Rifle, 5.56mm, M16

For other items known as M16, see: M16 Disambiguation

Overview[]

M16 Assault Rifle

General Information

Designers

Eugene Stoner

Period Designed

1959

Manufacturer

Colt

Period Produced

1963 - ?

Number Built

>300,000

Developed From

AR-15

Developed Into

M16A1

In Service

1963 - 2001

Characteristics

Cartridge

5.56x45mm

RoF, Cyclic

700rpm

Expected Muzzle Velocity

varies, 960m/s with M855A1 round

Action

Gas-operated, rotating bolt

Firemodes

Full, semi, safe

Feed System

Detachable box magazine

Ammunition Loading

5.56x45mm STANAG magazines:
• USGI M16 Mag.: 20-rnd
• USGI M16 Mag.: 30-rnd
• (More)

Effective Range

550m

Maximum Range

3,600m

Dimensions

Barrel Length

508mm

Components

Upper Receiver

Slickside

Lower Receiver

Slabside

Handguard

A1

Attachments

Bipod

Can fit Rifle Bipod, M3

Stock

Stock Type

Solid fixed

The M16 (Colt 602) is an American assault rifle developed in the late early 1960s from the AR-15.

Variants[]

Rifle, 5.56mm, XM16E1: First model adopted by the US Army, produced from 1963 to 1967.
Rifle, 5.56mm, M16 — Colt Model 602: Production model adopted by the US Air Force.
Rifle, 5.56mm, M16A1 — Colt Model 603: Designation of standardized production of the XM16E1, produced from 1967.
Rifle, 5.56mm, M16A1E1 — Colt Model 645: Interim designs for what would become the M16A2.
Rifle, 5.56mm, M16A2 — Colt Model 701: Production model from 1982. Burst-fire replaces full-auto.
Rifle, 5.56mm, M16A2E1: M16A2 with modified "flat-top" upper receiver. Also known as M16A2 Enhanced Rifle.
Rifle, 5.56mm, M16A2E3: Prototype designation for M16A3.
Rifle, 5.56mm, M16A2E4: Prototype designation for M16A4.
Rifle, 5.56mm, M16A3 — Colt Model 901: M16A2 but with full-auto replacing the burst-fire.
Rifle, 5.56mm, M16A4 — Colt Model 945: M16A2 updated to M4 standard, retaining burst-fire.

Derivatives

Carbine, 5.56mm, M4 — Colt Model 920: Carbine model.
Rifle, Special Purpose 5.56mm, MK 12 MOD 0: Model designed for SOF, PRI Gen III handguard.
Rifle, Special Purpose 5.56mm, MK 12 MOD 1: Model designed for SOF, KAC RAS handguard.

Export

Colt Model 727: Special-made M16A2 carbine model for the United Arab Emirates, known as the "Abu Dhabi Carbine".

AR-15 Derivatives
American	601 • 602 • 603 (K) • 604 • 605 (A • B) • 606 (A • B) • 607 (A) • 608 • 609 • 610 • 614 • 629 • 630 • 633 • 635 • 645 • 649 • 653 • 654 • 655 • 656 • 703 • 711 • 715 • 723 • 725 • 727 • 733 • 741 • 750 • 920 • 921 • 933 • 945 • 950 • 991 • AR-15 • AR57 • AR-556 • Barrett M468 • Barrett REC7 • CA-415 • CM901 • Colt ACR • Colt SCW • DS-25 • GP-N • IAR6940 (H • P) • J16 • J18 • J19C • J21 • J22 • J23 • J24 • J48 • J71 • J450 • KAC SR-15 • KAC SR-16 • KAC SR-25 • LMT MWS • LVOA-C • LVOA-S • LWRC M6 • M4 Carbine (A1) • M16 Rifle (A1 • A2 • A3 • A4) • M231 FPW • OA K3B • OA K23B • R6450 • R5 • Saint • SR-556 • SP1 • SWORD Mk-15 (PP • PURG-IDC) • Type-A CQBR Resto-Mod • XM15 • XM177 (E1 • E2) • ZRO Delta Ready Series (Range • Mission • Game • 17.76) • ZRO Delta Venator
Austrian	STM 556
Botswanian	MRR15.7M • MRR11.6S
British	L119A1 (A2)
Canadian	C7 (A1 • A2 • CT) • C8A1 (A2 • CT • IUR • SFW) • LSW (A1) • NEA-15
Chinese	CQ311 • CS/LM11 • CS/LR25 • CS/LR36 • HR31 (C • S • I • D)
Czech	LA-15
Danish	Kb M/96 • LSV M/04 • Gv M/95 • Gv M/96 • Gv M/10
German	CR223 • MK556 • HK 416 (A5 • A7 • C) • HK 417 • HK M4
Israeli	Mekut'zar
Italian	AP-15 • AP-74 (M)
Korean	Daewoo K2
New Zealand	MARS-L (LSO)
Philippine	M16 22
Russian	ADAR 2-15 • GM-15 (-10) • ORSIS-AR15J • R-715 • STM-7 • STM-9 • STM-15 • STM-40 • STM-300 • STM-308 • STM-366 • STM-922 • STM-GR • STM-SM • TK509 • TK515
Swiss	SIG 516 • SIG 716 • SIG MCX • SIG M400 • SIG TREAD
Taiwanese	Type 64 • T65 Rifle (K1 Rifle • K2 Rifle• K2 Carbine • K3 Carbine) • T86 • T91
Turkish	MPT-55 (K) • Safir T-14

Colt Products
Firearms
Assault Rifles	601 • 602 • 603 • 604 • 605 (A • B) • 606 (A • B) • 607 (A) • 608 • 609 • 610 (B) • 611 (P) • 613 (K • P) • 614 (S) • 615 • 616 • 619 • 620 • 621 • 629 • 630 • 639 • 645 • 653 • 715 • 723 • 727 • 733 • 920 • 921 • 933 • ACR • AR6520 • AR-15 (A1 • A2 • A3) • AR-15 Sporter-1 • CK901 • CM901 • HBAR (M1 • M2) • IAR6940 (H • P) • LE6720 • LE6920 • LE6940 • M16 (A1 • A2 • A3 • A4) • R6520 • R6530 • SCW • SP901 • XM16E1 • XM177 (E1 • E2)
Shotguns	1878
Submachine Guns	633 • 635 • R0635 • R0991 • R6450
Machine Guns	CMG (1 • 2 • 3) • LMG
Pistols	1902 • 1903 • 1908 • Double Eagle • Junior • M45A1 CQBP • M1911 (A1 • A2) • Mustang • Pony • Pocket Nine • SCAMP • Woodsman
Revolvers	1849 • 1851 • 1860 • 1861 • 1862 • 1871 • 1873 • 1877 • 1878 • Agent • Anaconda • Cobra • Detective Special • Diamondback • Dragoon • King Cobra • M1917 • Magnum Carry • New Army • New Frontier • New Line • New Navy • New Service • Night Cobra • Python • Trooper • Walker

United States of America Weapons Cold War Period (1946 — 1990)

Infantry Weapons
Melee Weapons	Knives	Ka-Bar • M7 • M9 • M11 • OKC-3S
Sidearms	Pistols	Gyrojet • M9 (A1 • A2 • A3 • A4) • MK 22 MOD 0 • XM11
Sidearms	Machine Pistols	M10 • M11 • MP9
Close Quarters	Personal Defense Weapons	IO MP2
	Submachine Guns	Colt RO635
	Shotguns (automatic)	Atchisson Assault Shotgun
	Shotguns (semi-automatic)	[[]]
	Shotguns (manual-action)	Mossberg 500 (A) • Mossberg 590 • Remington 870 (Express • Magnum • TA Trap • TB Trap • TC Trap)
Primary Weapons	Assault Rifles	Colt 601 • Colt 602 • M16 (A1 • A2 • A3 • A4) • M17S • Stoner 63 (A) • XM22 (E1)
	Assault Carbines	XM177 (E1 • E2)
	Battle Rifles	AR-10 (A • A2 • A2C • A4 • A4C • B) • M14 (E1 • E2)
	Battle Carbines	[[]]
	Civilian Rifles	SIG AMT
Automatic Support Weapons	Light Machine Guns	M15 • Stoner 86
	General Purpose Machine Guns	[[]]
	Heavy Machine Guns	[[]]
Long Range	Anti-Materiel Rifles	[[]]
	Bolt-Action Rifles	M24 (A1 • A2 • A3 • E1) • M40 (A1 • A3 • A5 • A6 • A7) • Remington 700
	Designated Marksman Rifles	M21 SWS
Launchers	Grenade Launchers (Attachment)	40mm M203 (A1 • A2)
	Grenade Launchers (Standalone)	40mm China Lake • 40mm EX 41 • 40mm M32 • 40mm M79 • 40mm T148E1
	Disposable Rocket Launcher	83.5mm M141 • 84mm M136 • 139.7mm FGM-172
	Rocket Launchers	66mm M72 (A1 • A2 • A3) • 66mm M202 (A1) • 84mm M3 MAAWS
Underwater Weapons	Assault Rifles	[[]]
Explosives	Anti-Personnel Mines	M18 (A1) • MM-1
	Anti-Tank Mines	M15 • M19 • M21
	Offensive Grenades	AN/M14 Thermite • M7A3 CS Gas • M25A2 Riot Control • M47 Riot Control • M67 Frag • M84 Stun
	Smoke Grenades	AN/M8 • AN/M18 • AN/M83 White Smoke Grenade

Firearm Accessories
Weapon Sights	Collimator	Crossfire • Razor • RX30 • Razor AMG UH-1 • SPARC AR • SPARC II • Spitfire 3x • Spitfire AR • Strikefire II • Venom • Viper
	Holographic	EOTech 553
	Iron	[[]]
	Night	[[]]
	Reflector	[[]]
	Telescopic	[[]]
Attachments	Flashlights & Lasers	[[]]
Attachments	Foregrips & Bipods	[[]]

Infantry Equipment
Camouflage	Camouflage	ERDL • OD • MARPAT • UCP • Woodland
Clothing	Backpacks	[[]]
	Body Armour	[[]]
	Bomb Suit	[[]]
	Elbow and knee pads	[[]]
	Signals & IFF	[[]]
	Suits	[[]]
	Vests & Webbing	[[]]
Headwear	Communication	[[]]
	Gas Masks & Rebreathers	[[]]
	Goggles	[[]]
	Helmets	[[]]
	Vehicle Headwear	[[]]
Optics, Detection and Surveillance	Man-Portable Radar	[[]]
	Mine Detectors	[[]]
	Night Vision Goggles	[[]]
	Periscopes	[[]]
	Rangefinders	[[]]
	Surveillance	[[]]

Artillery
Anti-Aircraft Guns	[[]]
Anti-Tank Guns	[[]]
Field Guns	[[]]
Howitzers	[[]]
Infantry & Mountain Guns	[[]]
Mortars	81mm M252 • 107mm M30 • 120mm M121
Railroad Artillery	[[]]
Recoilless Guns	[[]]
Rocket Artillery	[[]]
Siege Artillery	[[]]

Land Vehicle Weapons
Machine Guns	5.56mm	M231 FPW
	7.62mm	FN MAG • GAU-19 • M37 • M60 • M73 • M219 • M240 • M1919A4
	12.7mm	GAU-19 (A • B) • M2 • T175 (E1) • XM238
Tank Guns	76.2mm	M32 • T91 (E1 • E2 • E3) • T185 (E1)
	90mm	M3 • M41 • M54 • T7 • T15E2 • T54 • T76 • T125 • T208 (E9 • E13) • T209
	105mm	M68 (A1 • E1) • QF20 Pdr • T5E1 • T5E2 • T140 (E3 • E4) • T147 • T254 (E2) • X15E8 • XM35
	120mm	M58 • M256 • T53 • T122 • T123E1 • T123E6 • T179 • Rheinmetall • X23
	152mm	M81 (E1) • XM81 (E6) • XM150 (E5 • E6)
	155mm	T7 (E1) • T180
	165mm	M57 • T156
	175mm	M113 • T256E3
	203.2mm	M1
Howitzers	105mm	M2 (A2) • M4 • M49 • T96E1 • M103 • XM104 • XM103
	155mm	M45 • M126 (A1) • M185 • T186E1 • M284
	203.2mm	M1 • M2 (A1 • A2) • M201A1
	240mm	240mm M1
Autocannons	20mm	M168 • Rh 202
	25mm	M242 • Oerlikon KBA
	30mm	Bushmaster III
	40mm	M2 (A1)
	75mm	75mm XM274
Recoilless Guns	106mm	M40 (A1)
Misc.	Spotting Rifles	M8

Aircraft Weapons & Munitions
12.7mm Aircraft Machine Guns	Browning M2 (AN/M2 • AN/M3) • GAU-19
Aircraft Cannons below & including 30mm	20mm AN/M2 • 20mm AN/M3 • 20mm M24 • 20mm FMC T-160
Aircraft Cannons above 30mm	[[]]