Shot Counter for Carl-Gustaf M4 - what is it?
The new sholder-fired weapon system launched in 2014, Carl-Gustaf M4, is equipped with many new and unique features which will enhance the capability of soilders on the battlefield. One of these is the shot counter.
When developing the new Carl-Gustaf M4, Malcolm Arvidsson, Product Director for Carl-Gustaf, and his colleagues at Saab wanted to make it easier for soldiers to keep track of how many rounds have been fired. But why is that important?
We wanted to make it easier for customers to use the full potential of our systems and this is an important part of that
Malcolm Arvidsson
“We wanted to make it easier for customers to use the full potential of our systems and this is an important part of that. Previously, the user kept track of the number of rounds manually by keeping a logbook. This has proven to be a rather inadequate solution as the logbooks are rarely filled in correctly. The shot counter has generated a lot of interest from the market since we launched the Carl-Gustaf M4 in late 2014.”
Listed below are the shot counter’s main features and what it provides the user:
- With the shot counter, soldiers don’t have to keep track of every shot in a logbook. The shot counter does that automatically.
- By connecting the shot counter to a computer, soldiers and technicians receive data instantly on how many rounds have been fired. Log files are automatically created for later use. This means that soldiers know exactly how many firings are left until the weapon needs to be replaced.
- With the Carl-Gustaf M4, one thousand full-calibre firings are guaranteed, so it is naturally important to know exactly how many rounds have been fired and how many remain: you don´t want to discard a weapon that has not been used to its full potential.
- Saves money. Some customers currently using the M3 have implemented procedures to reduce the remaining service life of the weapon if there is no correctly recorded logbook.
- It is maintenance-free, and does not require batteries.
- It can distinguish between full-calibre and sub-calibre training rounds. Only full-calibre rounds are recorded.
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