American M16 automatic machine: specifications, comparison with competitors

The M16 was the main armament of the American Marines ever 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 were produced. Despite the appearance of a variety of modifications and a number of alternative options that can make a worthy competition to the model, the M16 rifle continues to enjoy the greatest demand in the market. And the interest in such weapons arises not only in the professional military, but also in representatives of the civil sector.

History of development

The prerequisite for the development of the M16 was the results of special studies during the ALCLAD project aimed at identifying the causes of injury and death of American soldiers for the period, beginning with the First World War and ending with the Korean War. As the results showed, about 70% of the injuries on the battlefield were caused by shrapnel wounds. Defeat by small arms amounted to only 20% of the total.

The main conclusion of the studies was the need to create light weapons that would allow automatic fire to be fired by small-caliber cartridges with minimal return. The determining parameter was the possibility of hitting targets at a distance of about 500 meters.

Accordingly, since 1957, the highest command of the US Army was given the start of the competition to develop the best light rifle with a caliber of no more than 5.5 mm. Among other requirements were noted: the ability to fire in both single and automatic mode, the availability of a large capacious magazine magazine, the ability to penetrate the protective helmet at a distance of up to 400 meters.

The army leadership was presented with a whole lot 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 mechanisms of the bolt group, the sample demonstrated high accuracy of combat accuracy when firing single series and bursts.

In 1964, a wide range of modifications of the AR-15 rifle was produced, after which it was given a new name - the M16 automatic. Since 1996, the model was officially adopted by the US Army, it was used as an element of marine equipment in Vietnam. However, during real combat operations the rifle proved to be a rather unreliable small arms. Therefore, later had to produce multiple modifications of the model.

Automatic M16: specifications

To better understand what is at issue, you need to consider the characteristics of the model. The popular automatic rifle has the following parameters:

• Caliber - 5,5 mm;
• Weight without a belt and additional accessories - 3.1 kg;
• Weight of a standard magazine (without cartridges) - 117 g;
• Length of the rifle with a flame arrester - 991 mm;
• The length of the trunk is 508 mm;
• The length of the weapon equipped with a bayonet is 1120 mm;
• Effective range of fire - 400 m;
• Rate of fire - up to 950 rounds per minute;
• The starting speed of the bullet is 1000 meters per second.

Assembly Features

What does the M16 machine look like? The case of the standard model is quite simple assembly. The trunk box consists of two separate halves - the bottom and top. Both are made of forged aluminum billets, machined on high-precision machines. Today, there are also samples for commercial use, which contain solid trunk boxes milled from monolithic aluminum billets.

The connection of the two structural parts of the model is performed by using cross-section fasteners in the form of pins, which are easily removed from the housing. This feature significantly simplifies the dismantling of the M16 rifle for cleaning the mechanisms and routine maintenance of the weapon.

Principle of operation

M16 is an automatic machine in which powder gases are diverted from the barrel channel, passing through a thin tube, which affects the shutter frame, that is, moves it back. Then the bolt turns, then it is removed from the clutch with the barrel. The slide frame moves under the influence of the residual pressure formed in the chamber. Then it exerts pressure on the return spring, as a result of which a sleeve is ejected from the barrel. To facilitate the procedure for reloading weapons, the developers realized some delay of the shutter in the rear position.

Shock-trigger mechanism

On the basis of what principle does the American M16 machine operate? Photo USM models show the extreme similarity of working mechanisms with a filling shotgun brand "Browning Auto-5". The modes of operation of the trigger system are selected here by means of two-position (civilian models) or three-position (combat weapons) switches. The latter are located on the left in the area 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 certain modes:

• Safe - prevent 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 sighting device, a triangular fly post is used. The latter is slightly offset back, which makes it possible to conduct accurate fire with feathered rifle grenades.

When transporting the weapon, the sight is hidden in the handle. Its adjustment is performed by changing the number of clicks with a special flywheel to be adjusted.

Equipment

In the standard configuration, the M16 machine contains weapons cleaners that are placed in the appliance. In the right part of the receiver there is a "sender" of the shutter. The latter is used in those cases when there is not enough energy, which is provided by the course of the return spring.

M16 - automatic, which can be equipped with a 40 mm grenade launcher . Modern modifications of the sample also contain metal guides for the installation of various kinds of optics.

In the modification M16A2 a reflector is presented, which opens the possibility for firing both from the right and left shoulders.

Score

The barrel is supplied with cartridges by feeding the latter from a two-row box magazine. As can be seen in the old photo of the M16, the sample was initially equipped with oversized magazines with a capacity of 20 cartridges. Later, steel and aluminum systems for ammunition were developed for 30 units.

At present, a wide range of shops of various capacities are available for rifle kits: from 7-10 rounds for samples intended for civil use, and up to 40 bullets in full-fledged combat models used by paramilitary formations.

Modifications

The American M16 has several basic modifications. First of all, they are M16A1 and M16A2 rifles.

The M16A1 model is an improved version of the standard assembly sample. Among the useful improvements, it is worth noting the emergence of the mechanism of "sending" the shutter, a reliable flame arrester, an improved buffer of the stem. To complete the new model, a more capacious magazine for 30 cartridges and an effective silencer capable of suppressing sound waves when firing standard 5.5 mm cartridges have been developed.

Another modification - M16A2 - is equipped with a barrel of increased strength, improved sighting devices, butt, made of impact-resistant polyamide, as well as a new fore-end. Like the previous model, the sample began to be equipped with plastic lightweight stores for 30 cartridges.

In turn, based on the above modifications, a number of automatic weapons, carbines and submachine guns were developed:

1. M-4 - shortened, light version of the automatic rifle M16A2 with an improved, reinforced muzzle brake.
2. M733 - rifle, also known as Colt Kommando. It is used by US army special forces, by the police as the main automatic weapon.
3. SR-47 - allows you to use stores from AKM and fire with large-caliber cartridges.
4. Barrett REC7 is an automatic rifle developed on the basis of the M16 for firing cartridges of the latest 6.8 mm caliber.
5. SIG 716 - the automatic machine for cartridges of caliber 7,62 mm (the standard of NATO).

Common misconceptions about the operation of the M16 rifle

Both users and experts traditionally compare the M16 and the Kalashnikov assault rifle. After all, it was these examples of small arms that were noted for mass use in the most famous military conflicts.

There are a number of misconceptions, in which, most often, a comparison of Kalashnikov and M16 automata occurs. Next, consider some of them.

The first misconception is the low level of reliability of the M16. The prerequisite for the formation of this opinion was the events of the late 1960s, when the first M16 entered service with the US Army (the machine, the characteristics of which did not comply with known and agreed requirements). After the modification of the trunks and gate mechanisms, the use of cartridges of the right brand, the problems with the operation of the rifle have practically come to naught.

In the Russian literature, there are still references to the fact that M16 rifles need extremely regular cleaning - about 300 times at a time. In reality, standard samples can function properly without the need for maintenance, spending about 50-60 ammunition stores.

In fact, it is not more difficult to service such weapons in the field than the same Kalashnikov assault rifle, and even easier on a number of points. In particular, the cleaning work requires disassembling the sample for a smaller number of components. To maintain the rifle, the following actions are performed:

1. The rear pin is pulled out in the receiver box area. As a tool for this, it is enough to use a regular weapon cartridge. Then fasten the fastener to the right until it stops.
2. The trunk box rises and starts at the front pin.
3. With the help of pulling the handle of the platoon, the bolt group is extracted, after which it is possible to start its maintenance.
4. The subsequent assembly of the mechanism is carried out in the reverse order.

It is worth noting that the need to perform the above actions arises only if the weapon is seriously contaminated. As for the cleaning of other components, occasionally a flushing of the gas tube is required here. For this purpose, special cleaning compounds or ordinary kerosene are used.

Another erroneous opinion concerns the linear arrangement of the M16 rifle. It is believed that this causes a significant increase in the profile of the arrow for the enemy during the fire. However, when using the ruler it turned out that during the shooting from the shelters the height of the aiming line here was increased by only 2 centimeters in comparison with the AK-47. Well, while conducting fire from the lying position with the rifle assembly of small-sized shops, this parameter is even less.

It is believed that the M16 is ineffective or not at all suitable for hand-to-hand 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 fasteners for the installation of a bayonet under the trunk.

Naturally, the nature of the materials used and the assembly features do not provide for the use of a sample for knocking out doors with a butt or using a weapon as scrap. However, in hand-to-hand combat, which is now extremely rare in real combat operations, the M16 can be successfully used for this purpose. In general, it must be understood that ordinary infantrymen, in addition to the rifle, are given a service pistol, which is the optimal solution for conducting fights at close range.

Finally

Apparently, the merits of the American M16 rifle significantly outweigh its shortcomings. Therefore, it is not surprising that a series of automatic weapons ensured the status of the No. 1 weapon not only in the American army. Various modifications of the standard sample successfully serve in numerous countries of Europe, Asia and even are in service in some states.

Currently, at the request of the top leadership of the US armed forces, active work is underway to create an innovative automatic weapon capable of pushing the modern M16 machine into the background. Despite this, the rifles of this family are still not disarmed and are being used by the US military in the hottest places in the world.