14 Aug 2022 M14 Picture of the Day

[Mark in Rochester]

Information

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[browningautorifle]

Here I am in RVN mom, ready to go out shootin' guys...

[jond41403]

Is that a smoke grenade on the side of his pack?

[browningautorifle]

a smoke grenade

Yes, for calling in helicopters.

[Tom in N.J.]

And a M16 bipod on his gas cylinder....

[browningautorifle]

a M16 bipod

I never put much stock in those, just enough to keep your rifle out of the mud.

[Mark in Rochester]

The M18 was developed in 1942 during World War II and was completed in November of that year. It was designed to replace the M16 smoke grenade, which did not burn as long or as vividly. It was designated standard issue in the fall of 1943. Both were produced at the same time as the M16 production lines were already setup when the M18 was adopted. The M16 was available in red, orange, yellow, green, blue, violet, and black. The M18 initially were going to be produced in the same colors, including white, but it was decided to limit it to four colors (red, yellow, green and violet) for simplicity. The M16 was declared limited standard in 1944 but was still available when it was declared obsolete in the early 1990s.

The violet-colored smoke grenade was used in-theater because of its vivid color; previously it was only used in the United States for training. Its smoke was more toxic than the other color mixtures and was removed from the inventory after the end of the Cold War in the 1990s.



It was discovered in Vietnam that the green smoke drove away swarming bees.

Yes, for calling in helicopters.

A smoke grenade is a canister-type grenade used as a signaling device, target or landing zone marking device, or as a screening device
for unit movements.

[jond41403]

I'm lucky enough to own all four colors of the m18s, all still live with their canisters. I added the AN M8 for the white so five examples all together, all from the '90s. Next on the agenda is collecting all the m16s haha