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Originally Posted By CujoTwoOne:
Found a few photos of PJs using the SureFire CAM4FA556. http://i.imgur.com/vMvah.jpg http://i.imgur.com/Av6ko.jpg http://i.imgur.com/3If6i.jpg http://i.imgur.com/ORzsb.jpg Only photos I found that have the FA556AR suppressor attached. http://i.imgur.com/B8mOC.jpg http://i.imgur.com/jfCvB.jpg The guy on the right in the third and fourth photos was one of my instructors when I made it a whole 3 weeks into the PJ indoc course. |
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Originally Posted By jered1321:
Originally Posted By TrackSol:
You do know the Air Force often times begs, borrows and steals anything they can get their hands on....  Being rather far down on the small arms allocation list, and having the top brass "not like guns," we "zoomies" often had to make do with the weapons our armorers could cobble together. And we still managed to be first in for a number of operations where out success determined the overall mission success. Or where our success determined whether it would be a quick or very slow op. Air Force Combat Controllers took Tocumen Airport in Panama under heavy fire and then directed in transport aircraft while under fire to bring in their relief. With the rifles their armorers could cobble together. Yeah, it's better today, but it hasn't always been that way. |
"--you can't conquer a free man; the most you can do is kill him."
Heinlein
Heinlein
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CCT video with lots of weapons photos.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irztGLhJLjE&feature=related PJ flick.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZavVWU1vymg . |
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Originally Posted By EXCATM76:
Originally Posted By GHPorter:
When was the switch made to the M4 heavy barrel profile? I saw the Security Forces Academy take delivery of M4s in 1998, scores and scores of them. This was to bring the SF Academy up to speed with what the field was actually using, so I assume the schoolhouse was pretty late in arming up with M4s compared to the field Security Forces units. On the other hand, in my experience, it seemed that a GUU-5 was "a short barreled M16 with some sort of collapsible stock," and any number of variables in terms of uppers, lowers, etc. Sort of cobbled together from what was on hand to meet the mission. There could easily have been (in the past, of course) M177 barrels with whatever twist they used being put into the mix. And remember, the XM177/GAU-5/GUU-5 family came into being in about 1966, so a lot of old designs and parts could have been left lying around in USAF arms rooms. I was CATM in 98. At that point in time unit issued weapons varied base to base and unit to unit. I got out in March of 98 and we were geting ready to convert the current standard issue M16s (not A1s) to M16A3s, at least thats what we were told they would be marked. There where to be full auto retaining the M16 lower, which would be hand stamped A3 or in some cases M-16A3 depending on how the weapon was marked originally, they were supposed to have an A2 style upper and be full auto not burst. I got out before they did the upgrade so I don't know if it ever went through AF wide. I do know that Security ForcIes at the time issued FN A2s as standard along with GAU5s which were usually reserved for senior enlisted, flight sgts and officers. The GAUs where a mixture of different stocks, barrel lengths, gas systems and muzzle devices. TACP was using MP5s. Most base units still had M16s as their issue weapons, many older than hell and in mint condition. During inspections I saw weapons that still had 3 prong flash hidders, some that actually had green furniture, black barrels (as in not chrome lined) and rifles marked AR not M16. Standard AF wide was 20 round mags with Security Forces, TACP etc, getting 30s, greenfolowers where being worked in on an as needed basis. I never interacted with PJs or CCs so I have no first hand info on what they were using then. I did however know a TSgt that was the JSOC CATM guy and he said they were using GAU-5s. Which given the terminology of the time could have been dang near any M-16 based carbine. I was an USAFR SF who's unit was activated in Oct 01 for 18 months. We had M16A1's that had been converted from Full Auto to Burst prior to being called up. At the tail end of our activation I helped CATM convert all the Catagory B weapons the base had in storage from FA to Burst. We did close to a thousand of them doing them in 50 to 60 per day. Took them down to a bare lower and we scratched over Auto and wrote Brust on them. The saddest part of this job was the 8 Armalites that were converted. |
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Originally Posted By slack_out:
Retired AF guy here. Spent 15 years as CCT aka STS. I knew a few of the guys from the youtube vid, but they def look a few years older. Thanks for posting that up! No problem. I retired 4 years ago myself; just your basic AMMO troop. . |
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Originally Posted By AMMOTECH:
CCT video with lots of weapons photos. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=irztGLhJLjE&feature=related PJ flick.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZavVWU1vymg . that guys voice and story telling was horrible i had to turn that video off |
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Originally Posted By AMMOTECH:
http://www.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/110708-F-DE377-006.JPG http://www.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/100601-F-3745E-574.JPG . IBDBASS (In before DeWalt becomes a site sponsor.) 
Awesome pic. |
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Originally Posted By MP0117: Originally Posted By AMMOTECH: http://www.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/110708-F-DE377-006.JPG http://www.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/100601-F-3745E-574.JPG . IBDBASS (In before DeWalt becomes a site sponsor.) Awesome pic. How long will it be before guys start taking power tools to the range as a part of their load-out? I'm sure airsofters are already doing it. |
ARFcom costs me too much money.
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Originally Posted By RTUtah:
Originally Posted By MP0117:
Originally Posted By AMMOTECH:
http://www.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/110708-F-DE377-006.JPG http://www.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/100601-F-3745E-574.JPG . IBDBASS (In before DeWalt becomes a site sponsor.)
Awesome pic. How long will it be before guys start taking power tools to the range as a part of their load-out? I'm sure airsofters are already doing it. You never know when an operation will requires building a gazebo. |
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Originally Posted By azeyecap:
Originally Posted By RTUtah:
Originally Posted By MP0117:
Originally Posted By AMMOTECH:
http://www.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/110708-F-DE377-006.JPG http://www.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/100601-F-3745E-574.JPG . IBDBASS (In before DeWalt becomes a site sponsor.)
Awesome pic. How long will it be before guys start taking power tools to the range as a part of their load-out? I'm sure airsofters are already doing it. You never know when an operation will requires building a gazebo. Remember HEARTS AND MINDS 
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Originally Posted By chestnut101:
Originally Posted By azeyecap:
Originally Posted By RTUtah:
Originally Posted By MP0117:
Originally Posted By AMMOTECH:
http://www.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/110708-F-DE377-006.JPG http://www.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/100601-F-3745E-574.JPG . IBDBASS (In before DeWalt becomes a site sponsor.)
Awesome pic. How long will it be before guys start taking power tools to the range as a part of their load-out? I'm sure airsofters are already doing it. You never know when an operation will requires building a gazebo. Remember HEARTS AND MINDS I'm going to start taping extra blades and bits to all my power tools. 
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When the Airsofters start completing the drowning drills the PJs go through in the preliminary course, we might have to start taking them seriously.
Of course a Dewalt would be on the load out for a PJ out on a mission to rescue a downed air crew... They don't paint those "RESCUE" and broken lines stencils on aircraft just because they look awesome... |
"--you can't conquer a free man; the most you can do is kill him."
Heinlein
Heinlein
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Originally Posted By FAB-10_Guy: The way this thread is going, it belongs in General Discussion. Well I just rescued my Mk12 thread so why not this one.    LOTS more AFSOC photos here. |
ARFcom costs me too much money.
| So after viewing all these AFSOC photos, the question is raised in my mind if this is really an appropriate weapon to "clone"? Most of the pics show a basic M4 carbine in block 1 config. There is the occasional optic/BUIS/suppressor variation, as well as the occasional free-floated handguard/rail variant, but for the most part, it doesn't seem to have evolved into a distinctive variant of its own. Aren't we jumping the gun here and assigning attributes/components to a weapon prematurely here? I mean, if all new AFSOC M4 carbines came with a DD Omega 7 rail and a Surefire flash hider, that would be one thing, but either these photos are old and there really IS a distinct AFSOC variant that is mostly standardized by AFSOC, or we are just pissing in the wind here. |
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Originally Posted By RTUtah:
Originally Posted By FAB-10_Guy:
The way this thread is going, it belongs in General Discussion. Well I just rescued my Mk12 thread so why not this one.
http://www.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/asthurlcct.jpg http://www.konstipation.com/stuff/yank/afsoc/006.jpg http://www.konstipation.com/stuff/yank/afsoc/e_afs01_block.jpg LOTS more AFSOC photos here. Notice the last pic of the PJ, his handguard is rolled to the right. |
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Originally Posted By sinlessorrow:
Originally Posted By CTbuilder1:
Originally Posted By AMMOTECH:
I'm going to start taping extra blades and bits to all my power tools.
. You mean you don't already? Amateur....  dont forget to duct tape all the extra blades to the side Honestly, depending on what you are doing, it's not a bad idea. |
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Originally Posted By tat2steve:
Originally Posted By RTUtah:
Originally Posted By FAB-10_Guy:
The way this thread is going, it belongs in General Discussion. Well I just rescued my Mk12 thread so why not this one.
http://www.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/asthurlcct.jpg http://www.konstipation.com/stuff/yank/afsoc/006.jpg http://www.konstipation.com/stuff/yank/afsoc/e_afs01_block.jpg LOTS more AFSOC photos here. Notice the last pic of the PJ, his handguard is rolled to the right. The individual in the last posted photo has a KAC RAS with KAC rail panels, not rolled to the right |
Tomahawks, 3rd SBCT
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Originally Posted By Mb121: Originally Posted By tat2steve: Originally Posted By RTUtah: Originally Posted By FAB-10_Guy: The way this thread is going, it belongs in General Discussion. Well I just rescued my Mk12 thread so why not this one. http://www.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/asthurlcct.jpg http://www.konstipation.com/stuff/yank/afsoc/006.jpg http://www.konstipation.com/stuff/yank/afsoc/e_afs01_block.jpg LOTS more AFSOC photos here. Notice the last pic of the PJ, his handguard is rolled to the right. The individual in the last posted photo has a KAC RAS with KAC rail panels, not rolled to the right +1 |
ARFcom costs me too much money.
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Originally Posted By RTUtah:
Originally Posted By Mb121:
Originally Posted By tat2steve:
Originally Posted By RTUtah:
Originally Posted By FAB-10_Guy:
The way this thread is going, it belongs in General Discussion. Well I just rescued my Mk12 thread so why not this one.
http://www.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/asthurlcct.jpg http://www.konstipation.com/stuff/yank/afsoc/006.jpg http://www.konstipation.com/stuff/yank/afsoc/e_afs01_block.jpg LOTS more AFSOC photos here. Notice the last pic of the PJ, his handguard is rolled to the right. The individual in the last posted photo has a KAC RAS with KAC rail panels, not rolled to the right +1 i have to admit though i can see how he got confused, the lack of quality in the photo does make it look that way |
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Originally Posted By sinlessorrow:
Originally Posted By RTUtah:
Originally Posted By Mb121:
Originally Posted By tat2steve:
Originally Posted By RTUtah:
Originally Posted By FAB-10_Guy:
The way this thread is going, it belongs in General Discussion. Well I just rescued my Mk12 thread so why not this one.
http://www.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/asthurlcct.jpg http://www.konstipation.com/stuff/yank/afsoc/006.jpg http://www.konstipation.com/stuff/yank/afsoc/e_afs01_block.jpg LOTS more AFSOC photos here. Notice the last pic of the PJ, his handguard is rolled to the right. The individual in the last posted photo has a KAC RAS with KAC rail panels, not rolled to the right +1 i have to admit though i can see how he got confused, the lack of quality in the photo does make it look that way Yep, sure is, my bad. |
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Originally Posted By tat2steve:
Originally Posted By RTUtah:
Originally Posted By FAB-10_Guy:
The way this thread is going, it belongs in General Discussion. Well I just rescued my Mk12 thread so why not this one.
http://www.examiner.com/images/blog/wysiwyg/image/asthurlcct.jpg http://www.konstipation.com/stuff/yank/afsoc/006.jpg http://www.konstipation.com/stuff/yank/afsoc/e_afs01_block.jpg LOTS more AFSOC photos here. Notice the last pic of the PJ, his handguard is rolled to the right. That's a KAC RAS so there's holes on all 4 "sides" oops already covered
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Nothing worth having comes easy.
Capt. Mary Jennings stands with Tech. Sgt. Aaron Butler, a pararescueman from the 23rd Wing, Moody Air Force Base, Ga. Sergeant Butler treated Captain Jennings for shrapnel wounds in Afghanistan during a July 29, 2009 rescue mission. Captain Jennings is a co-pilot with the 129th Rescue Wing at Moffett Federal Airfield, Calif. . |
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Great info/pics guys, keep it coming!
So, not to get too far off track here, but in building a "clone" of the M4 carbines used by the Air Force Para Rescue... Picked up a nice used Surefire flash hider. Thinking I'm just going to order a new M4 upper from BCM. Will need to have the flash hider permanently attached to the barrel. Who best to contact for this work? Is it something BCM or Surefire can do? Slight concern as the flash hider is a cool color of gray and I imagine pinning and welding over the pin might be a tad unsightly ...or am I worrying for nothing? |
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Originally Posted By ch139:
Great info/pics guys, keep it coming! So, not to get too far off track here, but in building a "clone" of the M4 carbines used by the Air Force Para Rescue... Picked up a nice used Surefire flash hider. Thinking I'm just going to order a new M4 upper from BCM. Will need to have the flash hider permanently attached to the barrel. Who best to contact for this work? Is it something BCM or Surefire can do? Slight concern as the flash hider is a cool color of gray and I imagine pinning and welding over the pin might be a tad unsightly ...or am I worrying for nothing? Call ADCO |
Please, call me Joe
There is definitely something perverse about two men who carry guns 24/7 being so happy that others are giving theirs up. -happycynic
There is definitely something perverse about two men who carry guns 24/7 being so happy that others are giving theirs up. -happycynic
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Nice! Thats a great clone of that unit purchase from the initial photos 
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Probably typing from my iPad, therefore everything above this line is spelt wrong. I know.
Some extra info on the guy in the pic: Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz presents the Air Force Cross to Staff Sgt. Robert Gutierrez, Special Tactics and Training Squadron combat controller, during a ceremony at Hurlburt Field, Fla., Oct. 27, 2011. Gutierrez was awarded the Air Force Cross, the second highest military decoration, for displaying extraordinary heroism in combat while deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Sharida Jackson) 
Back on track..... 
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Originally Posted By powertrip222:
BTT Keep it alive!!Here we go... 
see if this will work: http://www.kadena.af.mil/shared/widgets/popup.asp?url=http://www.kadena.af.mil/shared/xml/rssVideo.asp?mrsstype=3&contentid=123244467&contenttypeid=1&type=video&pos=0 . |
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Originally Posted By AMMOTECH:
http://www.afsoc.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/110922-F-AA000-001.jpg Some extra info on the guy in the pic: Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz presents the Air Force Cross to Staff Sgt. Robert Gutierrez, Special Tactics and Training Squadron combat controller, during a ceremony at Hurlburt Field, Fla., Oct. 27, 2011. Gutierrez was awarded the Air Force Cross, the second highest military decoration, for displaying extraordinary heroism in combat while deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Sharida Jackson) http://www.afsoc.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/111027-F-PV498-045.JPG Back on track..... http://www.afsoc.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/100722-F-2174W-002.jpg http://www.afsoc.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/091222-F-4880G-471.JPG . I ran into Gutierrez at a local gun store in Navarre not too long ago. Seems like a really nice guy. |
| Here is a compilation of some pretty good pictures for us fanboys... Lots of rifle p0rn |
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Thought you guys would get a kick out a sniper team leader with Company F, 2nd Aviation Assault Battalion utilizing a BCM upper
M16 |
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