Spine chilling ...

[Arthury]

How much chilling of the spine do we need on a Monday morning?

H&K awarded contract to build new assault rifles for USMC

Are the decision-makers all suffering from Alzheimers or something?
What next, get the Japanese to build our next generation fighter planes?

 

[Straightshooter2]

How much chilling of the spine do we need on a Monday morning?

H&K awarded contract to build new assault rifles for USMC

Are the decision-makers all suffering from Alzheimers or something?
What next, get the Japanese to build our next generation fighter planes?

Wonder who got what kind of kickback on that one? And yeah, Honda does build jet aircraft.

CW

 

[Andy Griffith]

If HK customer service treats the USMC the same way they do it's citizen customers- the Marines will soon be using the guns as clubs for lack of parts and lack of empathy from their parts department.

No matter how good a gun is, unless there is support...the gun is a failure.

 

[brucev]

Sounds like Beretta 2.0.

 

[johnsonl]

It's not as if Marines have never been shafted before. It wasn't that long ago that we ran successful campaigns with castoff Army equipment, captured weapons/supplies and foraged to supplement our diet. I hope the new weapons work out, but if they don't, we will adapt, adjust and overcome, as we always have. I have several HK products and they have given good service, are reliable and accurate.
Semper Fi!

 

[kscardsfan]

Not to sound too calloused, but who is supposed to compete here stateside besides ruger? The domestic manufacturers all want entirely too much for what is estentially the same designs from the last 40-50 years repainted. It's a sad fact of american business.

 

[Iggy]

Ain't gonna be long before the only thing left that we can do on our own is print money

 

[Arthury]

Ain't gonna be long before the only thing left that we can do is print money

Assuming US$ is going to be printed on paper in the future, we would have run out of wood before long because we are now shipping raw wood overseas to countries who are building furniture. Then, they turn around and sell these furniture back to us. That sure sounds like we are a colony of some imperialists.

 

[Arthury]

Not to sound too calloused, but who is supposed to compete here stateside besides ruger? The domestic manufacturers all want entirely too much for what is estentially the same designs from the last 40-50 years repainted. It's a sad fact of american business.

Last count, we have, at least, 25 AR-15 manufacturers in the US.
Incidentally, that HK416 and the HK556A1 (descended from HK416) are AR's that cost around US$2,000 each. They are, certainly, not cheaper than any US ones.

 

[mtgianni]

Historically, the safety and ease of use of the end user have never mattered much to the Military.

 

[617X10]

The only guys coming out with new assault rifles are Barrett, FN, H&K, and Remington. I don't think the adoption of the H&K is due to greasing palms, I believe it's a lack of faith in the soldiers who are going to be using the weapon. It's such a copout it's ridiculous. Instead of retraining they'd rather continue with the M-16 type of system. How hard is it to figure out an assault rifle? Who are they kidding? If an 8 year old can figure out how to rack an AK, I figure a grown man with an IQ above 60 can figure out where the charging handle, safety and trigger is for any shoulder-mounted, magazine-fed weapon out there. And disassembly and cleaning is more difficult on many of the newer semi-auto pistols than most assault rifles I've handled. That's why I consider the Glock the AK of the pistol world. Simple to strip, simple to operate, and stupid reliable.

 

[dkizer22]

The new weapon is to replace the M249 not the M-16

 

[geoff40]

If I am reading it right, it comes out to $5900 per rifle. They better be good for that price.

BTW, US paper money is printed on cotton fiber pulp, not wood.

 

[A10]

The M249 Squad Automatic Weapon and the M240 Light Machine Gun are both manufactured by Fabrique Nationale, not exactly an American comany, though both are built in the USA. I know the evaluation trials are extensive, and the Corps will only select the best for them. That's not to say some congressman couldn't influence outcomes (a la Colt in the 1960's). I am familiar with the HK416, and it works. I understand the M27 is less than half the weight of the M249. I can understand the desire to change. I would prefer an American company to have won, but I don't know if any even submitted.

 

[swllwsgn]

spinechilling it is.

 

[GatorFarmer]

H&K customer service is geared towards LE and military sales. They've been pushing the 416 series extensively. By most accounts they work.

Generally these sorts of contracts require the maker to set up a factory in the United States, hence the large FNH operation here in SC. For various reasons related to U.S. and German law, that would actually make it much more feasible for H&K to sell weapons on the commercial market in the United States.

Besides, the Germans make good guns.

Oh, and the Blackhawk gear widely sold at Exchanges and used across the services? That's mostly made in Vietnam. I mean if you wanted to complain about something...

 

[NE450No2]

The H&K has a good track record in the Sand Box.

It is a Piston gun.

Also they are trying to get away from a belt fed 223 gun, for "walking/running around troops.

Plus the M249's are worn out...

 

[ditrina]

The M249 Squad Automatic Weapon and the M240 Light Machine Gun are both manufactured by Fabrique Nationale, not exactly an American comany, though both are built in the USA. I know the evaluation trials are extensive, and the Corps will only select the best for them. That's not to say some congressman couldn't influence outcomes (a la Colt in the 1960's). I am familiar with the HK416, and it works. I understand the M27 is less than half the weight of the M249. I can understand the desire to change. I would prefer an American company to have won, but I don't know if any even submitted.

A newly established HK manufacturing facility is located in Newington, New Hampshire. I'm jus sayin'

 

[Arthury]

[...]
Oh, and the Blackhawk gear widely sold at Exchanges and used across the services? That's mostly made in Vietnam. I mean if you wanted to complain about something...

I understand where you are coming from but comparing:

1. Vietnam War vs World Wars I and II (who was the main aggressor in these two wars?)
2. low tech Blackhawk holsters/accessories vs a high end squad automatic weapon (SAW)

seemed worlds apart.

I'd say all they need to do in a war is to stop supplying parts and there goes your SAW for the entire Marines Corp.

 

[HOUSTON RICK]

It dont matter what the troops get, they are meant to be "expended". What is important is the graft and payola that will keep generations of the decision makers families from working.