What sort of portable firearms do the armed forces use today

[PistolGrippinTheLoveMonke]

Specifically, I am curious to know about the main rifles that the soldiers use, like in Iraq, Afghanistan, etc. I might be way off base thinking about M16's...I know that those were used back in the Vietnam war. So what sort of automatic weapons do American soldiers use these days?

[jaysonindaytona]

as far as I know.. M4 Carbine and M9 pistol...

[Ron Gerow]

The old workhorse is still around, the majority of the Army utilizes the M16A2, a select number do use the M4 Carbine and/or M9 Beretta.

I would assume that the USMC uses the same. The Navy has them on the submarines.

[johnmed3]

And some units use the 1911A1 and some hk usp. SOCOM also use the FNH SCAR.

[Fisck]

We use mainly M4's in the Army. We still have M16's but they are becoming rarer each year.

The Marines still use the M16. They don't want the trade off the M4 gives on long range.

The Air Force still use the M16 as well. I think they just never put forth the logistics needed to exchange the M16 for the M4.

I’m not sure about the Navy, but I can guess the Navy and Marine Corp use the same weaponry.

Right now all 4 use the M9 (Beretta 9mm) as the main pistol option. The M16 and M4 have burst fire options, not full auto like in Vietnam. For full auto we mainly use the M249 saw (Squad Automatic Weapon) that fires 5.56, and the M240 that fires 7.62. Both are belt fed, and full auto only. The 240 has several versions that each has a somewhat different use. They are designated with a letter like the 240B, and 240L. We also have the M2 .50 cal, but it’s not something you normally carry that often.

There are exceptions like SF (I don’t know what they use so don’t ask) but the majority of American forces over here in Afghanistan use the weapons I’ve listed.


P.S. Not trying to sound like I know more than everyone els but I'm setting here with my M4 on my lap in Afghanistan while I type this. So everyone can guess if they want but I see it on a daily basis.

[Hubs]

We use mainly M4's in the Army. We still have M16's but they are becoming rarer each year.

The Marines still use the M16. They don't want the trade off the M4 gives on long range.

The Air Force still use the M16 as well. I think they just never put forth the logistics needed to exchange the M16 for the M4.

I’m not sure about the Navy, but I can guess the Navy and Marine Corp use the same weaponry.

Right now all 4 use the M9 (Beretta 9mm) as the main pistol option. The M16 and M4 have burst fire options, not full auto like in Vietnam. For full auto we mainly use the M249 saw (Squad Automatic Weapon) that fires 5.56, and the M240 that fires 7.62. Both are belt fed, and full auto only. The 240 has several versions that each has a somewhat different use. They are designated with a letter like the 240B, and 240L. We also have the M2 .50 cal, but it’s not something you normally carry that often.

There are exceptions like SF (I don’t know what they use so don’t ask) but the majority of American forces over here in Afghanistan use the weapons I’ve listed.


P.S. Not trying to sound like I know more than everyone els but I'm setting here with my M4 on my lap in Afghanistan while I type this. So everyone can guess if they want but I see it on a daily basis.

Thank you SO much for your service.

[-06]

Thanks Fiske, my son is headed your way shortly for the third time. He carried one with a grenade launcher slung under it for a short while. My nephew was a designated marksman and carried a 14. He is SF now and like you I do not know what he carries. What ever it is I would not want him firing at me with it. My son "plays" with his sniper buds at Ft. Bragg with my old 700. He routinely fires on the 1000M range with his 16.

[sgtbill]

Yes thank you for your service. My youngest son is a E-6 Staff Sergeant in a Marine Corp's Reserve Unit and did a tour in Iraq 3 year's ago he carried a M-4 and a M-9 Beretta. The rest of his squad carried M-17 and a few M-249 Squad automatic weapons belt fed. The M-16's were of the 3 shot burst type and the M-4 could go full auto I believe. The M-16's that we had in Viet Nam just had semi auto or full auto selectors and our full auto machine gun's were the M-60 Belt fed .308 or 7.62 MM and Ma Duce M-2 .50 Cal. belt fed Machine Gun.
Semper Fi!
Bill

[G50AE]

The M203 is still in service.

[Williamf57]

Air force security forces use the m-4 and the m-9