Long Term Rifle Decisions

[Brother in Arms]

In my opinion the MILGOV would use the M16 series until they ran out then they would use the M14 until those ran out then they would use the M1 until those ran out (although .30-06 ammo would be harder to find in military storage then 5.56 or 7.62)...I don't think they would start up weapon production simply because its just too dificult espensive resource and time constraining. The Military even in the 1980's had 10000's of M16A1,M16a2 rifle and thousands more M14's in storage. Infact you can go to anniston depot today as a civillian join the CMP and buy an M1 .30-06 for $500 they still haven't ran out of those yet... So my feeling is they would use the m16 series rifle as long as possible. And supplement with older weapons as needed.

[Mohoender]

Originally Posted by Brother in Arms

I don't think they would start up weapon production simply because its just too dificult espensive resource and time constraining.

Why do you think it so difficult? Tribal groups in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Africa are making their own copies of many rifles. Production will drop along with quality but why would it cease? Pre-nukes rifles will be reliable, post-nuke rifles will kill you from time to time.

[Legbreaker]

This is true, however they've been doing it for years while the rest of the world generally don't have the knowledge or the tools.
I think (and could well be wrong) that the barrel is likely the hardest part to fabricate, specifically the rifling. Smoothbores such as shotguns should be relatively simple affairs and likely to make a bit of a comeback in the decade after the war.

Long term though (over a decade) anything is possible and really depends on how much the region in question has recovered. My guess is that from about 2010-2015 whole new designs will see the light of day, completely different to what we are seeing now IRL. Generally they're likely to be a lot simpler and use materials more in common to mid 20th century designs. Aluminium for example requires a LOT of energy to work (electricity specifically) so it is unlikely to be seen in early 21st century designs.

[Mohoender]

Originally Posted by Legbreaker

This is true, however they've been doing it for years while the rest of the world generally don't have the knowledge or the tools.

Good point, I didn't think of that.

[95th Rifleman]

The first rifle was made in the 15th century, the first real military application was in the early 19th.

The first true machine gun was made in 1884 (Gatling was earlier but Hiram Maxim made the first truly automatic MG).

Post-nuke America will still have at least 19th century technology. They won't be blasted into the stone age. Sure weapons will become much cruder, less shiny but essentilay they will be weapons desighned to make the other guy stop breathing.

When you get down to it, the Human race has a singular talent for developing methods of killing each other. This will not change post-exchange and I doubt rifles and automatic weapons will disappear. They may become a bit rarer, allot cruder but it's not exactly dificult to develop since the concept is already proven and the science is known. All you have to do is adapt it to available technology.

Look at the Sten SMG for a classic example of what ypu can do with a scrapyard and some time.

[Legbreaker]

The average person in the late 20th century had little to no practical technical or mechanical knowledge, unlike the 19th and early 20th century. How many office workers, computer techs, sales girls or cafe workers know anything about fixing their own car, let alone building a useful weapon or even growing a field of corn?
There are still a few people with the ability of course, but as a percentage of the total population, it's significantly less than a hundred years before.

[Mohoender]

At the time of T2K, you could find at least one person with these kind of knowledges in about every village. That must come from outstanding French superiority, LOL.

[Targan]

Originally Posted by Mohoender

At the time of T2K, you could find at least one person with these kind of knowledges in about every village. That must come from outstanding French superiority, LOL.

If by village you mean country town or rural community you'd be right, in France and here and no doubt the USA. But Leg is talking about the vast majority of the population who live cozy suburban lives in big cities. Most of them wouldn't know sh*t from clay when it comes to useful survival skills let alone how to maintain a firearm or service a vehicle.

Well maybe our American urban-dweller friends would have a good chance of knowing how to maintain firearms