That wasn’t the only problem with the M16. Ammunition corroded quickly in the hot, humid environment of Southeast Asia, and magazine feed lips bent easily, causing feeding problems. The Army had declined to chrome plate the chamber and the rifle suffered chamber corrosion problems as a result.
What does the 16 in M16 stand for?
The M16A3 was adopted for use by the US Navy in 1994 and utilizes a modular rail system instead. Why does the M16 have a ’16’ at the end? For nearly every gun or assault rifle, the number stands for the year of production.
Is M16 fully automatic in Vietnam?
The original Vietnam era M-16/M-16a1 rifles allowed for Unrestricted full auto fire. The weapons themselves performed fine, (after initial teething problems on introduction). Following the Vietnam war, the military reexamined their use of the rifles in combat.
What was wrong with the M16?
Ammunition corroded quickly in the hot, humid environment of Southeast Asia, and magazine feed lips bent easily, causing feeding problems. The Army had declined to chrome plate the chamber and the rifle suffered chamber corrosion problems as a result. The rifle stock had a tendency to crack.
Is the M16 outdated?
The M16A4 is not completely gone; it will remain in the armories of some training and non-combat units in the Army and Marine Corps. It’s also possible that surplus rifles may be modified for other roles, such as designated marksmen rifles.
Was the AR15 used in the Vietnam War?
In the early 1960’s, U.S. Special Forces in Vietnam used the AR15 and it was given glowing reports. Although opposed by the Ordnance Corp, the Armalite AR-15 was adopted by the Secretary of Defense as the 5.56mm M16 rifle.