M16

The ”’M16”’ was an initial version fielded in the early 1960s; however the U.S. Army began to field the ”’M16A1”’ en masse in 1965, with almost all of the US Army having switched over to the system by 1967. The US Marine Corps also adopted the system during this period. Adoption of the ”’M16A2”’ by both the US Army and USMC started in the late 1980s, and the ”’M16A4”’ began to be fielded even more recently. They are automatic rifles, firing a 5.56 mm round. During the late 1970s a roughly standardized load for this ammunition was adopted throughout NATO, (See: ”5.56 mm NATO”).

[ratings]

[Gallery=m16]

• name: M16 rifle
• origin: United States of America
• era: Vietnam War, modern
• type: Service rifle
• is_ranged: yes
• service: 1960–present
• used_by: United States of America, Israel, Greece, others
• wars: Vietnam War, Gulf War, Battle of Mogadishu, Iraq War
• spec_type: Selective fire/Assault rifle
• design_date: 1957
• production_date: 1960—
• number: Over 8 million
• variants: See ”Variants”
• weight: See ”Design”
• length: 1,006 mm (39.5 in)
• part_length: 508 mm (20 in)
• cartridge: 5.56 x 45 mm NATO, .223 Remington
• caliber: 5.56 mm (.223 Inchin)
• action: Gas-operated, rotating bolt
• rate: 750 to 900 round/min, cyclic
• velocity: 975 m/s (3,200 ft/s), 930 m/s (3,050 ft/s) (see ”Variants”)
• range: 550 m (600 yd)
• feed: 20- or 30-round detachable box magazine (see ”Design”)