My Dad's set-up in '72

[Baldanders]

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He says using the night sight involved letting it "warm up" with the covers on, turning it off, then pulling the covers off, and he would have 20-30 seconds to spot folks in the jungle.

He was fond of the rifle, not so much the optic. He remembers loading the 20 rounders with 16.

I assume this pic is probably not a real M16A1, but close enough.

[NH Shooter]

The rifle was mounted to the scope.

[Half Moon]

The rifle was mounted to the scope.

But positively svelte compared to its Korean War predecessor:

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Night optics have come a long way.

[helothar]

But positively svelte compared to its Korean War predecessor:

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Night optics have come a long way.

https://www.recoilweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Omega-Man-BAR.jpg

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[Duelist]

https://www.recoilweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/Omega-Man-BAR.jpg

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That pic is just full of the awesome in style, though. Green velvet jacket, ruffled shirt sleeve cuffs ...

[helothar]

Seeing the optic in the OP and some of the old Soviet stuff makes it look like such a pain in the ass to carry around, makes me wonder if in 10-20 years we're going to have stuff which will make the current helmet mounted nods look like they're out of the Stone age

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/09/AKS-74U_%282%29.jpg/1280px-AKS-74U_%282%29.jpg

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[RevolverRob]

Those things are so cool in many ways. I think I mentioned before my buddy’s dad has worked in the night vision industry since he got out of the Army in 1984’ish. Apparently, his time in the Army exposed him to many of the nascent night vision techs out there and when he got out he chose to pursue it as a career.

The ONLY time I’ve heard him talk about his military service (bear in mind I’ve known this man for nigh 30 years) was saying how during a deployment in El Salvador he had to lug an M16 with an ancient starlight around for three nights, trying to whack some dude. The finally got him and apparently the poor vision quality of the Starlight is what prompted him to get out, take his GI Bill and get an electrical engineering degree and go into night vision.

I don’t know what color his beret is...but you do the math on the types of folks deployed to El Salvador in the early 1980s...

[Lester Polfus]

Those things are so cool in many ways. I think I mentioned before my buddy’s dad has worked in the night vision industry since he got out of the Army in 1984’ish. Apparently, his time in the Army exposed him to many of the nascent night vision techs out there and when he got out he chose to pursue it as a career.

The ONLY time I’ve heard him talk about his military service (bear in mind I’ve known this man for nigh 30 years) was saying how during a deployment in El Salvador he had to lug an M16 with an ancient starlight around for three nights, trying to whack some dude. The finally got him and apparently the poor vision quality of the Starlight is what prompted him to get out, take his GI Bill and get an electrical engineering degree and go into night vision.

I don’t know what color his beret is...but you do the math on the types of folks deployed to El Salvador in the early 1980s...

I am guessing he could tell you the color of the boathouse at Fort Bragg's former stockade.

[Baldanders]

Those things are so cool in many ways. I think I mentioned before my buddy’s dad has worked in the night vision industry since he got out of the Army in 1984’ish. Apparently, his time in the Army exposed him to many of the nascent night vision techs out there and when he got out he chose to pursue it as a career.

The ONLY time I’ve heard him talk about his military service (bear in mind I’ve known this man for nigh 30 years) was saying how during a deployment in El Salvador he had to lug an M16 with an ancient starlight around for three nights, trying to whack some dude. The finally got him and apparently the poor vision quality of the Starlight is what prompted him to get out, take his GI Bill and get an electrical engineering degree and go into night vision.

I don’t know what color his beret is...but you do the math on the types of folks deployed to El Salvador in the early 1980s...

AFAIK, dad didn't have to lug the scope around outside the base at Cam Ranh. He was a lieutenant and a translator. I think he just used it to scan the perimeter at night. Neither he or anyone else thought it was worth a damn. Tech has come a LONG way. (I'm waiting for AR contacts with IR/starlight capability myself 😉 )

A few other bits:
-Dad doesn't remember ever popping the selector switch to full auto during actual combat
--He didn't have his M16 when hunkering down during a rocket attack and a cobra popped up in front of everyone. Guys around him did go full auto AND reload muliple times. Dad says he reloaded his 1911A1 2-3 times. No sign anyone hit the cobra.

--

[RevolverRob]

I am guessing he could tell you the color of the boathouse at Fort Bragg's former stockade.

Maybe. I didn't even know there was a boathouse at Bragg, never thought to ask. ;)

Like I said, I've known the guy 30-years and he is basically a mystery to me. I can tell you that he likes Budweiser, Gunsmoke, building night vision equipment, was in the Army from '76-84, and is my best friend's dad. Now you guys know all I know about him too...:eek:

[Baldanders]

Chatted him up about this a few nights ago....

Evidently he actually fired this rig "in desperation" at least a few times, sighting through the scope. And he was happy to have any glimpse of the guys attacking them on the perimeter. Sorta OK on moonless nights, so it didn't get washed out and result in the procedure I mentioned in my OP.

I need to get his shooting notes on the Minigun and Stoner LMG. 😎 (chopped down trees with the former, think he may have had a little range time with the latter, guy attached to his unit had one)

[okie john]

That pic is just full of the awesome in style, though. Green velvet jacket, ruffled shirt sleeve cuffs ...

Yes, but all of that fades in significance compared to the BAR that Chuck Heston is rocking in that pic


Okie John

[Suvorov]

52666

He was fond of the rifle, not so much the optic. He remembers loading the 20 rounders with 16.

I assume this pic is probably not a real M16A1, but close enough.

Ahhh. The good old A1! When I enlisted in the Guard in 93 my unit had A1s and my ROTC battalion would draw the M16s for field training from the same unit so even as late as the early 90s you had Army units using that rifle. I would jump at the chance to score an old SP1 If I didn’t live in a Commie State.

Others can correct me if I’m wrong but didn’t the factory 30s not come out until after 71? (Although there were a lot of field made 40s out there).

[Duelist]

Ahhh. The good old A1! When I enlisted in the Guard in 93 my unit had A1s and my ROTC battalion would draw the M16s for field training from the same unit so even as late as the early 90s you had Army units using that rifle. I would jump at the chance to score an old SP1 If I didn’t live in a Commie State.

Others can correct me if I’m wrong but didn’t the factory 30s not come out until after 71? (Although there were a lot of field made 40s out there).

My unit had a motley collection of various manufacturer produced A1s until 2000, when we got brand-new FN A2s.

In Afghanistan, I saw Air Force enlisted carrying an interesting variety of M16s, from a three-prong pristine museum piece, never been fired, M16 with like a five digit serial number on up through newish A2s. Army units had all A2s or M4s. Now A2s are the beat old junk, I guess.

[Baldanders]

Ahhh. The good old A1! When I enlisted in the Guard in 93 my unit had A1s and my ROTC battalion would draw the M16s for field training from the same unit so even as late as the early 90s you had Army units using that rifle. I would jump at the chance to score an old SP1 If I didn’t live in a Commie State.

Others can correct me if I’m wrong but didn’t the factory 30s not come out until after 71? (Although there were a lot of field made 40s out there).

Dad tells stories of downloading 20 rounders to 16 or 18 rounds (memories of guys dying with jammed guns were stiil pretty fresh)

Whenever I get an AR, I want a M16A1 mimic.