Summary of Weapons Deployed to Iraq - Part 1

The following information about specific weapons being used in Iraq gave me some fantastic insight into the feel of the battlefield. It was supplied by a Marine (Semper Fi) stationed on the front lines. Unfortunately, the Liberal media here in the States will never publish descriptions like this.

M-16 Rifle - I have to give this weapon a thumbs down because of its chronic jamming problems in the sand. The M-4 carbine version of this rifle is more popular because it is lighter and shorter... but it has jamming problems, too. Most Marines like the ability to mount the various optical gun sights and weapons lights on the rifle, but the weapon itself is not great in a desert environment.

M-243 Squad Assault Weapon (SAW) - This is a very unpopular .223 cal. drum-fed light machine gun. I have to give this a huge thumbs down. It is universally considered a piece of crap by any soldier on the battlefield... Army and Marines. Not only does the M-243 experience chronic jamming problems, but when it does you have to disassemble the weapon in order to unjam it. Nobody wants to do that in the middle of a firefight.

M-9 Beretta 9mm Pistol - You never know what you're going to get with this weapon. It's a good gun that performs well in the desert, but everyone hates the small 9mm cartridge. Although the use of handguns is fairly common for close quarters self-defense, you can hit a bad guy multiple times and the 9mm rounds will have very little effect.

Mossberg 12 Gauge Shotgun - This weapon actually works very well in the desert. It's a military version of the standard 12 Gauge. We use it frequently for clearing houses.

M-240 Machine Gun - This is the NATO weapon used as a standard .308 cal. belt-fed machine gun. The weapon was developed to replace the old M-60 (a truly beautiful weapon). I give the M-240 a thumbs up for its accuracy and reliability. The .308 round puts the bad guys down. Originally developed as a vehicle mounted weapon, more and more are being dismounted and taken into the field by infantry.

M-2 Heavy Machine Gun - This is a heavy .50 cal. weapon that is still worth her weight in gold. It's the ultimate fight-stopper that stops the bad guys dead in their tracks every time. This is easily the most coveted weapon on the battlefield.

.45 Caliber Pistol - I give this standard issue weapon a big thumbs up. It's still the best pistol out there, and everybody authorized to carry a sidearm is trying to get their hands on one. With few exceptions, the .45 can reliably stop a bad guy with a torso hit. The Special Ops guys (who are doing most of the pistol work) use the HK military model.

M-14 - I give this weapon a huge thumbs up. They are being re-issued in large volumes, mostly in a modified version to the Special Ops guys. These modifications include lightweight Kevlar stocks and low-power red dot or ACOG sights. The weapons are reliable in the sandy environment, and 7.62 rounds are very effective.

Barrett .50 Caliber Sniper Rifle - I give these sniper rifles a huge thumbs up. They have spectacular range and accuracy, and the .50 cal. round hits like a freight train. The rifles are used frequently to take out suicide bombers in vehicles and barricaded enemy.

M-24 Sniper Rifle - Another big thumbs up. Great performance with the .308 rounds. Snipers have been used heavily to great effect. Rumor has it that a Marine sniper using this rifle on his third tour has actually exceeded Carlos Hathcock's record for confirmed kills with OVER 100.