The M231 Port Firing Weapons was developed in the 1970s as a part of the M2 Bradley Fighting Vehicle Project. A modern relative of the WW2 Krummlauf, the weapon was intended to provide close-in firepower against infantry that might attempt to overrun the M2. It has no sights or buttstock, and fires from an open bolt only as 1100-1200 rounds/minute. It is intended to be used with M196 tracer ammunition to aim. Early versions were issued with rudimentary sights and a wire collapsing stock (akin to that of an M3A1 Grease Gun), but the weapon proved so difficult to control from the shoulder that the stocks were discarded and policy changed to dictate that the guns never be removed form the Bradleys.
The unique fitting on the front of the hand guard is a coarse thread to screw the gun into the Bradley’s firing port sockets. The fire control system is entirely different form a standard M16, with the hammer being removed entirely in favor of a submachine gun like dropping sear. The recoil system was also completely changed, and in the M231 consists of simply three separate recoil springs nested inside one another.
VIDEO HERE (11:20 minutes)
Those little guns were so much fun to shoot but quite uncontrollable without the port.
ReplyDeleteAll I had to do was take out the trash, fold my laundry and do some dusting but I can't pry my paternal ass off this chair until I finish this video.
ReplyDeleteThe BMP threw a fear into "Why don't we have that?" intel/ops people. Years earlier, reports/rumors of a main gun missile for the T62 led to the M60A2 tank, with Shillelagh. I have never seen a Bradley platoon firing all out with six? eight? M231s from each vehicle, but it must have been quite a sight at night.
ReplyDeleteThat would be awesome in a pistol caliber.
ReplyDeleteThese are after my time in the military (76-80) as are the Bradley Fighting Vehicle but, I likey! Looks like something a badassed infantry soldier would procure for special ops.
ReplyDelete