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None of the above. The Ak-47 is probably the best tactical weapon that has ever hit the field. It has a round that has knock down power and wil still fire if dragged through a swamp! No 5.56mm weapon will do that. If you get water in the barrel you need to point it at the ground and open the bolt to let the water drain out before you shoot it. AK-47 will drain water out of the barrel without you having to open the breech. I had a lot of problems with the M-16 and the ammo it fired when I was in Vietnam. I ended up using an M-14 with the .308 NATO round because if you hit someone they stayed down. At the time I decided against using a captured AK-47 because of the distinctive sound it made when it fired. Didn't want to get shot by my own boys.

Well....if it works for you then fine.

If, like me, you used what they gave you, then you found the best way of working with it, whatever it was. SLR, LMG, GPMG in my case.

M-14 is a good bit of kit - but wasn't it a bit awkward when, having fired off all your own ammo, you remembered that everyone else was carrying 5.56....?

As a matter of opinion (mine) I view a lot of the current wave of plastic pop-guns with some reservation - the 'firm' I work for have just decided against the HK417 but ar taking a keen interest in the MP-7. Horses for courses i.e. you find the tool that does the job you need it to do.

G-36? Ah thanks, but no thanks......MP5 any day.

MP 5 & 7 are good close quarters weapons but you can hardly claim that they are rifles or have the range of a rifle

Im still a massive fan of the Diemaco C8.

Its reliable, light, good rate of fire, accurate and easy to use and clean. Plus it has the capability to add loads of extras on there easily.

Plus i think it looks mega.

colmurph wrote:None of the above. The Ak-47 is probably the best tactical weapon that has ever hit the field. It has a round that has knock down power and wil still fire if dragged through a swamp! No 5.56mm weapon will do that. If you get water in the barrel you need to point it at the ground and open the bolt to let the water drain out before you shoot it. AK-47 will drain water out of the barrel without you having to open the breech. I had a lot of problems with the M-16 and the ammo it fired when I was in Vietnam. I ended up using an M-14 with the .308 NATO round because if you hit someone they stayed down. At the time I decided against using a captured AK-47 because of the distinctive sound it made when it fired. Didn't want to get shot by my own boys.

It's a good weapon because it was designed to be abused, covered in crap, left in a puddle of mud for weeks and still be able to be fired when picked up by it's user. Which is what happened to it during the Vietnam war where it was indeed left in various locations. It is not however the best weapon as far as I am concerned.

Artist

Paratrooper01 wrote:Im still a massive fan of the Diemaco C8.

Its reliable, light, good rate of fire, accurate and easy to use and clean. Plus it has the capability to add loads of extras on there easily.

Plus i think it looks mega.

May I say, you look ally

May I say, you look ally

Its not me mate.

But it proves the point, the C8 looks mega with the gangster grip and all the add-ons attached.

Having used the M16/AR15 variants I still prefer the SLR.
Good solid rifle with a round that makes people pay attention.
I think it's a shame that the SA-80 didn't end up with the round it was designed for:ie a 7mm.

Wholley wrote:Having used the M16/AR15 variants I still prefer the SLR

Really? But the SLR is so damn old!!!

In the theatres today its just not practical. It has no optics for longer range shots and its far too big and bulky for the house to house CQB stuff.

Paratrooper01 wrote: Really? But the SLR is so damn old!!!

As am I!!!
As a second I think the M1-A Carbine is a good little rifle.
Apart from it's stripper clip loading which it inherited from it's big brother.
Until two years ago I used an SLR(L1 A1) for deer hunting with a SUIT scope.
Bambi never got the chance to complain

The big problem with the SLR is it's length, it is bulky in a vehicle and on house clearance

Wholley wrote:

Paratrooper01 wrote: Really? But the SLR is so damn old!!!

As am I!!!
As a second I think the M1-A Carbine is a good little rifle.
Apart from it's stripper clip loading which it inherited from it's big brother.
Until two years ago I used an SLR(L1 A1) for deer hunting with a SUIT scope.
Bambi never got the chance to complain

Dont be so hard on yourself wholly. you aint that old.

it might have been mega for hunting deer, but its not like the deer can fight back is it? terry taliban has lots of tools in his box, so we need something slightly more up to date!

Tab, exactly right. its too big and long, not that your missus ever complained! just kidding. but it is too big for CQB etc. the C8 is the shit.

First off gents, good to be talking with you again after a long time, hope you've all been well.

Aye the SLR is old but to be honest compared to the G3 - which I have a lot of respect for - I know what I prefer.

Like I said, with 'long arms' it's a case of horses for courses - time has moved on and the type of firearm required for the war-fighting that has developed in recent times, is different to that available to my generation and the ops we carried out. Also the attitudes and politics that surround defence procurement have also changed so the choice is now wider. Instead of having two basic weapons - SLR and SMG - to cover all needs, there is now a wide range available and the will / funds to provide them.

I've seen the G36 compact recently, which does some of the things that the C8 is meant for, but just looking at the C8 there are clear signs that the G36 C as provided for my 'firm' were a budget compromise, not what was asked for by the people who would be carrying them.

The HK 417 was meant to bridge a gap between the G36 and the 'retiring' G3, but failed to do so. However the MP7 will standardise the needs of CP and other 'specialist' units' functions.

The other consideration when comparing the old and the new are the shooting disciplines - single aimed shots as opposed to three-round bursts. This not a criticism - before someone frags me - but a change in doctrine, driven by the change in weapons and calibres. For example, we trained on the simulated CQB ranges (window, trench, shell scrape, wooden gate etc) from 100 - 300 metres over iron sights - and our Bisley shots fired out to 800 metres, also over iron sights. So things have moved on.

BTW Para 01, try telling some of your regt 'seniors' that the SLR is 'too old'.....and take cover before waiting for a reply, LOL! True it was a bit awkward in vehicles but you worked around that - you had to, end of story. It was heavy but it gave you a sense of security in that - and if you carried it around long enough you got used to it, bit like the GPMG gunner did. I also carried the LMG which was a great bit of kit.

That G36-C looks good. Wouldnt mind putting a few mags through one to see what its like.

Barrel length stops at the end of the handgrip, the torch is mounted on the side rail and has the unfortunate habit of blowing the bulbs when live-firing.....the head -shed wouldn't spend on strobe lcd torches and now the ones they bought are no longer made, so no apare bulbs. Tubes.

They are actually considering going back to the MP-5...for house entries the G36 C has proved unpopular.