Rant against the M16

[Trooper]

Michael Williamson is a SF writer as well as an AF NCO

His best known book is the Freehold series.

Here is a rant he did on the M16

http://www.michaelzwilliamson.com/politi...20M16.html

[m796rider]

That's funny -- good stuff.

Every rifle I own aside from a bolt action 6.5 Creedmoor is an AR. I've owned and shot dozens of different rifles and the AR tops them all in terms of usability, ergonomics, spares support, and on and on.

[stanc]

I've owned and shot dozens of different rifles and the AR tops them all in terms of usability, ergonomics, spares support, and on and on.

Heh, heh. I, too, have owned and shot dozens of different rifles, but I'd place the AR near the bottom of the list in regards to most characteristics.

Oh, properly customized (as with your superb Grendel SBR, for example), an AR can look really sharp, but for actual shooting I detest almost everything about the design.

Fit, feel, and handling? I'll take an M14 rifle (especially with an "E2" stock) or M1 carbine over an AR any day.

Ergonomics? That frakking T-handle sucks, and the forward-assist is a Mickey Mouse contraption which, for me at least, usually interfered with retracting the bolt assembly. Give me a proper bolt handle, a la the M14, please; much easier to use.

Plus, the Sproing! sound of the AR's buffer spring with each shot fired is rather annoying.

[m796rider]

Heh, heh. I, too, have owned and shot dozens of different rifles, but I'd place the AR near the bottom of the list in regards to most characteristics.

Oh, properly customized (as with your superb Grendel SBR, for example), an AR can look really sharp, but for actual shooting I detest almost everything about the design.

Fit, feel, and handling? I'll take an M14 rifle (especially with an "E2" stock) or M1 carbine over an AR any day.

Ergonomics? That frakking T-handle sucks, and the forward-assist is a Mickey Mouse contraption which, for me at least, usually interfered with retracting the bolt assembly. Give me a proper bolt handle, a la the M14, please; much easier to use.

Plus, the Sproing! sound of the AR's buffer spring with each shot fired is rather annoying.

Ha! We'll just have to agree to disagree. The manual of arms on an AR15 is just about second nature to me at this point, so that might be biasing me a bit. And I shoot some sort of optic almost exclusively - aside from a 20" AR15 that I just enjoy shooting with irons, and that has a detachable carry handle - so the ease of mounting an optic on an AR is a big deal.

Besides, with a last round bolt hold open, how many times do you actually need to use that "frakking T-handle" anyway (unless you're practicing malfunction clearance drills)? And even then, updated designs like the BCM Gunfighter and the AXTS Raptor allow you to charge your rifle with a broad palm-based sweeping motion, obviating the need to gingerly pinch both sides of the charging handle and pull straight back. LOL...

[chase]

Can't we all just get along.

[m796rider]

Trying to be lighthearted -- hope it came across that way!

[JASmith]

Nice tongue in cheek summary of why the AR15 is one of the finest rifles in the world!

[stanc]

Ha! We'll just have to agree to disagree. The manual of arms on an AR15 is just about second nature to me at this point, so that might be biasing me a bit. And I shoot some sort of optic almost exclusively - aside from a 20" AR15 that I just enjoy shooting with irons, and that has a detachable carry handle - so the ease of mounting an optic on an AR is a big deal.

Besides, with a last round bolt hold open, how many times do you actually need to use that "frakking T-handle" anyway (unless you're practicing malfunction clearance drills)? And even then, updated designs like the BCM Gunfighter and the AXTS Raptor allow you to charge your rifle with a broad palm-based sweeping motion, obviating the need to gingerly pinch both sides of the charging handle and pull straight back. LOL...

I shot iron sights almost exclusively, the one exception being a Steyr AUG that I bought when they were first imported. I have to say, I much preferred the AUG over my ARs.

I don't know that it matters how many times the T-handle must be used. The pertinent issue is that it's a crappy design. And the improved versions you note did not exist back when I was in uniform and using a USGI M16A1. For that matter, they had still not been invented some years later when I owned semi-auto AR15s. So, my only experience has been with the standard T-handle.

[Trooper]

I think that newer weapons like the IWI Tavor are a better design. And more in tune with the type of combat we do now. We do long range shooting but then have to close quarters combat. Thus a bullpup makes sense. The Tavor needs to barreled in 6.5 Grendel, of course, to really maximize its potential.

There is some thought of making this into a weapons system. Thus a longer barrel and good optics could make the rifle function as a DMR. In full auto it could be an IAR. But take the action and put into an upper for the M4 and you have a good DMR in 6.5mm. Or on a M4 lower with a belt fed upper and you have a SAW. Sort of like the IWI Negev.

[Trooper]

Here is something from the SHOT show. A Polish weapons system.

http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2015/...pressions/