Re: TOES INTO THE DUMPER

DONOGH,  we ha so much trouble with M-16 malfunctions-due to design
problems  with the weapon , the magazines, and the ammo-that it only
took a couple of firefights to make a soldier  look for a better
weapons to stake his life on.

nothing more pitiful than seeing a dead GI with his Mattie Mattel
disassembled and in pieces around his corpse. 

 or wasteful of soldier's lives.

and the sheer pucker factor of firing off a magazine, or 2 or 3, during
a firefight, then hearing CLUNK! instead of POP!  has to be experienced
to be  believed. . ..

or  struggling to "TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION"  (pull back and lock the
bolt, remove the  magazine  from the  rifle,  and then run the
previously assembled (if you are smart!) 4 piece cleaning  rod	down the
length of the rifle's bore to knock the baked into the chamber expended
cartridge casing out of the chamber!

then remove the  cleaning rod,	retain it in your left hand, insert the
magazine, release the bolt to chamber a round,	and then shoot POP!

and then repeat the "IMMEDIATE ACTION STEPS".

and all the  while, you can hear those AKS and SKS banging away without
pausing,  hear the SMACK! of incoming  rounds or the CRACK! as they fly
by . . . . .

 a wise soldier fixed his bayonet ASAP after the fight started, because
HE KNEW the NVA/VC were gonna rush his unit during the drop off in
firepower due to  expected  malfunctions . . . .

the squad, fire team leaders,  LMGs (especially the LMGs) and the
grenadiers would try and take up the slack when this happened.
unfortunately, the Sls and ASLs were soon in the same  shape as the
riflemen after 2-3 magazines. . . .

i got an M1917 trenchgun (12-ga pump shotgun) and carried it in addition
to my M-16 at first, then later abandoned the M-16 completely and a dded
a.45-cal Colt autopistol to my personal armory.

the way the WINCHESTER was made, i could hold back the	trigger, pump
the slide and blast off 40 projectiles (from 6 rounds) in less time than
a soldier  with an M-16 could fire off and reload his M-16. if i loaded
with NO4 turkey shot from the States (which i had mailed to me	by the
case) instead of GI 00 shot, i ld bang off 20 odd projectiles per round
fired, so in effect i became a LMG of sorts.

i cried my shotgun ammo in  leather  50 round  bandoliiers made on the
local economy, in GI ammo pouches, claymore bag and in some bit
ex-Canuch ammo pouches from the frozen north at times.

i held some  exra rounds in my left hand (the  one i worked the slide
with, and even in my mouth if needs be) and reloaded between shots if
possible.

plus  had a nice big  bayonet, and a heftty shotgun for those up close
and personal encounters.

(the trigger disconnector was designed for this in the M1917s, but not
in the later  military pump shotguns)

anyone that can find a USG surplus M1917 Trenchgun  ought to buy it!
like having a nasty LMG  for home  defense.

DAWGIE