Meet APC9 – The United States Army’s New Submachine Gun

From time to time, military armament is “updated,” which is to say, the DOD requests new stuff to be made, and/or invented for their use. Sometimes, new armament is justified, but not always. This is not one such case.

The M-16, which was originally monikered as the AR-15, has been in use by the United States Armed Forces since the Vietnam era, and when it was “field-tested” in the heat of battle in the jungles of Vietnam, it failed miserably. It was necessary to be kept meticulously and spotlessly clean, because any debris could cause it to fail catastrophically, most often and unfortunately in the heat of battle. In stark contrast, the rugged Russian AK-47 was a weapon that was not only inexpensive to construct, but would operate even after being dropped in the mud and rice paddies of Vietnam and Cambodia. No soldier could honestly say that the American AR-15 was a weapon which they felt secure with, for a variety of reasons, not the least of which was that it continuously jammed – which is why the firearm has a device called a “forward assist” which

AR-15 forward assist device

“is used to push the rifle’s bolt carrier groups closed. To actuate it, you press the button on the forward assist assembly. This moves the bolt forward and chambers a round. The intended effect is usually to force a round into the chamber if it hangs up for any reason, sort of like the old trick of hitting the slide of a semi-auto pistol with the heel of your hand in the case of a failure to feed.

“The AR-15 forward assist was added to the rifle at the behest of the Army as Eugene Stoner (and the Air Force) actually didn’t believe it was necessary on his original design that became the M16 rifle. Colt created the forward assist assembly, including a pawl (the thing you press) a plunger (which engages with the receiver to send it forward) a spring and a roll pin. To actuate it, you press the pawl, pushing the plunger forward. That engages with teeth on the bolt, pushing it forward.”

Changing battle conditions require changing armaments to meet the need. But here’s an irony: The AK-47 is the world’s most enduring, most rugged, most feared, most deadly, and most popular assault rifle. And, having been designed in 1947, it has been around 10 years longer.

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The American subsidiary of Swiss gunmaker B&T has won a multi-million-dollar contract to supply the U.S. Army with a variant of its 9mm APC9 submachine gun. For almost a year, the service has been evaluating a number of proposed weapons as part of an effort to give personal security details added firepower.

The Army quietly announced that it had awarded

Ohio Farmer Shoots, Kills Sugar Creek Ohio Girl, Claims he thought she was a “Groundhog”

From our

“Are you an absolute moron?”

files comes this item:

“Groundhog Girl” is Sugar Creek, Ohio Shooting Victim

Ohio Farmer Claims He Mistook Young Girl for a Groundhog, and Shot Her

If you have EVER taken a hunter gun safety course, or been in the military, one the CARDINAL RULES is, If you don’t have a clear view of what you’re aiming at, DO NOT SHOOT.

In fact, Remington Firearms calls it the:

4th Commandment of Firearm Safety Be sure of your target and what’s beyond it. You can’t stop a shot in mid-air, so do not fire unless you know exactly where your shot is going and what it will strike. Never fire at a sound, a movement or a patch of color. A hunter in camouflage can easily be mistaken for a target by an impulsive shooter. Before you pull the trigger be absolutely sure of your target and what’s behind it. Make sure your shot has a backstop such as a hillside or dense material like sand. Remember, bullets can travel great distances with tremendous velocity. Know how far your shot will go if you miss your target or the bullet ricochets.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation similarly ascribes it as the 4th most important rule, and writes:

4. Be Sure Of Your Target And What’s Beyond It

No one can call a shot back. Once a gun fires, you have given up all control over where the shot will go or what it will strike. Don’t shoot unless you know exactly what your shot is going to strike. Be sure that your bullet will not injure anyone or anything beyond your target. Firing at a movement or a noise without being absolutely certain of what you are shooting at constitutes disregard for the safety of others. No target is so important that you cannot take the time before you pull the trigger to be absolutely certain of your target and where your shot will stop.

Be aware that even a 22 short bullet can travel over 11/4 miles and a high velocity cartridge, such as a 30-06, can send its bullet more than 3 miles. Shotgun pellets can travel 500 yards, and shotgun slugs have a range of over half a mile.

You should keep in mind how far a bullet will travel if it misses your intended target or ricochets in another direction.

 

The Texas State Parks & Wildlife Department says similarly, and names that principle as 3d most important by writing:

• Be sure of your target and what is in front of and beyond your target.
  Before you pull the trigger you must properly identify game animals. Until your target is fully visible and in good light, do not even raise your scope to see it. Use binoculars! Know what is in front of and behind your target. Determine that you have a safe backstop or background. Since you do not know what is on the other side, never take a shot at any animals on top of ridges or hillsides. Know how far bullets, arrows and pellets can travel. Never shoot at flat, hard surfaces, such as water, rocks or steel because of ricochets.

In fact, the oft-reviled National Rifle Association (NRA) says the exact same thing:

• Know your target and what is beyond.
  Be absolutely sure you have identified your target beyond any doubt. Equally important, be aware of the area beyond your target. This means observing your prospective area of fire before you shoot. Never fire in a direction in which there are people or any other potential for mishap. Think first. Shoot second.

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Man thinks woman is groundhog in tall grass, shoots her

Kristin Anderson, WKYC
1852 EDT May 8, 2014

SUGAR CREEK TOWNSHIP, Stark County, Ohio —

On the <LEFT< is a rodent commonly known as a “groundhog,” or “woodchuck,” which scientific name is Marmota monax. It’s length approximates between 18-30 inches, walks on four legs, though it may stand when alerted, and weighs between 5-10 pounds. It is further characterized by dense, brown to gray colored fur.
On the >RIGHT> is a human being, a young lady (now deceased, and about whom this story is written), which scientific name is homo sapiens. She obviously has long blonde colored hair, no fur, stands approximately 5 feet tall, weighs at least 100 pounds, and walks on two legs.
Closely examine the two images, and tell me you could “mistake” one for the other.

A 22-year-old woman from New Philadelphia is dead after a farmer mistakenly shot her thinking she was a groundhog in the tall grass.

The shooting happened Monday in Sugar Creek Township in Stark County.

Sheriff George Maier says