113)MK 19
[img]http://world.guns.ru/grenade/mk19mod3-1.jpg[/img]
We all know about the various grenade launchers that exist, but what about automatic launchers? From belt feeds? Yep, that's what the MK 19 is all about.
Back in the 1960s the US army used various hand-cranked launchers that fired 40x46mm shells, not unlike those used by M79 launchers. But the range and rate of fire of these weapons was highly limited. Thus, learning from this, the US Navy developed the MK 19 which uses a longer 40x53mm shell that has more range.
The weapon system itself is an open-bolt recoil-operated belt-fed machine gun (essentially) that fires the big shells that aren't compatible with M203 launchers that I mentioned earlier. This weapon alone weighs almost 80 pounds plus a heavy tripod and even heftier ammunition that comes in links of 32 and 48 rounds. The rate of fire is slow to prevent cook-offs and a crew can sustain roughly 40 rounds being fired a minute, 60 is they work real fast. The gun itself can fire 300 rpm, but at that rate you would be wasting ammo.
That may not seem like a lot but remember we are talking grenades here. And these ones can reach over a mile. This kind of range, coupled with the lack of any significant muzzle flash made countering such a weapon a daunting task by any means. The heavy weight is offset by the fact that it is mostly used mounted on vehicles. It proved itself to be a reliable and deadly crew-served weapon in Vietnam and beyond. In fact it is still in service with all branches of the US armed forces today.
It is also highly popular with other countries. Mexico uses them to fight the drug cartels, the UK, Colombia, Argentina, Chile, Australia, Israel, Pakistan and numerous other nations use them as well. In all roughly 30,000 exist, making it the most prolific weapon of its kind. Certainly you wouldn't expect a million of these things to exist, especially considering the 13,000$ price tag.
So how can both sides afford to put these on trucks in Far Cry 2?
[QUOTE=Karskin;17203853]So how can both sides afford to put these on trucks in Far Cry 2?[/QUOTE]
Because it is a video game.
[QUOTE=Bean-O;17203897]Because it is a video game.[/QUOTE]
I don't understand
[img]http://www.lefande.com/hands/dontunder.gif[/img]
You see Billy, in a video game the circumstances surrounding firearm acquisition can be altered to make any character or group of characters use any weapon and the performance characteristics can be altered in any way imaginable.
This is possible because video games are not solidly grounded in reality and when it comes down to it they could have 5 year olds dual-wielding miniguns that fire lasers. Therefore while a small, underfunded guerrilla faction isn't all that likely to be able to purchase such a weapon in reality, in the game world everyone can have one.
The UK have replaced their MK19's with the H&K GMG by the way. Which might be good for the next article.
Or, could you do an article on the old fashioned rifle grenades. The stick over the barrel type?
It's a little known fact that AH-6 little birds also accept MK19's in place of FFAR pods and/or miniguns. (They also accept hellfires and stingers, but they usually lack the electronics packages to really make them shine)
Why nobody ever uses that config is beyond me. It sounds like a fucking TERROR in an urban environment.
Problems aiming I guess. I'd have thought grenades arc alot more than rockets or bullets and must be hard to aim from a helicopter. Could also be weight or a limited ammunition supply. Does sound like an effective configuration on paper though.
Finally got he Mk. 19 here. Suggested it along with other people a while ago. That gun as so much fun to dick around with in Farcry 2...
So MK19 only fire grenades? Do they fire smoke grenades and other variants?
And bad company.
I can imagine that the shrapnel unleashed from such a storm of grenades could pin infantry rather quickly...
[QUOTE=Darkhorse01;17207890]
Or, could you do an article on the old fashioned rifle grenades. The stick over the barrel type?[/QUOTE]
You mean these?
[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/M1_Garand_rifgren-shooting_line.jpg[/img]
They could have been fantastic in the WW1 and WW2 era in my opinion. Made squad able to launch grenades longer distances than hand grenades without having to carry mortar launchers.
But people with more knowledge feel free to correct me.
Yes those, they were popular as well. Pretty much everyone had/has them. Italy and Israel still use them.
[QUOTE=zenith777;17210515]You mean these?
[img]http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cd/M1_Garand_rifgren-shooting_line.jpg[/img]
They could have been fantastic in the WW1 and WW2 era in my opinion. Made squad able to launch grenades longer distances than hand grenades without having to carry mortar launchers.
But people with more knowledge feel free to correct me.[/QUOTE]
The japs got mini handheld mortars I think....
[QUOTE=Rageblood;17194472]The cornershot is for chickenshits who can't lean their heads around a corner without thinking they'll get their heads blasted off.[/QUOTE]
Fix'd. It would be interesting if there was a pivoting optic, though.
[QUOTE=Darkhorse01;17208023]Problems aiming I guess. I'd have thought grenades arc alot more than rockets or bullets and must be hard to aim from a helicopter. Could also be weight or a limited ammunition supply. Does sound like an effective configuration on paper though.[/QUOTE]
They arc a lot less than you'd think...
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPCxgGIhsm4[/media]
Funny video.
"Oh shit"
"Too close...."
"Ya think?"
Anti riot ammunitions? Rubber slugs?
[QUOTE=Wittmann;17212239]Anti riot ammunitions? Rubber slugs?[/QUOTE]
I covered some of that in one of the 3 special editions on nonlethal alternatives.
Swiss police grenadiers actually use modified k31s as riot control guns firing 40mm nades
[IMG]http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/mm308/wittmann25/die_bilder_parsys_0005_2_photo_Phot.jpg[/IMG]
114)HK21/HK11
[img]http://world.guns.ru/machine/hk21e_01.jpg[/img]
A derivative of the G3 series the origin of this weapon can be summed up rather simply. With the success of the G3 rifle H&K decided to make a machine gun that had as much part commonality with the G3 as possible. Four such weapons were designed in the early 1960's.
The HK21 itself is, like I mentioned little more than a G3 with a built-in belt feed system. Unusual for a GPMG it also has a closed bolt although the rate of fire is still a substantial 800 RPM. Among the relatively few changes is a heavy quick-change barrel. Since the belt feed system is mounted under the receiver reloading is a pain, but the advantage is that system can be swapped for a magazine well which can take standard G3 magazines. You could also swap the barrel, feed system and a couple other components resulting in the same gun chambered in 5.56mm or even 7.62x39mm. The HK 11 is just an HK 21 set up to fire from magazines, rather than a belt feed.
Interestingly the 5.56 configuration was originally marketed as an HK21, although later it would be marketed as a different weapon system, the HK 13 (mag fed) and HK 23 (belt fed). The 7.62x39mm version remained as an afterthought and I don't know if it is even being made anymore. Later on in the 1980s the entire series of machine guns was updated to use the new safe/single/burst/auto trigger group rather than the older SEF group that all the other older G3s and derivatives shared. All of these guns can be distinguished from the originals because they all have an "E" at the end (which stands for "export").
Why were they designated as export weapons?
Because the German army never adopted the HK machine gun series. A number of the HK 11Es are used by specialized forces as the G8 but the MG3 beat H&K to the punch and the Bundeswehr had no reason to replace such a dated, yet effective and intimidating weapon.
Naturally that isn't to say no one uses the HK21/11/13/23. It was widely exported since it was marketed in tandem with the ever-successful G3 series. In fact Mexico, Portugal and Greece made licensed copies. Several countries such as Niger, Malaysia and Bangladesh use both the 21 and 11. The 5.56 variant never saw much success. Still, Bolivia, Colombia, El Salvador, Sweden and numerous other countries use them today.
Sometimes in somewhat specialized roles. For instance NASA uses a couple to patrol the Kennedy Space Center and BOPE (the world's deadliest special forces agency) uses them in Brazil for counter-terrorist and counter-narcotic operations.
[QUOTE=GunFox;17207954]It's a little known fact that AH-6 little birds also accept MK19's in place of FFAR pods and/or miniguns. (They also accept hellfires and stingers, but they usually lack the electronics packages to really make them shine)
Why nobody ever uses that config is beyond me. It sounds like a fucking TERROR in an urban environment.[/QUOTE]
Grenades lack the accuracy of a machine gun or the punch of a Hydra 70 from an M260. So they adopt the two extremes in place of the grenade launcher and while it's not nearly as scary it fucks shit up in a much more cost-effective manner.
And then there are other more obscure reaons. 160th SOAR wouldn't shunt it to the side if they didn't know what they were doing.
Proof of the japs mortar:
[img]http://www.metalcraftbyblair.com/images/imagecache/590%20%20Japanese%20%20Type%2089%20Grenade%20Launcher.jpg200x405[/img]
Also, BEAN-O, MAKE ONE ON JAPANESE FIREARMS PLOX.
Ah the Knee or leg mortar. The amount of times American soldiers broke their legs on that, they thought it was meant to be fired from the knee, when it really got the name as the Japanese would carry it strapped to their leg.
lol, you're supposed to set it on the ground
silly soldiers, don't they study physics.
[QUOTE=angelangelv2;17225030]lol, you're supposed to set it on the ground
silly soldiers, don't they study physics.[/QUOTE]
Also, video:
[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpG3cMVVS58&feature=related[/media]
[QUOTE=UncleJimmema;17171077]The Sniper from Halo that happens to be modeled off of a South African heavy sniper rifle that was shown in District 9?[/QUOTE]
South African NTW-20.
In real life the [B]magazine[/B] is on the side
So is the magazine on the Type 99, I don't see why you had to point it out.
And the Sten.
-snip-
[QUOTE=Sgt Doom;17242660]He was pointing out the difference between the Halo and rl versions.[/QUOTE]
Yes but that isn't what they were talking about, he specifically bolded magazine for no apparent reason.
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