I thought you guys might enjoy a few pics of one more piece of my collection.









This is a RAW (Rifleman’s Assault Weapon) made by the Brunswick Corporation. I’ve done a fair amount of research and have found it difficult to nail down the exact timeframe in which it was introduced and produced but I can suffice to say that after reading the information contained in the links listed below it could have been developed as early as March of 1979 and produced as late as 1988. Photos of the RAW seem to be rare and I haven’t been able to find a lot of information about them. I’ve seen a tiny bit of information listed in the Small Arms Review Volume 1, No. 7 April 1988.

The SAR article reads as follows:

“The Rifleman’s Assault Weapon was designed and built by Brunswick Corporation for use on the M16 series. The projectiles are rocket propelled after being fired using standard 5.56 ammunition.”

Caliber: 140mm
Overall weight: 2.72kg
Effective range: 200m
Available ammunition: HESH (High Explosive Squash Head), Smoke, Flame, Chemical, Fragmentation, Anti-Armor.

The photograph in SAR is of the RAW on an M16A2 thus my reasoning for duplicating that image. Below are some links that have some information on the RAW. I also cut and pasted the information contained in the link to save you the trouble. The link is provided if you wish to view the source of the information.

Now, before you get too excited… The “projectile” on my RAW is unfortunately not any of those listed. It is completely inert. In fact, it is, or was, a Christmas ornament. The most amazing thing is, my girlfriend is the one who found the oversized plastic ornament at Wal Mart and brought it to my attention! One can of Krylon flat black paint and a few minutes of fitting a dowel and I had a realistic looking inert projectile!

Also, my RAW is a slight demil. It was found in a pile of scrap which had been burned. The material of which it is made appears to be die cast zinc, much like that of Hot Wheels cars. The plastic cup at the rear shows some scorching and cracking from the fire and some of the parts located in the center of the device are rusted away completely. Some of the small parts are either stainless or chrome or nickel plated. Still, it is visually intact even if it is not functional in any way.

This is the earliest mention I can find of the RAW, or at least the projectile for the RAW.

http://stinet.dtic.mil/oai/oai?&verb=getRecord&metadataPrefix=html&identifier=ADA068039

Accession Number : ADA068039
Title : Aerodynamic Analysis of the Rifleman's Assault Weapon.
Descriptive Note : Technical rept.,
Corporate Author : ARMY MISSILE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT COMMAND REDSTONE ARSENAL AL TECHNOLOGY LAB
Personal Author(s) : Derrick,Jimmie N.
Report Date : MAR 1979
Pagination or Media Count : 173
Abstract : A wind tunnel test was conducted for seven different shell configurations. The basic configuration was a spherical shell with modification to the base section. A spherical aft shell, a truncated aft shell, and various artifical boundary layer trip devices on the base section was used. The test was conducted for Mach numbers up to 0.3 to determine the aerodynamic forces at angles-of-attack from -2 to 15 deg and various spin rates. Force and moment data were obtained for these runs. The magnus forces due to the velocity component normal to the spin axis were measured in terms of the side force coefficient CY. (Author)
Descriptors : *ROCKET ASSISTED PROJECTILES, SIMULATION, ANGLE OF ATTACK, SHELLS(STRUCTURAL FORMS), SPHERES, AERODYNAMIC FORCES, WIND TUNNEL TESTS, WIND TUNNEL MODELS, AEROBALLISTICS, ROCKET EXHAUST, SPIN STABILIZED AMMUNITION, MAGNUS EFFECT.
Subject Categories : AMMUNITION AND EXPLOSIVES
BALLISTICS
Distribution Statement : APPROVED FOR PUBLIC RELEASE

This is a very brief mention on another website.

http://www.thegunzone.com/556dw-4.html

RAW

Late 1988: Brunswick begins a company funded NDI qualification of the Rifleman's Assault Weapon (RAW). The RAW is bowling ball-shaped, rocket-propelled grenade fired from a device attached to the muzzle and bayonet lug of a M16.

February 1989: Brunswick completes NDI qualification of the RAW.

This is one of the better online articles I’ve found on the RAW.

http://www.strategypage.com/militaryforums/4-186.aspx

A second system was the Brunswick Corporation's RAW (Rifleman's Assault Weapon), which required an easy attachment onto the end of a NATO-sized muzzle flash suppressor. The round itself, in concept, was an assisted (spin stabilized by a small rocket ignited by gas vented from the gun muzzle), over-sized, round hand grenade look-alike. It was 140mm in diameter (5.5inches), weighed 4.73kg all up and was about 12 inches long. It had a range of about 1500m, and contained 2.2pounds of plastic explosive, which in tests showed its effectiveness at blasting an almost 15inch diameter hole through 8 inches of concrete. Recoil and accuracy of both of these rounds is described as very favorable, although no mention is made of procurement other than "ready for production." There are scores of other rounds available, but these two seem to offer the greatest capability for their roles.

This is another halfway decent mention of the RAW and how it works.

http://www.g2mil.com/West-anti-armor.htm

New ideas for the Brunswick Rifleman's Assault Weapon (RAW)

The Brunswick RAW was an interesting weapon that showed considerable destructive potential. In form it was a spherical 6" diameter rocket propelled rifle grenade. The original model had a HESH warhead but later models had a HEAT warhead with a laser proximity fuse. The Launch mechanism was also quite novel. The grenade fitted in a bracket under the rifle's muzzle and some of the gas from firing a ball round was diverted to launch the grenade. Whilst the warhead was effective, it was probably the launching mechanism that prevented the concept catching on. Two improvements suggest themselves

Firstly, to give the grenade its own propellant charge in a launch tube that mounts underneath the fore-end of the rifle. This would be more efficient and better balanced.

The second is to take the warhead, mate it to a rocket motor and fire it from a low signature recoilless launch tube to create a lightweight but potent LAW system.

Now, I’ll add to what has already been said. The RAW fires the projectile by tapping gas from the muzzle when a standard ball M193 or M855 round is fired. This gas travels down an internal tube in the launcher platform and ignites a rocket motor in the projectile. The projectile leaves the launcher and is spin stabilized.

The launcher is held in position by slip fitting and then clamping over the flash hider (NATO 22mm) and secured by a thumbscrew which tightens a clamp around the bayonet lug.

There are exhaust ports on the launcher platform that curve. I have no idea if the spin comes from the rocket thrust acting on these ports or if the projectile is modified to spin on its own.

The launching platform has a bubble level in line with the front sight of the rifle to prevent canting of the rifle during launching.

No mention that I can find is made of the method of aiming or alternate sights for use with the RAW.

I don’t know what if any locking mechanism there is to keep the projectile from falling off when the RAW is being carried loaded. Remember, there is a lot of running in combat!

That’s about all I know. Maybe someone else out there has some more facts and dates to share with us.

Where'd you get it and how much???? Does the bowling ball launcher count as a DD?


VERY awesome!! I didnt even know these things existed anymore, much less what they actually are.

Just can't picture humping Brunswick bowling balls.  Maybe that is why it failed?

Think I have some factory literature on these bowling balls stashed.

I think i saw that on Dallas SWAT

Nice find!

There is yet another good description of this system in The Complete AR-15/M16 Sourcebook.

Quoted: Now, before you get too excited… The “projectile” on my RAW is unfortunately not any of those listed. It is completely inert. In fact, it is, or was, a Christmas ornament. The most amazing thing is, my girlfriend is the one who found the oversized plastic ornament at Wal Mart and brought it to my attention! One can of Krylon flat black paint and a few minutes of fitting a dowel and I had a realistic looking inert projectile!

Why not just use a bowling ball?

Looks like you could fix a broken toilet with that kit.
Just when I thought I had seen everything.

Brunswick tactical bowling ball:









Have been researching military arms since I was a child, note the date on this letter, I was 14 at the time (no, I did not follow up with a order for this product):

Quoted: Brunswick tactical bowling ball: img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/Ekie12091941/RAW06.jpg img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/Ekie12091941/RAW07.jpg img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/Ekie12091941/RAW09.jpg img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/Ekie12091941/RAW08.jpg Have been researching military arms since I was a child, note the date on this letter, I was 14 at the time (no, I did not follow up with a order for this product): img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/Ekie12091941/RAW10.jpg

How much was it?

Quoted: Quoted: Brunswick tactical bowling ball: img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/Ekie12091941/RAW06.jpg img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/Ekie12091941/RAW07.jpg img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/Ekie12091941/RAW09.jpg img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/Ekie12091941/RAW08.jpg Have been researching military arms since I was a child, note the date on this letter, I was 14 at the time (no, I did not follow up with a order for this product): img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/Ekie12091941/RAW10.jpg How much was it?

Did not come with a price list.

I have lots of brochures like this, FMC put out some of the best.  Don't recall any of them having price lists.

That is really cool. I wonder what kind of reaction you'd get if you showed up at the local rifle range with this thing hanging off your favorite AR15 and asked them if you could test fire your new retro toy (they don't need to know that it's inert ).

my girlfriend is the one who found the oversized plastic ornament at Wal Mart

What a way to spread a little Christmas cheer on the front lines, a little red or green paint on the real projectile and "HERE'S YOUR F*&#&%G ORNAMENT YOU COMMIE SCUM.....BOOM!!!!

Doc

I can't belive it didn't bend every barrel it was fired from.

Very cool collector piece though.

I GOTTA Have 1...Are there any on the EE Yet???

I remember seeing those in Janes books from the 90s.

Very Cool.

Looks like something Wiley E. Coyote might own.  

Quoted: Looks like something Wiley E. Coyote might own.

Holy B..B..BOMB BATMAN!  Seriously, how'd you like to go prone with that? gives a whole new meaning to 'muzzle heavy'! Thanks for sharing - it's very cool seeing rare stuff like that, expecially cool that you have the brochure!