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Pte. Doug Moles, forward
scout with 1 Platoon A Company patrolling through high
grass in Phuoc Tuy Province.
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M16 (more formally United
States Rifle, Calibre 5.56 mm, M16) is the U.S. military
designation for a family (XM16, M16/A1/A2/A3/A4) of
rifles derived from the Armalite AR-15 and further
developed by Colt starting in the mid-20th century. It
has been the primary infantry rifle of the United States
military since the 1960s,
The M16 is a lightweight, 5.56 mm calibre, air-cooled,
gas-operated, magazine-fed rifle, with a rotating bolt,
actuated by direct impingement gas operation. It is
constructed of steel, aluminium and composite plastics.
It replaced the 9 mm Owen Machine Carbine.
Type:
Service rifle
Place of origin: United States of America
Designed: 1957
Produced: 1960
Weight: 3.5Kg (7.5 Lbs)
Length: 1,006 mm (39.5 in)
Barrel length: 508 mm (20 in)
Cartridge: 5.56 by 45 mm NATO, .223 Remington
Calibre: 5.56 mm (.223 in)
Action: Gas-operated, rotating bolt
Rate of fire: 750 to 900 round/min, cyclic
Muzzle velocity: 975 m/s (3,200 ft/s), 930 m/s
(3,050 ft/s) (see
Effective range: 550 m (600 yd)
Feed system: 20- or 30-round detachable box
magazine
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The M203 was
introduced to U.S. military forces during the late '60s,
However, while the M79 was a separate weapon entirely,
the M203 was designed as a rifle attachment in order to
increase the efficiency at which a soldier could
alternate between bullet fire and HE grenade fire. |
