Ok, hooahhippie keeps asking "what ifs" about the military changing to some weapons. So, I got an idea, just for fun. We can see where everyone is coming from on personal tastes. Please, no arguing, just flesh out your choices and ideas. Include pics, if you like. Here it is:

You can start your own Army. How will you equip the individual Soldier. An Infantryman. Rifleman, to be specific. Categories would be,

1)Field and Dress/Service uniforms, including footwear. Snivel gear, too. Field uniform should be a combat uniform, and, you should have a garrison work uniform.

2)Personal weapons. Include one choice for rifle, one for SMG, one for sidearm, one grenade launcher. Field knife or bayonet.

3) Load carrying equipment, including ruck and water carry.

4) Personal protective gear.

5) Personal shelter and sleep system.

6) Individual survival equipment.

7) Miscellaneous

Be creative. Choose whatever you like, as long as it actually exists, and is reasonable. Remember, excluding the dress/service and garrison work uniform, the troop has to carry it on his person.

Have fun. I'll be working on my ideas.

hey thanks GeneSchubeck for this post...

ok here it goes, for field combat would be the marpat digital bdu coat and pants, the boots would be the g.i. type desert tan speed lace jungle boots, the knee pads would be the black hawk hell storm advanced tactical knee pads v.2, the elbow pads would be the black hawk hell storm advanced tactical elbow pads, i cant really say what i would have for the rest.

my rifle would be an AR-57 because it wont spit gas in your face when firing and its easy to repair and for attachments i would put an eotech 510 tactical std n-cell dot, a aimshot ls 8100 5 mw green laser sight w/universal monting system w/ free ups, and a v6 tactical laser and flashlight, for the fore arm attachment i would have an AR-15 mako vertical fore grip, and for the hand grip i would have a AR-15 panther tactical grip, for the stock it would be a vltor basic mod stock kit, the stock accessories would be caa stock saddle for AR-15 butt stock, and a vltor slip-over rubber buttpad, the sling would be an infidel single point sling, oh and with the 50 round fn ps90 5.7x28mm clip.

i like the revolver Taurus 608 .357 for its reliability and it hold 8 shots, and i would have the 8 round moon clip.

my field knife would be ka-bar short black serrated edge.

the rest ill put down later...

So, when you shoot that box of .357, where are you going to get more ammo? It's not in the US Military inventory. Osama's Discount AK, Ammo and IED Cave probably won't stock it either.

Shooting FMJ from a .357, remember gotta obide by the the Geneva Convention, wouldn't be much more effective than a .30 Carbine.

AND, have you ever shot a .357 at night? The muzzle blast will night blind you, and anyone close to you.

Gumby! Dammit! (Get it?)

It's YOUR fantasy Army, not the US Army. You can do whatever you want to equip your guys, as long as it currently exists. Them's the rules for this thread.

Basically, I'm asking you guys what you would personally choose if you could pick all of your gear, without worrying about US Military logistics. It's strictly a for fun thread.

I'm still working on mine.

Oh, and screw the Geneva convention.

Combat and deployed uniform:

The Crye Precision Combat Pants AC, in Multi-cam.

The Crye Precision Combat Shirt AC, in Multi-cam.

The Crye Precision Field Shirt AC, in Multicam.

Multicam Low profile ball cap (when helmet isn't worn)

Coyote color t-shirt


Garrison Utility Uniform:

Cry Precision Field Shirt AC and Field Pants AC in Ranger Green, and a matching low-profile ball cap. Coyote color t-shirt.

NOTE: All velcro closures would be replaced with buttons. Blousing trousers is optional in combat attire.

Boots: Several models to choose from. They would be similar to current authorized, but more of a coyote color than tan. I would lean toward Danner Acadia style. Perhaps a beefed up, waterproof Oakley style assault boot.

A variety of high end socks, coyote color.

Belts will be OD green by the Wilderness.

If you don't know what these are, Google Crye Precision and Wilderness products and look.

Rifle:

If in 5.56, it will be a G36-C. Optic will be an EoTec.

If in 7.62, it will be a Para FN, like the DS Arms, witht he 16" barrel.

SMG will be the MP5K-PDW. My only wish would be that it is in .40, but, 9mm will have to do, I guess. If I insisted on .40, I would choose the HK UMP in .40. But, with no Geneva Convention ammo restrictions to deal with, expanding ammo in a 9mm is just fine.

Sidearm. I would have to choose either the Springfield XD Service model in .40 (olive frame), or a .40 HK USP. Have not made up my mind. Holster will be a Blackhawk SERPA, with various carry options.

Knife. The current issue Marine Corps Bayonet (modified to fit issued rifle). A Gerber tool. A CRKT M16 folder.

'Nade Launcher. The XRGL40 multiple grenade launcher.

nice set up GeneSchbeck ill post the rest of mine soon...

Rucksack.

Kifaru Extended Mission Ruck, and assorted pockets and pouches. Olive Drab or Coyote.

Okay Gene, I'll play along...I've got the day off work, and since I couldn't possibly make as big a boo-boo as the The Pentagon has done.

Add also to the fact that unlike the Pentagon and testing agencies so-called "experts", I and you (by looking at your profile) have actually worn uniforms in desert sun/monsoon rain/Bridgeport MWTC freezing temps/asian heat humidity of way beyond 100%/and garrison and 5 decks down on a LPH with no air-flow.

So my Army would have some of the things you mentioned. Those "Crye" trousers with the knee-pads in them look like a good idea... especially if shooting prone at the Edson Range with that rough blacktop surface which was not fun on the knees and elbows. Don't know if they have ever put down a better surface yet... 33 years ago it was like laying on tiny pieces of pointy gravel, and very warm!

The Jungle style Utilities (Army calls them "Fatigues" in OD green color was a very good uniform and can be used most anyplace, except where it likely to get very chilly.

The weight of the BDU regular would be for winter/fall times and/or places that are traditionally prone to colder weather. The color would be OD green... because it goes with everything, and lends itself to be cammied well.

Tee-shirts would be a tan/light brown color... but one that doesn't change to an orangey-looking color after about 3 washes... Whooo doooes the Pentagon contract with...?! Must be the low-bidder,,,except when they buy Fighter Aircraft, then they good hog-wild on a spending binge- arrgh. Sorry Gene , a bit off Topic.


The Patrol Cap/ USMC- style cap would be standard issue, (starched while in Garrison.) and the winter one would have ear flaps that actually covered the whole human ear, not midget ears/skulls tested on girls at the Pentagon.

Gloves would be sized for men with regular sized hands so that your wrist is covered... so we don't freeze! Exposed skin and very cold weather are not compatable. The fingers would be flexible enough that the trigger could be pulled, and the the weapon able to be cleared/reloaded. { If anyone thinks that they could handle the cold... get yourself some books/documentary films about the Korean War 1950-53. The Marines and Soldiers sent to that windy icebox lost toes/fingers/feet to ice, and no longer were effective as fighting men.}

I would issue non-wool (wool itches ) long-johns underwear. Everyone would have a few pairs, not just the permanent cadre at Bridgeport. Good socks that are warm and that stay up.

Boots that are water-proof, warm, and easy to march and route-step in. And, don't give blisters--- .

P.T. gear would be good ole regular cotton sweats. NO nylon synthetical plastic thread junk... the stuff currently of the Army P.T. uniform makes noice whenever you move or walk. Annoying! Even the P.T. tee-shirt feels like some wierd fabric from some mad-scientist.


Gerber or Leatherman combo knife/tool thing. Very helpful. I've carried a "Tinker" or "Camper" model Swiss Army/Victorinox pocket knife with me for 30 some years. Saves a lot of writing up repair requests for the GS/Tech-employees at the repair shop, who seem to be on a 2 hour lunch most days.

Every man would have a belt sheathed Ka-bar, and at least one man per fire team or squad would carry a "Bolo" knife or a machete. Real wood handled E-tools with the steel shovel and pick, the silly folding mini-tool and it's hard plastic case would be auctioned of to surplus stores. Probably would get maybe .01 cents per.

No Berets!!! Worthless head-sweaters.

Garrison Caps would be issued and worn most of the time. The USMC would not have white caps with the MC Dress Blues, but would instead use the blue cloth on the Service/Barracks Cap (the one with the black bill), and re-instate the blue Garrison Cap for use especially with the Recruiters... they use dress blue trousers.

No (nein) Kraut/nazi helmets! ... hate the current kevlar-kraut things... they feel like your neck/spine is being pushed down on by a continuos pressure. And you can't use them to heat up water in the field for hygeine.

Helmets in my army would be of the British WW2/U.S. style in 1941--- small dome with a short brim the whole way around.

Now to the good stuff:

Real rifles and pistols and shotguns with man calibers that actually have won wars.

At least one man per squad would be armed with a Remington model 700 in 30-06. Target micrometer sights with a flip-up style tang mount, plus the standard sights. Accurate rifle with a proven caliber that is available in many countries, and in most towns in the U.S., either as surplus or re-manufactured or new. The .30-06 Sprg. (Govt) has 200 more fps (feet per second) than the 7.62 NATO round and thus is more of a downrage weapon... better trajectory. It can and has been shot by soldiers/Marines/hunters/Target-match shooters. Marine Sniper Gy.Sgt. Carlos Hathcock used a Winchester model 70 in .30-06 Govt to kill several Viet Cong and NVA at long ranges.

The rest of the Squad would be issued M-1 Garands. Why ? Because they worked. Not one veteran of WW2 or the Korean War that I ever have spoken with over the years had a negative thing to say about the M-1 Garand. Some of them mentioned it was a bit heavy, but that helps with the weapon being more accurate - due to less felt recoil than plastic stocked weapons.

Maybe I would hire some gunsmiths to come up with a bottom inserted enbloc or magazine, instead of the open action/enbloc depressed, then ejected when empty design. It would have to be flush with the bottom of the stock, as I don't like long magazines extending from the bottom of the rifle... they stick in your back, and get in the way, and make holding the weapon difficult, the prone position... not fun. Also long guns make better boyonet holders than short carbines. Bayonets are used for crowd/riot control, not just for last-ditch infantry fighting. The further away the rioter is away from your person, the better.

The platoon machine gun would be a .30-06 weapon, that way... just as in WW2 and Korea... the Riflemen can get more ammo from the MG guys by prying apart the links. Also less headaches for the Supply-Logistics folks.

The Machine Gun would have to be a weapon that functioned without the tendency that I noticed with the M-60 7.62mm... to wit, the really NOT good glowing red barrel. Maybe a design like the German MG-42 but with some sort of cooling liquid around the barrel. A cook-off can ruin yer whole day.

Or maybe bring back the BAR. It shot either semi or full auto and used magazines, rather than ammo belts. Had a good reputation for working. One man operator, rather than a TOE M-60 team was a Gunner and 2 A-gunners.

Pistol/Handgun (emphasis: HANDgun) would be a .45 caliber. My army would be issued Smith and Wesson revolvers. Google the Smith and Wesson website. It would chamber the .45 Long Colt (Yes I said "Long Colt", because many moons ago there were shorter length .45 calber rounds in the 1800's) . That was the original chambering of the 7-1/2 inch barreled Colt Single Action Army revolvers issued to the U.S. Cavalry. Horse reins in one hand and HANDgun in the other.

The cartridge is still around and still is a good one. It makes a bigger hole in the enemy. The revolver needs much less cleaning than a semi-auto does and is "idiot proof". They function either in single action mode and/or double-action mode. You can't lose or misplace the magazine, because there isn't one.

They have one called the model 25 and the online catalog shows match sights. I would have S & W remove those and put the standard sights of the Model 10 (.38 Spcl.) on it. Small ramp front sight and small fixed rear notch sight. Nothing to snag and drag. Lanyard loop would be attached at the factory.

{My personal favorite is the Model 10 with a 4 inch barrel, and wood stocks. Great gun and not much recoil. Designed to fire a 158 grain slug at a moderate velocity. Many aviators and M.P.s/Agents carried them for years even thought the 1911 .45 A.C.P. was the main issue weapon.}

Shotguns. hmmm - Well, after the Geneva Convention said the use of shotguns was only for defensive actions rather than offensive.. ( because the Americans had used the Winchester Model 97 pump guns in the trenches during WW1 very effectively against the Deutchlanders, and the multiple pellets (or shot) of the buckshot rounds made the enemies much more likely to die before the surgeon/medics could patch them up... the Convention said that rifles (and machine guns - go figure.) and pistols shooting full metal jacket bullets ( not exposed lead like hunting bullets) could be used against enemy combatants. ( More humane).

So, shotguns are a great all-around weapon but have to be used for defense. Maybe one or two at the company level for the Supply Sergeant/Supply driver. ? Pump/Slide action made in America with a parkerized finish on the metal and oiled/not lacquered stocks. Birdshot and Buckshot and some rifled slugs also.... you may run out of MRE's and have to hunt some game. M.P.s would be issued them also.

Grenade Launcher... ! Yep! The M-79 otherwise known as the "Blooper". Operator would carry that as his main weapon (aka: The Grenadier) and his sidearm would be on his belt. No more sticking a grenade launcher on the bottom of the mattel toys.

Each Squad (maybe each Fire Team) would carry a LAAW (aka- throw away bazooka) for battling tanks or pillboxes/bunkers. Each platoon would also carry a M202- That was a flame projectile shooter-- instead of having a man with a fuel tank on his back pack and a flame nozzle in his hands. The M202 held (IIRC) four small rockets and was shoulder aimed and launched.

Vehicles would be the tried and true "6 bys" or "Deuce and a half" for carrying and pulling stuff. Not fast or pretty but, they can feed on almost anything a stateside or foriegn gasoline station might have. Better seat pads and seat backs would be installed and a better muffler and longer exhaust pipe would be mounted---so the "shotgun" driver doesn't go deaf or choke to death.!

The Humvees would be melted down for scrap and my army would be driving Land Rovers, or I would write a letter to the International Harvester Company, and have them start making "Scouts" again. Standard shift-manual transmission would be mated with 6 cylinder engines. Runflat tires (the only good thing about those humvee things) would be mounted. American MADE (not just American brand-names put together in Mexico) pick-up trucks would also be in the inventory.

First-aid kits would be on each web belt and would have much more stuff than a piece of bandage...! Each man would get more first-aid training, and be able to actually use his first- aid kit. {No guarantee that your platoon/company Medic/Corpsman will always be around to help.} Canteens would be metal again and not the green plastic stuff. Plastic ones can't take heat.

.50 Cal Browning Machine gun... been around along time now and gets the job done. One thing I would ask the Armourers/gunsmiths to work on though would be the Headspace thing. The genius of John Moses Browning is amazing. But that would be nice if the Headspace could be fixed somehow...? Not sure.

Time warp... my Dad was a nose-gunner on a B-24 in the 8th Air Force, WW2. His weapon was the Browning .50 cal MG. Fast forward to last year and my son who is Active duty Air Force was deployed in the "Hot Zone" and the Browning MG is still serving our country, and protecting our forces.

Arty and armor would probably stay what they are now. The 106 Recoilless Rifle would be brought back as an anti-tank/anti-barricade weapon. Very versatile and can be mounted on the little "Mule" with the lawn mower sized engine and the tilted steering wheel, or the old Jeeps. Also, it was put on a thing called the Ontos and it mounted 6 of them. I like it because it used no electronics or wires or radars. It also worked!

MRE's have a nice little heater pack in them which does not require flame or ignition for heat. Genius... I started out with C-rats and hoping that I would be lucky enough to get one of the "heat-tabs"... never were enough to go around.

My army would have the contractor put in two heaters per meal, and a packet of cocoa and coffee in each meal, so the trooper does have to decide if he wants to heat the food or his drink. The packs would also come with a few rolaids/tums because the meal with the Italian tomato sauce entree is heartburn city! The good old pound cake from the C-rats would be put in the MREs and the Tuna and noodles entree would be packaged also. { Now, if we could just get some Mint-n-chip ice-cream...}

See? Isn't this fun? I'm having a good time with it.

On the topic of a magazine fed M1 Garand, there was one made, I can't recall the model number. I was reading about them after googling them, awhile back. The thought came up because I remembered reading a sci-fi novel about some time-safari thing, and this guide had an M1 converted to use BAR magazines. Always found that intriguing.