M16 rifle

Rifle, 5.56 mm, M16

From top to bottom: M16A1, M16A2, M4, M16A4

Type Assault rifle

Place of origin United States

Service history

In service 1963–present

Used by See Users

Wars Vietnam War–present

Production history

• Eugene Stoner
Designer
• L. James Sullivan [1]
Designed 1957
Manufacturer • Colt Defense
• FN Herstal
• H & R Firearms

• General Motors
Hydramatic Division
Produced 1960–present
Number built ~8 million [2]
Variants See Variants
Specifications (M16A2)
Weight 7.8 lb (3.5 kg) (unloaded)
8.79 lb (4.0 kg) (loaded)
Length 39.625 in (1,010 mm)

1
 Barrel length 20 in (508 mm)

Cartridge 5.56x45mm NATO

Action Gas-operated, rotating bolt
Rate of fire 700–950 rounds/min, cyclic
depending on model
Muzzle velocity 3110 ft/s (948 m/s) [3]
Effective range 600 yd (550 m) point target
(800 m) area target
Feed system Various STANAG magazines

The M16 (more formally Rifle, Caliber 5.56 mm, M16) is the United States military
designation for the AR-15 rifle. Colt purchased the rights to the AR-15 from ArmaLite and
currently uses that designation only for semi-automatic versions of the rifle. The M16 rifle
fires the 5.56x45mm cartridge and can produce massive wounding and hydrostatic shock
effects when the bullet impacts at high velocity and yaws in tissue leading to fragmentation
and rapid transfer of energy.[4][5][6]

The M16 entered United States Army service as the M16 and was put into action for jungle
warfare in South Vietnam in 1963,[7] becoming the standard U.S. rifle of the Vietnam War by
1969,[8] replacing the M14 rifle in that role. The U.S. Army retained the M14 in CONUS,
Europe, and South Korea until 1970. Since the Vietnam War, the M16 rifle family has been
the primary infantry rifle of the U.S. military. With its variants, it has been in use by 15
NATO countries, and is the most produced firearm in its caliber.

2
Contents
• 1 Introduction
• 2 History
o 2.1 Summary
o 2.2 Project SALVO
o 2.3 Eugene Stoner
o 2.4 CONARC
o 2.5 M16 adoption
o 2.6 NATO standards
• 3 Design
• 4 Production and users
o 4.1 Users
• 5 Variants
o 5.1 Pre-Production ArmaLite AR-15
o 5.2 AR-15 (Colt Models 601 & 602)
o 5.3 M16
o 5.4 XM16E1 and M16A1 (Colt Model 603)
o 5.5 M16A2
o 5.6 M16A3
o 5.7 M16A4
• 6 Derivatives
o 6.1 Colt Model 655 and 656 "Sniper" variants
o 6.2 XM177
o 6.3 Colt Model 733
o 6.4 M231 Firing Port Weapon (FPW)
o 6.5 Mk 4 Mod 0
o 6.6 Mark 12
o 6.7 M4 carbine
o 6.8 International derivatives
 6.8.1 C7 and C8
 6.8.2 Others
o 6.9 Summary
• 7 Future replacement
o 7.1 Background
o 7.2 Replacement designs
• 8 See also
• 9 Notes
• 10 References

• 11 External links

Introduction
The M16 is a lightweight, 5.56 mm, air-cooled, gas-operated, magazine-fed assault rifle, with
a rotating bolt, actuated by direct impingement gas operation. The rifle is made of steel, 7075
aluminum alloy, composite plastics and polymer materials.

The U.S. Air Force's rifle, the M16, and the United States Marine Corps and Army rifle, the
XM16E1, were the first versions of the M16 rifle fielded. Soon, the U.S. Army standardized
the XM16E1 as the M16A1 rifle, an M16 with a forward assist feature requested by the
Army. All of the early versions were chambered to fire the M193/M196 cartridge in the semi-
automatic and the automatic firing modes. This occurred in the early 1960s, with the Army

3
issuing it in late 1964.[9] Commercial AR-15s were first issued to Special Forces troops in
spring of 1964.[10]

A U.S. soldier on NBC exercise, holding an M16A1 rifle and wearing an M40 Field
Protective Mask. Note the receiver, forward assist and the barrel flash suppressor.

The M16A2 rifle entered service in the 1980s, chambered to fire the standard NATO
cartridge, the Belgian-designed M855/M856 cartridge.[9] The M16A2 is a select-fire rifle
(semi-automatic fire, three-round-burst fire) incorporating design elements requested by the
Marine Corps:[9] an adjustable, windage rear-sight; a stock 5/8-inch longer; heavier barrel;
case deflector for left-hand shooters; and cylindrical hand guards.[9] The fire mode selector is
on the receiver's left side. The M16A2 is still the primary rifle in the U.S. Navy, Coast Guard,
Air Force, and still is in heavy use in the Army and Marine Corps.[citation needed]

The M16A3 rifle is an M16A2 rifle with an M16A1's fire control group (semi-automatic fire,
automatic fire) used only by the U.S. Navy.

The M16A4 rifle was standard issue for the United States Marine Corps in Operation Iraqi
Freedom; it replaced the M16A2 in front line units. In the U.S. Army the M16A2 rifle is
being supplemented with two rifle models, the M16A4 and the M4 carbine as the standard
issue assault rifle. The M16A4 has a flat-top receiver developed for the M4 carbine, a
handguard with four Picatinny rails for mounting a sight, laser, night vision device, forward
handgrip, removable handle, or a flashlight.

The M16 rifle is principally manufactured by Colt and Fabrique Nationale de Herstal (under a
U.S. military contract since 1988 by FNH-USA; currently in production since 1991, primarily
M16A2, A3, and A4), with variants made elsewhere in the world. Versions for the U.S.
military have also been made by H & R Firearms[11] General Motors Hydramatic Division[12]
and most recently by Sabre Defence.[13] Semi-automatic versions of the AR-15 are popular
recreational shooting rifles, with versions manufactured by other small and large
manufacturers in the U.S.[14]

History
Summary

4
The M16A1 seen here fitted with an AN/PVS-2 night vision scope.

The AR-15 was first adopted in 1962 by the United States Air Force, ultimately receiving the
designation M16. The U.S. Army began to field the XM16E1 en masse in 1965 with most of
them going to the Republic of South Vietnam, and the newly organized & experimental
Airmobile Divisions, the 1st Air Cavalry Division in particular. The U.S. Marine Corps in
South Vietnam also experimented with the M16 rifle in combat during this period. The
XM16E1 was standardized as the M16A1 in 1967. This version remained the primary infantry
rifle of U.S. forces in South Vietnam until the end of the war in 1975, and remained with all
U.S. military ground forces after it had replaced the M14 service rifle in 1970 in CONUS,
Europe (Germany), and South Korea; when it was supplemented by the M16A2. During the
early 1980s a roughly standardized load for this ammunition was adopted throughout NATO
(see: 5.56x45mm NATO).

The M16A3 is a fully-automatic variant of the M16A2, issued within the United States Navy.
The M16A2 is currently being supplemented by the M16A4, which incorporates the flattop
receiver unit developed for the M4 carbine, and Picatinny rail system. M16A2s are still in
stock with the U.S. Army and Marine Corps, but are used primarily by reserve and National
Guard units as well as by the U.S. Air Force.[citation needed]

The M16 rifle design, including variant or modified version of it such as the Armalite/Colt
AR-15 series, AAI M15 rifle; AP74; EAC J-15; SGW XM15A; any 22-caliber rimfire
variant, including the Mitchell M16A-1/22, Mitchell M16/22, Mitchell CAR-15/22, and
AP74 Auto Rifle, is a prohibited and restricted weapon in Canada.[15]

Project SALVO

An M16 (third from top), an AR-10 and a semi-automatic AR-15 "Sporter" along with other
Vietnam War era rifles.

In 1948, the Army organized the civilian Operations Research Office, mirroring similar
operations research organizations in the United Kingdom. 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.[16] Over 3 million
battlefield reports from World War I and World War II were analyzed and over the next few
years they released a series of reports on their findings.[16]

5
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; 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.[16] 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 were much more
likely to have fired their weapons in battle.[17] 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. A team led by Donald Hall, director of
program development at Aberdeen, reported that a .22 inch (5.56 mm) round fired at a higher
velocity would have performance equal to larger rounds in most combat.[18] 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 Gerald A.
Gustafson, started development of a series of experimental .22 (5.56 mm) 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-inch (508 mm) area would double the hit probability of
existing semi-automatic weapons.

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". Winchester and
Springfield Armory offered multi-barrel weapons, while ORO's own design used two .22, .25
or .27 caliber bullets loaded into a single .308 Winchester or .30-06 cartridge.

6
Eugene Stoner

A U.S. soldier with M16A2 at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii. The United States Army did not
place a large order for the A2 model until 1986.

Meanwhile testing of the 7.62 mm T44 continued, and Fabrique Nationale also submitted
their new FN FAL via the American firm Harrington & Richardson as the T48. The T44 was
selected as the new battle rifle for the U.S. Army (rechristened the M14) despite a strong
showing by the T48.[citation needed]

In 1954, Eugene Stoner of the newly-formed ArmaLite helped develop the 7.62 mm AR-10.
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.

The AR-10's receiver was made of forged and milled aluminium alloy instead of steel. The
barrel was mated to the receiver by a separate hardened steel extension 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 high-pressure combustion gases taken from a
hole in the middle of the barrel directly through a tube above the barrel to a cylinder created
in the bolt carrier with the bolt carrier 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 glass-reinforced
plastic shell over a rigid foam plastic core. The muzzle brake was fabricated from titanium.
Over Stoner's 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 weapon 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 weapon
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 FG 42 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 rear sight was built into a carrying handle over
the receiver.

Despite being over 2 lb (0.9 kg) lighter than the competition, the AR-10 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 such as Sudan, Guatemala, and

7
Portugal. Portugal deployed a number of AR-10s for use by its airborne (Caçadores Pára-
quedista) battalions, and the rifle saw considerable combat service in Portugal's counter-
insurgency campaigns in Angola and Mozambique.[19] Some AR-10 rifles were still in service
with airborne forces serving during the withdrawal from Portuguese Timor in 1975.

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.S. Continental Army Command. 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.[16]
[20]

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.[16] 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.

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. 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 (2.5 kg) empty, 6 lb (2.7 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 .258 in (6.6 mm). Nevertheless, they suggested continued testing for cold-weather
suitability in Alaska. 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 .258 in (6.6 mm) round. After reading these reports, General Maxwell
Taylor became dead-set against the design, and pressed for continued production of the M14.

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. 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

8
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 4.5% 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. In the summer of 1961,
General LeMay had been promoted to the position of USAF Chief of Staff, and requested an
order of 80,000 AR-15s for the U.S. Air Force.[21] However under the recommendation of
General Maxwell D. Taylor, who advised the Commander in Chief that having two different
calibers within the military system at the same time would be problematic, President
Kennedy turned down the request.[21] However, Advanced Research Projects Agency, which
had been created in 1958 in response to the Soviet Sputnik program, embarked on project
AGILE in the spring of 1961. AGILE's priority mission was to devise inventive fixes to the
communist problem in South Vietnam.[22] In October 1961, William Godel, a senior man at
ARPA, sent 10 AR-15s to South Vietnam to let the allies test them. The reception was
enthusiastic, and in 1962 another 1,000 AR-15s were sent to South Vietnam.[23] 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 5.56 mm cartridge,
and pressed for its adoption. However, what no one knew, except the men directly using the
AR-15s in Vietnam, were the devastating kills[24] made by the new rifle, photographs of
which, showing enemy casualties made by the .223 (5.56 mm) bullet remained classified into
the 1980s.[24]

The damage caused by the .223 (5.56mm) "varmint"[24] bullet was easily accounted for.
Standard U.S. rifles generally had 12 inch rifling twists inside their barrels (one complete
bullet rotation within 12 inches), whereas the AR-15, as designed by Stoner, was to have a 1
in 14 inch rifling twist, as rapid spraying of projectiles at close range would be the norm
rather than long range accuracy. However Colt, with its antiquated equipment, had made
some of the AR-15s with up to 18 inches per total bullet rotation,[25] thus creating a bullet's
flight to wobble while en route to target. The impact of these projectiles on human flesh
created horrible wounds; as well as very few prisoners of war.[26]

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. 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. 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.

9
U.S. Soldier cleans his XM16E1 during the Vietnam War in 1966.

Secretary Robert McNamara ordered a halt to M14 production in January 1963, 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 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,[citation needed] and the fact that large quantities of 5.56 mm ammunition required for
immediate service were not available.[citation needed] In addition, the Army insisted on the
inclusion of a forward assist to help push the bolt into battery in the event that a cartridge
failed to seat in the chamber through fouling or corrosion. Colt 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.

In November 1963, McNamara approved the Army's order of 85,000 XM16E1s for jungle
warfare operations;[27] and to appease General LeMay, the Air Force was granted an order for
another 19,000 M16s.[16][28] Meanwhile, the Army carried out another project, the Small Arms
Weapons Systems, on general infantry firearm needs in the immediate future. They
recommended the immediate adoption of the weapon. 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 M16A1 on its adoption) to
infantry units but the rifle was initially delivered without adequate cleaning supplies or
instructions. When the M16 reached Vietnam with U.S. troops in March 1965, reports of
jamming and malfunctions in combat began to surface. Although the M14 featured a chrome-
lined barrel and chamber to resist corrosion in combat conditions, neither the bore nor the
chamber of the M16/XM16E1 was chrome-lined. Several documented accounts of troops
killed by enemy fire with jammed rifles broken-down for cleaning eventually brought a
Congressional investigation.[29]

We left with 72 men in our platoon and came back with 19, Believe it or not, you
“ know what killed most of us? Our own rifle. Practically every one of our dead
was found with his [M16] torn down next to him where he had been trying to fix
it.
- Marine Corps Rifleman, Vietnam.[29] ”

10
The root cause of the jamming issues turned out to be a problem with the powder for the
ammunition. In 1964 when the Army was informed that DuPont could not mass-produce the
nitrocellulose-based powder to the specifications demanded by the M16, the Olin Mathieson
Company provided a high-performance ball propellant of nitrocellulose and nitroglycerin.
While the Olin WC 846 powder was capable of firing an M16 5.56 mm round at the desired
3,300 ft. per second, it had the unintended consequence of increasing the automatic rate of
fire from 850 to 1000 rounds per minute. This would leave behind dirty residue and making
the M16 more likely to jam. The problem was resolved by fitting the M16 with a buffer
system, slowing the rate of fire back down to 650 to 850 rounds per minute and outfitting all
newly produced M16's with a chrome-plated chamber.[30]

On February 28, 1967, the XM16E1 was standardized as the M16A1. Major revisions to the
design followed. The rifle was given a chrome-lined chamber (and later, the entire bore) to
eliminate corrosion and stuck cartridges, and the rifle's recoil mechanism was re-designed to
accommodate Army-issued 5.56 mm ammunition. Rifle cleaning tools and powder
solvents/lubricants were issued. Intensive training programs in weapons cleaning were
instituted, and a comic book style manual was circulated among the troops to demonstrate
proper maintenance.[16] The reliability problems of the M16 diminished quickly, although the
rifle's reputation continued to suffer.[16]

According to a February 1968 Department of Defense report the M16 rifle achieved
widespread acceptance by U.S. troops in Vietnam. Only 38 of 2100 individuals queried
wanted to replace the M16 with another weapon. Of those 38, 35 wanted the CAR-15 (a
shorter version of the M16) instead.[31]

NATO standards

German Army soldiers of the 13th Panzergrenadier Division qualify with the M16A2 at
Würzburg, as part of a partnership range with the U.S. 1st Infantry Division.

In March 1970, the U.S. stated that all NATO forces would eventually adopt the 5.56x45mm
cartridge. This shift represented a change in the philosophy of the military's long-held
position about caliber size. It was particularly unsettling to the British, whose military had
adopted the larger 7.62mm NATO cartridge over their own .280 caliber (7.1 mm) nearly 20
years earlier. From the British point of view, the realization by the U.S. of the effectiveness of
a smaller caliber was a belated one.

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
concerns about its penetration in the face of the wider introduction of body armor. 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). The Germans
proposed a new 4.7 mm caseless round, which was considerably lighter while offering similar
ballistics to the original U.S. design. However, there was distrust in the caseless system due
to the possibility of cook off. A final design was offered by the Belgians. Their SS109 round

11
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. Existing 1:12 inch (or
1:300mm) twist barrels reduced the effective range of the SS109 to 90 meters due to lack of
stability. While the ideal twist rate for the SS109 projectile is 1:9 inch/1:229mm, a
1:7 inch/1:180mm 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 5.56x45mm 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.

The M16 series has four main versions: M16A1, M16A2, M16A3, and M16A4. Total
worldwide production of M16-style weapons since the design's inception has been
approximately 8 million.[2]

Design

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

The M16's receivers are made of 7075 aluminum alloy, its barrel, bolt, and bolt carrier of
steel, and its handguards, pistol grip, and buttstock of plastics. Early models were especially
lightweight at 6.5 lb (2.9 kg) without magazine and sling. This was significantly less than
older 7.62 mm "battle rifles" of the 1950s and 1960s. It also compares with the 6.5 lb (2.9 kg)
AKM without magazine.[32] M16A2 and later variants weigh more (8.5 lb (3.9 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. 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.[33] This serves the dual function of operating spring and recoil buffer.
[33]
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, faster follow-up shots are possible
and user fatigue is reduced.

Another distinctive ergonomic feature is a carrying handle on top of the receiver, with an
integrated rear sight assembly and charging handle. This design is a by-product of the original
design where the carry handle served to protect the charging handle and mount a scope.[33] In

12
practice, the handle is rarely used to carry the weapon and doing so is expressly prohibited in
many military organizations, as it is considered unsafe.[citation needed] Holding the weapon by the
pistol grip provides quicker response time and better "muzzle awareness," while a shoulder
sling provides a more convenient option when response time is not a concern.[citation needed] More
importantly, with the sight plane 2.5 in (63.5 mm) over the bore, the M16 has an inherent
parallax problem that can be confounding to shooters. 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 rail, to which the user can
attach either a conventional sighting system or numerous optical devices such as night vision
scopes.

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. 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.[citation needed]

The primary criticism of direct impingement is that fouling and debris from expended
gunpowder is blown directly into the breech. As the superheated combustion gas travels down
the tube, it expands and cools. 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.

Camouflaged M16 rifle

In April 2010 TACOM Life Cycle Management Command issued permission for soldiers to
camouflage M4/M16 weapons with paint if given command approval.[34]

Production and users

The M16 is the most commonly manufactured 5.56x45mm rifle in the world. Currently, the
M16 is in use by 15 NATO countries and more than 80 countries world wide. Together,
numerous companies in the United States, Canada, and China have produced more than
8,000,000 rifles of all variants. Approximately 90% are still in operation.[35] The M16
replaced the M14 and M1 carbine as standard infantry rifles of the U.S. armed forces. The
M14 continues to see limited service, mostly in sniper, designated marksman, and ceremonial
roles.

13
Users

Brazilian Marine Corps.

A member of the U.S. Air Force with an M16 in Kuwait.

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

Malaysian Army with an M16A1 equipped with an M203 grenade launcher during a CARAT
Malaysia 2008.

14
Monegasque soldier with M16 rifle.

Philippine Marines using M16A1 rifles during a military exercise.

• Afghanistan[36]
• Australia[37] (M16A1) (Replaced 1989 by Steyr AUG)
• Bangladesh: (Used by Bangladesh military, Special Forces and Counter Terrorism
Units)[38]
• Barbados[39]
• Belize[39]
• Bolivia[39]
• Brazil[39]
• Brunei[39]
• Cambodia[40]
• Cameroon[39]
• Canada: C7 variant is used by the Canadian Armed Forces.[41]
• Chile[39]
• Democratic Republic of the Congo[40]
• Denmark[39]
• Dominican Republic[39]
• East Timor[42]
• Ecuador[39]
• El Salvador[39]
• Estonia[43]
• Eritrea
• Fiji[39]
• Gabon[39]
• Ghana[39]
• Greece[39]
• Grenada[39]
• Guatemala[40]
• Haiti[40]
• India[39]

15
 • Indonesia[39]
• Iraq: Iraqi army.[44]
• Israel[45]
• Jamaica[39]
• Jordan[39]
• South Korea: Manufactured under license by Daewoo.[39]
• Lebanon[40]
• Lesotho[39]
• Liberia[40]
• Lithuania: Lithuanian Armed Forces.[46]
• Malaysia[39]
• Mexico[39]
• Morocco[39]
• New Zealand[39] (Replaced 1988 by Steyr AUG)
• Nepal[47]
• Netherlands: C7 variant is used by the Royal Netherlands Army.[41]
• Nicaragua[39]
• Nigeria[39]
• Oman[39]
• Pakistan: Special Service Group (SSG) of the Pakistan Army.[48]
• Panama[39] (M16A1)
• Peru[39]
• Philippines: Manufactured under license by Elisco Tool and Manufacturing.[39]
• Qatar[39]
• Senegal[49]
• Singapore: Manufactured made under license by ST Kinetics.[40]
• Somalia[39]
• South Africa[39]
• South Korea: Locally produced.[40]
• Sri Lanka[40]
• Thailand[39] (M16A1/A2/A4)
• Tunisia[39]
• Turkey[39] (M16A1)
• Uganda[39]
• United Arab Emirates[39]
• United Kingdom: Special Air Service.[50]
• United States[51]
• Uruguay[39]
• Vietnam[39] (M16A1)

Variants
Pre-Production ArmaLite AR-15
The weapon that eventually became the M16 series only had a vague resemblance to its
offspring. The rifle was basically a scaled down AR-10 with an ambidextrous charging
handle located within the carrying handle, a narrower front sight "A" frame, and no flash
suppressor.[52]

AR-15 (Colt Models 601 & 602)

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, Property of the U.S. Government

16
caliber .223, and no reference to being a M16).[53] The 601 and 602 are easily identified by
their flat lower receivers without raised surfaces around the magazine well and occasionally
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. These weapons were equipped with a triangular charging handle and a bolt hold
open device that lacked a raised lower engagement surface. The bolt hold open device had a
slanted and serrated surface that had to be engaged with a bare thumb, index finger, or thumb
nail because of the lack of this surface.

The United States Air Force continued to use the AR-15 marked rifles in various
configurations into the 1990s.

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 U.S. Air Force. This was the first M16 adopted
operationally. This variant had triangular handguards, butt stocks with out a compartment for
the storage of a cleaning kit,[54] a three-pronged flash suppressor, and no forward assist. Bolt
carriers were originally chrome plated and slick-sided, lacking forward assist notches. Later,
the chrome plated carriers were dropped in favor of Army issued notched and parkerized
carriers though the interior portion of the bolt carrier is still chrome-lined. The Air Force
continues to operate these weapons and upgrades them as parts wear or break and through
attrition.

The M16 was also adopted by the British SAS, who used it to effect during the Falklands
War.[55]

XM16E1 and M16A1 (Colt Model 603)

The U.S. Army XM16E1 was essentially the same weapon as the M16 with the addition of a
forward assist and corresponding notches in the bolt carrier. The M16A1 was the finalized
production model in 1967. To address issues raised by the XM16E1's testing cycle, a closed,
bird-cage flash suppressor replaced the XM16E1's three-pronged flash suppressor which
caught on twigs and leaves. Various other changes were made after numerous problems in the
field. Cleaning kits were developed and issued while barrels with chrome-plated chambers
and later fully-lined bores were introduced.

With these and other changes, the malfunction rate slowly declined and new soldiers 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 while closing the
ejection port cover. This rib was later extended on production M16A1s to help in preventing
the magazine release from inadvertently being pressed. The hole in the bolt that accepts the
cam pin was crimped inward on one side, in such a way that the cam pin may not be inserted
with the bolt installed backwards, which would cause failures to eject until corrected. The

17
M16A1 remains in service in limited numbers in the United States but is still standard issue
in many world armies.

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. 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 experience in Vietnam with the XM16E1 and
M16A1.[9] The Marines were the first branch of the U.S. Armed Forces to adopt the M16A2
in the early/mid 1980s with the United States Army following suit in the late 1980s.
Modifications to the M16A2 were 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 and
to allow a longer period of sustained fire without overheating. The rest of the barrel was
maintained at the original thickness to enable the M203 grenade launcher to be attached.[9]
The front sight was now a square post with 4 detent positions, adjustable for vertical zeroing
by using a cartridge, nail or special tool. 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.[9] 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.[56] The front grip was
modified from the original triangular shape to a round one, which better fitted smaller hands
and could be fitted to older models of the M16.[9] The new handguards were also symmetrical
so that armories need not separate left and right spares. The handguard retention ring was
tapered to make it easier to install and uninstall the handguards.[9] A notch for the middle
finger was added to the pistol grip, as well as more texture to enhance the grip. The buttstock
was lengthened by 5/8 inch (16 mm).[9] The new buttstock became 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; the newer stocks were engineered from
DuPont Zytel glass-filled thermoset polymers. The new stock included a fully textured
polymer buttplate for better grip on the shoulder, and retained 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 (980 m/s), to about 3,050 feet per second
(930 m/s). 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 immediately
behind the ejection port to prevent cases from striking left-handed users.[9]

18
The action was also modified, replacing the fully-automatic setting with a three-round burst
setting.[9] 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.[citation needed]

All together, the M16A2's 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 of 300 meters. This distance is seen by many
as an excessively long range for the minimum setting, given that most engagements take
place at significantly shorter ranges. 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.[57] It features the M16A1 trigger group providing "safe", "semi-
automatic", and "fully-automatic" modes.

The M16A3 is often incorrectly described as the fully-automatic version of the M16A4 or an
M16A2 with a Picatinny rail. This misunderstanding likely stems from the use of the "A3"
designation by Colt and other manufacturers to describe commercial AR-15 type rifles before
the official adoption of the M16A3 or M16A4. Colt used the "A3" designation in the hopes of
winning military contracts as they also did with the terms, "M4" and "M5".

M16A4

U.S. Marines aboard the USS Essex zero their M16A4 rifles

The M16A4, now standard issue for front-line U.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.[57] Military issue rifles are also equipped with a

19
Knight's Armament Company M5 RAS handguard, allowing vertical grips, lasers, tactical
lights, and other accessories to be attached, coining the designation M16A4 MWS (or
Modular Weapon System) in U.S. Army field manuals.[58]

Derivatives
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.

XM177
Main article: CAR-15

A USAF GAU-5/A carbine.

In Vietnam, some soldiers were issued a carbine version of the M16 called the XM177. The
XM177 had a shorter 10 in (254 mm) barrel and a telescoping stock, which made it
substantially more compact. 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,
although some GAU-5s do have the 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. The
lengthening of the barrel was to support the attachment of Colt's own XM148 40 mm 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, Air Force Security Police Military Working
Dog (MWD) handlers, officers, radio operators, artillerymen, and troops other than front line
riflemen. Some USAF GAU-5A/As were later equipped with even longer 14.5 inch 1/12
rifled barrels as the two shorter versions were worn out. The 14.5-inch (370 mm) barrel
allowed the use of MILES gear and for bayonets to be used with the Sub-Machine Guns (as
The USAF described them). By 1989 the USAF started to replace the earlier barrels with 1/7
rifled models.

Also used by the SAS, who used it to effect during the Falklands War.[55]

20
Colt Model 733
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.

M231 Firing Port Weapon (FPW)

M231 FPW

M231 Firing Port Weapon (FPW) is an adapted version of the M16 assault rifle for firing
from ports on the M2/M3 Bradley AFV. The infantry's normal M16s are too long for use in a
"buttoned up" APC, so the FPW was developed to provide a suitable weapon for this role.
Designed by the Rock Island Arsenal, the M231 FPW remains in service, although all but the
rear two firing ports on the Bradley have been removed. The M231 FPW fires from the open
bolt and is only configured for fully automatic fire.

Mk 4 Mod 0
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.

Mark 12
Main article: United States Navy Mark 12 Mod X Special Purpose Rifle

Developed to increase the effective range of soldiers in the designated marksman role, the US
Navy developed the Mark 12 Special Purpose Rifle (SPR). Configurations in service vary,
but the core of the Mark 12 SPR is an 18" heavy barrel with muzzle brake and free float tube.
This tube relieves pressure on the barrel caused by standard handguards and greatly increases
the potential accuracy of the system. Also common are higher magnification optics ranging

21
from the 6× power Trijicon ACOG to the Leupold Mark 4 Tactical rifle scopes. Firing Mark
262 Mod 0 ammunition with a 77gr Open tip Match bullet, the system has an official
effective range of 600+ meters. However published reports of confirmed kills beyond 800 m
from Iraq and Afghanistan are not uncommon.[citation needed]

M4 carbine
Main article: M4 carbine

An M4A1 carbine (foreground) and two M16A2s (background) being fired by U.S. Marines
during a 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.S. military

The M4 carbine was developed from various outgrowths of these designs, including a number
of 14.5-inch (368 mm)-barreled A1 style carbines. The XM4 (Colt Model 720) started its
trials in the mid-80s, with a 14.5-inch (368 mm) 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 M4 carbine has a three-round burst firing mode, while the
M4A1 carbine has a fully automatic firing mode. Both have a Picatinny rail on the upper
receiver, allowing the carry handle/rear sight assembly to be replaced with other sighting
devices.

International derivatives
C7 and C8

Canadian Forces Reserve infantrymen train in urban operations with C7 and C8 rifles.
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 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

22
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 Weaver rail on the upper receiver for a C79
optical sight, and to the C7A2, with different furniture and internal improvements. The
Diemaco produced Weaver rail on the original C7A1 variants does not meet the M1913
'Picatinny' standard, leading to some problems with mounting commercial sights. This is
easily remedied with minor modification to their the upper receiver or the sight itself. Since
Diemaco's acquisition by Colt to form Colt Canada, all Canadian produced flattop upper
receivers are machined to the M1913 standard.

The C8 is the carbine version of the C7.[59] The C7 and C8 are also used by Hærens
Jegerkommando, Marinejegerkommandoen and FSK (Norway), Military of Denmark (all
branches), the Royal Netherlands Army and Netherlands Marine Corps as its main infantry
weapon. Following trials, variants became the weapon of choice of the British SAS.

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.

• Khaybar KH2002, is an Iranian bullpup conversion of the locally produced S-5.56

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 Corps Scout Snipers. The Special Operations Assault Rifle (SOAR) assault
carbine was developed by Ferfrans based on the M16 rifle. It is used by the Special
Action Force.

• Taiwan uses piston driven M16-based weapons as their standard rifle. These include
the T65, T86 and T91 assault rifles.

Summary

Pis Re
Col Low Upp Fro
Barr tol ar Muzz For Trig
t Military Hand Buttst er er nt Case Bay
el Bar gri sig le ward ger
mo designatio guard ock rece recei sigh deflec onet
Leng rel p ht devic assis pac
del n type type iver ver t tor? lug?
th typ typ e t? k
no. type type type
e e
A1 Green
Safe
prof or Green Duck
-
20 in ile brown or bill
Sem
601 AR-15 (508 (1:1 full- brown A1 A1 A1 A1 A1 flash No No Yes
i-
mm) 4 length fixed suppr
Aut
twis triangu A1 essor
o
t) lar
602 AR-15 or 20 in A1 Full- Fixed A1 A1 A1 A1 A1 Duck No No Yes Safe
XM16 (508 prof length A1 bill or -
mm) ile triangu three- Sem

23
 (1:1 prong
i-
2 flash
lar Aut
twis suppr
o
t) essor
Three
-
A1 prong
Safe
prof or
Full- -
20 in ile M16
length Fixed Sem
603 XM16E1 (508 (1:1 A1 A1 A1 A1 A1 A1 Yes No Yes
triangu A1 i-
mm) 2 birdca
lar Aut
twis ge
o
t) flash
suppr
essor
M16
A1
A1- Safe
prof
Full- style -
20 in ile
length Fixed birdca Sem
603 M16A1 (508 (1:1 A1 A1 A1 A1 A1 Yes No Yes
triangu A1 ge i-
mm) 2
lar flash Aut
twis
suppr o
t)
essor
Three
-
prong
A1
or Safe
prof
Full- M16 -
20 in ile
length Fixed A1- Sem
604 M16 (508 (1:1 A1 A1 A1 A1 A1 No No Yes
triangu A1 style i-
mm) 2
lar birdca Aut
twis
ge o
t)
flash
suppr
essor
Safe
M16 -
A1 or Sem
A2 M16 i-
prof A2- Aut
20 in Full- A1 A1 A1
M16A1E1 ile Fixed style Yes o or
645 (508 length A1 or or or A2 Yes Yes
/PIP (1:7 A2 birdca or No Safe
mm) ribbed A2 A2 A2
twis ge -
t) flash Sem
suppr i-
essor Burs
t
M16
A2 A2- Safe
prof style -
20 in Full-
ile Fixed birdca Sem
645 M16A2 (508 length A2 A2 A2 A2 A2 Yes Yes Yes
(1:7 A2 ge i-
mm) ribbed
twis flash Burs
t) suppr t
essor

24
 M16
A2 A2- Safe
Flatt
prof style -
20 in Full- op
645 ile Fixed Flip Fold birdca Sem
M16A2E1 (508 length A2 A2 with Yes Yes Yes
E (1:7 A2 -up ing ge i-
mm) ribbed Colt
twis flash Burs
Rail
t) suppr t
essor
Full-
A2 Safe
length Flatt
prof ACR -
20 in semi- Retrac op
N/ ile AC No muzzl Sem
M16A2E2 (508 beaver table A2 with A2 Yes Yes Yes
A (1:7 R ne e i-
mm) tail w/ ACR Colt
twis brake Burs
HEL rail
t) t
guide
M16
A2 A2- Safe
prof style -
20 in Full-
M16A2E3 ile Fixed birdca Sem
646 (508 length A2 A2 A2 A2 A2 Yes Yes Yes
/M16A3 (1:7 A2 ge i-
mm) ribbed
twis flash Aut
t) suppr o
essor
HB M16
AR A1- Safe
M16A1 prof Full- style -
20 in
Special ile length Fixed birdca Sem
655 (508 A1 A1 A1 A1 A1 Yes No Yes
High (1:1 triangu A1 ge i-
mm)
Profile 2 lar flash Aut
twis suppr o
t) essor
HB M16
A1
AR A1- Safe
with Lo
M16A1 prof Full- style -
20 in modi w Hoo
Special ile length Fixed birdca Sem
656 (508 A1 A1 fied Pro ded Yes No Yes
Low (1:1 triangu A1 ge i-
mm) Wea file A1
Profile 2 lar flash Aut
ver A1
twis suppr o
base
t) essor
Flatt
M16
Full- op
A2 A2- Safe
length with
prof style -
20 in ribbed MIL
M16A2E4 ile Fixed No birdca Sem
945 (508 or A2 A2 - A4 Yes Yes Yes
/M16A4 (1:7 A2 ne ge i-
mm) KAC STD
twis flash Burs
M5 -
t) suppr t
RAS 1913
essor
rail
Pis Re
Col Low Upp Fro
Barr tol ar Muzz For Trig
t Military Hand Buttst er er nt Case Bay
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25
Future replacement
Background
Throughout the 1970s, the Army experimented with various materials to replace brass in
cartridge casings. Brass has a number of qualities that make it almost ideal for a cartridge,
including low friction against steel, making it easier to extract, and the ease with 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. Completely caseless ammunition was also studied on several
occasions, notably the German 4.7 mm designs, and this concept is now being continued with
the Lightweight Small Arms Technologies Program.

Colt ACR/M16A2E2 fitted with ELCAN C79 scope (second from top to bottom)

Later in the 1980s, the Advanced Combat Rifle program was run to find a replacement for the
M16. 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 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 5.56 mm, with a
very high 4,750 ft/s (1,448 m/s) muzzle velocity. Other variants experimented with caseless
ammunition technologies as well.

Replacement designs
In the 1980s, the M249 was issued to infantry units, replacing some M60s and some M16A1s
at the squad level. In the 1990s the M4 carbine took over the operational role of the M3
submachine gun, some M9s, and many M16A2s. The U.S. Air Force mostly uses M4 and
GAU-5 carbines for security squadrons and M16A2s for non-security personnel. The U.S.
Navy decided to retain the M16A2 and M16A3 for its units that use rifles like the U.S. Navy
Seabees.[citation needed] The U.S. 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 U.S. 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,

26
the Marine Corps sought to adopt the Stoner 63. 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 program in the 1980s produced weapons that
were superior in some ways, but none improved upon the M16 series enough to replace it. It
was also potentially going to be replaced by the SABR, from the OICW project. 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.
However, this program too ran into problems around 2004-05, and was put on hold in favor
of an open competition for what became known as the OICW Increment 1. (Increment 2 is
the standalone XM25 Individual Airburst Weapon System, and Increment 3 is the XM29
OICW, a weapon that combined the earlier two increments.) This competition was
subsequently put on hold in the summer of 2005 to take into account input from other
services, and on October 31, 2005, the competition was canceled.

A partial replacement for the M16 rifle is the SOF Combat Assault Rifle (SCAR), designated
Mk 16. The 5.56x45 Mk 16 emerged as the winner of a USSOCOM competition to find a
new rifle for Special Operations Forces in 2003. 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.

Since the cancellation of the XM8 program, and into 2008, the LSAT program has been
pursued for the next generation of U.S. small arms. The program has already produced
practical results and is currently projected to provide the next U.S. military rifle.[60]
Development of a rifle using LSAT began in 2008 and could enter production by 2010.[60]

Several companies have been working on and creating potential candidates for the U.S.
military's next primary weapon. The Heckler & Koch HK416 has been in use by Delta Force
since 2004. The HK416 is offered as a conversion kit that can retrofit current M4 carbines.
The H&K 416 recently won a testing competition for the US Marine Corps Infantry
Automatic Rifle program and entered final testing as the M27 in summer 2010.[61] The H&K
416 is also one of several M4 designs on the front competitors of a new Army M4 upgrade
competition. The H&K's design replaces the direct impingement gas system with a newer
piston design which is easier to maintain in the field. The reason to build a new M4 is to
produce a new more reliable carbine for US troops in a few years.[citation needed]

During the late 1990s and early 2000s the IMI developed the IMI Tavor TAR-21 which has
supplemented the M16s and M4s in service with the Israeli Defense Force.

See also
Military of the United States portal

• Comparison of the AK-47 and M16

• List of individual weapons of the U.S. armed forces
• Bushmaster ACR
• Daewoo K2, South Korean assault rifle
• Robinson Arms XCR
• T65 assault rifle, AR-15 variant developed by ROC Army

27
Notes
1. ^ Ezell, Virginia Hart (November 2001). "Focus on Basics, Urges Small Arms Designer".
National Defense (National Defense Industrial Association).
http://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/archive/2001/November/Pages/Focus_on4174.aspx.
2. ^ a b Colt Weapon Systems.
3. ^ "Colt Weapon Systems". Colt.com. http://www.colt.com/mil/M16_2.asp. Retrieved 2010-
08-22.
4. ^ American Rifle: A Biography, Alexander Rose (2009) p. 375-376
5. ^ The SAS Training Manual, Chris McNab, (2002) pp. 108-109
6. ^ "Scientific Evidence for 'Hydrostatic Shock'", Michael Courtney and Amy Courtney, (2008)
7. ^ Rose, pp. 380 & 392.
8. ^ Urdang, p. 801.
9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Venola, Richard (2005). "What a Long Strange Trip It's Been". Book of the
AR-15 1 (2): 6–18.
10. ^ Ford, Daniel (2001). The Only War We've Got: Early Days in South Vietnam.
ISBN 9780595175512. http://books.google.com/?id=sV_K3L6hTqEC.
11. ^ H&R "About Us" page.
12. ^ The Gun Zone.
13. ^ Sabre Defence Industries Awarded M16 Rifle Contract.
14. ^ AR15 Manufacturers & Builders.
15. ^ Regulations Prescribing Certain Firearms and other Weapons, Components and Parts of
Weapons, Accessories, Cartridge Magazines, Ammunition and Projectiles as Prohibited or
Restricted, SOR/98-462. Canlii. 29-06-2010
16. ^ a b c d e f g h Ezell, Edward Clinton (1983). Small Arms of the World. New York: Stackpole
Books. pp. 46–47. ISBN 978-0880296014.
17. ^ Marshall, S. L. A. (1966). Men against Fire:The Problem of Combat Command in Future
War. New York City: William Morrow and Company. pp. 50–60.
18. ^ Hall, Donald L. (1952). An Effectiveness Study of the Infantry Rifle. Maryland: Army
Ballistic Research Lab, Aberdeen Proving Ground. http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/AD377335.
19. ^ Afonso, Aniceto and Gomes, Carlos de Matos, Guerra Colonial (2000), ISBN 972-46-
1192-2, pp. 183-184.
20. ^ Hutton, Robert (ed.), The .223, Guns & Ammo Annual Edition, 1971.
21. ^ a b Rose, p. 372.
22. ^ Rose, pp. 372-373.
23. ^ Rose, pp. 373-373.
24. ^ a b c Rose, p. 373.
25. ^ Rose, p. 375.
26. ^ Rose, p. 374.
27. ^ Rose, pp. 380, 392.
28. ^ Rose, p. 380.
29. ^ a b "Defense: Under Fire". Time Magazine, 9 June 1967.
30. ^ Defense: Powder Pains Time Magazine, 8 September 1967.
31. ^ [1], p. 34.
32. ^ weight without magazine of AK (1949) - 3.9 kg, AK (1955) - 3.5 kg, AKM (1959) - 2.9 kg
Field manual for AK (Наставление по стрелковому делу 7.62-мм автомат Калашникова
(АК)); Field manual for AKM and AKMS (Наставление по стрелковому делу 7.62-мм
модернизированный автомат Калашникова (АКМ и АКМС))
33. ^ a b c Ezell, Edward Clinton (1983). Small Arms of the World. New York: Stackpole Books.
pp. 746–762. ISBN 978-0880296014.
34. ^ Dawson, D. "Crib Notes for Soldiers - Weapons Painting 101".
http://peosoldier.armylive.dodlive.mil/2010/05/14/crib-notes-for-soldiers-%E2%80%93-
weapons-painting-101/. Retrieved 16 May 2010.
35. ^ Customers / Weapon users, Colt Weapon Systems.
36. ^ Fishel, Justin (2007-12-04). "U.S. Military to Provide Afghan Army With M-16 Rifles".
FOXNews.com. http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,315121,00.html.

28
37. ^ "Australian weapons, Viet Nam and since". Diggerhistory.info. 2002-11-11.
http://www.diggerhistory.info/pages-weapons/allied_recent.htm. Retrieved 2010-08-22.
38. ^ "Small Arms | Bangladesh Military Forces | BDMilitary.com - The voice of the Bangladesh
Armed Forces". BDMilitary.com. http://www.bdmilitary.com/index.php?
option=com_content&view=article&id=71&Itemid=95. Retrieved 2010-08-22.
39. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap Jane's Special Forces
Recognition Guide, Ewen Southby-Tailyour (2005) p. 446
40. ^ a b c d e f g h i "Report: Profiling the Small Arms Industry - World Policy Institute - Research
Project". World Policy Institute. November 2000.
http://www.worldpolicy.org/projects/arms/reports/smallarms.htm. Retrieved 2010-07-15.
41. ^ a b Miller, David (2001). The Illustrated Directory of 20th Century Guns. Salamander Books
Ltd. ISBN 1-84065-245-4.
42. ^ Jane's Sentinel Security Assessment - Southeast Asia. Issue 20 – 2007. Pages 146 and 152.
43. ^ "Eesti Kaitsevägi - Tehnika - Automaat M-16 A1". Mil.ee. http://www.mil.ee/?
menu=tehnika1&sisu=m16a1. Retrieved 2008-09-08.
44. ^ "First steps to arming Iraq's soldiers". BBC News. 2007-05-18.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6665759.stm. Retrieved 2010-05-12.
45. ^ John Pike (2003-12-17). "Israel's army phases out country's iconic Uzi submachine gun".
Globalsecurity.org. http://www.globalsecurity.org/org/news/2003/031217-uzi.htm. Retrieved
2010-08-22.
46. ^ "Lietuvos kariuomenė :: Ginkluotė ir karinė technika » Automatiniai šautuvai » Automatinis
šautuvas M-16" (in (Lithuanian)). Kariuomene.kam.lt. 2009-04-17.
http://kariuomene.kam.lt/lt/ginkluote_ir_karine_technika/automatiniai_sautuvai/automatinis_s
autuvas_m-16.html. Retrieved 2010-08-22.
47. ^ "Nepal takes delivery of US rifles". BBC News. 2003-01-06.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/2631939.stm. Retrieved 2010-05-12.
48. ^ "Pakdef.info — Pakistan Military Consortium: Special Service Group". Saad, S.; Ali, M.;
Shabbir, Usman. 1998. http://www.pakdef.info/pakmilitary/army/regiments/ssg.html.
Retrieved 2009-08-15.
49. ^ "Army seeks Senegal ear-choppers". BBC News. 2008-05-09.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/7392685.stm. Retrieved 2010-05-12.
50. ^ Poyer, Joe. "Modern Firearms - AR-15 M16 M16A1 M16A2 M16A3 assault rifle".
World.guns.ru. http://world.guns.ru/assault/as18-e.htm. Retrieved 2010-08-22.
51. ^ "M-16 Rifle Fact File for the United States Army". Army.mil.
http://www.army.mil/factfiles/equipment/individual/m16.html. Retrieved 2010-08-22.
52. ^ Page 744 "Small Arms of the World" 12th revised Edition by Edward Clinton Ezell.
53. ^ Pages 744-759 "Small Arms of the World" 12th Revised Edition by Edward Clinton Ezell.
54. ^ Page 754 "Small Arms of the World" 12th Revised Edition by Edward Clinton Ezell.
55. ^ a b Special Operations.com.
56. ^ Hogg, Ian; Weeks, John (2000). Military Small Arms of the 20th Century (7 ed.). Krause
Publications. p. 292. ISBN 9780873418249. http://books.google.com/?
id=teAAHt1GaE8C&q=Military+Small+Arms+of+the+20th+Century&dq=Military+Small+
Arms+of+the+20th+Century.
57. ^ a b "US Navy, Marines Buy M-16 Rifles". Defense Industry Daily. 2 January 2008.
http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/the-usas-m-16-rifle-purchases-04517/.
58. ^ US Army Field Manual: RIFLE MARKSMANSHIP M16A1, M16A2/3, M16A4 and M4
CARBINE. 24 April 2003. http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/library/policy/army/fm/3-
22-9/c02.htm#2_1.
59. ^ Canadian Forces Automatic Rifles. Canadian American Strategic Review. Retrieved: 2009-
08-23.
60. ^ a b Bruce, Robert. "LSAT The Future of Small Arms Now?". American Rifleman. National
Rifle Association. http://www.nrapublications.org/TAR/LSAT.asp. Retrieved 2008-09-08.
61. ^ Lamothe, Dan (July 2, 2010). "Conway eyes additional testing for auto-rifle". Marine Corps
Times. http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/news/2010/07/marine_IAR_070110w/. Retrieved 2
July 2010.

29
References
• Modern Warfare, Published by Mark Dartford, Marshall Cavendish (London) 1985
• Afonso, Aniceto and Gomes, Carlos de Matos, Guerra Colonial (2000), ISBN 9724611922
• Ezell, Edward Clinton (1984). The Great Rifle Controversy: Search for the Ultimate Infantry
Weapon from World War II Through Vietnam and Beyond. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania: Halsted
Press. ISBN 9780811707091.
• Hughes, David R. (1990). The History and Development of the M16 Rifle and its Cartridge.
Oceanside, California: Armory Publications.
• Hutton, Robert, The .223, Guns & Ammo Annual Edition, 1971.
• McNaugher, Thomas L. "Marksmanship, Mcnamara and the M16 Rifle: Organisations,
Analysis and Weapons Acquisition", http://www.rand.org/pubs/papers/P6306/
• Pikula, Sam (Major), The ArmaLite AR-10, 1998
• Rose, Alexander. American Rifle-A Biography. 2008; Bantam Dell Publishing. ISBN 978-0-
553-80517-8.
• Stevens, R. Blake and Edward C. Ezell. (1994). The Black Rifle: M16 Retrospective, Ontario:
Collector Grade Publications.
• Urdang, Laurence, Editor in Chief. The Random House Dictionary of the English Language.
1969; Random House/New York.

External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to: M16 rifle

• 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)
• M16 Assault Rifle Description

[show]
v•d•e

Current U.S. infantry weapons and cartridges

Assault and BattleM16 · Mk 14 · Mk 16 & Mk 17

CarbineHK416 · M4 · Mk 18

DMR · M14 · M39 · Mk 12 · SAM-R · SDM-R · SEAL Recon

Designated Marksman
Rifle

30
 SniperM24 · M40 · M107 · M110 · Mk 11 · Mk 15

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31
 T-1A Jayhawk · T-6A Texan II · (A)T-38A/B/C Talon · T-43A ·
Trainer
TG-10B/C/D · TG-15A/B

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LC-130H · MC-130 Combat Talon I,II/Combat Spear/Combat

Utility and multi-missionShadow · MQ-1B Predator · MQ-9 Reaper · U-28A · UH-
1H/N/V Huey · UV-18A/B Twin Otter · YAL-1

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Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M16_rifle"

Categories: 5.56 mm firearms | Assault rifles | Colt | Modern firearms of the United States |

32
Rifles of the United States | Vietnam War weapons | United States Coast Guard weapons |
United States Marine Corps equipment

33
Armalite / Colt AR-15 / M16 M16A1 M16A2 M16A3
M16A4 assault rifle (USA)

First model ArmaLite Ar-15 rifle, with original 25-round magazine. Note the position of
charging handle

Early model M16 rifle, as used by US AF, with early military issue 20-round magazine. Note
the three-prong flash hider and the lack of forward assist

M16A1 rifle with 30-round magazine and bayonet, right side

M16A1 rifle with 20-round magazine, left side

34
M16A1 rifle with M203 40mm grenade launcher

M16A2 rifle with 30-round magazine, right side

M16A4 rifle with 30-round magazine and carrying handle installed over the Picatinny rail,
right side

M16A4 rifle with RIS (Rai Interface System) installed around the barrel, and the Aimpoint
red-dot signt installed on the rail instead of the detachable carrying handle

Click here to see the M16A1 field-stripping (18 Kb jpeg, will open in the new window)

Click here to see typical markings and controls on the M16A1 rifle (15 Kb jpeg, will open in
the new window)

35
Click here to see M16A3 receiver X-ray image. Aluminum parts are in blue color, steel parts
are black (20 Kb jpeg, will open in the new window)

Click here for exploded view of the AR15 (260Kb jpeg, will open in the new window)

Click here to view a front page from famous US Army M16A1 comics book (55 Kb jpeg, will
open in the new window)

M16A1 M16A2 M16A4

5.56x45mm
5.56x45mm (.223
Caliber 5.56x45mm NATO / M855 NATO /
Remington), M193
M855
Action gas operated, rotating bolt
Overall length 986 mm 1006 mm 1000 mm
Barrel length 508 mm 508 mm 508 mm
Weight, empty 2.89 kg 3.77 kg 3. 4 kg
Magazine capacity 20 or 30 rounds standard
650 - 750 rounds per
Rate of fire, cyclic 700 - 950 rounds per minute
minute

Buy AR-15 rifles and accessories at Impact Guns online store

Buy Colt AR-15 rifles and accessories at Impact Guns online store

The story of the M16 rifle is one of most turbulent and controversial episodes in the whole
history of US small arms. It was hastily adopted as an iterim measure, but eventually
soldiered on to see more than 40 years of active service. Its early days were full of
controversy and scandals, its present is full of competition, but it appears that this weapon
will serve with American armed forces and abroad for at least several years (if not decades)
more. Today it can be considered as adequate military rifle with good current service record.
Obviously, it is far from being ideal, but no rifle in the world is ideal as well. We only have to
see, if the American armed forces will eventually step up and produce a better rifle and / or
cartridge in a foreseeable future.

The origins of the M16 rifle lay in the research, conducted soon after the Korean war by
Operations Research Office (ORO), founded at Hopking University and sponsored by US
Army. Among the reports, produced by the ORO, two are most significant in this respect, the
so called Hall and Hitchmann reports. One report stressed the fact that most hits, achieved
by soldiers in battle, were made at relatively short ranges (within 300 meters) and, mostly, at
random. This significantly undermined the obsession for long-range aimed fire, promoted by
the Army. Second report suggested, that the most effective way to increase the probability of
hits in the battle is to fire multiple small caliber, high velocity projectiles with controlled
dispersion instead of one, relatively heavy and large projectile as used in conventional rifles
at the time. The latter concept initiated so called "Project SALVO", which was conducted
between 1952 and 1957 to develop a proper concept of a new, small bore military rifle. There
were several basic concepts, including different projectile types (standard bullets or small,
arrow-like finned projectiles known as "flechettes"), fired by score from single round (to
achieve 'shotgun' effect) or in rapid bursts of several rounds, each firing single projectile.
Eventually, army selected the concept of weapon, firing controlled bursts of single flechettes
(steel arrows with body diameter of amout 1.5mm) to go ahead, and called this APHHW - All
Purpose Hand Held Weapon, later renamed to SPIW - Special Purpose Individual Weapon.
In teh mean time, some elements within Army also sponsored a more conventional approach

36
to the same problem, and oredered development of conventional automatic rifles, firing
ordinary small-caliber bullets. During late 1950s and early 1960s there was a lot of
experimentation and development in regard of new ammunition, optimal calibers and rifle
designs. The problem was, that widely promoted SPIW program seemed to have no end,
and the recently adopted "full-power" 7.62mm M14 rifle faced serious production problems.
Enter the Armalite. In the year of 1957 The US Army requests the Armalite Division of the
Fairchild Aircraft Corp to develop a rifle of .22 caliber, lightweight, select-fire, and capable to
penetrate the standard steel helmet at 500 meters. The Eugene Stoner, then a designer at
the Armalite, began to develop this rifle, based on his earlier design, 7.62mm AR-10 battle
rifle. At the same time, experts at the Sierra Bullets and the Remington, in conjunction with
Armalite, began do develop a new .22 caliber cartridge, based on the .222 Remington and .
222 Remington Magnum hunting cartridges. This development, initially called the .222
Remington Special, was finally released as .223 Remington (metric designation
5.56x45mm). Next year Army tests new rifles, known as Ar-15, and rejects these in favor of
the M14. Feeling that the Ar-15 rifle has poor chances to compete with the recently adopted
M14 in the US Military, in 1959 the Fairchild Corp, a parent company of the Armalite, sells all
rights and manufacturing documentation for this rifle to the Colt's Patent Firearms
Manufacturing Company, which had long-time relations with US Military and proven track of
selling military guns both in USA and abroad. Colt instantly begins aggresive marketing
campaign for the new rifle, stressing its accuracy, low recoil, light weight and modern design.
In the 1962, US DoD Advanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA) purchases 1000 AR-15
rifles from Colt and sends those rifles to the South Vietnam, for field trials. Same year brings
glowing reports about the effectiveness of the new "black rifle", used by South Vietnamese
forces.
Following the delays in introduction of the ill-fated 'next generation' SPIW system and
production troubles with M14, in 1963 Colt receives contracts from US Government for 85
000 rifles for US Army (designated as XM16E1) and for further 19 000 rifles for US Air
Forces (designated M16). The US AF M16 was no more than an AR-15 rifle with appropriate
markings. The XM16E1 differed from AR-15/M16 by having an additional device, the so
called "forward assist", which was used to manually push the bolt group in place in the case
of jams. Next year US Air Forces officially adopted new rifle as M16. Same year US Army
adopted the XM16E1 as a limited standard rifle, to fill the niche between discontinued
7.62mm M14 rifle and the forthcoming SPIW system (which newer got past the prototype and
trial stages).
With rapidly growing presence of US troops in Vietnam, in 1966 US Government makes the
first large purchase of the Ar-15 / M16 rifles, ordering 840 000 rifles for US Armed forces,
worth almost $92 millions, and in 1967 US Army officially adopts the XM16E1 rifle as a
standard "US Rifle, 5.56mm, M16A1".
During immediately following years, a number of negative reports apears from Vietnam.
M16A1 rifles, issued to US troops in the Vietnam, severely jammed in combat, resulting in
numerous casualties. There were some causes for malfunction. First of all, during the
introduction of the new rifle and its ammunition into the service, US Army replaced originally
specified Dupont IMR powder with standard ball powder, used in 7.62x51mm NATO
ammunition. The ball powder produced much more fouling, that quickly jammed the actions
of the M16 unless the gun was cleared well and often. It also had different pressure curve,
resulting in increased stress on operating parts of the gun. This pitifully combined with the
fact that the initial M16 rifles were promoted by the Colt as "low maintenance", so, for the
sake of economy, no cleaning supplies were procured for new M16 rifles, and no weapon
care training was conducted fro the troops. As a result, soldiers did not knew how to clean
their rifles, and had no provisions for cleaning, and things soon turned bad. Another cost-
saving measure on the part of the Army was to give up with cromium plation of the barrel
bore and bolt group, which made these parts much more sensitive to corrosion and rust that
originally designed.
After several dramatic reports in US press and Congressional investigation of the troubles,
several actions were taken to remedy the problems. The 5.56mm ammunition was now
loaded using different powders that produce much less residue in the gun action. The barrel,

37
chamber and bolt of the rifles were chrome-lined to improve corrosion resistance. Cleaning
kits were procured and issued to troops, and a special training programs were developed
and conducted ever since. Earliest cleaning kits could be carried separate from rifle only, but
since circa 1970 all M16A1 rifles were manufactured with the containment cavity in the
buttstock, that held the cleaning kit. At the same time (circa 1970) the new 30 rounds
magazines were introduced into service instead of the original 20 rounds ones, to equal
Soviet and Chinese AK-47 assault rifles, which had 30-rounds magazines from the very
beginning.
Therefore, by the end of the US involvment in Vietnam war, the M16A1 rifle eventually
became more or less mature. It gradually replaced older rifles in US service, and also
influenced the work on the small-caliber ammunition and automatic firearms in other
countries, including the USSR. This work culminated in the NATO trials, held in 1977 - 79,
with intent to adopt a small-caliber, high-velocity cartridge to replace the potent, but
somehow overly powerful 7.62mm NATO round as standard infantry rifle ammunition for the
whole NATO organisation. Not surprisingly, the winner of the trials was the american
5.56x45mm cartridge, although in a version loaded with Belgian SS109 bullet, which
provided better long-range ballistics than the original US 5.56mm M193 ammo.
In 1981, Colt developed a variation of the M16A1, adapted for the SS109/5.56mm NATO
cartridge, and submitted it to the military trials as the M16A1E1. This rifle differed from the
M16A1 by having the heavier barrel with faster 1:7 rifling, a different type rear sights
(adjustable for both range and windage), round handguards instead of triangular ones, and
by replacing the full-auto fire mode with the burst (limited to 3 rounds per trigger pull), to
preserve the ammunition. It was officially adopted by US DoD as the "US Rifle, 5.56mm,
M16A2" in 1982, which still is the primary infantry rifle for US Armed forces and a number of
other armies and law enforcement organizations.
The development of the M16 rifle continued. By the mid-1990s, Colt, at the request of the US
Special Forces, produced a carbine version of the M16A2, designated M4. This carbine
traces its roots back to the 1960s vintage Colt CAR-15 carbine, but has several
improvements. Actually, it was the M16A2 rifle, fitted with a shorter barrel and handguards,
with the gas port moved back. The fixed buttstock was replaced by a retractable telescoping
buttstock, originally designed in the mid-1960s by a Colt employee, Robert E. Roy for the
Colt “Commando” carbines. The M4 was supposed to become the standard US Special
Forces rifle, and could be fitted with the standard M16A2-type bayonet and the M203 40mm
grenade launcher.
By 1996, the two newest versions of the M16 appeared, the M16A3 and M16A4. These differ
from the M16A2 by having a removable carrying handle, with the upper receiver being fitted
with a Picatinny-type accessory rail. Otherwise the M16A4 is similar to the M16A2, while the
M16A3 also replaced the infamous three-round burst mode with a full auto mode. The key
advantage of both the M16A3 and A4 rifles is the ability to quickly mount and re-mount a
wide variety of optical, red dot or night vision / IR sights with MIL-STD 1913 (Picatinny-type)
compatible mounts. The M4 carbine was also upgraded to “flat top” configuration, which is
now standard.
The M16 is still a general-issue rifle with the US Armed forces. It is also widely used by the
US Law Enforcement agencies, either in military form (for example, the LAPD had some
M16s, retired from the Army), or in "civilian" semi-automatic only form. The AR-15 style rifles
are made in the USA by at least a dozen large companies, such as ArmaLite, Bushmaster,
Colt, FN Manufacturing, Hesse, Les Baer, Olympic, Wilson Combat, and by a number of
smaller companies, many of which assemble their rifles from components made by other
major manufacturers. M16-type rifles are also manufactured outside the USA, most notably
in Canada, by Diemaco Co (now Colt Canada). China also makes some AR-15 type rifles at
the NORINCO state factories, known as CQ. M16 rifles are used by many foreign military
groups, most notably the British SAS, who preferred the M16 over the infamous L85A1 rifle,
and by many others.

At the present time almost all of the initial flaws of the M16 have been removed and it is
considered among the best assault rifles in the world. While its reliability in harsh conditions

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cannot match that of its main rival, the Kalashnikov AK-47 and AK-74, it is still a quite reliable
weapon, especially when well maintained. It is also comfortable to fire and quite accurate.

It must be noted that during recent operations in Afghanistan and Iraq (2002 and 2003,
respectively), there were several controversial complaints about the effectiveness and
reliability of the M16A2 and M4 rifles. It seems that most complaints about the reliability of
the M16A2 rifles came from inadequate troop training and the resulting improper handling of
the rifles. The M4 carbines are a somewhat different story, since the problems can be
partially traced to the shortened gas system, which now operates at higher pressures, thus
more violently. The M4 also rapidly overheated. Another general complaint was about the
poor effectiveness of the standard M855 ammunition, which lacked stopping power
especially from shorter M4 carbine barrels. To partially cure this problem, the US SOCOM
recently issued a new type of 5.56 mm ammunition, the Mk.262 mod.0, which is loaded with
heavier Sierra Match King bullets, weighing 4.99 gram compared with the 4.0 gram bullet in
the M855 cartridge. The most recent experience also clearly showed the excessive length of
the M16A2 rifles, which are too clumsy for motorised troops, riding in cars, armored carriers
and helicopters. At the present time, many M16A2 rifles are being replaced in the hands of
US troops with more compact and maneuverable M4A1 carbines.

One of the key advantages of the Stoner design, that must be especially stressed, is the
extreme flexibility of the construction. At the present time the interchangeable complete
upper receiver assemblies ("upper" in short) are available in various barrel lengths and
profiles (from 7 to 24 inches long, slim and heavy), in dozens of rifle and pistol calibers (from
tiny but fast .17 Remington and up to monstrous .458 SOCOM, and from .22LR and 9mm
Luger up to mighty .50AE). Special, manually single-shot uppers are commercially available
in the extremely powerful .50BMG (12.7x99mm) caliber. Various "lower receiver" assemblies
offer a broad variety of trigger units, buttstocks and other options. This advantage is viable
for both military (especially Spec Ops), Law Enforcement, and civilian applications, as it
allows to tailor any particular AR-15 type rifle to the current situation and tactical needs.

Recommended reading

The Black Rifle: The M16 / AR15 Gun Digest Book

Black Rifle II by Gunsmithing -
M16 Retrospective Rifle, 3rd Ed. (A of the AR-15, Vol.
Christopher The AR-15
by R.Blake Shooter's and C... 2
Bartocci by Patrick
Stevens and by Joe Poyer by Patrick
Sweeney
Edward C. Ezell Sweeney

M16 / AR-15 Technical description

The original AR-15 rifle is a gas operated, selective fire, magazine fed weapon. Every rifle
from the M16 family is generally the same, but most civilian AR-15 type rifles are semi-
automatic only.

The heart of the AR-15 is the direct gas system, developed by the Eugene Stoner in the
early 1950s. This system uses no conventional gas piston and rod to propel bolt group back
after the shot is fired. Instead, the hot powder gases are fed from the barrel and down to the
stainless steel tube into the receiver. Inside the receiver, the rear end of the gas tube enters
into the "gas key", a small attachment on the top of the bolt carrier. The hot gases, through
the gas key, enter the hollow cavity inside the bolt carrier, and expands there, acting against

39
the bolt carrier and the collar around the bolt body. The pressure of the gases causes the
bolt carrier to move back against initially stationary bolt. The linear rearward movement of
the carrier initially transferred into the rotation of the bolt, via the cam slot in the bolt carrier
and the cam pin, attached to the bolt, that followed the slot. As soon as the bolt is rotated to
unlock from the barrel, the bolt group continues its rearward travel under the inertia and the
residual pressure in the barrel, extracting the spent case and compressing the buffer return
spring, located in the buttstock. The forward movement of the bolt group first strips the fresh
cartridge from the magazine and, on the final stage of the movement, rotates the bolt to lock
into the barrel extension. The bolt has 7 radial locking lugs, eight lug is located on the
extractor claw. Since the introduction of the XM16E1 rifle, the forward assist device is used
on all military and most civilian AR-15 type rifles. This device consist of the spring-loaded
button with internal claw, that engages the serrations on the right side of the bolt carrier to
push it forward, if the pressure of the return spring is insufficient to do so (for example, due
to the fouling inside the receiver or chamber). The rifle will not fire unless the bolt is locked
and the bolt carrier is in its forwardmost position. The bolt carrier and the bolt itself are
chrome-plated. Another feature of the AR-15 type rifles is the bolt catch device, that locks the
bolt group in the open position when the last round is fired. To release the bolt group one
must push the button, located at the left side of the receiver, above the magazine. The "T"-
shaped cocking handle is located at the rear of the receiver, above the buttstock, and does
not reciprocate when gun is fired.

The trigger/hammer group is basically similar to one, found in M1 Garand rifle, and, actually,
traces its roots back to the early 1900s, when the great John M. Browning developed his
famous Auto-5 semiautomatic shotgun. This basically consists of a hammer, a trigger, a
disconnector, a full auto sear and some springs. The fire selector / safety switch is located at
the left side of the receiver, above the pistol grip, and is easily operated by the right hand
thumb. This switch has 3 positions: "safe", "semi" (single shots), and "auto" (full automatic on
M16A1 and M16A3 rifles) or "burst" (3 rounds bursts, on M16A2 and M16A4). In the latter
case (on the M16A2 and M16A4 rifles), the trigger unit also includes the ratchet device to
count the shots fired.

The ejection port is located at the right side of the receiver, and is closed by the spring-
loaded dust cover, which automatically pops open when bolt carrier is pulled back. The
M16A2 also featured the spent case deflector - a triangular bulb on the receiver, just behind
the ejection port, that allows the gun to be safely fired left-handed.

The M16 is fed using box magazines. Earliest magazines were made from aluminum and
held 20 rounds. Circa 1970 the new, 30 rounds magazines were introduced into service and
these magazines are still in service now. An extremely wide variety of magazines available
on the commercial marked, starting from the "US post-ban" 5 and 10 round magazines, and
up to 40-rounds box, 90-rounds helical, 100-rounds dual drums (Beta-C) and 120-rounds
single drums.

The receiver is made from aluminum alloy, and consists of two parts - "upper receiver" and
"lower receiver" (sometimes referred simply as "upper" and "lower"). Most receivers are
made from aluminum forgings by machining, but some commercially available receivers are
made from aluminum castings with final drilling and machining. The upper and lower
receivers are linked by two cross-pins - one at the front (pivot pin), and one at the rear, above
the pistol grip (takedown pin). To field strip the AR-15, one must push the rear pin to the right
as far as it will go, and then hinge the upper receiver around the front pin. This will allow the
bolt group and the carrying handle to be removed from the upper receiver. For further
disassembly, the front pin also must be pushed out, and the upper and lover receiver can be
separated. The key benefit of this design is the great flexibility - if all components available
are made to the same specifications (in most cases they are), one can easily swap various
upper receivers on one lower receiver and vice versa. Since the complete "upper" module
consist also of the bolt group and the barrel with the gas system, one can easily have

40
different barrel lengths, styles (light, heavy, fluted, bull), and even calibers, for one "lower"
group, that consists of the lower receiver with the trigger/hammer unit, recoil buffer, pistol
grip and the buttstock.

The furniture on military rifles is made from the black plastic, hence the common name "the
black rifle". On the early AR-15 and M16A1 rifles, the handguards were of triangular cross-
section, and were made from two non-interchangeable parts. On the M16A2 and latter rifles,
the handguards are of round cross-section, and have two interchangeable upper-lower
sections. The buttstock on the M16A2 is similar in design to one of M16A1, but slightly
longer. The one disadvantage of the Stoner system is that it can not be adapted for
conventional folding buttstock. Instead, if required, a telescoped stock is used, that allows to
shorten the rifle when required by about the half of the length of the standard stock. M16 is
usually equipped with sling, and can accept a knife - bayonet, either an old style M7, or a
newer style M9. The flash hiders on the earliest AR-15s and M16s were prong-type, with
three open slots, but later were replaced with "bird-cage" flash hiders with four (M16A1) or
five (M16A2) slots.

Both M16A1 and M16A2 can be equipped with underbarrel 40mm M203 grenade launcher.
M203 mount replaces the standard handguards on the rifle and requires a grenade launcher
sight to be mounted on the carrying handle.

Standard sights of the M16A1 consist of a protected front post, mounted on the gas block,
and of an aperture flip-up rear, with 2 range settings. Rear sights are mounted within the
carrying handle and are adjustable for windage. The A2 style rear sight also features an flip-
up, dual aperture sights, with one smaller aperture for daylight usage, and another larger
aperture for low light conditions. The range adjustments are made by the rotating knob,
located just under the sight. The front sight is generally the same as on the M16A1. The
M16A3 and A4 rifles have detachable carrying handles with A2 sights, and the Picatinny-type
MilStd rail on the top of the receiver, that can accept a wide variety of sighting devices and
mounts. The most common military sighting equipment beyond basic iron sights is an Trijicon
ACOG low-magnification telescope or Aimpoint or EOTech 1X magnification red-dot sight,
often complemented by removable back-up iron sights (BUIS), installed on the same
Picatinny rail.

Online Store
M16\M4\AR15 Pistol Amount Price
Grip 1-5 20$
>5 Email Us
AG-43

Tactical Folding Amount Price

Pistol Grip for- 1-5 40$
M16M4AR15
>5 Email Us
AGF-43S

41
 Collapsible Butt Amount Price
Stock for M16/AR15 1-5 54$
>5 Email Us
GLR-16

Sniper Stock For Amount Price

M16/SR25 1-5 190$
>5 Email Us
SSR-25

M4 Aluminum Quad Amount Price

Rail 1-5 128$
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NFR

AR15/M16 Rail Amount Price

System 1-5 335$
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VFR

AR15/M16 Rail Amount Price

System with A2 1-5 335$
carry rail
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VFR-A2

M4 Polymer 3 Rail Amount Price

Handguard 1-5 48$
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FGR-3

Double Picatinny Amount Price

Rail 1-5 12$
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DPR 16/4

Universal Picatinny Amount Price

Rail 1-5 12$
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UPR 16/4

42
Barrel Single Rail Amount Price
1-5 28$
BSR-1
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Barrel Double Rail Amount Price

1-5 38$
BDR-2
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Dual Picatinny Amount Price

Mount 1-5 50$
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SBS

Bayonet Lug Amount Price

Flashlight & Laser 1-5 95$
Attachment
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FBAL: 3\4" - 1"

M16/AR-15 LULA™ Amount Price

Loader & Unloader 1-5 27$
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LU556M16BLK

M16/AR15 Amount Price

StripLULA™ loader 1-5 25$
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SL556M16BLK

M16/AR15 USGI Amount Price

(NATO STANAG 1-5 430$
4179) - 20 and 30 rd
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5.56 magazines.

BL556USGI30

43
Colt M16A4 Rifle is the fourth generation of the M16 weapon system. The M16A4 Rifle
still represents the world standard by which all other weapons of this class are judged. Its
combat proven performance is verified by the fact that over 8 million M16 weapon
systems have been produced and placed in military service throughout the world. With a
record that is unmatched by any other weapon system, it is no wonder that the U.S.
Marine Corps considers there to be “… no finer service rifle in the world today”.

Colt M16A4 Rifle, now in production, features a performance identical to the M16A2.
Physical differences between the two weapons include a removable carrying handle with
an integral rail-mounting system on the M16A4. When the carrying handle is removed,
any accessory device with a rail grabber, such as an optical sight, can be mounted on the
weapon.

The M16A4 Rifle barrel is designed to accept the

M203 Grenade Launcher which can easily be
assembled to the rifle offering the user both
point and area firing capabilities. Also, all US
and NATO rifle grenades can be fired without
any supplementary equipment.

The new concepts of rapid deployment, mobility

and increased firepower play a major part in the
overall strategy of modern warfare. Increased
emphasis is now put on small tactical units that
are able to “get in and out” fast. Increased need
for a lightweight, highly dependable, accurate
service rifle with added fire power therefore exists. Colt M16A4 Rifle is the ultimate rifle
in 5.56mm.

CALIBER 5.56X45mm NATO (.223 Rem)

WEIGHT WITHOUT
7.5 lb (3.40 kg)
MAG
EMPTY 30 ROUND
0.25 lb (0.11 kg)
MAG
LOADED 30 ROUND
1.0 lb (0.45 kg)
MAG
OVERALL LENGTH 39.6 in (1.0 m)
BARREL LENGTH 20 in (51.0 cm)
BORE
Hard Chrome Lined, 6 Lands & Groves, 1 Twist in 7 in. (178 mm), Right Hand
CHARACTERISTICS
METHOD OF
Gas; Direct system; Locking bolt
OPERATION
MUZZLE VELOCITY 3110 ft/sec (948 m/sec)
MUZZLE ENERGY 1765 Joule
EFFECTIVE RANGE 600 m
FRONT SIGHT Adjustable front
REAR SIGHT Target sight adjustable for windage and elevation to 600 m
SIGHT RADIUS 19.75 in (50 cm)
CYCLIC RATE OF
700-950 rpm
FIRE
FIRE CONTROL Safe - Semi - Full Auto

44
 SELECTION
UPPER RECEIVER Flat Top With Detachable Carrying Handle

AVAILABLE MODELS
RO901 : Flat top, Safe/Semi/Full Auto
RO905 : Flat top, Safe/Semi/Burst
RO701 : Fixed handle, Safe/Semi/Full Auto
RO705 : Fixed handle, Safe/Semi/Burst

- Unique direct gas operating system eliminates the

conventional operating rod normally associated with gas
operating weapons.

- Accommodates the full range of 5.56mm ammunition,

Flat top receiver allows including the NATO M855/SS109 and U.S. M193, utilizing a rifling
for removable carrying twist of 1 turn in 178mm.
handle with built-in
target-style rear sights
and easy mounting of - Straight-line construction disperses recoil straight back to
optics.
the shoulder, increasing handling capabilities, especially during
auto fire.

- Target style rear sight features dual apertures (0-200m,

300-600m) and adjusts for both windage and elevation.
Graduated elevation knob allows for adjustments from 300 to
600 meters (800m for fixed handle) without need to remember
bullet drop.
Cartridge case deflector
for left handed shooting.
- Cartridge case deflector allows easy operation in both right
and left handed shooting positions for increased tactical
applications.

- Muzzle compensator further reduces muzzle climb, and helps

eliminate flash and dust signatures.

- Ejection port cover protects the chamber from dust and mud
when weapon is in use.
Field strips easily
without special tools.
- Field strips easily without special tools for simple field user
maintenance.

- Flat top receiver allows for removable carry handle and easy
mounting of optics.

- Barrel configuration allows launching of all standard rifle

grenades, U.S and NATO, without supplemental attachments.
30 round magazine,
cleaning kit and sling - M203 40mm Grenade Launcher mounts directly to the Rifle
are included.
without modification.

- High strength materials add durability to the forearm,

buttstock and pistol grip for greater comfort and effectiveness.

45