M79 Thumper - Saigon Report Ep. 05
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 16 ก.ย. 2024
- Prior to the Vietnam War, grenades were either hand-thrown or could be launched from a rifle using a blank cartridge. Rifle launched grenades, though technically effective, had several drawbacks. The primary shortcoming was the fact that the user needed to carry blank cartridges in addition to standard cartridges and then make the switch in the rifle during the heat of combat. Firing a live round into a rifle mounted grenade could have disastrous results.
Anti-tank rockets, such as the WWII bazooka and the newer M72 Light Anti-Tank Weapon (LAW) represented a bit of overkill in the field against troops, not vehicles. In 1953, a breech-loaded, 40mm grenade launcher went into development. By 1961, the M79 grenade launcher was ready for full production for the US Army.
Unlike rifle mounted grenades, the M79 was a more versatile tool. In addition to firing fragmentation grenades up to 400 meters, the M79 could be used to fire smoke, signal flares and parachute flares for illumination. Also, other less-than-lethal ammunition, such as CS gas could be fired from the M79. For close work, a flechette (steel darts) round was developed as well as a buckshot round.
The steel flechettes, though designed like mini-arrows, did not fly like mini-arrows and often flipped midair, thus failing to penetrate the target. The buckshot cartridges contained 20-27 pieces of 00 buck (depending on model) and proved to be far more effective for close-in fighting than the flechettes. From the bore, the 00 buck pellets flew around 880 feet per second.
To aid the user, the M79 was equipped with a front sight blade and a leaf, also known as a “ladder” sight. Skilled users could put 40mm fragmentation grenades through building windows at one to two hundred yards. A typical grenadier would carry a dozen or more fragmentation grenades, smoke for day time signaling and flares for night signaling. The US Army has special grenadier vests designed to carry numerous types of 40mm ammunition.
From a technical standpoint, the M79 was made with a hardwood stock and forend. The tube and receiver are made of parkerized steel. Front and rear sling loops are included. The overall length was 28 and ½ inches, with an empty weight of 5.9 pounds.
The M79 grenade launcher was in full production and distribution to the US Army and US Marine Corps by the time American forces deployed for combat in the Vietnam theater. Until the M203 was put into production after 1969, the M79, affectionately known as “Thumper”, was the #1 grenade launcher for the US Military.
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My dad carried a M79 and 1911 from 68-69 in Vietnam, he loved it. Said the M79 was easy to use killed the enemy very effectively and was great when the enemy came at you in mass.
*Double Kill!*
r/woosh
I know it’s about a year and a half late, but I’m just watching this video now. I’m an active duty Marine, we field the M320 now in my unit. A buddy of mine had a story about his grandfather who used one of these in Vietnam back in the day who used buckshot in the dead of night on some rustlin bushes…
I’m seein you in this video, scar on your face, voice shakin. Tellin us young guns our history. I fuckin love it by the by. I’m sure I’m not the only one, and maybe you’ve done it before, but I’d love to see some videos of your history personally. We live for that shit. We need that shit. I hope you see this, and I hope you know an entire generation is honored to pick up the fight. Rah devil!
A year late here, but thank you very much for you encouraging words. We need to remember those who came before us. Semper Fi.
We carried one of them ( AND 120 rounds ) in my "M-48" Tank, 60 were HE, 20 "Flechettes", an 40 WP . . . one of the most VALUEABLE weapons we had !.
Big Explosive Device - Big ED.
The m79 is actually the precursor to the xm148 Grenade launcher, which was the precursor to the m203. The order goes: M79, XM-148, M203.
My uncle was in Vietnam from 1968-1969 and he carried the M79 some of the time. He hated being the grenadier because the ammo vest was so heavy. While on patrol he said he would often lighten the heavy load he was carrying by pulling grenades out of the vest and drop them on the ground. Soldiers who carried the M79 were not issued sidearms and either were M60 support gunners.
Actually military doctrine dictated that M-79 grenadiers were to carry a side arm. However later in the war by 68-69, they stopped using the m79 as a stand alone weapon. So instead of having 7 men in a squad with rifles then 1 with an m79, the grenadiers would carry a rifle then sling the GL over their back, so they had a rifle but then had the GL in case it was needed. But this was somewhat irrelevant by ‘71 onward as the M203 was adopted, but not every single unit was issued the 203
I used one during the 80s in various theatres. "Sights" usually removed by everyone because they were pointless. No-one chucking frags from the shoulder was going to dial-in windage, and if you were any use you didn't need sights for range.
the m79 is one of my favorite to use in video games. would love to try in real life.
The Roach!
I've got many slides of my Dad in Vietnam 64-65 carrying a blooper, M14, 1911 and 4 bandeleros of 40MM and 4 pineapple grenades. When I was in the Army we used the M67 grenades, but those pineapples looked much more meaner. He loved his 40 MM.
Fun fact: The M67's design was intended to be baseball shaped because "every young man should know how to throw a baseball."
Will you be doing a Saigon Report on the Stoner 63?????
the round had to travel 31 feet before it armed itself
The army being the army in most cases didn't issue the authorized .45 pistol to the M-79 grenadier or M-60 gunner as most were only PFC or SP4 and the commands didn't trust non-NCOs with pistols. The 40mm didn't arm for 17 - 20 meters after firing to prevent friendly fire incidents if the grenadier had an accidental discharge. Originally a 12 gauge shot gun barrel insert was provided along with 00-buckshot rounds for CQB. It really sucks when you fired the 40mm within the arming distance kind of like hitting someone with a hard fastball, then try to insert adapter. Lot of cherry grenadiers got rid of first chance they got.
Whered you get your bird banger rounds?
Cool
How do u clean it and lube it. And take it apart?
My family made these for the war.. kanarr corp.. I have the same surname. And a collection of these 😉
My family calls it the kanarr killer
WOMBAT GUN by us AUSSIES. used it in m Patrolmans Course in 98.
im team bloop tube, just like cod 4
I from Việt Nam
Tôi là người Việt Nam
I think the m79 is made of aluminum
You are correct. Mostly aluminum, very little steel.
@@brucecamparmament3728 The unit in my hand was Steel.
*bloop*
i hate getting this gold in cold war lmao
are you interested in selling that?
Peter griffin ????
2:30 , 37 mm = 1.4567 inch & a SCH 10 "1.25 inch" pipe has a 1.442 inch ID , so boar it out
It doesnt work that way. 1) its illegal, 2) the barrel is rifled.
1965 VIET NAM MARINES
Rose want a thumper :)
entry point?
I like your videos. Just found them. But do us a favor… stop calling it a conflict! To any of us that were in that shithole it was a war, period. Conflict is government speak bullshiit . 1/4 horse ‘68-70
Had a Marine Vietnam Vet DI drill into my head that it was the "Vietnam Conflict". I never thought to correct him.
always thought it was called the "blooper"... then i realized this is an ad for a legal grenade launcher. carry on but im unsubbed. done with ads and reviews. already got my loadout.
It's been called many things. Thumper is one of them. Anyway, bye Felicia.
Bye Felicia!
did i trigger you guys? im sorry. i didnt mean to offend your daddy's channel or your sensibilities. fuck that i did. numbnuts.
@@ravensnflies8167 bye Felicia!
@@DrygdorDradgvork lol thats the best you got im glad i unsubbed. have fun larpers.
Whats with this wanna be Vet.he keeps wearing all the stuff he didn't earn. Thats stolen valor
Do you say that about Mel Gibson, Charlie Sheen and Tom Cruise too? Its not stolen valor if one doesn't claim to be a vet.
@@brucecamparmament3728 Thanks, Bruce. I have 2 Honorable Discharges, however, we should not waste our time on RIAs.
NTFC
bloop