FutureWarTHINK 006: AR15, M16, M4 SUX: Pre-LoadEd Magazine Dependent (PLEMD)
The M16 (AR15) SUX: M14s & SKSes can Stripper-Clip Load to Maintain Fire Superiority in Battle
MAGA wouldn't be needed as a societal rallying point if Americans admitted to problems and corrected them as we went along--starting from 1945 when we were last great. aka innovative.
While under PAX AMERICANA world peace since 1945, the world's self-imposed policeman has degraded continually as THE GREATEST GENERATION has passed away leaving us nihilistic, daily 7+ pleasure-seeking HEDONIST, losertard, "normie" civilians and bureaucracy-brain-washed STOICAL milsheeple--both immoral and resultantly; mentally dead. Collectively, America our nation will BE DEAD overcome by more stoical and practical nations like Russia & China if we try to attack them.
The foundation of any true morality is TRUTHFULNESS aka accuracy about reality. "Thou shalt not bear false witness".
Both immoral civilian normie HEDONISTS and military weak co-dependent milsheeple STOICS lack the humility and perseverance to admit to and solve problems using denial as a flimsy excuse to sit on their asses.
Yes, Houston, We Have a Problem: We Ain't the Romans
The low-foot mobility, short-range, Roman Army was EXCELLENT, PRACTICAL & HUMBLE (YES!) at adopting the weaponry & tactics of their enemies experienced at great battlefield defeat pain. We Americans lack such practical humility, so full of ourselves and our BS we will not even consider new ideas from others or even ourselves even if presented gently as a "FORCE MULTIPLIER" and improvement on what we already have/do so as to avoid having to admit we have P, Problems and are fucked-up.
The 1st Military Immorality is Ignoring the Earth
At the end of WW1-2, 1945 we had taught us by the British and the Germans that a full-sized .30 caliber (7.62mm) diameter bullet-shooting machine gun must be every squad's mini-Base of Fire (mBOF) to gain initial fire superiority and sustain it. The top magazine-feed British Bren LMG and the belt-fed, German MG42 MMG out-gunned our bottom mag-fed Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR) who also didn't have PRe-LoadEd Magazines (PRLEMs) from other squad members to keep it firing. PRLEM Dependency was already a major tactical weakness and liability in WW1-2:
combatreform.org/lightmachineguns.htm
PRLEMD began before WW1 in 1910 with the Colt .45 [semi-] Automatic Combat Pistol (ACP) by Browning, then in WW1 with his BAR, was emulated by BG Thompson in his "Tommy Gun" Sub-Machine Gun (SMG), the M3 Grease Gun SMG and later on the M1 Carbine. Fortunately for winning WW1-2, we avoided PRLEMD in our rifles by them being able to be reloaded directly from re-supply storage/loading means--stripper-clips and en blocs.
PRLEMs cannot be long-term stored due to their spring's weakening over time. If you unsprung load a magazine and store it, it takes up more space than rounds held in stripper-clips or en blocs like the M1 Garand used. FYI, the Johnson rifle loaded by 10-round stripper-clips giving it 2x more shots than the Garand's 8-round en blocs but wasn't selected as "the" ARMY rifle.
A war futurist writes:
http://phillosoph.blogspot.com/2017/02/soldiers-load-how-much-ammo-to-carry.html
Nice chest; hate to see it ruined by bullets--Wear Hard Body Armor!
A few posts back we looked at the Viet Cong chest rigs. If a wearer decides to carry six AK magazines he has around 180 rounds. An AKM 30-round magazine weighs about 1.8lbs so six loaded magazines weighs 10.8lbs. The equivalent load for an SKS would be eighteen 10-round chargers. Each of these weighs 0.4lb loaded so 180 rounds would weigh only 7.2lbs.
Carrying ammunition in chargers rather than magazines constitutes a considerable saving in weight. Unfortunately there are not that many modern semi-automatic rifles that can be loaded directly with chargers. The SKS and M14 are probably the only ones you are ever likely to encounter. Canadian FALs could have their magazines topped up with chargers while the magazine was in place. When Canada switched to the AR-15 this capability was not continued, probably because of the carrying handle. Many modern AR-15 weapons no longer have the carrying handle and a replacement receiver top that can take chargers may be possible.
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The PRLEMD Defect: the Infantry Assault & Stripper Clip Re-Supply Woes
PLAN B: it takes 30 seconds to 1 minute to remove empty magazine, make a PRLEM with 10 held in a stripper clip or loose rounds, re-insert loaded magazine and chamber 1st round.
PLAN C: if instead of a PRLEMD AR15, you have a SKS, M14, Mini-14 with Cogburn Arsenal Adapter, CZ58 or Canadian FN FAL, you Stripper-Clip Load (SCL) load 10 rounds and are ready-to-fire in 5 seconds.
5 seconds per 10-round SCL beats 30 seconds to 1 minute PRLEMing.
Cogburn Arsenal
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qOjAWijgru8
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfLq_cBFwLo
Got it?
U.S. military packaging of the 5.56mm ammunition is in two forms, one for the M16 family of rifles which uses 10-round stripper-clips and the other in link belts for the M249 SAW machine gun.
When packaged for the rifles, three 10-round clips will be inserted into a point protector paperboad carton and then 4 cartons will be packed in a 4-pocket bandoleer, for a total of 120 rounds per bandoleer. 7 such bandoleers will be packed into an M2A1 ammo can (NSN 8140-00-960-1699, holds 840 rounds) and two M2A1s will be packed together in a wirebound wooden crate (1680 rounds) as in the top photo on this page. The crates are shipped 48 to a pallet.
Prior to the 4 pocket bandoleers, there were 6 and 7 pocket bandoleers, typical in Vietnam. With those, there were two stripper clips in a cardboard sleeve in each pocket, for a total of 6x20=120 or 7x20=140 rounds per bandoleer. There were then 840/120=7 or 840/140=6 bandoleers per ammo can, always a total of 840 rounds per can. With each bandoleer, there was a metal magazine guide for speed loading the stripper clips into either 20 or 30 round magazines.
https://www.libertytreecollectors.com/productcart/pc/viewPrd.asp?idproduct=1150&idcategory=75
This offering is for 1 of our vintage U.S. Military M16 "repack kits" These are the late/newer type with 4 pockets. Includes 1 bandolier, 12 stripper clips, 1 loader spoon and 4 cardboard spacers.
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According to retired Green Beret, MSG Karl Erickson aka TACTICAL RIFLEMAN, the white threading on the 4-pocket bandolier can be removed so it can carry 4 x 30-round PRLEMs inside. REMFs back at the FOB would have to pre-load these magazines and insert them into the cloth bandoliers. PRLEMS are fatter than stripper clips in cardboard holders so once in bandoliers its not likely you can fit 7 of them into a metal ammo can; maybe 6?
What if you are not a "special" unit with lots of extra magazines and TIME to do the Erickson technique?
What if you have been DROPPING ALL YOUR EMPTY MAGAZINES and now have none to pre-load from ammo re-supply stripper clips?
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LEARNING POINT: AR15/M16/M4s Need SCL Modifications. The Future U.S. Infantry Rifle (M16A5/M4Awhatever) should be able to SCL.
Was that too hard?
Did your penis fall off?
What Can We Do about AR15/M16/M4 PRLEMD NOW?
BOTH!
WarPractice PRLEMing to a HIGH STANDARD--as fast as you can smoothly; day or night (blind-folded) and with or without gloves:
Dummy-Cord SCG to your Load Bearing Equipment (LBE) by your MAG POUCHES: "Like-Things-Together!"
a. MAGAZINE RETENTION (pull/carry loops)
c. SCLing
d. Loose, single rounds No time for these life-saving, firefight-winning capabilities & skills?
CUT OUT GARRITROOPER, TIME-WASTING BS.
Make time for VICTORY.
Don't live in civilian normie or milsheepleton denial.
Semper Airborne!
FEEDBACK!
A war futurist writes:
https://phillosoph.blogspot.com/2020/06/combat-carry-hippy-configuration.html
"Remembering what you said about troops hanging onto their 6-7 magazines.
Recently, I was reminded that many water-bottle pouches can hold five or six 30rders. [EDITOR: combatreform.org/canteencovers.htm]
Also came across a comment pointing out that you do not want your magazine pouches where most troops actually carry them. Lousy to crawl with them at the front, worse to fall on. Not so comfortable if you have to sit down, and many armies now have more drivers than infantry (which is not necessarily a bad thing!)
Thinking further, most troops reload with their weak hand. (It might be different for some bullpups, but seems true for the M16 and AKM). Makes sense it have most of the ammo where the weak hand can easily reach it?
Water-bottle pouch on the weak side of the belt, at the side? Or a pair of triple mag pouches if you are worried about all the mags falling out at once.
Best way to have both triples on one side will need to be experimented with.
They might need orientating obliquely or be laid horizontal, or the the side of a mag rather than the spines against the body. Ideally this rig should allow you to easily reload when prone. There may be some merit in having a spare mag in a chest or arm pocket if this is not the case. You are carrying about 6lbs on one side of your belt or harness, but there is a logical way to balance this. The Soldier will use his grenades in his strong hand, so on the strong side of the belt we put a pouch or pouches holding several grenades. [EDITOR: or Rifle-Hand Grenades]
We have one pouch or pouches on one side of the belt, another set on the other. The front and back areas of the belt region are relatively clear, allowing our Soldier to comfortably sit in a vehicle or crawl if someone is shooting at him or he doesn't want to be seen.
The front of the belt can be used for relatively small, low bulk items, such as a compass pouch and some FFDs. The front of the belt could end up looking like a garand ammo belt!
For the back of the belt, I would consider a two litre drinking bladder or pair of one litres, and a pouch with IFAK. These may be on their own belt, like a bumbag, allowing them to be added when in high readiness but put to one side or shunted round the front when the Soldier is seated.
An entrenching tool or other tools can be shoved through the belt when needed, carried on the backpack when not. A small, fixed blade utility knife of about 25cm loa should be mounted over the weakside pectorial where it can be reached with either hand. If a bayonet is carried the logical place is on the weak-side of the belt, possibly mounted on the side of a magazine pouch like the British 58 webbing. Possibly a machete or kukri can be carried in the space between a pouch and the belt. Something similar might be arranged for a handgun and the grenades.
I've spoken of this as mounted on a conventional belt but the basic arrangement should work with other carry systems.
What to do with those empty mags?
If fitted with a pull-loop (as described in Survival weapons) you can clip them on a snap-link, although this can be a challenge while most of your attention is understandably on other matters. Dropping them down the front of your smock is difficult with modern combat wear. Rather than a "dump pouch" on your belt, there is an easier and cheaper option. Take a sandbag or make a simple bag from a suitable coloured piece of material. Fit it with a strap so it hangs from your neck, at about chest level. You can drop your empty mags in this, and it is a handy bag to quickly stow anything else you come across that might provide intelligence. Such a bag easily rolls up and can be kept so by a slippery hitch. Such simple bags will provide useful for lots of other purposes.
On the subject of less lethal force, this is the ideal time to buy Crash Combat since it has just been updated with over a thousand words extra content. Includes 'baton work' and 'team work'"
https://www.amazon.com/Crash-Combat-Phil-West/dp/1326591592
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