What is the most poorly designed weapon you have ever had to use?

CPO Jon Campbell — Tue, 14 Oct 2014 09:55:14 -0400

I once shot a smoothbore 30 calibre line throwing gun and the breech blew up. Fortunately, I had my head turned backwards and didn't get hit by any shrapnel. Any weapon (or modified weapon) that requires you to look the opposite direction when firing, is likely a poor design. I thought that these guns had been taken out of service, but I saw a video online the other day of someone firing one and it was fairly recent. I wonder how many other poorly designed weapons are out there?

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Nov 7 at 2014 4:25 AM

SFC Mark Merino — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 04:25:10 -0500

Is that something used to go from ship to ship?

Response by CPT Endre Barath made Nov 7 at 2014 9:02 PM

CPT Endre Barath — Fri, 07 Nov 2014 21:02:32 -0500

I was not a big fan of the M47 Dragon wire guided anti tank weapon...looked like a big Q-tip with a huge back blast area and any breathing would send the missile haywire.... tell me if I am off base and it was just me...

Response by SPC Bryan Guzman-Piedra made Nov 8 at 2014 4:27 PM

SPC Bryan Guzman-Piedra — Sat, 08 Nov 2014 16:27:29 -0500

Well there are several.

The Maverick 88 may seem like a standard pump action shotgun, but it has a receiver bolt stop that breaks off easily when shooting it.

Anything made of Hipoint firearms.

Bushmaster AR15s and the Berreta 92/M9

Response by SFC Dave Joslin made Nov 8 at 2014 5:36 PM

SFC Dave Joslin — Sat, 08 Nov 2014 17:36:57 -0500

Hipoint 9mm carbine. There's a reason you could buy them brand new for $149.00

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 8 at 2014 5:42 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 08 Nov 2014 17:42:53 -0500

I owned a refurbished M44 Mosin/Nagant carbine in 7.62x54 that was reliable enough and all but was so reamed out at the muzzle you could fit the bullet and neck of a round in the end. Couldn't hit a human silhouette target at 50 yards. No, it wasn't shooter error!

Response by SGT Greg Gold made Nov 8 at 2014 7:35 PM

SGT Greg Gold — Sat, 08 Nov 2014 19:35:18 -0500

I've been lucky in that I've never owned a poorly designed POW. No Lorcin or other POS's in my personal collection.

As to Army issued gear, the M60 had some glaring flaws. The feed tray system was over designed and the gas piston could be reassembled backwards, resulting in a single shot straight pull action belt fed. In short the weapon was not Soldier proof, which is a problem when you give it to real live Soldiers.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 8 at 2014 8:03 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 08 Nov 2014 20:03:49 -0500

MK-19 by far.

Response by CPL Rick Stasny made Nov 9 at 2014 5:05 PM

CPL Rick Stasny — Sun, 09 Nov 2014 17:05:36 -0500

Ask the French, they have had plenty.

Response by Capt Richard I P. made Nov 9 at 2014 5:15 PM

Capt Richard I P. — Sun, 09 Nov 2014 17:15:37 -0500

CPO Jon Campbell I've been lucky, all the weapons I've had to use have been decently designed. I understand SFC Private RallyPoint Member's concerns on the Mk-19, though it is just too useful to discard. Some mortar systems can be tricky, especially trigger-firing M-60s. MAJ Jim Woods raises an issue I have heard before time and again, the original M16 was a travesty, but by the time I got my hands on A2-A4s they worked pretty well.

I think in the end i have to agree with SPC Bryan Guzman-Piedra: the Berreta 92F is an inferior 9mm pistol, its designed primarily to not fire with three independent safeties, its too vulnerable to being pushed out of batter in close combat, it's too heavy for a 9mm and less reliable than competitors.

Response by SGT Charles Vernier made Jan 3 at 2015 4:06 PM

SGT Charles Vernier — Sat, 03 Jan 2015 16:06:41 -0500

A friend of mine had a hi-point 9mm that he wanted me to fire. It went full-auto on me when the sear broke.

Response by LTC Stephen C. made Jan 25 at 2015 11:48 PM

LTC Stephen C. — Sun, 25 Jan 2015 23:48:38 -0500

CPO Jon Campbell, the M40A1 106mm Recoilless Rifle mounted on a quarter ton jeep. These things were direct fire anti tank weapons. If you could see the tank, the tank could see you! Had a .50 cal spotter round, but if you pinged a tank, it was basically over for the 106 crew! The back blast went forever also. Fired this thing a few times. Tremendous concussion. Wonder how long it took the Army to ditch these things?!

These were my thoughts on the 106mm RR SSG Courtney Colyar! You liked it though?

Response by PO2 Steven Erickson made Feb 4 at 2015 11:26 PM

PO2 Steven Erickson — Wed, 04 Feb 2015 23:26:46 -0500

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/UUM-44_SUBROC

Obviously we've never used one of these damn-fool things, and I can neither confirm nor deny that I slept next to a UUM-44 SUBROC for a portion of my career, but THAT was a dumba$$ weapon.

It was a 5kt nuclear depth-charge mounted on a torpedo-tube launched rocket. OMG.

Sub folklore told us there was a 60% chance of damaging yourself if you ever had to shoot one of these monstrosities.