The weekend ran a day long for me (or at least the recovery did), so today’s digest is a short one while I play catch up. First up, Richard Ryan does some ballistic testing of the new iPhone 5C using a Barrett M82A1, after a couple more mundane drop tests. Keep an eye out for how much the phone bends in slow-mo when it hits the concrete. At 60,000 frames/sec, it looks like a slice of cheese hitting the ground.
A recent gun buy-up in Northampton and Greenfield, Massachusetts is being called a success by local authorities, having netted over 300 guns. As is the case in most buy-ups, the majority of the firearms turned in were rifles and shotguns. Since long guns are so infrequently used in crimes, it sorta puts the whole “crime reduction” aspect of these boondoggles in some doubt. In a rare display of sanity, a pearl-handled 1902 Colt Browning pistol that was turned in will not be ground into scrap with the rest of the guns, but will instead be sent to the Springfield Armory Museum (once it reopens from the government shutdown), as apparently the museum gets first refusal on anything that’s turned in.
For still more video fun, Dugan repels an alien invasion with a truck-bed-mounted Ma Deuce and a shoulder-fired MG42. If I could have the opportunity to shoot only one full-auto machine gun in my life, I think it’d be the MG42. That’s probably un-American, but there it is. Video contains language unsuitable for spinster aunts and children who repeat everything they hear. You have been warned.
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I have a museum that 1902 colt can become a part of, unfortunate for others it wouldn’t be on public display.
And I bet your museum isn’t shut down, either! Sounds like a win win to me.
There’s only 1 machine gun that I’ve always wanted to fire and have never had the chance. A water cooled Vickers .303. Don’t guess I ever will.
I went to boarding school near Greenfield, MA. I am SHOCKED there were that many firearms given how freaking left wing liberal it is around there. . . . .
Liberals gun owners is more common than most liberals let on … I know a self proclaimed socialist liberal in favor of gun control, but owns an AK, I’ve met a liberal Dem with multiple guns and a carry license that was a proponent of banning carry permits, and I have a very liberal friend at work that has a handgun and kids , but claims you’re more likely to kill your children than a burglar anytime guns are brought up.
Most people, to include conservatives, have an “except me” mentality…
We should have more social programs and bigger gov ‘t, except don’t raise my taxes…
We should have gun bans, except the guns I own…
There should be law to stop those people from doing things, except the things I want to do…
Hell, the same conservatives that are cry constitution now in the Obama years, were call me a hippie liberal, as a libertarian, during the Bush years when I was talking crap about the Patriot Act.
The “except me” is all too common.
Very true.
MG42, the ultimate shoulder fired Alien weapon?
Why does no one ever pick the maxim the bar the 1919 the 60 or maybe even the 249 as a favorite? Its always the mg42 and yes I know the 60 shares a few things with the 42 bust still.
My personal favorites are the Maxim and Bren.
Always wanted a Bren. And a Stirling. Say what you will about the Limeys of today, but their dads and grandads built clever and tough MGs and SMGs.
Because cyclic rate gets everyone’s attention – behind or in front of the muzzle.
I’m partial to the Vickers and Browning M1917/1919. Steady sewing machine rates of fire are better for accurate long range suppression than a bullet hose like the MG42, not to mention easier on the barrel. A water-cooled Vickers or M1917 will shoot for damn near forever.
Having only fired the SAW out of that list, I can only guess…
The BAR mags are small. Fits fine with the age and purpose of the gun, but if you’re looking to have civilian fun, the BAR is limited.
The M60 was reported to suck when the parts were worn, and to have parts which could be installed upside down and fit but cause the gun to not function. My unit only had the M240, so I don’t know if these things are true from personal experience, but the M240 is pretty simple inside and the parts are big and tough. Maybe there was a reason for that.
Most people don’t really know about the old water cooled Vickers and Maxim guns, but if they did, they wouldn’t like them because they look complicated. This is because most people nowadays don’t know the difference between oil and coolant in their car, and can’t be bothered to learn about heat treating, sustained rate of fire, or what a sector sketch is. Guns with infrastructure are for serious people.
The SAW needs a bigger bullet, but that’s a different debate. I think the SAW gets no love because most Americans firmly believe bigger is better. Or faster is better. The MG42 has both. And SAWs get used enough that they get worn out pretty quick, probably the same as the M60. In my old Guard unit, I repaired two of them with paper clips, and two years later, the paper clips were still in there. Despite multiple requests to have them replaced with the actual correct parts.
“Guns with infrastructure are for serious people.”
I think I want that on a t-shirt. Picture of a Maxim or similar on one side, and that phrase on the other. First class.
If TTAG is making shirts nowadays, I would love to see it made. Feel free to use it wherever and however you like.
The 60 was cased on the MG-42 design so there is little to choose from between the two.
The 60 is a great weapon my unit still used em long as you took care of em like you would the 249 or 240 they ran fine. I never got a part in upside down.
Personally I’d love to shoot a 249 more than any other gun. Ever.
Join the Army.
Man. The cyclic rate on that 42 is bitchen! I got to rent an GE mini at a shoot one year. 100 rounds went before I knew it.
I just had to watch it again. Mostly for the laughs when they mis-time the cuss beeps.
the gun buy up link is not working
Working fine for me, both on phone and my buddy’s PC.
GImmi that song or I will kill your family dugan!!!!!!!!!
best video EVAR!!!
Considering the overheating issues that have led so many light and medium machine guns to have quick change barrels, I have to wonder why the old Lewis gun style barrel shroud never caught on. Some people put big aluminum heat sinks on their AR barrels, and report massively increased cooling. Combine that with a Lewis shroud to move the air through the fins, and you might not need the barrel change at all. You might also get some bonus effect of keeping the muzzle blast directed away from the ground, and kick up less dust when firing prone.
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