[trialsryder001]

what is a designeted marksmen? and what are the qualifications of becoming one? also if you dont make expert on the range, can you still qualify for some type of advanced shooting school?
thanks ALex :twisted:

 

[CM2k]

Designated Marksmen exsist to extend the effective range of a squad. All that really happens is that 2 or so men out of every squad are picked out (Typically based on their shooting scores), and given an additional training course in accurate shooting. At least, that's how the Israelis do it.

 

[Jeff_850]

yea its just a man who is given a little more training than average and sent back to the squad with generally a scoped rifle that is slightly more accurate at longer distances than the standard issue service rifle

they are not given nearly the same long distnace marksmanship training to say effectivley engauge targets byond 1000y like a sniper is and they have no where near the mastery of camoflouge of the enviornment to be snipers, just good shots with longer ranged rifles in a squad

 

[Yimmy]

re

Over here as far as I gather the closest thing we have to a designated marksman, the LSW gunner, is normally one of the poorer shots; but then it is designed more for short bursts than just aimed shots.

There are also some idiots such as myself who voluntier for it.

 

[westpointranger]

LSW gunners and DM's are two completely different things.

 

[Yimmy]

re

Not really, the LSW not being a SAW like the minimi.

The LSW is not really a machine gun at all, it not having a quick changeable barrel.

What it does always have, including in 3rd line units, is the 4X SUSAT. With its long heavy barrel and bi-pod it is used to extend the range of the fire section in exactly the same way as the druganov, anf fullfills the role of a DM, be it with the option to fire bursts.

That is not to say that snipers are not sometimes given to sections.

The LSW was advertised for sale by Enfield as a sniper / DM rifle.

 

[westpointranger]

A machine gun doesn't have to have a quick change barrel. The BAR didn't. That's like saying, "It's not really a sniper rifle because it doesn't have a sling." The QC barrel is just a special feature of most modern MG's.

Many of our M249's and M240 Bravo's have Elcan optical sights mounted on them, but that doesn't make them DMRs either. Optical sights are standard on most L85s, thus they are also standard on the LSWs.

The heavy barrel aids in cooling and isn't necessarily intended to increase accuracy in many cases.

Finally, a semi-auto only variant of the LSW was advertised as a sniper/DM rifle.

 

[Yimmy]

re

You are simply arguing over the weapon having the capability to fire bursts... and I have never heard of Enfield converting the weapoin to repitition only.

The LSW is the closest thing the British army has to a DM weapon.

As a side note, the BAR was not a MG, it was a rifle, a stupidly heavy rifle.

 

[westpointranger]

Ok, I looked it up in Jane's Gun Recognition Guide and you are correct, the L86 IS the closest thing the Brits have to a DMR. What I don't understand is why they didn't get something that's better suited as a LMG :? .

You are wrong about the BAR, however.

From Jane's . . .

Designed as a light machine gun for WWI, the BAR became the US Army's Squad Automatic Weapon, remaining in service until the Vietnam War. It was finally replaced by the M249 Minimi in the 1980's.

 

[Yimmy]

re

Beh.... performance wise the BAR is identicle to the FN FAL or G3, only heavier.

When Belgium improved it to give it a quick change barrel, in my books it became a poor LMG, with only 20 round mags.
When they improved it again to be belt fed, it became the FN MAG, and we all know how good that is!

 

[Jeff_850]

yes the BAR is heavy rifle made in 1918
the G3 and FN FAL probably have the same performance maybe a higher rate of fire
its rediculalsy heavy because its old and they wanted it to be more controllable, its a .30-06 fully automatic weapon with a fair rate of fire

 

[trialsryder001]

so are you all saying that a dm's rifle is a full atto rifle chamberd in 5.56 or .223? the marines dmr rifle is a nicley made m-25 or 21 forgot but its nice

 

[mele]

No, they are generally NOT full auto, and so far have not been 5.56. But there is no set way a "DM" rifle has to be. That would be like saying all sniper rifles are bolt action .308. Anything else is not a sniper rifle.

The big misconception is that the USMC has a set DM rifle, as far as I know, they have not settled on a single DM rifle (yet). Many have been used, including HK's, modded M14's, SR25 "types", etc

MEL