The Firearms Forum - Gun Community - View Single Post - Questions about 1960's Cold War Era Weapons

millwright · 12-30-2007, 05:10 PM

Welcome Rogue !!!

You picked a 'tough' era in many ways, but also, a historically and (sometimes hysterically) interesting one. (Commiting the USG to bulk purchase of a gun 'demonstrated' by shooting watermelons at a barbecue is just one example.)

Lots of people here with far more in depth knowledge of the arms in service and being introduced than I have, so I'm sure you'll get some interesting - and perhaps historically correct - information. I'll just stick to some USG highlights that stick in what passes for my mind......

Circa 1955 NATO sought to 'standardize' its rifle/light MG round. The Brits proposal of something akin to the current 6.5 MM was nixed in favor of the .308 - basically a truncated .30/06 with better powder. The USG M-14 in .308 - although a very good weapon - wasn't 'measuring up' to changing tactical demands. ( It was basically uncontrollable in full auto.) The 'heavy weapon' was the M-2 JMB .50 caliber. Troops on recon and as "advisors" toted the M-1/M-2 carbine -essentially a pistol-weight round. Lots of M-4 'grease guns' were still seeing service - because they existed and were 'convertible' to 9 MM......

The pistol of "choice" remained the 1911 Browning in .45 ACP - although our allies used the superb JMB 9MM. The USG looked at - and bought into - a .224 cal. rifle round-that lasted 40 years in succeeding iterations of M-16, M-4/A2, etc, but kept "Ma Deuce" ....

Today's troops still tote that M-16 derivative, some M-14's, and a host of other 'gadget guns'......but those at the 'pointy end' still rely upon the .45 ACP and "Ma Deuce"........ >MW

12-30-2007, 05:10 PM	#6
millwright Advanced Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2005 Posts: 1,443	Re: Questions about 1960's Cold War Era Weapons Welcome Rogue !!! You picked a 'tough' era in many ways, but also, a historically and (sometimes hysterically) interesting one. (Commiting the USG to bulk purchase of a gun 'demonstrated' by shooting watermelons at a barbecue is just one example.) Lots of people here with far more in depth knowledge of the arms in service and being introduced than I have, so I'm sure you'll get some interesting - and perhaps historically correct - information. I'll just stick to some USG highlights that stick in what passes for my mind...... Circa 1955 NATO sought to 'standardize' its rifle/light MG round. The Brits proposal of something akin to the current 6.5 MM was nixed in favor of the .308 - basically a truncated .30/06 with better powder. The USG M-14 in .308 - although a very good weapon - wasn't 'measuring up' to changing tactical demands. ( It was basically uncontrollable in full auto.) The 'heavy weapon' was the M-2 JMB .50 caliber. Troops on recon and as "advisors" toted the M-1/M-2 carbine -essentially a pistol-weight round. Lots of M-4 'grease guns' were still seeing service - because they existed and were 'convertible' to 9 MM...... The pistol of "choice" remained the 1911 Browning in .45 ACP - although our allies used the superb JMB 9MM. The USG looked at - and bought into - a .224 cal. rifle round-that lasted 40 years in succeeding iterations of M-16, M-4/A2, etc, but kept "Ma Deuce" .... Today's troops still tote that M-16 derivative, some M-14's, and a host of other 'gadget guns'......but those at the 'pointy end' still rely upon the .45 ACP and "Ma Deuce"........ >MW