Resistance: The M5A2’s bloodline

It’s the first rifle you’ll find in the game. And chances are, you’ll learn to like. After all, Resistance: Fall of Man’s M5A2 has a reputation for good performance – not too many “starter” FPS guns can claim to carry the player to end-game reliably. With its name (and the game’s name) on solid footing, we’ll be taking a look at the rifle’s family tree.

It’s often said the gun was patterned after the M16 assault rifle with M203 grenade attachment. The thing is, the M16 wasn’t fielded until 1960, and the M203 not until 1968. In the span of 10 years between the M5A2 and the M16, another project was under development by the US Army, which would set the trend for future rifle designs. For now, we do a brief backgrounder on the M5A2.

“The Paddle” fires .303 British service ammunition at 50 rounds per clip. The M200 grenade launcher fits under the rifle, which carries a maximum of six 40-mm HE grenades. Given the manual doesn’t say the weapon’s other statistics, we’ll make a guesstimate. Rate of fire is felt to be around 600-650 rounds per minute, weight at 12-15 pounds (with grenade launcher).

With this explained, we jump to the (real) Army’s Special Purpose Individual Weapon – the SPIW.

It’s the first rifle you’ll find in the game. And chances are, you’ll learn to like. After all, Resistance: Fall of Man’s M5A2 has a reputation for good performance – not too many “starter” FPS guns can claim to carry the player to end-game reliably. With its name (and the game’s name) on solid footing, we’ll be taking a look at the rifle’s family tree.

It’s often said the gun was patterned after the M16 assault rifle with M203 grenade attachment. The thing is, the M16 wasn’t fielded until 1960, and the M203 not until 1968. In the span of 10 years between the M5A2 and the M16, another project was under development by the US Army, which would set the trend for future rifle designs. For now, we do a brief backgrounder on the M5A2.

“The Paddle” fires .303 British service ammunition at 50 rounds per clip. The M200 grenade launcher fits under the rifle, which carries a maximum of six 40-mm HE grenades. Given the manual doesn’t say the weapon’s other statistics, we’ll make a guesstimate. Rate of fire is felt to be around 600-650 rounds per minute, weight at 12-15 pounds (with grenade launcher).

With this explained, we turn our attention to the (real) Army’s Special Purpose Individual Weapon – the SPIW.

SPIW
The US Army’s late 50’s experimental weapons system developed under their SALVO project. This project concluded that the use of full-power ammunition (such as the .303) was impractical for infantry warfare, which took place at 400 yards or less. What were developed based on this data were several experimental bullet designs, of note was the flechette round.

Here, ammunition for the rifle came in the form of darts, held in their cartridge by a sabot – like a tank’s APFSDS shells. The darts ejected the sabot after leaving the barrel, before flying to their target. Benefits for the round included a flat bullet trajectory, low recoil, and weight, which in turn meant more ammo.

In connection to the SALVO project, the Army further proposed the development of a portable grenade launcher. This was intended to complement the flechette-firing rifle, the system collectively called the Special-Purpose Individual Weapon.

Several competitors for the SPIW program were developed at this point, including one from Springfield Armory. Their prototype carried a total of 60 rounds of  flechette ammo in a back-to-back magazine layout. The rifle also carried an under-slung semi-automatic grenade launcher with a capacity of three grenades. The whole package weighed 14 pounds – four pounds over the 10-pound requirement.

The SPIW program as a whole never left from the prototype stage, and was eventually scrapped. However, several of its design elements were carried over into other projects. The M16 rifle was built on the SALVO principle of rapid volleys, while a competitor’s grenade launcher for their SPIW was eventually developed into M79, then the M203.

Comparison
From here, we make a comparison of the SPIW, the M5A2, and the M16/M203 pack.

                                             SPIW                            M5A2/M200                                  M16/M203
Manufacturer             Springfield Armory                      Folsom                                      Colt Armory 
Ammunition             5.6×44-mm flechette          .303 British(7.62×56)                  .223 NATO (5.56×45)
                                            XM144                                                                                   SS109
Weight (loaded)                   14 lbs                             12-15 lbs                                         8 lbs
Magazine capacity            60 rounds                          50 rounds                                   30 rounds
Magazine (Grenade)     3, semi-auto                        1, single-shot                            1, single shot
Rate of fire                      2,300 rpm                     (est)600-650 rpm                                700 rpm

Remember that the M5A2 was built in the 1950’s. With that in mind, take note of the resemblance it bears to the SPIW on the points of weight, ammo capacity, and grenade launcher. While it’s often considered that the carbine was inspired by the M16/M203, remember that the M5A2 was in service in 1950.

What this implies chronologically is that it’s the literary ancestor of both the SPIW and the M16. Adding weight to this point is the detail of the M5A2’s cartridge, the .303. Both the XM144 flechette and its successor, the .223 NATO, were built to replace this ammunition.

While this information won’t be making any changes to your game plan, we do hope you’ve enjoyed this family tree report on RoFM‘s weapons. It’s just something to keep in mind the next time you’re fielding the rifle. Kudos to Insomniac’s accurate portrayal of existing guns.