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| Iraq |
| Marines in Iraq Get 40mm Six-Shooter |
| 2006-03-15 |
| March 15, 2006: Six shot, "revolver" type 40mm grenade launchers have been around for years. But the U.S. military has never adopted them, until now. The U.S. Marine Corps has, after several months of testing, issued these weapons to troops in Iraq. The MGL-140 40mm, six shot, grenade launcher is now called the M32. This weapon is, literally, a shotgun size revolver that fires standard American 40mm grenades. Thus it has a minimum range of 30 meters, and a maximum range of 400 meters. The weapon is 32 inches long, and weighs 13.2 pounds empty, and 20.3 pounds loaded (40mm rounds weigh about 19 ounces each.) Like any 40mm grenade launcher, it can fire lethal and non-lethal (tear gas, Etc.) rounds, and fire all six of them in a few seconds. The M32 also has a rail for mounting various types of aiming devices (day and night scopes). M32s retail for $6,000 each, but the marines have gotten a volume discount. Currently, each battalion has one M32, to be used to see how the weapon performs in combat. If user reports are positive, more will be issued. Marines and soldiers have used their single shot, 40mm grenade launchers, a lot in Iraq, and with much success. But the single shot 40mm launchers have been around since the 1960s, and the marines wanted to try something new. Weapons like the MGL-140 have been used by police and military organizations for years. |
| Posted by:Steve |
| #6 I'd wager one of the major reasons this weapon has been brought into action is its ability to launch the new generation of compact thermobaric rounds. Collapsing a single building upon a group of assembled terrorists, without damage to surrounding structures. What's not to like? |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-03-15 14:39 |
| #5 the marines have gotten a volume discount. Ain't that the best line in the story! Shoots more, better, faster, AND we've got extra loads back at the warehouse! What a great country. |
| Posted by: Phavilet Grolurt9350 2006-03-15 14:00 |
| #4 The one weapon that has never really made it is the infantry light cannon. Its almost singular function is to shoot *throught* parts of a building. For example, denying the use of a corner for cover. It give the infantry the option to punch a neat hole in something, rather than level the building, which is time-consuming and expensive. |
| Posted by: Anonymoose 2006-03-15 13:28 |
| #3 Is this another part of the 'video game revolution' in military affairs? Somehow I can just see a marine specialist complaining that he has to reload everytime he fires, unlike Unreal Tournament or GTA3. |
| Posted by: Chinter Flarong9283 2006-03-15 12:33 |
| #2 wow sounds like a neat peice of kit! bet its got good 'fear factor' stats if your looking at a modern day top trumps set. |
| Posted by: ShepUK 2006-03-15 10:39 |
| #1 Milkor of SA product. Photo and details on page 32 of the following link: http://down.nmag.cn/other/Janes.Defence.Weekly.Magazine.January.11.2006.PDF |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2006-03-15 10:36 |