Colt M16
From Gory Storm
| Weapon | |
| Colt M16 | |
|---|---|
| Ammunition Type: 5.56x45mm NATO | |
| Magazine Size: 30 round magazine | |
| Type: Assault Rifle | |
| custom(?): No | |
Contents |
[edit] M16
The M16 Assault Rifle family, developed by Colt, is one of the more widely recognized assault rifles today, following the AK-47. Firing a 5.56mm round (.223 caliber), and being made mostly of plastic, along with it's distinguishing black color and long fore-grip, this weapon was prone to some severe problems.
The dust cover on the ejector port of the weapon did not seal it against dust, which got into the loading mechanism and as a result, it jammed quite often without regular cleaning. Through various versions of the weapon, attempts were made to solve this problem, with little success. Another problem was the quality of the gunpowder in the casings, causing an incredible buildup of residue unless it was cleaned often. And since Colt had promoted the weapon as 'low maintenance', the initial weapons did not have cleaning kits, and as a result, many soldiers threw away their M16s for enemy AK-47s, at the risk of being shot by their own troops.
Now, there is a cleaning kit in the buttstock of the weapon, and is lower maintenance than it's first version, but still requires extensive cleaning for optimal performance.
[edit] M16A1
The prototype army-version, XM16E1 (now known as "M16A1"), was essentially the same weapon as the M16 with the addition of a forward assist. The M16A1 was the finalized production model. To address issues raised by the XM16E1's testing cycle, a "bird-cage" flash suppressor replaced the XM16E1's three-pronged flash suppressor, which was too easy for foreign material to get into and which caught on twigs and leaves. After numerous problems in the field, numerous changes were fielded. Cleaning kits were developed and issued; barrels with chromed chambers and later fully-chromed bores were introduced. The number of malfunctions due to fouling and corrosion declined and later troops were generally unfamiliar with early problems. A rib was built into the side of the receiver on the XM16E1 to help prevent accidentally pressing the magazine release button when closing the ejection port cover and perhaps also to protect the receiver from wear from the cover hitting up against it. This rib was later extended on production M16A1s to help in preventing the magazine release from inadvertently being pressed. The bolt cam pin and the hole it rides in the bolt were tapered to prevent the bolt from being inserted upside down (creating a failure to eject).
[edit] M16A2
The development of the Colt M16A2 rifle was originally requested by the United States Marine Corps.[1] The Marines were the first branch of the US Armed Forces to adopt the M16A2. Modifications to the M16A2 were more extensive. In addition to the new rifling, the barrel was made with a greater thickness in front of the front sight post to resist bending in the field, allow for cooling between shots, and the stepped-up design allowed use of the M203 grenade launcher to be used with the weapon.[1] The front sight was now a square post with 4 detent positions in order to refine the sight picture. A new adjustable rear sight was added, allowing the rear sight to be dialed in for specific range settings between 300 and 800 meters to take full advantage of the ballistic characteristics of the new SS109 rounds and to allow windage adjustments without the need of a tool or cartridge.[1] 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. The front grip was modified from the original triangular shape to a round one, which better fit smaller hands and could be fit to older models of M16s.[1] The new handguards were also symmetrical so that armories didn't need separate left and right spares. The handguard retention ring was angled to make it easier to install and uninstall the handguards.[1] The pistol grip adds a notch for the middle finger and more texture to enhance the grip. The buttstock was lengthened by 5/8 inches.[1] The new buttstock is ten times stronger than the original due to advances in polymer technology since the early 1960s. Original M16 stocks were made from fiberglass-impregnated resin; current stocks are engineered from DuPont Zytel glass-filled thermoset polymers. The new stock includes a fully textured polymer buttplate for better grip on the shoulder, and retains a panel for accessing a small compartment inside the stock often used for storing a basic cleaning kit. The heavier bullet reduces muzzle velocity from 3,200 feet per second (975 m/s), to about 3,050 feet per second (930 m/s). The A2 also uses a faster twist rifling to allow the use of a trajectory-matched tracer round. A spent case deflector was incorporated into the upper receiver to prevent casings from striking left-handed users.[1]
The action was also modified, replacing the fully-automatic setting with a three-round burst setting.[1] 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 lbs. in pressure differential, detracting from accuracy.
All together, the M16A2s new features added weight and complexity to the M16 series. Critics also point out that neither of the rear sight apertures is ideally sized. The smaller aperture was described as being too small, making quick acquisition of the front sight post difficult; and the larger aperture was described as being too large, resulting in decreased accuracy. To make matters worse, the rear sight apertures are not machined to be on the same plane. In other words, the point of impact changes when the user changes from one aperture to the other. The rear sight's range adjustment feature is rarely used in combat as soldiers tend to leave the rear sight on its lowest range setting: 300 meters. Despite criticism, a new rifle was needed both to comply with NATO standardization of the SS109 (M855) and to replace aging Vietnam era weapons in the inventory.
[edit] M16A3
The Colt M16A3 was a flattop receiver 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 the SEALs. It features a Safe-Semi-Auto (S-1-A) trigger group like that of the M16 and M16A1.
[edit] M16A4
The Colt M16A4 is a service rifle in use by the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps.
It is currently offered by Colt in four configurations: flat-top/burst, flat-top/full-auto, fixed-handle/burst, fixed-handle/full-auto.
Now standard issue for frontline U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps units. The A4 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.
Most of the U.S. Marine Corps' M16A4s are equipped with a Knight's Armament Company M5 RAS handguard, allowing vertical grips, lasers, tactical lights, and other accessories to be attached.
U.S. Army M16A4s also often feature the KAC M5 RAS. In U.S. Army Field Manuals, M16A4s fitted with the RAS are sometimes referred to as M16A4 MWS or Modular Weapon System. This model retains the 3-round burst mode of the M16A2.
