Random Shots: Episodes in the Life of a Weapons Developer

Fascinating account of Rayle's varied career from prior to World War II, working at the Naval Gun Factory and Aberdeen Proving Ground, his wartime service with Aviation Ordnance in the USAAF, and his postwar career with Army Ordnance.

This book deals primarily with his service at the Springfield Armory in the 1950s and 1960s where he participated in the development of such weapons as the M14 and M16 rifles, M60 machine gun, aircraft revolver and Gatling guns, 40mm M79 grenade launcher, tank machine guns, HAW/BAT/TOW and spotting rifles, and the side-firing AC-130 "Spectre" gunship cannon, plus a chapter recounting several gun stories, mostly dealing with World War II experiences.

Contents

Foreword
Chapter 1: Infantry Board Tests
Chapter 2: Arctic Rifle Tests
Chapter 3: An American FN Rifle
Chapter 4: Industry Interest in Small Arms
Chapter 5: Final Development of Two Rifles
Chapter 6: Final Rifle Tests
Chapter 7: M14 Rifle Production
Chapter 8: Armalite/Colt Rifles
Chapter 9: The M60 Light Machine Gun
Chapter 10: Aircraft Revolver and Gatling Guns
Chapter 11: The 40mm M79 Grenade Launcher
Chapter 12: Tank Machine Guns
Chapter 13: HAW/BAT/TOW and Spotting Rifles
Chapter 14: Side-Firing Gunship Cannon
Chapter 15: Random Gun Stories (Caliber .50 Only for the Army Air Corps; Dirty Ammunition in Benghazi; Bad Bombs in France; Automatic Carbines in Belgium; Chrome-Plated Barrel Bores; Small Arms Museums; An Army 9mm Pistol)
Chapter 16: Epilogue
Appendix 1: U.S. Rifle 7.62mm M14
Appendix 2: Rifle 7.62mm T48 (FN)
Appendix 3: U.S. Machine Gun 7.62mm M60
Appendix 4: Rifle 7.62mm AR-10 (Armalite) (Early 1957 Version)
Appendix 5: U.S. Rifle 5.56mm M16A1
Appendix 6: Gas Systems
Appendix 7: Gun Barrel Design
Appendix 8: Automatic Weapons Calculations
Appendix 9: Primer Setback Analysis
Appendix 10: Case/Chamber Relationships
Bibliography

222 6x9-inch pages, 17 photos, 5 figures, 7 tables