Do the military actually use the select fire setting on their rifles?

[Brad69]

Well, the SEALs I saw looked like they could make their weapons roll over and dance, even sing.
But, they kinda got to fire the **** out of their stuff.
In the 80s, it was hard to get ammo, budgets.
But the SEALs, they got what they wanted.
And they had their armorers that would modify stuff that I'm sure regular Army would have a problem with.
They had 1st and 2nd generation NVGs, when Army only had a few NVGs to distribute to select personnel.
I got to help carry down their load one time to the "armory", which was #1 and 2 missile tubes. And they even had hand held SAMs, but I can't remember which one. Just thought it was fricking awesome.
Of course, I wouldn't think that if I was using that crap because someone was using it against me.

But, they were a little out of their element when bad submarine stuff happened, and they were just passengers while ship's crew scurried around trying to stop us from dying.

Was the Uniform of the day Speedos and boots?

Nice "mustache" !

 

[actaeon277]

Was the Uniform of the day Speedos and boots?

Nice "mustache" !

Well, limited clothing storage on a submarine you know. You don't have room for a closet.
And, have you seen most military exercise shorts? This was the "fashion" of the times.


The moustache is still here. Been here since I was 12, except for boot camp.
Back of the head is a bit more bald though.

 

[actaeon277]

Was the Uniform of the day Speedos and boots?

Nice "mustache" !

Oh, and I learned, never make fun of a SEAL when you're near water. It always turned out bad.
Of course, even on land it turned out bad.
I think it was Gibraltar where the gendarmes (or what ever they were called) decided to stop a SEAL from blowing off steam.
They got him, but it was like 5 or 6 that had to visit the doctor.

 

[actaeon277]

And, I just want to state.. I am NOT one of those guys that claim to be a SEAL.

I was more like the engine room monkey on the cruise ship that drove them around.
This was my weapon.

And there definitely was no "full auto"

 

[Trigger Time]

Full auto usualy only authorized for the first guy in the stack and for suppression fire. Entry teams RARELY use full auto. Our lowers were the M4A1 and had a safe, semi, & full auto option. No three round burst. If you went full you had better have had a good reason.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

You can't set headspace and timing on the new M2's.

...wha???

 

[bobjones223]

Please delete..

Fat fingers and small phone.

 

[HoughMade]

There are multiple uses for full auto.
I think the lack of training in full mode is to save a couple of boolits so the military doesn't have to do the paperwork on the ammo usage and pay for more than is absolutely required. Who cares if the training is actually competent.

Actual conversation during small unit training with MILES:

Squad leader: OK, for this exercise, you will be the machine gunner. We don't have an M-60 right now [early '90s], so private HoughMade, you switch your rifle to full auto and.... What's that sarge?

Platoon Sargent: We've only got about 5 boxes of blanks for each soldier for the whole day so....

Squad leader: HoughMade, no full auto. When you engage, fire off a couple of quick rounds, then yell "Bang, bang, bang" really fast and fire a round every once in a while.

[end scene]

You bet it's the best military in the world.

 

[actaeon277]

Actual conversation during small unit training with MILES:

Squad leader: OK, for this exercise, you will be the machine gunner. We don't have an M-60 right now [early '90s], so private HoughMade, you switch your rifle to full auto and.... What's that sarge?

Platoon Sargent: We've only got about 5 boxes of blanks for each soldier for the whole day so....

Squad leader: HoughMade, no full auto. When you engage, fire off a couple of quick rounds, then yell "Bang, bang, bang" really fast and fire a round every once in a while.

[end scene]

You bet it's the best military in the world.

Ammo budgets used to be REAL tight.

 

[HoughMade]

...not that the average M-16 (A1 originally, later A2) would run reliably on full auto with blanks and a muzzle plug anyway.

Eventually i got a 60 for a while....wish I hadn't.

 

[Woobie]

...wha???

Havent got my mits on one yet, and probably won't now that I've transitioned to #poguelife. I'm guessing it's a ratchet system like a 240, but that's just conjecture on my part.

 

[halfmileharry]

Full auto usualy only authorized for the first guy in the stack and for suppression fire. Entry teams RARELY use full auto. Our lowers were the M4A1 and had a safe, semi, & full auto option. No three round burst. If you went full you had better have had a good reason.

We (older rusty grey beards) weren't hampered by those ROEs. No one really asked and no one really wanted to know.
It's hard for me to imagine going into conflict with those shackles.
Hell, I just got what's happening. Back to the Funk 'n Wagner to look up the definitions of war or "police action". That last one I didn't understand either.
The **** they put our young men through and the rules they make them adhere to.

 

[Trigger Time]

We (older rusty grey beards) weren't hampered by those ROEs. No one really asked and no one really wanted to know.
It's hard for me to imagine going into conflict with those shackles.
Hell, I just got what's happening. Back to the Funk 'n Wagner to look up the definitions of war or "police action". That last one I didn't understand either.
The **** they put our young men through and the rules they make them adhere to.

it was a lot more relaxed when we first touched ground in oct 2001 till about feb 02. Then things started tightening in Afghanistan. In the beginning of Iraq it was pretty much relaxed too.
As politicians get involved things get more restrictive.

 

[ScouT6a]

When I was in Afghanistan, in '09, we had a soldier in our unit that was a Vietnam vet.
When General McCrystal took over command, he implemented several new rules of engagement. (ROE)
We were outside the wire one day, rolling down the road in our MRAP vehicle. We're talking on our internal comms. I think it was the gunner, asked SSG Lee (Vietnam vet) what he thought about the new ROE.
After a short pause, SSG Lee said, "Boys, I miss the good old days, when you could clear a village with a Zippo lighter."

 

[Trigger Time]

When I was in Afghanistan, in '09, we had a soldier in our unit that was a Vietnam vet.
When General McCrystal took over command, he implemented several new rules of engagement. (ROE)
We were outside the wire one day, rolling down the road in our MRAP vehicle. We're talking on our internal comms. I think it was the gunner, asked SSG Lee (Vietnam vet) what he thought about the new ROE.
After a short pause, SSG Lee said, "Boys, I miss the good old days, when you could clear a village with a Zippo lighter."

lol.
maybe that's why he was still only a SSG? Lol

after I got out and went back over employed (for about 3 years) as a civilian employee I had less restrictions in some cases than when I was a soldier.

 

[SSGSAD]

There are multiple uses for full auto.
I think the lack of training in full mode is to save a couple of boolits so the military doesn't have to do the paperwork on the ammo usage and pay for more than is absolutely required. Who cares if the training is actually competent.

Not just training, they also look at rounds per kill .....

And "they" decided we were wasting too much ammo .....

So like he said above, MONEY .....

 

[Trigger Time]

We need to have an INGO veteran get together.
we have vets here from a wide range of conflict periods and periods of shaddow
conflicts. We are a brotherhood.

 

[Trigger Time]

Well, I was a submariner, so I can only speak to my experience, which is not much.
When we had a SEAL contingent on board, they're rifles were single or full auto. This was just before the 3 round burst came out, or it was out and the SEALs were exempt.
But when we surfaced and they practiced, I never saw much "suppressing" fire. It seemed to be 3 to 5 round bursts, or 1 round shots.
I did witness one fire full auto when one of my shipmates stated that the rifle was uncontrollable on full auto. My shipmate for the record, was wrong.

When they allowed ship's crew to fire some, to blow off steam, we were instructed to keep it to 3 to 5 round bursts.
Except when I fired the full auto 9mm pistol. OOOOOOOohhhhhhhhhhh. That was awesome.
The SEAL told me, after 3 rounds it would be off target. It pulled up and to the right. So start low left.
He said to limit it to 3 rounds because it would be off target, and because IT WAS HIS GUN, so he got to make the rules.
And he was right.



I'm the guy in the submarine "poopy suit" and the moustache.
Yes, the SEAL has his arm on me.
SEALs got nervous when ship's crew handled weapons for some reason.
Could be because of our non-existent training in small arms.
I fired more that day than I did in the 6 years.
And no, they didn't let us fire the grenade launcher.

act I've always been wowed by your pics you've shared! Also your story. You were part of some cool **** man!!

 

[2A_Tom]

...wha???

.
That is what I thought.

 

[Cameramonkey]

Seriously? Sounds like an accident waiting to happen.

Just curious why you have That opinion? (honest question) To me that sounds like a device much like a reverse lockout on a transmission or a lockout/tagout bar. It seems pretty straightforward.