Download or read book The M14 Battle Rifle written by Leroy Thompson and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2014-10-20 with total page 162 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The M14 may have only been the primary US service rifle for a little over a decade before being replaced by the M16, but it is still considered by many experts to be the best rifle to ever see US service. Primarily designed for a war in Europe, where it would take its place alongside the other battle rifles like the FN FAL, the M14 saw most of its combat use in the early days of the Vietnam War. Maintained until 1970 for compatibility with NATO forces the M14 had a renaissance as a semi-automatic sniping weapon and since 2001 the M14 has been employed as a Designated Marksman Rifle, being employed by all branches of the US military, especially in Afghanistan where the open terrain makes longer-range engagements common. Featuring specially commissioned full-color artwork and archive and close-up photographs, this engaging study tells the story of the M14, the long-lived battle rifle that remains in front-line service with US forces more than 50 years after its first adoption.

Download or read book The Battle Rifle written by Russell C. Tilstra and published by McFarland. This book was released on 2014-03-13 with total page 193 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: While the 20th century brought many technological advancements to the battlefield, a key weapon of warfare remains the soldier and his rifle. This volume chronicles the historical development of the modern service rifle after World War II and examines its resurgence in Afghanistan after generations of absence following the introduction of the assault rifle. Individual chapters survey the most combat-tested models--including the FN FAL, U.S. M14 and HK 417--in technical detail, emphasizing key points in the evolution of rifle technology and ammunition. Also explored is the development of the current M16 series rifle, and how recent difficulties in Afghanistan have led to an increasing reliance on the venerable M14. Providing a strong knowledge base of the various weapons now in service throughout the world, this instructive work demonstrates that the battle rifle has not outlived its usefulness.

Download or read book The U S M14 Rifle written by Frank Iannamico and published by . This book was released on 2018-10-15 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The FN FAL Battle Rifle written by Bob Cashner and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2013-08-20 with total page 170 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Of all the infantry small arms developed during World War II, one that generated the most interest was the German 'assault rifle', the StG 44 Sturmgewehr. This innovative weapon inspired the Soviet AK-47 in 7.62x39mm calibre. In the West, the NATO countries looked hard at new weapons to upgrade their own infantry arsenals and counter the AK-47, resulting in the design of the Fusil Automatique Léger or FAL. It proved to be a successful battle rifle and was soon adopted by the military and police forces of no fewer than 93 nations. The FAL dominated the militaries of the West to such a degree that its nickname became the Right Arm of the Free World. The FAL fulfilled every role it was asked to perform and remains a viable and well-respected weapon to this day.

Download or read book U S Rifle M14 written by R. Blake Stevens and published by . This book was released on 1991-01-01 with total page 340 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The Last Battle Rifle written by Brock Bergquist and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 48 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book American Rifle written by Alexander Rose and published by Delta. This book was released on 2009-09-29 with total page 530 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: George Washington insisted that his portrait be painted with one. Daniel Boone created a legend with one. Abraham Lincoln shot them on the White House lawn. And Teddy Roosevelt had his specially customized. In this first-of-its-kind book, historian Alexander Rose delivers a colorful, engrossing biography of an American icon: the rifle. Drawing on the words of foot soldiers, inventors, and presidents, based on extensive new research, and spanning from the Revolution to the present day, American Rifle is a balanced, wonderfully entertaining history of the rifle and its place in American culture.

Download or read book Misfire written by Bob Orkand and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2019-07-26 with total page 263 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The M16 rifle is one of the world’s most famous firearms, iconic as the American weapon of the Vietnam War—and, indeed, as the U.S. military’s standard service rifle until only a few years ago. But the story of the M16 in Vietnam is anything but a success story. In the early years of the war, the U.S. military had a problem: its primary infantry rifle, the M14, couldn’t stand up to the enemy’s AK-47s. The search was on for a replacement that was lighter weight, more durable, and more lethal than the M14. After tests (some of which the new rifle had failed) and debates (more than a few rooted in the army brass’s resistance to change), Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara ordered the adoption of the M16, which was rushed through production and rushed to Vietnam, reaching troops’ hands in early 1965. Problems appeared immediately. Soldiers were often not adequately trained to maintain the new rifle (in fact some were told the new rifle was “self-cleaning”), nor were they always given cleaning supplies or instructions. The harsh jungle climate corroded the rifle’s chamber, exacerbated by the manufacturer’s decision against chrome-plating the chamber. The ammunition that accompanied the rifles sent to Vietnam was incompatible with the M16 and was the principal cause of the failure to extract malfunctions. The result was the M16 often jammed, making the rifle “about as effective as a muzzleloader,” in the words of one officer. Men were killed in combat because they couldn’t return fire until the malfunction was cleared. Congress investigated and the rifle and its ammunition were incrementally modified, greatly improving its reliability over the next few years. Troop training was also improved. But the damage to the M16’s reputation could not be undone, and many soldiers remained deeply skeptical of their rifle through the war’s end. Misfire combines insider knowledge of U.S. Army weapons development with firsthand combat experience in Vietnam to tell the story of the M16 in Vietnam. Even as it details the behind-the-scenes development, tests, and debates that brought this rifle into service, the book also describes men and M16s in action on the battlefield, never losing sight of the soldiers who carried M16s in the jungles of Vietnam and all too often suffered the consequences of decisions they had nothing to do with.

Download or read book The G3 Battle Rifle written by Leroy Thompson and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2019-05-30 with total page 81 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: During the Cold War, the G3 was one of the world's pre-eminent battle rifles. Developed in France and Spain after 1945, the rifle was produced by the German arms manufacturer Heckler & Koch. Adopted by more than 40 countries and produced on licence by many more, it was widely employed during colonial wars in Africa, insurgencies in Latin America and conflicts in the Middle East, but perhaps its widest use was in the Iran–Iraq War. Variants of the G3 have also seen substantial usage among Special Forces including Britain's Special Boat Service and the US Navy SEALs. Semi-automatic versions, especially the HK91 and HK93, remain popular in the United States, and the G3-derived HK11 and HK21 family of light machine guns have also been widely adopted by military and law-enforcement units across the world. Fully illustrated with specially commissioned artwork, this study examines one of the iconic weapons of the Cold War era.

Download or read book The Great Rifle Controversy written by Edward Clinton Ezell and published by . This book was released on 1984 with total page 376 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Udviklingen af den amerikanske infanterists håndvåben.

Download or read book The Gun written by C. J. Chivers and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2011-09-06 with total page 496 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The author, a New York Times reporter, traces the invention and mass distribution of the AK-47 assault rifle, and its effects on war. He traces the invention of the assault rifle, following the miniaturization of rapid-fire arms from the American Civil War, through World War I and Vietnam, to present-day Afghanistan, where Kalashnikovs and their knockoffs number as many as 100 million, one for every seventy persons on earth. It is the weapon of state repression, as well as revolution, civil war, genocide, drug wars, and religious wars; and it is the arms of terrorists, guerrillas, boy soldiers, and thugs. From its inception to its use by more than fifty national armies around the world, to its role in modern-day Afghanistan, he discusses how the deadly weapon has helped alter world history.

Download or read book The FN FAL Battle Rifle written by Bob Cashner and published by Osprey Publishing. This book was released on 2013-08-20 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Of all the infantry small arms developed during World War II, one that generated the most interest was the German 'assault rifle', the StG 44 Sturmgewehr. This innovative weapon fired an intermediate cartridge much more powerful and long-ranged than the standard pistol rounds used in submachine guns, but smaller and lighter than a full-size 7.92mm rifle round, producing less recoil and enabling the soldier to carry more ammunition. The StG 44 and the Soviet weapon it inspired, the AK-47 in 7.62x39mm calibre, could still effectively and accurately engage targets on semi-automatic out to 300m, but when close-range firepower was needed could fire on full-automatic like a submachine gun. In the West, the NATO countries looked hard at new weapons to upgrade their own infantry arsenals and counter the AK-47. Although British and other designers developed their own prototype assault rifles chambered for intermediate cartridges, the Americans adopted the M14 'battle rifle' and forced a common full-length calibre, 7.62x51mm, on their NATO allies. Fabrique Nationale of Belgium designed a new military rifle, the Fusil Automatique Léger or FAL, as an assault rifle using a true intermediate cartirdge, but this innovative weapon also proved to be a successful battle rifle when adapted for the full-length NATO round. It was soon adopted by the military and police forces of no fewer than 93 nations around the globe, from the United Kingdom to Israel, and was manufactured under licence on every populated continent. It remains in production to this day and is regarded by most as the quintessential postwar battle rifle. In fact, the FAL dominated the militaries of the West to such a degree that its nickname became the Right Arm of the Free World. Roughly comparable in terms of size and weight to other contemporary battle rifles such as the American M14 and the German Heckler & Koch G3, the FAL proved to be reliable and well loved by its users. It performed reliably in a wide variety of small wars and insurgencies, in the hands of professional soldiers as well as those of hastily trained conscripts and essentially untrained guerrillas. It proved itself in harsh environments as varied as the cold, wet, featureless Falkland Islands in the South Atlantic, the snow and ice of Norway and northern Canada, the deep jungles of Vietnam and Malaya, the deserts of the Middle East, and the streets of Belfast. While thankfully never called upon for its original intent - facing down hordes of mechanized Soviet infantry on the plains of Western Europe - the FAL fulfilled every role it was asked to perform and remains a viable and well-respected weapon to this day.

Download or read book The M14 Owner s Guide and Match Conditioning Instructions written by Scott A. Duff and published by . This book was released on 1996 with total page 180 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book The M1 Garand written by Leroy Thompson and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2012-05-20 with total page 169 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The M1 Garand gave the US infantryman a marked edge during World War II. It shot faster and further than enemy infantry rifles and hit harder. No less an authority on killing the enemy than General George S. Patton called the Garand, “The greatest battle implement ever devised.” At a time when opposing forces were armed with bolt-action rifles, US troops had a highly reliable self-loader. The eight-round clips which were used to load the M1 Garand were, however, viewed with mixed emotions by the troops on the ground. Some Army and Marine Corps troops allegedly felt that the distinctive “twang” as the Garand's clip was ejected when empty alerted the enemy that the soldiers were reloading and resulted in an attack. But the Garand became the defining mankiller of the war, despite its weight and magazine problems, and many US combat veterans consider it one of the key reasons they survived the war.

Download or read book Battle Rifles written by Source Wikipedia and published by University-Press.org. This book was released on 2013-09 with total page 58 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Please note that the content of this book primarily consists of articles available from Wikipedia or other free sources online. Pages: 56. Chapters: FN FAL, Heckler & Koch G3, M14 rifle, L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle, AR-10, FG 42, Howa Type 89, FN SCAR, Armalite AR-18, List of battle rifles, Howa Type 64, SIG SG 510, Mk 14 Enhanced Battle Rifle, Heckler & Koch HK417, Kel-Tec RFB, CETME, Leader Dynamics Series T2 MK5, Armalite AR-16, SAR-80, Bushmaster M17S, SR-88, Olin/Winchester Salvo Rifle, FA-MAS Type 62, Madsen LAR, AVB-7.62, SLEM-1, Model 45A, SOCIMI AR-832, KAL1 General Purpose Infantry Rifle, Chropi rifle, Cristobal Model 3, HIW VSK, Sterling 7.62, Sterling SAR-87, ITM Model 3, Sieg rifle, Saritch 308, SIG AK53, ParaFAL, Itajuba Model 954 Mosquetao, Kepplinger HV-71, Franchi LF-59, Calzada Bayo CB-57, FM57 rifle, GRAM 63 battle rifle. Excerpt: The Fusil Automatique Leger ("Light Automatic Rifle") or FAL is a self-loading, selective fire battle rifle produced by the Belgian armaments manufacturer Fabrique Nationale de Herstal (FN). During the Cold War it was adopted by many North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) countries, with the notable exception of the United States. It is one of the most widely used rifles in history, having been used by over 90 countries. The FAL was predominantly chambered for the 7.62x51mm NATO round, and because of its prevalence and widespread use among the armed forces of many NATO countries during the Cold War it was nicknamed "The right arm of the Free World." A British Commonwealth derivative of the FN FAL has been produced under licence as the L1A1 Self-Loading Rifle. In 1947, the first FN FAL prototype was completed. It was designed to fire the intermediate 7.92x33mm Kurz cartridge developed and used by the forces of Nazi Germany during World War II (see StG44 assault rifle). After testing this prototype in 1948, the British Army urged FN to build additional prototypes, including one in bullpup configuration, chambered for...

Download or read book The M16 written by Gordon L. Rottman and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2011-12-20 with total page 103 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The M16 was first introduced in 1958 and was revolutionary for its time as it was made of lightweight materials including special aluminum and plastics. It was first adopted by US Special Forces and airborne troops in 1962 before it was issued to Army and Marine units serving in Vietnam. Its use spread throughout the following decades and a number of variants including submachine and carbine versions were also fielded. As a result it is now amongst the three most used combat cartridges in the world while over 10 million M16s and variants have been produced making it one of the most successful American handheld weapons in history .But despite its undeniable success the M16 is not without its detractors. Indeed, the “black rifle”, as it is known, is one of the most controversial rifles ever introduced with a long history of design defects, ruggedness issues, cleaning difficulties and reliability problems leading to endless technical refinements. This volume provides a technical history of the M16 and the struggle to perfect it together with an assessment of its impact on the battlefield drawing on over a decade's combat experience with the rifle.

Download or read book Small Arms of the Vietnam War written by Dale A. Dye and published by Warriors Publishing Group. This book was released on 2018-08-19 with total page 362 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: With modern military emphasis on whiz-bang weapons technology and the constant quest for things that make a bigger bang on the battlefield, it’s easy to forget that at the dark heart of war stands an infantryman and his individual weapons. Those who understand warfare from research or from personal experience generally realize this about the conflicts that have plagued mankind since the dawn of time. Infantry weapons—often referred to as small arms—have fascinated soldiers and scholars for decades as they are the most personal aspects of combat. Small arms come into play when contact is close and potentially lethal. This was particularly true during the long, frustrating war in Vietnam, but much of the focus in studying that conflict has been either on aerial weapons—strike aircraft or armed helicopters—or on the originally much-maligned M16 rifle. There were huge numbers of other weapons used by both sides, but they are often ignored and rarely seen being used in combat action. This book solves that problem. Divided into easily digestible sections and preceded by cogent discussions of each weapon type, the authors have presented an intriguing collection of photographs that depict the primary small (and not so small) infantry arms most common on Vietnam battlefields. There are rare and stirring images here that depict what it was like to fight in the jungle-covered mountains and in the rice paddies. Viewing these images is like studying a primer about one of America’s longest and deadliest wars. "We have a new generation of combat veterans among us these days. Men and women who carried a new generation of weapons to war into places such as Iraq and Afghanistan, who have returned with a fresh understanding about the crucial importance of small arms in warfare. They understand...that there is no strategy or tactic that equals victory in armed conflict if it does not include that muddy, grimy, dog-tired infantryman with just his personal weapon to help him survive in a life-and-death encounter." – American Rifleman "It’s an excellent book for anyone with an interest in the details of 20th-century infantry weapons, especially historians and collectors." – Booksmith