Rifle, 5. 56 mm, M16
M16A1, M16A2, M4, M16A4, from top to bottom
Type	Assault rifle
Place of origin	United States
Service history
In service	1961–present
Used by	United States of America, at least 73 other users
Wars	Vietnam War-present
Production history
Designer	Eugene Stoner L. James Sullivan[1]
Designed	1957
Produced	1960-present
Number built	Approx. An assault rifle is a Selective fire Rifle or Carbine (not to be confused with a semi-automatic only replica firing Ammunition with muzzle The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, or the Vietnam Conflict, occurred in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia Eugene Morrison Stoner (Born November 22, 1922 in Gosport, Indiana; died in Palm City Florida) Leroy James Sullivan, is an American firearms inventer Going by Jim Sullivan, he is noted as the designer of several 'scaled-down' versions of larger firearms 8 million
Variants	See Variants
Specifications (M16A2)
Weight	8. M16 (more formally United States Rifle II Caliber 556 mm M16) is the U 5 lb (3. The pound or pound-mass (abbreviation lb, lbm, or sometimes in the United States #) is a unit of Mass 9 kg)
Length	39. 5 in (1,000 mm)
Barrel length	20 in (508 mm)
Cartridge	5.56x45mm NATO
Action	Gas-operated, rotating bolt
Rate of fire	800-900 rounds/min, cyclic depending on model
Muzzle velocity	3,200 ft/s (975 m/s) (M16A1) 3,050 ft/s (930 m/s) (M16A2)
Effective range	550 m (600 yd)
Feed system	Various STANAG Magazines. Inches redirects here To see the Les Savy Fav album see Inches. The Millimetre ( American spelling: millimeter, symbol mm) is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to For the fictional characters see Gunbarrel (Transformers. A gun barrel is the tube usually Metal, through which a controlled Explosion Inches redirects here To see the Les Savy Fav album see Inches. The Millimetre ( American spelling: millimeter, symbol mm) is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to A cartridge (also known as a "round" packages the Bullet, Gunpowder and primer into a single metallic case precisely made to fit the 556x45mm NATO, standardized under STANAG 4172 is a Rifle cartridge. In Firearms terminology an action is the system of operation used to load rounds and/or seal the Breech. Gas-operation is a system of operation used to provide energy to operate Autoloading firearms Rate of fire is the frequency at which a specific Weapon can fire or launch its projectiles A gun's muzzle velocity is the speed at which the Projectile leaves the muzzle of the gun The foot per second (plural feet per second) is a unit of both Speed (scalar and Velocity (vector quantity which includes direction A yard (abbreviation yd) is a unit of Length in several different systems including English units Imperial units and United A STANAG magazine is a type of detachable firearm magazine standardized by NATO in October 1980

M16 (more formally Rifle, Caliber 5. 56 mm, M16) is the U.S. military designation for a family of rifles derived from the ArmaLite AR-15 and further developed by Colt starting in the mid-20th century. The United States Armed Forces are the overall unified military forces of the United States A rifle is a Firearm designed to be fired from the shoulder with a barrel that has a helical groove or pattern of grooves ("rifling" cut into the barrel walls ArmaLite, originally the ArmaLite Division of the Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporation, is a Small arms manufacturing company AR-15 (for Ar malite model 15, often mistaken for A utomatic R ifle is the common name for the widely-owned semi-automatic Colt's Manufacturing Company ( CMC --formerly Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company) is a United States Firearms manufacturer founded in

The M16 rifle family including the M16/A1/A2/A3/A4 has been the primary infantry rifle of the United States military since the 1960s. The Infantry is the oldest and most numerous of the Combat Arms in the Armed forces, and consists With its variants, it has been in use by 15 NATO countries, and is the most produced firearm in its caliber. The North Atlantic Treaty The M16 entered Army service in 1964.

Introduction

The M16 is a lightweight, 5. 56 mm caliber, air-cooled, gas-operated, magazine-fed rifle, with a rotating bolt, actuated by direct impingement gas operation. Gas-operation is a system of operation used to provide energy to operate Autoloading firearms A magazine is an Ammunition storage and feeding device within or attached to a repeating Firearm. Direct impingement is a type of gas operation for a Firearm that directs gas from a fired cartridge directly to the bolt carrier or slide assembly Gas-operation is a system of operation used to provide energy to operate Autoloading firearms It is constructed of steel, aluminum and composite plastics. Steel is an Alloy consisting mostly of Iron, with a Carbon content between 0 WikipediaNaming Composite materials (or composites for short are engineered Materials made from two or more constituent materials with significantly different physical or chemical Plastic is the general common term for a wide range of synthetic or semisynthetic organic solid materials suitable for the manufacture of industrial products

The US Air Force M16 and the US Army's XM16E1 were the first versions fielded. The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. The XM16E1 was soon standardized as the M16A1. The M16A1 was simply the M16 with a forward assist feature requested by the Army. The forward assist on a Rifle is a button found commonly on M16 and AR-15 styled rifles usually located near the bolt closure that when hit All early versions fired the M193/M196 cartridge in semi- or full-automatic modes. A semi-automatic, or self-loading Firearm is a gun that requires only a trigger pull for each round that is fired unlike a single-action An automatic firearm is a Firearm that automatically extracts and ejects the fired cartridge case and loads a new case usually through the energy of the fired This took place in the early 1960s, with major fielding by the Army in late 1964. ^[2] Commercial AR-15s were first issued to Special Forces troops in the spring of 1964. ^[3]

A U. S. soldier on exercises with an M16A1 and M40 Field Protective Mask: note the forward assist on the receiver and flash suppressor

The M16A2 entered service in the 1980s and fired the NATO standard Belgian-designed M855/M856 cartridge. The M40 Field Protective Mask is one of various Gas masks used by the Military of the United States and its allies to protect from field concentrations of chemical The forward assist on a Rifle is a button found commonly on M16 and AR-15 styled rifles usually located near the bolt closure that when hit The North Atlantic Treaty ^[2] The M16A2 is a select fire rifle capable of semi-automatic or three-round bursts and incorporating design elements desired by the Marine Corps. ^[2] These features included an adjustable rear-sight for windage and elevation, a 5/8 inch longer buttstock, heavier barrel, case deflector for left-handed shooters, and rounded handguards. ^[2] Mode of fire is determined by using a selector switch on the side of the weapon. The M16A3 was essentially an M16A2 with an M16A1 fire control group; this had only limited procurement by the USN.

The M16A4 became standard issue for the United States Marine Corps during Operation Iraqi Freedom, increasingly replacing the earlier M16A2. The Iraq War, also known as the Second Gulf War, the Occupation of Iraq, or the War in Iraq, is an ongoing Military campaign In the United States Army, a combination of the M16A4 and M4 Carbine continues to replace existing M16A2 Rifles. The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. The A4 incorporates a flattop receiver unit developed for the M4 Carbine, a handguard with four Picatinny rails for mounting optical sights, lasers, night vision devices, forward handgrips, removable carry handle and flashlights. The Picatinny rail (ˈpɪkətɪni or /ˌpɪkəˈtɪni/ is a bracket used on some Firearms in order to provide a standardized mounting platform A laser is a device that emits Light ( Electromagnetic radiation) through a process called Stimulated emission. A night vision device (NVD is an Optical instrument that allows images to be produced in levels of light approaching total darkness A flashlight (also called an electric torch or torch) is a portable electric spotlight which emits light from a small incandescent Lightbulb

The M16 is primarily manufactured by Colt and Fabrique Nationale de Herstal, with variants produced by numerous countries around the world. Manufacturing (from Latin manu factura, "making by hand" is the use of tools and labor to make things for use or sale Colt's Manufacturing Company ( CMC --formerly Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company) is a United States Firearms manufacturer founded in Fabrique Nationale de Herstal, more often abbreviated as Fabrique Nationale or simply FN, is a Belgian manufacturer of Firearms The official Semi-automatic versions, generally referred to as "AR-15s" (because of Colt's purchase of the nomenclature from Armalite), are popular recreational firearms in the United States, with versions manufactured by a handful of larger manufacturers and over a dozen smaller concerns.

History

Summary

The M16A1 seen here fitted with a AN/PVS-2 night vision scope.

The M16 was an initial version first adopted in 1964 by the United States Air Force (USAF). The U. S. Army began to field the XM16E1 en masse in 1965 with most going to Vietnam. The US Marine Corps also adopted the system during this period. The XM16E1 was standardized as the M16A1 in 1967. This version remained the primary infantry rifle of the United States military from 1967 until the 1980s, when it was supplemented by the M16A2. During the early 1980s a roughly standardized load for this ammunition was adopted throughout NATO (see: 5.56 mm NATO). Ammunition, often referred to as ammo, is a generic term derived from the French language la munition which The North Atlantic Treaty 556x45mm NATO, standardized under STANAG 4172 is a Rifle cartridge.

The M16A3 is a fully-automatic variant of the M16A2, issued primarily within the United States Navy. The M16A2, in turn, is currently being supplemented by the M16A4, which incorporates the flattop receiver unit developed for the M4 Carbine, and Picatinny rail System. The Picatinny rail (ˈpɪkətɪni or /ˌpɪkəˈtɪni/ is a bracket used on some Firearms in order to provide a standardized mounting platform Previous versions of the weapon are still in stock and used primarily by reserve and National Guard units in the United States as well as by the U. S. Air Force.

Project SALVO

In 1948, the Army organized the civilian Operations Research Office (ORO), mirroring similar operations research organizations in the United Kingdom. The Operations Research Office (ORO was a civilian military research center founded in 1948 by the United States Army. Operations Research (OR in North America South Africa and Australia and Operational Research in Europe is an interdisciplinary branch of applied Mathematics and The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located One of their first efforts, Project ALCLAD, studied body armor and the conclusion was that they would need to know more about battlefield injuries in order to make reasonable suggestions. A ballistic vest is an item of protective clothing that absorbs the impact from gun-fired Projectiles and shrapnel fragments from explosion ^[4] Over 3 million battlefield reports from WWI and WWII were analyzed and over the next few years they released a series of reports on their findings. ^[4]

The conclusion was that most combat takes place at short range. In a highly mobile war, combat teams ran into each other largely by surprise; and the team with the higher firepower tended to win. They also found that the chance of being hit in combat was essentially random — that is, accurate "aiming" made little difference because the targets no longer sat still. The number one predictor of casualties was the total number of bullets fired. ^[4] Other studies of behavior in battle revealed that many U. S. infantrymen (as many as 2/3) never actually fired their rifles in combat. By contrast, soldiers armed with rapid fire weapons (such as submachine guns) were much more likely to have fired their weapons in battle. ^[5] These conclusions suggested that infantry should be equipped with a fully-automatic rifle of some sort in order to increase the actual firepower of regular soldiers. It was also clear, however, that such weapons dramatically increased ammunition use and in order for a rifleman to be able to carry enough ammunition for a firefight they would have to carry something much lighter.

Existing rifles were poorly suited to real-world combat for both of these reasons. Although it appeared the new 7. 62 mm T44 (precursor to the M14) would increase the rate of fire, its heavy 7. 62 mm NATO cartridge made carrying significant quantities of ammunition difficult. Moreover, the length and weight of the weapon made it unsuitable for short range combat situations often found in jungle and urban combat or mechanized warfare, where a smaller and lighter weapon could be brought to bear faster.

M16A1

These efforts were noticed by Colonel René Studler, U. S. Army Ordnance's Chief of Small Arms Research and Development. Col. Studler asked the Aberdeen Proving Ground to submit a report on the smaller caliber weapons. Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG is a United States Army facility located near Aberdeen Maryland (in Harford County) A team led by Donald Hall, director of program development at Aberdeen, reported that a . 22 inch (5. 59 mm) round would have performance equal to larger rounds in most combat. With the higher rate of fire possible due to lower recoil it was likely such a weapon would inflict more casualties on the enemy. His team members, notably William C. Davis, Jr. and G. A. Gustafson, started development of a series of experimental . 22 (5. 56mm) cartridges. In 1955, their request for further funding was denied.

A new study, Project SALVO, was set up to try to find a weapon design suited to real-world combat. Running between 1953 and 1957 in two phases, SALVO eventually suggested that a weapon firing four rounds into a 20 in (508 mm) area would double the hit probability of existing semi-automatic weapons. Inches redirects here To see the Les Savy Fav album see Inches. The Millimetre ( American spelling: millimeter, symbol mm) is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to

In the second phase, SALVO II, several experimental weapons concepts were tested. Irwin Barr of AAI Corporation introduced a series of flechette weapons, starting with a shotgun shell containing 32 darts and ending with single-round flechette "rifles". AAI Corporation is an aerospace and defense development and manufacturing firm in Hunt Valley Maryland. The French word fléchette means "little arrow" or Dart projectile of steel that is sharp and pointed with a vaned tail for stable flight Winchester and Springfield offered multi-barrel weapons, while ORO's own design used two . For the fictional characters see Gunbarrel (Transformers. A gun barrel is the tube usually Metal, through which a controlled Explosion 22, . 25 or . 27 caliber bullets loaded into a single .308 Winchester or .30-06 cartridge.

Eugene Stoner

A U. S. soldier with M16A2 at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. Schofield Barracks is a United States Army installation and Census-designated place (CDP located in the City and County of Honolulu and in the Wahiawa The State of Hawaii ( or həˈwaɪʔiː Hawaiian: Mokuāina o Hawaii) is a state in the United States located on an Archipelago in the The U.S. Army did not place a large order for the A2 model until 1986. The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities.

Meanwhile testing of the 7. 62 mm T44 continued, and Fabrique Nationale also submitted their new FN FAL via the American firm of Harrington & Richardson as the T48. Fabrique Nationale de Herstal, more often abbreviated as Fabrique Nationale or simply FN, is a Belgian manufacturer of Firearms The official The Fusil Automatique Léger (Light Automatic Rifle or FAL is a 7 However, the results of the testing were apparently already a forgone conclusion; the T44 was selected as the new battle rifle for the U. S. Army (rechristened the M14) despite a strong showing by the T48.

Acceptance of the M14 did not occur before a newcomer entered the contest. In 1954, Eugene Stoner of the newly-formed ArmaLite helped develop the 7. Eugene Morrison Stoner (Born November 22, 1922 in Gosport, Indiana; died in Palm City Florida) ArmaLite, originally the ArmaLite Division of the Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporation, is a Small arms manufacturing company 62 mm AR-10. The AR-10 is an American 762 mm Battle rifle developed by Eugene Stoner in the late 1950s at Armalite, then a division Springfield's T44 and similar entries were conventional rifles using wood for the "furniture" and otherwise built entirely of steel using mostly forged and machined parts. ArmaLite was founded specifically to bring the latest in designs and alloys to firearms design, and Stoner felt he could easily beat the other offerings.

Stoner's AR-10 was radical for its day. The AR-10 is an American 762 mm Battle rifle developed by Eugene Stoner in the late 1950s at Armalite, then a division The receiver was made of forged and milled aluminum instead of steel. The barrel was mated to the receiver by a separate hardened steel adapter to which the bolt locked. This allowed a lightweight aluminum receiver to be used while still maintaining a steel-on-steel lockup. The bolt was operated by gases vented from the front of the barrel directly into a cylinder created in the bolt carrier with the bolt itself acting as a piston. Traditional rifles located this cylinder and piston close to the gas vent. The stock and grips were made of a fiberglass-reinforced plastic shell over a rigid foam plastic core. A stock, also known as a buttstock or shoulder stock, is present in many Firearms and some Crossbows (though a crossbow stock is properly a The muzzle brake was fabricated from titanium. Muzzle brakes and recoil compensators are devices that are fitted to the muzzle of a Firearm or Cannon to redirect propellant gases with Over Stoner's vehement objections, various experimental composite and 'Sullaloy' aluminum barrels were fitted to some AR-10 prototypes by ArmaLite's president, George Sullivan. The Sullaloy barrel was made entirely of heat-treated aluminum, while the composite barrels used aluminum extruded over a thin stainless steel liner.

Meanwhile the layout of the gun itself was also somewhat different. Previous designs generally placed the sights directly on the barrel, using a bend in the stock to align the sights at eye level while transferring the recoil down to the shoulder. This meant that the gun tended to rise when fired making it very difficult to control during fully-automatic fire. The ArmaLite team used a solution previously used on weapons such as the German FG42 and Johnson light machine gun; they located the barrel in line with the stock, well below eye level, and raised the sights to eye level. The Fallschirmjägergewehr 42 ( FG42) was an Automatic rifle produced in Nazi Germany during World War II. The M1941 Johnson Light Machine Gun was an American recoil-operated Light machine gun designed in the late 1930s by Melvin Johnson. The rear sight was built into a carrying handle over the receiver.

The AR-10 was a very advanced design for its time. The AR-10 is an American 762 mm Battle rifle developed by Eugene Stoner in the late 1950s at Armalite, then a division Despite being over 2 lb (0. The pound or pound-mass (abbreviation lb, lbm, or sometimes in the United States #) is a unit of Mass 9 kg) lighter than the competition, it offered significantly greater accuracy and recoil control. Two prototype rifles were delivered to the U. S. Army's Springfield Armory for testing late in 1956. At this time, the U. S. armed forces were already two years into a service rifle evaluation program, and the AR-10 was a newcomer with respect to older, more fully-developed designs. Over Stoner's continued objections, George Sullivan had insisted that both prototypes be fitted with composite aluminum/steel barrels. Shortly after a composite barrel burst on one prototype in 1957, the AR-10 was rejected. The AR-10 was later produced by a Dutch firm, Artillerie Inrichtingen, and saw limited but successful military service with several foreign nations like Sudan and mainly Portugal using quite a large quantity as sniper rifles during the war in Angola until 1975. In Military and Law enforcement terminology a sniper rifle is a Rifle used to ensure Accurate placement of Bullets at longer Angola, officially the Republic of Angola (República de Angola Pronounced ʁɛˈpublikɐ dɨ ɐ̃ˈgɔlɐ Repubilika ya Ngola is a country in south-central Year 1975 ( MCMLXXV) was a Common year starting on Wednesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

CONARC

In 1957, a copy of Gustafson's funding request from 1955 found its way into the hands of General Willard G. Wyman, commander of the U. Willard Gordon Wyman ( March 21, 1898 - March 29, 1969) was a United States Army four star general who served as Commanding General S. Continental Army Command (CONARC). He immediately put together a team to develop a . 22 caliber (5. 56 mm) weapon for testing. Their finalized request called for a select-fire weapon of 6 pounds (2. 7 kg) when loaded with 20 rounds of ammunition. The bullet had to penetrate a standard U. S. steel helmet, body armor, or a 0. 135 inch (3. 4 mm) steel plate and retain a velocity in excess of the speed of sound at 500 yards (460 m), while equaling or exceeding the "wounding" ability of the .30 Carbine. ^[6][4]

Wyman had seen the AR-10 in an earlier demonstration, and impressed by its performance he personally suggested that ArmaLite enter a weapon for testing using a 5. 56 mm cartridge designed by Winchester. ^[4] Their first design, using conventional layout and wooden furniture, proved to be too light. When combined with a conventional stock, recoil was excessive in fully automatic fire. Their second design was simply a scaled-down AR-10, and immediately proved much more controllable. Winchester entered a design based loosely on their M1 Carbine, and Earle Harvey of Springfield attempted to enter a design, but was overruled by his superiors at Springfield, who refused to divert resources from the T44. The M1 Carbine (formally the United States Carbine Caliber.30 M1) is a lightweight semi-automatic Carbine that became a standard firearm in the

A U.S. Marine takes aim with an M16A2 fitted with the M203 40 mm grenade launcher.

In the end, ArmaLite's AR-15 had no competition. AR-15 (for Ar malite model 15, often mistaken for A utomatic R ifle is the common name for the widely-owned semi-automatic The lighter round allowed the rifle to be scaled down, and was smaller and lighter than the previous AR-10. The AR-15 weighed only around 5. 5 lb (2. The pound or pound-mass (abbreviation lb, lbm, or sometimes in the United States #) is a unit of Mass 5 kg) empty, 6 lb (2. The pound or pound-mass (abbreviation lb, lbm, or sometimes in the United States #) is a unit of Mass 7 kg) loaded (with a 20 round magazine).

During testing in March 1958, rainwater caused the barrels of both the ArmaLite and Winchester rifles to burst, causing the Army to once again press for a larger round, this time at . 256 in (7 mm). Inches redirects here To see the Les Savy Fav album see Inches. The Millimetre ( American spelling: millimeter, symbol mm) is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to Nevertheless, they suggested continued testing for cold-weather suitability in Alaska. Alaska ( Аляска Alyaska) is a state in the United States of America, in the northwest of the North American continent Stoner was later asked to fly in to replace several parts, and when he arrived he found the rifles had been improperly reassembled. When he returned he was surprised to learn that they too had rejected the design even before he had arrived; their report also endorsed the . 256 in (7 mm) round. Inches redirects here To see the Les Savy Fav album see Inches. The Millimetre ( American spelling: millimeter, symbol mm) is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to After reading these reports, General Maxwell Taylor became dead-set against the design, and pressed for continued production of the M14. General Maxwell Davenport Taylor ( August 26, 1901 &ndash April 19, 1987) was an American Soldier and Diplomat

Not all the reports were negative. In a series of mock-combat situations testing the AR-15, M14 and AK-47, the Army found that the AR-15's small size and light weight allowed it to be brought to bear much more quickly, just as CONARC had suggested. The AK-47 (contraction of Russian Автомат Калашникова образца 1947 года; Avtomat Kalashnikova obraztsa 1947 goda; "Kalashnikov's Their final conclusion was that an 8-man team equipped with the AR-15 would have the same firepower as a current 11-man team armed with the M14. They also found that the AR-15, as tested, was more reliable than the M14, suffering fewer stoppages and jams in tests where thousands of rounds were fired.

At this point, Fairchild had spent $1. 45 million in development expenses, and wished to divest itself of its small-arms business. Fairchild sold production rights for the AR-15 to Colt Firearms in December 1959, for only $75,000 cash and a 4. Colt's Manufacturing Company ( CMC --formerly Colt's Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company) is a United States Firearms manufacturer founded in 5% royalty on subsequent sales. In 1960, ArmaLite was reorganized, and Stoner left the company.

M16 adoption

Curtis LeMay viewed a demonstration of the AR-15 in July 1960. Curtis Emerson LeMay (15 November 1906–3 October 1990 was a General in the United States Air Force and the vice presidential running mate of American Independent He immediately ordered 8,500 for defense at Strategic Air Command airbases, later rescinded by Defense Secretary Robert McNamara. The Strategic Air Command (SAC was both a major command and a "specified command" in the U Robert Strange McNamara (born June 9 1916 in Oakland, California) is an American business executive and former United States Secretary of Defense Colt Industries also approached the Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA), who bought 1,000 rifles for use by South Vietnamese troops in the early summer of 1962. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA is an agency of the United States Department of Defense responsible for the development of new Technology "RVN" redirects here RVN is also the former callsign of a TV station in Wagga Wagga New South Wales Australia American special operations units and advisers working with the South Vietnamese troops filed battlefield reports lavishly praising the AR-15 and the stopping effectiveness of the 5. In most countries special forces (SF is a generic term for highly-trained Military teams/units that conduct specialized operations such as Reconnaissance 56 mm cartridge, and pressed for its adoption.

U. S. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara now had two conflicting views: the ARPA report favoring the AR-15 and the Pentagon's position on the M14. The United States Secretary of Defense ( SECDEF) is the head of the U Even President John F. Kennedy expressed concern, so McNamara ordered Secretary of the Army Cyrus Vance to test the M14, the AR-15 and the AK-47. John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy (May 29 1917&ndashNovember 22 1963 often referred to by his initials JFK, was the thirty-fifth President of Cyrus Roberts Vance ( Clarksburg West Virginia, March 27, 1917 &ndash January 12, 2002) was the United States Secretary of State The Army's test report stated only the M14 was suitable for Army use, but Vance wondered about the impartiality of those conducting the tests. He ordered the Army Inspector General to investigate the testing methods used, who reported that the testers showed favor to the M14.

U. S. Army Soldier cleans his XM16E1 rifle during the Vietnam War in 1966. The Vietnam War, also known as the Second Indochina War, or the Vietnam Conflict, occurred in Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia

Secretary Robert McNamara ordered a halt to M14 production in January 1964, after receiving reports that M14 production was insufficient to meet the needs of the armed forces. Secretary McNamara had long been a proponent of weapons program consolidation among the armed services. At the time, the AR-15 was the only rifle that could remotely fulfill a requirement of a 'universal' infantry weapon for issue to all services. McNamara ordered the weapon be adopted unmodified, in its current configuration, for immediate issue to all services, despite receiving reports noting several deficiencies with the M16 as a service rifle, including the lack of a chrome-lined bore and chamber, the 5. 56 mm projectile's instability under Arctic conditions, and the fact that large quantities of 5. 56 mm ammunition required for immediate service were not available. In addition, the Army insisted on the inclusion of a forward assist plunger to help push the bolt into battery in the event that a cartridge failed to seat in the chamber through fouling or corrosion. The forward assist on a Rifle is a button found commonly on M16 and AR-15 styled rifles usually located near the bolt closure that when hit The original Armalite already had a chrome-lined chamber to prevent corrosion. Colt on the other hand, had argued the rifle was a 'self-cleaning' design, requiring little or no maintenance. Colt, Eugene Stoner, and the U. S. Air Force believed that a forward assist needlessly complicated the rifle, adding about $4. 50 to its procurement cost with no real benefit. As a result, the design was split into two variants: the Air Force's M16 without the forward assist, and for the other service branches, the XM16E1 with the forward assist. The forward assist on a Rifle is a button found commonly on M16 and AR-15 styled rifles usually located near the bolt closure that when hit

In November 1964, the Army ordered 85,000 XM16E1s for experimental use, and the Air Force ordered another 19,000. ^[4] Meanwhile, the Army carried out another project, the Small Arms Weapons Systems (SAWS), on general infantry firearm needs in the immediate future. They highly recommended the immediate adoption of the weapon, so much so that they started referring to it as the M16. Later that year the Air Force officially accepted their first batch as the United States Rifle, Caliber 5. 56 mm, M16.

The Army immediately began to issue the XM16E1 (re-named M16 on its adoption) to infantry units, and the rifle was initially delivered without adequate cleaning supplies or kit. Moreover, the Army's inability to deliver 5. 56 mm ammunition meeting quantity and velocity specifications led to a change in powder specification for the 5. 56 mm cartridge. The change was made without testing the modified ammunition in the rifle under service conditions; the newly-specified 5. 56 ammunition increased the cyclic rate of fire, increasing wear on parts, and the new gunpowder's burning characteristics increased fouling in the M16 rifle.

When the XM16E1 reached Vietnam with U. Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially S. troops in 1966, reports of jamming and malfunctions in combat immediately began to surface. Although the M14 had a chrome-lined barrel and chamber to resist corrosion in combat conditions (a danger learned from WWII Pacific theatre combat experience), the M16/XM16E1 had no chrome-lined bore or chamber. Several documented accounts of troops killed by enemy fire with jammed rifles broken-down for cleaning eventually brought a Congressional investigation. Later investigations also cast doubt on the veracity of the original 1962 reports of the alleged stopping effectiveness of the 5. 56 mm bullet, as well as criticism of inadequate penetration (in comparison to the Soviet 7.62x39mm round) when firing at enemy personnel through light cover. The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR was a constitutionally Socialist state that existed in Eurasia from 1922 to 1991 The Soviet 762x39mm rifle cartridge was designed during World War II and first used in the SKS Carbine.

The XM16E1 was soon modified to the M16A1 specification. The revised rifle was finally given a chrome-lined bore and chamber to eliminate corrosion and stuck cartridges, and the rifle's bore and recoil mechanism was re-designed to accommodate Army-issued 5. 56 mm ammunition. Rifle cleaning tools and powder solvents/lubricants were issued. The Army ordered 840,000 of this version on February 28, 1967. Events 202 BC - coronation ceremony of Liu Bang as Emperor Gaozu of Han takes place initiating four centuries of the Han Dynasty 's rule Year 1967 ( MCMLXVII) was a Common year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the 1967 Gregorian calendar. Intensive training programs in weapons cleaning were instituted, and a comic book style manual was circulated among the troops to demonstrate proper maintenance. A comic book (often shortened to simply comic and sometimes called a comic paper or comic magazine) is a Magazine or Book of narrative ^[4] The reliability problems of the M16 diminished quickly, although the rifle's reputation continued to suffer. ^[4] Moreover, complaints about the inadequate penetration and stopping power of the 5. Stopping power is a Colloquial term used to describe the ability of a weapon to stop the actions of an individual through a penetrating ballistic injury 56 mm cartridge persisted throughout the Vietnam conflict.

NATO standardization

German Army soldiers of the 13th Panzergrenadier Division qualify with the M16 at Würzburg, as part of a partnership range with the U.S. 1st Infantry Division

In March 1970, the Pentagon shocked other NATO nations by stating all U. The German Army (Deutsches Heer heɐ) is the land component of the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. Würzburg (ˈvʏɐ̯ʦbʊɐ̯k is a city in the region of Franconia which lies in the northern tip of Bavaria, Germany The 1st Infantry Division of the United States Army &mdashnicknamed “ The Big Red One ” after its Shoulder patch; and also nicknamed " The Fighting The North Atlantic Treaty S. forces assigned to NATO would be equipped with the M16A1. The British military was highly vocal in voicing its anger after adopting the 7. 62 mm NATO round over their . 280 caliber (7. 1 mm) round nearly 20 years earlier. Now they were being told the U. S. recognized the need for such a caliber of firearm after all, and was willing to start the NATO standardization of a lighter round.

By the middle of the 1970s, other armies were also looking at an M16-style weapon. A NATO standardization effort soon started, and tests of various rounds were carried out starting in 1977. The U. S. offered their original design, the M193, with no modifications, but there were serious concerns about its penetration in the face of the wider introduction of body armor. A ballistic vest is an item of protective clothing that absorbs the impact from gun-fired Projectiles and shrapnel fragments from explosion The British offered a modified 5. 56 mm round, using a longer and thinner bullet of 4. 85 mm. The round had somewhat better ballistics, and considerably better penetration, able to reach 600 m and meet their requirements for a squad automatic weapon (light machine gun). For the weapon known in British Forces service as the LSW see SA80 For the weapon known in American service as the SAW see M249 A squad automatic For other uses of the phrase see Machine Gun (disambiguation. The Germans proposed a new 4. 7 mm caseless round, which was considerably lighter while offering similar ballistics to the original U. Caseless ammunition as a type of Small arms Ammunition eliminates the cartridge case that typically holds the Primer, propellant and projectile S. design. However, there was distrust in the caseless system due to the possibility of cook off. Cooking off (or thermally induced firing) refers to Ammunition exploding prematurely due to heat in the surrounding environment A final design was offered by the Belgians. Their SS109 round was based on the U. S. cartridge but included a new bullet design, with the same 5. 56 mm caliber, but with a small steel tip added to improve penetration.

Testing soon showed that the British and Belgian designs were roughly equal, both outperforming the original U. S. design. In order to get full performance from tracer versions of the SS109, however, barrels would have to use different rifling. Rifling refers to the Helix -shaped pattern in the barrel of a Firearm, which imparts a spin to a Projectile around its long axis Existing 12 in (305 mm) twist barrels reduced the effective range of the SS109 to 90 meters due to lack of stability. Inches redirects here To see the Les Savy Fav album see Inches. The Millimetre ( American spelling: millimeter, symbol mm) is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to Twist rate is a Gun term that refers to the rate of twist of a Gun barrel 's Rifling grooves While the ideal twist rate for the SS109 projectile is 9 in (229 mm), a 7 in (178 mm) twist rate was chosen to stabilize the much longer L110 tracer. This tracer was designed to complement the SS109's ballistic performance. The M196 tracer (complement to the M193 ball round) had a burn-out range of 450 meters where the L110 tracer was bright to 800 meters. In the end the Belgian round was chosen. The U. S. Marine Corps was first to adopt the round with the M16A2, introduced in 1982. This was to become the standard U. S. military rifle. The NATO standard ammunition produced for U. S. forces is designated M855 for the ball round using an SS109 type projectile and M856 for the tracer using the L110 type projectile.

Total worldwide production of M16-style weapons since the design's inception has been approximately 8 million.

Future replacement

Overview

In the 1980s, the new Squad Automatic Weapon M249 was issued to infantry units, replacing all M60s and some M16A1s at the squad level. The M249 Squad Automatic Weapon ( M249 SAW) is the United States military designation for a sub-family of the FN Minimi Squad automatic The M60 (formally the United States Machine Gun Caliber 762 mm M60) is a family of American General purpose machine guns firing 7 In the 1990s the M4 Carbine took over the operational role of the obsolete M3 Grease Gun, some Beretta M9s, and many M16A2s. The M3 is an American.45 caliber Submachine gun that uses the. The US Air Force currently plans to replace all of its M16s with M4s, according to a 2004 presentation. The US Army and Marine Corps have largely relegated the M16A2 to non-combat roles, choosing instead the M16A4 and M4. Further, the M16 never entirely replaced the M14 in all roles, which continues to be used in a number of niche applications throughout the Armed Forces, especially with the US Navy.

Replacement of the M16 family has been proposed at various points, and its longevity is in part due to a series of failures in projects meant to replace it, driven largely by the requirement for a significant improvement. Immediately after the introduction of the M16, the Marine Corps sought to adopt the Stoner 63. The Stoner 63 is a modular firearm system designed by Eugene Stoner and engineered by Jim Sullivan by scaling down the earlier Stoner 62 Although they found it superior in most ways, it was still at an early stage of development; the Marines chose the technically inferior but mature M16. The Advanced Combat Rifle (ACR) program in the 1980s produced weapons that were superior in some ways, but none improved upon the M16 series enough to replace it. The Advanced Combat Rifle was a US Army program to find a replacement for the M16 Assault rifle. It was also potentially going to be replaced by the SABR, from the OICW project. See XM29 OICW for more information on that subset of the overall program The Objective The weapon system originally planned by the OICW project was put on hold around the turn of century, in favor of a simpler new 5. 56 mm rifle project that offered less far-reaching improvements. The resulting XM8 rifle was also intended as a potential replacement for the M16 family. The XM8 is a developmental US military designation and project name for a lightweight Assault rifle system that was under development by the United States Army However, this program too ran into problems around 2004-5, and was put on hold in favor of a competition for what became known as the OICW Increment 1. This competition was subsequently put on hold in the summer of 2005 to take into account input from other services, and several months later was cancelled outright.

Another potential replacement for the M16 rifle is the Special Forces Combat Assault Rifle (SCAR) called the Mark 16 (MK 16). The SOF Combat Assault Rifle, or SCAR, is a modular Rifle made by Fabrique Nationale de Herstal (FNH for the U The 5. 56x45 MK 16 emerged as the winner of a U. S. SOCOM competition to find a new rifle for Special Forces in 2003. Development by FN Herstal continues and introduction for special forces is expected in late 2007 or early 2008. Fabrique Nationale de Herstal, more often abbreviated as Fabrique Nationale or simply FN, is a Belgian manufacturer of Firearms The official The Mk. 16 offers different length barrels for close quarters combat and for longer-range engagements. Most of the SCAR's basic controls (pistol grip, magazine release, selector lever, and bolt release) share the same location and function as on the M16 and M4 they are supplementing.

Background

Throughout the 1970s, the Army experimented with various materials to replace brass in cartridge casings. Brass has a number of features that make it almost ideal for a cartridge, including low friction against steel, making it easier to extract, and the ease of which casings can be manufactured. However, brass is also dense and expensive, so replacing it could lower both the cost and weight of the ammunition.

Aluminum and steel were popular materials for complete rounds, and AAI successfully developed a plastic blank. However, none of these materials ever entered production for a variety of reasons. Completely caseless ammunition was also studied on several occasions, notably the German 4. 7 mm designs, but issues with reliability and "cook off" were never completely solved.

Colt ACR/M16A2E2 fitted with ELCAN scope (second from top to bottom)

Later in the 1980s, the Advanced Combat Rifle program was run to find a replacement for the M16. The Advanced Combat Rifle was a US Army program to find a replacement for the M16 Assault rifle. The Army was pressing for a 100% increase in the ability for infantry to hit their targets, in the same way that SALVO had aimed to increase effectiveness by 100% through increased rate of fire.

Colt entered a modified M16A2 known as the Colt ACR, which used duplex rounds, a system that lowered recoil by 40% to improve repeating shots, and added a 3. 5x scope. This weapon, designated M16A2E2, also featured a "guide" of sorts as part of a special handguard developed by the U. S. Army Human Engineering Laboratory (HEL) designed to assist in snap-shooting, and a carbine style stock very similar to the recent stock developed by the Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division.

The Steyr ACR used new flechette ammunition that was nominally called 5. The Steyr ACR was a prototype Flechette -firing " Assault rifle " built for the US Army 's Advanced Combat Rifle program of 1989 56 mm, with a very high 4,750 ft/s (1,448 m/s) muzzle velocity. The foot per second (plural feet per second) is a unit of both Speed (scalar and Velocity (vector quantity which includes direction Other variants experimented with caseless ammunition technologies as well. Caseless ammunition as a type of Small arms Ammunition eliminates the cartridge case that typically holds the Primer, propellant and projectile

Although they all offered some improvement, none came close to the benchmark set for the testing.

More recently, the Army started the XM8 system project for a radically improved weapon. The XM8 is a developmental US military designation and project name for a lightweight Assault rifle system that was under development by the United States Army However, the program was shelved in favor of an open competition for what became known as OICW Increment 1. (Increment 2 is the stand-alone airbursting grenade launcher known as the XM25, and Increment 3 will be the XM29, a weapon which combines the earlier two increments. The XM25 is an airburst Grenade launcher derived from the XM29 OICW. ) The OICW-1 competition was cancelled on October 31, 2005. Events 445 BC – Ezra reads the Book of the Law to the Israelites in Jerusalem (see Nehemiah 91 NLTse Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Design details

Top drawing is of an A2-style rifle; bottom drawing is of an A2-style rifle with A1 rear sights (as with the Diemaco C7)

The M16's receivers are made of aluminum alloy, its barrel, bolt, and bolt carrier of steel, and its handguards, pistol grip, and buttstock of plastics. The Colt Canada C7 rifle is a Service rifle variation of the M16 rifle that is manufactured by Diemaco / Colt Canada, a subsidiary of Colt WikipediaNaming Plastic is the general common term for a wide range of synthetic or semisynthetic organic solid materials suitable for the manufacture of industrial products Early models were especially lightweight at 6. 5 lb (2. The pound or pound-mass (abbreviation lb, lbm, or sometimes in the United States #) is a unit of Mass 9 kg). This was significantly less than older 7. 62 mm "battle rifles" of the 1950s and 1960s. It also compares with the 11 lb (5 kg) (loaded) AK-47. The pound or pound-mass (abbreviation lb, lbm, or sometimes in the United States #) is a unit of Mass The AK-47 (contraction of Russian Автомат Калашникова образца 1947 года; Avtomat Kalashnikova obraztsa 1947 goda; "Kalashnikov's M16A2 and later variants weigh more (8. 5 lb (3. The pound or pound-mass (abbreviation lb, lbm, or sometimes in the United States #) is a unit of Mass 9 kg) loaded) because of the adoption of a thicker barrel profile. The thicker barrel is more resistant to damage when handled roughly and is also slower to overheat during sustained fire. Unlike a traditional "bull" barrel that is thick its entire length, the M16A2's barrel is only thick forward of the handguards. The barrel profile under the handguards remained the same as the M16A1 for compatibility with the M203 grenade launcher. M203 is a single shot 40 mm Grenade launcher that attaches to the M16 Assault rifle or the M4 Carbine used by the Military The rifle is the same length as the M16A2.

One distinctive ergonomic feature is a plastic or metal stock directly behind the action, which contains a recoil spring. This article is about backward Momentum produced in firearms when fired ^[7] This serves the dual function of operating spring and recoil buffer. ^[7] The stock being in line with the bore reduces muzzle rise, especially during automatic fire. Because recoil does not significantly shift the point of aim, user fatigue is reduced.

Another distinctive ergonomic feature is a carrying handle on top of the receiver where the rear sight is located. This design is a by-product of the original design where the carry handle served to protect the charging handle and mount a scope. ^[7] In practice, the handle is rarely used to carry the weapon; holding the weapon by the pistol grip provides quicker response time while a shoulder sling provides a more convenient option when response time is not a concern. More importantly, with the sight plane 2. 5 in (63. Inches redirects here To see the Les Savy Fav album see Inches. 5 mm) over the bore, the M16 has an inherent parallax problem that can be confounding to shooters. The Millimetre ( American spelling: millimeter, symbol mm) is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to At closer ranges (typically inside 15–20 meters), the shooter must aim high in order to place shots where desired.

Newer models have a "flattop" upper receiver with a Picatinny mounting rail, to which the user can attach either a conventional sighting system or numerous optical devices such as night vision scopes. Night vision is the ability to see in a dark environment Whether by biological or technological means night vision is made possible by a combination of two approaches sufficient

The M16 utilizes direct impingement gas operation; energy from high-pressure gas tapped from a non-adjustable port built into the front sight assembly actuates the moving parts in the weapon. Direct impingement is a type of gas operation for a Firearm that directs gas from a fired cartridge directly to the bolt carrier or slide assembly Gas-operation is a system of operation used to provide energy to operate Autoloading firearms Combustion gases travel via a gas tube above the barrel directly into a chamber in the bolt carrier behind the bolt itself, pushing the carrier away from the bolt. This reduces the number of moving parts by eliminating the need for a separate piston and cylinder and it provides better performance in rapid fire by keeping reciprocating masses on the same axis as the bore.

A U. S. Marine with an M16A4 equipped with an ACOG

The primary criticism of direct impingement is that fouling and debris from expended gunpowder is blown directly into the breech. The Advanced Combat Optical Gunsight (normally abbreviated ACOG) is a commonly used Telescopic sight for Firearms particularly Carbines and As the superheated combustion gas travels down the tube, it expands and cools, not unlike an aerosol can cool when depressurized. This cooling causes vaporized matter to condense as it cools depositing a much greater volume of solids into the operating components of the action. The increased fouling can cause malfunctions if the rifle is not cleaned as frequently as should be. The amount of sooting deposits tends to vary with powder specification, caliber, and gas port design.

Operation

The weapon is cleared by removing the magazine, pulling the charging handle to the rear, and inspecting the chamber. To load, the magazine is inserted into the well. To prepare the weapon for firing, the weapon is cocked by pulling the charging handle to the rear, and letting go to ensure the bolt closes properly. "Riding" the charging handle often causes the bolt to fail to close properly.

When the magazine is exhausted, the bolt locks to the rear; by replacing the empty magazine with a fresh one, and pressing the bolt release, a new round is chambered and the soldier may immediately commence firing.

In event of a stoppage while firing, soldiers in many countries are taught to perform the SPORTS drill immediately, without attempting to identify the cause of the stoppage. In this drill, the magazine is slapped to ensure that it is properly seated. The charging handle is pulled to the rear and the chamber is observed to ensure it is not fouled. The charging handle is released to chamber the round, the forward assist is tapped to ensure proper bolt closure, and the trigger is squeezed to fire.

Production and usage

The M16 is the most commonly manufactured 5. 56x45mm rifle in the world. Currently, the M16/M4 system is in use by 15 NATO countries and more than 80 countries world wide. Together, the U.S. and Canada (as the C7) have produced more than 8,000,000 units with approximately 90% still in operation. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The Colt Canada C7 rifle is a Service rifle variation of the M16 rifle that is manufactured by Diemaco / Colt Canada, a subsidiary of Colt ^[8]

In U. S. service, the M16 primarily replaced the M14 and M1 Carbine series as standard infantry rifles, and to a lesser extent, some of the jobs of the BAR Light automatic rifle. The M1 Carbine (formally the United States Carbine Caliber.30 M1) is a lightweight semi-automatic Carbine that became a standard firearm in the The BAR (short for Browning Automatic Rifle is a family of American 7 The M14 continues to see service, just not as the primary service rifle. It is used as a sniper rifle, designated marksman rifle and several smaller niche areas. In Military and Law enforcement terminology a sniper rifle is a Rifle used to ensure Accurate placement of Bullets at longer The Designated Marksman (DM is a military Marksman role in a U

In addition to the United States of America (the country of origin), users of the M16 rifle and its variants have included and are: ^[9]

Variants

For more details on M16 variants, see AR-15 variants

AR-15 (Colt Models 601 & 602)

Main article: AR-15

Colt's first two models produced after the acquisition of the rifle from ArmaLite were the 601 and 602, and these rifles were in many ways clones of the original ArmaLite rifle (in fact, these rifles were often found stamped Colt ArmaLite AR-15). The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Afghanistan /æfˈgænɪstæn/ officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan ( Pashto: د افغانستان اسلامي جمهوریت, For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Argentina topics. 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Bosnia and Herzegovina ( Latin script: Bosna i Hercegovina, Cyrillic script: Босна и Херцеговина is a country on the Balkan Brunei Darussalam, (bruːˈnaɪ in English officially the State of Brunei Abode of Peace (Negara Brunei Darussalam Jawi: برني دارالسلام The Kingdom of Cambodia ( formerly known as Kampuchea (, transliterated: Preăh Réachéanachâkr Kâmpŭchea) is a country in South East The Republic of Cameroon is a unitary republic of central and western Africa. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The Colt Canada C7 rifle is a Service rifle variation of the M16 rifle that is manufactured by Diemaco / Colt Canada, a subsidiary of Colt Chile, officially the Republic of Chile ( Spanish:) is a country in South America occupying a long and narrow Coastal strip wedged between the Colombia (kəˈlʌmbɪə officially the Republic of Colombia () is a country in northwestern South America. 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It borders Côte d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast to the west Burkina Faso to the north Togo to the Greece (Ελλάδα transliterated: Elláda, historically, Ellás,) officially the Hellenic Republic (Ελληνική Δημοκρατία Grenada (grɪˈneɪdə is an Island nation that includes the southern Grenadines in the southeastern Caribbean Sea. Haiti ( English: ˈheɪ·tiː or haɪ·ˈjiː·tiː French Haïti a·i·ti Haitian Creole: Honduras in Spanish, República de Honduras) is a democratic republic in Central America. Hungary (Magyarország 'mɔɟɔrorsaːg) officially in English the Republic of Hungary ( Magyar Köztársaság, literally Magyar (Hungarian Republic India, officially the Republic of India (भारत गणराज्य inc-Latn Bhārat Gaṇarājya; see also other Indian languages) is a country The Republic of Indonesia ( (Republik Indonesia is a Country in Southeast Asia. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iraq topics. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Israel topics. Italy (Italia officially the Italian Republic, (Repubblica Italiana is located on the Italian Peninsula in Southern Europe, and on the two largest For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Japan topics. Jordan, officially the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan (الأردنّ al-Urdunn) is an Arab country in Southwest Asia spanning the southern Jamaica (ˈdʒəˈmeɪkə} is an Island nation of the Greater Antilles, in length and as much as in width situated in the Caribbean Sea. The State of Kuwait ( دولة الكويت IPA [dawlatt̪ alkuwajt̪]) is a sovereign Arab Emirate on the coast of the Persian Gulf, enclosed Latvia ( Latvija officially the Republic of Latvia (Latvijas Republika is a Country in Northern Europe in the Baltic region. 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New Zealand is an Island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses (the North Island and the South Island Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional Laos (ˈlɑːoʊs or /ˈlaʊs/ officially the Lao People's Democratic Republic, is a Landlocked country in Southeast Asia, bordered by Burma Nigeria, officially named the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal Constitutional republic comprising thirty-six states and one Federal The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands Oman, officially the Sultanate of Oman ( Arabic: سلطنة عُمان) is an Arab Country in Southwest Asia on the southeast Pakistan () officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country located in South Asia, Southwest Asia, Middle East and Panama, officially the Republic of Panama (República de Panamá) is the southernmost country of Central America. The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP Portugal, officially the Portuguese Republic (República Portuguesa is a country on the Iberian Peninsula. Qatar ( قطر; ˈqɑtˁɑr local pronunciation giṭar officially the State of Qatar (Arabic دولة قطر transliterated The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, KSA ( المملكة العربية السعودية, al-Mamlaka al-ʻArabiyya as-Suʻūdiyya) or Suudi Singapore South Korea, officially the Republic of Korea and often referred to as Korea ( Korean: 대한민국 tɛː Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka ( Sinhalese:, இலங்கை known as Ceylon before 1972 is an Island REPUBLIC OF CHINA ARTICLE GUIDELINES Rhodesia was the name adopted when the formerly British colony of Southern Rhodesia declared itself independent ( Unilateral Declaration of Independence The Kingdom of Thailand (ˈtaɪlænd ราชอาณาจักรไทย, râːtɕʰa-ʔaːnaːtɕɑ̀k-tʰɑj East Timor, also known as Timor-Leste (officially the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste) is a country in Southeast Asia. Tunisia (تونس Tūnis officially the Tunisian Republic ( is a country located in North Africa. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located Uruguay.(official full name in República Oriental del Uruguay;, Oriental Republic of Uruguay) is a country located in the southeastern part of South America Vietnam (ˌviːɛtˈnɑːm Việt Nam) officially Venezuela (ˌvɛnəˈzweɪlə) officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (Spanish República Bolivariana de Venezuela) is a country on the Yemen ( Arabic: اليَمَن al-Yaman officially the Republic of Yemen ( Arabic: الجمهورية اليمنية al-Jumhuuriyya The Republic of Zaire (pronunciation; République du Zaïre was the name of the present Democratic Republic of the Congo between October 27, 1971 This article will help summarize the many variations on the AR-15 family of weapons AR-15 (for Ar malite model 15, often mistaken for A utomatic R ifle is the common name for the widely-owned semi-automatic The 601 and 602 are easily identified by their "slab-sided" lower receivers without the commonly found "fencing" around the magazine well, and in certain cases their green or brown furniture. The 601 was adopted first of any of the rifles by the USAF, and was quickly supplemented with the XM16 (Colt Model 602) and later the M16 (Colt Model 604) as improvements were made. There was also a limited purchase of 602s, and a number of both of these rifles found their way to a number of Special Operations units then operating in South East Asia, most notably the U.S. Navy SEALs. The only major difference between the 601 and 602 is the switch from the original 1:14-inch rifling twist to the more common 1:12-inch twist.

M16

An early M16 rifle: note "duckbill" flash suppressor, triangular grip, and the lack of forward assist and brass deflector

Variant originally adopted by the USAF. This was the first M16 adopted operationally. This variant had triangular handguards, a three-pronged flash suppressor, and no forward assist. Bolt carriers were originally chrome plated and slick-sided, lacking any notches for a forward assist. Later, the chrome plated carriers were dropped in favor of Army issued notched and parkerized carriers. Parkerizing (also called phosphating and phosphatizing) is a method of protecting a Steel surface from Corrosion and increasing its resistance The Air Force continues to operate these weapons and upgrades them as parts wear or break and through attrition.

XM16E1 and M16A1

The prototype army-version, XM16E1, was essentially the same weapon as the M16 with the addition of a forward assist. The forward assist on a Rifle is a button found commonly on M16 and AR-15 styled rifles usually located near the bolt closure that when hit The M16A1 was the finalized production model. To address issues raised by the XM16E1's testing cycle, a "bird-cage" flash suppressor replaced the XM16E1's three-pronged flash suppressor, which was too easy for foreign material to get into and which caught on twigs and leaves. After numerous problems in the field, various changes were made. Cleaning kits were developed and issued; barrels with chromed chambers and later fully-chromed bores were introduced. The number of malfunctions due to fouling and corrosion declined and later troops were generally unfamiliar with early problems. A rib was built into the side of the receiver on the XM16E1 to help prevent accidentally pressing the magazine release button when closing the ejection port cover and perhaps also to protect the receiver from wear from the cover hitting up against it. This rib was later extended on production M16A1s to help in preventing the magazine release from inadvertently being pressed. The bolt cam pin and the hole it rides in the bolt were tapered to prevent the bolt from being inserted upside down (creating a failure to fire). The M16A1 remains in service in extremely limited numbers, mainly as a training aid. It has, however, been widely exported abroad.

M16A2

New rear sight, brass deflector and forward assist of M16A2

A Marine with an M16A2 on a training exercise at Camp Baharia, Iraq, 2004. Once a Baathist resort in Iraq, Camp Dreamland is now the smaller of two major U An M1 Abrams tank is in the background

The development of the M16A2 rifle was originally requested by the United States Marine Corps as a result of the USMC's combat experiences in Vietnam with the M16 and M16A1. The M1 Abrams is a main battle tank produced in the United States. ^[2] The Marines were the first branch of the US Armed Forces to adopt the M16A2 in the early/mid 1980s with the United States Army following suit in adopting the M16A2 in the late 1980s. The United States Army is a military organization whose primary mission is to "provide necessary forces and capabilities. Modifications to the M16A2 were more extensive. In addition to the new rifling, the barrel was made with a greater thickness in front of the front sight post to resist bending in the field, allow for cooling between shots, and the stepped-up design allowed use of the M203 grenade launcher to be used with the weapon. ^[2] The front sight was now a square post with 4 detent positions in order to refine the sight picture. A new adjustable rear sight was added, allowing the rear sight to be dialed in for specific range settings between 300 and 800 meters to take full advantage of the ballistic characteristics of the new SS109 rounds and to allow windage adjustments without the need of a tool or cartridge. ^[2] The flash suppressor was again modified, this time to be closed on the bottom so it would not kick up dirt or snow when being fired from the prone position, and acting as a recoil compensator. Muzzle brakes and recoil compensators are devices that are fitted to the muzzle of a Firearm or Cannon to redirect propellant gases with ^[11] The front grip was modified from the original triangular shape to a round one, which better fit smaller hands and could be fit to older models of M16s. ^[2] The new handguards were also symmetrical so that armories needn't separate left and right spares. The handguard retention ring was angled to make it easier to install and uninstall the handguards. ^[2] The pistol grip adds a notch for the middle finger and more texture to enhance the grip. The buttstock was lengthened by 5/8 inch (16 mm). ^[2] The new buttstock is ten times stronger than the original due to advances in polymer technology since the early 1960s. Original M16 stocks were made from fiberglass-impregnated resin; current stocks are engineered from DuPont Zytel glass-filled thermoset polymers. The new stock includes a fully textured polymer buttplate for better grip on the shoulder, and retains a panel for accessing a small compartment inside the stock often used for storing a basic cleaning kit. The heavier bullet reduces muzzle velocity from 3,200 feet per second (975 m/s), to about 3,050 feet per second (930 m/s). A gun's muzzle velocity is the speed at which the Projectile leaves the muzzle of the gun The A2 also uses a faster twist rifling to allow the use of a trajectory-matched tracer round. A spent case deflector was incorporated into the upper receiver to prevent casings from striking left-handed users. ^[2]

The action was also modified, replacing the fully-automatic setting with a three-round burst setting. ^[2] When using a fully-automatic weapon, poorly trained troops often hold down the trigger and "spray" when under fire. The U. S. Army concluded that three-shot groups provide an optimum combination of ammunition conservation, accuracy and firepower. There are mechanical flaws in the M16A2 burst mechanism. The trigger group does not reset when the trigger is released. If the user releases the trigger between the second and third round of the burst, for example, the next trigger pull would only result in a single shot. Even in semi-automatic mode, the trigger group mechanism affects weapon handling. With each round fired, the trigger group cycles through one of the three stages of the burst mechanism. Worse, the trigger pull at each of these stages may vary as much as 6 lbf (27 N) in pressure differential, detracting from accuracy. This article deals with the unit of force For the unit of mass see Pound (mass. The newton (symbol N) is the SI derived unit of Force, named after Isaac Newton in recognition of his work on Classical

All together, the M16A2s new features added weight and complexity to the M16 series. Critics also point out that neither of the rear sight apertures is ideally sized. The smaller aperture was described as being too small, making quick acquisition of the front sight post difficult; and the larger aperture was described as being too large, resulting in decreased accuracy. To make matters worse, the rear sight apertures are not machined to be on the same plane. In other words, the point of impact changes when the user changes from one aperture to the other. The rear sight's range adjustment feature is rarely used in combat as soldiers tend to leave the rear sight on its lowest range setting: 300 meters. Despite criticism, a new rifle was needed both to comply with NATO standardization of the SS109 (M855) and to replace aging Vietnam era weapons in the inventory.

M16A3

The M16A3 was a fully-automatic variant of the M16A2 adopted in small numbers around the time of the introduction of the M16A2, primarily by the U. S. Navy for use by SEAL, SeaBee, and Security units. ^[12] It features a Safe-Semi-Auto (S-1-F) trigger group like that of the M16A1.

Some confusion continues to exist regarding the M16A3. It is often described as the fully-automatic version of the M16A4. Descriptions of the M16A3 that claim that it shares the M16A4's Picatinny rail are incorrect. The Picatinny rail (ˈpɪkətɪni or /ˌpɪkəˈtɪni/ is a bracket used on some Firearms in order to provide a standardized mounting platform This misunderstanding most likely stems from the usage of the A2 and A3 designations by Colt and other manufacturers of weapons before the official adoption of the M16A4. Many manufacturers of civilian AR15 rifles designate variants with flat top confirmations as "A3" rather than "A4. " Colt used the "A3" designation in the hopes of winning military contracts as they also did with the terms, "M4" and "M5. "

M16A4

US Marines aboard the USS Essex zero their M16A4 rifles

The M16A4, now standard issue for front-line U. History Essex conducted an arduous and highly successful training program during the spring of 1993, and from August 18th until November 23rd was undergoing S. Marine Corps and some U. S. Army units, replaces the combination fixed carry handle/rear iron sight with a MIL-STD-1913 Picatinny rail, allowing for the rifle to be equipped with a carry handle and/or most military and consumer scopes or sighting systems. The Picatinny rail (ˈpɪkətɪni or /ˌpɪkəˈtɪni/ is a bracket used on some Firearms in order to provide a standardized mounting platform ^[12] Most of the U. S. Marine Corps' M16A4s are equipped with a Knight's Armament Company M5 RAS handguard, allowing vertical grips, lasers, tactical lights, and other accessories to be attached. Knight's Armament Company ( KAC, also Knight's Manufacturing Company) is an American Firearms and firearms parts manufacturer In U. S. Army Field Manuals, M16A4s fitted with the RAS are sometimes referred to as M16A4 MWS or Modular Weapon System. This model retains the 3-round burst mode of the M16A2. ^[12]

Specialist variants

Colt Model 655 and 656 "Sniper" variants

With the expanding conflict in South East Asia, Colt developed two rifles of the M16 pattern for evaluation as possible light sniper or designated marksman rifles. The Colt Model 655 M16A1 Special High Profile was essentially a standard A1 rifle with a heavier barrel and a scope mount that attached to the rifle's carry handle. The Colt Model 656 M16A1 Special Low Profile had a special upper receiver with no carrying handle. Instead, it had a low-profile iron sight adjustable for windage and a Weaver base for mounting a scope, a precursor to the Colt and Picatinny rails. It also had a hooded front iron sight in addition to the heavy barrel. Both rifles came standard with either a Leatherwood/Realist scope 3-9x Adjustable Ranging Telescope. Some of them were fitted with a Sionics noise and flash suppressor. Neither of these rifles were ever standardized.

These weapons can be seen in many ways to be predecessors of the U. S. Army's SDM-R and the USMC's SAM-R weapons. The United States Army Squad Designated Marksman Rifle ( SDM-R) is a heavily modified M16 -series Rifle that provides increased accuracy over range Samr redirects here for the name Sámr see Sam. The Squad Advanced Marksman Rifle ( SAM-R) gives U

XM177, M4 Carbine, and Colt Model 733

Main article: CAR-15

An M4 Carbine (foreground) and two M16A2 (background) being fired by U. The Colt Automatic Rifle-15 Military Weapons System or CAR-15 was a family of AR-15 and M16 rifle -based firearms marketed by Colt in the S. Marines during live fire exercise: though adopted in the 1990s and derived from the M16A2, the M4 Carbine was part of a long line of short-barreled AR-15 used in the U. A live fire exercise is any Exercise in which a realistic scenario for the use of specific equipment is simulated AR-15 (for Ar malite model 15, often mistaken for A utomatic R ifle is the common name for the widely-owned semi-automatic S. military

In Vietnam, some soldiers were issued a carbine version of the M16 called the XM177. A carbine is a Firearm similar to a Rifle or Musket, but generally shorter and of lesser power The Colt Automatic Rifle-15 Military Weapons System or CAR-15 was a family of AR-15 and M16 rifle -based firearms marketed by Colt in the The XM177 had a shorter 10 in (254 mm) barrel and a telescoping stock, which made it substantially more compact. Inches redirects here To see the Les Savy Fav album see Inches. The Millimetre ( American spelling: millimeter, symbol mm) is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to It also possessed a combination flash hider/sound moderator to reduce problems with muzzle flash and loud report. The USAF's GAU-5/A (XM177) and the U. S. Army's XM177E1 variants differed over the latter’s inclusion of a forward assist. The final USAF GAU-5A/A and U. S. Army XM177E2 had an 11. 5 in (292 mm) barrel with a longer flash/sound suppressor. Inches redirects here To see the Les Savy Fav album see Inches. The Millimetre ( American spelling: millimeter, symbol mm) is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to The lengthening of the barrel was to support the attachment of Colt's own XM148 40 mm grenade launcher. The XM148 was an experimental 40 mm Grenade launcher developed by Colt Firearms as the CGL-4 (Colt Grenade Launcher These versions were also known as the Colt Commando model commonly referenced and marketed as the CAR-15. The variants were issued in limited numbers to special forces, helicopter crews, Air Force pilots, officers, radio operators, artillerymen, and troops other than front line riflemen.

Main article: M4 carbine

The M4 carbine was developed from various outgrowths of these designs, including a number of 14. 5 in (368 mm)-barreled A1 style carbines. Inches redirects here To see the Les Savy Fav album see Inches. The Millimetre ( American spelling: millimeter, symbol mm) is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to The XM4 (Colt Model 720) started its trials in the mid-80s, with a 14. 5-inch (368mm) barrel. Officially adopted as a replacement for the M3 "Grease Gun" (and the Beretta M9 and M16A2 for select troops) in 1994, it was used with great success in the Balkans and in more recent conflicts, including the Afghanistan and Iraq theaters. The M3 is an American.45 caliber Submachine gun that uses the. The M9 handgun formally Pistol Semiautomatic 9mm M9, is a 9x19mm Parabellum pistol of the U The War in Afghanistan, which began on October 7 2001 as the U The 2003 invasion of Iraq, from March 20 to May 1 2003 was spearheaded by the United States, backed by British forces and smaller contingents from Australia It is three round burst on the standard carbine, and full auto on the M4A1 Carbine.

M231 FPW

Colt also returned to the original "Commando" idea, with its Model 733, essentially a modernized XM177E2 with many of the features introduced on the M16A2. A more complete history of this weapon can be found with other information on the Colt Commando. The Colt Automatic Rifle-15 Military Weapons System or CAR-15 was a family of AR-15 and M16 rifle -based firearms marketed by Colt in the

A Firing Port Weapon or FPW was also developed to work with the Bradley IFV, designated the M231. The M2 Bradley IFV (Infantry Fighting Vehicle and M3 Bradley CFV (Cavalry Fighting Vehicle are American Infantry fighting vehicles manufactured by The Colt M231 Firing Port Weapon (FPW is an adapted version of the M16 Assault rifle for firing from ports on the M2/M3 Bradley AFV.

Mk 4 Mod 0

A SEAL carrying a Colt Commando variant.

The Mk 4 Mod 0 was a variant of the M16A1 produced for the U. S. Navy SEALs during the conflict in Vietnam and adopted in April 1970. It differed from the basic M16A1 primarily in being optimized for maritime operations and coming equipped with a sound suppressor. Most of the operating parts of the rifle were coated in Kal-Guard, a quarter-inch hole was drilled through the stock and buffer tube for drainage, and an O-ring was added to the end of the buffer assembly. The weapon could reportedly be carried to the depth of 200 feet (60 m) without damage. The initial Mk 2 Mod 0 Blast Suppressor was based on the U. S. Army's Human Engineering Lab's (HEL) M4 noise suppressor. The HEL M4 vented gas directly from the action, requiring a modified bolt carrier. A gas deflector was added to the charging handle to prevent gas from contacting the user. Thus, the HEL M4 suppressor was permanently mounted though it allowed normal semi-automatic and automatic operation. If the HEL M4 suppressor were removed, the weapon would have to be manually loaded after each single shot. On the other hand, the Mk 2 Mod 0 blast suppressor was considered an integral part of the Mk 4 Mod 0 rifle, but it would function normally if the suppressor were removed. The Mk 2 Mod 0 blast suppressor also drained water much more quickly and did not require any modification to the bolt carrier or to the charging handle. In the late 1970s, the Mk 2 Mod 0 blast suppressor was replaced by the Mk 2 blast suppressor made by Knight's Armament Company (KAC). The KAC suppressor can be fully submerged and water will drain out in less than eight seconds. It will operate without degradation even if the M16A1 is fired at the maximum rate of fire. The U. S. Army replaced the HEL M4 with the much simpler Studies in Operational Negation of Insurgency and Counter-Subversion (SIONICS) MAW-A1 noise and flash suppressor.

International variants

C7 and C8

Canadian Forces Reserve infantrymen train in urban operations with C7 and C8 rifles. The Canadian Forces (CF ( French: Forces canadiennes) are the unified Armed forces of Canada, governed by the National Defence

Main article: Colt Canada C7 rifle

The Diemaco C7 and C8 are updated variants of the M16 developed and used by the Canadian Forces and are now manufactured by Colt Canada. The Colt Canada C7 rifle is a Service rifle variation of the M16 rifle that is manufactured by Diemaco / Colt Canada, a subsidiary of Colt Diemaco was a Canadian Firearms and defence company based in Kitchener, Ontario. The Colt Canada C7 rifle is a Service rifle variation of the M16 rifle that is manufactured by Diemaco / Colt Canada, a subsidiary of Colt The Colt Canada C7 rifle is a Service rifle variation of the M16 rifle that is manufactured by Diemaco / Colt Canada, a subsidiary of Colt The Canadian Forces (CF ( French: Forces canadiennes) are the unified Armed forces of Canada, governed by the National Defence Diemaco was a Canadian Firearms and defence company based in Kitchener, Ontario. The C7 is a further development of the experimental M16A1E1. Like earlier M16s, it can be fired in either single shot or automatic mode, instead of the burst function selected for the M16A2. The C7 also features the structural strengthening, improved handguards, and longer stock developed for the M16A2. Diemaco changed the trapdoor in the buttstock to make it easier to access and a half-inch spacer is available to adjust stock length to user preference. The most easily noticeable external difference between American M16A2s and Diemaco C7s is the retention of the A1 style rear sights. Not easily apparent is Diemaco's use of hammer-forged barrels. The Canadians originally desired to use a heavy barrel profile instead.

The C7 has been developed to the C7A1, with a Picatinny rail on the upper receiver for a C79 optical sight, and to the C7A2, with different furniture and internal improvements. The Picatinny rail (ˈpɪkətɪni or /ˌpɪkəˈtɪni/ is a bracket used on some Firearms in order to provide a standardized mounting platform

The C7 and C8 are also used by Hærens Jegerkommando, Marinejegerkommandoen and NORSOF Task Group (Norway), Military of Denmark (all branches), the Royal Netherlands Army and Netherlands Marine Corps as its main infantry weapon. Hærens Jegerkommando ( English language: Army Ranger Command) ( HJK) is the Armed forces competence center for Commando, airborne Marinejegerkommandoen (MJK (= "The navy ranger command" is a Norwegian maritime special forces unit formally established in 1951 Forsvarets Spesialkommando, FSK is the Special forces of the Norwegian army Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional The Armed forces of the Kingdom of Denmark, known as the Danish Defence (Forsvaret is charged with the defence of the Kingdom of Denmark The Royal Netherlands Army ( Koninklijke Landmacht) is the land forces element of the Military of the Netherlands. The Korps Mariniers is the Marine corps of the Netherlands. The Dutch Marine Corps is the elite Amphibious infantry component of the Royal Netherlands Following trials, variants became the weapon of choice of the British SAS. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The Special Air Service ( SAS) is a Special forces regiment within the British Army which has served as a model and inspiration for the special

Others

• The Chinese Norinco CQ-311 is an unlicensed derivative of the M16A1 made specifically for export, with the most obvious external differences being in its handguard and revolver-style pistol grip. The CQ is an unlicensed copy of the Colt M16 rifle. It is currently being manufactured by Norinco.

• Khaybar KH2002, is an Iranian bullpup conversion of the locally produced S-5. Khaybar/KH-2002 is an Iranian designed Assault rifle, derived from the DIO S 5 For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Iran topics. 56 rifle. Iran intends to replace the standard issue weapon of its armed forces with the Khaybar. The S-5. 56 assault rifle itself is an Iranian M16 derivative based on the Norinco CQ. Two versions of the S-5. 56 include the S-5. 56A1, used for M-193-type bullets while the S-5. 56A3 is used for SS-109-type bullets.

• The MSSR rifle developed as an effective, low cost sniper rifle by the Philippine Marine Scout Snipers. The Marine Scout Sniper Rifle or MSSR is a semi-automatic Sniper rifle developed from the Colt M16A1 Rifle by the Philippine The Philippines ( Filipino: Pilipinas, officially known as the Republic of the Philippines (fil ''Republika ng Pilipinas'' RP The Special Operations Assault Rifle (SOAR) assault carbine was developed by Ferfrans based on the M16 rifle. Special Operations Assault Rifle (SOAR is an Assault rifle manufactured by the Philippine -based company Ferfrans and designed as an improvement of the Ferfrans Specialties is a Philippine -based company that specializes in making firearms and firearm upgrades It is used by the Special Action Force. The Special Action Force is the primary Special forces unit of the Philippine National Police.

• Taiwan has used M16-based weapons as their standard rifle. The Republic of China Army (中華民國陸軍 Pinyin: Zhōnghuá Mínguó Lùjūn is the largest branches of the Armed forces of the Republic of These include the T65, T86 and T91 assault rifles. The T65 (聯勤 Type 65 is an Assault rifle developed and manufactured by the Combined Service Forces of ROC Army in Taiwan. The T86 (聯勤 Type 86 assault rifle is a gas-operated, magazine -fed air-cooled Assault rifle. The T91 (聯勤 Type 91 assault rifle (556公厘T91戰鬥步槍 is produced by the 205th Armory Ministry of Defense Republic of China

Summary

Cultural impact and civilian ownership

The M16 and its variants are ubiquitous in American and many other countries' films, TV series and video games. A television program (US television programme (UK or television show (U A video game is a Game that involves interaction with a User interface to generate visual feedback on a video device. Among U. S. firearms owners, fully automatic civilian M16 model production was restricted after 1986, but due to its long history there are many in circulation. The AR-15 is also particularly popular as an American militia rifle because its ammunition and magazines are interchangeable with the current U. S. military service rifle.

See also

• List of individual weapons of the U.S. Armed Forces
• HK416
• M468
• FN SCAR Mark 16 and Mark 17 rifles
• Daewoo K2 South Korean assault rifle

References

• Ezell, Edward Clinton. Individual weapons by type and current level of use The list is weighted towards 20th and 21st century army weapons and is not complete The HK416 is an Assault rifle designed and manufactured by Heckler & Koch. The REC7 (formerly known as the M468) is the designation for an upgrade to the M16 / M4. The SOF Combat Assault Rifle, or SCAR, is a modular Rifle made by Fabrique Nationale de Herstal (FNH for the U The K2 is an Assault rifle of the Republic of Korea Armed Forces. (1984). The Great Rifle Controversy, Harrisburg: Halsted Press
• Hughes, David R. (1990). The History and Development of the M16 Rifle and its Cartridge, Oceanside, CA: Armory Publications.
• Hutton, Robert, The . 223, Guns & Ammo Annual Edition, 1971.
• Pikula, Sam (Major), The ArmaLite AR-10, 1998
• Stevens, R. Blake and Edward C. Ezell. (1994). The Black Rifle: M16 Retrospective, Ontario: Collector Grade Publications.

External links

• Colt Manufacturing: The M16A4 Rifle
• PEO Soldier M16 fact sheet
• AR15.com, the largest M-16/AR-15 Resource on the Web
• The Gun Zone: A 5.56 mm Timeline
• The AR-15/M16 Magazine FAQ
• Combat Training with the M16 Manual (PDF)
• Rifle Marksmanship M16A1, M16A2/3, M16A4 and M4 Carbine (Army Field Manual)
• Operator's Manual for Rifle, 5.56-mm, M16; Rifle 5.56-mm, M16A1
• Operator's Manual for Rifle, 5.56-mm, M16A2; Rifle 5.56-mm, M16A3; Rifle, 5.56-mm, M16A4; Carbine, 5.56-mm, M4; Carbine, 5.56-mm, M4A1
• Video of 1965 training film on the early XM16E1 variant downloadable for free from www.archive.org The Internet Archive
• M16 in parts (German)