Attn M21: new sniper book

[Beaugeste93]

I'm in the middle of reading Shooter by GYSGT Jack Coughlin and CPT Casey Kuhlman. Its by the current top-ranked active duty USMC sniper. So far its mostly about Iraq, as OPSEC prevails on some of his other ops. A good read though, so far. Not too much of the "how I singlehandedly won the war" usually present in combat memoirs.

Check it out. I'd be curious to hear what someone with sniper experience thinks of it (ahem, M21 looking in your direction)

[Bill]

I guess i'll have to add it to my 'to buy' list.

How many confirmeds does he have, and how many probables?

[Beaugeste93]

I knew you were going to ask that...

I haven't found a total, but at least 8 confirmed in Somalia, 36 confirmed in Iraq. At the end of the book he claims "dozens and dozens" of confirmed and "many more" unconfirmed. You'd think even with opsec and the secret squirrel stuff, he'd give a total.

Apparently he just retired this year, so he's not active duty now. I'm sure there are plenty of others with growing logbooks out there now, and I doubt he'll stay "top ranked" when the numbers get reported. Still a good read, though.

[Bill]

It's just that most guys don't talk about their notches. I rarely do. It may not be OPSEC, but it is very personal.

Then again, he did write a book about it...so i guess the normal rules don't apply with this fella.

To each his own i suppose.

At any rate, i told the GF i want the book for my Birthday. ;)

[sniperdude411]

I always want books on technical stuff on guns and how they work; I always ahve a problem understanding semi-auto or select-fire triggers; I think an electronic trigger would be way better.

[Bill]

It's a reliability issue. A mechanical trigger mechanism is still more reliable in harsh conditions, even with the advances in electronics.

[sniperdude411]

But electronics are solid-state; If it were reinforced plenty, it would take a lot of force to break it.
I've dropped my ipod mini so many times... even in the water (thankfully it was off), and it still hasn't broken-down.

[Shek]

But electronics are solid-state; If it were reinforced plenty, it would take a lot of force to break it.
I've dropped my ipod mini so many times... even in the water (thankfully it was off), and it still hasn't broken-down.

Great! Add another propietary battery to the list that we have to carry to power the electronic trigger.;)

[Bill]

The one that- like any electronic device- can completely fail without warning, for no apparent reason.

No thanx.

[sniperdude411]

Tell me how it would stop working. As long as the laws of physics are followed, a small electronic device (best sealed/coated in something, like silicone or something) will not mess-up.
And a small, light battery (which would easily last 20,000 shots) would not be all that bad.
Overall, an electronic trigger is lighter, cheaper, and easier to manufacture and assemble.

[Shek]

Overall, an electronic trigger is lighter, cheaper, and easier to manufacture and assemble.

I'll let the free market decide that question. What percentage of triggers on weapons being sold these days are electronic triggers?

[sniperdude411]

I'll let the free market decide that question. What percentage of triggers on weapons being sold these days are electronic triggers?

Like 80% of all paintball guns do. And most AEG airsoft guns do, too.
And sales of electronic triggers are on the rise. Companies make a lot off of them for paintball guns, since they cost only about $10 to manufacture, including the cost for an lcd display, and the handle itself.

[Bill]

No one bets their life on a paintball or airsoft gun.

[Franco Lolan]

lol

[Shek]

Like 80% of all paintball guns do. And most AEG airsoft guns do, too.
And sales of electronic triggers are on the rise. Companies make a lot off of them for paintball guns, since they cost only about $10 to manufacture, including the cost for an lcd display, and the handle itself.

I'm not smart on the innards of guns (yes, I can break them down and clean them and put them back together, and understand the basic principles), but what are the recoil differences between paintball and airsoft guns and weapons that fire bullets that kill? Is that a possible reason why electronic triggers aren't on those weapons? Also, what is the life of the batteries in the extreme desert heat and in the artic? If the trigger assembly goes bad on the electronic trigger, can you repair it or must you replace the entire assembly?