[TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
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[TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
Anybody catch the first two episodes of this new series that debuted last night on The History Channel?
I'm watching the first episode now - "Machine Guns". It appears to be a historical retrospective including the "hits" (like the Maxim and Thompson SMG) and the "misses" (like the Chauchat).
Gunny is a bit over-the-top as a host, but then this is Gunny we're talking about.
And the super-slow-motion film of bullet impacts are pretty cool.
I'm watching the first episode now - "Machine Guns". It appears to be a historical retrospective including the "hits" (like the Maxim and Thompson SMG) and the "misses" (like the Chauchat).
Gunny is a bit over-the-top as a host, but then this is Gunny we're talking about.
And the super-slow-motion film of bullet impacts are pretty cool.
Kiskaloo- A Cat of Many Talents
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Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
I've read that the French Chauchats in 8mm Lebel tended to be significantly better weapons then the modified .30-06 versions produced for American troops (which apparently didn't even have correct chamber dimensions). They still had issues, most notably the open sided magazines (which I gather were eventually replaced with proper magazines) but were apparently still considered useful, particularly since the Chauchat was basically the first light machine gun design.
Piero-
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Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
If you are talking WWI French Chauchats, WTF ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!!! THEY WERE PIECES OF TRASH! ITS ONLY GOOD IS THAT YOU CAN TAKE IT APART AND MAKE A STILL OUT OF IT!
Seriously, it was a piece of junk- even in controlled environments of the gunshop R/D Labs, it did not do well. It was a promising design for easy maintence and built, but all the open ports (Not just at the magazine), allowed mud to go in and f-up the gun. Furthermore- no self resepcting pilot had them on their Morane-Saulniers and Neuports 11s! Instead- they went for the more reliable Vickers and Lewis machine guns. The gun was so bady built that no parts from any Chauchat would fit into another- even from the same production line and shipping crate! It has a very poor Q/A.
And the comment about making the Chauchat into a still, was true.
Seriously, it was a piece of junk- even in controlled environments of the gunshop R/D Labs, it did not do well. It was a promising design for easy maintence and built, but all the open ports (Not just at the magazine), allowed mud to go in and f-up the gun. Furthermore- no self resepcting pilot had them on their Morane-Saulniers and Neuports 11s! Instead- they went for the more reliable Vickers and Lewis machine guns. The gun was so bady built that no parts from any Chauchat would fit into another- even from the same production line and shipping crate! It has a very poor Q/A.
And the comment about making the Chauchat into a still, was true.
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Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
The second show on Field Artillery was really cool.
Kiskaloo- A Cat of Many Talents
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Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
Well, that got me to doing a little more research, including reading through a multi page discussion on the Chuachat by a group of machine gun enthusiasts. It would take far too long to cover all the points made in the debate, but I think this post did a good job of summing up a number of key points in a (relatively) brief fashion:
I too, back in the 60s, when I saw the first (decrepit) relic of an
Aussie bringback CSRG in the hands of a friend of mine (been thru a
fire, thoroughly rusted, etc) and I read all the horrible descriptions
about it in SAOTW,though like a lot of Current "know it alls" regarding
the Chauchat; it was only when I saw some in Europe, complete and
Functioning (after a fashion, as they were "Deko" -non firing, but
moving parts), that I began to appreciate the Engineering etc, of a WW
I answer to the meatgrinder of the trenches.
When the French Authored book came out ( " Honour Bound") I really got
the feel that this "new style" construction ( all tubes, stampings and
rivets) was a rapid answer to a current need, and was developed along
the way, as could be done without greatly interrupting supply or making
variants mutually not interchangeable.
And as many other Posters have maintained, it was the Level of
Pre-combat training that ensured correct function of this LMG (Just as
Hatcher himself determined in 1915-6 on the Mexican Border areas where
he was sent to establish a Machine Gunners School. He knew about both
French and German machine gunners Schools, from pre-war visits to both
countries, and the emphasis placed on middle to senior NCOs with plenty
of field experience being trained as Gun crew leaders, with all the
other ranks being trained in every aspect of MG use and care. The
results of this German training were seen in 1914 at the beginning of
WW I.
I think the French had a 3 month course for NCO MGunners, the Germans
had a six month course (in peacetime) for their MG-schutzen. During WW
I, this was shortened somewhat, but only combat tested soldiers were
selected by the Germans to be part of MG Kompanie.
The French did the same when they started with the CSRG, as this was a
tactical use field arm, to be used by moving infantry, not a Fixed
Position gun such as the Hotchkiss or the Maxim.
Any defects in training and recuperation of Construction defects in the
gun were soon sorted out by the numerous reports back from the trenches
on performance in all sorts of conditions. Where the problem could be
remedied at the factory, it was; where it couldn't, such as the heat
expansion of the barrel causing jams in the jacket, the solution was,
shorter bursts, more "cool time" between Bursts, more deliberate
(aimed) fire...in effect, more gunner discipline...and this was
hammered into the Poilus in training.
Magazine problems were resolved by adding a "deformation checking
tool", and making the magazines an "expense item" (ie, Throwaway) if
they were defective.
The actual numbers of CSRGs fielded in WW I by France belies any
"crappy gun" diagnosis...nobody makes and uses over a Quarter-million
LMGs if they are crap and get people killed.... and the number of Croix
de Guerre won by CSRG gunners in battle also show that the gunners were
confident in their weapons, to the extent of carrying out actions of
great valour.
The real mistake can squarely be laid at US Ordnance ( and one general
rank officer in particular) who Poo-pooed the Lewis Gun (because of
personal animosity), and then ordering the CSRG in .30/06, a cartridge
for which the gun was never designed for, nor properly built for (too
high recoiling forces, impropery reamed chambers. ) Thank goodness this
happened in 1918...when the war was almost over. In any case, even
though the badly-trained US CSRG Gunners, using the 8mm Lebel 1915
model, never gained the expertise of their French confreres ( except
maybe the "Buffalo soldiers", who were part of the French Army), it was
the "bad press" of the 1918 model which tarred the whole design with
infamy.
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Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
Kiskaloo wrote:Anybody catch the first two episodes of this new series that debuted last night on The History Channel?
Forgot all about it, but I used to watch Mail Call, and Gunny is awesomely over-the-top. I'm gonna go try to find the episodes now.
rusty-spring- The AWESOME Baron
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Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
I should probably really let this issue rest, but I keep thinking about it for some reason. So I hope you people don't mind if I take a couple minutes to just clear something up.
As I see it, the measure of whether a weapon is a hit or a miss is basically how successful it was. And while the .30-06 Chauchat would be a miss (because it was a failure), the 8mm Lebel version would be a hit, because it was a success. Look at it this way: the objective with the Chauchat was to provide a lightweight, highly portable automatic weapon that could be rapidly fielded in large numbers. And the result was a weapon that was produced in greater numbers then any other automatic weapon fielded during World War I. Yes, it was tempermental weapon, but as field reports showed, that didn't stop it from being used effectively and again... it was a weapon that could be fielded in large numbers. Maybe some of the other guns out there were better on an individual specimen to individual specimen basis, but the fact was that the Chauchat was available to troops that otherwise might not have had a light machine gun, and it's firepower was appreciated.
Does that sound like a failure to you?
As I see it, the measure of whether a weapon is a hit or a miss is basically how successful it was. And while the .30-06 Chauchat would be a miss (because it was a failure), the 8mm Lebel version would be a hit, because it was a success. Look at it this way: the objective with the Chauchat was to provide a lightweight, highly portable automatic weapon that could be rapidly fielded in large numbers. And the result was a weapon that was produced in greater numbers then any other automatic weapon fielded during World War I. Yes, it was tempermental weapon, but as field reports showed, that didn't stop it from being used effectively and again... it was a weapon that could be fielded in large numbers. Maybe some of the other guns out there were better on an individual specimen to individual specimen basis, but the fact was that the Chauchat was available to troops that otherwise might not have had a light machine gun, and it's firepower was appreciated.
Does that sound like a failure to you?
Piero-
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Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
Finally caught up with the episodes. Gunny still has it.
rusty-spring- The AWESOME Baron
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Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
Just because you make a lot of a piece of junk, doesn't make it any less a piece of junk.
Anyway, right or wrong, History has rendered It's judgment on the Chauchat. And unlike the M-16, the Chauchat didn't have the benefit of decades of service history and updates to allow History to revise It's opening opinion.
I liked the tank one from last night.
Anyway, right or wrong, History has rendered It's judgment on the Chauchat. And unlike the M-16, the Chauchat didn't have the benefit of decades of service history and updates to allow History to revise It's opening opinion.
rusty-spring wrote:Finally caught up with the episodes. Gunny still has it.
I liked the tank one from last night.
Kiskaloo- A Cat of Many Talents
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Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
can't find any torrents for this show,i saw the machine gun one but all the later shows require you to register with a tracker to dowload !
Awinnell- Stiff Upper Lip
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wish i knew who put that in there, it wasn't me !!!!!!!!!!!!
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Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
Well it just broadcast last night, so it may take a bit for public sites to pick it up.
Kiskaloo- A Cat of Many Talents
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Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
maybe, but the second episode is the only one i've found, the first ones not available either
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Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
I also believe in the saying "any gun is better than no gun." That said, I still think that from what I've heard, the Chauchat can be deemed a failed gun. However, in lieu of not having any gun at all, it's better than nothing.Piero wrote:Does that sound like a failure to you?
I'd rather have a box of saturday night specials in a firefight, then have to run up and punch my attackers.
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Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
Well even if the Chauchat jams on the fourth or fifth round (as it did for Gunny when he test-fired it), you can at least club people over the head with it.
Kiskaloo- A Cat of Many Talents
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Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
Yup, if all else fails, that gun better make a good bludgeon.
Which reminds me, I cringe every time I see a movie where a character runs up to an attacker and uses the gun as a club/battle axe, then re-aims and fires it. Guns are meant to shoot bullets, save the Hammer of Thor impressions for when you have no ammo left.
Which reminds me, I cringe every time I see a movie where a character runs up to an attacker and uses the gun as a club/battle axe, then re-aims and fires it. Guns are meant to shoot bullets, save the Hammer of Thor impressions for when you have no ammo left.
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Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
Has history rendered judgement on the Chauchat? Several post war American authors condemned the weapon, but the Chauchat was actually viewed quite favourably by those who used it, and one of the more recent works on the weapon seems to have been changing some people's minds about it. Now, you could challenge the book's credibility based on the authors being French... but that fact is, those authors have strong evidence backing them up. One particular part of the book that I've seen quoted is the section detailing the responses to the 1917 survey that was issued to French officers asking them to evaluate the weapons their troops were using. Many of the responses noted issues with the weapon that they wanted addressed, but they were nearly unanimous in deeming the Chauchat to be a useful and valuable asset on the battlefield.
If you don't want to take my word for it, here's an excerpt from a debate on another forum. The author of the post noted that he didn't finish quoting the full section, but more or less stated that the rest of it was much the same.
The authors of the book also went through some older American military literature, with interesting results (more quoting from another forum debate):
Now compare the weight of evidence there to what this show is offering: a performance evaluation of a weapon that is probably over 90 years old, firing who knows how old ammunition, in the hands of someone who obviously has experience with weapons but is untrained in dealing with this particular weapon's ideosyncracies.
Personally, I'd say the book's evidence looks pretty solid.
If you don't want to take my word for it, here's an excerpt from a debate on another forum. The author of the post noted that he didn't finish quoting the full section, but more or less stated that the rest of it was much the same.
- Spoiler:
- "16th Infantry Regiment:
...The CSRGs have been used to defend
conquered trenches and have made a major contribution in breaking
counter-attacks; walking fire was not used.
Several guns functioned
normally and gave excellent service; a few had stoppages what were
nearly all caused by deformations of the magazines at the lips.
19th Infantry Regiment:
...The
CSRG has been used in the offensive, where its handling is difficult,
and in the defensive where it very effectively played the role of
machine guns.
...Obtained results were very satisfactory,
particularly in the defensive. Observed problems: when it is raining
and the terrain is muddy, the CSRG becomes dirty and fouled and a
certain number of these guns are put out of action.
34th and 49th Regiments:
...After
having given excellent results during the actions of May 4 and 5, by
intense flanking fire, these weapons were less effective because of
stoppages, in spite of all the precautions. It is necessary that this
weapon should be cleaned and oiled during combat...
Also, since the Assistant Gunners are overloaded, one of the riflemen should help transport the ammunition.
62nd Infantry Regiment:
The
CSRG teams are overloaded; the men have difficulty keeping up. The
Backpacks and the ammunition should be carried by carts or mules.
The CSRGs magazine is not solid enough and often malfunctions.
64th Infantry Regiment:
Very effective in the defensive, for flanking and direct fire.
In the offensive, walking fire is used in approaching the position.
The weapon has given entire satisfaction; several thousand rounds have been fired between April 19 and 30, 1917.
The
following two problems have been observed: the lips of the magazine
become deformed, giving feeding stoppages, and the cartridge guide rod
breaks at its rear extremity.
65th Infantry Regiment
...The
magazine spring often fails... A protection system is needed to keep
dirt out of the radiator ventilation holes on the barrel housing.
The current gun cover does not protect the gun sufficiently against rain and dust.
93rd Infantry Regiment
Excellent
weapon in the hands of well-trained men. Nevertheless the magazines
need to be improved, for the lips are too weak and are the source of
stoppages.
98th Infantry Regiment
It has been used by the
assault companies during the April 13 attack. A company that progressed
through the hamlet of La Biette brought down a lot of the enemy while
firing on the walk...
105th Infantry Regiment:
These weapons gave full satisfaction. Only the magazines are defective.
116th Infantry Regiment:
They
are only exceptionally to be used as offensive weapons, but present
considerable advantages for the stabilization of new lines that have
just been conquered.
Too many stoppages during walking fire.
Carrying the CSRG and its Backpack are the source of much suffering by the men...
137th Infantry Regiment:
The
CSRGs expand the action of the machinegun sections; they must be pushed
forward as much as possible. Their deployment in combination with
groups of V-B rifle and hand grenadiers, which provide them with cover,
have given excellent results.
From the material viewpoint, necessity of great care and cleanliness and of oiling after 5 or 6 magazines.
9th Infantry Division:
Results: the CSRG has excelled in all circumstances of combat.
Disadvantages: becomes fouled and prone to stoppages in contact with mud and dirt projections.
12th Infantry Division:
Excellent
results were obtained. The fire of the CSRGs during the night
counter-attack of May 5-6 has contributed to a large degree to the
failure of the German assault.
All were convinved after repeatedly seeing whole enemy ranks brought down in front of our trenches by the fire of the CSRGs."
The authors of the book also went through some older American military literature, with interesting results (more quoting from another forum debate):
- Spoiler:
"There is an interesting contrast between the routine disparagement of the Chauchat rifle in modern times and the dearth of negative comment in vintage American military literature.
There are very many Chauchat
rifle references sprinkled through virtually all World War I US
Divisional Histories, and in veterans' memoirs. However, in none of
these is to be found a reference derogatory to the 8mm Chauchat.
To the combat veteran writing his memoirs in the postwar 1920s or 30s, the Chauchat was a familiar fixture that helped him to get the job done.
Naturally,
when the BAR appeared in limited numbers during September, 1918 it was
preferred by the few who used it. Nevertheless, the 8mm M1915
'Chau-Chau', as the Doughboys called it, was a familiar presence
everywhere in the AEF Infantry and Marine divisions in France, during
12 months of warfare.
The following excerpts are quoted from the History of the 26th Division:
..April
29, near Secheprey: McMahon, an automatic rifleman, stood off many
attempts at the wire on his front. When he finally ran out of
ammunition the wire was hung with dead Boches... Ryan fed an automatic
rifle till every other man of the team had been killed, and then fought
out his own way to the Company...
..June 1918, near Chateau
Thierry: Alfred Hall, of Hingham, armed with an automatic rifle, stood
on the railway track. He was a fair mark for the Boche snipers on the
hill and their bullets kept singing around him, but they never got him.
As the Boches ran out of the railway station, Hall would line them up
as on running rabbits. His automatic rifle would briefly remark
'pup-pup-pup' and Mr Boche would go down.
On the same battlefield, Lawrence Stallings' Doughboys
also describes the actions of Colonel McAlexander's 38th Regiment, 3rd
Division, which gained the name 'Rock of the Marne' by successfully
defending the river crossing at Mezy, east of Chateau Thierry, on July
15, 1918:
..Corporal Connors with his squad of two Chauchat teams and their buddies from three companies killed twenty boatloads of
the boys in the new leather belts before all but Connors were killed or
wounded. Connors had no more clips for his hiccupping Chauchats, but
there were still some grenades...
Several further Chauchat testimonies can be found in Fixed Bayonets,
written in 1925 by US Marine Captain W J Thomason Jr. The longest one
recalls an event which took place near Belleau Wood in July, 1918:
..One
lieutenant found himself behind a woodpile with a big auto rifleman.
Just across from them, very near, a German machine gun behind another
woodpile, was searching for them. He picked up the Chauchat
[when the gunner was killed]... laid the gun across the woodpile and
sighted three Boches... He gave them the whole clip and they appeared
to wilt.
Incidents quoted from the History of the 42nd Division...
July 16, 1918: Pvt Michael Toody, automatic gunner, shot down an enemy plane later that afternoon.
Eight
of the enemy approached a post which was occupied by Private Thomas
Mead, who was alone. They approached with their hands up. Seeing that
Mead was alone, one of the enemy reached for and threw a potato-masher
[grenade] which overshot its mark. Mead opened up with his Chauchat and cleaned out the lot.
July
28: My attention was attacted by the reports of rapid fire on the left
flank. It was one of C Company boys with a French chau-chau who had
tumbled a German with a light Maxim...
Another quote, this time from the 28th Division:
July
28, 1918 near Sergy, north of Chateau Thierry: After an unsuccessful
attack on Bois des Grimpettes, Mechanic Beer went out alone in front of
our line, in plain view of the enemy, under heavy machinegun fire from
the front and flank, and gathered up the Chauchat
rifles and Musette Bags of ammunition that been abandoned by the men.
He made several trips, distributing the badly needed equipment to the
advanced elements of our line.
Other examples, from the 3rd Division, are reported by Colonel Butts in his famous account The Keypoint at the Marne. In July, 1918,
...Lieutenant
Savage, a man among men, who had in an unusual degree the desire to
serve his country, died at one end of the bridge, firing a Chauchat rifle after the Gunners were killed.
...The
automatic rifle squads were making their Chauchats rattle like
machineguns. Gunner Parson, when he could no longer see the enemy from
the trench, climbed up on the parapet and fired his heavy Chauchat from his shoulder.
...On our side it was strictly rifles and Chauchat fire; machineguns were used by the Germans..."
Now compare the weight of evidence there to what this show is offering: a performance evaluation of a weapon that is probably over 90 years old, firing who knows how old ammunition, in the hands of someone who obviously has experience with weapons but is untrained in dealing with this particular weapon's ideosyncracies.
Personally, I'd say the book's evidence looks pretty solid.
Piero-
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Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
Personally, I don't care either way. It's not a weapon I am interested in.
People with better credentials than I don't like it, so I am inclined to take their word for it, but even if they said it was a fantastic weapon, I still wouldn't equip Kara with it, so.
People with better credentials than I don't like it, so I am inclined to take their word for it, but even if they said it was a fantastic weapon, I still wouldn't equip Kara with it, so.
Kiskaloo- A Cat of Many Talents
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Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
I wouldn't equip an OC with a Chauchat either. There are much better weapons available nowadays that would also be far less of a pain in the ass logistically.
Point is though, the Chauchat is a historical weapon, and I should think that the opinion of the people who actually used the weapon in combat should factor into the historical assessement of it. Yes, it was a tempermental, difficult to master weapon, but it was also the most widely produced weapon of it's class during the war, it was used effectively and in large numbers, it was considered an immensely valuable weapon to have by the people who used it (this was not 'better then no gun'... it was actually considered a valuable asset), and it had a significant impact on future weapons designs.
Personally, it seems like a bit stretch to me to call a weapon like that a failure. Major success would actually seem to be a more appropriate way of putting it.
It didn't last long in service after the war, but I'm under the impression that early tanks didn't either.
Point is though, the Chauchat is a historical weapon, and I should think that the opinion of the people who actually used the weapon in combat should factor into the historical assessement of it. Yes, it was a tempermental, difficult to master weapon, but it was also the most widely produced weapon of it's class during the war, it was used effectively and in large numbers, it was considered an immensely valuable weapon to have by the people who used it (this was not 'better then no gun'... it was actually considered a valuable asset), and it had a significant impact on future weapons designs.
Personally, it seems like a bit stretch to me to call a weapon like that a failure. Major success would actually seem to be a more appropriate way of putting it.
It didn't last long in service after the war, but I'm under the impression that early tanks didn't either.
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Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
Well feel free to take it up with the historians, Piero.
Kiskaloo- A Cat of Many Talents
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Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
Hey, respect the good ol' WW1 Chauchat!
If its not useful as a gun, its good for money (for the manufacturer). If its not good for that too, soldiers can use that thing as a club!
If that fails, then its useful for good scrap metal--melt them, flatten them, then use them to patch the old French Renault FT17s! Recyclable material for the world's worst military record!
If its not useful as a gun, its good for money (for the manufacturer). If its not good for that too, soldiers can use that thing as a club!
If that fails, then its useful for good scrap metal--melt them, flatten them, then use them to patch the old French Renault FT17s! Recyclable material for the world's worst military record!
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Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
If I recall correctly, the Chauchat had a few failures her and there, but didn't start royally fucking up until those crazy Americans tried firing 30-06 through a 8mm chamber.
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Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
Boomer -the basic history of the .30-06 Chauchat as I understand it is that someone in the US Ordnance department has issues with the Lewis gun's designer which got in the way of providing US troops with light machine guns, which resulted in US troops arriving overseas short on light machine guns, which resulted in a request to the French for weapons of that type, which resulted in them trying to quickly rush out a .30-06 version of the Chauchat and getting it wrong in the process.
Also, much as I've defended the 8mm Chauchat, I wouldn't really write it off as just having 'a few failures here and there.' It wasn't so much that it didn't have issues as that the issues didn't keep it from being viewed as a valuable and effective weapon by many of its users.
When you get right down to it, the Chauchat was like pretty much any weapon system -it had it's pros and cons. I just think some sources overlook it's pros and overemphasize the cons.
Fun fact -after WWI, the French got a chance to test the Browning Automatic Rifle and concluded that it was a better weapon then the Chauchat (big surprise). They didn't adopt it. They did, however, borrow some of it's features when they designed a new light machine gun design of their own. Hey, they say imitation is the best form of flattery...
Also, much as I've defended the 8mm Chauchat, I wouldn't really write it off as just having 'a few failures here and there.' It wasn't so much that it didn't have issues as that the issues didn't keep it from being viewed as a valuable and effective weapon by many of its users.
When you get right down to it, the Chauchat was like pretty much any weapon system -it had it's pros and cons. I just think some sources overlook it's pros and overemphasize the cons.
Fun fact -after WWI, the French got a chance to test the Browning Automatic Rifle and concluded that it was a better weapon then the Chauchat (big surprise). They didn't adopt it. They did, however, borrow some of it's features when they designed a new light machine gun design of their own. Hey, they say imitation is the best form of flattery...
Piero-
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Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
Americans tried firing 30-06 through a 8mm chamber.
But the Americans requested for the gun to be fitted with .30-06 in the first place when they enter the battlefield. The French didn't bother that much with their request and pretty much wreck the whole deal though..
Guest- Guest
Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
just goes to show: if ya want something done right, do it yourself.
LoC978- Beach Bum Revolutionary
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Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
Pistols and Machine Pistols were on the menu with this episode.
The biggest thing Gunny fired was the S&W 500 and the high-speed film of the recoil shockwave traveling down his arm was epic.
The biggest thing Gunny fired was the S&W 500 and the high-speed film of the recoil shockwave traveling down his arm was epic.
Kiskaloo- A Cat of Many Talents
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Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
The Team Glock girl was gorgeous
rusty-spring- The AWESOME Baron
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Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
Kiskaloo wrote:The biggest thing Gunny fired was the S&W 500 and the high-speed film of the recoil shockwave traveling down his arm was epic.
Finally saw a bit of it on youtube. That actually shows that he's not good with handguns. What he's doing is to "lock" his whole arm with his muscles so that the recoil is absorbed completely by the arm. That's the easiest way to shoot and is taught by many armies. However, that also means that the force travels straight down the arm like in the video and ends up in the scapula. Do it long enough and your upper back is going to get injured. Also, his 2-handed grip is quite awkward because his left hand is slightly lower on the grip than his right. That means that the recoil is distributed unevenly with more on the right hand than the left.
The girl (she's actually an IPSC shooter sponsored by Glock) has a better technique. Her 2-handed grip is used almost exclusively by IPSC shooters and gives her a more even distribution of recoil across the 2 arms. More importantly for IPSC shooters, the recoil becomes easier to control. Also, if you watch carefully, when she shoots her elbow is slightly bent. What she's doing is to use the elbow as a buffer spring to absorb the recoil and that makes recovering from every shot infinitely faster.
Of course that's called tv.
MikhailN-
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Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
Well Gunny is an old USMC Gunnery Sergeant so one would expect him to fire in "the military position".
On the flip side, it actually does show two different approaches to firing a weapon, with each person using the "form" they were both taught and are most comfortable with. So it's actually "unscripted TV" in a way.
On the flip side, it actually does show two different approaches to firing a weapon, with each person using the "form" they were both taught and are most comfortable with. So it's actually "unscripted TV" in a way.
Kiskaloo- A Cat of Many Talents
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Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
Yup, the times where they taught one handed pistol shooting stances.
rusty-spring- The AWESOME Baron
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Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
nitpick: Gunny left the corps as an E-6 (Staff Sergeant). He made E-7 with an honorary promotion after completing his part in the filming of Full Metal Jacket.
as for his shooting... hell, I shoot pretty much like that
guess we're not competition shooters, but we still hit targets consistently.
...and if someone sustains upper back injuries from shooting they should probably use a smaller caliber. .45s are alright for me, 'cause I tend to weigh a solid 180-200lbs depending on what I'm doing for a living lately and what I had for lunch... but I wouldn't recommend it for someone who only clears a buck fifty or less.
as for his shooting... hell, I shoot pretty much like that
guess we're not competition shooters, but we still hit targets consistently.
...and if someone sustains upper back injuries from shooting they should probably use a smaller caliber. .45s are alright for me, 'cause I tend to weigh a solid 180-200lbs depending on what I'm doing for a living lately and what I had for lunch... but I wouldn't recommend it for someone who only clears a buck fifty or less.
LoC978- Beach Bum Revolutionary
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Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
You know tuned in this week since Gunny was doing shotguns, including the:
Blunderbuss
1870 Wells Fargo Coach Gun
Winchester Model 1887 Lever Action Repeating Shotgun
Browning Auto-5 Semiautomatic Shotgun
1931 Over-And-Under Shotgun
Perrazi MX-12 Competition Shotgun
Benelli M1014 Combat Shotgun
Mossberg 590A1 Combat Shotgun
Auto Assault-12 fully-automatic Shotgun
and, of course, the Winchester Model 1897 Pump-Action Shotgun
He also fired three types of shot into a dressed turkey. Birdshot didn't do much but put a lot of small holes in it. Buckshot put bigger holes in it and did some shredding. A Deer Slug damned near blew it in half. The super-slow-mo video was...brutal.
Blunderbuss
1870 Wells Fargo Coach Gun
Winchester Model 1887 Lever Action Repeating Shotgun
Browning Auto-5 Semiautomatic Shotgun
1931 Over-And-Under Shotgun
Perrazi MX-12 Competition Shotgun
Benelli M1014 Combat Shotgun
Mossberg 590A1 Combat Shotgun
Auto Assault-12 fully-automatic Shotgun
and, of course, the Winchester Model 1897 Pump-Action Shotgun
He also fired three types of shot into a dressed turkey. Birdshot didn't do much but put a lot of small holes in it. Buckshot put bigger holes in it and did some shredding. A Deer Slug damned near blew it in half. The super-slow-mo video was...brutal.
Kiskaloo- A Cat of Many Talents
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Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
I wonder if she'll take my advice and switch to an AA-12 now that she's seen that beast in action. Probably not, considering how much she loves the old Winchester , But I still have a feeling she'd love those FRAG-12 shotgun grenade (Hillshire, take note of that next time your looking for the perfect gift for your cyborg!)Kiskaloo wrote:You know tuned in this week since Gunny was doing shotguns, including the:
Blunderbuss
1870 Wells Fargo Coach Gun
Winchester Model 1887 Lever Action Repeating Shotgun
Browning Auto-5 Semiautomatic Shotgun
1931 Over-And-Under Shotgun
Perrazi MX-12 Competition Shotgun
Benelli M1014 Combat Shotgun
Mossberg 590A1 Combat Shotgun
Auto Assault-12 fully-automatic Shotgun
and, of course, the Winchester Model 1897 Pump-Action Shotgun
He also fired three types of shot into a dressed turkey. Birdshot didn't do much but put a lot of small holes in it. Buckshot put bigger holes in it and did some shredding. A Deer Slug damned near blew it in half. The super-slow-mo video was...brutal.
SPARTAN 119-
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Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
Gotta love deer slugs.Kiskaloo wrote:A Deer Slug damned near blew it in half. The super-slow-mo video was...brutal.
rusty-spring- The AWESOME Baron
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Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
SPARTAN 119 wrote:I wonder if she'll take my advice and switch to an AA-12 now that she's seen that beast in action. Probably not, considering how much she loves the old Winchester , But I still have a feeling she'd love those FRAG-12 shotgun grenade (Hillshire, take note of that next time your looking for the perfect gift for your cyborg!)
Well Hillshire was looking at the Benelli M4 Super 90 (which the M1014 is based on) for her. I own one and I like it.
Kiskaloo- A Cat of Many Talents
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Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
The Atchinson is too bulky. Triela would best go with the 1014.
Nachtsider- KNIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD
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Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
Why is it that whenever there's a show on shotguns they always seem to neglect the Kalashnikov-pattern shotguns? I love American designed guns as much as the next guy, but the Saiga-12 has been in the hands of law abiding citizens far longer than any other fully automatic shotgun with detachable mags on the market.
Toma-kun-
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Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
I think it's because it's a show made by/and for Americans. I won't lie, the show has always biased American weapons in each episode. I'd find it interesting to see other country's guns too, but I'm not the producer.Toma-kun wrote:Why is it that whenever there's a show on shotguns they always seem to neglect the Kalashnikov-pattern shotguns? I love American designed guns as much as the next guy, but the Saiga-12 has been in the hands of law abiding citizens far longer than any other fully automatic shotgun with detachable mags on the market.
rusty-spring- The AWESOME Baron
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Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
Tonight's episode on Ammunition was everything I'd hoped. The high speed camera work of the impacts was pure .
Kiskaloo- A Cat of Many Talents
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Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
I got called into work! I missed it!!
x 9000
x 9000
boomer_gonz-
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Re: [TV Show] Lock & Load with R. Lee Ermey
Agreed. I loved Gunny's shameless "Full Metal Jacket" plugs.Kiskaloo wrote:Tonight's episode on Ammunition was everything I'd hoped. The high speed camera work of the impacts was pure .
On another note, in the previous episode about "Blades," am I the only one that found Gunny's bayonet "rampage" against the watermelons towards the end absolutely hilarious?
rusty-spring- The AWESOME Baron
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