I spend a substantial amount of time in a machine-gunners turret. (My office)
As the Iraq conflict turns more into a police action, machine gunners are having to adopt new skills such as pointing pen lasers at vehicles to warn them to stop, shooting pen-flares at vehicles to warn them that you meant it when you shined the pen-laser at them warning them to stop, and firing non-lethal rounds at vehicles warning them that you really meant it when you ... etc, etc.
As the combat vehicles are required to drive through and *over* the urban terrain, it can be quite a chore keeping your pen-flares, non-lethal 40mm rounds, pen-lasers, pee-bottle, smoke grenades, cigarette pack, cold gatorade fresh from the cooler, lighter, binoculars, and night vision goggles from falling down into the truck while your driver is negotiating a 12" high curb.
Thus the advent of the Turret Caddy!
The turret caddy has a multiple mounting system that can use, either the adjustable clip that attaches to the top of the turret, or the powerful magnets on the back. Making the Caddy versatile enough to fit most U.S., U.K. and Australian gun turrets.
The Caddy has a pen-laser holder, a triple pen-flare holder (spend less time reloading pen-flares and more time warning local nationals that the last warning you gave them was serious!), a compartment large enough for a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. It also has an adjustable sized cup-holder on either side, and a rail across the front that can hold multiple smoke grenades.
Also available The Deluxe Turret Caddy!
Comes with everything the original Turret Caddy offers, plus a fan and a docking station for your iPod! (Batteries not included)-- MikeD, May 26 2008 Nice .....
Suggestions:
Permanently mount the laser pen coaxially on the primary weapon.
Change to 12-guage nonlethal rounds and use a pump-action shotgun with a short barrel. The nonlethals kick less than a full load, so you don't need a stock. Add a laser pen to that, for aiming. The IDF have a nice range of proven low-lethality ammunition natures in 12-guage, check out Jane's for more info.
A welder's glove. Sometimes those damned pen flares can rupture and give you a NASTY burn.
Most importantly, textured surfaces on the containers to ensure you do not under any circumstances confuse your Gatorade bottle with the pee bottle.
Useful tip: you may know this already, but if you're finding the 40mm baton rounds insufficently persuasive, have a scout around for some used "D" batteries and some waxed paper ........-- 8th of 7, May 26 2008 Hmmm D batteries. {mental note: avoid pissing [8th of 7] off} Did not know about that. I beleive the Turret Caddy Deluxe would do well if powered by Ds.-- MikeD, May 27 2008 You mean there's someone in those turrets?... I'd go for thicker metal, preferably of the chobham variety and bugger the luxuries [+] for your courage, and fortitude to post a halfbaked idea in the face of adversity.-- xenzag, May 27 2008 Well I don't think this will improve my golf game one bit.-- 2 fries shy of a happy meal, May 27 2008 [2 Fries], Probably not, but if you have a turret mounted machine gun on your golf cart, you don't really need to improve your game.-- MikeD, May 27 2008 [8th of 7] waxed paper ?-- FlyingToaster, May 27 2008 [Flying Toaster] In the words of an old, one handed, SF Close Quarters Combat trainer:
"All good things need a little lubrication"-- MikeD, May 27 2008 [MikeD] sub oiled cotton squares for waxed paper and never have to worry about cleaning the barrel.-- FlyingToaster, May 27 2008 The problem with oiled cotton is it doesn't obturate so efficiently.
Pull the projectile from the casing (the corkscrew on a Swiss Army Knife is good for this), then take the D battery, and cut a stip of waxed paper about 50% wider than the length of the battery. Roll the battery in the waxed paper, with all the overlap at the positive (button) end (*). Build up the roll until the paper bulks out the battery to the same internal diameter as the casing. Then, nip the overlap in with the fingers so it looks a bit like a partially-reclosed shotgun shell, and push it into the casing, overlap first. Place the outer end agains a hard surface and press on the base of the casing until it's well wedged in and tough enough to handle without coming loose. Voila, an "improved" baton round.
(*) if you fire D cells with the positive terminal first, it leaves a VERY distinctive bruise which can Cause Questions To Be Asked. The negative end just gives the same pattern as a standard round and can be explained by , "maybe he just bruises easily ?"-- 8th of 7, May 27 2008 //mount the laser pen coaxially on the primary weapon.// Wouldn't that make it a tad difficult to load real rounds quickly? Don't you mean "co-planar"? .-- AbsintheWithoutLeave, May 27 2008 Coaxially, as in how a coaxail machine gun is to the main gun. (off to the side and pointed in the same direction)
And no, [AWOL]. Not if it was mounted up on the barrel. Some of the gunners have mounted the pen flares as such. Makes the locals stop quicker ...
[Xenzag] Thankyou for introducing me to chobham.-- MikeD, May 28 2008 I don't think I want to know or understand all of this. Just please keep your head down Mickey D-- Ozone, Jun 11 2008 random, halfbakery