OIF/OEF Veterans. technical Lessons Learned wanted

[Smuckatelli]

Originally Posted by Combat_Diver

PMAGs worked for the 6 months of abuse I gave them. Also PMAGS worked out of the M249 during the few mags that I ran through 100%. HK mags are heavier and and have had one out of 12 that would double feed.

Good scoop on the PMAGS, I used to run IA drills with issued magazines and the 249. The only way that I could get them to work consistantly was by using brand new mags that the Marine would have to apply even pressure on the floorplate always from the prone. It worked for surpression but I never got the warm & fuzzy because to much time was spent worrying about the magazine.

[KevinB]

PMAG's are awesome - I had over 30 in Iraq for two years. They are the only mag I would run these days in harms way.

Weapons - M4 - swap for M4A1, 3rd Burst system is ass.
- lube, lube, lube CLP, Militec, whatever - use it and lots of it (I like TW25B best)
- optic IMHO Aimpoint T1 would be the Cats Ass - but Comp M4 M68 is GTG, as is the M3 M68.
- EOTECH's - require much more user care and attention that the M68's
- M9 (I hate them) I used Glock 19 and 1911

I would ditch every single M16A2 and A4 in inventory, start a 7.62 SDM 16" barrel system with S&B Short Dot (my heart is in our [KAC] SR25BR)

ACOG - TA01NSN greys out during dust/dawn light, PEQ-2 will work on High Power for aiming then, but PAC-4 will not have enough juice to be seen (no a biggie as these are on the way out.
I used TA01NSN with KAC Dr Optic mount and Dr 2000-2003 - the two aiming positions to me is annoying as under stress I always would default to looking thru the magnified optic - unless I was already using the Dr.

Visible lights - someone - PLEASE tell Insight to stap trying to make a vis light, IR lasers are great, but then need to leave lights to Surefire at least until Insight can make a decent one... SF Scout light - GTG, if you need more light - use a vehicle or think and use NOD's

NVG's -- 14D's are okay, until you get dual tube, the mininal added weight from 50/50's or ANVIS is worth its weight in gold. I won't even talk about 7's

Training - I could rant for days, when contracting we would do ranges with regular units to try to help them out. Big Army is WAY WAY behind the 8 ball on this in both weapon handling safety, and combat marksmanship.

Navigation - map and compass - know them... Just cause FalconView does not have it does not mean its not there...

[Paraclete comes]

I found like several other guys that always keeping a small bottle of lube is the only way to get through. I prefer to carry one bottle that i can use on all my weapons systems like the M40, MK11, XM3, M4, M9, etc.

I prefer not to use CLP but opt for hoppes fly reel oil/gun oil that stuff is insane and some of the best ive used. Also eezox works real good. For shooting the SASR or heavy guns pull that bolt out and dip the whole thing in motor oil, i know that sounds crazy but your gun wont go down!

As for optics i really like the eotechs and aimpoints. However i always find myself going with the acog, no batts and tough as nails. The USMC reticle is okay, but I would say cover up that fiber optic light gathering thing. I put a piece of electric tape over it or even paint it with a paint pen.

I find it absorbs to much light and makes the reticle larger which causes you not to have a percise point of aim on further tragets.

Keep a honey comb on that sucker for sure to prevent glint and protect the objective lens.

In regard to slings, well single point is great if you have the proper sling mount like the GG&G buffer tube mounts. But the two to one point slings are my favorite. Like the ones found at wilderness or harrison tactical made some in iraq for guys.

it allows you to sling it, cross body, and when you need to roll on a corner or need to shoot from off shoulder, etc. just hit that front buckle and you have the single point! best sling out there in my exp.

Buttstocks are important too, like the vltor emod or LMT sopmod. That solid CONSISTANT cheek weld make shots count. there solid and hold batts also which is good for the NODS, or hub batts for harris radios, etc.

Miad grips are awesome also. They give you that CONSISTANT finger placement and grip on the grip. we all know that consistant is accurate right, so anything that can be done to make us fit that weapon better is a money maker.

BUIS is a great item, the matech ones shoot great! easy to emply with no locks or anything. They are a little less robust than GG&G or other such sights but they get the job done just fine.

Flash suppressor might be a good items to look at also. The A2 birdcage is not the best, the smith vortex is alot better. But you dont need that in iraq since were not even shooting anyone over there anymore.

If your heading to Afgahn then look at that. Cans is a whole new topic, most units dont even get Subsonic ammo to begin with.

hope this helps, D

[Paraclete comes]

in regard to the PEQs. The Peq 15's are ass they shut off after a few minutes auto. So i prefer the peq 2 as they run as long as the switch is on. Nothing worse than lazing a target for some CAS for a talk on, or pointing somthing out to a supporting unit only to have you lazer shut off. Constant running is the way to go.

Ive got a new PEQ 16 but am not sure how that thing is yet i havent used it.

[VTLO910]

Thanks for this thread... This is something we can all use to see how things hold up in harsh conditions.

[bakke37330]

I'm over here now and the best thing that I have found to keep the M4 clean is WD40. Its widely available and doesnt attract as much sand and dust as CLP.

[Colt LE6920]

I was in OEF and OIF. I had an M4 that ran flawlessly. I can't say enough good about that weapon. I cleaned it often and kept a light coat of Ballistol Sportsman's oil on it and it never let me down. I had an ACOG. I'm a big fan. I also like the EOTech, though. Especially on Machineguns. I used a 3 point sling. It worked decently, but it would have been better to have an ambidextrous sling. M4 gunners in my unit were issued the 77gr Sierra/Black Hills rounds. Awesome! My buddy had a one shot kill to an insurgent's chest with that round. We had plate carriers instead of regular flaks. They were much more comfortable and easier to move in, but don't offer as much protection. Better mags would have been nice. I had mostly standard GI mags with Ranger Floorplates, another good product. I had a steel HK mag. It was rugged, but I had to quit using it because it kept falling out of the mag well for no reason.

[Pistola]

When I was in Al Hillah, we used just plain jane CLP. I wish we had M-Pro 7

[ABN]

I came across an article in the New York Times this morning, "In Battle,Hunches Prove To Be Valuable Assets." Its not a technical Lesson Learned, I thought I'd post it anyway. Basically its research and science about "trusting your gut". I took particular interest in the section "Seeing What Others Miss". Drawing on past experiences, knowledge of your AO,ect. you can detect threats.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/07/28/he...rain.html?_r=1

I also included this article which will speak for itself, its worth reading on a number of levels.
http://spectator.org/archives/2007/1...ngest-morning#

[Six und Sixty]

I didn't have any luck with mil-tec. I still found it best to lube with a liquid.

The same goes for graphite dry lubes.

I found H&K steel magazines to be unreliable. Occasionally the lip between the brass and the bullet would catch on the magazine as the cartridge attempted to feed into the chamber. If your buffer spring weren't brand new it would happen even more frequently.

Aimpoints are tough as nails. Enough said.

I also found a long piece of rebar worked great a as a swizzel stick for stirring burning crap.

[rifleman2000]

Best way to keep an M4 running: Keep it dry EXCEPT for CLP around the bolt (in the Bolt Carrier) and around the cam pin. That's it.

Issue BUIS, the "popsicle stick", breaks. GG&G or any solid BUIS is way better.

M68 is great. Never had an ACOG or EO Tech.

Teach Soldiers how to load plan. To many HMMWVs rolling through Afghanistan with their ammo, AT4s, etc, in the trunk of their vehicle when they have plenty of room under the gunner. Keep the AT4s in the turret.

Fam fire with crew served weapons is not enough. Fam fire ends up being range NCOs prepping a weapon so the students can get up to the firing line, pull the trigger, and leave. That is not training. Teach Soldiers to maintain their weapons in a hostile environment, keep a bottle of CLP in the turret of every vehicle and on the person of every machine gunner. Convoy live fire exercises should be done after driving the convoy through 1km of dust. See how many gunners keep their weapons going then! That is realistic. I have been in convoys under direct fire where over half of the crew served weapons were down due to shitty maintenance practices.

PRIORITIES OF WORK!!!! Not taught at all, except at Infantry and Ranger School, apparently. Way to many times have I seen troops roll up to an area (hostile) and before they establish a security plan, maintain weapons, vehicles, etc.; they are sucking down MREs like a bunch of sissies. This is a reflection of poor leadership and discipline! Priorities of work need to be taught at all levels, all branches, all MOS schools.

[HPLLC]

P mags work great. I load mine to 27 rounds out of habit though.

Clean and dry the weapon and take a Q tip saturated in CLP and run it around the cam pin recess in the bolt carrier, on the cam pin, the back of the bolt where carbon goes (the radius behind the gas rings), and hit the four rails of the bolt carrier.

Altogether it's like one drop of oil spread around.

The rifle runs great and doesn't collect dust. I've been here twice, and never a jam when I needed the gun to work.

Don't move accessories on the M4 after zeroing- the barrel harmonics and zero can change.

PRI gasbuster handles let some sand into the weapon on windy days. I still use mine because I have a can, but if I didn't I wouldn't.

[AEROX711]

Hello. I'm out here right now. There's a lot of good information that has been shared above and I won't be too repetitive.

-P-Mags P- Mags P- Mags!!! (enough said)

-Hilco weapons wipes- Work amazingly well and are fast to use. We got a bulk order from the company, but I googled a quick link for you to see what I'm talking about.

http://srtestore.com/detail.aspx?ID=870

-Aimpoint 3x Magnifier on Larue swivel mount. BEST $700 i have ever spent. The mount functions very well even in the sandy/dusty environment. The Magnifier allows you to have cqb capability on tap, then with the flick of your wrist, more of a sdm type platform. The set up has proven itself useful in countess numbers of houses and roof tops.

-ACU camo... I'm a ninja when I'm on the gravel... that's about it though

-Larue 2 pt. sling- I use this thing to its max capability daily. Making it shorter/longer ever hour, adjusting for in/out of vehicles or in different standing/kneeling positions. A single point sling is popular with my guys, and I like them too, but this has proven itself to me too many times to replace.

There are plenty of other things to comment on, but I believe several of them have been covered accurately. To those of you that are out here, good luck and stay safe.

[Pinder]

Ive been to Afghan twice and the only point I can add to without repeating the stuff from above was MilTec. I absolutely loved Miltec, on my first tour I was putting it through my M16A2 (MusketA2) and my second tour through my SAW. Apply and Wipe most of it off, leaving a very very small coating, not visible and it would run like a top, coat it on, and nothign but smoke and trouble. I never had any issues firing regular USGI mags through the SAW, and very few issues with USGI mags in our M4's or A2's. I understand that its rare to have such luck.

Training. As a guardsman we either get lots of it or almost none. So far the best training that I believe my unit has recieved was out of Ft McCoy in Wisconsin. The instructors were great, and the facilities were amazing. My first tour we trained at Ft Drum, (in 2003) and learned how to dig Fighting positions in Pine Trees, not exactly Afghan environment..

ACUs. Please give us back our DCUs. Im sure enough has been said already.

Im not an 11B, nor claim to be, just a Counter-Battery guy.

[DCR375]

There seems to be a large focus on what hardware seems to work best, et al... What magic lube kept your weapon functioning, etc... The bottom line is software. "Train as you fight", "Warrior Ethos", and whatever else some GSC, USMA educated Zero came up with to address the software issues are ineffective and words only. Sounds hooah. That's about it. Until that is solved, all the freakin p-mags, uber BUIS, ninja slings, and freakin tank turrets you wanna hang off your weapon will offer little advantage. The regular Army and Marine Corps need to allow reality into the training of non USSOC personnel. Realistic training is inherently dangerous and unforgiving, so thus very few regular Army or USMC combat arms are gonna receive it. The old " a chain is only as strong as it's weakest link, so focus on getting the weak link up to standard" philosophy is utter BS. Better a short chain that is strong, than one that has been weakened by the forced inclusion of the LCD. The standard is sub-standard, and no hardware will remedy that. Do forgive. I'm sure I'm being counter productive and anathema to the thread. I'll step down from the soap box, especially as there are much better qual'ed folks around than I who are still puttin rounds downrange. Just my 2 cents...after taxes, not worth shitezen.

[Armati]

Originally Posted by DCR375

The standard is sub-standard, and no hardware will remedy that.

No truer words were ever said.

And that is the problem. The problem in this war is not the technology. We overmatch our enemy in technology every time. The problem is that we are bringing an iPod to a gunfight. Our tactical and strategic thinking is fundamentally flawed.

Effective individuals and combat units are units that have historically lived the "warrior ethos" long the Big Army turned it into a meaningless buzzword. 'Back in the day' when I was in Division you needed a PT score of 260 or above to get on any order of merit list. Having a PT score of less than 260 had the net effect of being flagged at the unit level. Anyone with a PT score less than 240 had remedial PT at 18:00 with the unit Ranger committee. Meanwhile, the Army Standard for PT is 180.

We spend way to much time trying to 'check the box' and 'max the minimum.' Not to knock CALL (because they do yeoman's work) but do they plan to address this problem?

The USMC is moving the in the exact opposite direction. They are making their PT standards higher and requiring their leaders to possess advanced combatives skills.

The Army needs to scrap it's entire METL and MTOE system. It needs to do periodic (annual? biannual?) reviews of what the current operational environment is and then develop its entire training plan, force structure, and equipment lists based on the current reality.

All the same, a fish rots from the head. And when Gen Casey comes on TV after the Ft Hood shooting and tells the world that 'diversity' is a top Army priority we know we are screwed. If 'diversity' is killing your soldiers then it may be time to consider banning the practice.

Again, we need a change in thinking. Granted, there is a lot of good kit and good standards and practices out there. But as DCR375 points out, we will still get soldiers killed and continue to loose the war unless the Big Army makes a phase shift in thinking.

[Moose-Knuckle]

Originally Posted by KevinB

Visible lights - someone - PLEASE tell Insight to stap trying to make a vis light, IR lasers are great, but then need to leave lights to Surefire at least until Insight can make a decent one... SF Scout light - GTG, if you need more light - use a vehicle or think and use NOD's

KevinB, I found your post most informative. Could you elaborate a little on your experiences with Insight visible lights? I was looking at installing a M3X on my Colt but might opt for a SF. This would help me make my decision a little easier.

[Eddiesketti]

I can't give much info on weapons while i was in Iraq in 2003. All we had was stock crap and were not allowed to attach anything on the weapons I used chapstick on the bolt and it worked if helps anyone

[Garrasa]

Not sure if I have much input here as of now,

but I'm fresh outta OSUT (Infantry) and stationed at Ft. Lewis with the 5th brigade 2nd ID. and I can honestly say that i am 100% undertrained for our deployment on Feb 27th to the 'stan. we got issued M16a2's here (with the plastic handguards and fixd carry handle) and were told we'd be deploying with these rifles...... when we went to the zeroing/qualifying range (in one day) I was able to zero the weapon easily enough.. but while trying to Qual, i had 3 jams... 2 double feeds and 1 where the bullet got caught on the chamber. after we got done at the range we turned them in (without cleaning) and havent touched them since. After being a civilian shooter for about.. 8 years now, i know that's a big no no (not cleaning your weapon)

Back in Basic we trained with old M16A4's with Comp M2's. they worked pretty well so long as they were cleaned. but the closest we came to any type of hardcore training was running up a lane shooting pop ups from behind barracades with a battle buddy calling out "moving - Move" etc. etc.

Most of my training in the Stan' will be on the job, rolling out in strykers and foot marches learning as I go, which, according to common sense, isn't safe in the least. all they pound into our brains here is CLS and IED stuff. nothing about react to contact and such...

That's just my $.02 on it as an infantryman straight outta basic.

[Combat_Diver]

Garrasa,

Once your deployed that rifle will be with you everyday 24/7. Keep it cleaned and oiled. You may also want to check your feed lips on your magazines. PXs here sell PMAGs and you should get an issue from REF. Your old M16A4 was the newest verison, just used. Good luck on your deployment and listen to your platoon sargeant.

CD