SwiftVets.com

[Larry Martin]

deleted by Moderator!

[nakona]

The problem talked about in the first article has more to do with issues associated with use by mechanized infantry (as opposed to straight leg) than with jamming.
When I was attached mechanized (as an FO) I didn't even carry a 16. I would stash it under a sh¡tload of equipment in the track and leave it there for the whole FTX. My weapon was a radio, a map and binocs anyway.


In the note about the jamming weapons, for a 16, a SAW and a ma duece to all jam at the same time; is operator headspace and timing, not weapons problems.
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13F20P

[redneckvet]

My experience with the M-16 is a little different that most.

Unlike my fellow FNG's, I was issued a "brand new" M-16 when I came in country. I made the comment to the supply clerk that I was very lucky to receive a new weapon. He informed me that maybe I was not that lucky. The weapon I had been issued was made by "General Motors" not "Colt". He said that they were notorious for mis-firing or jamming when they got wet. Needless to say, this thought was on my mind the first time we were in contact and my weapon was wet. In retrospect, his warning was unfounded. My "GM" M-16 never jammed, or misfired and performed flawlessly my entire tour. In my experience, I still believe the M-16 is an excellent weapon.

I am curious if anyone else has heard of a General Motors M-16?
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"Full Tour Grunt"

[nakona]

I think the early models were so bad that even after they became great weapons, that stigma haunted them.

However, they ARE high maintainence.
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13F20P

[95 bxl]

[redhawk34]

I had a Carbine for a while built during WWII by Rockola Corp, the jukebox Mfg.
My four Fifties were made by; Savage Arms, Kelsey Hayes Wheel Div of GM, Frigidaire, and AC Spark Plug!

The fundamental problem with the M-16 was its lack of primary extraction. As you open the bolt of a bolt action rifle, before pulling back, you can see that there is a slow but powerful camming action for a short distance, which "starts" the case out of the chamber. The M-1 and M-14 also had this. Not the 16.
To compound the problem, the early 16s did not have a chrome plated chamber, so it corroded, particularly as there were few cleaning kits available. Finally, high-ash powder was substituted for the low-ash specified by Gene Stoner, the designer.
Cases would stick in a corroded, fouled chamber, and the extraction stroke could actually yank the base right off the case.
Once the chamber was chromed, the correct powder used, and the troops were educated about proper cleaning, the weapon became acceptably reliable. While I don't think it ever became as trusted as its predecessors, its advantage in weight, auto fire, and increased ammo load were such that I never heard a Grunt seriously suggest going back to the 14.
BTW, the early 16 had another problem, its open-front flash supressor. This could be slid over the wire binding of a C-ration box, and the weapon twisted to break the wire. This did the accuracy no good at all.
Redhawk

[xsquid]

[War Dog]

I like all other USAF Security Police K9's carried the GAU-5A. We had no problems with it, and it worked perfectly everytime I had occasion to use it. And you know that the K9's worked in some lousy weather conditions!

Woof!
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"When people are in trouble, they call the cops.

When cops need help, they call the K-9 unit."

[nakona]

xsquid -

The modern version; the "A2" model, is actually a pretty sweet weapon.

It's still fairly high maintainence, but any weapon where it's easy to hit man sized targets at 300 meters with iron sights can't be all bad. In fact, I have personally hit targets at 800 meters with those sights, using 3-round burst. (Which if often 4-6 round bursts, but that's another story.
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13F20P

[JN173]

We used XM16E1's. If you are familiar if military designations you will recognize that was an "early" model of the current weapon. We did have a few problems initially the most common being the magazine jamming when loaded with 19 or 20 rounds. (the nose of the round would catch on the front lip of the magazine) Other than that I had one failure to extract similiar to what is mentioned above. Yes it needed cleaning, but I was taught that was true of any infantry weapon and a dirty weapons was grounds for discipline!
I loved it and the fact that we could and did carry a double basic load (ie 400 rounds) saved my butt at least once and arguably more.
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A Grunt
2/503 173rd Airborne Brigade
RVN '65-'66

[redhawk34]

Wardog;
"And you know that the K9's worked in some lousy weather conditions! "
Yup, and I never knew a Dog to jam.
Redhawk

[War Dog]

[carpro]

The gas tube on the 16 would stop up. No way to clean it . Makes it single shot w/manual ejection. Very slow!

My 12 gauge Savage never jammed.
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"If he believes his 1971 indictment of his country and his fellow veterans was true, then he couldn't possibly be proud of his Vietnam service."

[ASPB]

I carried a Grease Gun in Vietnam. Each boat I was on had and inventory of 5 M-16s but, as Boat Captain I had a choice of personal weapons when I checked in at the Annapolis Hotel in Saigon (Cholon). I chose a 1911A1 .45 acp and M3A1 Grease Gun with 30 Round Magazine which was, of course, also in .45 acp. There are several neat things about the Grease that many don’t know. The gun had a built-in oiler in the base of the grip. After turning the gun over, the knob seen in the illustration is unscrewed revealing an oil reservoir and an oil applicator. The wire stock was a masterpiece of American ingenuity. It was a wrench for removing the barrel, the barrel had two grooves machined into it into which the wire stock was placed and then turned to loosen the barrel. One of the stock rods was threaded at the forward end to take a bore brush and drilled out to take a cleaning patch, and finally, there was a small "L" shaped piece of steel welded to the butt of the stock that functioned as a magazine loader. Trying to thumb load 30 rounds into the mag was a chore. This twenty-eight dollar or so piece of stamped, welded, and machined metal was a fine boat gun and also served well when traveling ashore.

The M-16A1 was a fine weapon especially on the boats where keeping it clean was less of a problem, but for moving around on boats during search and seizure missions the Grease was a far superior tool. WW1 and WW2 technology was just fine for me in personal weapons.

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On Sale! Order in lots of 100 now at velero@rcn.com Free for the cost of shipping All profits (if any, especially now) go to Swiftvets. The author of "Sink Kerry Swiftly" ---ASPB

[xsquid]