit they are assigned to. Maybe their unit is assigned for defending a specific building and that requires a M9. They get issued that M9 go to the range, qualify with that weapon and they move on.

 

I have heard stories of guys requesting and getting Colt 1911's instead of the M9. Is this true, or just more "gun store Commando" talk?

(Frankly, I'll take the 1911 any day.)

 

I have heard stories of guys requesting and getting Colt 1911's instead of the M9. Is this true, or just more "gun store Commando" talk?

(Frankly, I'll take the 1911 any day.)

Not true. This is more "gun store Commando" talk. The 1911 was phased out some time ago. I heard that the MP's are in the process of phasing the M9 out as well in exchange for a Glock 9mm. But the rest of the military will stay with the M9 for now.

 

What about optics....seen several guns with trijicons, eotechs, and aimpoints. What does standard boot camp train with? Do they have a choice in optics?

 

What about optics....seen several guns with trijicons, eotechs, and aimpoints. What does standard boot camp train with? Do they have a choice in optics?

Iron sights.
Gary

 

No optics, Iron/fixed sites only. The exception is snipers and special ops. They have more option. Snipers get scopes that zoom ALOT and night vision if needed. These scope would cost us well over $1500, if not MUCH higher. The special ops guys have night vision scope and such.

 

Very informative, thanks

 

Gyver: First Armalite (then Colt) developed the AR and sends it to the military for testing. After passing was given the M16 name. So AR was first.

As of now most Marines are getting the ACOG on Colt M4's. My friends over there can add what they want to them. Surefires and such.

The Army is issuing Aimpoints now M68's (compM4_) think with most rifles. Again my friends get to add what they want to their rifles while in country.

Also Companies give a lot of gear for free to the soldiers and Marines to use. They just have to send a report of how it's holding up.

This info is from my buddies over there so take it for what it's worth.

 

Gyver: First Armalite (then Colt) developed the AR and sends it to the military for testing. After passing was given the M16 name. So AR was first.

As of now most Marines are getting the ACOG on Colt M4's. My friends over there can add what they want to them. Surefires and such.

The Army is issuing Aimpoints now M68's (compM4_) think with most rifles. Again my friends get to add what they want to their rifles while in country.

Also Companies give a lot of gear for free to the soldiers and Marines to use. They just have to send a report of how it's holding up.

This info is from my buddies over there so take it for what it's worth.

:yepthat

Exactly how it was for my brother 2 years ago.

M4 w/ Grenade Launcher. He added rails, sights, light, etc.
They were issued m16A2's at Fort Drum when the arrived for training and they were traded in for the M4's about 2 weeks before the left for Iraq.

 

I was in the Army for many years. The M4 was being phased in as a replacement for the M16, but the M16 is presently still the primary issue weapon. The M16 was designed after WW2 as the M16A1 with a full auto function. The M16A2 was just a tweak off from that. So, the AR-15 may have been built first, but at the time, it was only market to various military branches. The AR-15 we know of today was not available for civilians for some years after the US military had adopted the M16.

The initial question was of issued weapons not what is/can be added to them by the soldiers. Most, if not all, additions to the rifles are considered unauthorized and if the service member is killed in a firefight and they have unauthorized additions to the weapons, the military will deny the soldier's family the life insurance and the person will receive a reprimand to their record, not a commendation. The given things are true, but again, the question was about standard issue items. Most items given for wear reports are items like clothing and electronics or other personnel accessories. Very rarely are they given weapons add-ons because there are so few authorized add-ons to the weapons. The weapon additions are usually given to the special ops guys first since they are given the most room to play with what is and is not authorized.

 

The Iraq theater has tended itself to more M4's. They are being phased in to replace the M16 for all but ceremonial purposes. The additions are not (usually) authorized. That is unless there have been special orders cut for their mission or their unit.

:yepthat

Exactly how it was for my brother 2 years ago.

M4 w/ Grenade Launcher. He added rails, sights, light, etc.
They were issued m16A2's at Fort Drum when the arrived for training and they were traded in for the M4's about 2 weeks before the left for Iraq.

 

Thanks for the responses.  Any idea how it worked in WW2?

 

Thanks for the responses. Any idea how it worked in WW2?

Pretty much the same. The average light infantry grunt and the average soldier received the M1 Garand. The M1 Carbine was designed to replace and/or supplement an officer's or senior NCO's sidearm (1911). The Thompson and the BAR were, usually, squad weapons, usually one per squad, normally given to a buck sergeant (3 stripes) or higher or someone large enough to carry the BAR's weight and ammo. Later, the BAR, Thompson and the grease gun were replaced with the M60, also a squad weapon. Squad weapons are referred to as SAWs (Squad Automatic Weapon).
Bipoded or tripoded machine guns were the provenance of heavy infantry. Some airborne troops used the M1 Carbine, with a folding stock. Some of them were also issued the Thompsons. Later, the grease gun replaced many of the Thompsons.
Gary

 

Not true. This is more "gun store Commando" talk. The 1911 was phased out some time ago. I heard that the MP's are in the process of phasing the M9 out as well in exchange for a Glock 9mm. But the rest of the military will stay with the M9 for now.

That is what I figured, just thought I would clear that up. I guess that goes the same for a few of the other rumors we have all most likely heard, like guys dropping their issued weapons to replace them with the enemies AK's, ect.

Gun Shop Commando's always seem to have a few common traits, like too young to have even finished basic, guys who spent more on their boots than their car, and my favorite, the guy who tells you one story, then goes on to tell you that the reason people use the AK is it will fire any round..... true story.

 

Pretty much the same. The average light infantry grunt and the average soldier received the M1 Garand. The M1 Carbine was designed to replace and/or supplement an officer's or senior NCO's sidearm (1911). The Thompson and the BAR were, usually, squad weapons, usually one per squad, normally given to a buck sergeant (3 stripes) or higher or someone large enough to carry the BAR's weight and ammo. Later, the BAR, Thompson and the grease gun were replaced with the M60, also a squad weapon. Squad weapons are referred to as SAWs (Squad Automatic Weapon).
Bipoded or tripoded machine guns were the provenance of heavy infantry. Some airborne troops used the M1 Carbine, with a folding stock. Some of them were also issued the Thompsons. Later, the grease gun replaced many of the Thompsons.
Gary

The M16 was designed because of the problems with the weapons they had in WW2 to my understanding.

 

Pretty much the same. The average light infantry grunt and the average soldier received the M1 Garand. The M1 Carbine was designed to replace and/or supplement an officer's or senior NCO's sidearm (1911). The Thompson and the BAR were, usually, squad weapons, usually one per squad, normally given to a buck sergeant (3 stripes) or higher or someone large enough to carry the BAR's weight and ammo. Later, the BAR, Thompson and the grease gun were replaced with the M60, also a squad weapon. Squad weapons are referred to as SAWs (Squad Automatic Weapon).
Bipoded or tripoded machine guns were the provenance of heavy infantry. Some airborne troops used the M1 Carbine, with a folding stock. Some of them were also issued the Thompsons. Later, the grease gun replaced many of the Thompsons.
Gary

The M249 was the more direct replacement, same design concept, fully auto squad weapon. The M60 is usually mounted on a vehicle or built into some form on emplacement. Not to say they don't carry one, but the 249 was the more direct replacement it is carried by one person, fired by the person, but usually put down on its bi-pod. The M60 is too big for a single person to carry and the person can't fire it (yes, Rambo was fake).

 

I think they get to pick the weapon of anyone they nail on the battlefield.

 

That is what I figured, just thought I would clear that up. I guess that goes the same for a few of the other rumors we have all most likely heard, like guys dropping their issued weapons to replace them with the enemies AK's, ect.

Gun Shop Commando's always seem to have a few common traits, like too young to have even finished basic, guys who spent more on their boots than their car, and my favorite, the guy who tells you one story, then goes on to tell you that the reason people use the AK is it will fire any round..... true story.

They are using junk science, the same science that is used to support global warming. Just enough truth to be real. The AK, supposedly (urban myth, I don't know this to be true or not) can use parts from the M16 bolt and fire for several magazines but then is toasted. The rounds are very close in size and such, but I don't know that this works, this is like the polar bears and global warming. True, the polar bears are still endangered, but their numbers have been climbing very fast, so, their habitat can't be as far gone as the global warming screamers claim.

 

I think they get to pick the weapon of anyone they nail on the battlefield.

LOL, true, when you are faced with dying or taking from a body, pick whatever weapon is there.

 

The M16 was designed because of the problems with the weapons they had in WW2 to my understanding.

Actually, the M16 was designed to replace the venerable M14, which started to phased out during my military time, in the 1960s. The M14 replaced the M1 Garand and provided not only a high capacity box magazine but retained the .30 caliber knock-down power of the .30-06, with a slightly smaller cartridge, the 7.62x51 (almost the same as the .308 Win). The M14 also allowed for optional full auto fire, which was not an option, with the M1 Garand. The M14 was the next logical progression, in the Garand line.
The Italians (specifically Pietro Beretta), after the war, developed the BM59, which was a box magazine-fed Garand, working very similarly to the M14. They are fairly rare.
The average M14 was significantly more accurate, at extreme long range (over 500 yards), than the average M1 Garand. The reason for the fade-in of the M16 was because NATO wanted a uniform round: the 5.56mm, which is, really, only a centerfire .22. As my memory recalls, from that time, the 5.56mm was supposed to be a "less cruel" round, whatever that meant.
There was, also, much talk, at the time, of the 5.56mm spinning/tumbling or causing the enemy to have to utilize two men, for each one wounded, to remove them from the battlefield, etc. Most of that, in my experience, was nonsense. There were infinitely more survivors, who were hit with the 5.56, than there were hit with the solid .30 cal round of the M14 or M1 Garand. The early M16s were considered, by many of us, as Matty Mattel Specials, having no reliable accuracy, beyond 200 yards. They've improved, dramatically, since then but they're still centerfire .22s.
Now, if I had to choose, between the AK47 and the M16, I would opt for the .30 cal round. Not much long range accuracy but extremely effective, as an anti-personnel round. That's only one of the reasons why folks prefer them.
Fortunately, I don't have to make that choice, since I have multiple M1As (civilian version of the M14) and no ARs.
I hope that helps clarify some of the questions.
Gary

 

The M249 was the more direct replacement, same design concept, fully auto squad weapon. The M60 is usually mounted on a vehicle or built into some form on emplacement. Not to say they don't carry one, but the 249 was the more direct replacement it is carried by one person, fired by the person, but usually put down on its bi-pod. The M60 is too big for a single person to carry and the person can't fire it (yes, Rambo was fake).

That may be true, now but, during Vietnam, the M60 was the SAW, carried by an individual. Yes, it was heavy and, yes, sometimes, extra ammo had to be carried by other squad members.
Gary