My Vietnam era rifle

[Wolvee]

Very Very nice guys!

[Siffer703]

Nices pics guys.

[2k05gt]

but like grumpyMSG said, the original M16 was setup to shoot .223 55gr or lighter, the 1:12 twist rate is too slow for the 62gr and the round will start to tumble a 50 yrds and the accuracy will suffer greatly, this is why I opted for a deviation in twist rate. If I am going to have a 20" barrel, it better be accurate, but I needed to keep the Pencil profile of the A1 so finding an original colt test platform barrel was great. I an also shoot match grade ammo 75 gr

[2k05gt]

After some more research and refinement, It was easier to put the rifle to the XM16E1 build..

NDS had a replica lower that was available, I picked up the lower parts from the gun show, most are authentic
M16 / XM16E1 parts, even found and M16 Chrome bolt. here is a few updated pictures.

[MarcSpaz]

That is a beautiful rifle Sir. One of these days, I would love to have one.

[2k05gt]

That is a beautiful rifle Sir. One of these days, I would love to have one.

Yes but you want a Full Auto - Real one..

save your coins, I have been looking and 14K - 25K is not in the cards for me, funny thing is the Tax Stamp and BATF Paperwork is the cheap part..

[MarcSpaz]

Yes. It is. Funny thing is, in 1938, the Tax was supposed to be the "cost prohibitive" part of the deal. Now its the cheapest.

[ Post made via Mobile Device ]

[2k05gt]

The Nice thing about the NDS Lower is that the color matches the upper. with my AR-15 Lower it was black and very noticeable difference

You can see it here



http://www.nodakspud.com/AR%20Lowers.htm

[Oakes]

Doesn't the triangular forearm go without the forward assist feature?
That's what mine has.

[M1A4ME]

I've seen the 1 in 12" turn barrels throw 62 grain bullets all over a target at 25 yds. Like little foot prints (tumbling bullets hitting sideways) all over the target.

Stick with 55 grain or lighter bullets if it's a 1 turn in 12" barrel.

Your rifle looks very similar to the M16A1 I had in Basic Training at Ft. Jackson, SC in 1975. Mine was a green looking thing with GM Hydramatic Division stamped on the side. I didn't realize it then but in the last few years I've found out if was one of the more "rare" M16's.

If you need a scope (as in your eyes need a scope) they make mounts that fit in the carry handle and scopes just for that. Since you have a "retro" looking rifle they also make "retro" looking scopes as used on some of the early rifles. Little straight tube 2X scopes.

[2k05gt]

I've seen the 1 in 12" turn barrels throw 62 grain bullets all over a target at 25 yds. Like little foot prints (tumbling bullets hitting sideways) all over the target.

Stick with 55 grain or lighter bullets if it's a 1 turn in 12" barrel.

Your rifle looks very similar to the M16A1 I had in Basic Training at Ft. Jackson, SC in 1975. Mine was a green looking thing with GM Hydramatic Division stamped on the side. I didn't realize it then but in the last few years I've found out if was one of the more "rare" M16's.

If you need a scope (as in your eyes need a scope) they make mounts that fit in the carry handle and scopes just for that. Since you have a "retro" looking rifle they also make "retro" looking scopes as used on some of the early rifles. Little straight tube 2X scopes.

Actually, a friend contacted me who is a Military Surplus dealer in Miami and said he picked up a crate
full of New/Old 1966 Colt M16 Barrels still wrapped in cosmoline gause. I had to drill the front sight post and without a jig it was tough.

He said they were Colt Experimental made in 1965 (crate was dated), They were not chrome lined but it has a 1:8 twist, I can't find any reference to a 1:8 being used on any Colt or AR rifle, this was a fast twist rate for that time, so this was setup to shoot the heavier 62gr and up bullet. the only reference I can find is that the Canadian Government wanted a longer range *Sniper" rifle. but they settled on a 1:10 in the M16A2. by then the barrels were chrome lined. so this is a unique barrel, and it shoots my M855 5.56 green tips extremely well.

[Jeff82]

Doesn't the triangular forearm go without the forward assist feature?
That's what mine has.

M-16A1's also have the forward assist and triangular handguards. That's what I had in 1982 in Basic/AIT (OSUT). We were still carrying them in Division (82nd, but they gave me a M-203) at that time. What does change with the A2 is the round handguards and going from a teardrop forward assist to a round forward assist (besides the barrel twist, flash hider, and sights).

[Oakes]

Mine is pre 1982 and is an AR15 with no forward assist

[2k05gt]

Mine is pre 1982 and is an AR15 with no forward assist

If yours said AR15 and not Colt then it was a pre-1963. The M16 had no forward assist and had a duck bill flash hider and a flat side lower.
The XM16E1 Was a M16 with some updates that included a forward assist, a tri-prong flash hider with some fencing
around the Mag release.
The M16A1 included a bird cage flash hider and more fencing on the lower.
Later ones also had a longer stock with a storage compartment.
All Airforce M16A1's had no forward assist.

[grumpyMSG]

Mine is pre 1982 and is an AR15 with no forward assist

If yours said AR15 and not Colt then it was a pre-1963. The M16 had no forward assist and had a duck bill flash hider and a flat side lower.
The XM16E1 Was a M16 with some updates that included a forward assist, a tri-prong flash hider with some fencing
around the Mag release.
The M16A1 included a bird cage flash hider and more fencing on the lower.
Later ones also had a longer stock with a storage compartment.
All Airforce M16A1's had no forward assist.

As far as the Military's M16 family goes, many parts are interchangeable between the various models. The civilian model Colt AR15s were manufactured for many years without a forward assist and the added rounded ridges (commonly referred to as fence) that run from the front take down pin/screw and around the magazine release. It's addition was to prevent accidentally dropping the magazine and prevent snagging on personal equipment.

The M16's buttstock with the hinged sling swivel and the M16A1's original trapdoor buttstock were the same length. You could see M16s and M16Als wearing either stock for while. The M16A2's buttstocks were made out of a slightly different materials and was slightly longer and used the same buffer tube as the M16 and M16A1 and used a longer screw and spacer to attach them. The M16A2 also introduced the index finger ridge on the pistol grip and the round hand guards. While the M16A2s were being fielded , (just like with the M16) the military stopped purchasing M16A1 specific plastic parts. If an armorer needed a buttstock, he had to order the A2's, a spacer and screw to install it There was a stretch when you could only get one side of the triangle handguards out of the supply system, if you needed the other side you ordered 2 of the round ones. So just like the M16 and M16A1s there was a stretch when the M16A1s wore a mix of A1 and A2 plastic. To put it in perspective, even though the M16A2 was the Army's official rifle in the late '80s, here in Virginia, There were M16A1s in Soldiers' hands past the invasion of Iraq in 2003. By that time, virtually all of Virginia's M16A1s were wearing at least A2 handguards and bunch had A2 buttstocks.

I know the USAF kept their AR15s, but I don't know if they were ever identified or marked as M16s, let alone M16A1s. Usually the forward assist is considered to be the identifying and differentiating feature. Each branch has It's own lettering/ numbering system to Identify weapons. The Army uses the M-__ and A1, A2, etc. to denote modifications of an existing model. If it has an X prefix, like XM21, it is considered to be an experimental/ prototype model. If it gets an E1 on the back it is a modification being considered for adoption. The earliest M16A1s were marked XM16E1 for testing, The M16A2s for testing were actually marked XM16A1E1 (isn't that a mouthful). If weapon is uprgraded from one generation to the next, it will receive a stampover. The M16A1s that got A2 modification kits installed had a 2 stamped over the 1 on M16A1. On the M16s that got M16A1 upgrades, they were actually marked M16A1MODs, denoting they had most of the M16A1 features, but not all because there is no fence from the front pin and around the magazine release.

When it comes to the Navy and it's subordinate units (USMC) their weapons are assigned a Mark (denoted Mk) and modifications are Mod) for example the Automatic Grenade Launcher is the Mk19Mod3.

I can't even begin to explain the USAF's lettering/numbering system, I will leave that to a USAF veteran to explain what the GAU-8 means for the A10's gun system.

So right now in the US military's hands are AR type rifles that range from 10 1/2 inch barrel Mk18 close combat rifles for the special operations community to the 20 inch M16A4s carried by the common Marine, and the M4, the Mk12 and Mk27 in between. If you want to include the 7.62 versions you can add the Mk11 and the M110. I can't even begin to add the USAF's GAU variants.

[2k05gt]

Great Info grumpyMSG, I love all the history and knowledge you add, Thank you.