History Channel - History of SEALs - booboo

[Sam]

I think their research department made a booboo.

The show was the history of the US Navy SEALs. They told about all of the events that the unit was involved in with reenactment and computer generated cartoons of certain famous operations. They also interviewed several well known retired team members.

They got to the event of Captain Phillips's rescue. They went to say that the SEAL snipers used HK 416 rifles to simultaneously shoot and kill the pirates. HK 416? I don't have the inside info but I am educated enough and well read enough to know that it is not wise to use a 5.56/.223 as a sniper rifle, even if it was under 50 yards.

They say anything on tv. LOL.

[pointblank4445]

I think their research department made a booboo.

The show was the history of the US Navy SEALs. They told about all of the events that the unit was involved in with reenactment and computer generated cartoons of certain famous operations. They also interviewed several well known retired team members.

They got to the event of Captain Phillips's rescue. They went to say that the SEAL snipers used HK 416 rifles to simultaneously shoot and kill the pirates. HK 416? I don't have the inside info but I am educated enough and well read enough to know that it is not wise to use a 5.56/.223 as a sniper rifle, even if it was under 50 yards.

They say anything on tv. LOL.

LOL...that would just be down right silly....








When it first happened, the 416 was listed as one of the possible delivery devices. I have my doubts as well, but I wouldn't rule it out either. I would put my money on an OBR or 417 type guns. For at least an open-air shot, I don't consider the 416 all that laughable...IIRC, at least one guy was exposed and a 416 could deliver with the accuracy requirement and be far easier to track for a quicker follow-up if needed.

In the end, dead is dead...

[yoni]

I don't know what the SEAL snipers used in Somalia.

I do know that many times I used a 5.56 rifle on operations, where my shots would be no more than 75 to 80 meters. It was a lighter rifle than our 7.62 sniper rifles but at limited ranges and where I didn't have to worry about wind being a huge factor like it is in certain parts of Israel. You would find me a lot of times with a Colt set up for mid range sniping.

[Sam]

My reason for not believing they used a 5.56 was that they knew that they knew they might have to shoot through glass and I figured those little survival boat's window would be pretty thick and tough to withstand the stormy ocean.

I googled the incident and this came up:

UDT-SEAL museum[edit]

The Maersk Alabama lifeboat on which Captain Phillips was held hostage by Somali pirates in 2009 is on display at the National Navy SEAL Museum
The owners of MV Maersk Alabama donated the bullet-marked 5-ton fiberglass lifeboat upon which the pirates held Captain Phillips hostage to the National Navy UDT-SEAL Museum in Fort Pierce, Florida, in August 2009.[41][42] The lifeboat had recently been on loan to National Geographic for its "Real Pirates" exhibition at the Nauticus marine science museum in Norfolk, Virginia.[43] The producers of the Captain Phillips film visited the Museum in the process of re-creating the lifeboat and interiors for the set.[44] An example of the Boeing Insitu ScanEagle used to monitor the crisis is also on display,[45] as is the Mark 11 Mod 0 (SR-25) sniper rifle of the type used by the U.S. Navy SEALS to kill the pirates and free Phillips. The actual ScanEagle used in the mission is on display along with shell casings at the Museum of Flight in Seattle.

[Sam]

BTW, I am not going to argue with your pictures about showing various special operators using a 5.56 rifle with scope in their job. Just couldn't believe that they would knowingly use one when they knew they were going in against targets within some kind of hardened enclosure.

[Ned Christiansen]

History Channel, research department.

Maybe ten years ago. To me they have lost almost all credibility.

[pointblank4445]

BTW, I am not going to argue with your pictures about showing various special operators using a 5.56 rifle with scope in their job. Just couldn't believe that they would knowingly use one when they knew they were going in against targets within some kind of hardened enclosure.

I recon they all brought multiple toys to play with depending on what they were presented with. Like I said, pretty sure at least one guy was exposed out of a hatch when all 3 became exposed so I wouldn't rule it out as a possibility. We...the general public will no...and should not know. Weapons aside, I always wondered if they really only had just 3 shooters...it's not uncommon to double-down on can't-fail shots with a coordinated fire. At least in the LE circle, we do it quite regularly for reasons you describe with the intermediate barriers.

I don't trust any of the media outlets to get it right. History channel should stick with what they do best...

[Moose-Knuckle]

Perhaps that is simply what their Navy liaison told them? Maybe the details to include the actual long arms used, caliber, grain count, etc. is classified.

[chuckman]

Hours and hours of video, multiple sources...shit slips by editors, and even SME's memories won't be as sharp as they used to be...

[mack7.62]

Did you guys even read Sam's post? It pretty much clears up what was used, also remember the SEAL's did a parachute insertion to get on the Navy ship so I doubt they were carrying a bunch of extra rifles along.