When they no longer make film...

Al Kaplan said:
30-06 was was WW-I and 308 was in use for Korea but I'm not sure when the switch took place. 'Nam was 5.56mm (.223 caliber) on "our" side while North Vietnam used AK-74's which also used 5.56mm bullets, but a different cartridge. Of course all the older weapons from both sides were sold or given to poorer countries. There's an unbelievable number of surplused weapons and ammo out there, and nobody really knows where it all is or how much of it there still is. And then there are millions of rounds of 9mm pistol and submachine gun ammo, along with 9mm pistols, plus the 45 cal. pistols and ammo...
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Al- The VC were using AK-47 variants, in 7.62x39. The AK-74 wasn't introduced in Russia until 1974, after the Vietnam War was over. The Russkies used the 74s in Afghanistan.
 
Al Kaplan said:
30-06 was was WW-I and 308 was in use for Korea but I'm not sure when the switch took place. 'Nam was 5.56mm (.223 caliber) on "our" side while North Vietnam used AK-74's which also used 5.56mm bullets, but a different cartridge. Of course all the older weapons from both sides were sold or given to poorer countries. There's an unbelievable number of surplused weapons and ammo out there, and nobody really knows where it all is or how much of it there still is. And then there are millions of rounds of 9mm pistol and submachine gun ammo, along with 9mm pistols, plus the 45 cal. pistols and ammo...
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North Vietnam used the AK-47, which fired the larger 7.62x39mm round, similar in nature to the .308. The first US troops into Vietnam carried the M-14, and some even carried the M-1 (and fully-automatic M-2 variant) carbine. Both were later replaced with the M-16.

I have benefited greatly from the legal importation of non-automatic weapons from that era. My personal favorite is the CZ-52 pistol in 7.62x25mm. Quite the barn-burner.
 
bmattock said:
When they outlaw ray guns, only outlaws will have ray guns.

They can have my ray gun when they pry it from my cold dead levitation disks.
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We may have the right to bear arms, but sadly, the right to be borne by levitation disks is not enshrined in the constitution.
 
Merkin said:
We may have the right to bear arms, but sadly, the right to be borne by levitation disks is not enshrined in the constitution.
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Not in the old Constitution, but in the new 3D Constitution, it is, right along with the right for all hot babes to cavort with impunity.
 
I fired a gun once, courtesy of the British army whom I work for. Fortunately the target was made of paper and much to my surprise I hit it. I hope to never need to renew the experience for real.

Given the ease that people on here can fall out over absolutely nothing, thank goodness that they are not in each other's presence, the bloodshed would be unthinkable. :D
 
bmattock said:
North Vietnam used the AK-47, which fired the larger 7.62x39mm round, similar in nature to the .308. The first US troops into Vietnam carried the M-14, and some even carried the M-1 (and fully-automatic M-2 variant) carbine. Both were later replaced with the M-16.

I have benefited greatly from the legal importation of non-automatic weapons from that era. My personal favorite is the CZ-52 pistol in 7.62x25mm. Quite the barn-burner.
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I understand they also had the fixed magazine SKS from a variety of sources.

I thought the 30-06 was shortened to .308 length for better functioning in automatic weapons like the M14. I think it is the NATO round now for 30 cal. Auto?

There were a lot of .30 Carbines, my brother carried one at the base near Saigon.

I think we supplied a lot of this stuff to the French and Vietnamese before us.

With just the amount of stuff left there, it left Viet Nam as a major military power.
 
In the German army I was trained at the G3 rifle, MG3 machine gun, Uzi and P1 pistol.
Shooting with these firearms and seeing their devastating impact made me loathe guns completely.
Thus I rather shoot with cameras.
 
Dont know, or care, too much about guns me too, although I have had my time in the army - being close to the Soviets in 88/89 felt like a rather serious business, that was enough for me...

Film, however, is important to me. I shoot far less film than digital these days, but I still prefer film because it looks so much better in the end. Something to do with the colour reproduction - it is programmed into my mind after seeing everything photographed with film for years. It is still a reference point, but this will change over the years until a digital look is the norm.

Had a funny experience recently. There is a really good, and new, store in Oslo. They started in the digital age, being very clear that they should never stock film. When the crisis hit, they went bankrupt, but somebody else bought it an reopened. The branch in Bergen was liquidated however, and they had a fridge full of film. Which ended up standing well out of way in the Oslo-store. Still, they claimed that they would just sell it out cheaply, as film was definitely not the future. Of course I bought a lot, for a good price.

And what happened recently? They are now selling film again, and has put it in a prominent place! Has not got around to ask why they have com.e around finally, but I cannot imagine anything but demand has made them... It is the place to go for the serious photographer, and I guess they had too many regulars asking!

This is the way it is going I think, film will be available in pro stores for years to come... Had a good laugh at getting film cheap from them, and then seeing it available once more!
 
I suspect that the 30-06 was shortened to the .308 round because improved powders didn't need as much to get the bullet up to speed.
 
Al

That could have been part of the reason but I am inclined to believe the 308/7.62 NATO round evolved to allow better feeding from box magazines. I found that rifles in that caliber were pretty useless when set to rock and roll from the shoulder or hip.

Bob
 
Okay, I write for a couple of outdoor and gun magazines, (where in this country 'guns' are exclusively for hunting. When we murder each other over here we use the old standby - the good old fashioned Kiwi blunt instrument. )

The .308 was developed by US govmnt and Winchester as a more efficient cartridge for feeding in automatic rifles. The .30/06 is one long cartridge. That was in 1954. Its actually known in the military as as 7.62 NATO round, becase it was supposed to be standardised by these countries. Endeth lecture.

But the .308 is perhaps better known as one of the most popular hunting and big game cartridges ever made. I would say this though, as I have little interest in military matters.

And when they stop making film....I will start making it.
 
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