Re: It was 19 hits out of 47 shots fired

208.219.14.2

Posted by dado5 on October 10, 2002 at 07:36:15

In Reply to: Re: It was 19 hits out of 47 shots fired posted by Auricle on October 9, 2002 at 09:42:02:

My father-in-law was involved in over a half-dozen fire fights in Vietnam. He was never struck by a bullet (he was superficially wounded by shrapnel from a mine blast that killed his patrol mate). He is pretty sure he was responisble for 4 enemy kills via his AR-15(the carbine or "light" version of the M-16). The policy in his detachment was controlled single or bust fire, with a heavy emphasis on conservation of rounds. He says he rarely shot blind, only at sighted targets. The SOP upon encountering hostile fire was to immediately lay supressing fire with the M-60's in return. Consequntly most of the rounds spent and most of the confirmed kils came by way of these M-60 gunners. He and the other riflemen would more or less pick off any enemy that would try to advance in the 'quiet' times between the large scale exchanges. This is they way most of the firefights went (This was small scale jungle patrol, so he never encountered large numbers of the enemy). All that said I am sure a helluva lot of rounds were fired to mount up the few dozen kills he was party to. But they did kill far more enemy troops then they themselves lost (7 men total, 3 to mines). This could only be because they were better trained and better marksmen. Lord knows it wasn't familiarity with the terrain or the element of surpise.

My point is that films greatly exagerate this condtion in both directions. 5 bad guys shooting at the hero can't touch him with 200 rounds and he eliminates all five with two clips (you only see one token clip change in a fire fight). This is not reality.

Thanks,
Rob

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Follow Ups Full Thread

Topic - Why are the bad guys such lousy shots? - Rod M 14:14:56 10/08/02 (21)

even when the bad guys are robots! - darkstar 05:20:11 10/10/02 (0)

I can't figure out why so many cars use Napalm instead of petrol. - john dem 17:22:24 10/09/02 (0)

My favorite: the one-punch KO and other forms of quick death - brewthunda 14:22:19 10/09/02 (0)

If the bad guys weren't poor shots, movies would be VERY short. - Harmonia 12:41:32 10/09/02 (0)

Art Imitates Life, Life Reciprocates, Therefore..... - AudioHead 12:33:55 10/09/02 (0)

I remember a film.... - dado5 08:24:55 10/09/02 (0)

Re: Why are the bad guys such lousy shots? - Auricle 05:13:08 10/09/02 (6)

It was 19 hits out of 47 shots fired - dado5 09:27:48 10/09/02 (5)

Re: It was 19 hits out of 47 shots fired . . .one more thing. - Auricle 10:17:44 10/09/02 (0)

Re: It was 19 hits out of 47 shots fired - Auricle 09:42:02 10/09/02 (3)

Re: It was 19 hits out of 47 shots fired - dado5 07:36:15 10/10/02 (2)

Discipline and experience - Auricle 08:38:54 10/11/02 (1)

Training is where the Anglo militaries have the world beat - dado5 09:09:55 10/11/02 (0)

No, its the good guys who can't hit nothin' ... - JDK 00:36:16 10/09/02 (0)

lol - njjohn 20:09:04 10/08/02 (1)

collateral damage - TA 21:22:16 10/08/02 (0)

Even worse in the martial arts movies!........ - Mrs. Piggy 18:58:47 10/08/02 (3)

Steven Segal - dado5 08:39:17 10/09/02 (0)

Re: Even worse in the martial arts movies!........ - TA 21:16:27 10/08/02 (1)

bound the hero so he can get free and kill you - njjohn 04:07:20 10/09/02 (0)

action movie cliches - TA 15:49:32 10/08/02 (0)

Follow Ups

Re: It was 19 hits out of 47 shots fired - dado5 07:36:15 10/10/02 (2)

Discipline and experience - Auricle 08:38:54 10/11/02 (1)

Training is where the Anglo militaries have the world beat - dado5 09:09:55 10/11/02 (0)

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