Path: utzoo!attcan!uunet!bu.edu!att!cbnews!cbnews!military From: ke4zv!gary@gatech.edu (Gary Coffman) Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: Re: sidearms for flyboys Message-ID: <1990Nov6.045052.2194@cbnews.att.com> Date: 6 Nov 90 04:50:52 GMT References: <1990Nov2.202327.28701@cbnews.att.com> Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker) Organization: Gannett Technologies Group Lines: 31 Approved: military@att.att.com From: ke4zv!gary@gatech.edu (Gary Coffman) In article <1990Nov2.202327.28701@cbnews.att.com> huntzing@PICA.ARMY.MIL (CCL-S) writes: > >From: "Hugh A. Huntzinger" (CCL-S) >In some ways, I feel that "its about time" that the Air Force got caught up >with some of the other branches in its small arms. Prior to 9mm, their >standard sidearm was .38 revolver and std. rifle the M16 (NOT M16A1 or M16A2). >However, the storageability of a loaded sidearm is frequently in question >with an automatic (springs in the clips), making the choice of a revolver >a more robust system for their application. On that ground, their choice >for a revolver has significant merit. As for now changing to 9mm, are >they now forgetting this system requirement? I don't know. Perhaps they >could comprimise by getting a revolver chambered to use 9mm parabellum via >half or full moon clips. A few years ago the NRA published an article where some 45 magazines had been stored loaded since WWII. They test fired the magazines with no failures to feed. Revolver mechanisms are more exposed and subject to fouling by dirt than semi-autos. This is one of the reasons the Army changed from revolvers to semi-autos. The semi-auto is thiner due to the lack of cylinder bulge and is easier and more comfortable to carry on the person. The S&W 38 is a much more delicate mechanism than a Government Model 45 Colt. In particular, the hand is easily broken and the leaf hammer spring fatiques much more easily than more modern coil springs. Half moon clips are the pits to work with. The only real drawback of semi-autos is the inability to handle special rounds such as flare cartridges. Gary