Milsurp spotted - Polar bear defense mauser!

H Wally

H Wally

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Super GunNutz
Rating - 100%
193   0   0
Location
Canada/New Zealand
A mutual aquantance is working in Svalbard Norway right now. Amongst other things, they're kitted out with rifles in case they encounter a bear while working out away from town. Mostly they're newer rifles, but they also were given a Norwegian k98! (not that I think anyone recognized it, but still - cool that they're still holding their own 70 plus years after manufacture)

47bbd3f7.jpg
 
In January 1974 we did a winter exercise in the Churchill, MB area and had a US Army rifle company from Alaska (the "Arctic Foxes/ Wolverines" or something like that;)) participating. They had one M14 per squad for bear defence while the rest carried M16s.

Turned out that polar bears were the least of their problems. Their winter gear was terrible and they suffered to the point that we had to call a safety halt and bring them into Ft Churchill to thaw out. The Ft. Richardson/Fairbanks area, where they were based, can be relatively mild. It was quite a rude awakening for them to get a feel for the real arctic.:eek:
 
purple said:
In January 1974 we did a winter exercise in the Churchill, MB area and had a US Army rifle company from Alaska (the "Arctic Foxes/ Wolverines" or something like that;)) participating.
Their winter gear was terrible and they suffered to the point that we had to call a safety halt and bring them into Ft Churchill to thaw out.
Click to expand...

Goofball yanks :rolleyes:
 
Was talking to a Norwegian fisheries biologist last year who said that they used '98s that had be re-barreled to .308. Guess it's pretty common practice!

RG

<><
 
"...given a Norwegian K98..." Bolt actions tend to be more reliable in the cold than a semi. Not that they'd give civilians a semi-auto battle rifle.
1970's vintage U.S. cold weather kit was crappy. Still using 'Mickey Mouse' boots then, as I recall. Mind you, whoever decided the CF should stop issuing the old winter combat pants, should have been arrested.
 
purple said:
In January 1974 we did a winter exercise in the Churchill, MB area and had a US Army rifle company from Alaska (the "Arctic Foxes/ Wolverines" or something like that;)) participating. They had one M14 per squad for bear defence while the rest carried M16s.

Turned out that polar bears were the least of their problems. Their winter gear was terrible and they suffered to the point that we had to call a safety halt and bring them into Ft Churchill to thaw out. The Ft. Richardson/Fairbanks area, where they were based, can be relatively mild. It was quite a rude awakening for them to get a feel for the real arctic.:eek:
Click to expand...

Stalingrad Part 2. Freeze your Balls Off!
 
762Russian said:
Goofball yanks :rolleyes:
Click to expand...


In reality the U.S. Military, historically speaking, have never really equipped their soldiers for extreme cold weather service. This dates back to the immediate post World War One era and the American North Russia Expeditionary Force. The U.S. sent 5000 troops to North Russia and Siberia to guard the Trans Siberia Railway. Unfortunately they were under command of the British who were incredibly corrupt. Virtually all of the supplies which landed at the northern ports were stolen by the British and White Russians and never made it into the hands of American Troops. They suffered terribly in the extreme Russian winters...due to the equipment and rations intended for them being stolen by the British. There are numerous accounts of US soldiers re-capturing US supplies in the hands of British by way of armed invention. The climate was extreme and it was a difficult learning experience for the US military.
They eventually developed cold weather gear in World War Two, though for extreme conditions it just did not hold up. Like wise during the Korean Conflict their development of extreme cold weather gear was limited. Post Korea they finally discovered that Extreme Cold Weather Gear was crucial for soldier survival in Arctic climates.
So, in very short form, there are the facts about cold weather experiences by the US armed forces.
Cheers
 
mg4201 said:
I miss my CF "bata boots" god they were warm
Click to expand...

Where can one get said "bata boots" ?

Edit - they anything like these?

http://store.colemans.com/cart/extreme-cold-temperature-boots-white-40°-f-unissued-p-751.html

http://store.colemans.com/cart/extreme-cold-temperature-boots-unissued-p-748.html
 
Read a list of various victims of the cold weather in Alaska. In 1962 the US Army held a exercise during the 'warmer springtime' turns out there was a rather severe spring storm and several poorly dressed soldiers during thier forced march perished in a mountain pass. What a sobering reminder of life in the north.
In 1984 I was on exercise at Fort Richardson and it's a normal practice for the US Army to have non-exercise warming tents throughout the training area. They are manned 24/7 where cold soldiers can get coffee/toast/soup at any time.
 
At Shiloh during one winter shoot,(1960's), the regiment was issued a mix of the new nylon parkas and sheep skin coats. The sheep skin coats were by far the warmest.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom