M6 aircrew survival weapon
Folding survival combination gun for downed aircrews.
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It was adopted in 1952 and served until the early 1970s.[1] United States Air Force aircrews received the M6 aircrew survival weapon, a combination gun, to obtain food after a crash landing.[2]
How it changed
The U.S. Air Force sought a simple survival rifle after learning from downed pilots in WWII.[1] It had no butt stock or forearm, only a rubber butt plate and cheek rest.[3] A trigger bar allowed operation while wearing mittens for Arctic operations.[4] The M6 was not intended for engaging hostile troops.[4]
Plans to replace it with the ArmaLite AR-5 never came to fruition.[5] In 2018, the GAU-5A Aircrew Self Defense Weapon replaced it in some instances.[5] Stamped sheet steel formed the M6's body, and its barrel assembly, made of forged steel, could be removed.[3] As a temporary fore-stock in the field, aircrew were told to wind parachute cord around the barrels.[3]
When folded, the M6 measured 15 inches at its smallest.[4]
What the maker and period sources say
The M6 has a 14-inch barrel, which places it under Federal SBR laws; Springfield produced a civilian version with an 18-inch barrel starting in the 1970s.[1]
References
- https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2014/09/23/original-m6-aircrew-survival-rifle/ The Original M6 Aircrew Survival Rifle. facts only, no text reused. thefirearmblog.com
- Wikipedia, "M6 aircrew survival weapon" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: https://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2014/09/23/original-m6-aircrew-survival-rifle/ The Original M6 Aircrew Survival Rifle (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "M6 aircrew survival weapon" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: McCann, "Build the Perfect Survival Kit", F+W Media, 31 December 2013, p. 198–199; http://www.oldjimbo.com/survival/v-shrake/m6.html The M6 Survival System (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "M6 aircrew survival weapon" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: Thompson, "US Combat Shotguns", Bloomsbury Publishing, 20 August 2013, p. 28; Article title M6 Aircrew survival weapon; Thompson, "US Combat Shotguns", Bloomsbury Publishing, 20 August 2013, p. 28; Thompson, "US Combat Shotguns", Bloomsbury Publishing, 20 August 2013, p. 28 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
- Wikipedia, "M6 aircrew survival weapon" (CC BY-SA 4.0), which cites: "The Air Force is arming pilots with this longer-range, stand-off rifle to use if they're ever shot down", 28 June 2018 (we also read that source) en.wikipedia.org
Each numbered sentence above was checked against the source it cites before publication. Sentences citing Wikipedia adapt text from the English Wikipedia article M6 aircrew survival weapon (contributors), used under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is available under the same licence. Other sources were used for facts only; no text or images are copied from them.
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Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: M6 aircrew survival weapon (CC BY-SA 4.0).
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