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From: dragoo@hpuxa.ircc.ohio-state.edu (Stephen P. Dragoo)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: Small Arms
Message-ID: <1991Mar7.015008.3308@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 7 Mar 91 01:50:08 GMT
References: <1991Mar4.212601.9682@cbnews.att.com>
Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (william.b.thacker)
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From: dragoo@hpuxa.ircc.ohio-state.edu (Stephen P. Dragoo)
In article <1991Mar4.212601.9682@cbnews.att.com> scott@swindle.Berkeley.EDU (Scott Silvey) writes:
>I have a couple questions about some of the infantry weapons I've seen troops
>  using in the GULF.
>I've noticed a few of the men in every squad are equiped with a grenade laucher
>  mounted under the barrel of their M16.  Would someone mind describing this
>  weapon and it's uses in detail?  For example, what is it's range, and what
>  types of rounds can it fire?  Is it normally loaded all the time?  Does the
>  grenade have a fairly flat trajectory, or is it lobbed like a short range
>  mortar?  How do they determine who gets to use one?  Does it increase the
>  weight of the rifle so that it becomes more unwieldly?
That is the M?(sorry--can't remember exact number, but in 200's range) Grenade
launcher.  It has about a400-yard+ effective range, and fires standard 40mm 
grenades that were originally developed for the M79 shotgun-type launcher.
It dos increase the weight, but since the M16 is lightweight anyway, it 
shouldn't be too bad.  It would normally be loaded(if you've got 2 seconds to 
get one off, you don't take the time to load it then.)  For short ranges, it 
has a flat trajectory, but it also has a sight for long ranges.  I would 
assume that the person gets picked randomly. 
>Also, I noticed some scenes of British infantry scouting out an Iraqi bunker
>  for hostiles ... they tossed in a grenade.  They were carrying a very modern
>  looking assault rifle that I've never seen before.  It was sand colored 
>  and had the magazine (and I assume the firing mechanism) BEHIND the pistol
>  grip.  This makes the weapon somewhat short I assume.  Can anyone explain 
>  what rifle this is?  Is it standard issue now?  When did they get it?  How
>  does it compare with the M16A2?

That is the L85 Individual Weapon.  It is designed "Bullpup" fashion, with
the magazine and ejector located behind the handgrip.  This reduces the length
of the rifle, making it easier for mechanized and airbourne troops to carry. 
This also makes it easier to carry and aim, because of the length and weight.
It's of 4.85mm caliber, and the cartridge is almost the same size as the 
SS 109 NATO rifle.  Ballistically, it performs similarly, and has a high 
muzzle velocity.
-- 
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