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SabresEdge Show an affirming flame from a defense-in-depth Since: Oct, 2010
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#6801: Aug 15th 2011 at 2:57:30 PM

Well, the Revolutionary War folks did do the famous double load: three pieces of buckshot, one musket ball.

Charlie Stross's cheerful, optimistic predictions for 2017, part one of three.
TuefelHundenIV Night Clerk of the Apocalypse from Doomsday Facility Corner Store. Since: Aug, 2009 Relationship Status: I'd need a PowerPoint presentation
Night Clerk of the Apocalypse
#6802: Aug 15th 2011 at 4:24:38 PM

Some shotguns do have some rifling.

The French actually were the first solve the bad seal. They used a rubber gasket.

Who watches the watchmen?
pagad Sneering Imperialist from perfidious Albion Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
Sneering Imperialist
#6803: Aug 15th 2011 at 4:25:46 PM

I was under the impression that rifled shotguns just use solid slugs, because buckshot both damages the rifling and spreads out in a doughnut shape.

With cannon shot and gun blast smash the alien. With laser beam and searing plasma scatter the alien to the stars.
TuefelHundenIV Night Clerk of the Apocalypse from Doomsday Facility Corner Store. Since: Aug, 2009 Relationship Status: I'd need a PowerPoint presentation
Night Clerk of the Apocalypse
#6804: Aug 15th 2011 at 4:38:30 PM

the pellets sit inside a plastic cup and are propelled out. The cup falls away and the pellets/shot keep traveling.

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pagad Sneering Imperialist from perfidious Albion Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: Showing feelings of an almost human nature
Sneering Imperialist
#6805: Aug 15th 2011 at 4:40:59 PM

Huh. That...actually seems a bit bloody obvious, now. The more you know! Sort of like sabot rounds, right?

edited 15th Aug '11 4:41:34 PM by pagad

With cannon shot and gun blast smash the alien. With laser beam and searing plasma scatter the alien to the stars.
TuefelHundenIV Night Clerk of the Apocalypse from Doomsday Facility Corner Store. Since: Aug, 2009 Relationship Status: I'd need a PowerPoint presentation
Night Clerk of the Apocalypse
#6806: Aug 15th 2011 at 6:18:59 PM

The bigger shot like buck shot though has a wad. It is tightly packed lead being pushed down the barrel.

See this Smaller Shot in the cup.

edited 15th Aug '11 6:21:37 PM by TuefelHundenIV

Who watches the watchmen?
pvtnum11 OMG NO NOSECONES from Kerbin low orbit Since: Nov, 2009 Relationship Status: We finish each other's sandwiches
OMG NO NOSECONES
#6807: Aug 15th 2011 at 6:27:03 PM

Either way, the plastic wad cup-like thing serves to keep the rifling (if any) from getting all torn up.

I used to find the wads all over the place when I would bicycle through the game range by my house (not done during hunting season).

Happiness is zero-gee with a sinus cold.
SabresEdge Show an affirming flame from a defense-in-depth Since: Oct, 2010
TuefelHundenIV Night Clerk of the Apocalypse from Doomsday Facility Corner Store. Since: Aug, 2009 Relationship Status: I'd need a PowerPoint presentation
Night Clerk of the Apocalypse
#6809: Aug 16th 2011 at 7:04:21 AM

Eyeing changing military retirement again They had better fucking not. They are owed that for a damn good reason.

That and every powerful nation that has shafted their military by dicking with promised bennies has gotten bitten in the ass by it sooner then later.

Who watches the watchmen?
Kino Since: Aug, 2010 Relationship Status: Californicating
#6810: Aug 16th 2011 at 7:14:20 AM

[up]Some people just never learn from history.

edited 16th Aug '11 7:14:25 AM by Kino

TuefelHundenIV Night Clerk of the Apocalypse from Doomsday Facility Corner Store. Since: Aug, 2009 Relationship Status: I'd need a PowerPoint presentation
Night Clerk of the Apocalypse
#6811: Aug 16th 2011 at 7:38:04 AM

There are nations and empires far older then U.S. that did such things and rapidly regretted it.

Who watches the watchmen?
GameChainsaw The Shadows Devour You. from sunshine and rainbows! Since: Oct, 2010
The Shadows Devour You.
#6812: Aug 17th 2011 at 2:04:37 PM

I used to think rather simplistically about the military; you had training and organisation, equipment and technology, and numerical superiority. Now obviously my views are more nuanced now, but which of those elements would you say are the most important, and to what extent would you say said element can compensate for a disadvantage in another?

The term "Great Man" is disturbingly interchangeable with "mass murderer" in history books.
Barkey Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
#6813: Aug 17th 2011 at 2:26:29 PM

I wouldn't say any of them are more important, if you are lacking in any one of those categories you suffer greatly.

A balanced army with all of the above at a good standard if honestly more efficient than anyone who's well organized, but uses stone age technology, or an army with advanced technology, but a poor logistical system.

Because any opposition worth their salt will analyze you for weaknesses and then strategically exploit those weaknesses.

TuefelHundenIV Night Clerk of the Apocalypse from Doomsday Facility Corner Store. Since: Aug, 2009 Relationship Status: I'd need a PowerPoint presentation
Night Clerk of the Apocalypse
#6814: Aug 18th 2011 at 4:11:08 PM
Erock Proud Canadian from Toronto Since: Jul, 2009
Proud Canadian
#6815: Aug 18th 2011 at 6:28:27 PM

So, how awesome would be a bullpup assualt rifle designed like the AA-12 be?

If you don't like a single Frank Ocean song, you have no soul.
pvtnum11 OMG NO NOSECONES from Kerbin low orbit Since: Nov, 2009 Relationship Status: We finish each other's sandwiches
OMG NO NOSECONES
#6816: Aug 18th 2011 at 6:32:52 PM

I'm a bit hesitant to have that much propellant charge that close to my face. Ask the OICW guys about the nitty-gritty on that.

Happiness is zero-gee with a sinus cold.
MajorTom Since: Dec, 2009
#6817: Aug 18th 2011 at 6:34:33 PM

^^^ I'm more intrigued by the AEK-999.

Basically take a stock PKM and M it one more time, quick change barrel and all. None of this air-cooled but can't quick change barrel shit of the Pecheneg.

As an aside, both weapons are superior to the RPK in every way. (Why did the Soviets ditch the 100+ round RPD for the idiotic 40 round RPK? At least they learned their folly in Afghanistan it seems.)

edited 18th Aug '11 6:36:09 PM by MajorTom

TuefelHundenIV Night Clerk of the Apocalypse from Doomsday Facility Corner Store. Since: Aug, 2009 Relationship Status: I'd need a PowerPoint presentation
Night Clerk of the Apocalypse
#6818: Aug 18th 2011 at 6:39:59 PM

pvtnum11. That would depend on where firing mech is on the weapon.

The OICW had a number of issues through out it's testing phases though. Amusingly when I was in Aberdeen Maryland and the Marines were testing the weapon for possible consideration. They set the test range on fire several times. Lol. The weapon was no where near robust enough for actual use though. The magazines had frequent jamming issues and the 25mm if it got thumped around would misfire, misfeed, or some other unpleasant surprise I have forgotten.

The Pecheng interestingly does not need to change it's barrel. The barrel is overall very robust and cools surprisingly very effectively. Think along the lines of the latest M-60 Machine Gun design. The whole reason for a quick change barrel was the cooling mechanism for the barrels was fairly ineffective and it was easier to change the barrel out between every few hundred rounds.

edited 18th Aug '11 7:12:02 PM by TuefelHundenIV

Who watches the watchmen?
SabresEdge Show an affirming flame from a defense-in-depth Since: Oct, 2010
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#6819: Aug 18th 2011 at 7:03:28 PM

I'm interested in the Kord HMG, on the grounds that it's light enough to potentially provide a platoon/company-level .50cal machine gun. The Soviets in Afghanistan tried attaching NSV machine guns to dismounted platoons, but that ran into problems.

Right now I'm RAEGing over the fact that none of the libraries I can access have a copy of Norman Friedman's books on amphibs. I was hoping to look up the exact differences and roles of the different LPDs/LSDs/LHDs and such. Under what circumstances would they use LCUs as opposed to LCACs? How would the helicopters, the landing craft, and the MEU's assets be distributed? Also, the role of the LCU-2000s: they look like they're too big to fit in the well dock of any of the existing 'phibs, but they can provide a hell of a lot of landing capacity.

...

...hold on, must check out Tom Clancy's Marine.

edited 18th Aug '11 7:11:37 PM by SabresEdge

Charlie Stross's cheerful, optimistic predictions for 2017, part one of three.
Barkey Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
#6820: Aug 18th 2011 at 7:04:25 PM

Good luck carrying enough ammo for decent suppressing fire..

MajorTom Since: Dec, 2009
#6821: Aug 18th 2011 at 7:07:35 PM

Suppressing fire is so passe. Killing fire is better. Why spray 60 rounds to keep him pinned down when you can fire 6 or less and kill him?

Enemy casualties are far more preferable to immobile but still living enemies.

TuefelHundenIV Night Clerk of the Apocalypse from Doomsday Facility Corner Store. Since: Aug, 2009 Relationship Status: I'd need a PowerPoint presentation
Night Clerk of the Apocalypse
#6822: Aug 18th 2011 at 7:15:55 PM

Tom: Really now Tom? Suppressing fire enables fire and maneuver for killing flank. Kind of useful for a enemy holed up in solid cover. You could expend a shit load of ammo trying to kill them behind that cover. Expend the ammo to keep their heads down long enough for a couple troops to maneuver to get at them from a flank or to throw a grenade into their position.

Who watches the watchmen?
MajorTom Since: Dec, 2009
#6823: Aug 18th 2011 at 7:19:18 PM

Or I shoot 3 rounds and hit them before they get to cover. Or fire 3 rounds to get them to cover and immobile.

Smart usage of ammunition > More Dakka.

A Marine should value good marksmanship.

edited 18th Aug '11 7:19:46 PM by MajorTom

Barkey Since: Feb, 2010 Relationship Status: [TOP SECRET]
#6824: Aug 18th 2011 at 7:25:01 PM

Yes Tom, that's true, but that's the job of your riflemen, not your machinegun. You still fail.

Suppress anything that you can't kill before it gets to cover, and then put a 40mm into the deadspace. While a fireteam flanks around to form the L.

edited 18th Aug '11 7:25:50 PM by Barkey

TuefelHundenIV Night Clerk of the Apocalypse from Doomsday Facility Corner Store. Since: Aug, 2009 Relationship Status: I'd need a PowerPoint presentation
Night Clerk of the Apocalypse
#6825: Aug 18th 2011 at 7:30:41 PM

A marine does value marksmanship, a good marine also knows murphy is a stone cold bitch.

edited 18th Aug '11 7:33:20 PM by TuefelHundenIV

Who watches the watchmen?

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