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I understand the differences in terrain between the RVN and AFGHANISTAN.

most of my firefights in the RVN were at 25-50 meters, but, hell, the terrain, even in the "open", for the most parts was _dense_ and sometimes very darkly lit (in the brightest broad daylight there is perpetual gloom in the jungle).

soldiers and tangoes must be holding fire till they see the whites of the enemies eyes in AFGHANISTAN, unless we are talking about "street fighting".

my M14 was heavy, long, awkward at times, but it always went BANG! when i squeezed the trigger, which is more tan i can say for MATTY MATTEL!

when we were re-issued MATTY MATTEL and denied M-14s, i got a M1917 WINCHESTER TRENCH GUN, a pump action 12 ga lovely that was accidentally designed so that as long as you held the trigger back and pumped the slide, it would rapidly fire. the M1917 REMINGTON did not have this wonderful "flaw". with a fully loaded magazine, i could put out _MORE_ projectiles, sized 00, 0, or No 4 shot than MATTY MATTEL or the PLAIN JANE M-14 firing one mag on full auto. i got so i could do rapid reloads, too, which were not as fast as ejecting a spent mag, then locking another into place and loading a round, but pretty damned fast!

i am here today because of MR BROWNING's well designed, rugged, reliable M1911A1 pistol and M1917 trench gun.

aside note: my first GI ammos for the trench gun were 12-ga brass cartridges, not cardboard or plastic ones.