Personal Weapons Carried Into Battle

[MarcSpaz]

SO... the thread about G19's going into service "officially" for some units made me want to ask a question that some my find odd, but I am really, really curious.

I am a big fan of buying equipment that are military or other nations successful military forces have used. From a defensive prospective, it make sense to me to trust my life to a weapon that is battle proven and in the variety of climates in the world.

A friend of mine who is a Captain in the US Army told me that he brought his own optics (EOTech and magnifier) for his battle rifle when he was deployed to the sandbox years ago. He said that other guys in his Company brought their own items too, including things like stocks, rail/tac lights, lasers, etc . He said one guy even brought his own firearm. He said at first he was a bit leery about it... but when he realized it was fairly wide spread and accepted, he just rolled with it. Unofficially, of course.

So, I'm wondering if any of you guys or someone in your Squad, Unit, etc (especially the special ops guys) brought you own accessories or weapons? What were some of the common privately owned accessories or weapons you guys saw when you went down range?

And of course... the companion question is... how did your retail civilian consumer market product hold up in battle?

[Chasbo00]

This dates me a bit. I had a personal Colt 1911 accurized by the AMTU at Ft. Benning for me when I was a Lieutenant. I always carried this whenever I could (nearly always) rather than an issued 1911 from the arms room. There were times when I found myself having to travel overseas unarmed. In this case I used the weapon issued to me while there or I managed to acquire a handgun locally, usually from a military member of the host location.

I suspect this is probably harder to do in today's Army.

[grumpyMSG]

The question you have asked is a good one and hinges on liability. Commanders have some discretion in authorizing some things, however it is his @$$ if something happens. Most commanders don't want anything to do with the potential lawsuits/ liability. A few years ago there was a huge stink about authorization/ non-authorization of the use of P Mags. A policy was written and than a short time later it was rescinded. Most commanders tend to follow the NSN rule, if it has been given an NSN (National Stock Number), they will authorize it. If it is a not critical part/ blatantly distracting they will authorize it. If it is specifically mentioned in P.S. Magazine as an additional authorized/ substitution/ replacement part, they will allow it. By the same token, P.S. may also specifically prohibit the use of certain items. Leave it to the Army to make life easier by using a comic book to put out guidelines.

So if you want to run ladder type rail covers on an M4 instead of the issue Knight's Armament parts, no one will probably stop you. The same goes for slightly oversize undersize M4 pistol grips. If you want to run hot pink ones, it isn't going to fly. If you want to replace the trigger in your M4 with a Timney, No Freakin' way. You want to carry a 60 round Surefire magazine in your rifle, you better be able to find and prove where it is in the supply system (I of course, will mock you for being an idiot). You want to put the time and effort to purchase the Crimson Trace LG402M grips for your Beretta that would probably be OK. You want to carry a Sig P228 (issued as the M11) instead of the Beretta, it probably isn't going to happen, because in the heat of battle your buddy isn't going to be able to grab your magazine and use it in his pistol.

[MarcSpaz]

Thanks guys... good info so far. I always thought the main purpose for standardization in hardware was for interoperability from man to man, squad to squad, etc. I was wondering how much those lines were allowed to be blurred or if they could even be ignored in some cases.

[Mindflayer]

This dates me a bit. I had a personal Colt 1911 accurized by the AMTU at Ft. Benning for me when I was a Lieutenant.

Was this before or after the Battle of Amiens?

[MarcSpaz]

Wow! That ain't right.

[Chasbo00]

This dates me a bit. I had a personal Colt 1911 accurized by the AMTU at Ft. Benning for me when I was a Lieutenant.

Was this before or after the Battle of Amiens?

Damn near I joined the Army in 1966 and retired in 1990. Retired again from civilian career in 2010. Being long in the tooth does have its advantages though. I pretty much can do and say whatever I want and I do - love it.

[Mindflayer]

Damn near I joined the Army in 1966 and retired in 1990. Retired again from civilian career in 2010. Being long in the tooth does have its advantages though. I pretty much can do and say whatever I want and I do - love it.

Dad?

Ah, wait, he doesn't like guns. Did 20 years in the USAF (E-9), got out, double-dipped, got up to GS-15, decided not to take the SES slot, retired. All same time frame.