There are several important factors to consider when it comes to semi-automatic vs fully-automatic weapons. While the fully-automatic weapon fires faster, how easy is it to control?
Watch the video to see what we found:
Military Style Shooting
No matter which weapon you are using, the military encourages you to shoot from the prone position in order to be more accurate. Not to mention it safer as it creates a smaller target for your enemy.
It is also encouraged by the military to shoot in bursts when working with a fully-automatic weapon. This helps make the weapon more controllable, allows the barrel to cool, saves ammo, and gives the shooter the ability to reacquire the target.
Most military full auto weapons (a.k.a. Crew Serves like the 240 B, 249 SAW, or the M-2) are designed to be fired while mounted on a bi-pod or vehicle. This takes the brunt of the recoil and makes the weapon easier to control. A shoulder fired weapon such as an M-4 is a lot harder to control and was never designed to be mounted to a vehicle or bi-pod.
Semi-Automatic vs Fully-Automatic
Since fully-automatic weapons fire faster, it is harder to control the point of aim. However, it is a tremendous morale breaker. Do you absolutely need to have a fully-automatic weapon? No, but it's freaking cool.
Fully-automatic weapons do work great for mass suppression, and just flat out to tear crap up. When I went threw "Nick at Night" (the army's night infiltration course), the 240's where zinging over our heads. I didn't dear to stand up, I could literally hear the bullets going over my head. The noise alone had made the impression it was intended to make - that if we stood up, we would get hit. (We found out later that the machine guns where firing 10 feet above us.)
Militias
The fully-automatic weapon may not be great for pinpoint accuracy, however, it does work great with a militia. If you know how to implement them in your ranks you can cause mass damage and turn the battle to your favor.
Having a mass suppression weapon like a machine gun can allow you to create a solid base line of fire. This tactic is used to keep the enemy's head down so your lighter combat soldiers can flank and engage the enemy from their blind side. In most recent warfare, the machine guns (like the ones I named earlier), are used to protect FOB's, Trucks, Air Crafts, etc.
So while it may not be great for the individual person, its almost a "must have" for any combat team.
Your Turn
What is your favorite weapon platform and why? Share it with us in a comment below.
Kit, what’s your impression of Binary or Forced Reset Triggers? I’ve long contemplated equipping one of my AR’s with one, especially since Bump Fire Stocks are now illegal. The AR I’m thinking to do that with, is my 11.5″ .300 AAC Pistol, my primary home defense AR.
They’re expensive, I know, and with my fixed income, it’ll be a few months before I can get one, but I like the idea.
I would appreciate your thoughts and guidance as to whether this is a viable accessory that would come closer to mimicking Full Auto or Burst Fire.