Colt 608: The AR15 as a Pilot's Survival Rifle

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Күн бұрын

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As part of its effort to build out the AR-15 family of small arms, Colt introduced the Model 608 in 1965. This was intended to be an aircraft survival rifle, able to pack disassembled into a small space with four 20-round magazines for use by the US Air Force. With a 10 inch barrel, fixed tubular stock, and cut down grip it weighed just 4.75 pounds and had a maximum length of just 17.6 inches when disassembled. It was only produced as a prototype, with ten or fewer being made in total.
Many thanks to the Royal Armouries for allowing me to film and disassemble this rifle! The NFC collection there - perhaps the best military small arms collection in Western Europe - is available by appointment to researchers:
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@johnneilson377 Ай бұрын

As an Army helicopter pilot in the 1970's my issued weapon was a S&W .38 revolver, holstered in my survival vest. Not exactly an inspired self-defense tool so the first step was to acquire something to supplement that; that little 608 looks as if it would've been a welcome choice because yes, I thought I might get into a gun fight. Thanks for an informative video.

@uh60ce1 Ай бұрын

Crazy how times change. I was as well on 60s until 2022. We had the Beretta M9 as well as a M4A1 Hopefully that gets updated even more for future generations.

@Chilly_Billy Ай бұрын

I would agree in your positions. Just because you have 80 rounds of 5.56 in a FA-capable weapon doesn't mean you would use it at the drop of a hat. It would still be best to go to ground and wait for the rescue forces to grab you. BUT, I have also read several instances in which downed pilots in Vietnam could've used such firepower to continue their E & E but were captured by one or two enemy. This wouldn't be much help against a platoon of NVA Regulars, but against a few surprised VC or farmers, all the difference in the world.

@nikujaga_oishii Ай бұрын

I remember arguments that survival firearms should be easy to manipulate with one hand in case the pilot is injured, and so the rationale for issuing revolver to pilots - did anyone actually talk about this back then or does it seem more like another myth?

@AlanToon-fy4hg Ай бұрын

A friend of mine who was in Vietnam told me of the time he returned fire with his .38 revolver. He survived by some miracle.

@Soff1859 Ай бұрын

@@Chilly_Billy I'd assume the pistols/revolvers were mostly for exactly that. Threaten one guy to steal his car/bike/boat or stop him from alerting someone else. The rifle would have the added benefit of being much better for hunting or ambushing a pair of enemies. Like you can shoot one guy before they notice you and then have a reasonable chance against the second guy. Anything beyond that you and starting a gun fight wouldnt help your odds anyway, no matter what gun you carried. But the AR also has the downside of not being concealable. Maybe not much of a thing in Vietnam because american pilots would have stood out anyway because of their size and ethnicity. But in a war against the soviets (or for Scott O'grady who got shot down in serbia), they could have maybe found some civilian clothing and passed as a local at least from a distance, while still concealed carrying a pistol, but not an AR.

@UselessFox Ай бұрын

The most tubular AR I have ever seen

@RamadaArtist Ай бұрын

Just like the internet; all made of tubes.

@tomwinterfishing9065 Ай бұрын

Choobz ftw💪

@clavididk1236 Ай бұрын

Totally tubular bro 🤙

@RayleeRaven567 Ай бұрын

toob

@justhere4637 Ай бұрын

Absolutely tubulated.

@darthrevenchist89 Ай бұрын

My absolute favorite is the model 607. One of the first adjustable stock AR’s. Only 2 positions but still really cool.

@ForgottenWeapons Ай бұрын

I covered the 607 a little while back...kzbin.info/www/bejne/l5u0mX-PnNSbfa8

@rodgersmith1573 Ай бұрын

@@ForgottenWeapons Not to argue with gun Jesus, but if I'm not mistaken, 605 was the first carbine & 607 is the first TRUE carbine with a generation 1 collapsible stock. Ever since you began ForgottenWeapons, you've always found videos which draw me right back to this channel. In fact, you somewhat "stole" the idea to use the Spuhr BAM/Aimpoint M4 system on the Max11/15 IRM lol! After the 3 year wait from Lage to get ATF approval on the receiver, you beat me to the punch by like 3 months. Anyways, as always, awesome video Ian. ;)

@IvanPrintsGuns Ай бұрын

@@rodgersmith1573 Colt called the 607 the SMG, and the 605 the Carbine

@rexringtail471 Ай бұрын

I built my PSA beater to look like a 607-- the coolest looking AR in my opinion. I love the baby-sized triangular handguard.

@rodgersmith1573 Ай бұрын

@@rexringtail471 Aside from a Colt 601, I've been slowly getting the pieces together for 604, 605, and GX-5857. The latter of which I've got a soft spot in my heart for. That stock (unfortunately it is a repro, not pinned to the lower) and the cut handguards are so unique! It's an 80% lower, and it'll look the part at least. The real question is to bother with a title II moderator, or just run a 3 prong..

@AluVixapede Ай бұрын

AR15 variants are like puppies, you want to take every single one of them home, because they're just so cute

@Cabur_Skirata Ай бұрын

I swear it just followed me home

@Halo_Legend Ай бұрын

And rename them, because their previous owner was sick in the head.

@imgladnotu9527 Ай бұрын

why am i not surprised that you'd make such an analogy, having such a profile, clearly telegraphing your personality.

@1SilverDollar Ай бұрын

What kinda of mama calls her kid 608? @@Halo_Legend

@spearmint25 Ай бұрын

@@imgladnotu9527?

@snkn9857 Ай бұрын

One thing worth mentioning is that the U.S. Air Force now uses the GAU-5/A as a pilot survival rifle, which is essentially the same as the Colt 608.

@FirstDagger Ай бұрын

"GAU-5/A (also known as the Colt Model 610 XM177) and GAU-5A/A (also known as the Colt Model 649)" GAU standing for "Gun, Automatic" in USAF nomenclature.

@classifiedad1 Ай бұрын

@@FirstDaggerTo make matters confusing, the USAF has also introduced a new GAU-5A named the Aircrew Self Defense Weapon. It is a modified M4 with the FAB folding pistol grip, Cry Havoc quick release barrel system, a BCM 12.5” carbine government profile barrel, and the Midwest Industries G3ML10 free-float hand guard. Other than the pistol grip, all the changes are pretty much on the front of the rifle. Same basic concept as the 608, though instead of using the takedown pins you have a quick-detach barrel. The ASDW is shorter than the 608 stowed, as the current USAF ejection seats are restricted to a 16x14x3.5”, and there’s other things inside like flares and flashlights.

@scottmacgregor3444 Ай бұрын

You should hold out for a GAU-8/A

@FirstDagger Ай бұрын

@@scottmacgregor3444 That literally is the proper designation for the GAU-8/A Avenger.

@scottmacgregor3444 Ай бұрын

@FirstDagger ... .. . That's the joke.

@cherenkov_blue Ай бұрын

(David Attenborough voice) And here we have the Colt 608. An AR15 that seems to have devolved back into an angry tube.

@Dapstart Ай бұрын

*Convergent evolution has caused this gun to resemble the sten, although they are very distantly related families*

@jalpat2272 Ай бұрын

@@Dapstartoh stop i really read it with his voice.

@clothar23 Ай бұрын

Return to Angy Tube.

@jon9021 Ай бұрын

😂😂

@sbreheny Ай бұрын

*chube

@HailHydra27 Ай бұрын

I may have already seen Jonathan Ferguson, the keeper of firearms and artillery at the Royal Armouries Museum in the UK, which houses a collection of thousands of iconic weapons from throughout history's video on this one but damn straight i'll watch another one

@1olddirtroad Ай бұрын

Yes and he gets on my nerves wearing those gay gloves. The weapons he reviews are nice but not like the Thompson 1928 used in the St. Valentines Day Massacre 😅😅

@saiga12forme88 Ай бұрын

Not taking firepower because you don't WANT to get into a gun fight is like not wearing your seat belt because you don't want to get into a car accident. Better to have it and use it the best you can.

@TSLAYER34 Ай бұрын

Well, now the Air Force has the GAU/5A Survivor rifle and it’s way cooler, but this variant of the M-16 looks very retro and I really like it so thank you Ian

@Yunners Ай бұрын

I could almost hear Jonathan Ferguson just off camera, itching to get in on the fun.

@bigsib15 Ай бұрын

He's already covered this kzbin.info/www/bejne/e4faXpmoeK2iq5osi=VnVUXF8dOAZZGVHO

@JeffEbe-te2xs Ай бұрын

Has better if can find it

@Mute_Nostril_Agony Ай бұрын

The unasked question is what's it doing in Leeds? No way was the RAF ever going to adopt this

@jonathanferguson1211 Ай бұрын

@@Mute_Nostril_Agony I should have addressed this in my own video on this thing - it was, believe it or not, handed in to police in 1968. COD Donnington was the clearing house for the big Firearms Act 1968 amnesty - the Pattern Room at Enfield rescued it from that, and we acquired it along with the rest of that collection in 2005.

@jonathanferguson1211 Ай бұрын

I actually can't recall who recorded their 608 video first but neither of us knew the other was planning to cover it around the same time :)

@runaway_slav Ай бұрын

“It’s so cute” -when you show it off to her

@johnsmith-jq1uc Ай бұрын

size is just a number

@sergiom9958 Ай бұрын

"Size doesnt matter" - also when you show it off to her

@chicorodriguez3964 Ай бұрын

The compact model it's easier to handle

@EliteKnight97 Ай бұрын

I’d rather that than “for gods sake, put it away”

@AllahDoesNotExist Ай бұрын

"less likely to fire prematurely"

@grimbles39 Ай бұрын

I'm just saying it's nice to see something simple in a world of tacticool.

@ArloFSE Ай бұрын

The Air Force is using a Daniel Defense Short Barrel that breaks down at the barrel nut for air crew now.

@TheCrusher72 Ай бұрын

Gotta admit - I've NOT reason to get one but I might anyways..

@rfswitch4530 Ай бұрын

They reused the GAU-5 nomenclature from the early SMGs. The new GAU-5, break down survival rifle is hot garbage though.

@Hipas_Account Ай бұрын

You know, normally i'm not much for the Ar-15 platform, and would usually just skip over, but this thing has something about it that looks pretty damn cool and got my interest.

@aaftiyoDkcdicurak Ай бұрын

More of an AK guy? Brandon Herrera would approve 👍

@pricemcgee8380 Ай бұрын

@@aaftiyoDkcdicurakno one cares what Brandon poopypants approves of

@murrayscott9546 Ай бұрын

Not even s gun guy, myself thoroughly enjoy your work and give you as much positive wom as I can.

@Gedden 10 күн бұрын

Perfect example of why this channel is so interesting.

@DavidBenner-cy4zl Ай бұрын

Perfect for a kid to use on the farm.

@filipinordabest Ай бұрын

In what peaceful situation would a kid be required to have an assault rifle?

@qwertzy121212 Ай бұрын

@@filipinordabest must be one of those 30-40 feral hog situations

@DavidBenner-cy4zl Ай бұрын

@@filipinordabest rabbit hunting. Groundhog hunting. Plinking. Kid stuff.

@ERRATAS0707 Ай бұрын

You mean at school?

@ERRATAS0707 Ай бұрын

@@qwertzy121212nah must be an uvalde type deal

@Auto-Fiver_73Pointers Ай бұрын

My did was a MSGT in the 102nd ARCOM in the late 1970s He flew around the Midwest frequently to other Army Reserves facilities. The pilot and copilot were recent Vietnam vets. The copilot told him he had a cut down M2 carbine he put on his lap as a “hot LZ” survival weapon. He shot out his windshield several times when the vc. Got to close. An M2 would have been a great pilot survival weapon. With 3 banana clips 90 rounds.

@dinkknoingswrath4350 Ай бұрын

Emaciated 733

@G-Mastah-Fash Ай бұрын

Hey man it survived a plane crash.

@celmer6 Ай бұрын

Well you are comparing a prototype from 1964 to a refined standard model from the mid 1980's. The XM-177E1 had the same problems as the 608 due to the 10½" barrel and improperly sized gas port.

@dinkknoingswrath4350 Ай бұрын

@@celmer6 🤓

@becomematrix Ай бұрын

KLM (Royal Dutch Airlines) had an AR10 on board to fight off polar bears in case of landing in artic lands in case of emergency landings.

@Auto-Fiver_73Pointers Ай бұрын

I have read that in a couple of AR-10 books. But have also heard it was only a rumor. Maybe Gun Jesus can shed some Devine wisdom on that story.

@becomematrix Ай бұрын

@@Auto-Fiver_73Pointers There are photos of an instruction booklet

@ThePckupelan Ай бұрын

the spirit of The Boss is strong in this one.

@tylerbailey470 Ай бұрын

Lol so few people on this channel know what you mean though 👊👊 literally was watching a playthrough of it for a bit B4 seeing your comment the universe is weird like that

@jackelewish1568 27 күн бұрын

I will never not like a mgs reference comment. That game series was everything to me and all its silliness.

@celmer6 Ай бұрын

Wow another great video! You can really see All of the features it shares with the early XM-177E1's. I went with the GAU-5/A/A version of the XM-177E2 using Brownells and Luth-Ar parts with a Essential Arms aluminum CAR stock for my build. I was really surprised how awesome,light and nimble the early carbines were compared side by side with the later M-4 SOPMOD Block1 and Block2.

@zachweber1908 Ай бұрын

My old man flew f4s and f16s and was issued a 38. He has been into the super light weight ar builds lately so I'm sure he would be a fan of this. On a side note, I guess guys in his squadron were given the option to buy browning high powers and carry those instead. He still kicks himself for not buying one.

@Jeffro_1 Ай бұрын

I think another reason for the moderator on these super short carbines is to boost back pressure without needing to open the gas port quite as much

@hateferlife Ай бұрын

Bingo.

@Jeffro_1 Ай бұрын

@@hateferlife it’s something I never really though I thought of until I saw FocusTrips video on the 12.5 inch mid length rifle he built for full time suppression

@johnjohnsn7633 Ай бұрын

According to Colt engineer Rob Roy, the "moderators" only averaged a 1dB noise "reduction"; imperceptible to the human ear. However, that was enough for the BATF to "rule" them to be "Silencers" requiring Serial Numbers, NFA Registration separate from the firearm itself, and payment of a $200 "NFA Registration and Transfer 'Tax'."

@jonathanferguson1211 Ай бұрын

@@johnjohnsn7633 Not quite. It actually produced 1dB MORE than the M16 when fitted to the SMG. The official report stated that the 20" M16 produced 124dB, the 10" XM with moderator made 125dB. The point wasn't to be quieter than the M16 - it was to get sound and flash with a very short barrel down to similar levels to the M16. So the moderator is in fact quite effective as a sound suppressor for its size.

@76_SPZL Ай бұрын

Fixed length of pull? No forward assist? Overall lightened? OMG it's the WWSD carbine.

@GeoStreber Ай бұрын

This thing is so tubular, Mike Oldfield wants to play it.

@MrMoriardy Ай бұрын

It's... beautiful....

@stonehaven 16 күн бұрын

Thanks for this. I've started carrying an AR in a tennis bag in the back my SUV. It wouldn't quite fit in the bag, so I separated the upper and lower. Perfect!

@TheDirtyvermonter Ай бұрын

My morning cup of coffee. Hitting some dabs and watching A new forgotten weapons video.

@Dapstart Ай бұрын

...Honey oil?

@thejay8963 Ай бұрын

...

@thejay8963 Ай бұрын

_Are you stuck in 2017?_

@MrChadsimoneaux Ай бұрын

Always enjoy the information, thank you Gun Jesus!

@saechiledger Ай бұрын

Amen.

@schkann1384 Ай бұрын

Amen. (I'm a muslim lol)

@brealistic3542 Ай бұрын

Pilots thought the pilot's survival gatling gun was a little bit too much.

@donwyoming1936 Ай бұрын

The same chromed BCG we had in the Model 604 rifles in the Air Force (sans the fancy furing pin retainer)

@roserichardson9480 Ай бұрын

I admire the commitment to making a gun that's equal parts stock and barrel.

@polduran Ай бұрын

Holy shit ! I've been waiting for this episode for so long. Thanks Ian

@chadblechinger5746 Ай бұрын

Really?

@PeterGKO Ай бұрын

What an incredibly cool piece of history.

@BillehBobJoe Ай бұрын

Oh man I’ve wanted you to do a video on the 608. So glad it’s here! Does that mean the “colt sniper” video is a possibility? 655 model?

@ColburnFreml Ай бұрын

I think it makes more sense when thinking of helicopter pilots or other close ground support aircraft where the air crew is more likely to be found in active combat and link up with the infantry they were supporting. A fighter jet or bomber deep in enemy territory would be better off with a really good suppressed single shot.

@chriswalton720 Ай бұрын

I’ve read a memoir about OH-6 “Loach” scout helicopter ops in Vietnam, and the author had very nice things to say about what he called the CAR-15. Their job was to locate the enemy by drawing their fire, so the scout helicopters were shot down A LOT, very close to the enemy, but they were always operating with attack and transport helicopters, so help was always close by. The scouts carried single pilot and a crew chief in the back seat with an M-60 that was usually secured only with a bungee cord. This gave the crew two full auto weapons to use when (not if) they were shot down, which the author said was usually sufficient to keep “Charlie” away from their position until someone could rescue them, which usually happened within minutes.

@grunt167 Ай бұрын

A rare version of a AR? Brownells enters the chat.

@salvadorrivera3544 Ай бұрын

More like PSA

@JAdams-yb7we Ай бұрын

THATS the one I want!!! Thank you Ian!!

@alanrogs3990 Ай бұрын

Nice close up video of this very rare gun. Thanks!

@user-kr7yh8vw9m Ай бұрын

Thanks for providing us with the insight of the Colt Model 608 Ian, it may have not been adopted for US military service but it's still lovely to look at not to mention that a pistol wouldn't have been useful when hostiles are engaging the pilots especially those equipped with something like the AK or its Squad Automatic Weapon variant, the RPK.

@No-one91910 Ай бұрын

I love its little stock, it's like a regular one but tiny

@AllAboutSurvival Ай бұрын

The compact design and lightweight features would have made it a handy tool for pilots in survival situations.

@yesthecrumbs5806 Ай бұрын

Some cool stuff. Amazing what modern machining can do

@jaredthehawk3870 Ай бұрын

It's spiritual successor, the Daniel Defense GAU-5A, is now being fielded with the USAF for pilots and aircrews. If even disassembles in a similar way. Even fighter pilots have one and four 30 rd mags under their ejector seat just in case. It's a better security blanket than a 9mm pistol, that's for sure. That's probably why the Air Force went back to the idea, to give pilots a better sense of safety and comfort if they're downed in an increasingly hostile warzone.

@FlameBlueNova Ай бұрын

Cutest Colt AR?

@daszieher Ай бұрын

of course, we enjoyed the video. What a question to ask 😊 Thank you very much for presenting this rare piece of history to us!

@ericbergfield6451 Ай бұрын

Gotta give those pilots some love, even if making a ton of noise behind enemy lines is probably not a great way to survive after a crash

@Cabur_Skirata Ай бұрын

So would this be the original attempt of what is now the GAU-5A ASDW?

@stumpythedwarf8712 Ай бұрын

Thank you Ian, enjoyed that very much.

@Riley_Mundt Ай бұрын

Any time I see a pre-jam enhancer AR, I am happy. Stoner knew what he was doing when he designed that rifle.

@ethanarias2911 Ай бұрын

forward assist is handy and I have yet to see it make a jam worse when used as intended.

@Riley_Mundt Ай бұрын

@@ethanarias2911 Then you haven't been paying much attention.

@ethanarias2911 Ай бұрын

@@Riley_Mundt i paid enough attention to kyle rittenhouse to know that it can save my ass exactly how the army thought it might.

@Riley_Mundt Ай бұрын

@@ethanarias2911 Evidently you never paid enough attention to how the bolt carrier group is designed, else you'd know that the recess visible through the ejection port is there so you can use your thumb to gently push the bcg forward in the event of a failure to seat. Otherwise, if the thumb recess is insufficient, you should pull the charging handle to eject the faulty round rather than hammer onto a button which forces the faulty round into battery, causing a malfunction. The jam enhancer did not save Rittenhouse's life, no matter how much people like to claim otherwise.

@ethanarias2911 Ай бұрын

@@Riley_Mundt he is literally on video slapping the forward assist to close the bolt before taking a shot that likely saved his life, the thumb recess, while useful, is not as fast to use and more likely to injure the operator when used under duress. Thats why men with common sense came up with a handy little button you can slap in a hurry. The forward assist is there because you *might* need it, and you may need it quickly, much like the rifle it is attached to. Getting rid of a potential quick solution to a rifle malfunction is not worth the ounce or two it will save.

@AkioHabana Ай бұрын

That stock could be classified as a brace

@Kesssuli Ай бұрын

If it is a gun for military then those rules wont apply. Just rough classifications is it a rifle,pistol,subgun,machinegun or something else.

@wemakeasiansurveys4U Ай бұрын

@Kesssuli Thanks, Captain obvious.

@XtreeM_FaiL Ай бұрын

That rifle weight as much as 10 boxes.

@zxggwrt Ай бұрын

@@KesssuliIn the US if it were a legal full auto then that covers everything so yeah you can put basically anything on it or take off whatever you please.

@Kesssuli Ай бұрын

@@zxggwrt I think the idea there was not to call stock as brace because civilian classifications. In eu area rifle can have 11.9 inch barrel and still be a normal rifle. Have seen couple so called pistols imported from states with brace as stock. Luckily those can be throwed far as you can and switched for something more functional.

@MickyChowMein69 Ай бұрын

Thanks Ian. Was curious about this particular one.

@ChuckMahon Ай бұрын

Ian - could you do a video on the current GAU-5 USAF ejection seat survival rifle?

@FirstDagger Ай бұрын

That would be the GAU-5A/A, as the GAU-5/A is the old XM177.

@corvetteguy1980 Ай бұрын

My grandfather flew A6s from Vietnam up until Desert Storm and he told me some of the weapons pilots would carry back then, everything from Thompson sub machine guns, M1 Garands and sawed off shotguns.

@blackhawk65589 Ай бұрын

I really like this! It would be a nice hiking rifle or camping gun

@CascadianPatriotII Ай бұрын

With the GAU-5A, the PDW-type CAR-15 has come full circle.

@ColburnFreml Ай бұрын

Long have I awaited this video and the Brownells retro edition of this rifle. Halfway there.

@Inflorescensse Ай бұрын

That tubular hand guard reminds me of my first model bushmaster 450. Model 91700.

@falatpw Ай бұрын

Another excellent video Ian. Great job!

@Zajuts149 Ай бұрын

Downed pilots should definitely not look to get into gunfights, but I'm sure they would appreciate the extra firepower when they're forced into one. Hopefully, they will get a CSAR team to help them, but at some point, they may need to fight their way to an LZ.

@bullpupgaming708 Ай бұрын

I would love to see you do a follow up with the new GAU-5a ASDW.

@BigBoss89189 Ай бұрын

I kinda see why, in most shows, today they went with the FN PS90, although not my favorite choice but, small and lighter.

@babyeatingfoxes1675 Ай бұрын

"4 20-round magazines." Niiice.

@dominicmauro7203 Ай бұрын

Ive been waiting for this one for years!

@Shut.Eye.Cinema Ай бұрын

I don't think I ever left a comment under this channel. I grew up with books on "gun enthusiasm", in an ex-soviet household, IL. today, when we are saturated with an endless barrage of media, I strive to only consume those 1% pieces that would broaden my perspective.

@CDNR711 Ай бұрын

They currently use a variation of this in the new air crew survival bag.

@jarmokankaanpaa6528 16 күн бұрын

What Ian says at the end about arming pilots with fighting guns is exactly what I thought when the clip started. Training pilots -- and especially fighter or bomber pilots -- is so expensive nowadays in terms of both time and money that risking them getting killed in a gunfight is idiotic. Even if they got caught, there would be a good chance of getting them back through a POW swap or -- as in e.g. Vietnam or Iraq -- getting them back after the conflict was over. The old M6 Aircrew Survival Weapon with an o/u .22 Hornet and .410-gauge shotgun barrel was more in line with a survival weapon usable for hunting if downed in the wilderness; the only weakness was the small number of shells (9 Hornets and 4 .410's).

@Echo-xe5gj Ай бұрын

So frigging cool

@AlexN2022 Ай бұрын

yes, I was thinking, some kind of 45 with a real silencer would be more usable. Both for hunting and for breaking away from a pursuit if it comes to that

@FastEddy396 Ай бұрын

Excellent post. Correct, the idea of a firefight with fewer than four 30x rds mags does not work. But a 22lr AR7 is an excellent alternative. You might look at another post with the AR7 and what SERE is to convey the design philosophy coupled with solid training and fitness. As always, well done.

@PoeticTwist Ай бұрын

I would, personally, like to see all the considerations for a Vietnam Era survival rifles, both in individual videos, and a compilation video showing all of them. The compilation video can cover all, in brief, with the "winner" as the last rifle.

@Lurker1954 Ай бұрын

Looks like a crude version of the GAU I carried, in the USAF, while stations at Kunson airbase on the ROK.

@kylew7930 Ай бұрын

What a sick truck gun, I love it

@irafowlerjr.7492 Ай бұрын

Fantastic weapon, thanks

@bartberger1219 Ай бұрын

They sure changed their minds, they have the Gau 5 for pilots and aircrew now

@triviszla1536 Ай бұрын

This would be neat to have

@comfortablynumb9342 Ай бұрын

So when will someone start making a kit to make an AR into a replica of the 608? It looks pretty cool. I understand the point about a pilot trying to avoid gunfights. But if they got discovered or cornered they might appreciate being able to eliminate as many hostiles as possible before they can't anymore. Seems like these days an MP7 or something like that would be a great pilot's weapon. Small, light, light ammo, and pretty effective at self defense range.

@salamonrobert2584 Ай бұрын

There was a Special Survival kit developed,With Backbacks,food,compass,med kits, and M-1 Carbines for Aircrew down in deep heavy jungle or heavy Anti-aircraft guns about.these kits were packaged in Airdropable Pods to give to Aircrews in Certain situations,some say from in "China"to Hike out to Helicopter suitable Rescue zones! Don't know if they were ever used,but I Saw them at a few Airbases in Thailand and one was deployed for use from carrier Aircraft. My tour S.E.Asia'71-'76 !!

@Cthulhuwarlord Ай бұрын

Pretty sure the point of having the AR behind enemy lines is if they find you and you can’t get away you go down fighting. It’s never been USAF doctrine for downed pilots to pursue fighting enemy forces their goal is 1) survival 2) getting back to friendly lines or to somewhere help can find and get them

@DaremoKamen Ай бұрын

I wonder if the pistol grip could have been made telescoping? For a third finger you'd only need something like a pull down finger hook, and it looks like that would have left plenty of material still up inside the grip to make it secure. Maybe that would have been developed in a production version if it had ever been adopted?

@jacobstaten2366 Ай бұрын

For a civilian customer or even someone modifying it for their own use,, it wouldn't be a big deal. Mass-producing these would make it an extra step what is the time and cost adding up. It also means something else that can wiggle or break in the field.

@alankordzikowski7670 Ай бұрын

I think we need a Garand Thumb video highlighting survival rifles: AR7, M6 (which could probably be compared to a Savage 42), GAU-5A, Colt 608

@MrSumGuns Ай бұрын

Awesome video thanks!

@mattblack118 Ай бұрын

Thanks Ian

@kurtbjorn3841 Ай бұрын

Mostly, the thought process behind these was for bomber crews. I believe some missions were planned one-way, in that after the nukes flew, the bomber crew would bail out in very remote Siberian or mountainous areas to ride out the exchange... yeah. This weapon would be very applicable to hold off angry civilians with pitchforks, or possibly radioactive mutant zombies. Fortunately the Air Force realized that assault rifles were excessive, and went with hunting weapons in .410 or .22 hornet. When I was active duty, it was a S&W model 15 in .38 special. We treated it as a joke dead weight item which usually went right in the map case in the jet.

@alijankhan3330 Ай бұрын

I think I read the 10.3 inch barrel requirement came from guys who board ships and who said its the minimum length to be able to go through a doorway on a ship

@Mitsurugi2424 Ай бұрын

I love that they shortened the barrel and grip, but gave it a rifle length buffer tube.

@Valkanna.Nublet Ай бұрын

Totally tubular, dude!

@marks_sparks1 Ай бұрын

08:06 I read in Flypast magazine a F-105 Thunderchief pilot got shot down in North Vietnam and died in a small arms firefight with NVA troops (Operation Rolling Thunder)