ACOG stops bullet

[Luckyorwhat]

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1269790/posts

Rifle scope stops incoming fire, saves Marine’s life
http://www.usmc.mil/marinelink/mcn2000.nsf/main5/58B5D880417C402F85256F4000433286?opendocument ^ | 11-3-04 | Lance Cpl. Miguel A. Carrasco

Posted on 11/03/2004 7:31:02 PM PST by SJackson

CAMP BAHARIA, Iraq (Nov. 1, 2004) -- A rifle-mounted scope designed to enhance enemy visibility on the battlefield saved the life of a Marine during a Sept. 17 firefight on the outskirts of Fallujah, but not the way intended.

Sgt. Todd B. Bowers, a member of the 4th Civil Affairs Group, I Marine Expeditionary Force, spotted enemy snipers during a security patrol outside the restive town of Fallujah. While returning fire, a sniper-fired round hit Bowers’ advanced combat optical gun site, mounted on his M-16A2 service rifle. Fragmentation from both the ACOG and the bullet were peppered across the left side of Bowers’ face.

“It was about a four-hour firefight. Bullets were flying everywhere, and as I returned fire, it felt like my weapon blew up,” said Bowers, 25, a native of Washington, D.C.

A Navy corpsman removed a piece of fragmentation and applied a pressure dressing to his left cheek.

As the corpsman began calling for a medical evacuation, Bowers refused and kept on fighting alongside his fellow Marines.

“After he was cleaned up, I knew he would be okay, but I was surprised that he didn’t want to leave on a medical evacuation,” said Sgt. Jung Kil Yoo, a member of 4th CAG.

Small pieces of fragmentation can still be seen on the left side of his face.

“Luckily, I had my ballistic goggles on to protect my eyes, without them I probably would not be able to see out of my left eye,” said Bowers.

He can still see the bullet lodged in his scope, which was given to him by his father, John Bowers, two days before leaving to Iraq.

“The last time I saw my dad was the day he handed me the scope,” said Bowers.

His dad was a former sergeant in the Marine Corps, who didn’t want to see his son go into combat without a useful piece of gear.

“The ACOG was the best purchase I have ever made in my life,” said John to his son during a phone conversation.

Bowers’ heroism and loyalty to his unit impressed even those who knew him well.

“I knew he was a good Marine,” said Yoo, 28, a native of Neptune, N.J. “Where some would freeze up, he stood his ground and continued to press forward.”

“Sgt. Bowers was able to keep a cool head about the whole situation,” said Lance Cpl. James J. Vooris, 20, a native of Albany, N.Y., and a combat photographer with Headquarters Company, Regimental Combat Team 1.

With all that was going on around him, Bowers did not have time to stop and think about what happened.

“I didn’t realize how lucky I was till later that day when I sat down to think about it,” said Bowers.

As a constant reminder of how the scope possibly saved his life, Bowers plans to keep the scope and mount it on his mantel when he returns home.

“It’s (the bullet) there and I am glad it stayed there,” said Bowers as he pointed to his ACOG still mounted to his weapon.

Bowers, who has been in Iraq since August, is currently serving a seven-month deployment, his second tour in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

 

[SignGuy]

how much do you want to bet ACOG gets a big boost in sales and the marine gets a new scope with compliments of ACOG

 

[koalorka]

how much do you want to bet ACOG gets a big boost in sales and the marine gets a new scope with compliments of ACOG

Rightfully so, it's an excellent, extremely durable optic.

 

[KungFooBob]

I'll take two!

KFB

 

[Big JD-From the hills]

Did anyone see that mithbusters one where they tested to see if the shot on saving private ryan was posible? With a 7.62 round they found that it would not exit the scope at 100yards, even at 10 yards. though they were using 3x9x40's and the like.

 

[svt-40]

I too watched a movie where a shot was placed thru a scope and could not believe my eyes. Even two layers of window glass can deflect a bullet in unpredictable direction, but many layers of lenses are much tougher.

 

[Reaper]

We destructed an Elcan like that,it stopped 1 round of .308 through the objective and deflected another,3rd round got it though,making the shooting world a bit safer.

 

[mdbuckle]

I would say the curvature of the lenses has something to do with it...

 

[prosper]

On the mythbusters test, the bullets usually deflected - but weren't often stopped. In most cases, it would result in a bullet striking you somewere else in the head, but not the eye - which was violently introduced to the scope bell.

This marine was extremely lucky

 

[Rohann]

Did anyone see that mithbusters one where they tested to see if the shot on saving private ryan was posible? With a 7.62 round they found that it would not exit the scope at 100yards, even at 10 yards. though they were using 3x9x40's and the like.

That was a knockoff (as other shows have done) of Carlos Hathcock's shot through the Vietnamese sniper's Mosin Nagant scope. I didn't see the Mythbusters they did, but I heard it was busted. Sure, I'll agree that you can't put a normal, expanding round through a 3x-9x, but I do still believe Hathcock's account (put a .30-06 FMJ round through a 3.5x PU scope).

-Rohann

 

[MikeyT]

I remember reading about this in Guns and Ammo or Shooting Times a couple years back. I believe the soldier was given a new scope and Trijicon took the ACOG back for examination.

 

[Longshot]

Mythbusters obviously didn't know what they were doing.I shot a hole clean through an old scope for Shooter from 25m as well as shooting a hole through a brand new shotgun.It was a regular length scope too.Not a shorty like on the old Nagant.I shot it with a 175 SMK.

 

[Rohann]

Mythbusters obviously didn't know what they were doing.I shot a hole clean through an old scope for Shooter from 25m as well as shooting a hole through a brand new shotgun.It was a regular length scope too.Not a shorty like on the old Nagant.I shot it with a 175 SMK.

That's proof enough for me. This has a lot more credibility than Mythbusters does.
What kind of scope did you shoot through? Oh and I can't wait to see that movie! Am seeing it tomorrow night.

-Rohann

 

[jjackman]

Not one person even questions why soliders have to buy their own equipment? Am I out to lunch or is there more to this than seems obvious? I know I might have a preference to boots or even my underwear, but buy your own scope because the one they issue you is poor?

I hope he kept the receipt!

 

[Rohann]

Not one person even questions why soliders have to buy their own equipment? Am I out to lunch or is there more to this than seems obvious? I know I might have a preference to boots or even my underwear, but buy your own scope because the one they issue you is poor?

I hope he kept the receipt!

It's appalling, I know, but I've gotten used to the concept to be quite honest.

-Rohann

 

[Luckyorwhat]

I wonder if soldiers might appreciate the army giving them the flexibility to customize their equipment? It's pretty unprecedented.


It's also disturbing that the Iranian, I mean Syrian, err, the insurgent could make a shot like that.

 

[Reaper]

I wonder if soldiers might appreciate the army giving them the flexibility to customize their equipment? It's pretty unprecedented.

Not really we do it in the Canadian Army as well. I used an ACOG on my issued rifle,several other had them as well along with a host of other purchased optics. I don't as a rule use the Elcan except on parades and such.

 

[hoddie]

I don't as a rule use the Elcan except on parades and such.

+1 on that. The Elcan is accurate out to 25m, depending on how good your arm is!
I ran a Schimdt & Bender Short Dot in a Larue mount. Although ,I did not buy this, it was a loaner. The need for magnified optics was huge. Target identification at ranges out 300m+ was a problem for a dismounted troops. Most went back to the Elcan so they could id targets. This what I observed in my sections and platoon.
Hoddie.

 

[BC_Guy]

For the record, this acog got hit in the side, not down through the glass. I dug up the article before somewhere, and it had a pic.

 

[beltfed]

I wonder if soldiers might appreciate the army giving them the flexibility to customize their equipment? It's pretty unprecedented.

Wars through the years have seen soldiers modifying what they carry for kit, be it snivel or practical. I doubt this will ever change.
IIRC, it is even documented in the patroling pam. -something along the lines of soldiers will be wanting to carry even non-essential items, and recommendations to allow it, if nothing more than to improve moral.