Classification: UNCLASSIFIED
Caveats: NONE
Morning Sir,
I am taking the liberty to email you about the M110 issue, and I hope that’s okay. Here’s why:
Two very good and excellent friends of mine told me you were the man. Brian and Bill, both said you were “as good as they come”. They are excellent friends of mine and we’ve known each other many years. I used to be a SWAT sniper before the war.
So if it’s okay with you, I would like to speak very frankly with you on this M110 issue. I have spoken by email with CSM XXX and he told me these issues are not new, and they had to “rework” all the 110’s they were using to run a basic sniper course recently.
So why isn’t the community raising hell? Why isn’t the Army raising hell?
Bill told me another guy you know, Chuck, used to send these guns back to Knight’s regularly because they didn’t meet spec, when he worked at joint service small arms. I don’t personally know Chuck, but I would bet he could provide a lot more info, and I’ll also bet some of it is very revealing.
Here’s what I’m hearing so far:
Bad triggers, cracked bolts, broken bolt stops, safeties falling out, shitty suppressor attachment resulting in POI shifts, cracks in lowers, and so on. Now I’m not an SF guy, or a SEAL or a CAG dude, but I am an Army sniper, and former SWAT sniper. And I can tell when a rifle is a piece of shit. This rifle is a piece of shit sir.
Not to mention when I personally saw these cracks on the locking lugs, the sniper I was working with called the number the net fielding team gave him, and spoke to a nice lady. She told him she’d add his problems to the “list of problems that have already been identified”. (?!) She had no resolution to offer. That was a big help. Then that sniper called a sniper buddy of his who was deploying, and was told they are leaving their 110’s at home cause they’re pieces of shit, and they’re taking 24’s to the war.
Bil tells me the DOE is down at Rifles Only right here in Texas training with theirs, and they’re falling apart like Walmart Bicycles.
I’m sort of floored that some people, influential people I would think, are acting like this is a surprise. I can’t see how. Other people like you, seem to realize the gravity of this situation.
You bet I’ll do a QDR, and whatever else I need to. I’ll recommend we put em all in a box truck and take em back to Florida. I don’t owe Knight’s a damn thing, but they do owe me a rifle that works, works properly, and won’t blow up in Joe’s face downrange when the lugs shear off the bolt.
Now, on the other hand, what is the possibility that some of this is being caused by bad ammo? I know M118LR is the holy grail, and I’ve shot my share of it at Haji. But what if? Chuck can tell you about how years ago Lake City was using a test barrel with a 1 in 10 twist when the Marines used 1 in 12 and the Army used 1 in 11.25 so the ammo wasn’t working out. What are the odds the ammo is just a little too hot? It might not ever show up in a bolt gun, but it’s just enough to break down a gas gun?
That wouldn’t explain what I saw, cracks in the bolt after 70 rounds, but maybe it could account for some of the problems? I’m just trying to account for all possibilities.
I appreciate your help sir, and I’ll keep in touch if that’s okay.
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