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| Science & Technology |
| Smith Enterprise M21A5 |
| 2022-07-01 |
| [Armory Life] If you have not heard of Smith Enterprise, Inc., it is one of the most respected names in the M14/M1A world. In addition to providing civilian customers with a wide range of popular products for the platform, the company has also played an important role in both developing and providing weapon systems for use by our troops. As a little background, the Smith family has been in the weapons business all the way back to 1910. And today, its extensive knowledge and success at pushing the M14 design to its seeming limits (and beyond), Smith Enterprise was one of the few companies chosen by the U.S. Military to help breathe new life into the M14 platform. A NOTABLE NEED: THE M21A5 SOLUTION In the early 2000s, the U.S. Army needed a powerful rifle that could engage at distances past what the current M16 rifles and carbines could achieve. The U.S. Army had thousands of 7.62 NATO M14 rifles in the armory that were in poor shape, but were still a very viable option for use. Smith Enterprise’s founder, Ron Smith, was one of the men brought in to get these rifles back in fighting shape and updated for use by the 2nd Infantry Division, 10th Mountain Division, 25th Infantry Division, 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment and more. These rebuilt M14 rifles needed to be capable of 1 MOA accuracy, and they would be going into the hands of designated marksmen. The rifle that was delivered to these units was the now fabled M21A5 "Crazy Horse" rifle developed by Smith Enterprise. |
| Posted by:M. Murcek |
| #9 7x57....Yes indeed. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2022-07-01 13:38 |
| #8 Think of all the time and effort we would have saved if we had adopted the 7x57mm Spanish Mauser cartridge (Class of 1892) after the Spanish American War... |
| Posted by: magpie 2022-07-01 13:17 |
| #7 But you will be one tired soldier (or Marine) after you carry it all day long. 6.8 x 51 will make the 7.63 x 51 look like a spitball. |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2022-07-01 12:45 |
| #6 1968 USMC Edson Range, Camp Pendleton, CA M-14, Iron Sights, 500 meters, prone, slow fire at a "Dog" Target (Upper torso shape) 20 rounds, 20 hits. Amazing battle rifle, and at 15 pounds, it felt like one. |
| Posted by: NoMoreBS 2022-07-01 12:23 |
| #5 And, yes, XM-250 is the new SAW (until the next lawsuits are settled, anyway.) |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2022-07-01 10:09 |
| #4 But, the XM-5 and the XM-250 share the same platform (with differences of course.) This "simplicates" things for armorers, which is a good thing... |
| Posted by: M. Murcek 2022-07-01 10:07 |
| #3 Just like how an assault rifle (Selective fire of course) and a battle rifle are not the same. The new M5 is more in line with a battle rifle, not an assault rifle. |
| Posted by: Silentbrick 2022-07-01 10:05 |
| #2 More technical jargon: A 'Sniper' and a 'Designated Marksman' are different. |
| Posted by: magpie 2022-07-01 09:05 |
| #1 'Assault rifles' implies just that - a weapon used in close assault in cities, close terrain, heavy cluttered environment with engagements usually within 200 meters. If you are engaging targets beyond that something else is called for. One that can reach out and touch someone. |
| Posted by: Procopius2k 2022-07-01 07:57 |