The M16 assault rifle is the main weapon of the American marines since the middle of the last century. The sample is one of the most popular, widespread models of automatic weapons in the world.
From the start of mass production to the present day, about eight million copies have been produced. Despite the appearance of a variety of modifications and many alternative options that can compete with the model, the M16 rifle continues to be in great demand on the market. Moreover, interest in such weapons arises not only among professional military personnel, but also among representatives of the civilian sector.
Development history
A prerequisite for the development of the M16 assault rifle was the results of special studies during the ALCLAD project aimed at identifying the causes of injuries and deaths of American soldiers over the period from the First World War and ending with the Korean War. As the results showed, about 70% of the damage on the battlefield occurred in shrapnel wounds. Small arms losses accounted for only 20% of the total.
The main conclusion of the research was the need to create light weapons, which would allow automatic fire with small-caliber ammunition with minimal recoil. The determining parameter was the possibility of hitting targets at a distance of about 500 meters.
Accordingly, starting in 1957, the high command of the US Army launched a competition to develop the best light rifle with a caliber of not more than 5.5 mm. Among other requirements, it was noted: the possibility of firing both in single and automatic mode, the presence of a fairly capacious cartridge magazine, the ability to pierce a protective helmet at a distance of up to 400 meters.
The army leadership was presented with a whole host of developments. However, the most promising was the AR-15 model with a caliber of 5.56 mm. Due to the insignificant mass of the bolt group mechanisms, the specimen showed high combat accuracy when firing in single series and bursts.
In 1964, a wide range of modifications of the AR-15 rifle was made, after which it was given a new name - the M16 assault rifle. Since 1996, the model has been officially adopted by the U.S. Army and has been used as an element of equipment for marines in Vietnam. However, in the course of real hostilities, the rifle proved to be a rather unreliable small arms. Therefore, later we had to make multiple improvements to the model.
Automatic M16: specifications
To better understand what is at stake, you need to consider the characteristics of the model. The popular automatic rifle has the following parameters:
- caliber - 5.5 mm;
- weight without belt and additional components - 3.1 kg;
- the weight of a standard magazine (without cartridges) - 117 g;
- the length of the rifle with a flame arrester - 991 mm;
- barrel length - 508 mm;
- the length of weapons equipped with a bayonet is 1120 mm;
- effective firing range - 400 m;
- rate of fire - up to 950 rounds per minute;
- starting speed of the bullet - 1000 meters per second.
Build Features
What does the M16 machine look like? The case of the standard model is quite easy to assemble. The receiver consists of two separate halves - the lower and upper. Both are made of forged aluminum billets machined on high-precision machines. Today, there are also samples for commercial applications that contain solid receiver boxes, milled from monolithic aluminum billets.
The connection of the two structural parts of the model is carried out through the use of transverse fasteners in the form of pins that are easily removed from the housing. This feature significantly simplifies the disassembly of the M16 rifle for cleaning mechanisms and scheduled maintenance of weapons.
Principle of operation
M16 is an automatic machine in which powder gases are removed from the barrel channel, passing through a thin pipe, which affects the shutter frame, that is, moves it back. Next, the shutter rotates, after which it is removed from the clutch with the barrel. The slide frame moves under the influence of residual pressure formed in the chamber. Then it exerts pressure on the return spring, as a result of which the sleeve is ejected from the barrel. To facilitate the reloading of weapons, the developers have implemented some delay shutter in the rear position.
Trigger mechanism
Based on what principle does the American M16 assault rifle function? Photos of the USM model show the extreme similarity of the working mechanisms with the filling of the Browning Auto-5 brand shotgun. The operating modes of the trigger system here are selected using two-position (civilian models) or three-position (military weapons) switches. The latter are located on the left in the region of the receiver above the handle.
It is possible to set the switches in several positions. Each of them is responsible for the operation of weapons in separate modes:
- Safe - prevention of an accidental shot.
- Semi - firing single shots.
- Auto - shooting in automatic mode.
- Burst - the product of bursts of 3 shots (the function is presented in the modified models M16A2 and M16A4).
Aim
As a sights used triangular front sight. The latter is slightly shifted back, which makes it possible to conduct accurate fire with feathered rifle grenades.
When transporting weapons, the sight is hidden in the handle. Its adjustment is carried out by changing the number of clicks with a special handwheel designed for adjustment.
Equipment
In a standard layout, the M16 assault rifle contains weapons cleaning devices that are housed in the application. On the right side of the receiver there is a “rammer” shutter. The latter is used in cases where there is not enough energy, which is provided by the return spring.
M16 - automatic, which can be equipped with a 40 mm caliber grenade launcher . Modern modifications of the sample also contain metal guides for the installation of various kinds of optics.
In the M16A2 modification, a reflector is presented, which opens up the possibility for firing from both the right and left shoulder.
Score
The barrel is powered by cartridges due to the supply of the latter from a two-row box magazine. As you can see in the old photos of the M16 machine, initially the sample was equipped with oversized stores with a capacity of 20 rounds. Later, steel and aluminum systems for ammunition of 30 units were developed.
Currently, a wide range of magazines of various capacities are available to complete the rifle: from 7-10 rounds for samples intended for civilian use, and up to 40 bullets in full-fledged combat models used by paramilitary groups.
Modifications
The American M16 assault rifle has several basic modifications. This, first of all, is the M16A1 and M16A2 rifles.
Model M16A1 is an improved version of the standard assembly model. Among the useful improvements, it is worth noting the emergence of a shutter release mechanism, a reliable flame arrester, and an improved stem buffer. To complete the new model, a more spacious 30-round magazine and an effective silencer have been developed that can suppress sound waves when fired with standard 5.5 mm cartridges.
Another modification - M16A2 - is equipped with a barrel of increased strength, improved sights, a stock made of shockproof polyamide, as well as a new forend. Like the previous model, the sample began to be equipped with plastic lightweight stores for 30 rounds.
In turn, on the basis of the above modifications, a number of assault rifles, carbines and submachine guns were developed:
- M-4 is a shortened, lightweight version of the M16A2 automatic rifle with an advanced, reinforced muzzle brake.
- M733 - a rifle, also known as Colt Kommando. It is used by the American army special forces, by the police as the main automatic weapon.
- SR-47 - allows you to use stores from AKM and fire large-caliber cartridges.
- The Barrett REC7 is an automatic rifle developed on the basis of the M16 for firing cartridges of the latest model of 6.8 mm caliber.
- SIG 716 - automatic machine for cartridges of 7.62 mm caliber (NATO standard).
Common misconceptions regarding the operation of the M16 rifle
Both users and experts traditionally compare the M16 and the Kalashnikov assault rifle. After all, it was precisely these types of small arms that were noted for mass use in the most famous military conflicts.
There are a number of misconceptions, taking into account which, most often, a comparison of Kalashnikov and M16 assault rifles takes place. Next, we will consider some of them.
The first misconception is the low level of reliability of the M16. A prerequisite for the formation of this opinion was the events of the late 60s of the last century, when the first M16 entered the arsenal of the American army (an assault rifle whose characteristics did not meet the obviously accepted and agreed upon requirements). After the modification of the barrels and bolt mechanisms, the use of cartridges of the required brand, the problems with the operation of the rifle practically disappeared.
In Russian literature, there are still references to the fact that M16 rifles need extremely regular cleaning - about once every 300 shots. In reality, standard samples are able to function properly without the need for maintenance, spending about 50-60 stores of ammunition.
In fact, in the field, servicing such weapons is no more difficult than the same Kalashnikov assault rifle, and for a number of points it is even simpler. In particular, cleaning requires disassembling the sample into fewer components. To service the rifle, the following actions are performed:
- Squeezed back pin in the receiver. As a means at hand, it is enough to use a conventional weapon cartridge. Then the fasteners are removed in the direction to the right until they stop.
- The receiver rises and winds up behind the front pin.
- With the help of the traction for the handle of the platoon, the bolt group is removed, after which you can begin to service it.
- Subsequent assembly of the mechanism is performed in reverse order.
It is worth noting that the need to perform the above actions arises only with sufficiently serious contamination of weapons. As for cleaning other components, occasionally flushing a gas pipe is required. To do this, use special cleaning compounds or ordinary kerosene.
Another misconception concerns the linear layout of the M16 rifle. It is believed that this causes a significant increase in the shooter's profile for the enemy during firing. However, when using the ruler, it turned out that during firing from shelters the height of the aiming line here was increased by only 2 centimeters compared to the AK-47. Well, when firing from a prone position with a rifle equipped with small-sized stores, this parameter is even less.
It is believed that the M16 assault rifle is ineffective or not at all suitable for close combat. To understand how true this opinion is, it is necessary to pay attention to the layout of all modifications of the rifle with special mounts for installing a bayonet under the barrel.
Naturally, the nature of the manufacturing materials used and the assembly features do not provide for the operation of a sample for knocking out doors with a butt or for using weapons as scrap. However, in hand-to-hand combat, which is currently extremely rare during real combat operations, the M16 can be quite successfully used for these purposes. On the whole, you need to understand that ordinary infantrymen, in addition to the rifle, are given a time-keeping pistol, which is the best solution for fights at close range.
Finally
As you can see, the advantages of the American M16 rifle significantly outweigh its shortcomings. Therefore, it is not surprising that a series of machine guns secured the status of weapons No. 1 not only in the American army. Various modifications of the standard model successfully serve in numerous countries of Europe, Asia and even are in service in some states.
Currently, by order of the senior management of the US armed forces, active work is underway to create an innovative automatic weapon that can push the modern M16 assault rifle into the background. Despite this, the rifles of this family are still not withdrawn from service and are used by the US military in the hottest spots in the world.