26 Aug 03

More rifle comments from another colleague:

"In Vietnam nearly forty years ago, I carried a Colt Car-15, as did you. After several days on patrol in the rain, and not having made enemy contact, our colonel decided that we should be picked up and reinserted in a different ar ea. When I entered the helicopter, I attempted to push the manual safety to the ' on' position, only to discover that the safety lever was frozen solid. Pounding with a knife butt finally caused the lever to come loose.

Back at base camp, inspection revealed that detent holes in the safety body had filled with water and had subsequently rusted shut. The cure was, of course, to clean and lube, then apply grease, filling the holes and groove completely. The problem never again reared its ugly head.

Never, that is, until decades later when I was going through a course at Blackwater during a rainy week, again with a Car-15, this one manufactured b y Bushmaster. Once again, at the end of the day, I could not move the safety l ever. Inspection revealed the same problem."

Lesson: The above mentioned incidents could have occurred with any rifle. During active operations, weapons must be function checked constantly. Duri ng long periods of inaction, continuous inspection is even more important. Rus t and corrosion affect any species of metal. The unexpected incessantly stalk s the unwary.

/John