The Sniperscope evolved from the
M1 of WWII, with an effective range of about 70
yards, to the M2, with a range of about 100
yards. Both of these used vibrator power supplies
to convert 6 volt battery levels to 4250 volts
for the image-viewing tube. IR rays are focused
on the image tubes, causing electrons to be
emitted, which are then accelerated and strike a
fluorescent screen, converting the
sub-visible-light image to the visible light
range, showing all objects as various shades of
green. Besides enabling detection of enemy
movement, and placing full-automatic fire upon
them with complete surprise, IR units facilitate
night communications between nearby units.
Simple, pre-determined coded signals from a
flashlight with an infra-red filter could be
detected up to 500 yards. The M3, actually
available for the Korean War, used 20,000 volts,
had an effective range of 125 yards, and could
detect ir-flashlight signals up to 1 mile.
The US Carbine, Caliber .30in,
M3, or T3, was an M2
carbine with suitable mountings prepared on the
receiver to take various models of infra-red
night-sighting devices, and an M3 flash hider. No
open or conventional sights were provided. The M3
carbine, (its development title was T3), was
produced in limited numbers as a semi-prototype.
Only about 2100 were manufactured compared to
5,510,000 M1
carbines, 150,000 M1A1 carbines and 570,000 M2
carbines.
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Few combat personnel in the
Korean War were aware that the US possessed
infrared night-vision capability. Those who
did know, didn't welcome them.
Objections were mostly focused on their
bulk and susceptibility to damage. In late
1952, riflemen from the 5th Marines are
weighing the possible usefulness of the M3
Sniperscope.
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In part, the poor reception by
combat units of night vision weapons was because
the Sniperscope M1
did indeed have significant flaws, as did all the
IR series. The telescope can be damaged by direct
sunlight or other intense light sources, images
are hazed by natural light such as from the moon
or stars, and rain or fog greatly reduce range.
The M2 flash hider also caused problems. The
purpose of a flash hider is not to hide the
weapon from the enemy; all rifles are visible to
those fired on at night. It is to prevent muzzle
blast from degrading the rifleman's night
vision. And with IR weapons, to prevent blast and
light reflection from confusing the IR detector.
Also, should the enemy have IR detection devices,
or have captured units of ours, using any IR
source simply exposes their position.
However, the vastly improved
Sniperscope M3, with almost double the effective
range of the M1, with a less vulnerably located
IR light source, and with the T23 flash hider was
available at about the start of the Korean War,
and would have had a deadly effect in the enemy
staging phases of most night actions. Supplying
only the M3, and in quantity, would have made the
value of the weapon much more obvious,
particularly if done before we faced the CCF so
as to enable proper training.
