Friday, March 26, 2010

M16 Assault Rifle

M16 Assault Rifle
The M16 (more formally Rifle, Caliber 5.56 mm, M16) is the United States military designation for the AR-15 rifle. Colt purchased the rights to the AR-15 from ArmaLite and currently uses that designation only for semi-automatic versions of the rifle. The M16 rifle fires the 5.56x45mm cartridge and can produce massive wounding and hydrostatic shock effects when the bullet impacts at high velocity and yaws in tissue leading to fragmentation and rapid transfer of energy. However, terminal effects can be unimpressive when the bullet fails to yaw or fragment in tissue.

The M16 entered United States Army service as the M16A1 and was put into action for jungle warfare in South Vietnam in 1963, becoming the standard U.S. rifle of the Vietnam War by 1969; replacing the M14 rifle in that role. The U.S. Army retained the M14 in CONUS, Europe, and South Korea until 1970. Since the Vietnam War, the M16 rifle family has been the primary infantry rifle of the U.S. military. With its variants, it has been in use by 15 NATO countries, and is the most produced firearm in its caliber.

Rifle, 5.56 mm, M16
Type Assault rifle
Place of origin United States
Service history
In service 1963–present
Used by See Users
Wars Vietnam War–present
Production history
Designer Eugene Stoner
L. James Sullivan
Designed 1957
Manufacturer Colt Defense
FN Herstal
H & R Firearms
General Motors Hydramatic Division
Produced 1960–present
Number built approx. 8 million
Variants See Variants
Specifications (M16A2)
Weight 7.8 lb (3.5 kg) unloaded
8.79 lb (4.0 kg) loaded
Length 39.5 in (1,000 mm)
Barrel length 20 in (508 mm)

Cartridge 5.56x45mm NATO
Action Gas-operated, rotating bolt
Rate of fire 700–950 rounds/min, cyclic depending on model
Muzzle velocity 3,200 ft/s (975 m/s) (M16A1)
3,050 ft/s (930 m/s) (M16A2)
Effective range 600 yards (550 m)
Feed system Various STANAG magazines


M16 Videos:











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