Weapons of the Vietnam War

[thedrifter]

US WEAPONS

http://www.173rdairborne.com/images/M_16.gif

This is the weapon most commonly associated with US troops in Vietnam. Despite early problems with the weapon it has now become a respected assault weapon. The 5.56mm M16A1 is a gas operated magazine-fed rifle capable of semi-automatic and automatic fire with an effective range of 300 meters and a practical rate of fire of 60 rpm.



NVA Weapons

http://www.173rdairborne.com/images/ak47_1.gif

Easily recognized with its high front sights, large selector/safety switch on the right side and the long, curved banana magazine, this is the Soviet version with a conventional wooden buttstock. The AK-47 is a gas-operated, magazine-fed rifle which has a semiautomatic ROF of 40 rounds (effective range about 400 meters), increasing to 100 rounds on fully automatic (effective range about 300 meters). It has a 30 round detachable box magazine. Renowned for it's durability, the AK-47 is shorter and heavier than the M-16 but with a lower ROF and muzzle velocity.

http://www.173rdairborne.com/weapons.htm

Sempers,

Roger

[USMC0311]

I don't want my best friend to be left out!

http://www.USMC0311.com/images/bin/M14a.gif

The M-14

[Sparrowhawk]

http://vietnamdiary.bizland.com/M60.gif

[badbob]

Fires an 11lb self-propelled HEAT (high explosive anti Tank) or Willy Peter "White Phosphors" Round.

Range approximately 1300 meters.

What ever you do - Don't stand behind it

http://3rdmarines.net/35Rocket.jpg

Semper Fi,
Bob Neener
0351
1964 -1968

[badbob]

That's a good one Hawk.

I've still got my last P38, and it's as sharp as was 36 years ago when I opened my last box of C's in Nam.


Now how about this little night light, I never felt alone on watch when I had controll of a few of these baby's

http://3rdmarines.net/Claymore.jpg
The M18A1 Claymore

Used in both ambushes and perimeter defences, The Claymore Mine comprised of a curved rectangular cast-iron box with spikes fitted to the base. inside were 700 steel ball bearings in a bed of 2lbs of C-3 plastic explosive. it was detonated by remote control using an electric circuit; spraying its contents in a 60 degree arc and was lethal to a range of 50 meters.

Are they still in service today, I wonder?

Semper Fi,
Bob

[thedrifter]

Needs to have a bump;)

Ellie

[greensideout]

The first helicopter door gun in nam---yes, it would sink a VC boat. :marine:


Unable to attach the photo?----Anyway, it was the M3A1 SMG.

[grunti39]

What squad leader didn't carry the M-79 at one time or the other. On Prairie 3, I carried 60 rounds and used them all. I wished that I had carried 160! We removed the sights because it kept getting hung up in the bush. When challenged about removing the sights we had to demonstrate that we could hit whatever using 'Kentucky windage". That BLOOPER sound was unmistakable! The army had Fanchette rounds for theirs that I happened to get from a 173rd AB when they relieved us for an operation one time.

[sparkie]

http://www.eliteukforces.info/images/sas/law-66.jpg
I like this one, personally. No, I never saw combat, but I enjoyed the LAW none the less.

[FistFu68]

:usmc: THE ONTOS :usmc: :iwo:

[Dave Coup]

No one mentioned 1911A Pistol, Cal .45 semi auto

[VERJENKS]

Having got a brand new out the box M-14 in Dec '66 and used the first six mths in Nam
then getting one of those M-16 that cause many a Marine death in combat. The only thing I can say about an M-16 is "Piece of ****". Maybe good hitting something in open
but can't make no one leave cover. Not only that weapon still very much subject to climate, 14 takes ten times more crap to prevent from fireing.

[Alpha1Devildog]

WHOA WHOA WHOA. . . .

http://www.kmike.com/KWjpg/1918a2.jpg

While it wasn't widley used it was used, and there weren't many standing in front of me when she opened up. And I loved that flip up sight.

[montana]

grunti39....i packed a blooper for a little....in 69...some one up the line got a brite idea that we should pack 200 rounds...thats two demo bags plumb full plus rounds stufed where ever you could find them....put both my armes to sleep...one demo bag fell off my sholder and i couldnt pick the bag back up...arm was dead had to have a grunt put it back on my sholder...aske the plt sarg...just what good all them rounds gonna do me or you....after a cupple days they droped the number way down...and i desided the blooper wasnt my weapon of choice....went to the M14

[VERJENKS]

YEAH!! ALPHA,, Also had a Top that carried a Thompson, I got a chance to carry a grease gun a couple of times. Slow but good in heavy bush!

[FistFu68]

:evilgrin: THOMPSON SUB MACHINE GUN,PLUS MY .45ACP.WHILE I WAS A "RTO" LOVED THEM 40.MM GERNADES ALSO!!! PLUS I GOT TOO HUMP MY OWN .45ACP.AMMO.INDIA 3 CHARLES,"PATHFINDERS" :evilgrin: :iwo:

[grunti39]

60 rounds of 40mm was about all I could get in demo bag. I did have one of those 13 round vest at one time but you couldn't use one with a Flak Jacket. When we were down south around Da Nang and An Hoa we didn't use helmets or FJs but when we moved to the DMZ that all changed. Speaking of weapons, I witnessed the ARVN being issued brand spanking new M1 Garands and BARs. The BAR weighed more than they did! After my third PH I used the new Rem 700 with a Redfield scope. That is still a sweet rifle. I did pick up a M1A NM when I was at the LeJeune PX in May. The M14 may have been too heavy for the powers that be but I'd take it any day over that piece of crap we were issued in April of '67!

[montana]

went on stack arms...when i came back they couldnt finde my M14....got to skate a cupple more days till they found it...was called to the armery the second day they said still no 14 buttt we have a BAR if you would like to pack that....thought too cool...lets have a looksee....took me in back oppend a box pulled out a wad of oil wraped BAR unwraped it and handed it to me....i handed it back and said finde my 14...aint packing that ton of wood....but i can always say i held a BAR in nam

[FistFu68]

:evilgrin: WERE DID YOU GET THE 30.06 AMMO??? :evilgrin: :iwo:

[montana]

Bravo Co packed a 30 cal gun in the CP for about half my tour..sooo they must of had some -06 rounds stashed somewhere..

[Dave Coup]

How about the Remington 12 ga. pump shot gun. At least I think it was Remington,and know it was 12 ga pump.:thumbup:

[FistFu68]

:evilgrin: MY BUDDY'S DAD SENT HIM A WINCHESTER MODEL 70 W/A REDFIELD SCOPE. IT WAS A 30.06 BUT NO AMMO.SO WE AQUIRRED AMMO 4 HIM ;FROM THE ARVN'S WHENEVER WE SAW THEM RUNNING IN THE OTHER DIRECTION(LOL) S/F :beer: :iwo:

[greensideout]

The first helicopter door gun in nam---yes, it would sink a VC boat. :marine:


Unable to attach the photo?----Anyway, it was the M3A1 SMG.

Here we go---

[rsharetts]

I liked the 30cal. air cooled Machine gun in the OC's hatch of my Ontos. When I got promoted out of the OC's hatch I made sure the was one on the Mighty-Mite and one on the 3/4 ton truck our platoon had.

:usmc:OOHRAH:usmc:

[grunti39]

Our CO carried his personal shotgun, a model 12 Winchester pump with solid brass shells of "OO" Buck. We had another USMC shotgun which was a Mossberg 500, a very dependable pump especially when the action was full of crap! I still have an old 500 with a C-Lect Choke that I use as a knock around shotgun. It was made in the late 40's so the bluing is getting thin but still no rust. Our Top carried a Thompson that we captured around Marble Mountain. As far as I know, that Thompson stayed with the company until the 9th Marines left RVN. In close quarter combat which most of our was, that Thompson was a superb weapon. Even when Top didn't go out, someone was borrowing it to take out!