Do you got to choose what attachments you can put on you weapon? usmc

That depends on the unit. On my rifle I roll out with a CCO or ACOG and a PEQ 15 as a Scout. I have to have the optics and laser on my rifle no matter what, if I want to throw a gangster grip or light on I can do that in my unit. Some leaders are huge on dress right dress and others are not. I am not a Marine so I can't say what units are getting issued m4s and who 16s. As far as I know all Army combat soldiers use the m4, some non combat units still use the 16. The reason for that is a m4 is much more manageable in MOUT and its far less clumsy when quickly dismounting from a vehicle.
 
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What to put on your weapon? My opinion is out of date and not as exciting as looking through the latest catalog of goodies.

1. Be the first to hit a target at close range. Once your reflexes tell you to shoot NOW, you will need to have the fastest thought process to get off the shot. anything more than aquire the target as your safty goes off and pull (a very fast controlled squize) the trigger will slow the time it takes.
If this includes running through your mind the options that you may have had. like pushing the little button for the light, or how about the switch roe the lazier . Maybe you have optics, if they have a piggyback dot sight. then add to the option as to which optic to use. the list can go on and on. If you have this equipment on your rifle you will spend time learning exactly were the controls are.
If your mind even spends a nano second on options while the enemy is just a few feet away with his third world ak that has no options to consider, you may come in 2nd place.

2. Reliability, carring your rifle to the local range in a protective bag, shooting it a bit and carring it home is not much of a reliability test. I carried a m-14 in Vietnam, it was teriffic, However during the monsoon it would apear to grow green stuff in less than a day, and during dry hot times it grew sand. I cleaned it constantly, not just daily. I always had a tooth brush and rod with me.l Any equipment that you add will probably not be as reliable as your already suspect m16/m4 is.

3. lights, My training in the Marine corps about lights in the 1960's was, never use one and when the enemy turned one on, shoot him.

Now above all remember that I am about 20 years obsolete. Keep what I said in mind and learn from the new pros. Then you will know what to do.
 
Well, I don't know much about the Marines but in the army it depends on what type of unit your in usually. Most of the time support units will get like M16a2/a3's and an attachment won't even be available... I'm in a Support Company for a Special Forces Group which has its own budget, so we all have M4's but if we go out to the field or the range we just have foregrips and iron sights, just so we can qualify with the weapon. But when we deploy everyone gets an ACOG. We have things like PEQ-2's(night vision laser sights) and such but we don't do heavy duty combat stuff so its not a necessity therefore supply wont issue them to us... So really it boils down to what your job is what your doing and what your supervisors want you to have... theres not really a choice even if you have one... :)
 
I'm in a RSTA (recon) Squadron in 1st CAV DIV and we still have a few guys roling with M16s. Our guys (and most Army units I've seen for the last few years) are vey lax about what you have on your weapon. It mostly boils down to what your mission set is and what you feel comfortable with. People who say that lights and PEQ15s are useless have usually never cleared a house at night. I used to feel the same way about weapon attatchments, but experience has taught me to adapt to the new technologies. If you are dismounting from vehicles to conduct raids, then close quarters reflex sights are good. If you are operating in a more open environment, the added range of the ACOG is ideal. It's all about you. In my unit we have people using ACOGs, M68s, EoTechs, Leupold CQ/T variable power scopes and others. In addition, M203 grenade launchers are sort of making a comeback due to the ease of getting non lethal rounds. I carry a couple of HEDP rounds, but the bulk of my ammo loadout is crowd dispersal and the green foam rubber rounds due to the emphasis on reducing civilian casualties. Not to mention the M249s, the M240s the lone .50cal we have and the newer Rock Island M14 EBR TACOM-RI intermediate range SDM rifles we have. The Army is really getting it's gear fielding in order the past few years.
 
For the Marines, seeing as i have fairly recent experience, depending on your unit you will be issued either an m16a4 or and m4, if you go infantry it's a pretty good chance you'll see an m4, otherwise it's hit or miss. As far as gear, the Marines tend to be pretty specific on what you can and can't have on your rifle, at this point you'll see an acog, most combat arms units will require a light, and you can normally get a foregrip on your weapon depending on your preference(that's the one piece of equipment that I have seen most units be pretty lax about). As far as night optics like a PEC(?) system, the combat units i have seen deploy use them. Other than that stuff you really don't need much more to weigh your wepon down. I hope this helps.
 
hence my first post here. the problem is alot of young/green soldiers slap these things on for looks or "coolness". If there is somthing on your weapon you dont really need its just another weight to carry and a another thing to snag to your clothing/gear/vegetation.
 
I agree that this can get out of hand, even in the Army (I see it far too often unfortunately). Having a light, laser module like the PEQ-15, and an optic makes your weapon far more useful. Adding buttstocks with the little sniper stand, ready mags, bipods and crazy stuff like that to standard infantry weapons just gets snagged and weighs you down. It's fairly easy to tell the guys who actually use their weapons, and the guys who are out to one up people. Some guys go the other route to look cool and pull the "I'm so good, I only need iron sights" thing. Technology has come a long way, and if you don't make use of the useful things, someone else will. Iron sights in the dark without any aids can get you killed.
 
Well, I was not an infantry man and as tank commander I always prefered iron sights to optical ones. Espcially when we had only a few sights, not enough for every soldier, it seemed to me that me carrying one and my soldiers not carrying one looks bad.
 
Back in the dark ages iron sights were standard with very few optics etc outside of specialized units. Just me but I think it's possible to forget the basics and become over reliant on gadgets that could fail.
 
I'm an infantry Marine about to deploy to Afghanistan in a few weeks. The only people who will get an M4 are people who have other stuff to carry such as a 240, SMAW, mortar, ammo for said weapons and people who probably won't be shooting at anything (BC, SgtMaj, CO, 1st SGT, Plt SGTs, see how the Corps works lol). The rest of us grunts who actually do stuff will get a 16 that was probably around and used in combat with your battalion since the initial push on Iraq or earlier. Your 16 will have a broomstick(front grip what ever you want to call it), ACOG and a PEQ 16 which is a tan box looking thing you mount to the front rails that has a surefire, visible red laser and an IR laser all in one expensive little thing that you better dummy cord to your weapon or thats about a half a years pay check.
You could be very lucky and might get a 249 SAW which also has a ACOG and PEQ 16, but you get extra goodies like a retracting buttstock (like M4 ones) and a short barrels instead of the long ones. Have fun carrying that 20 lbs of metal around along with 1800 rounds. Welcome to the fleet boot :)
Oh and some 203 gunners might get M4s, why...I don't know, they work fine on 16s.

Don't plan on putting anything else on your weapon. Number one, it's a huge waste of money and number two, you will be told to take it off by about evey SNCO in a 100 radius.
 
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Gadgets suck, unless they are missioncritical. Then bring two of everything and alot of spare batteries.

I am forced to pimp my weapon out on occations and not only does it alter the balance of the weapon.
They tend to snag on **** in tight quaters.
Cam netting and gadgets are like cats and dogs, and you can´t sleep as well with your head on an ACOG sight as you can resting it on a smooth weapon.

To sumarize, use what will give you a clear advatage. Shitcan the rest.

//KJ.
 
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