Sharp as a Marble - The 4 rules are immutable

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The 4 rules are immutable

Firearm Safety

Being a gun supply company owner doesn't invalidate rule #2

State police say 53-year-old George Numrich was cleaning a rocket-propelled grenade training launcher when it discharged, firing a 7.62-caliber bullet. Sgt. Edward McKenna says the bullet hit Numrich in his left leg.

I consider my leg something I do not wish to see destroyed.

posted @ 7/1/2009 1:57:47 PM

Comments

Linoge says:

on 7/1/2009 7:44:59 PM

Not to ask the stupid question, but what was a 7.62 bullet doing inside of a rocket-propelled grenade training launcher?

Robb Allen says:

on 7/1/2009 8:08:23 PM

Linoge,

When I was in the Marines, we trained on the LAW. The trainers had tracer rounds in them rather than a rocket. I don't remember the caliber, all I remember is that they let me shoot it a bunch because I managed to hit everything I aimed for.

B Smith says:

on 7/1/2009 9:24:11 PM

I trained with LAWs too...ours had a flare projectile, but nothing you'd confuse with a rifle-caliber round.
I'm betting the weapon in question was a rifle-grenade launcher (which you were supposed to use blanks with, when launching actual grenades) and the reporter didn't know the difference.

Linoge says:

on 7/1/2009 9:41:23 PM

Huh. Well that answers that question then. The only time the Marines let me play with heavy(ier) artillery, the grenade launcher actually had paint grenades in it. Never got to fiddle with anything larger, though - hence the ignorance :).

Jake says:

on 7/1/2009 10:31:01 PM

"I'm betting the weapon in question was a rifle-grenade launcher (which you were supposed to use blanks with, when launching actual grenades) and the reporter didn't know the difference."

As I understand it, the later model rifle grenades were designed with a "bullet trap" so the soldier who had one didn't have to switch between blanks and regular ammunition during combat. It also eliminated the problem of forgetting to switch to blanks when firing the grenade, which was a very, very bad thing to do.

Hunter says:

on 7/2/2009 1:42:24 AM

I found several systems that use 7.62 sub caliber training rounds. LAW, M3 Carl Gustav, M97 Recoilless rifle, and a few others.
I tend to agree that the reporter heard what he wanted to hear, and did not do enough homework or fact checking.
None of the systems that I found would be called an RPG by anyone who was familiar with them. Missle launcher, Anti-tank weapon, yes, RPG, probably not.

Larry says:

on 7/2/2009 4:54:52 PM

Hunter,

RPG-7 uses a 7.62x39mm sub-caliber training round:

http://thedonovan.com/archives/2009/06/instead_of_a_wh.html

Comments have been closed on this topic.