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  • CodyK

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    Growing up looking at photos of my dad from Vietnam, and playing with the old school GI Joe, I couldn’t wait to grow up and join the army so I could carry an M16. Well when I turned 17 and went and talked to the recruiter, my dad had a fit! He was pretty insistent on me going to college. So I watched my friend join up and get shipped off to Germany, and I stayed in Texas and drank for a couple years in San Marcos while going to a class or two every once in a while, and ended up not finishing college! But I’m damn near 50 now and I finally got some thing close to an M16! Gonna have to replace the buffer spring though. The one that came with that stock, sounds like a 300 lb man sitting down on an old couch every time I fire it!
    ca64f91aff704bf3a6bfaf813f120840.jpg



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    avvidclif

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    Don't change the spring. That sound is genuine M16 from Vietnam era.. The saying was, "Made by Mattel, It's Swell". Change it you have just another AR.

    Sounds just like the dart guns made by Mattel.
     

    CodyK

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    Don't change the spring. That sound is genuine M16 from Vietnam era.. The saying was, "Made by Mattel, It's Swell". Change it you have just another AR.

    Sounds just like the dart guns made by Mattel.

    That’s exactly what it sounds like! I couldn’t put my finger on the sound, but now that you mention it, it sounds like a “side charging” dart gun! I’ve put together several AR’s, and they all have the fancy free float hand guards and high tech magpul furniture. On this one, I just used my stock Ruger AR556, and added the carry handle and stock, and now I think it’s the coolest looking rifle I have.


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    pronstar

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    I remember being a kid in the 80’s, being obsessed with firearms and hearing how unreliable/problematic the M16’s were in Vietnam.

    What changed to make them into the uber-reliable guns we have today?


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    Kar98

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    The problems with the OG M16 had several causes:

    No cleaning kits were available for issue, so soldiers were told they are self cleaning rifles.

    And for some reason or another, the propellant was changed to a dirty burning one other than specified.

    These two things together made them jammomatics in the jungle environment.
     
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    robertc1024

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    I remember being a kid in the 80’s, being obsessed with firearms and hearing how unreliable/problematic the M16’s were in Vietnam.

    What changed to make them into the uber-reliable guns we have today?


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    Several things. The ammo initially wasn't loaded with the same powders during testing.
     

    pronstar

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    The problems with the OG M16 had several causes:

    No cleaning kits were available for issue, so soldiers were told they are self cleaning rifles.

    And for some reason or another, the propellant was changed to a dirty burning one other than specified.

    These two things together made them jammomatics in the jungle environment.

    Combine self-cleaning with guns that “don’t require lubrication” and we could be on to something!


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    CodyK

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    I really wanted the original hand guard too, but the Ruger AR has a carbine length gas system, so the hand guard is only 6.5” long as compared to the M16 rifles that had a 12” hand guard.


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    Dawico

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    I really wanted the original hand guard too, but the Ruger AR has a carbine length gas system, so the hand guard is only 6.5” long as compared to the M16 rifles that had a 12” hand guard.


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    Plus the originals had that funky triangle shaped handguard too.
     

    Kar98

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    Combine self-cleaning with guns that “don’t require lubrication” and we could be on to something!


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    Don't feel like looking it up right now, but I seem to remember the barrels weren't chromed originally either? So between these three points (no cleaning/lubing been done, dirty ammo and non-chromed barrels) it's a miracle they were shooting at all.
     

    HKShooter65

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    Kar98

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    And I definitely like the retro look.
    I'd like it a step even more retro by loosing the forward assist and mounting a three prong flash hider!

    https://www.brownells.com/rifle-par...e1-3-prong-flash-hider-22-cal-prod113614.aspx

    And the icing would be the original 3x Colt scope. Hard to find these days.
    Brownell's sells a modern re-make:
    https://www.brownells.com/optics-mo...s/retro-4x-carry-handle-scope-prod124965.aspx
    View attachment 198316

    I was gonna say, they sell one, and I think it's even made with the original tooling?
     

    pronstar

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    Personally I never cared for them until the M4. In my youth I bought a Mini 14 first, then H&K91. Still have the H&K 91, but my safe has more AR pattern rifles then anything.

    I’m with you.

    Not a fan of the stock, handguard or carry handle.

    But I do love me some AR’s


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    zackmars

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    I like mine.

    Problems were mostly with the Xm16e1, the powder used in the 5.56 was out of spec 7.62 nato powder with a very high calcuim content

    The massive increase in production due to the failure of the m14 program meant QC suffered, many e1's had tight chambers, a1's also suffered from this from all my reading.

    The edgewater buffer didn't really work in adverse conditions, resulting in a buffer that was effectivly 1-2 oz

    e1's had a full chrome BCG, and a non chrome lined barrel. The A1 introduced a proper buffer, chrome lined barrel, the BCG was parkerized, but the bore that the bolt sits in was still chromed. They also switched to a birdcage flash hider to prevent snagging.

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