Was the M16 a bad gun?

In its early years, the M16 fell short of expectations for a number of reasons. Its unreliability in combat situations could often be traced back to mechanical malfunctions, namely “failure to eject.” This issue could have been avoided if men had been given tools and instruction on how to maintain their equipment.

What was the problem with the M16?

The harsh jungle climate corroded the rifle's chamber, exacerbated by the manufacturer's decision against chrome-plating the chamber. The ammunition that accompanied the rifles sent to Vietnam was incompatible with the M16 and was the principal cause of the failure to extract malfunctions.

Is the M16 bad?

During the early part of its service, the M16 had a reputation for poor reliability and a malfunction rate of two per 1000 rounds fired.

Was the M16 a good gun?

The M16 had a higher rate of fire, 700-950 rpm compared to the 600 rpm of the AK-47, and most shooters — including those that have used the weapons in combat — have tended to agree that the M16 is the more accurate. A trade-off is that the accuracy and range don't equate to penetration.

Was the M16 bad in Vietnam?

They found that the M16 with stick powder had 3.2 malfunctions and . 75 stoppages per 1,000 rounds. The same rifles, loaded with the army's ball powder, faced 18.5 malfunctions and 5.2 stoppages per 1,000 rounds—a failure rate almost six times as high.

Why the M16 Actually Sucks

Does the M16 jam a lot?

Often … we take counts after each fight, as many as 50% of the rifles fail to work. I know of at least two Marines who died within 10 feet of the enemy with jammed rifles.

Why did soldiers hate the M16?

Vietnam War troops hated the M16 and dubbed it the “Mattel 16” because it felt more like a toy than a battle rifle. “We called it the Mattel 16 because it was made of plastic,” said Marine veteran Jim Wodecki in the video below. “At that time it was a piece of garbage.”

Is M16 better than AK-47?

The standard U.S. military rifle (M-16) is substantially more destructive than its Russian counterpart (AK-47) when fired at short range into clay blocks, despite the fact that the AK-47 is of larger caliber and fires a much heavier bullet with a kinetic energy (muzzle) 25% greater when compared to the M-16.

What was the failure rate of the M16?

The House Committee on Armed Services conducted a series of reliability tests on the M16. Stoppages were recorded at 3.3%, with 33 total stoppages from five rifles fired 200 times each.

When did the military quit using M16?

Although the M16 remained the weapon of choice for military forces around the world into the 21st century, by 2010 the U.S. Army had largely transitioned to the M4, a carbine based on the AR-15 platform, as its primary infantry weapon.

What was the worst weapon used in ww2?

1. Panjandrum – the ultimate invasion weapon. This ungainly device was intended to be used against the beach defences of Hitler's Atlantic Wall. It consisted of two rocket-propelled wheels, ten feet in diameter, joined by a cylinder filled with explosives.

Why was the M16 replaced?

The M16A4's longer barrel allowed for a higher muzzle velocity and a longer effective range; conversely the shorter M4 barrel limited its performance in both categories. But improvements in ammunition design have enabled the M4 to close the gap with its longer forefather.

What makes the M16 illegal?

Owning a fully automatic M16 is legal for civilians, but the government paperwork required to acquire one takes more than a year, and the purchased M16 must have been manufactured prior to the 1986 ban.

Why can't you buy an M16?

It also had to be on a registry before 1986… M16 rifles are legally defined as machine guns under United States federal law. The Firearm Owners Protection Act bans the civilian ownership of machine guns not registered under the National Firearms Act prior to May 19th of 1986.

Will the US replace the M16?

The Army recently announced that the Next Generation Squad Weapon, the XM5 rifle and XM250 light machine gun will replace the M4/M16 rifle and the 249 light machine gun, with some Soldiers expected to receive the weapons by the fourth quarter of 2023.

Can you buy M16 legally?

You can own an M16 as a civilian depending on your state laws, however, since there are only so many of them available (none available for civilians after 1986), the price is high.

Did US soldiers use AK-47 in Vietnam?

AK-47, AKM, and Type 56 – Captured rifles were used by South Vietnamese and U.S. forces.

Why do Navy Seals use AK 47s?

The AK-47 is cheap, very reliable, and simple to train and maintain. It has been said a child's first weapon should be an AK-47 because it is almost impossible to make it not work. It is very effective in combat, but not the best in every way.

Do Navy Seals use M16?

The M4A1 carbine is the primary weapon used by SEAL operators. A shorter, more compact version of the M16A2 rifle, it was specially designed for U.S. Special Operations Forces.

What rifle did the Marines use in Vietnam?

During the Vietnam War, the Marine Corps decided they needed a standard sniper rifle. After testing several possibilities, they ordered seven hundred Remington Model 40x rifles (target/varmint version of the Remington Model 700 bolt-action rifle), and gave them the M40 designation.

What does the M mean in M16?

What does M in M16 stand for? It's part of a nomenclature that US army adopted after World War II. M prefix denotes that the firearm is a standard model. XM prefix denotes that the firearm model is in development and hasn't made it to standard production.

What's the accurate range of an M16?

The M16 was selectable for full and automatic fire. The M16 was to have had the same effective range as the M14 rifle it replaced, but it was most effective at a range of 215 yards (200m) or less.

How often do soldiers clean their guns?

Yes! No matter if it's a pistol, rifle or machine gun, it needs to be cleaned and lubed at least every 90 days, whether it's been fired or not. And that goes for every Army unit: Active, Reserves and National Guard.

Is the AR 15 better then the M16?

The AR-15 came first, in 1947; the M16 a decade later. They have the same magazine capacity: 30 rounds. The former is heavier, with a shorter range and slower rate of fire, but these are subtle differences. Overall, the weapons are pretty similar.