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Old 11-25-2013, 06:55 PM   #11
Tema69
 
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Location: Denmark
Default Re: SEALs in Vietnam: Firearms related questions

An alternative is soft pouches for the ammo belts. I've carried an MG3 with a 100round belt loaded in a clipped on soft pouch. Additional ammo was distributed amongst a few additional soft pouches on my gear (for quick access), belts in an assault pack, and in my squadmates' assault packs. We didn't use metal containers of any kind at all, unless stationary.

It's also a big no-no to let your belts get muddy/dirty (jams are almost guaranteed), and in any place with vegetation, firing whilst prone with a loose belt will drag all kinds of twigs, leaves, and the occasional squirrel into the weapon. In built up areas, there's always loose dirt, stones, gravel, etc that gets dragged in as well.

Assuming you have a soft pouch, it's an advantage to leave it on the weapon at all times. Try to "reload" by linking a fresh belt to the last 10-20 rounds of the current belt. As soon as you have time, put the fresh belt into the pouch to protect it from dirt. If you get over-eager and reload while there's more than 10-20 rounds, you end up with a 150 round belt that doesn't fit in the pouch - which means that as soon as you start moving, it'll fall out.

The best case is, no doubt, an assistant that can link the belts as they are being fired (and carry spare ammo). In my opinion, I'd easily sacrifice one rifleman's firepower to improve the squad's machinegun fire.

Keep in mind that my training was regular infantry, not fancy SEAL stuff. :)

Hope that helps, and that it wasn't too off-topic.
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Old 11-26-2013, 11:35 AM   #12
acrosome
 
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Default Re: SEALs in Vietnam: Firearms related questions

Quote:
Originally Posted by chitoryu12 View Post
The only way to prevent ALL of these problems would be to use a very short belt, along the lines of 20 or 30 rounds at the most.
Historically this is what was done. While humping the gun through the bush soldiers were taught to keep a shorter, more wieldy 15 or 20 round belt in the gun for quick reaction to a near ambush if needed. Once that was expended they or their a-gunner (assistant gunner) loaded a full-sized belt.

I was taught this when I carried an M60 back in the early 1990s (Blackhorse!) but the practice goes back at least as far as WW2.
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Old 11-26-2013, 05:23 PM   #13
chitoryu12
 
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Default Re: SEALs in Vietnam: Firearms related questions

One issue with the SEAL team is that it's going to be a small unit, one that may not necessarily have a dedicated assistant gunner. And the machine gun has to set up a base of fire, so only having 15 or 20 rounds to start with doesn't work out too well if you're by yourself and have to rely on your own skill or a nearby soldier to get a proper load in.

I'd just go with the soft bag (even make your own from canvas if the soldiers wouldn't historically have them) or tell the machine gunner to tough it out because he's a mother****in' SEAL.
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Old 11-27-2013, 01:24 PM   #14
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Default Belt sleeves --

IIRC in late WW II MG guys [gunner & ass't gunner] started to improvise "belt sleeves" -- a simple cloth cover, open at one end or with a flap, to cover a 100 rounds of MG ammo. In action needing reload, open flap, yank at other end, and a clean belt of ammo ready to go. Lighter than an ammo can, and quieter, & easier to carry.

There was a book "Guns Up!" some years ago about an M60 gunner in VN. Might have some ideas. Author Johnnie Clark.
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