The Marine Corps Has Started Fielding 30,000 Rifle Suppressors to Combat Units
A U.S. Marine utilizes a suppressor while providing security on a company attack range in Twentynine Palms, Calif., Oct. 21, 2016. (U.S. Marine Corps/Sarah N. Petrock)
Marine Corps Systems Command has begun the process of fielding thousands of suppressors to infantry, reconnaissance and special operation units for employment on the M27, M4 and M4A1 rifles.
The Marines have already suppressed some M38 and M4A1 rifles. Increasing numbers of commanders felt suppressing additional weapons would increase the lethality of the infantry.
I can just imagine a Marine NCO’s opinion on the matter.
The Marine Corps Has Started Fielding 30,000 Rifle Suppressors to Combat Units
By Matthew Cox
After years of planning, infantry Marines are finally getting their hands on small arms suppressors aimed at helping combat units avoid detection while firing on enemy positions.
Marine Corps Systems Command began fielding the first 13,700 Knight’s Armament Company suppressors designed for M4 and M4A1 carbines and M27 infantry automatic rifles to Marines at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The command hopes to field approximately 30,000 of the devices by fiscal year 2023.
“We’ve never fielded suppressors at this scale,” Maj. Mike Brisker, weapons product manager in MCSC’s Program Manager for Infantry Weapons, said in a Tuesday release. “This fielding is a big moment for the Marine Corps.”
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Category: "Your Tax Dollars At Work", Marines
*bang* vs *BANG!*.
Seems simple and reasonable but, cleaning and using and wearability and such?
I’ll wait for someone who has more than a few months (total, combined) of experience with firearms than myself to reply.
The KA can is sealed so the best you can do to clean it is a soak in a sonic cleaner, which isn’t really necessary. Every time a ‘can’ is fired it flexes and because 5.56 is a very high pressured round the resultant muzzle blast ‘pressure cleans’ excess carbon. But they are a ‘use item’, lasting about as long as the barrel, maybe 5-30,000 rounds. The real enemy is heat which causes plastic deformation of the materials.
Also suppressors may burn flesh and equipment.
At least they now have a place to cook their crayon soup.
Considering hearing loss is 10% disability (?), this should have been done ages ago.
“At least now they have a place to cook their crayon soup.”
Now that is just wrong in so many ways ‘-Dog! You know that a real Marine eats his crayons like Gawd intended…RAW!
And a combination of words brought forth here, that make me certain that the nomenclature “raw dog” here is somehow oddly appropriate.
I don’t know *why* that popped into my head.
*shrugs shoulders and then flinches away to avoid being smacked*
About friggin time.
That little 30 percent reduction makes a massive difference on the battlefield.
Shoot Houses, even ‘double plugging’ with muffs and triple flange plugs takes a toll.
If it has the potential to scare the shit out of your enemy, use it!
Doesn’t do as much to the enemy, the round is clearly audible and the muzzle blast is reduced to about the same as a jackhammer. Might make id’ing our guys tougher at a distance. Mainly it is a lot easier on our guys’ ears… indoors a rifle is pretty overpowering.
Curious to see if they will re-tune the actions of the weapons. Suppressors induce considerable back-pressure into the weapon, changing the cycle of the weapon, and blowing fouling into more places and more intensely.
Slo mo vid of some weapons shows considerable smoke exiting the magazine base-plate, for example.
Everything is a trade-off.
That’s a bunch of great points, ain’t no free lunch with suppression.
Increases of unlocking/extracting/chamber pressures are real and create serous issues with reliability and longevity.
Part of the fielding request does have the requirement to be able to take off the suppressor to use: bayonet, BFA, and bore sighting mandrels so this will not be a direct thread can, can’t just ‘set it and forget it’.
Adjustable gas blocks aren’t reliable enough for military use Add to that, the ability for a line doggy to adjust it incorrectly makes them a no-go. (all imho) Besides, most are underneath hand guard and require a special tool.
Even heavier buffer mass has issues between suppressed/non-suppressed operation, throw in full auto of the M27 and this the worst option. (this is my preferred method but I don’t fight with a gun no mo’)
I checked the fielding request/authorization and there’s no data about gas regulationing. The KA can has a large expansion chamber so maybe the effects are negligible but I’d image at some point the USMC may go to the third option: adjustable gas key/bolt carrier.
Other than cost, this ‘one piece’ solution is the best of all worlds when it comes to options between suppressed/non-suppressed operation and is field adjustable, with 2-4 positions depending on make.
Need a whole new bayonet and mount. Needs to be something you can deploy fast, can or not.
A flip-out spike may see new life.
Hm. A twist-lock can attachment could also set a two-position regulator correctly.
I don’t know about enhancing lethality, but in my limited experience, I found combat to be very very loud. This will at least tone down the noise levels while we annihilate our foes.
When I was in RVN in ’69 we used an M16 with a suppressor and a starlight scope. Used only a night with limited firing. The suppresor distorted the sound so the origin of the shot was more difficult to source, although it did mute it a bit. It also reduced the flash. The suppressor screwed on the barrel end after removing the flash suppressor. This was a later model M16 with the round flash suppressor. I never tried it in the earlier ones with the three prong flash suppressor.
About time. Tinnitus sucks
what?
Yep it is far too late for some of us, thanks Army for the defective ear plugs.
The cans I have on my personal weapons I still wear hearing protection for supersonic 5.56 or anything larger. You can’t do anything about the sonic boom.
The subsonic .22s and .300BO though make for a nice comfortable day of shooting.
Also nobody tell the Marines but if you install a gas relief charging handle the auto-camo system that comes with a suppressed AR goes away. If you tell the Marines they will go out and buy them all up and ruin it for everyone just like when they find out where the tail for sale is and buy all that up.
Cheaper that this digital hearing the V.A gave me.
Yes, it really does.
Stop mummbling!!!!
What?
Someone please pick up the phone. Or is that the door bell?