What were the main weapons used by the US and its allies in the war in Iraq? This is a brief overview of the shooting irons that were found on that battlefield. This is not an in-depth review of every weapon, and you may notice that some weapons systems are left out of the article, but space only permits so many to be included. If your favorite was left out, don’t be disappointed.
M4/M4A1
Probably the 1st weapons system we all picture, when we think of the War In Iraq, is the M-4, which is the carbine version of the M-16A2. It is in use by every branch of the US Armed Forces, having 1st been introduced in 1993.
The M-4 is a shortened version of the M16A2, and its shorter length allows it to perform better at close quarters. The stock is collapsible, in that it telescopes open or closed to several different lengths. It also has a detachable carry handle so optics can easily be mounted on the Picatinny rail on the receiver.
The barrel length is 14.5 inches, which, along with the collapsible stock, makes the weapon very handy in tight confines. The overall length, with the stock extended, is 33 inches. Despite its shortened length, it can still engage targets out to several hundred meters effectively.
Handling a full-size M16 and then an M4 really drives home the size difference and the vast difference in handling characteristics. It is like night and day.
PIP
The Army engaged in a Product Improvement Program (PIP) to upgrade the M4 to the M4A1. The M4A1 features significant improvements over the standard M4. Included among these are a heavier barrel, which is more durable and is able to withstand heat better so accuracy is enhanced during sustained fire. The M4A1 also has full auto capability and a consistent trigger pull, as well as an ambidextrous safety/selector switch.
Satisfaction
The majority of troops seem satisfied with the M4 platform. They like the compact size and handling characteristics. That it weighs less than the standard M16 also seems to endear the M4 to them (who wouldn’t love a lighter weapon?). Overall, our service members who use the M4/M4A1 seem pretty confident with the weapons system as far as reliability and accuracy are concerned (at least, those whom I spoke with were). Some members expressed wishes for higher quality magazines. Also, some service members would like to see a heavier caliber issued for better stopping power. The consensus on caliber seems to be split, however; many are satisfied with the performance of the 5.56, while some want something that hits a little harder.
M16A2
At the outset of the War In Iraq, the M16A2 was the main issued rifle, with the M4 not being as widely available as it is now (it was mostly issued to special units at the time). The regular grunts on the ground had the M16A2 in their hands, for the most part. It is gas-operated, shoulder-fired, and magazine fed.
Adopted in 1983, the A2 was the upgraded version of the M16A1. It featured new handguards, a different barrel, longer buttstock, better sights, and new ammunition (M855/SS109) that fired a heavier projectile. It was also slightly heavier than the M16A1. The barrel had a faster twist rate to stabilize the new ammunition (1:7″ as opposed to the A1’s 1:12″ twist rate). And the A2 also has the horrible three-round burst mechanism that makes the trigger pull a grab bag of different weights.
The M16A2 is an accurate rifle that the troops like. Until, of course, they handle the M4 and realize how much shorter and lighter it is, and easier to handle. Speaking of hanging onto the M16A2, the Marines used it far longer than the Army before switching over to the M4 platform.
In 1997, the M16A4 was adopted. It has a removable carry handle, exposing a Picatinny rail system for the mounting of various optics. Unfortunately, the A4 retains the idiotic three-round burst mechanism. The M16A4 was used by the US Marine Corps from 1998 until 2015 when they switched over to the M4 platform. The M16A4 can still be found in use in some non-combat units of the USMC.
I included the M16A2 and the M16A4 in the same category because there’s not that much difference between the two to set them apart.
M-14
First adopted in 1957, the M-14 had a very short service life as a general-issue rifle (production was halted in 1963). Despite that, it is still soldiering on even today on battlefields.
The M21 and M25 are Sniper/Designated Marksman versions of the M-14 and are accurate at long range. The 7.62x51mm round bucks the wind better than lighter rounds and retains more power and penetration.
That the M-14 is extremely reliable is also a huge plus, especially in the sandy environments of the Middle East. In the Global War On Terror, M-14s are seen in all sorts of configurations, from basic, iron-sighted rifles to various chassis of the DMR rifles and a wide array of scopes.
Although the 7.62×51 round reaches out farther, it’s heavier to carry, so soldiers can carry fewer rounds. The M-14 itself is also heavier than the M4s that are commonly carried. Overall, though, soldiers still seem to have a soft spot for the M-14 platform. It’s a classic that has endured over the decades, and it appears that we can’t keep the M-14 out of a fight.
M249
Adopted in 1984, it’s also known as the SAW (Squad Automatic Weapon). A 5.56x45mm weapon, it is intended to give an infantry squad additional firepower than merely their rifles. Loaded with 200 rounds, the M249 weighs 22 pounds (it’s 17 pounds empty). The barrel length is 18 or 21 inches. So it’s not a lightweight weapon, but it’s lighter than the M-60 machine gun or the M240.
The SAW is air-cooled, gas-operated, and fires from an open bolt. Using the 21-inch barrel, the effective range against a point target is listed as 800 meters.
The SAW is fed via a disintegrating belt or an M-16 magazine. The rate of fire is approximately 800 rounds per minute, with the gunner carrying a standard ammo load of 600 rounds. The linked ammo used to come in 200-round plastic magazine carriers. The current ammo issue has 100 and 200-round belts coming in fabric pouches.
There is a quick change barrel feature. The carry handle facilitates rapid barrel changes, which can be carried out in six to seven seconds. Barrels are chrome-lined, which helps in their longevity. Versions for Special Operations exist that have shorter barrels and collapsible stocks, making them lighter in weight and handier to maneuver.
The M249 comes equipped with a bipod, but can also be fitted to a tripod and mounted to vehicles, as well.
M240
The weight of the M240B Medium (General Purpose) Machinegun is 27.3 pounds, so it is a bit of a load to carry around. It fires the 7.62 NATO round, with a listed effective range of 800 meters. The rate of fire is 550-650 rounds per minute, and it is belt-fed (belts are disintegrating) and gas operated. This is an open-bolt weapon, which means the bolt is held back until the weapon is fired, at which time the bolt goes forward, chambering a round, and fires. There are three different rates of fire on the M240G that can be regulated with settings on the gas system (650-750 RPM, 750-850 RPM, and 850-1235 RPM).
Originally named the FN MAG (or MAG 58), the US Military designated it the M240. It was 1st adopted by the US Army in 1977 and both the Army and Marine Corps issue the M240. The Marines use the M240G for infantry issue, with the Army using the M240B. The US Navy and Coast Guard also use the M240.
The M240 can be fired from a bipod, tripod, vehicle mounts, watercraft, or aircraft, making it versatile. It is widely mounted on armored vehicles such as tanks. It is more reliable than the M-60, with a mean stoppage between failure of 26,000 rounds.
As expected, the barrel has a quick-change feature for sustained firing. The carry handle facilitates the barrel change. The maximum effective range is listed as 1,100 meters when fired from the tripod.
M203 Grenade Launcher
The M203 40mm grenade launcher is designed to attach under the barrel of a rifle or carbine. However, stand-alone variants also exist. In the early 1970s, the M203 was adopted by the US Military to replace the M79 40mm grenade launcher (both fire the same ammunition). It’s like having a short-range artillery piece in the infantry squad.
The M203 allows a rifleman to still function as a rifleman, whereas the M79 was usually the primary weapon of the soldier, who often carried a pistol as personal protection. When the M203 is mounted on the M-16/M4, there is a special sight that is mounted on the left of the receiver. The trigger of the launcher is toward the rear (it is also loaded at the rear when the launcher’s barrel is slid forward). The rifle’s magazine serves as the pistol grip to fire the M203.
This weapon is designed to be used against both point and area targets. Rounds include high explosive, which can be used against enemy personnel, buildings, and lightly armored vehicles. CS rounds also exist for crowd control. There is a High Explosive Dual Purpose (HEDP) round that can penetrate two inches of armor and has a five-meter kill radius for personnel. A Star Parachute round stays lit for 40 seconds and descends by parachute, as the name implies. Other rounds are smoke, practice, and buckshot. The buckshot round contains 20 metal pellets that weigh 24 grains each.
The M203 can be modified to fit dozens of different service rifles, so it’s a versatile system.
MK 19
The MK 19 grenade launcher is a fully automatic, air-cooled, blowback-operated, crew-served weapon. The ammunition fired is 40mm. The rate of fire is 325 to 375 rounds per minute, with a sustained rate of fire of 40 rounds per minute.
Rounds could be launched to a maximum range of 2,212 meters, but the effective range to hit a point target is around 1,500 meters. Optics can be added to the receiver, making the weapon more effective both during the day and at night.
Because the MK 19 weighs 77.6 pounds, the weapon is often vehicle-mounted, although it can also be fired from a tripod. It is, most definitely, a crew-served weapon. If fired in the infantry role, it is used from a tripod. The MK 19 is commonly mounted on all sorts of vehicles, such as the HUMVEE, Stryker, boats, and fast attack vehicles, among others.
The most common round used is the M430 High Explosive Dual Purpose round which is capable of killing anyone within five meters, with a wounding radius of 15 meters. It can also penetrate two inches of armor plate if hit directly. Belted ammunition comes in cans of 32 or 48 grenades that weigh 42 and 60 pounds respectively. Note that the MK 19’s 40mm ammunition is not interchangeable with that of the M203 because the M203 develops lower chamber pressure and velocity, which means less range.
M2 — Ma Deuce
Designed by John Moses Browning, the M2 .50 caliber heavy machine gun was 1st tested by the Army in 1918. It is still in use today, which is a spectacular testament to its effectiveness! It officially entered service in 1923.
It is used in every conceivable capacity, being mounted on both light and heavy vehicles, boats, ships, aircraft, and in the infantry role. At times, it has been used for unusual missions, such as when Gunnery Sergeant Carlos Hathcock sniped an enemy soldier with an M2 at 2,500 yards, which remained the longest-recorded kill in history for decades afterward.
With a tripod, the gun weighs 128 pounds, making it a crew-served weapon. It fires the 12.7×99 NATO round (Browning .50 caliber), which can fire a 750-grain bullet at 2,820 feet per second. There are a number of different .50 caliber rounds that can be used, that is just one example.
The M2 is air-cooled (initial versions were water-cooled) and fires from a closed bolt, being belt-fed. The belt can be set up to feed from either the left or right side of the machine gun. The standard infantry version fires between 450 and 600 rounds per minute. It can also fire single shots. The effective range is 2,000 yards, but the maximum range is a whopping 8,100 yards!
Currently available bullets include Ball, Tracer, Armor Piercing Incendiary, Armor Piercing Incendiary Tracer, and a Saboted Light Armor Penetrator, which can penetrate 1.34 inches of hardened steel plate at 550 yards.
During WWII, the .50 caliber was effective not only against light armored vehicles but also against the side and rear of German light and medium tanks. There are currently some sniper rifles chambered in .50 Caliber Browning for super long-range shots and shots that need to penetrate defenses.
The M2 will be in service for the foreseeable future.
Until Next Time
There you have it. Certainly not all-inclusive, but we tried to hit the high points. Let us know your experiences with these various weapons systems—we’re sure some readers have used these on the battlefield!
