The M16 is an assault rifle used by the United States since the Vietnam War in 1963,[5] based on the AR-15. Since 1975, the M16 has been used by many different countries. First designed by Eugene Stoner in the United States of America, although it is currently being replaced by the shorter M4A1 as the standard infantry rifle used by the United States Military Forces. The rifle and its variants are still being used by over 80 nations around the world.
Quick facts Rifle, 5.56 mm, M16, Type ...
| Rifle, 5.56 mm, M16 |
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 From top to bottom: M16A1, M16A2, M4A1, M16A4 |
| Type | Assault rifle |
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| Place of origin | United States |
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| In service | 1963–present |
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| Used by | See Users |
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| Wars | Vietnam War
Laotian Civil War
Cambodian Civil War
The Troubles
Cambodian–Vietnamese War
Communist Insurgency War
Lebanese Civil War
Salvadoran Civil War
Falklands War
1982 Lebanon War
Invasion of Grenada
South Lebanon conflict (1985–2000)
Bougainville Civil War
United States invasion of Panama
Oka Crisis
Persian Gulf War
Yugoslav Wars
Somali Civil War
Operation Deny Flight
Operation Joint Endeavor
Nepalese Civil War
1996 Gangneung submarine infiltration incident
Kosovo War
War in Afghanistan
Iraq War
2006 Lebanon War
Mexican Drug War
2010 Rio de Janeiro Security Crisis
Syrian civil war
Gaza–Israel conflict
2013 Lahad Datu standoff
2014 pro-Russian unrest in Ukraine
Iraq War (2014–present) |
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| Designer | Eugene Stoner and L. James Sullivan[1] |
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| Designed | 1956[2] |
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| Manufacturer |
- Colt's Manufacturing Company
- Daewoo Precision Industries
- FN Herstal
- H&R Firearms
- General Motors Hydramatic Division
- Elisco
- U.S. Ordnance
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| Produced | 1959–present[2] |
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| No. built | about 8 million[3] |
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| Variants | See Variants |
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| Mass | 7.18 lb (3.26 kg) (unloaded)
8.79 lb (3.99 kg) (loaded) |
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| Length | 39.5 in (1,003 mm) |
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| Barrel length | 20 in (508 mm) |
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| Cartridge | 5.56×45mm NATO |
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| Action | Gas-operated, rotating bolt (direct impingement) |
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| Rate of fire | 12–15 rounds/min sustained
45–60 rounds/min semi-automatic
700–950 rounds/min cyclic |
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| Muzzle velocity | 3,110 ft/s (948 m/s)[4] |
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| Effective firing range | 800 meters |
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| Maximum firing range | 800 meters |
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| Feed system | 20-round detachable box magazine:
0.211 lb (96 g) empty / 0.738 lb (335 g) full
30-round detachable box magazine:
0.257 lb (117 g) empty / 1.06 lb (480 g) full)
Beta C-Mag 100-round double-lobed drum:
2.20 lb (1,000 g) empty / 4.81 lb (2,180 g) full) |
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| Sights | Iron sights |
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Close
The M16 uses the 5.56mm NATO (.223) caliber cartridge, with a muzzle velocity (the speed of bullet leaving the rifle) of over 900 meters per second (over 3,000 feet per second), and has a maximum effective range of 600 yards,[6] with a rate of fire (how fast the gun shoots) of approximately 800 rounds per minute. The M16A1 can shoot semi automatic and fully automatic fire. The M16A2 can shoot semi automatic and three-round-burst fire. The M4A1 Carbine retains full automatic and semi automatic fire. The M16 normally holds 30 cartridges in its magazine, but there are variants of the magazine that hold only 20 or 10 cartridges.
There is also an M16 variant for the Canadian Army called Diemaco C-7. The Diemaco C-7 rifles have maple leaves on the left side.
