1918A2 BAR and M14/M1AE2

**Scout** · 03-30-2012, 08:30 AM

by Mikel

That's just baloney about shoting in the sky.
I trained with BARs M14s, E2s, and 16s.
I advised guys who carried BARs on combat operations while the rest of us were burdoned with M2 carbines.

The three round burst fot the 16 was after my time, but I think a good idea.
You can hold a 16 pretty straight for a whole mag, but it wastes ammo.
SAWs like the BAR and E2 were only to be fired in short bursts. The Stock configuration of the E2 is to facilitate prone full auto fire.
They did not have scopes mounted as the bipods disrupt barrel harmonics.
They were much simpler and easier to maintain that the BAR, but not nearly as robust or dependable.
There are reasons theM14 did not persist as a 1st line weapon, but you will never convince an enthusiast of that.
A trained and professional used has no problems keeping his piece on target.
It is the casual plinker, bolo marksman, and guys parroting 2nd hand stories who profess the aerial tendencies of these and other pieces.

Sorry, but you missed the point entirely. I said ordinary soldiers had no use for rock n' roll i.e. ordinary/not trained adeqquately. I stand by that claim. The USMC three shot burst function is the better solution than full auto.
There are those with training for whom the full auto capabillity works fine. SEALS when hard pressed use (or used. Im not up to current doctrine) full auto in a most impressive way for example. The sudden all out advance and firing full bore has saved many a SEALs bacon.
But they train, train, train and are usually not the most weak guys either.
That intensity of training for one purpose is simply not feasible for ordinary soldiers who are - lets face it - simnply not trained well enough for handling full auto for any useful purpose.
In Astan none of my buddies would win a popularity contest should they deceide to go full auto amongst dispersed soldiers in the Green Zone hell. Aimed shots at a clearly defined target it the way ahead for soldiers with standard training.

by Scout

The BAR is a beuatiful brute. I like that a lot. Colourful history too stretching back to the Monitors and was even used by in one variation or other by criminals such as Bonnie & Clyde.

The M14 is very nice too. Last stand before mouse gun calibres.

In regards to full-auto capability; The USMC did the right thing, as they went for a three-shot burst function.

Full-auto/Rock 'n' Roll in a serviceman rifle has no place in warfare and is only retained as a moral booster. Ordinary soldiers cant use it for anything, as its usually one aimed shot and the rest fired wildly into the air. THAT is just my opinion of course.