Stoner 63A

*Updated 18/11/11

Sorry for the lack of recent updates everyone and as an apology I'll share the latest and one of the more unusual additions to the collection.

Its a Stoner 63A (MK23) weapon in Commando lmg configuration by G&P.

I've always had a soft spot of vietnam era weapons and kit especially those that where a little more special than the standard grunt issue so when I seen the stoner (generally used by SEALs) had been reproduced and released I just had to have one.

As I mentioned previous I wasn't fully happy with this shot so finally decided to give it a bit of an update.


_______________________________________________________________________________



Real steel info:

Eugene Stoner, one of designers of M16 rifle, left ArmaLite in about 1961 and joined the Cadillac Gage Corp. There he began development of an entirely new weapon system. It was probably the first truly modular system, that consisted of about fifteen subassemblies which could be assembled in any configuration, from an assault rifle and short carbine up to a lightweight or even a general purpose machine gun. First prototypes, chambered for 7.62x51mm NATO ammunition, appeared in 1962, known as Stoner 62.

Just a year later Stoner turned out a new system, chambered for 5.56x45 M193 US service round, and known as Stoner 63. This system, developed and promoted until the early 1970s, was extensively tested by the US military as the XM22 (Stoner 63A rifle), XM23 (Stoner 63A carbine), and the XM207 (light machine gun with belt feed). The only military application of the Stoner 63 system, however, was the Mk.23 model 0 belt-fed light machine gun configuration, used in limited numbers by US Navy Special Forces and Marine Corps in Vietnam.

In general the Stoner system, while having the advantages of modularity and interchangeability of parts and thus great flexibility in tactical use, was somewhat too expensive and also slightly over-complicated for a dedicated light machine gun (or any other configuration). It was also somewhat dirt-sensitive and required much attention and maintenance.

Overall, some 3,500 to 4,000 Stoner 63 weapon kits were produced between 1962 and 1971. Of those, some 2400 Stoner 63 Light machine guns were purchased by US Navy for issue to special forces in Vietnam, and about 100 more were bought for US Navy S.E.A.L.'s in improved Mk.23 mod.0 version.

All versions had quick-detachable barrels, which was a handy option for a light machine gun. For LMG versions, Stoner 63 system has several styles of barrels, with different lengths and profiles. US Navy's Mark 23 model 0 machine guns used short, fluted barrels, but other versions (with long barrels) also saw combat in Vietnam.