Asehujiko posted:

I'm a European who's only ever shot clays with a shotgun that was loaded by somebody else before it was handled to me but I'm fairly sure I could operate an AK:
-there's a little catch in the vicinity the magazine to release it and put in a new one
-next there's a handle sticking out of a long slot on the side that must be pulled backwards to get the first bullet out of the magazine into the gun
-before shooting there's a safety lever that changes between no bullets/yes bullets
-and finally there's the trigger that makes the bullets come out the front
The only part I could imagine having issues with is the language of the safety markings but I assume that could be determined empirically by not putting in any bullets and listening to which position makes clicking noises when the trigger is pulled and which doesn't.

Humbug Scoolbus posted:

Where are the easiest two places to find a former SEAL?

A book signing or prison!

All the goddamn time. We had two CONEXs of miscellaneous crap 'Foreign Familiarization' hardware that had been accumulating since Korea, including a Chinese made DshK clone on a tiny little two-wheeled carriage with the cutest little gunshield. The SF 18B course has several days, if not a week, of range time built into their syllabus for training on all kinds of weird poo poo.

Asehujiko posted:

I'm a European who's only ever shot clays with a shotgun that was loaded by somebody else before it was handled to me but I'm fairly sure I could operate an AK:
-there's a little catch in the vicinity the magazine to release it and put in a new one
-next there's a handle sticking out of a long slot on the side that must be pulled backwards to get the first bullet out of the magazine into the gun
-before shooting there's a safety lever that changes between no bullets/yes bullets
-and finally there's the trigger that makes the bullets come out the front
The only part I could imagine having issues with is the language of the safety markings but I assume that could be determined empirically by not putting in any bullets and listening to which position makes clicking noises when the trigger is pulled and which doesn't.

Regarding Ukraine salvaging the nukes that may or may not be on the wreck of the Moskva, wouldn't they be in a very poor state after the big tubes of rocket fuel they were attached to caught fire and exploded? It is my civilian understanding that nuclear weapons lose their ability to do nuclear explosions if the supporting components are damaged and Ukraine already has easy access to charred chunks of plutonium without going fishing for it.

Asehujiko posted:

-before shooting there's a safety lever that changes between no bullets/yes bullets

not caring here posted:

The big central arms facility at Benning had STACKS of foreign weaponry. Tons of Russian stuff, so many AKs, but it was all being stored and maintained for some cool dudes to come along and practice I guess.

Marshal Prolapse posted:

https://twitter.com/the_intelhub/status/1515371325841457160?s=21&t=PAcVG00uG-DVu59YWLn1Vw

Comrade Blyatlov posted:

Elon finally getting to use his Submarine lmao

Discussion Quorum posted:

On a proper AK, I believe the switch has three positions:
- No bullet
- Bullet bullet bullet bullet bullet bullet bullet
- Give him one bullet, and one bullet ONLY

In that order so that a terrified peasant soldier won't panic-slap the gun into full auto.

Marshal Prolapse posted:

https://twitter.com/the_intelhub/status/1515371325841457160?s=21&t=PAcVG00uG-DVu59YWLn1Vw

Lake of Methane posted:

Tomn posted:

You know, one of the little things about Putin is that he almost always looks so goddamn miserable about anything he's doing. Just a permanent expression of slightly baffled, low-affect discontent, even when he's riding a minisub. What's the point of being a ruthless kleptocratic dictator if you can't even find joy in it?

quote:

One thing I'm kinda curious about - how's Ukraine's ammo and spare part stockpiles? My understanding is that Russia's managed to destroy most of Ukraine's native arms factories by this point, and while NATO as a whole is sending boatloads of stuff Ukrainian equipment is still largely Warsaw Pact and isn't compatible with NATO ammo. Small arms ammo probably isn't a huge issue since those are pretty plentiful, but how are they for artillery shells, Grad rockets, or Buk missiles? Modern warfare is pretty thirsty when it comes to heavy or precision ammo - as see Russia's own PGM stockpiles running low. And how many replacements could NATO potentially scrounge up to send them out of former EE stockpiles? Related, how much in the way of maintenance materials do they have for their own armored and mechanized forces?

I wonder a bit if part of the reason why Ukraine is crying out for heavy weapons is precisely because they need to husband their existing stocks of Warsaw Pact supplies to keep their forces functioning and aren't willing to risk the major expenditure of an offensive draining those out and leaving them helpless on the defensive. Getting their hands on NATO equipment and NATO logistical lines would mean those concerns can go away and they can attack freely without having to worry about potentially crippling themselves. It'd require long lead time to set up, but once it is they might have a great deal more freedom of action.

potatocubed posted:

This is a rather good photo.

https://twitter.com/PhillipsPOBrien/status/1515425115315613697?t=yExT66DeLxoGLfek1Q7Xkw&s=19

potatocubed posted:

This is a rather good photo.

https://twitter.com/PhillipsPOBrien/status/1515425115315613697?t=yExT66DeLxoGLfek1Q7Xkw&s=19

potatocubed posted:

This is a rather good photo.

https://twitter.com/PhillipsPOBrien/status/1515425115315613697?t=yExT66DeLxoGLfek1Q7Xkw&s=19

steinrokkan posted:

Disregard all these dipshit "experts" on Twitter unless they provide a clear source...

Nick Soapdish posted:

Stravag posted:

So Moskva proves that the russian military isn't the soviet one for sure. The russians COMPLETELY misunderstood what defense in depth meant.

Tomn posted:

Also cross-posting this from the D&D thread because I'd like to know if you guys think this is at all plausible.

https://saveualist.com posted:

Artillery is the “bread and butter” of war. Ukraine’s “main” artillery calibers are 122 and 152 mm. The problem with 152 mm is that Ukraine DOES NOT produce ammo of this type (all it has is the legacy from the Soviet war machine). Thus, even though Ukraine has 152 mm cannons, it is quickly running out of ammo. Given the intensity of the conflict, it won’t be long before Ukraine doesn’t have any 152 mm ammo left. If that happens, Ukrainian forces won’t be able to shoot back, and Russian artillery will overwhelm them.

Ukraine would also greatly benefit from NATO’s modern 155 mm artillery, such as the M109 Howitzer. Both 152 mm and 155 mm are considered “heavy artillery” and are the main damage dealers on the battlefield.

Stravag posted:

So Moskva proves that the russian military isn't the soviet one for sure. The russians COMPLETELY misunderstood what defense in depth meant.

BIG HEADLINE posted:

Yuuuuup.

Don't go full Feigl-Ding.

Marshal Prolapse posted:

He’s bad?

BIG HEADLINE posted:

It was actually "00000000."

At least the USAF had eight digits. The Brits' ideas of PALs were "gee, Percy, I hope no blighter ever realizes we arm our eggs with bicycle lock keys."

Godholio posted:

This is your weekly plug to read Command and Control.

Icon Of Sin posted:

Only if your sense of dawning horror hasn’t really been fed recently. Idk if there’s a Soviet/Russian version available in English, but given recent events I feel like it’d be the the growing to end them all.

Icon Of Sin posted:

Only if your sense of dawning horror hasn’t really been fed recently. Idk if there’s a Soviet/Russian version available in English, but given recent events I feel like it’d be the the growing to end them all.

A.o.D. posted:

"Chicago Piano"? "Hitler's Bone Saw"?!? Are they loving trolling?

Coquito Ergo Sum posted:

Every year I hear a new nickname for the MG-42 that the GIs definitely used all of the time during the war.

EasilyConfused posted:

MG-42? You mean Hitler's big fart?