Stephen D. is a bit spacey today, so today's entry is going to be short-ish.
KISS is more than a cool rock band with with front man Ace Frehly. For those of you that haven't hear it before KISS can also stand for K(eep) I(t) S(imple) S(tupid). Last week I wrote about the 1911A1 pistol design. Aside from some serious cool factor, it is also an eminently simple design. The problem when you start adding moving parts to anything (including guns), is you start adding more and more things that can malfunction or otherwise break.
Which brings us to the subject of today's history lesson; the Vietnam era M16
Adopted in 1963 this gun really marks a historical shift in the sorts of rifles that American soldiers were issued. Previous American battle rifles were big, simple, and soldier proof. The M16, by comparison, was a complicated and finicky rifle. If it wasn't kept meticulously cleaned, lubricated, and maintained it was prone to malfunctioning, and rusting. Yes, rusting. You're probably saying, "Big deal, keep your guns clean and you're good to go." Easier said than done.
A finicky rifle is one thing, but having to learn how to maintain and use the finicky rifle in question, while in the middle of a war zone, in a swamp, and when you really don't want to be there; lays the groundwork for a disaster waiting to happen. If you read historical accounts from the era there are plenty of horror stories of the guns malfunctioning in the middle of firefights. Which, incidentally, is the worst time to have your gun fail if you ask me.
In any case, today's lesson is a short tribute to the good folks at WD-40. San Diego where WD-40 is based is also where the main Marine Corps training center is. Hearing all of the horror stories about the rifles failing, the WD-40 corporation sent about 10000 "free samples" of their product to the troops in the field a month.
While WD-40 and guns don't generally mix, most Vietnam vets will attest to the fact that when nothing else would keep their guns working, it did.
Interesting historical footnote, if I do say so myself.
Excelsior!
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