Black Hawk Down: Randy Shughart's M14 (Ad-free)
Added 2024-09-11 12:00:05 +0000 UTCSergeant Randy Shughart and Gary Gordon were both awarded posthumous Congressional Medals of Honor for their actions in Mogadishu in October 1993. As portrayed in the film "Black Hawk Down", the two Delta Force men volunteered (demanded, really) to be dropped onto the wreck of Super 6-4 alone to defend it against a huge number of Somalis, with no idea when backup might arrive. Because of their heroism, pilot Mike Durant survived to make it home.
The Delta Force operators in Task Force Ranger on that mission had wide latitude in choosing their own weapons, and Shughart had chosen to carry a 7.62x51mm rifle; an M14. He fitted it out with an Aimpoint red dot sight and an AIM1 infrared laser. In the film, this rifle is shown without a laser, and with an Aimpoint CompM2 optic - a model that was not introduced until two years after the events in Mogadishu. It is not known exactly which model of Aimpoint Shughart used, as both Aimpoint 3000s and 5000s were available and used by Delta around that time (and they look very similar) - but it was definitely not a CompM2.
That said, those are really the only substantive technical errors with the weapons in the film.
The clone shown in this video was built on an early Springfield M1A with a bunch of original military parts. It uses an Aimpoint 3000, AIM1/D laser, and M21-type scope mount. The desert camo is a simple spray paint job, as done by many of the Delta operators at that time.
Comments
No, I didn't do any bedding.
Forgotten Weapons
2024-09-11 19:50:53 +0000 UTCIan, have you done any bedding in that composite stock for your simulation? All the M1 accurizing tricks for NM were well known by then and any that were applicable [no upper handguard issues, obviously] would have been. Even a rosin glue-up could be easily maintained in the field and help w/ wandering zero issues. Just sayin'...
Bruce Brodnax
2024-09-11 19:43:44 +0000 UTCHelo overwatch shooting thru mud-brick buildings & wood slat roofs & such the 7.62 would have it all over pre-855A1 5.56 NATO. Shughart's choice was eminently sensible given the mission profile.
Bruce Brodnax
2024-09-11 19:39:05 +0000 UTCGreat video. One of the problems was FMJs and Khat being ubiquitous. That’s where you want 7.62 vs 5.56 for knockdown power. If you’re doing helo sniper overwatch, the m14 made a lot of sense at the time. Dismounted in Mogadishu, is a more difficult equation.
maxmfs
2024-09-11 17:30:33 +0000 UTCI would think you have a few followers within Somalia
Kenneth Marshall
2024-09-11 14:24:19 +0000 UTCOne would think that the capture of a weapon was a trophy and that it has been saved somewhere by someone who kept it as a prize. Although it could have been swapped up by regional arms dealers and exist in the wilds without a trail.
Kenneth Marshall
2024-09-11 14:22:26 +0000 UTCFinding that rifle would be an amazing relic!
Forgotten Weapons
2024-09-11 12:28:22 +0000 UTCBowden's book (the original "Black Hawk Down") does comment on the apparent stopping power problems with M855 62gr 5.56mm ammo, although any improvement from Shughart's 7.62 is really just speculative, as there wasn't any way to know who he shot. Hard to see it being *less* effective, though.
Forgotten Weapons
2024-09-11 12:27:50 +0000 UTCInvestigating the trail of the lost M14 sounds like an interesting concept for a Forgotten Weapons Documentary although travel might be dangerous.
Kenneth Marshall
2024-09-11 12:26:51 +0000 UTCI was always curious if there was any after action review of the use of his .308/7.62 vs 5.56 of his peers. There had been other account reports of short 5.56 being occasionally ineffective at dropping hit opponents which in part led to the advancement of using 14.5" barrels. I would think the result is obvious 308 is better, at the cost of ammunition carry quantities.
Kenneth Marshall
2024-09-11 12:22:07 +0000 UTCI don't think somali weapons weren't exactly.. standardised. anyways. I like the 14. shortcommings shortest lived blah blah blah or not. cool rifle! if I'd know I would face half of somalia I wouldn't want a rifle but a radio. and every a10 in the sky I could get! hey that those lasers uses AA's... great. that simplifies batteries A LOT.
Guido Schriewer
2024-09-11 12:14:53 +0000 UTC
