M16

Last Updated on Tuesday, 21 July 2009 16:11 Written by Administrator Thursday, 02 July 2009 16:20

The M16 is the main infantry rifle of the United States Army since 1964. It is the military designation for the ArmaLite AR-15 rifle. More than 15 NATO countries use the M16.

The M16 was designed by Eugene Stoner. The earlier M14 rifle proved itself to be mediocre in the field. However, it demonstrated the advantages of having an assault rifle and thus paved the way for the M16. The M16 originated as the AR-10 which was chambered for the 7.62 mm NATO round. The AR-15 was a variant of the AR-10 chambered for the 5.56 mm round. It proved to be more effective and so went into production.

When introduced in Vietnam, the M16 initially appeared to be an exceptional weapon. Its pistol grip and in-line stock made it far more effective and reliable that the M14. However, it was observed to be prone to malfunction in dirty conditions.

The experience gained in Vietnam was used to make amendments to the design of the M16 and soon the M16A1 was released. This rifle eliminated the problems associated with the earlier weapon and also gave an answer to the problem of fouling by using a better propellant. The M16A1 remained for many years in service.

The current version used by the US Military is the M16A2. This rifle can fire only in semi-automatic mode and has a heavier barrel. The rifle is more robust and also heavier that the earlier versions.

The M16 remains an industry standard to this day. Many other rifles have been developed on the basis of M16. It can be said with certainty that even when the M16 is replaced by a newer design, it will still continue to be used for a long time to come.

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