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From: 6600bwg@ucsbuxa.ucsb.edu (Barney W. Greinke)
Newsgroups: sci.military
Subject: Re: Small Arms
Message-ID: <1991Mar6.042515.25383@cbnews.att.com>
Date: 6 Mar 91 04:25:15 GMT
References: <1991Mar4.212601.9682@cbnews.att.com>
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From: 6600bwg@ucsbuxa.ucsb.edu (Barney W. Greinke)


Re-British rifle


The rifle is the new UK rifle.  It is a 5.56mm
weapon in what is called a 'bullpup' configuration
(clip behind the pistol grip).  The 'bullpup' layout
results in a decrease in weapon length of about 25%
with (supposedly) no decrease in range or accuracy
because the barrel length stays the same.  The rifle
was adopted about 2 or 3 years ago, I think.  I'm
not sure of its designation, but I think it's
something like L2A1 or some such.

For those interested, small arms have basically had
no major technological advances in the last 100
years!!!  The standard assault rifle layout has been
in existence since at least 1890.  The only major
improvements have been the incorporation of lighter
modern materials (plastics, aluminum), and a
decrease in ammunition size (it is argued that more
wounding rounds is better than fewer lethal rounds,
also volume of fire is extremely important in
firefight-maneuver situations).

On the horizon are several new small arms
technologies, such as caseless ammunition (Heckler &
Koch will send you wonderful literature on their
G11), flechette ammunition, lockless mechanisms,
etc.

Why could the Afghan guerrillas fight against a
modern, well equipped army?  One reason was that
when it came to men shooting men, it was an even
match (AK-74 vs. 70 year old Enfields).

BWG