[PLUG-TALK] AK-47

[Rich Shepard]

On Mon, 4 Aug 2014, Keith Lofstrom wrote:

> Apropos computers and automatic weapons:
> http://www.ccs.neu.edu/home/shivers/autoweapons.html
> http://hyperlogos.org/quote/Guy-Right-Doesnt-Stand-Chance

Keith,

   :-)

> And if you disregard all these warnings, you lug around some very heavy
> ammunition; 40 7.62×39mm rounds weigh a pound. At 10 rounds per second,
> you go though a heavy box of ammunition fast.

   Yeah, before the designation was changed to the NATO one we used to call
'em .308 Winchester and lugged several magazines and an 8 pound M14 on long
marches in the August heat and humidity of central New Joisey's Fort Dix.
After basic training I was quite happy to turn in that long gun for a .38
Spl revolver.

   My friends in 'Nam used to trade their M16s for M14s because the latter
was more reliable (didn't jam as easily in the jungle mud) and because it
used the same ammunition as the AK-47s that the Viet Cong and NVA used. Much
easier to find replacement 7.62x39 rounds than 5.56 rounds for the M16.

Rich