A member of TTAG’s Armed Intelligentsia emailed me with a simple question: what guns did the Navy’s SEAL Team 6 use to take out Osama Bin Laden? Obviously, that level of detail is classified. We won’t know who shot what until one of the team members leaves the forces and writes a book (vetted by the Navy ‘natch). Until then, I asked one of our writers (who shall remain nameless) to provide a list of the tools available to the SEALs. Make the jump for the inside dope on the guns of the Navy SEALs. Meanwhile, can someone tell me why Navy Special Ops got the green-light for a mission that was more than 200 miles inland?
What are they using currently? Depends on the situation. I don’t know their exact load outs, but weapons of choice of the past few years are listed below. Also, as of late U.S. SOF have more heavily adopted local weapons. Not uncommon to see AK’s etc. mixed in, but that’s not the “standard” load.
Knives / Blades
Mark 3 Knife
Mission Knives
MPK Knife
SEAL Knife 2000
Handguns:
M9 Beretta
Colt 1911
H&K Mk23 Mod 0
MEU (SOC) Pistol (1911 variant)
SIG Sauer M11 (P226 / P228)
Glock (various models and calibers)
Shotguns
Remington 7188
Remington M870
Mossberg M500 / M590
Benelli M1014 (M4 Super 90 variant)
Sub-Machine Guns
H&K MP5 (various flavors)
Rifles
M4A1 Carbine (A whole bunch of variants, see M4A1 SOPMOD)
M4 Close Quarters Battle Rifle (Mk18 Mod 0)
Colt 723/725/727
Chicom Type 56 (AK-47)
FN SCAR 5.56 (Mk 16 Mod 0)
FN SCAR 7.62 (Mk 17 Mod 0)
M-14 (Mk 14 Mod 0 Enhanced Battle Rifle)
H&K 416
Marksman’s Rifles
SR-25 (Mk 11 Mod 0 / M110)
M-14 Designated Marskman Rifle
M39 Enhance Marksmanship Rifle
SPR (Mk 12)
H&K 417
M24 Sniper Weapon System (Remington 700 – 7.62, 338 Lapua)
M40A3 (Remington 700 – 7.62 only)
M82a1 / M107 Barrett
Machine Guns / Squad Automatic Weapons
M60 E3 / Mk 43 Mod 0 (E3 is the lightweight, chopped version. Mk 43 is the Vietnam Era style).
M249 Squad Automatic Weapon
M240
Other Weapons
M79 Grenade Launcher
M203 Grenade Launcher (underslung)
Mk13 mod 0 Grenade Launcher (used with Mk 16 and Mk 17 SCAR variants)
M32 Grenade Launcher (multi-shot)
Mk19 Grenade Launcher (belt-fed, automatic)
Mk 47 Grenade Launcher (computer assisted)
M72 Light Anti-Tank Weapon
M3 Carl Gustav Recoilless Rifle
M136 AT4
FGM-148 Javelin
FIM-92 Stinger