Conference repair::reserve_forces

That's when the US-style angle flashlights that clip onto your uniform would
come in handy...

Or you could use a miner's helmet :-)

/. Ian .\

    No one in that lorry thought of a torch. None of us had one to hand.
    Thanks for the advice Ian.
    
    Do you ever wish there was a hole nearby.....

actually I wasn't trying to belittle you - or anyone else.

It appears to me that the US Army made a sensible decision when they made those
dinky little angle torches part of a GI's kit. White light when it's safe and a 
red filter for when you need to be careful, there are many many occasions when 
having a source of light that you don't have to hold is extremely useful

(including bouncing about in the back of a four tonner whilst trying to clean
a rifle).

/. Ian .\

(Perhaps I'll mention it at my next staff meeting under "AOB"...)

    Re .0:
    
    Very carefully!
    
    Seriously though, I don't think I'd try to clean an M-16 in the
    dark (I'm sure it's been done - when your life's on the line anything
    is possible). If you lose the little tiny cotter pin that goes,
    if memory serves, in the bolt (US reservists you probably know which
    one I mean), you can say adios 'cause when the next firefight starts
    you're gonna be in a real bind.
    
    Let's see.....an SLR??? Isn't that the British 9mm machine gun (sort
    of an improved STEN)....another memory failure I'm afraid.
    
    Which reminds me.....back in '85 when I went out on a little one
    day manuever with the Royal Marine Reserves near Greenock, Scotland,
    they let us bring back dirty weapons (British equivalent to the
    M-14....I can't remember the initials and GPMG's) but the Sergeant
    absolutely made sure (under Queen's Regs. I think) that all weapons
    were clear.
    
    Mark
    RMC USNR

    Re .3:
    
    That reminds me, Ian.....there were cases in Vietnam where Marines
    tried to adjust the rear sight on their M-14's at night using the
    flashlight you mentioned thus giving away their position. The lesson
    learned was learn to adjust it in the dark.
    
    Mark
    RMC USNR

    RE: .5
    
    I have never considered the implications of white light at night to
    someone on the ground.  I have always thought of white vs red lights in
    terms of aviation.  White light destroys night vision!  During Carrier
    Operations, white lights were a no-no for (I think) a half hour before
    launch.  All internal lighting (ready-rooms, passageways, etc.) was red
    for night ops.
    
    Just curious - in the bush (you know the one I mean!) a red light would
    be less visible than white, but still visible.  Right?  I woould think
    a red light in a dark environment would give away ones position rather
    quickly.
    
    	Bill Tarmey

    
    
    1- how the h*** can you possibly clean a weapon in a
       MOVING, OPEN truck? (our 2 1/2 tons suck the road dust in the back)
    
    2- I normally have my troops just spray some CLP (the US ARMY's
       current small arms cleaner) or WD-30 (civilian stuff)down
       the barrel and all over the bolt. By the time we reach home station
       the carbon is nice and loose.
    
    3- Doesn't SLR stand for Self Loading Rifle? Core memory recalls
       this to be UK version of 7.62 FN (or was it FLN?)
    
    4- of course you could clean the barrel real fast by shooting the
       "armorer" with a Armor Piercing round  ;~)
    
    Randy Schwartz

    Re .7:
    
    You got it right, Randy. I was confusing SLR with SMG (aka Sterling).
    
    Thanks for the memory jog.
    
    Mark
    RMC USNR

    You should be able to field strip your weapon and clean it blindfolded.
    However, the emphasis here is on field strip, not completely
    disassemble.  If you were expected to clean the weapon for white glove
    inspection your NCO had his head where the sun don't shine.  
    
    All US ground troops carry the mentioned flashlight and, yes, the
    colored lens (they come with green, red, and blue) is used at night
    to protect night vision as well as for light discipline.  We used
    different colors for things like marking the sight on a howitzer
    when laying the battery at night.  When you're 100 meters from the
    guns trying to see a sight marked red it gets real confusing when the
    troops are all using red.  So, we would mark blue or green.
    
    As far as Marines needing a light to adjust the sight on an M14, we
    just counted clicks.  Of course, if you can't see the sight you
    wouldn't be able to aim with it anyway.  Jarheads, go figure.
    
    Len 

    Many thanks for your comments, I was beginning to feel an idiot
    because of this; you know the ,"I'll never get the hang of all this".
    
    I can strip my weapon and re-assemble it with my eyes shut, though
    I've never done it on exercise and outside. In ideal conditions
    I've loaded an SLR magazine in less than 20 seconds. I mention all
    this because, I guess, I'm reassuring myself I'm doing something
    correct.
    I like the idea of the WD40, but I wonder how the officers and NCO's
    would react (Ian - any comments?) and I've got a suitable torch
    now.
    
    Another gripe, just a whinge really, is the inconsistency between
    acceptable levels of cleanliness. Maybe that's just me "seeing" something
    that's not really there. 
    
    Anyway thanks again.
    Dave

WD40 sounds fine by me - but then I'm just a pragmatic engineer ... don't
think the Brigade of Guards would view me with favour :-)

Try WD40 - quick wipe through with a pull through and run an oily rag over 
the outside of the rifle.

Might not pass inspection but it would certainly fire if needed. I'd be less
confidant of the functioning of the piece if I'd field stripped it in the 
dark in the back of 4 tonner...

/. Ian .\

    As anybody who has cleaned an M-16 knows, and particuarly if you've
    been firing blank ammo, they are a *bear* to work on. 
    
    Most armorers I've met want to see *zero* material in the barrel and I 
    mean zero. The next area of concern is cleaning the frigging bolt
    - that thing has more nooks and crannies than you can believe if
    you've never cleaned one.
    
    I don't know if the 'A2 models are any better than the 'A1's - I
    know they have a heavier barrel and I think a different sight.
    
    Mark
    RMC USNR

    We seem to be discussing two aspects of cleaning personal weapons. One
    is thorough cleaning for inspection purposes and the other is cleaning
    adequately to insure proper functioning.  Some rifles (like the M16)
    seem to need more thorough cleaning than others to function reliably
    but there is still a different level of dismantling necessary for each.
    
    The M16 is field stripped by pushing out the rear pin, swinging the
    barrel and upper receiver down, pulling out the charging handle and
    bolt carrier, pushing a cotter pin out of the carier, removing the
    firing pin, pulling out a retainer and removing the bolt.  This is
    very easily accomplished without hand tools and will allow cleaning
    to the point of assuring functioning.  By holding your helmet between
    your knees you provide a safe place to drop any parts that might slip
    through your fingers.  Combined with the red lens (for light
    discipline) flashlight (oops, torch) clipped to your LBE (Load Bearing
    Equipment) what more could anyone possibly want? 8-)
    
    M16s gained a bad reputation early on in Vietnam because of the   
    powder that was being used in the US 5.56mm ammo at that time.  Seems
    it was surplus Korean War arty stuff that was recycled.  Also, the M16
    uses a direct blowback system which directs gas into the mechanism to
    cycle the action.
    
    A2s are functionally identical to A1s although they do have a heavier
    barrel, improved rear sight, round handguards, and a 1/7 twist rate to
    stabilize a heavier bullet.
    
    Len                                                                   

    Re .13:
    
    Thanks, Len for your input.
    
    I should be careful because my knowledge goes back to the Old Army
    of 1970 and I may be looking at things from a "time warp" perspective!
    :-)
    
    Not to mention my 14 years with the Navy didn't really keep me up
    to date on current small arms (just enough to be dangerous).
    
    Mark
    RMC USNR

    1970 eh?  OK Mark, shall we go through the routine for M14s?  Well, I
    guess the US Army switched to the 16s in 1966 or so.  The Marines stuck
    with the M14 for a couple more years and they are still used on US Navy
    ships.  (Is it possible to find an M1 Garand on board these days?)   
    I was drafted in 1964 so was exposed to both weapons.  The M14 uses a 
    gas piston pushing against an operating rod to cycle the action so stays 
    much cleaner in the bolt/trigger group area than the M16.
    
    How about some more data on the British and Australian rifles?
    
    Len
    
    

    I think we over here should nominate Col Ian to describe the
    British weapons. Anyone second that nomination?
    
    Over to you Ian....

    Re .15:
    
    What?? Pup?? :-) :-)
    
    The only time I was exposed to M-14's (other than a brief exposure
    to one in 1971 in Germany just before my Signal Corps unit got M-16's
    - my CO, a West Pointer, had to show me how to field strip it as
    I had no idea where to begin) was in 1983 at NAVSTA Rosy
    Roads. I had never fired one and first thing I noticed was (at least
    to me) my arms didn't seem long enough! I was so used to firing
    an M-16 with the pistol grip I couldn't get used to firing a rifle
    that didn't have one. Also, I kept slapping the bottom of the magazine
    after I inserted it - forgot it wasn't an M16!
    
    The M-1 Garands are gone from shipboard as far as I know (I think
    they went out in the late 60's/early 70's).
    
    Mark
    RMC USNR
    The Old Salt

    Re .16:
    
    Roger that.....I second the nomination.
    
    Mark
    RMC USNR

    Another change not mentioned for the A-2.  The full auto mode has been
    changed to a three round "burst" mode.  No matter how long you hold the
    trigger, it will only fire a three round burst.
    
    Serv

OK I'll describe the British rifle when I get a chance. The rifle we are 
discussing here is the SLR: a British version of the well known FN (Fabrique
Nationale de l'Arme de Guerre - with apologies for mangling the French - the 
Belgian national arms company) also used by for example Canada. It is chambered 
in 7.62 (known in the states as .308).

Full time soldiers are curently using (or will shortly be using) cariants of
the 'SA80' Enfield weapons System which is replacing the SLR, GPMG (machine gun)
and the venerable Sterling ('Sten') sub machine gun. I've already discussed that 
elsewhare.

/. Ian .\

    Just a side note to cleaning the M-16 rifle bolt assembly.  While I was
    in AIT (Advanced Individual Training) out Drill Sergeant told us this
    tip:  
    
    Take a piece of a wire hangar, about 5-6" long and hammer one end until
    its flat.  This tool proved to be a very useful scraper to get to the
    carbon that the normal tools or our fingers couldn't get.
    
    
    Ted
    2LT, TC
    MAARNG