Guns Guns Guns

This is an automatic grenade launcher.

I've been away. Like I was saying. Not "away" away though. I didn't go to another planet or some exotic tropical resort to cool my heels.

It would've been nice if I did though.

I went out so much, I didn't even have time to indulge in my favourite online passtime, which is to stalk all the blogs on my roll. Apparently, I do have a bit of a social life nowadays.

I checked my site meter today and saw that people are still checking daily to see if I update, despite the lack of updates. I so appreciate that, I don't know what to say. Ok, maybe I can say sorry. And ooops.

And so, to make up for that I shall now post pictures of guns.

The Armed Forces had an expo over the weekend. I have a healthy respect for military folks. I also like guns, hi tech gadgets and military gear. So naturally I went.



All manner of units had booths to display their wares. Every branch of the military were there. Rangers, Navy special forces, RMAF 17 Squadron (Mig-29), infantry, armour, support group, engineers, medics, even cooks and military police.

I had a whale of a time.



At one of the booths, I took the above photo of a shiny, new RPG7 rocket propelled grenade launcher and the corporal manning the booth very cheerfully told me to pick it up and showed me how to work it. It was heavy.

He then proceeded to cheerfully tell me that the royal army just got a batch of these. I told him that I thought it was a captured example from Somalia. He laughed.

Well, as a weapons enthusiast I am pleased to see the RPG in inventory. It's a fine piece of work. Very versatile and very idiot proof, hence it being commonly used by terrorists.

And if you look closely, this one has an optical sight. Very handy.

Next I went to the airforce booth, where they had a big ass 30mm cannon and it's equally big ass ammunition for display. If only they had enough space to put a actual Mig-29 there instead of a rather ratty looking scale model.

There were a lot of Starburst anti aircraft missile launchers all over the place. They also had an Igla MANPADS (MAN Portable Air Defense System) for display. I didn't take any pics.

My favourite booth has got to be the infantry interactive weapons display. Yes ! They let you pick up guns and let you fiddle with them !

So I fiddled and took pictures. By that time, Jerome had joined me.



You haven't been to a military expo if you haven't fiddled with the M16A2. We got lucky this time, for the one they had also came with an M203 40mm grenade launcher attachment.

Those are Jerome's hands by the way. I showed him how to release the magazine and how to prep the rifle and the grenade launcher for firing.

Modern assault rifles are easy. Toylike, almost. But ever so deadly.

Speaking of toy like, I also handled a Steyr AUG at the expo. This rifle is so easy, I managed to work it without anyone showing me how to. The selector switch (the thing you thumb when you want to go from safe to semi auto to full auto) was so silly looking I laughed at it.

Other weapons for display were the FN Minimi SPW, a H&K light machine gun, a 9mm pistol (I forgot what it was) and a Mossberg shotgun.


FN Minimi SPW 5.56mm Squad Automatic Weapon

They put the really big guns outside the tent.



Like this very menacing looking GPMG (General Purpose Machine Gun). In US service, it's modified and called the M240G. It's been around for ages.

They also had a 84mm mortar and a AGL (Automatic Grenade Launcher) outside. And another Starburst SAM launcher and an Igla.

Talking about menacing weapons that's been around for ages, later we went to check out the vehicle display. One of them was a jeep with a M2 Browning heavy machine gun mounted on it.



Devastating, firing 12.7mm (0.50 inch) ammunition and very heavy, the M2's been around since before the Second World War. It's extremely powerful, so if you ever need to shoot down a helicopter or blow up an SUV, trust the M2 to do it for you.

I like the way the picture turned out.

They had a whole myriad of vehicles there, jeeps with various weaponry, an amphibious APC, a dental truck even the MP dirt bike.



See these guys standing around ? They're preparing a demo demo. (Geddit ?)

That was awesome. The EOD guys put a cardboard box and blew it to smithereens with det cord.

Think firecrackers are loud ? I was standing a hundred yards away and when they blew up the box, I could FEEL the overpressure and my ears rang. To think, they didn't even use a substantial charge. Just detonator cord.

Explosives, scary.

When it was all over, we went to Great Kitchen at met up with Kenny and Rin. It was a good Sunday.

I have more stories to tell. Some warm, some funny, some just run of the mill stuff. It's nice to be angst free every now and then...

Stay tuned.