What does the US military do with all of those old weapons they don't use anymore?

Answer 1

Some of the USMC LVP Amtracs (Landing Vehicle Personnel), M551 Sheridans (aluminum hulled), M48 Patton tanks were re-cycled (scrapped), some were shot up at tank ranges, aircraft ranges (air to ground attack), and experimental weapon testing. US attack aircraft, such as the F-100 Super Sabre & F-4 Phantom were used as aerial targets for newer jets such as the F16 Falcon and F15 Eagle, F18 Hornet, etc. Approximately:

1. 1200 artillery pieces

2. 252 M41 Walker Bulldog light tanks

3. 100 M48A3 Patton medium gun tanks

4. O-1 Bird Dog observation airplanes

5. A-1 Skyraider dive bombers

6. F-5 Freedom Fighter jet aircraft

7. Hundreds of UH-1 Huey (Iroquois), and assorted helicopters

8. Nearly 100 aluminum hulled PCF (Patrol Craft Fast) Swift Boats

9. Approximately 200 PBRs (Patrol Boat River)

10. About 200 to 300 assorted riverine boats; Alpha Boats & Monitors were retained by the Republic of South Vietnam upon departure of US forces.

Items 1-10 were either destroyed or captured by the invading NVA.

The US Government could not sell M14 rifles to the public, as they were considered "automatic weapons", and consequently the vast majority of those rifles were destroyed by Captain Crunch (nick-named by the employees) to cut the M14 rifles.