Semi automatic is the mode of choice for over 90% of contact scenarios (assuming we're talking about rifles here). There may be times when automatic is useful but usually rapid semi auto is enough. The reasons are as follows;

On deployment we only carry a limited amount of ammunition for your personal weapon because of weight issues. Squirt it all off in automatic and you're suddenly left wanting further down the line.

Resupply is quite reliable but may not always be available. Ammo conservation is a must.

You will rarely be able to see the enemy. Fact. Usually you're just shooting at possible cover in the general direction of the incoming, or you're working off a fire control order from someone who has seen them. Automatic will be even more of a waste than semi.

The Taliban aren't scared of noise, they're scared of HE or actual hits. Blatting off automatic won't increase your chances of hitting or keep the enemies heads down any better than appropriate semi auto fire.

It's difficult to keep track of how many rounds are in your magazine when firing on automatic. Magazines empty much quicker than you would think when under stress (which you will be). Nothing like the sound of silence when you need to hear a bang.

Unless you have the opportunity to regularly practice, making hits on automatic is surprisingly difficult, even at close range. Watching inexperienced attached clerks and medics on pre-deployment training wondering where all the holes in the target are after firing on automatic at 25m never fails to amuse.


There are times when automatic can be useful. Examples may include room/trench clearing or point man in close country. However most shoots can be sorted with semi automatic.

Originally posted by ANNED
Put it this way.

The most feared person on a battlefield is not someone with a machine gun.

Its the sniper.

You mind will know where a machine gun is as soon as he starts to fire.

But your brain may be leaving your head before you even hear the shot from the sniper.

Actually it's the guy planting the land mines.

Originally posted by kro32 Actually it's the guy planting the land mines.

Funnily enough, its actually the sniper. I round, multiple kills in the mining party. Think it through, guy!

Problem is legality, money, and knowledge. In my state I can have a full auto if I register it with h elocal police chief and he agrees that I can have it, pay the tax stamp to the BATF so THEY know I have it, too. With a semi-auto AR, none of those rules apply. I realize your question may have had more to do with performanc, but availability is also an issue.

I think full auto's are a great investment and would be a treasured family heirloom for any gun enthusiast. That is, if you can afford to burn up a lot of ammo at the range.

Definitely: Full auto's are a lot of fun, but so are semi auto's. You can almost approach the speed or cyclic rate of a full auto with a semi auto and not just by bump-firing.
In order to do that, you have to teach your subconcious the trigger press, which takes about 50,000 rounds; whereas, you let your subconcious press the trigger, and all your concious has to do is aim the sight's while still being in total control of the firearm.

To avoid the BATFE red tape on full auto's or suppressors, I'd check about putting your full auto into a trust agreement, which I just heard about at my gun range. I'm sure about the suppressors, but I'm not sure about full auto's in a trust agreement.

Somebody smarter than me, can please help me out on this "trust" issue, on the matter of full auto's.

Thanks,

Erno86