RE: sniper rifle for hunting?
To dive back into this, yet again.
The M4 is a Carbine, but not a machine gun. The Stoner 63A was a modular, as I said, weapon that could be configured as a Carbine, or a weapon similar to the SAW, but they are not "machine guns". The M240 is a perfect example of a machinegun, which is crew served, as many are. However, as there were what, 7 configurations for the 63A, I could understand the problem, so I guess I gave a bad example. I should have said the 63A Carbine, because one of the configurations is mounted on a tripod, and crew-served.
The M4 is not crew-served, the M249 is not crew-served, hence why there is no designated MOS for a SAW gunner, just a billet. I'm sure there is going to be someone out there who diagrees with this, but this is also what I have been taught.. a machine gun is different from an automatic weapon... machine guns are crew served. Based on these two beliefs, the M4 Carbine and Stoner 63A Carbine are not classified as "machine guns," even though they are automatic weapons.
Do you understand where I am coming with that UTHunter, if I'm not being clear enough I'll try harder.
Briman, I never said that being able to hold a subMOA made the person a sniper, I simply stated, from what I have been taught over the years that a "sniper rifle," of which there is no detailed definition, is a rifle which holds a MOA or less. We can then break it down further, which I did, as the rifle which a 8541 uses.
So, based off these theorms, I came to the conclusion, and am going to catch yet more flak from this, that a "sniper rifle" is a rifle, capable of holding MOA or less, employed by a school trained, 8541, scout/sniper.
Grizzly, you are forgetting that the 63A was modular, it could be belt, drum, or magazine fed, making it an all-around awesome weapon, but in my opinion, because, as I stated earlier, based on what I've been taught, that it is not a crew-served weapon, just like the M249 isn't crew-served.... but still automatic in nature. The MMG configuration of the 63A was crew-served, so I could see how it could then be classified a "machine gun."
But my take is that if it isn't crew-served, it isn't a "machine gun," but that is probably a misinterpretation of doctorine on my part.
oldgrunt, I am well aware, and hope many more follow. I am going off the knowledge given by those active and those in the past, both former and current instructors and everyone in between who say that the basic definition of a "sniper rifle" that they can give is a rifle capable of holding a MOA or less, as there is no Marine Corps definition of what a "sniper rifle" truly is. So, by going off that definition, I could only come to the conclusion that the SASR is not a "sniper rifle," as it does not hold a MOA.
I hope all that came out right, not trying to insult anyone's intelligence, or claim to know all, just going off what I have been taught.