Springfield Armory M6 Scout
Encyclopedia
The M6 Scout is a multipurpose firearm, combining rifle
and shotgun
. It has been in and out of commercial production several times since the late 1970s (out of production again as of March 2008). The latest models were manufactured by Česká Zbrojovka Uhersky Brod
and sold by Springfield Armory
. Other variations of this firearm
are the M6 Carbine and the M6 Scout Pistol. The M6 Scout was produced in two types, a standard model with Parkerized finish and a version made from rustproof stainless steel
.
The M6 design and model number come from the M6 Aircrew Survival Weapon
, issued to U.S. Air Force aircrew
from the late 1950s until the early 1970s. The commercial model is nearly identical to the USAF version, though there are a couple of minor cosmetic differences. There is a removable trigger guard
. The greatest change is that the commercial model has a barrel length of 18.25 inches (46.4 cm) instead of the 14 inches (35.6 cm) barrel length of the USAF version. Athens Arms produced a 14" barreled version that qualified as "Any Other Weapon" (AOW) under the NFA
exemption for the Marble Game Getter
: combination of rifled and smooth bore barrels between 12 and 18 inches.
-- the only parts which are not steel are the rubber buttplate and cheek rest. The M6 stock is stamped sheet steel, while the removable barrel assembly is forged steel. Aircrew who were issued the M6 were instructed on a way to make a field expedient forearm by wrapping the barrels with a length of shroud line from their parachute
. The USAF M6 Survival Weapon used iron sights, while the M6 Scout commercial model includes provision for mounting a telescopic sight
. The stock holds four .410 shells and 15 .22 LR cartridges. The stock of the version in .22 Hornet stores 9 rifle rounds and 4 shotgun shells.
The M6 Scout is a superposed "over-under" design, with a rifle barrel mounted above a .410 shotgun barrel. The barrel assembly is connected to the stock/action group by means of a removable hinge pin. Whether folded or disassembled, the overall length for storage is approximately 18.5 inches. The commercial production M6 was made in .22 Long Rifle
in addition to the .22 Hornet
used in the USAF M6.
The advantage of the .22 Hornet / .410 shotgun combination is to enable the user to take any type of small or medium-sized game. .22 Hornet has been used to hunt animals up to the size of small deer (and can be used for defense), while shotshells are used for birds or snakes.
One other unique feature of the M6 is the "squeeze-bar trigger." Intended for use by aircrew who might be downed in any type of weather and terrain, the trigger, hammer and barrel latch are designed to be easily operated while wearing heavy gloves or even mittens. To this end, the USAF M6 was the only firearm issued to American armed forces which had no trigger guard. The amount of pressure needed to release the sear
, combined with the practice of keeping the hammer uncocked unless preparing to fire, was considered sufficient to counter any risk of accidental discharge.
The design also reflects the philosophy that downed aircrew are supposed to stay quiet, out of sight and be patient. This was considered an advantage over the Armalite
AR-5 during procurement tests. The AR-5 is relatively complex, less durable and, without the shotgun barrel, less versatile. The Armalite had several advantages, however, including the ability to float, and the buttstock acts as a storage case for the parts of the disassembled rifle. For these reasons, the AR-5 was also accepted and designated the MA-1 Survival Rifle, and the AR-7
, a commercial semiautomatic
version in .22 Long Rifle, has been popular for decades. Aircrew who preferred the M6 noted that, with the AR-5, an excited user can go through a week’s worth of ammo in moments, while the user of the M6 is more likely to use proper shooting techniques due to the time necessary to reload after each shot.
Rifle
A rifle is a firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder, with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves cut into the barrel walls. The raised areas of the rifling are called "lands," which make contact with the projectile , imparting spin around an axis corresponding to the...
and shotgun
Shotgun
A shotgun is a firearm that is usually designed to be fired from the shoulder, which uses the energy of a fixed shell to fire a number of small spherical pellets called shot, or a solid projectile called a slug...
. It has been in and out of commercial production several times since the late 1970s (out of production again as of March 2008). The latest models were manufactured by Česká Zbrojovka Uhersky Brod
Ceská Zbrojovka Uhersky Brod
Česká zbrojovka a.s. Uherský Brod is a Czech firearms manufacturer.-History:CZUB was established in 1936 as a branch of the Česká zbrojovka armament firm in the small Moravian town of Uherský Brod in Czechoslovakia, now in the Czech Republic....
and sold by Springfield Armory
Springfield Armory
The Springfield Armory, located in the City of Springfield, Massachusetts - from 1777 until its closing in 1968 - was the primary center for the manufacture of U.S. military firearms. After its controversial closing during the Vietnam War, the Springfield Armory was declared Western Massachusetts'...
. Other variations of this firearm
Firearm
A firearm is a weapon that launches one, or many, projectile at high velocity through confined burning of a propellant. This subsonic burning process is technically known as deflagration, as opposed to supersonic combustion known as a detonation. In older firearms, the propellant was typically...
are the M6 Carbine and the M6 Scout Pistol. The M6 Scout was produced in two types, a standard model with Parkerized finish and a version made from rustproof stainless steel
Stainless steel
In metallurgy, stainless steel, also known as inox steel or inox from French "inoxydable", is defined as a steel alloy with a minimum of 10.5 or 11% chromium content by mass....
.
The M6 design and model number come from the M6 Aircrew Survival Weapon
M6 Aircrew Survival Weapon
The M6 Air Crew Survival Weapon was a specially made firearm issued to the United States Air Force aircraft crews to help forage for food in the event of a plane crash....
, issued to U.S. Air Force aircrew
Aircrew
Aircrew are the personnel who operate an aircraft while in flight. The composition of the crew depends on the type of aircraft as well as the purpose of the flight.-Civilian:*Aviator** Pilot-in-command** First officer** Second officer** Third officer...
from the late 1950s until the early 1970s. The commercial model is nearly identical to the USAF version, though there are a couple of minor cosmetic differences. There is a removable trigger guard
Trigger guard
A trigger guard is a loop surrounding the trigger of a firearm and protecting it from accidental discharge.Some assault rifles can have their trigger guard removed or positioned as not to impair firing with gloves for example in Arctic conditions....
. The greatest change is that the commercial model has a barrel length of 18.25 inches (46.4 cm) instead of the 14 inches (35.6 cm) barrel length of the USAF version. Athens Arms produced a 14" barreled version that qualified as "Any Other Weapon" (AOW) under the NFA
National Firearms Act
The National Firearms Act , 73rd Congress, Sess. 2, ch. 757, , enacted on June 26, 1934, currently codified as amended as , is an Act of Congress that, in general, imposes a statutory excise tax on the manufacture and transfer of certain firearms and mandates the registration of those firearms. The...
exemption for the Marble Game Getter
Marble Game Getter
The Marble Game Getter is a light, double-barrel , combination gun manufactured by the Marble's Arms & Manufacturing Company in Gladstone, Michigan....
: combination of rifled and smooth bore barrels between 12 and 18 inches.
Characteristics
Unlike nearly all other firearms, there is no "furniture" on the M6 -- no wooden or composite stock or forearmForearm (firearm component)
In firearms, the forearm is a section of the weapon between the receiver and the muzzle. It is used to hold the firearm steady and is usually made out of wood or composite material...
-- the only parts which are not steel are the rubber buttplate and cheek rest. The M6 stock is stamped sheet steel, while the removable barrel assembly is forged steel. Aircrew who were issued the M6 were instructed on a way to make a field expedient forearm by wrapping the barrels with a length of shroud line from their parachute
Parachute
A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag, or in the case of ram-air parachutes, aerodynamic lift. Parachutes are usually made out of light, strong cloth, originally silk, now most commonly nylon...
. The USAF M6 Survival Weapon used iron sights, while the M6 Scout commercial model includes provision for mounting a telescopic sight
Telescopic sight
A telescopic sight, commonly called a scope, is a sighting device that is based on an optical refracting telescope. They are equipped with some form of graphic image pattern mounted in an optically appropriate position in their optical system to give an accurate aiming point...
. The stock holds four .410 shells and 15 .22 LR cartridges. The stock of the version in .22 Hornet stores 9 rifle rounds and 4 shotgun shells.
The M6 Scout is a superposed "over-under" design, with a rifle barrel mounted above a .410 shotgun barrel. The barrel assembly is connected to the stock/action group by means of a removable hinge pin. Whether folded or disassembled, the overall length for storage is approximately 18.5 inches. The commercial production M6 was made in .22 Long Rifle
.22 Long Rifle
The .22 Long Rifle rimfire cartridge is a long established variety of ammunition, and in terms of units sold is still by far the most common in the world today. The cartridge is often referred to simply as .22 LR and various rifles, pistols, revolvers, and even some smoothbore shotguns have...
in addition to the .22 Hornet
.22 Hornet
The .22 Hornet is a low-end vermin, small-game and predator centerfire rifle cartridge. It is considerably more powerful than the .22 WMR and the .17 HMR, achieving higher velocity with a bullet twice the weight. The Hornet also differs very significantly from these in that it is not a rimfire...
used in the USAF M6.
The advantage of the .22 Hornet / .410 shotgun combination is to enable the user to take any type of small or medium-sized game. .22 Hornet has been used to hunt animals up to the size of small deer (and can be used for defense), while shotshells are used for birds or snakes.
One other unique feature of the M6 is the "squeeze-bar trigger." Intended for use by aircrew who might be downed in any type of weather and terrain, the trigger, hammer and barrel latch are designed to be easily operated while wearing heavy gloves or even mittens. To this end, the USAF M6 was the only firearm issued to American armed forces which had no trigger guard. The amount of pressure needed to release the sear
Sear (firearm)
In a firearm, the sear is the part of the trigger mechanism which holds the hammer or striker back until the correct amount of pressure has been applied to the trigger; at which point the hammer or striker is released to discharge the weapon...
, combined with the practice of keeping the hammer uncocked unless preparing to fire, was considered sufficient to counter any risk of accidental discharge.
The design also reflects the philosophy that downed aircrew are supposed to stay quiet, out of sight and be patient. This was considered an advantage over the Armalite
ArmaLite
ArmaLite is the name of a small arms engineering facility founded in the early 1950s, and once associated with the Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporation. ArmaLite was formally incorporated as a subdivision of Fairchild on October 1, 1954...
AR-5 during procurement tests. The AR-5 is relatively complex, less durable and, without the shotgun barrel, less versatile. The Armalite had several advantages, however, including the ability to float, and the buttstock acts as a storage case for the parts of the disassembled rifle. For these reasons, the AR-5 was also accepted and designated the MA-1 Survival Rifle, and the AR-7
AR-7
The ArmaLite AR-7 Explorer, designed by M-16 inventor Eugene Stoner, is a semi-automatic .22 Long Rifle rifle developed from the AR-5 adopted by the U.S. Air Force as a pilot and aircrew survival weapon. Its intended markets today are backpackers and other recreational users as a take-down utility...
, a commercial semiautomatic
Semi-automatic firearm
A semi-automatic, or self-loading firearm is a weapon which performs all steps necessary to prepare the weapon to fire again after firing—assuming cartridges remain in the weapon's feed device or magazine...
version in .22 Long Rifle, has been popular for decades. Aircrew who preferred the M6 noted that, with the AR-5, an excited user can go through a week’s worth of ammo in moments, while the user of the M6 is more likely to use proper shooting techniques due to the time necessary to reload after each shot.