Their Diemaco-manufactured C7 was, virtually, an M16A2 that retained the rear sight and the full-auto setting of the M16A1. Stoner went to Aberdeen Proving Ground for ammunition assistance. The stock was cheap, short, and flimsy and easily broken in use. One passage, regarding Lt. Herricks surounded platoon, say it all. Before we do, I first want to answer the most common questions asked about AR-15 ammo… But if you’re in a hurry, jump ahead using the following … There was heavy resistance to the radical new design from the Ordnance Corps, especially from Dr. Frederick Carten. We got “experts” who said that we didn’t clean them enough or with the proper materials or lubricants – which was incorrect, as they later admitted. (ii) (C) The AR-15 round will penetrate jungle undergrowth equally as well as the M2 Carbine round at ranges up to 50 meters. Deliveries began in August of 1994, from Colt’s Manufacturing, for 24,000 M4 carbines contracted at $11 million; another contract followed in 1995 for 16,217 M4A1 carbines. It bears more detailed examination than I usually put into the Weekly DTIC, so this will be a longer post than usual. Back wound, which caused the thoracic cavity to explode. After inserting a full magazine, the rifleman would push in on the upper portion of the bolt catch to release the bolt and load the rifle. In other words, your bolt is trying to open at higher speeds, so you have an aggravated condition where the cartridge is tending to stick in there a little longer or a little harder, and you are also giving it a harder jerk by driving the bolt faster.”, Mr. Bray [To Gene Stoner]: “Then a faster rate of fire could cause that situation (failure to extract)?”, Gene Stoner [To Mr. Bray]: “This is probably one of the worst conditions you can get, by increasing the cyclic rate.”. There were several reasons for the development and subsequent acceptance of the M16. It was built off the ArmaLite AR-15, which was a select-fire, air-cooled, gas-operated, magazine-fed rifle manufactured in the U.S. between 1959 and 1964. It was a spray and pray no better than the M14A. Instead of having vents all around the flash suppresser, the bottom has been left solid, which reduces muzzle climb and prevents dust from flying when firing from the prone position. One rifle in the accuracy test delivered an amazing 10-round group at 100 yards that measured only 1.5 inches; any group under six inches at 100 yards being acceptable for an assault rifle. Subsequently, ArmaLite introduced a totally new concept for the modern battlefield, a 22-caliber battle rifle. The M14A1 was indeed a squad level, selective fire weapon, originally planned to be the M15, to replace the BAR. The great weapons designer, Eugene Stoner, never stopped working on his AR-10 design. The principal and most serious cause of the malfunctions of the AR-15/M16 rifle in Vietnam was the failure to chrome plate the chamber. Get 12 Issues a year of the country's best firearms writing. It is the best weapon for al-around tactical employment. When viewing pictures of some very grievous wounds caused by the 5.56mm caliber, “exploded” is definitely a word that comes to mind. The high degree of reliability and trouble-free performance of the weapon reflected in previous test reports (Ref 1. c., 1. d. , and 1. f. ) was also noteworthy during the testing and evaluation here. The receivers, produced from 7075 T6 aircraft aluminum, which helps keep the rifle lightweight and dissipates heat better than conventional metals, are hard-anodized with a non-reflective matte gray weather-resistant finish. The AR- 15 round will penetrate jungle undergrowth equally as well as the M2 Carbine round at ranges up to 50 meters. Everything I’ve read states the AR15 was marketed to civilians and did not enter the military. The sights must be adjustable to 800 meters. ” (VN Special Forces). Mr. Ichord [to Col. Yout]: “We have evidence and are advised by our experts … that Ball propellant, which you apparently speak so highly of, does have an adverse affect upon the operation of the M16 rifle. I thought it was a mistake, myself. The report concluded that the AR-15 was superior to the weapons to which it was compared. The Board found the AR-15 to be nearly three times more reliable than the M14 in the development stages. He couldn’t hit a thing on full auto, but it was a standard M14 with the key installed. 5. 3. Second, chrome is slippery in nature and assists in extraction and ejection. Numerous accounts of troops found dead in their fighting holes with their weapons diassembled were presented as evidence that the weapon was despised by the troops. USA -(Ammoland.com)- According to the news media, an AR 15 Rifle is any gun that someone uses in the act of doing something bad. The Army is determined to retro-engineer modern rifles into its beloved Garand, which is possibly the most over-hyped rifle in history, and perhaps eventually back to the .45-70 single shot. I wasn’t in the fight but USMCvet’s account rings true when you read this article from The Atlantic… https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/1981/06/m-16-a-bureaucratic-horror-story/545153/. They investigated, finding the major contributor to malfunctions was ammunition assembled using Ball powder. The pressures involved were more than the 222 Remington case could handle, so the 222 Special was developed. Using expertise gained in the aircraft industry, Stoner designed the upper and lower receivers of the AR-10 to be made of lightweight aircraft aluminum. Military surgeons all over the world have asked the United Nations to ban small caliber high-velocity rounds in combat — including the 5.56×45mm and the 5.45×39mm cartridges — which they believe cause unnecessary pain and suffering. – Hatcher’s Book of The Garand, Julian S. Hatcher. There is still an “L-shaped” sight aperture, and there is a 5mm aperture battle sight effective to 200 meters. Just my experience, but an unpleasant one. The weapon’s reputation for durability and reliability was based on this ammo/extruded propellant combination. The critics reasoned the M16 rifle was adopted because U.S. troops felt outgunned by the North Vietnamese Army/Viet Cong who were equipped with full-auto AK47s. Colt’s Manufacturing Company, Inc., manufactures more civilian versions of the rifle than any other manufacturer, even though there are many other semi-auto clones produced. Following this sale, the U.S. Army Rangers also purchased SR25 rifles. Colt now signed an additional contract to deliver 25,000 rifles a month by December 1966. As a result, many M14 rifles were issued with the selector levers removed, making the rifle effectively, an M1 Garand with a 20-round magazine. The subcommittee also found the Ball propellant sole-source position enjoyed by Olin Mathieson for many years — and their close relationship with the Army — may have influenced Army Materiel Command. More recently, infantry units have noticed it takes more time to clear rooms and buildings in the MOUT (Military Operations in Urban Terrain) environment with the 3-round burst versus the full-auto mode and feel the full-auto option is desirable in those circumstances. This week’s DTIC document is one well worth reading in the interest of understanding the AR-15’s early deployment and subsequent “fall from grace” later in the 1960s. No parts breakage was encountered while firing approximately 80,000 rounds during the Comparison Test. Product Improvement (PIP). The brass’ answer was essentially, “if they cleaned their weapons properly they wouldn’t jam.” The problem was weapon amd ammo design but the brass was loathe to admit that battlefield conditions did not favor the early M1-16. Five VC were hit, all five with body wounds, and all five killed. However, a request arrived at the Pentagon from Lackland Air Force Base requesting the AR-15 be qualified as a candidate to replace M2 carbines. Steps were taken to procure ammunition. To solve the chamber corrosion and failure-to-extract issues, all future production rifle barrels would be chrome-lined. An M14 rifle with 120 rounds loaded in magazines weighed 18.93 pounds, while the … In July of 1960, Air Force General Curtis LeMay attended a Fourth of July celebration where a Colt salesman placed three watermelons on a firing range at distances of 50, 100 and 150 yards — then gave General LeMay an AR-15 and loaded magazines. A decision to reduce the velocity requirement, and continue loading IMR4475 propellant would probably have been made instead, and development of alternate propellants could have been pursued more deliberately.”. IT WAS ISSUED TO THE VAST MAJORITY OF SOLDIERS DURING THE CONFLICT, AND ITS GENERAL SUCCESS IN COMBAT LED TO ITS CONTINUED SERVICE IN THE U.S. ARMED FORCES IN VARIED FORMS OVER THE YEARS. The AR-15 made use of high-impact fibrite stocks, pistol grips and handguards. AR-15. Also, we pulled really hard on the nylon sling, mounted underneath the barrel, but it bent sideways, without bending the 1/8″ dia sling swivel. As a result, there were parts driven beyond their working parameters – as well as the bolt opening prematurely. • Increased the effectiveness at long range, more so than the M16A1. Collectively, this is called the “fleet yaw problem”. On November 4, 1963, Colt was awarded a contract worth $13.5 million dollars for the procurement of 104,000 rifles … the legendary “One Time Buy.” Of those rifles, 19,000 were M16s for the Air Force and 85,000 were the XM16E1 (with the bolt closure device/forward assist assembly) for the Army and Marines. Get the 74th edition of the World's Greatest Gun Book. Del-Ton Sierra 316L AR-15 5.56 NATO 1x9 Twist ORFTML16-M2 $659.99. The new 5.56×45mmNATO round revolutionized military small arms ammunition all over the world. Toggle navigation MENU Sign In ... Colt GAU-5AA AR-15 Vietnam War Collection 5.56 NATO 16.1" 20 Rds CRGAU5AA . The bullet must be accurate to 800 meters and possess the capability to penetrate all known steel helmets and body armor at 800 meters. While in recent years these graybeards have been largely drowned out in the flooded market of high-quality AR-15s, there are legitimate reasons behind their criticisms and complaints. When the Al barrels would heat up, sling tension could bend them. Not only was the conceptual validity of the three-round Burst under scrutiny, but the mechanical design as well. Only two parts have been issued to date to replace breakage for the entire 1.000 weapons. AR-15 Parts; AR-15 Parts. On February 19, 1959, Colt’s Patent Firearms Manufacturing Company of Hartford, Connecticut purchased the rights to the AR-15 and AR-10 from Fairchild Stratos (ArmaLite) for a lump sum of $75,000 plus a royalty of four and a half percent on all further production of the AR-15 and AR-10. In October 1961, William Godel, a senior man at the Advanced Research Projects Agency, sent 10 AR-15s to South Vietnam. Nor is the idea that the .223 caliber was exceptional in this regard so far-fetched. In December 1961, Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara authorized a purchase of 1,000 AR-15s. Nathaniel is a history enthusiast and firearms hobbyist whose primary interest lies in military small arms technological developments beginning with the smokeless powder era. 12. The first carbines were known as CAR15 (Colt Automatic Rifle). Later in the document, a full brush penetration test is given: Purpose: To determine whether dense brush and undergrowth affects the trajectory of the AR- 15 bullet and to compare its ability to penetrate heavy foliage with that of the MZ Carbine. As soon as production M-16s were made, the expensive chrome-plating was eliminated, and thus the many deaths due to jammed rifles. The 5R rifling is designed to optimize the use of 168-grain Match 7.62×51mm NATO/308 Winchester ammunition. Your experience was a statistical anomaly. (i) (C) The trajectory of the AR-15 bullet is not significantly affected when fired through dense underbrush at ranges up to 50 meters. Ball powder generates larger amounts of carbon residue that clogs the gas tube and barrel port, causing the firearm to malfunction. The M14 was not issued as an automatic weapon to the Army.The M14 was supplied to the Army, semiauto only. I’ve also read that Colt modified the AR15 to become the M16. NATO (Northern Atlantic Treaty Organization) had adopted the Belgian-made SS109. As the subject of another DTIC post proved, however, this effect is no guarantee of terminal performance. I did keep the rifle clean and never had any issues. Some critics did not like the fact that the new M855 cartridge could not be fired in the current issue M16 /M16A1 rifles without raising concerns that the fast l:7-inch rifling twist would more quickly burn out barrels during extended rapid fire. First, the chrome-lined barrel was corrosion resistant. As the armorer for the 6th Engineer Bn I one had to use a hammer and screwdriver to force the bolt into full battery (with a round in the chamber!) When chromed, the walls of the chamber are harder; sand and mud don’t “iron” into them. • Increased ammunition conservation and more effective fire with the 3-round burst than with full-auto fire. This rifles incorporates the 5R rifling sniper barrel manufactured by Remington Arms for the M24 sniper rifle. The AR-15 made it a fatal wound. I remembered reading a long time ago in the early 80’s about how the ordinance dept tried to shaft the rifle because they didn’t like it because the Airforce tested it first and it was to different for their taste. The C7, literally a modified M16A2 rifle, is manufactured by Diemaco of Ontario, Canada, an unknown company to most of the world but a large player in this weapons system. In the end, the rifle was not the problem; instead, this was an ammunition-driven problem that altered the design intent of the rifle. The cyclic rate of the rifle was increased 10 to 15 percent (approximately 200 rounds per minute), resulting in higher stress on certain components caused by the higher velocity of the bolt carrier assembly. The test report was issued on December 11th and the conclusions were as follows: • The sights were easily adjusted in the field by hand rather than with a bullet tip. Lieutenant Col. Yout later ordered an additional 765 Colt “Commandos” — and a new name was coined for the carbine project. I always got a center mass shot at 400 meters on the range with iron sights. Should I be embarrassed? It is easy to maintain. It’s unclear exactly what ranges the firearms were used, and whether those ranges were unknown to everyone (as in, perhaps the ranges were unknown because they were in combat), or just the shooters (as in a test). I had carried the M14 through all kinds of weather and dirty conditions, and never got a jam. 4. Rifles began to surface throughout Vietnam, totally outside the normal small arms procurement process. The AR-10, scaled down to fire the popular 222 Remington cartridge, had little recoil in semi-auto mode and was amazingly controllable on full-auto. Number of VC killed: 5 b. The first troops using the AR-15 under combat conditions were very enthusiastic, preferring it to all other weapons. Its semi-automatic firing accuracy is comparable to that of the M1 Rifle, while its automatic firing accuracy is considered superior to that of the Browning Automatic Rifle. Later the barrel was changed to 11.4 inches to permit the weapon to launch grenades. It was still too light and too lightweight a mechanism to replace the BAR, few were issued. was the subject of our very first DTIC post. 4. Colt’s Manufacturing claims there is little, if any, difference in accuracy at ranges up to 500-600 meters. Discussion of some of these statements will be handled below: (d) (C) Test 04, Marksmanship ability, unknown distance. The M-16 was not designed by a combat veteran because it has an inaccessible chamber and funneled crude directly into it. The Army signed a contract for 2,815 “Commando model” submachine guns on June 28, 1966. The new, improved M16/M16A1 barrel assemblies would have stamped on the barrel, in front of the front sight assembly: “C” (Chrome Chamber Only), “C MP B” (Chrome Chamber, Barrel & Magnetic Resonance Tested) or “C MP Chrome Bore”(Chrome Chamber, Barrel & Magnetic Resonance Tested). They were carrying the M14 rifle, chambered for the 7.62×51mm NATO (M80 Ball) cartridge, which had a detachable 20-round magazine and was capable of semi- and full-automatic fire. In 1994, the Army adopted the second carbine of the 20th century and the first general issue carbine since 1941, the M4, perhaps the finest carbine ever developed. He said it turned into a good rifle after the bugs were worked out of it. A second man was hit in the chest,; his back was one big hole. The rifle jammed on the first round. I also own 2 AR pattern rifles and the only time I had problems was when I shot “Tula” ammo. As you browse our AR parts for sale, know that you are looking at the best the industry has to offer. Reports from Vietnam of failures to extract in the field caused the subcommittee great concern. Initially the request was denied, the Ordnance Corps saying the military had no use for such a weapon. The Army designated the M14A1 a squad level support level. Stoppages on the AR-15 are easily cleared by the individual soldier through the application of “immediate action”. After the AR15 — now, the M16 rifle — went into circulation, more was learned about how to improve the rifle. Gene Stoner repaired all the weapons; the test resumed and the weapons performed admirably. The M14 rifle weighed 9.32 pounds unloaded to the AR-15/M-16’s 6.35 pounds. I liked the article on the AR-15/M16 rifle very much, I remember an article back in 1956-57 in one of Gun Mag’s about the AR-10, I thougt at the time it was a good rifle. It imposes the least logistical burden. The military soon learned the M14 on full auto was extremely difficult to control; most burst fire was ineffective. He can be reached via email at [email protected]. The forward assist assembly was changed from the “tear drop” style of the M16A1 to the new round “button” style forward assist assembly of the M16A2. The original $13.5 million contract turned into a $17,994,694.23 contract. In December 1955, the first AR10 was presented to the Infantry Board and School at Fort Benning, Georgia, by Gene Stoner and George Sullivan, an ArmaLite executive. Rifles began to surface throughout Vietnam, totally outside the normal small arms procurement process. Subsequently, the Ordnance Corps set up the test without delay. Many of the U.S. advisors in Vietnam were equipped with the new AR-15 rifle. We understand that your AR is a significant investment, and that you cannot afford to have inferior components. Many firearms experts claim the SR25 is the most accurate semi-automatic rifle in the world. Ease of training. There were an additional 33,500 rifles that went to the Air Force, 240 to the Navy and 82 to the Coast Guard. McNamara and his team saw great potential for mass-production in the AR-15, and after learning of the rifle’s history with the U.S. Army and its committees decided to make a move. Despite having this information, the Department Of Defense still approved use of Ball powder. The SR25 Match rifle is a 7.62×51mm NATO sniper rifle. Throughout the hearing he was accused of making irresponsible decisions as to the direction of the program. The three-shot Burst selector lever setting of the M16A2 replaced the Auto setting of the M16A1. The M16A1 rifles barrels were known to bend when paratroopers landed and the barrels hit the ground. However, Congress put the General’s order on hold. From experience gained in the Pacific Theater during World War II, it was found that chrome plating a chamber of a firearm would prevent many serious failures to extract. The burst mechanism does not recycle. Despite a great deal of success, US Army wasn't enthusiastic about adopting the new rifle. The rear sight was redesigned. I can only speak to my experiences with the AR15/M16 pattern rifles, I went to basic and we were issued the A1 series in 1985 and when I went to permanent party in 1986, we had the A1 pattern rifle and transitioned to the A2 pattern rifles. The AR-15 has gone from being the problem-plagued rifle used by the US military in Vietnam to the most reliable firearm available on the world market. The forward assist was one of the changes on which he was not consulted and Mr. Ichord asked Gene Stoner his opinion of the device. Sierra Bullet Co. made the 55-grain full metal jacket boat-tail bullet and the first “222 Special” ammunition was loaded by Remington Arms. b. If only two rounds were fired — because the trigger was not held long enough or the weapon ran out of ammunition — the next time the trigger was pulled only one round would fire. Soon there was a demand for a smaller, more compact, version of the rifle. The XM16E1 was adopted as the M16A1 rifle. colt m16a1 retro reissue semi auto ar15 - 223/5.56 vietnam war collection. Early in 1966, the Army expressed interest for a carbine for its special operation units, placing an order totaling some 2,050 carbines. The Canadian military addressed many of the issues brought up by American military critics. The South Vietnamese were impressed with the rifle, as well. As U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War escalated, our troops encountered North Vietnamese as well as the Vietcong carrying the Soviet-designed AK47 (Avtomat Kalashnikova model 47), chambered for the 7.62×39mm Soviet cartridge, and had a 30-round magazine. I highly recommend readers click through and read the report in its entirety. The semi-automatic Colt AR-15/ Sporter-series rifles have become very popular in the world of competitive shooters. (C) “On 13 April, 62, a Special Forces team made a raid on a small village. At Surplus Ammo, we have put in the time required to make an elite selection of AR parts and accessories. For example, both the Air Force and the Marine Corps found no evidence to support the expense and possible problems of the manual bolt closure (forward assist) device. Many improvements were necessary to accommodate the new M855 Ball and M856 tracer rounds. The first AR-10 prototype, chambered for the 7.62×5 1mm NATO cartridge carried in a 20-round magazine, was completed in 1955. There was further testing (Project AGILE) to explore the compatibility of the AR-15 rifle to the smaller Vietnamese. He concluded, “It was not possible to correlate ammunition make or type with malfunctions.” His findings report, dated June 16, 1967, included the statement that the rifle needed a complete overhaul in design and manufacture. a. Finally, in 1964, Defense Secretary McNamara ordered the Ordnance Corps to work with all branches of the armed forces to get the AR-15 ready for issue to all military personnel…one rifle for all branches. One round hit him in the right side, causing a hole about five inches in diameter. The basic thesis of the document is best summed up in this quote: Analysis: Based on the numerical ratings and the comments of US Advisors and VN Unit Commanders, the AR-15 is the most desirable weapon for use in Vietnam for the following reasons: 1. The Pig Board tests of the 1920s showed the greatest terminal effects at ranges under 300m with the .256 caliber round (which was a little more powerful than the .250 Savage) – the smallest caliber tested: At 300 yards the caliber .256, 125-grain flat-base bullet gave by far the most severe wounds in all parts of the animal. This Windham Weaponry Vietnam Era Retro Rifle features an A1 upper receiver with brass deflector and tear drop forward assist and is constructed of forged 7075 T6 aircraft aluminum with a aluminum trigger guard. Range was 50 meters. I carried a standard issue M14 in the US Army for two years, and it most certainly had a selector switch to enable full-auto. The final results indicated the AR-15 was superior to all competitors, including the M14. As soon as Gene Stoner heard, he was on the next plane to Fort Greeley, Alaska. Early AR-15's (designated as the M16 by the US Military) often jammed causing more than a few So, when ammunition was ordered, Olin’s Ball powder was used for the new 5.56×45mm M193 Ball cartridge. Why a smaller caliber would perform so dramatically better is a good question – but a theory describing this has existed since the 1930s, and was the subject of our very first DTIC post. Hell, even the NRA’s website makes no mention of the AR15 going through military trials. The barrel has the heavy profile of the M16A2 barrel with a modified groove to accommodate the M203 grenade launcher. The first rifles arrived from Colt in November of 1981. A selector lever on the left side of the rifle could be manipulated with the shooter’s right thumb without removing the hand from the pistol grip. Another in the right arm, took it completely off, too. Thirdly, chrome is 2 to 3 times harder than standard barrel steel so the barrel lasts significantly longer. Second, this new bullet had a hardened steel penetrator core, giving this new 5.56×45mm round better penetration at all distances than the 7.62×51mm NATO (M80 Ball) round.This new SS109 round penetrated three 3.5mm mild steel plates at 640 meters and a U.S. issue helmet at 1,300 meters. Knight’s Manufacturing is one of the only manufacturers that guarantee their rifle will shoot one minute of angle at 100 yards using factory 168-grain Match 7.62×51mm NATO/308 Winchester ammunition. The resulting rifle was 37½ inches long and weighed an incredible 6 pounds empty; 6.12 pounds with a loaded 25-round magazine.