On using the Mk18 at 200+, guys aren’t doing that because they have 4 guns in their backpack inventory they can switch to like a videogame. They’re using it because its the gun they have in their hands at the moment. Not because its the optimal tool for that particular shot. They are carrying it because the benefits for their task outweighs the drawbacks.
Soldiers, even well trained ones, tend to overestimate distance in varying degrees, especially at night. So when I hear about a longer shot that I wasn’t present for, I think about how they determined/verified the distance, time of day, and who’s telling me.
Also, ammo type can play a role, as does chance and placement. Pop a melon, and it doesn’t matter if your ammo fragmented or expanded optimally. And dropping a dude like a lightning strike has a different scale of urgency at knife range than it does at “that idiot can’t hit me” range. Nobody likes getting shot, so a dude dropping face first to the ground at 300 does not always mean he is DRT. It may mean he doesn’t know what to do about his current problem, and hopefully he’ll be dead when you get to him. Of course, you’ll never find out if you shoot him a few more times just for luck.
I’m not saying that any of these reports are BS, or that the Mk 18 doesn’t do the job, just providing a little clarification. Choose what works best for your task.
RLTW
Former Action Guy
Disclosure: I am affiliated PRN with a tactical training center, but I speak only for myself. I have no idea what we sell, other than CLP and training. I receive no income from sale of hard goods.
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