"Have you never discovered the shortcomings of rifle grenades?" Wang Xuexin asked.
Sun Erwei was confused by the question and stood in front of Wang Xuexin for a long time without saying anything.
Then Wang Xuexin understood what was going on. The Yingjiang Army didn't even have many actual combat experiences, so how could it discover the shortcomings of rifle grenades?
Sun Erwei took out his notebook as if he had found a treasure and asked: "Tell me, what are its shortcomings?"
"Let's put it this way!" Wang Xuexin replied: "Rifle grenades require a grenade launcher to be mounted on the rifle. Although this is more convenient than a grenade launcher and does not occupy the organization, it cannot be fired when the grenade launcher is mounted.
Sometimes you can’t launch rifle grenades...why don’t you develop a grenade launcher that hangs under the barrel?”
"Hang under the barrel of the gun?" Sun Erwei looked at Wang Xuexin in surprise.
"Yes!" Wang Xuexin nodded: "In this way, it can shoot at the same time, and can also launch grenades if necessary. The switch is much easier than rifle grenades!"
"That's right!" Sun Erwei nodded, and then felt strange: "Oh my god, why didn't they discover this simple and practical improvement?"
When Sun Erwei said this, he didn't understand what the domestic equipment developers were doing. They should have discovered these problems long ago and thought of this idea!
But the person who discovered this idea happened to be an Eighth Route Army soldier who had only heard of rifle grenades.
It seems that having practical experience does have different meanings.
What Sun Erwei didn't know was that equipment research and development is often based on demand. They are always put into use on the battlefield first. Soldiers find any deficiencies, and scientific researchers find ways to solve them, so they advance step by step.
Wang Xuexin only knew their progress and even their results.
"But this kind of integrated grenade launcher still has shortcomings!" Wang Xuexin continued: "After they are integrated into a rifle or carbine, they will increase the size and weight of the rifle, and will also affect the accuracy."
"What should we do?" Sun Erwei's expression was a little strange, and he seemed to disagree with Wang Xuexin's statement: "Wang, any equipment will have volume and weight, and grenade launchers are inevitable! We can only integrate grenade launchers into the grenade shooter's gun.
weapon, others don’t need it. In this way, at least the grenade shooter doesn’t need anyone else to cover him, because he is also a rifleman himself!”
This is true, and it is one of the reasons why integrated grenade launchers have continued to exist for decades until modern times.
With previous rifle grenades, once a grenade launcher is mounted on the muzzle of the gun, the gunner has no ability to defend himself and needs cover from his comrades.
If the enemy charges when he has just loaded the grenade launcher, or if his superiors order a charge at this time, the grenade shooter will be in misery. He will face the enemy with almost a fire stick.
But the integrated grenade launcher does not have this problem, because the integrated grenade launcher has an independent barrel and trigger, which can be switched quickly.
However, this is not the final form of its development.
"We can develop an independent grenade launcher!" Wang Xuexin said: "That is to develop a grenade gun, which is required to be short and lightweight. The grenade shooter only needs to carry one more such gun, and it will not affect the rifle shooting."
Sun Erwei was stunned and asked: "So, what is the difference between this and the Japanese grenade?"
The Japanese's grenade was also separated from the gun, and the grenade shooter also carried a rifle, so Sun Erwei took it for granted that there was not much difference between them.
"The difference is..." Wang Xuexin explained: "The grenade gun can be fired hand-held but the grenade cannot. In addition, we can also develop a variety of warheads for this grenade gun, such as shotguns, smoke grenades, illumination bombs, etc. This is
It has been given multiple uses, and you can also use it in close-range combat if necessary!"
While talking, Wang Xuexin even drew a sketch and handed it to Sun Erwei.
This is actually Yingjiang's M79 grenade launcher. It was developed by Yingjiang in 1953. The empty gun weighs only five kilograms. As soon as it was put into the battlefield, it was popular because of its lightness, short size and multi-purpose, especially suitable for the jungle battlefield of the Vietnam War.
Sun Erwei looked at the sketch with some hesitation on his face.
He doesn't quite understand this advanced design, or he's still in the trap of integrating a grenade launcher, and always feels that it's better to integrate it on a gun.
After thinking for a while, Sun Erwei said: "I will tell them your idea, Wang! The integrated grenade launcher may be produced soon. But this independent launcher..."
"Of course!" Wang Xuexin nodded.
The integrated grenade launcher simply transforms the original launcher mounted on the barrel into one hanging under the barrel, and then installs an independent trigger, which is obviously much simpler.
(Note: The grenade launcher and the rifle share the same trigger)
The m79 thing is the development of a new gun.
It's not just a new gun...it's actually not that difficult. This thing has no rifling, so it's not difficult to develop and produce.
The difficult part is matching the grenades: anti-personnel grenades, smoke grenades, illumination grenades, deer grenades, dart grenades, incendiary grenades, etc.
With this thing, the anti-infantry pressure on the rocket launcher shooter will be much less.
The rocket launcher is actually very dangerous when used against infantry at close range. The reason is that it is heavy and inconvenient to maneuver. When firing, most of the body has to lean out of the hiding place, which is almost risking one's life to shoot.
There is no such problem with m79.
But of course, deflection equipment like the m79 cannot replace the rocket launcher, especially when dealing with bunker fortifications, direct fire equipment like the rocket launcher is more useful.
Sun Erwei did not understand Wang Xuexin's thoughts, but Peris on the other side did not understand the same.
Sun Erwei told Davis Wang Xuexin's transformation suggestion. He thought this was the fastest way to convey it. After all, Davis was from the National Defense Science and Technology and Research Agency.
Davis was originally not interested in this kind of individual equipment. They mainly studied anti-aircraft firepower.
But as soon as I heard that it was Wang Xuexin's suggestion, I didn't dare to neglect it. I immediately asked the communications soldier to draw a sketch of the M79 based on Sun Erwei's description and then handed it to Colonel Perris.
Colonel Perris was an infantryman. He had participated in World War I and used rifle grenades and knew the shortcomings of rifle grenades.
But that’s all I know.
Army equipment has always been ignored, even tanks, let alone rifle grenades.
At this time, when Perris saw the two improvement plans presented by Davis, he looked at Davis in surprise and asked: "Where did this suggestion come from? That battalion commander in China?"
"Yes!" Davis was a little unsure of Perris's attitude: "He hopes we can develop equipment like this. Is it really feasible?"
Perris looked at the sketch and then at Davis, feeling as if he had found a treasure: "Of course, Davis, of course it is feasible! This may solve a big problem in our Army, which we have not noticed or even had.