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Posted: 1/7/2009 6:41:02 PM EDT
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There seems to have been a number of "What is this thing?" type questions lately. I figured it might help to have answers all on one place. Feel free to add more. These were only the ones I could think of quickly.
1. What is this [other gun in the picture]? 
Answer: While Colt's long-arm line since the 1960s has been more or less centered around the AR-15/M16 pattern, they did attempt to produce additional weapons to complement the type. The Colt Machine Gun (CMG) series is one example. The weapon pictured along with the early 603 type rifle is a CMG-1. Designed by Colt Engineer Robert Roy in the early 1960s and used as many AR-15 components as was possible. It was advertised as part of the CAR-15 family of 5.56mm weapons, and came in configurations such as the tripod mounted version shown here, infantry configurations with stock and bipod, and even a solenoid configuration for fixed mountings. The weapon featured a 1:9" twist and was designed to fire heavy grain (including a 68-grain bullet) bullets to make up for the limitations 5.56mm presented in the role of light and medium machine guns. The US military declined the CMG-1 and Colt found no buyers for the system. The CMG-2 which followed, and featured few parts interchangeable with the AR-15 was tested by the US Navy SEALs as the EX 27 Mod 0. They declined the new weapon in favor of the Stoner 63 Commando LMG configuration, which was designated Mk 23 Mod 0. The CMG-2 was also tested as part of the US Army's SAWS tests, but was rejected for not meeting various requirements (rate of fire and range). 2. What is this [thing on the end of the rifle]? 
Answer: This is the Brunswick Rifleman's Assault Weapon (RAW). While the M203 underbarrel grenade launcher was effective, it did have a steep arch rather than flat trajectory. The RAW was designed to provide a weapon that would have a flat trajectory. The spherical rocket featured angled nozzles that caused it to spin in flight keeping it stable and on a flat path to its target. The muzzle device captured muzzle gas from standard ball rounds being fired into it that set off a percussion primer and launched the rocket. Tested in the 1980s, the RAW no doubt was not adopted due to weight and carry requirements (I can't imagine a comfortable rig to carry even one). 3. What is this [thing on the end of the rifle]? 
Answer: Well its an M234 riot control launcher (more formally Launcher, Projectile, 64 mm, Riot Control, M234) as one can see from the picture. What that was was a muzzle device designed to launch one of 2 types of ring airfoil grenades (RAGs). These "grenades" resembled large discs with equally large holes in the center (like donuts; see following picture) and were designed to either deliver CS (tear) gas (M742) or a less than lethal blunt impact (M734). The device required a special blank cartridge (M755) to operate and was in service from 1978 until 1995. 
4. What is this [rail thing with the holes on top of the handguard] or What is this [rifle]? 
Answer: The rifle is a Colt Advanced Combat Rifle, entered into the US Army's ACR competition in the 1980s. In the end the competition selected no weapon (after testing such exotic types as the Steyr ACR and HK G11), but a number of features such as the stock have come into the AR-15 arena since. The snap-shooting rail (or "sight rib") did not. Tested in the mid-1980s, the rail was tested to see if a simple device could improve the accuracy of riflemen at close ranges in engagements requiring quick aiming and shooting. The test concluded that the rib helped, but could not be conclusively linked to this result, and was not adopted. The report can be read here. 5. What is this [gaggle of stuff]? 
Answer: I won't try an identify everything. I'll stick to the AR-15/M16 type weapons. These are pictures of US Navy SEAL weapons from the China Lake Weapons Digest. The first shows what appears to be a standard M16/A1 (not entirely clear whether a forward assist is present) with M203 grenade launcher and an equally "standard" XM177E2. The other weapon appears to be a carbine (though may be a full length rifle) with what looks like something out of the GLAD grenade launcher program which preceded both the XM148 and XM203/M203. In fact, if anyone has more info I'd appreciate it (I've Emailed China Lake and no one the Email reached knew). The second picture shows another XM177E2 with the muzzle cap designed for operations in and around water, which would help prevent such things getting into the action. It was supposed to be removed before firing, but was soft enough to be safely fired through if necessary. Another M16 (this one more clearly lacking the forward assist) is present, featuring a grenade launcher/adapter designed to allow usage of the older M2 chemical grenade adapter (of which four are shown). The adapter allowed the use of any standard chemical grenade as a rifle grenade. Additional barrel caps are also present, along with 2 standard 30 round magazines and another cartridge sized device I cannot identify (between the muzzle caps and XM177E2). |
| You know, that snap shooting rail is ugly as hell, but imagine those HGs without it. Notice that they are triangular in shape and have a finger groove running the length - sure wish they'd adopted those - I think they are cool (once you cut that stupid rail off.) |
Ah Ha!
Now, what is zees? 
Answer: It is an M2 Practice Bolt for the M16 designed to use the M862 Plastic Training Ammunition. It operates as a Blowback and the bolt does not turn. The face of the bolt is reduced in diameter to prevent inadvertent loading of standard ammunition. That would be bad you know. |
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Quoted:
Who has a pic of the MACV-SOG guy with an air horn cone attached to the muzzle of his rifle? I recall a thread about that in which there was some confusion about whether it was another type of early grenade launcher. That would be me. 
And I should have figured Pat would already have one of those things... |
What is this [medieval looking thing on the end of the gun]?
This is an M16A1 fitted with an M203. Its also fitted with a rocket assisted grapnel, designated the XM1. The purpose of this is often said to have been to launch the grapnel and then pull through tripwire filled minefields to detonate the mines from behind cover. The test documentation clearly shows that this was not the primary intention. The primary intention was for the device, originally designed for the M79, to be used for terrain crossing purposes (climbing cliffs, crossing streams, etc). The device was not known to have been adopted and it was likely a product of the specialized nature and lack of scenarios where it would have been useful. It also required a special launching grenade. |
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