Hello all, here is today's article posted on TheArmoryLife.com. It is titled "Mk 87 Line Throwing Kit" and can be found at https://www.thearmorylife.com/did-you-know-the-m14-did-this/.
Mk 87 Line Throwing Kit
- Thread starter Mike H.
- Start date
Kodiak Cowboy
Custom
We used those when I was in the Navy on a regular basis for sending messenger lines (a smaller line attached to a bigger line) back and forth from the delivery ship to the receiving ship and vice versa. When doing underway replenishments. 
TEXASforLIFE
SAINT
Also used as a nade launcher/thrower.
Kodiak Cowboy
Custom
Yup!
Blackfeather
Custom
Of course.
Did you know the US Coast Guard has been doing this using a Model 1903 Springfield Rifle bored out to smoothbore for about the last 60 years? The “U.S. Coast Guard Shoulder Fired Line Throwing Gun” [gun, not rifle, due to the removal of the lands] was developed and adopted by the USCG in the 1940’s. Supposedly they tested modified M1903’s and M1917’s for this use [I only ever saw M1903’s & believe the M1917’s never went into service].
An observation, the M1903 guns using the .30-06 grenade cartridge handily outperformed the cute little break action guns the navy used; however it is patently untrue that the Coasties would sometimes that by position, wind, and weather placed navy vessels in a disadvantageous position and when failure had occurred would cast themselves into the ‘breech’ and successfully send a line in return. —We just wouldn’t do that.
It is satisfying to see the other service has belatedly ‘caught up’; although the aught six grenade cartridge likely still shades the 7.62x51 NATO cartridge by a bit.
An observation, the M1903 guns using the .30-06 grenade cartridge handily outperformed the cute little break action guns the navy used; however it is patently untrue that the Coasties would sometimes that by position, wind, and weather placed navy vessels in a disadvantageous position and when failure had occurred would cast themselves into the ‘breech’ and successfully send a line in return. —We just wouldn’t do that.
It is satisfying to see the other service has belatedly ‘caught up’; although the aught six grenade cartridge likely still shades the 7.62x51 NATO cartridge by a bit.
HayesGreener
Ronin
I have a dummy launcher that uses .22 blanks to launch bumpers for retriever training. A couple years ago a storm came through and knocked power lines that cross the creek down and flooded the creek. Linemen were trying to get new wire across the creek but had no way of getting wire across the flooded creek. I brought out my dummy launcher, duct taped a mason's line to the dummy and shot it across the creek. We tied the string to a rope and pulled it across then pulled the wire over. I got my dummy back and my power on. The crew said they needed one of those. They sure could have used one of those ship's line launchers.
USMC6094
Professional
Seen MANY an UNREP started with an M14 throwing the line to a ship pulled up beside us........
And since the small boys have gas turbine propulsion, they could be refeuled by the carrier.....
Was a sight to see, three ships running parallel to each other, the two on the outside taking fuel from the carrier, or tanker, in the middle......
God I loved being at sea......
And since the small boys have gas turbine propulsion, they could be refeuled by the carrier.....
Was a sight to see, three ships running parallel to each other, the two on the outside taking fuel from the carrier, or tanker, in the middle......
God I loved being at sea......