Rifle Reliability

On a scale from 1 to 10, with 10 being the highest, how would you rate the reliability of a certain assault or battle rifle? Let's start with the M16A2. I rate it's reliability as somewhere around a 5. Anyone else?

 

WHell,battlefields ower the world proowe that AK-47 is most reliabile rifle.U actualy dont need to clean and oil that gun,and it can still fire,on rain,mud etc.

 

The M16 is exceptionally reliable, if you choose to keep it properly cleaned.

 

Yep, It's a matter of tolerances. The M-16 is manufactured to closer tolerances than the AK-47 which is why the M-16 is a more accurate rifle.
On the negative side, closer tolerances mean that if you get dirt in the mechanism it is less likely to continue to function properly untill you clean it out. Keep it clean and you'll be fine.
If you want a cheap rifle that may be less accurate but which you can wrap up and bury in the ground until it's needed then take it out and use it with minimum cleaning then you are better off with the AK-47. It's a better choice for insurgents and such whereas the M-16 is a btter choice if you have a disciplined and well supplied regular army unit.

 

I have to disagree, in the rifle's favor. When I carried the A2, I had few problems with it. It doesn't even have to be clean-clean. Basic maintenance, at a rudimentary level will keep it firing just fine. I'd carry it into combat with no problem. Almost did, actually. That said,...

There are two good reasons for me to drop the M16A2, and grab the AK variant being used by my opponent de jure. The first is that the weapon is damned near idiot-proof (and I'm just the idiot to prove it! Sorry, I love that line!), and it needs less maintenance than the M16. The second reason is that ammo will be readily available from my fallen foes. As we overrun their positions, I will use their ammo. If I'm caught behind their lines, I will take their ammo. Simple logistics.

 

Whell,accuracy dont go under reliable definition i think I will remind u that in heawy combat situations u dont hawe time to clean ur rifle (like it was in Vietnam).AK-47 is good friend in hard situations,but i heard that M-16 was improowed from Vietnam version (there they use 10 boulet clip).

 

No they didn't :-? . I've never heard of general issue M16s using a 10 round clip! AFAIK they used a 30 detachable box from the outset (M4 Carbines could use a 20 round magazine as well, so I'd assume with the interface being the same the standard M16 could accept the 20 round M4 mags). With all due respect, where on earth did you get that one from?

Yes the M16 has been improved from the early Vietnam days of the M16 and M16A1, but I don't believe the magazine design or capacity has altered significantly if at all.

Blaster, have you ever used an M16A2 under field conditions*? If not then what are you basing this on?

* Yes everyone who's about to point it out, I am aware of his age, but it is possible that he's in a cadet force or knows someone who has allowed him to go shooting with one.

OK, I'll nominate the much maligned L85A1, whilst admittedly I only used mine on range conditions I only experienced a single stoppage in two months of training and six months of TA service. To me it was an accurate, comfortable and reliable weapon when looked after properly. I'd rate it quite highly, around 7 or 8.

 

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At ten years old I don't think 'Blaster' has even ever held a rifle yet alone fired one even in a cadet force. I have only fired a Lee Enfield, quite good you could even hammer posts in with it, but unlike some of your posters I would never express my views about weapons I've never used, people like Tom I will listen too, but people who rate a weapon on the 'Cool' factor leave me 'Cold'. :roll:

 

I had a M-16A1 and never had any trouble with it.

All M-16 magazines are interchangable between the series. There were never any 10 rounders though. Originally, they had 20 rounders and later the 30 rounders became standard. The 20rd is still preferred for target shooting as it doesn't protrude as far from the rifle.

 

My bad,20 rounds clip.

http://www.jouster.com/articles30m1/index.html

The clip on the m16 rifle they carry is a curved clip. The vietnam era m16 had a straight shorter clip that didn't hold as many rounds to prevent jamming. I cant find any reliable source for comfirmation.

 

I was originally issued an M-14 rifle and am rather partial to that rifle. I later was issued an M-16 and learned to appreciate it's benefits as well. The size of the magazine was 20 rounds and it was straight. Later 30 round curved magazines were issued as well. AFAIK the design of the magazine had nothing to do with jamming. Infantrymen do learn that because of magazine design, not rifle design a 20 round clip was loaded with 18 rounds. If you kept 20 rounds in the magazine it weakened the magazine spring which was kept fully compressed and jamming could result. Changing the maximum load to 18 rounds (28 rounds for curved magazine) fixed 95% of the jamming problems. The other problems with jamming came from dirt or debris in the mechanism. Proper cleaning and keeping the spring loaded door closed to keep out debris was effective.
Oh yeah and they also chrome plated the chamber in the A1 model to help keep it clean and free of jams.

I ended up using the M-60 and M2 .50 cal machine gun far more often the M-16 but I had complete confidence in the rifle.

 

Come on, if I'm wrong, couldn't you just prove me wrong? It's a question. Because I feel like I'm being treated more like I spammed or something.

 

Hmm..what kind of "proof" would you like? If you don't give any credit to the actual experience of men who used these rifles in the field then I'm not sure what standard of proof you would accept. It's true that these are anecdotes rather than controlled scientific experiments but then we haven't yet seen any kind of evidence, even anecdotal to contradict our experiences.

 

Nobodies treating you as if you have spammed, but it's normal to be sceptical of someone if they have no apparent experience or evidence to back their opinions.

Let me put it a different way, what leads you to give the M16 such a rating, and how do you define your ratings? Is a "5" Normal? If so against what do you consider this Normal or Standard or Average. For example, giving the M16 a 5 without putting into context how you would rate any others makes it difficult for others to consider your judgement. If you'd consider the AK a 6, a 5 makes sense, if you consider the AK a 9 or 10, I'd say you're grossly underestimating the M16.

 

Everything that has been posted I have accepted. It's just that one of the posts on here I found a bit offensive. I can't find the post anymore, though.

 

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Come on Blaster lad, lighten up, soon it will be your birthday, refresh us on the date again will you? Some time in January I remember, eleven years will it be? I will (with Christian's permission,) open a 'Happy Birthday' thread for you, once again, lighten up, it's Christmas, not WW2.

 

Trust me Grieg i used AK-47,and that rifle does not need cleaning at all! U can use 30 rounds in clip allways,and u can shoot till barel does not melt down.Newer had any jam,so il put AK-47 in werry high place.If we speaking about accuracy i cant compare with M-16,coz i newer used that,but on training i managed to hit 30x30cm target from 250m ( from perfect shooting position i admit,so in combat that just does not work),only thing i think that is bad is full auto,it is completly useles in ranges ower 50m,but i dont know how that act with AK-74,we had them,but i did not use it.

 

Thanks Merlin. Yes, I'll be 11. I hope everyone got what they wanted.

 

Doesn't take long to convert any rifle-conversation in to M-16 vs. AK-47 conversation... :lol:

Since I've used only two assaultrifles, first one being AK-47, I'm gonna rate it's close Finnish relative, RK-62 giving it a 8. Works in extreme conditions with little cleaning,is accurate, tends to JAM when firing several clips in row,but is easily (and fast,2 secs) unjammed with just "lock and load" motion which slings the jammed round out of the chamber. It's plastics clips won't jam. It's also very durable rifle

 

It is just coz that two rifles r widely used,and cetanly most famous.For most realible weapons i will allways chose bolt-action rifles,but that mechanism is so simple that there is notthing to jam. :lol: