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115-483: The ArmaLite AR-15 is a gas-operated assault rifle manufactured in the United States between 1959 and 1964. Designed by American gun manufacturer ArmaLite in 1956, it was based on its AR-10 rifle. The ArmaLite AR-15 was designed to be a lightweight rifle and to fire a new high-velocity, lightweight, small-caliber cartridge to allow infantrymen to carry more ammunition. In 1959, ArmaLite sold its rights to

230-547: A British inventor called Richard Paulson, who a year before had patented a straight blowback-operated rifle and pistol, again, one year after Maxim’s first blowback patent, patented a gas piston-operated rifle and pistol which he claimed could be used with sliding, rotating or falling bolts. He would also patent a gas-operated revolver in 1886. Paulson did construct models of his rifle and tried them in France shortly after filing his patent. Furthermore, according to A. W. F. Taylerson,

345-566: A bolt roller and performed worse than both the T44 and the T48 in dust and cold-weather tests. Thus, it was dropped from consideration in 1953. During 1952–53, testing proved the T48 and the T44 to be roughly comparable in performance, with the T48 holding an advantage in ease of field stripping and dust resistance, and a longer product development lead time. A Newsweek article in July 1953 speculated that

460-478: A firearms historian, his patented revolver was probably workable. In 1887, an American inventor called Henry Pitcher patented a gas-operated conversion system that he claimed could be applied to any manually-operated magazine rifle. In 1890 he would patent and submit an original gas-operated rifle for testing by the US government but it performed poorly and was ultimately never adopted despite being offered commercially for

575-622: A full power cartridge. The direct impingement (DI) method of operation vents gas from partway down the barrel through a tube to the working parts of a rifle where they directly impinge on the bolt carrier. This results in a simpler, lighter mechanism. Firearms that use this system include the French MAS-40 from 1940, the Swedish Ag m/42 from 1942. The Stoner gas system of the American M16 , M4, and AR-15 style rifles utilize

690-467: A hole being drilled in the barrel. Both governments would first adopt weapons and later abandon the concept. Most earlier US M1 Garand rifles were retrofitted with long-stroke gas pistons, making the surviving gas trap rifles valuable in the collector's market. In the 1980s Soviet designer Alexander Adov from TsKIB SOO modified the concept with a tube diverting gas from the muzzle to a standard long stroke system (see below) in order to diminish influence of

805-448: A longer weapon and allows dirt to easily enter the mechanism. Despite these disadvantages, they use relatively low pressure gas and do not require a hole in the barrel, which made them attractive in early designs. The system is no longer used in modern weapons. Hiram Maxim patented a muzzle-cup system in 1884 described in U.S. patent 319,596 though it is unknown if this firearm was ever prototyped. John Browning used gas trapped at

920-422: A modified version of this where a gas tube delivers gas into the bolt carrier to impinge on the bolt, which acts as a piston to cycle the rifle. One principal advantage is that the moving parts are placed in-line with the bore axis meaning that sight picture is not disturbed as much. This offers a particular advantage for fully automatic mechanisms. It has the disadvantage of the high-temperature propellant gas (and

1035-425: A more triangular shape. They had flat lower receivers without raised surfaces around the magazine well. Their bolt hold open device lacked a raised lower engagement surface and had a slanted and serrated surface that had to be engaged with a bare thumb, index finger, or thumb nail because of the lack of this surface. Their fire-selector was also changed from upward = safe, backward = semi-auto and forward = full-auto, to

1150-533: A patent for the first successful gas-operated machine gun. Most current gas systems employ some type of piston. The face of the piston is acted upon by combustion gas from a port in the barrel or a trap at the muzzle. Early guns, such as Browning's "flapper" prototype, the Bang rifle , and the Garand rifle , used relatively low-pressure gas from at or near the muzzle . This, combined with larger operating parts, reduced

1265-502: A result, most M14s were permanently set to semiautomatic fire only, to avoid wasting ammunition in combat. Although marred by numerous shortcomings, the rifle served during its brief tour of duty with some modest success. Within the Army research and development community, disputes arose between factions that supported the adoption of the M14 and the 7.62×51mm round from their inception and

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1380-399: A result, the Army was forced to reconsider a 1957 request by General Willard G. Wyman , commander of the U.S. Continental Army Command (CONARC), to develop a .223 caliber (5.56 mm) select-fire rifle weighing 6 lb (2.7 kg) when loaded with a 20-round magazine. The 5.56mm round had to penetrate a standard U.S. M1 helmet at 500 yards (460 meters) and retain a velocity in excess of

1495-534: A result, the design was split into two variants: the Air Force's M16 without the forward assist, and the "XM16E1 (AKA: M16A1)" with the forward assist for the other service branches. In November 1963, McNamara approved the U.S. Army's order of 85,000 XM16E1s; and to appease LeMay, the Air Force was granted an order for another 19,000 M16s. In March 1964, the M16 rifle went into production and the Army accepted delivery of

1610-489: A right-hand 1:12-inch twist with 4 grooves. Although M14 rifle production ended in 1964, the limited standard status of the weapon resulted in the continued manufacture of accessories and spare parts into the late 1960s and beyond. The M15 Squad Automatic Weapon was a modified M14 developed as a replacement for the M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle for use as a squad automatic weapon . As with

1725-542: A semi-automatic version of the M14 rifle. Initially named the M14 or M14A , the rifle used an aftermarket semi-automatic receiver fitted with surplus USGI M14 parts. All receivers were machined from castings of AISI 8620 alloy steel. Except for the first 50 receivers, the castings were supplied by Electro Crisol Metal, S.A., of Santander, Spain, then imported to the US for heat treatment, finish machining, and exterior phosphate treatment. M14 and M14A receivers were heat-treated using

1840-411: A single receiver made from a high-nickel alloy steel. After the M14's adoption, Springfield Armory began tooling a new production line in 1958, delivering the first service rifles to the U.S. Army in July 1959. Long production delays, though, resulted in the 101st Airborne Division being the only unit in the army fully equipped with the M14 by the end of 1960. The Fleet Marine Force finally completed

1955-522: A single-shot breech-loading rifle comes from 1856, by the German Edward Lindner who patented his invention in the United States and Britain. In 1866, Englishman William Curtis filed the first patent on a gas-operated repeating rifle but subsequently failed to develop that idea further. Between 1883 and 1885, Hiram Maxim filed several patents on blowback-, recoil-, and gas-operation. In 1885, one year after Maxim's first gas-operated patent,

2070-402: A small arm significantly easier to control in automatic fire than other infantry rifles of the day. It had rugged elevated sights, an oversized aluminum flash suppressor and recoil compensator , and an adjustable gas system. The final prototype, featured an upper and lower receiver with the now-familiar hinge and takedown pins, and the charging handle was on top of the receiver placed inside of

2185-550: A very short piston, or "tappet." This movement is closely restricted by a shoulder recess. This mechanism inherently limits the amount of gas taken from the barrel . The M14 rifle and M60 GPMG use the White expansion and cutoff system to stop (cut off) gas from entering the cylinder once the piston has traveled a short distance. Most systems, however, vent excess gas into the atmosphere through slots, holes, or ports. A gas trap system involves "trapping" combustion gas as it leaves

2300-399: A very symmetric design that allows straight line movement of the operating components. This allows recoil forces to drive straight to the rear. Instead of connecting or other mechanical parts driving the system, high pressure gas performs this function, reducing the weight of moving parts and the rifle as a whole. The AR-15's straight-line recoil design, where the recoil spring is located in

2415-607: Is also used to shoot a large rubber projectile to another ship when underway to start the lines over for alongside refueling and replenishment. Various sniper variants have been used by the United States Navy SEALs . Often mistaken for the M21 in the overt literature, only one of them has received a standard name in the U.S. military designations system: the M25 Sniper Weapon System , developed by

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2530-634: Is an M14 in bullpup configuration first introduced by Sardius in the 1980s. Later produced by Technical Equipment International (TEI) for the Israel Defense Forces . The AWC G2A is a modified M14 with bullpup stock designed by Lynn McWilliams and Gale McMillian in the late 1990s. Produced and delivered for testing at the Fort Bragg sniper school. They consist of the G2, G2A and G2FA models. The M21 and M25 are accurized sniper models of

2645-475: Is not locked but is pushed rearward by the expanding propellant gases as in other blowback-based designs. However, propellant gases are vented from the barrel into a cylinder with a piston that delays the opening of the bolt. It is used by Volkssturmgewehr 1-5 rifle, the Heckler & Koch P7 , Steyr GB and Walther CCP pistols. To avoid consuming a lot of relatively expensive rounds, many armies, including

2760-641: Is the parent of a variety of Colt AR-15 and M16 rifle variants . After World War II, the United States military started looking for a single automatic rifle to replace the M1 Garand , M1/M2 Carbines , M1918 Browning Automatic Rifle , M3 "Grease Gun" and Thompson submachine gun . However, early experiments with select-fire versions of the M1 Garand proved disappointing. During the Korean War ,

2875-468: The 3rd United States Infantry Regiment ("The Old Guard") in the Military District of Washington is the sole remaining regular U.S. Army combat field unit where the M14 is still issued as the standard rifle, along with a chromed bayonet and an extra wooden stock with a white sling for military funerals , parades, and other ceremonies. The United States Air Force Honor Guard uses a version of

2990-522: The AR-15 family of weapons for addressing the shortcomings of the Stoner internal gas piston operating system. It is a cross between a short-stroke gas piston and a M1 Garand type long-stroke gas piston system. It is similar to a regular short-stroke piston in operation because it too uses an open gas piston that has an impingement cavity at its head, that rests on a gas block on the barrel. However just like

3105-573: The Armalite AR-18 or the SKS . In either case, the energy is imparted in a short, abrupt push and the motion of the gas piston is then arrested, allowing the bolt carrier assembly to continue through the operating cycle through kinetic energy . This has the advantage of reducing the total mass of recoiling parts compared with a long-stroke piston. This, in turn, enables better control of the weapon due to less mass needing to be stopped at either end of

3220-661: The Battle of Mogadishu , Sergeant First Class Randy Shughart used an M14 for sniping from helicopters to provide support fire to ground troops. The U.S. Army Special Forces ("Green Berets") have made some use of the M25 "spotter rifle". The M25 was developed in the late 1980s within the 10th Special Forces Group , which was charged to support Special Forces sniper weapons and the Special Operations Target Interdiction Course (SOTIC). The M25

3335-540: The Rock Island Arsenal . In total, 11,130 National Match rifles were delivered by Springfield Armory, Rock Island Arsenal, and TRW during 1962–1967. Production M14 rifles made by Springfield Armory and Winchester used forged receivers and bolts milled from AISI 8620 steel, a low-carbon steel with added molybdenum-chromium. Harrington & Richardson M14 production used AISI 8620 steel, as well, except for 10 receivers milled from AISI 1330 low-carbon steel and

3450-589: The Special Forces . SEALs also use the Mk 14 Mod 0 Enhanced Battle Rifle for battle and in a designated marksman role. " Delta Force " units are known to have used M14 sniper variants. Eric L. Haney indicated in his memoir Inside Delta Force that every soldier going through the Operator Training Course trained on the M14. According to Black Hawk Down: A Story of Modern War , an account of

3565-626: The T20 , was the most popular, and T20 prototypes served as the basis for several Springfield test rifles from 1945 through the early 1950s. In 1945, Earle Harvey of Springfield Armory designed an entirely different rifle, the T25, for the new T65 .30 light rifle cartridge (7.62×49mm). This was at the direction of Col. Rene Studler, then serving in the Pentagon. Harvey and Studler were then transferred to Springfield Armory in late 1945, to continuously develop

ArmaLite AR-15 - Misplaced Pages Continue

3680-540: The U.S. Department of the Army following the report resulted in the decision to cancel the M14, although the DOD did not cancel the previous FY 1963 orders to be delivered. The M16 was ordered as a replacement for the M14 by the direction of Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara in 1964, over the objection of the U.S. Army officers who had backed the M14. Though production of the M14 was officially discontinued, some discontented troops managed to persist with them while deriding

3795-543: The United States Rifle, Caliber 7.62 mm, M14 , is an American battle rifle chambered for the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge . It became the standard-issue rifle for the U.S. military in 1957, replacing the M1 Garand rifle in service with the U.S. Army by 1958 and the U.S. Marine Corps by 1965; deliveries of service rifles to the U.S. Army began in 1959. The M14 was used by the U.S. Army, Navy, and Marine Corps for Basic and Advanced Individual Training from

3910-462: The comptroller for the U.S. Department of Defense . The cartridge was too powerful for the submachine gun role and not powerful enough to serve as a light machine gun replacement for the M1918 BAR. The rifle was unwieldy in the thick brush of Vietnam due to its length and weight, and the traditional wood stocks made of walnut and birch tended to swell and expand in the heavy moisture of

4025-419: The "Rifle, Caliber 5.56 mm, M16". Meanwhile, the Army relented and recommended the adoption of the M16 for jungle warfare operations. However, the Army insisted on the inclusion of a forward assist to help push the bolt into battery in the event that a cartridge failed to seat into the chamber. The Air Force, Colt and Eugene Stoner believed that the addition of a forward assist was an unjustified expense. As

4140-504: The 5.56 mm cartridge and pressed for its adoption. By intentionally choosing a slow twist rate the 55 grain bullet used in the 5.56 Ball M193 cartridge was only just stable in flight. The damage caused by the 5.56 mm bullet was originally believed to be caused by instantaneous "tumbling" on impact and render a wide, incapacitating wound due to the slow 1 in 14-inch (360 mm) rifling twist rate. However, any pointed lead core bullet will "tumble" after penetration in flesh, because

4255-487: The 55 grain bullet used in the 5.56 Ball M193 cartridge under unfavorable conditions could induce too much yaw and due to the resulting excessive in flight bullet destabilization become inaccurate. The one turn in 12 inches increased accuracy and was optimized to adequately stabilize the M193 ball and longer M196 tracer bullets. The ArmaLite AR-15 internal piston action was derived from the original ArmaLite AR-10 action and

4370-663: The AR-15 and the AK-47. The Army reported that only the M14 was suitable for service, but Vance wondered about the impartiality of those conducting the tests. He ordered the Army Inspector General to investigate the testing methods used; the Inspector General confirmed that the testers were biased towards the M14. In January 1963, Secretary McNamara received reports that M14 production was insufficient to meet

4485-525: The AR-15 to Colt due to financial difficulties and limitations in terms of manpower and production capacity. After modifications (most notably, the charging handle was re-located from under the carrying handle like AR-10 to the rear of the receiver ), Colt rebranded it the Colt 601, however, it still carried the Armalite markings due to contractual obligations to Armalite/Fairchild Aircraft Co. Colt marketed

4600-588: The Army until the Afghanistan and Iraq Wars , when they began to be employed as DMRs and sniper rifles. A 2009 study conducted by the Army claimed that half of the engagements in Afghanistan occurred from beyond 300 meters (330 yd). American 5.56×45mm NATO service rifles were ineffective at these ranges, which prompted the reissue of thousands of M14s. Common modifications included scopes, fiberglass stocks, and other accessories. The 1st Battalion of

4715-607: The Colt ArmaLite AR-15 rifle to military services around the world. In July 1960, General Curtis LeMay , then Vice Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force, was impressed by a demonstration of the AR-15 and ordered 8500 rifles. In the meantime, the Army would continue testing the AR-15, finding that the intermediate cartridge .223 (5.56 mm) rifle is much easier to shoot than the standard 7.62×51mm NATO M14 rifle. In 1961 marksmanship testing,

ArmaLite AR-15 - Misplaced Pages Continue

4830-631: The Garand chambered for the new 7.62×51mm NATO round, while Fabrique Nationale submitted their FN FAL as the T48. ArmaLite entered the competition late, hurriedly submitting several AR-10 prototype rifles in the fall of 1956 to the United States Army's Springfield Armory for testing. The ArmaLite AR-10 featured an innovative combination of a straight-line barrel/stock design, a new patent-filed gas-operated bolt, forged aluminum alloy receivers and with phenolic composite stocks resulting in

4945-523: The Korean War, insisted that a single powerful .30 caliber cartridge be developed, that could not only be used by the new automatic rifle, but by the new general-purpose machine gun (GPMG) in concurrent development. This culminated in the development of the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge. The United States Army then began testing several rifles to replace the obsolete M1 Garand. Springfield Armory's T44E4 and heavier T44E5 were essentially updated versions of

5060-650: The M1 Garand, the M3 submachine gun , the M1 carbine , and the M1918 Browning automatic rifle (BAR). The intention was to simplify the logistical requirements of the troops by limiting the types of ammunition and parts needed to be supplied, but replacing all these weapons proved to be an impossible task; the M14 was deemed "completely inferior" to even the World War II M1 Garand in a September 1962 report by

5175-485: The M1 Garand. Tests at Fort Benning with the T44 and T48 continued through the summer and fall of 1956. By this time, the T48/FAL rifles had been so improved that malfunction rates were almost as low as the T44. The T44 was selected over the T48/FAL due to lower weight, simplicity with fewer parts, the T44's self-compensating gas system, and because the T44 could supposedly be manufactured on existing machinery built for

5290-893: The M1 rifle (which was later found to be false). In 1957, the U.S. formally adopted the T44 as the U.S. infantry service rifle designated M14. Initial production contracts for the M14 were awarded to the Springfield Armory , Winchester , and Harrington & Richardson . Thompson-Ramo-Wooldridge Inc. (TRW) was later awarded a production contract for the rifle, as well. In all, 1,376,031 M14 service rifles were produced from 1959 to 1964. Springfield Armory produced 6,641 new M14 NM rifles in 1962 and 1963, while TRW produced 4,874 new M14 NM rifles in 1964. Springfield Armory later upgraded 2,094 M14 rifles in 1965 and 2,395 M14 rifles in 1966 to National Match specifications, while 2,462 M14 rifles were rebuilt to National Match standards in 1967 at

5405-538: The M14, assembled with more care and precision than is standard. Refurbished and upgraded M14 rifle by Government Arsenal GA SOCOM-16 model, very similar to the Springfield Armory M1A SOCOM 16 rifle. Uses a 16" barrel specified for Special Operations Command units' requirement, as compared to standard M14 which uses the original 22" barrel, and EBR which uses an 18" barrel. From 1984 to 1991, Federal Ordnance of South El Monte, California, sold

5520-571: The M14, the Army opposed the adoption of the new rifle. U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara now had two conflicting views: the USAF's (General LeMay's) repeated requests for additional AR-15s and the ARPA report favoring the AR-15, versus the Army's position favoring the M14. Even President Kennedy expressed concern, so McNamara ordered Secretary of the Army Cyrus Vance to test the M14,

5635-530: The M14, the M15 was chambered for 7.62×51mm NATO, a lighter cartridge than the BAR's chambering of .30-06 . It featured a heavier barrel and stock , two pistol grips (one fixed, one folding) a hinged butt plate, a selector switch for fully automatic fire, a bipod , and used the standard BAR sling. Firing tests showed that the M14, when equipped with the selector switch, hinged butt plate and bipod, performed as well as

5750-678: The M14. The U.S. Navy Ceremonial Guard and Base Honor Guards also use the M14 for three-volley salutes in military funerals. It is also the drill and parade rifle of the United States Military Academy , United States Naval Academy , United States Air Force Academy , The Citadel , Norwich University , Virginia Military Institute , and the University of North Georgia . U.S. Navy ships carry several M14s in their armories. They are issued to sailors going on watch out on deck in port, and to backup alert forces . The M14

5865-457: The M14M and M14NM to civilians. Stand-off Munition Disruption , used by Explosive Ordnance Disposal personnel to destroy unexploded ordnance. Essentially an M14 National Match rifle with a scope . The Mk 14 Enhanced Battle Rifle is a more tactical version of the M14, with a shorter 18-inch barrel, a retractable stock and multiple rails for more accessories. Modified M14 using the same stock as

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5980-404: The M15. As a result, the M15 was dropped and the modified M14 became the squad automatic weapon. Accuracy and control problems with this variant led to the addition of a pistol grip , a folding rubber-covered metal foregrip and a muzzle stabilizer. Despite these modifications, it remained a poor suppressive fire weapon owing to its 20-round magazines and a tendency to rapidly overheat. The M14E1

6095-798: The Mk 14 but with a 22-inch barrel and a Smith Enterprise muzzle brake, used by the United States Coast Guard . Designated marksman rifle (DMR) version of the M14, used by the United States Marine Corps; replaced by the M39 Enhanced Marksman Rifle . Modified M14 DMR fitted with the same stock as Mk 14, used by the United States Marine Corps; being replaced by the M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System . The M89SR

6210-604: The Republic of China, also known as Taiwan . In 1968, the State Arsenal of the Republic of China began producing the Type 57 rifle, and from 1969 to the present, produced over 1 million Type 57 rifles. The Type 57 is currently in service with airport guards and the reserves. Stamped into receiver heel: The M14 rifle was first furnished with a walnut stock, then with birch, and finally with a synthetic fiberglass stock due to

6325-588: The T25. The T25 was designed to use the T65 service cartridge, a Frankford Arsenal design based upon the .30-06 cartridge used in the M1, but shortened to the same length as the .300 Savage . Although shorter than the .30-06, meaning less powder capacity, the T65 cartridge retained the ballistics and energy of the .30-06, which can be attributed to the use of a recently developed ball powder designed by Olin Industries. After experimenting with several bullet designs,

6440-465: The T47. With minimal funding available, the earliest T44 prototypes used T20E2 receivers fitted with magazine filler blocks and rebarreled for the 7.62×51mm cartridge. Additionally, the long operating rod/piston of the M1 was replaced by the T47's gas cut-off system. Though not principally designed by any single engineer, Lloyd Corbett is credited for several refinements to the T44 design. Refinements included

6555-410: The T48. The Arctic Test Board report made it clear that the T48 needed improvement and that the U.S. would not adopt the T48 until it had successfully completed another round of Arctic tests the following winter. In June 1954, funding became available to manufacture newly fabricated T44 receivers specially designed for the shorter T65 cartridge. This single change to the T44 design saved a pound over

6670-623: The T48/FAL could have been selected over the T44. During the winter of 1953–54, both rifles competed in the winter rifle trials at U.S. Army facilities in the Arctic. Springfield Armory engineers, anxious to ensure the selection of the T44, had been specially preparing and modifying the test T44 rifles for weeks with the aid of the armory's cold chamber, including a redesign of the T44 gas regulator and custom modifications to magazines and other parts to reduce friction and seizing in extreme cold. The T48 rifles received no such special preparation and in

6785-447: The T65 was finalized for adoption as the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge. Olin Industries later introduced the cartridge to the commercial market as the .308 Winchester . After a series of revisions by Earle Harvey and the other members of the .30 light rifle design group following the 1950 Fort Benning tests, the T25 was renamed the T47. The T44 prototype rifle was a conventional design developed at Springfield Armory as an alternative to

6900-634: The Treasury (predecessor to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives ) had ruled that M14M and M14NM rifles so modified would not be subject to the 1934 National Firearms Act (NFA) and, as such, could be sold or issued to civilians. Three years later, with the passage of the Gun Control Act of 1968 , the NFA was amended to prohibit the sale of previously modified automatic weapons such as

7015-595: The U.S. Army found that 43% of AR-15 shooters achieved Expert, while only 22% of M14 rifle shooters did so. Also, a lower recoil impulse, allows for more controllable automatic weapons fire. In the summer of 1961, General LeMay was promoted to Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force and requested an additional 80,000 AR-15s. However, General Maxwell D. Taylor , now Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , (who repeatedly clashed with LeMay) advised President John F. Kennedy that having two different calibers within

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7130-411: The U.S. Government caliber .223 , with no reference to them being M16s). The 601 and 602 are virtually identical to the later M16 rifle without the forward-assist. Like the later M16 rifle their charging handle was re-located from under the carrying handle like AR-10 to the rear of the receiver. They were equipped with triangular fore-stocks and occasionally green or brown furniture. Their front sight had

7245-425: The United States Army, trained machine gun crews with less-expensive sub-caliber ammunition in the late 19th century and the first half of the 20th century. To do this, they needed a cheap .22 LR cartridge to operate firearms designed to use the .30-06 cartridge. David Marshall Williams invented a method that involved a separate floating chamber that acted as a gas piston with combustion gas impinging directly on

7360-480: The United States military adopted the M16 rifle, Colt introduced its line semi-automatic-only Colt AR-15 rifles, which it markets to civilians and law enforcement. Colt continues to use the AR-15 name for these rifles. Colt's first two models produced after the acquisition of the rifle from ArmaLite were the 601 and 602, and these rifles were in many ways clones of the original ArmaLite rifle (in fact, these rifles were often found stamped Colt ArmaLite AR-15, Property of

7475-565: The accompanying fouling) being blown directly into the action parts. Direct impingement operation increases the amount of heat that is deposited in the receiver while firing, which can burn off and cover up lubricants. The bolt, extractor, ejector, pins, and springs are also heated by the same high-temperature gas. These combined factors reduce service life of these parts, reliability, and mean time between failures . Several other uses have been found for exhaust gases other than to aid cycling: M14 rifle The M14 rifle , officially

7590-583: The addition of a bolt roller intended to reduce friction and a straight operating rod. The T44 was tested in a competitive service rifle competition conducted by the Infantry Board at Fort Benning, Georgia against the Springfield T47 (a modified T25) and the T48 , a variant of Fabrique Nationale 's FN FAL (from Fusil Automatique Leger , French for "light automatic rifle"). The T47 did not have

7705-533: The basis for the M21 and M25 sniper rifles, which were eventually replaced by the M24 Sniper Weapon System . A new variant of the M14, the Mk 14 Enhanced Battle Rifle , has been in service since 2002. The M14's development stemmed from an extensive line of experimental weapons based on the M1 Garand rifle. Although the M1 was among the most advanced infantry rifle designs of the late 1930s, it

7820-483: The bolt carrier travel and prevents hot combustion gases from being pushed into the internals and removes powder residue in the receiver which significantly improves reliability, increasing the lifespan of weapon parts by reducing instances of malfunctions under prolonged periods of extreme high rate of fire and suppressed shooting. The short-stroke operating system is available both on military ( HK416 lineage , LMT MARS ) and civilian markets as an alternative or retrofit to

7935-497: The carburizing process by a firm in Santa Ana, California, followed by finish machining on a CNC machine at Federal Ordnance in South El Monte. Federal Ordnance M14 and M14A receivers were heat-treated and carburized according to USGI M14 requirements. Each completed production rifle was proof fired, then tested for functioning by firing three rounds. USGI parts and bolts were used extensively in Federal Ordnance rifles through at least serial number 88XX. In 1989, Federal Ordnance renamed

8050-440: The carry handle serves to protect the charging handle. The AR-15 rifle has a 500 mm (19.75 inches) sight radius. The AR-15 uses an L-type flip, aperture rear sight and it is adjustable with two settings, 0 to 300 meters and 300 to 400 meters. The front sight is a post adjustable for elevation. The rear sight can be adjusted for windage. The sights can be adjusted with a bullet tip or pointed tool. The Stoner system provides

8165-409: The carry handle. For a 1950s 7.62×51mm NATO rifle, the AR-10 was incredibly lightweight at only 6.85 pounds (3.11 kilograms) empty. Initial comments by Springfield Armory test staff were favorable, and some testers commented that the AR-10 was the best lightweight automatic rifle ever tested by the Armory. In the end, the United States Army chose the T44, which entered service as the M14 rifle , which

8280-470: The center of gravity is towards the rear of the bullet. The large wounds observed by soldiers in Vietnam were actually caused by bullet fragmentation, which was created by a combination of the bullet's velocity and construction. These wounds were so devastating that the photographs remained classified into the 1980s. However, despite overwhelming evidence that the AR-15 could bring more firepower to bear than

8395-435: The change from M1s to M14s in late 1961. Springfield Armory records reflect that M14 manufacture ended as TRW, fulfilling its second contract, delivered its final production increment in the fiscal year 1965 (1 July 1964 – 30 June 1965). The Springfield archive also indicates the 1.38 million rifles were acquired for just over $ 143 million, for a unit cost of about $ 104. The M14 was developed to replace four different weapons:

8510-603: The civilian market. In the 1880s a gas piston-operated rifle and pistol were developed by the Clair Brothers of France who received a French patent and submitted prototypes for testing by the French army in 1888 although the true date of their invention is uncertain. They would also produce a semi-automatic shotgun in the early 1890s. In 1889, the Austro-Hungarian Adolf Odkolek von Újezd filed

8625-432: The continued cold-weather testing began to experience sluggish gas system functioning, aggravated by the T48's close-fitting surfaces between bolt and carrier, and carrier and receiver. FN engineers opened the gas ports in an attempt to improve functioning, but this caused early/violent extraction and broken parts as a result of the increased pressures. As a result, the T44 was ranked superior in cold-weather operation to

8740-419: The early-model M16 as a frail and underpowered " Mattel toy" that was prone to jamming. A Congressional investigation later discovered these characteristics to be the result of intentional attempts by Army bureaucracy to sabotage the M16's field performance in Vietnam. In late 1967, the U.S. Army designated the M16 as the "Standard A" rifle, and the M14 became a "Limited Standard" weapon. The M14 rifle remained

8855-543: The final ArmaLite design, most notably, the charging handle was re-located from under the carrying handle, like the earlier AR-10 to the rear of the receiver, like the later M16 rifle. Colt then renamed and rebranded the rifle "Colt ArmaLite AR-15 Model 01". After a Far East tour, Colt made its first sale of Colt ArmaLite AR-15 rifles to Malaya on September 30, 1959. Colt manufactured their first batch of 300 Colt ArmaLite AR-15 rifles in December 1959. Colt would go on to market

8970-501: The first batch of 2129 rifles later that year, and an additional 57,240 rifles the following year. The Colt ArmaLite AR-15 was discontinued with the adoption of the M16 rifle. Most AR-15 rifles in U.S. service have long ago been upgraded to M16 configuration. The Colt ArmaLite AR-15 was also used by the United States Secret Service and other U.S. federal, state and local law enforcement agencies. Shortly after

9085-409: The flash. Early AR-15's had a 25-round magazine. Later model AR-15s used a 20-round waffle-patterned magazine that was meant to be a lightweight, disposable item. As such, it is made of pressed/stamped aluminum and was not designed to be durable. The AR-15's most distinctive ergonomic feature is the carrying handle and rear sight assembly on top of the receiver. This is a by-product of the design, where

9200-438: The front of the floating chamber. The .22 caliber Colt Service Ace conversion kit for the .45 caliber M1911 pistol also used Williams' system, which allows a much heavier slide than other conversions operating on the unaugmented blowback mechanism and makes training with the converted pistol realistic. A floating chamber provides additional force to operate the heavier slide, providing a felt recoil level similar to that of

9315-530: The gas engine on barrel and increase accuracy, but his sniper rifle wasn't adopted due to the dissolution of the Soviet Union . With a long-stroke system, the piston is mechanically fixed to the bolt group and moves through the entire operating cycle. This system is used in weapons such as the Bren light machine gun , AK-47 , Tavor , FN Minimi , FN MAG , FN FNC , and M1 Garand . The primary advantage of

9430-430: The gas operating system, the barrel, the bolt and bolt carrier assembly. The lower receiver incorporates the magazine well, the pistol grip and the buttstock. The lower receiver also contains the trigger, disconnector, hammer and fire selector (collectively known as the fire control group ). The AR-15's "duckbill" flash suppressor had three tines or prongs and was designed to preserve the shooter's night vision by disrupting

9545-532: The hinged butt plate. Although an improvement over the M14 when in full-auto, it was still difficult to control, overheated rapidly, and the 20-round magazine limited its ability to deliver suppressive fire. The M14M is a semi-automatic only version of the standard M14 that was developed for use in civilian rifle marksmanship activities such as the Civilian Marksmanship Program . M14M rifles were converted from existing M14 rifles by welding

9660-457: The jungle, adversely affecting accuracy. Fiberglass stocks were produced to resolve this problem, but the rifle was discontinued before the fiberglass stocks could be distributed for field use. With 2,560 ft·lbf (3,463 J ) of muzzle energy, the power of the 7.62×51mm NATO cartridge was valued for its range and cover penetration; despite this, the power of the cartridge also caused the weapon to be virtually uncontrollable in fully automatic fire. As

9775-495: The long-stroke gas piston system used on the M1 Garand the piston assembly is integrated with the operating rod and moves with the bolt group. The caveat of this system is that it has heavier moving mass than modern long-stroke gas piston systems used on rifles like the AK-47 , Tavor , FN FNC , etc. Hence firearms using this system do have higher felt recoil than their equivalent modern long-stroke gas piston counterparts. The bolt

9890-403: The long-stroke system is that the mass of the piston rod adds to the momentum of the bolt carrier enabling more positive extraction, ejection, chambering, and locking. The primary disadvantage to this system is the disruption of the point of aim due to several factors such as: the center of mass changing during the action cycle, abrupt stops at the beginning and end of bolt carrier travel, and

10005-707: The mid-1960s to the early 1970s. The M14 was the last American battle rifle issued in quantity to U.S. military personnel. In 1967, it was officially replaced by the M16 assault rifle , a lighter weapon with a smaller 5.56x45mm intermediate cartridge . The M14 rifle remains in limited service across all branches of the U.S. military, with variants used as sniper and designated marksman rifles , accurized competition weapons, and ceremonial weapons by honor guards , color guards , drill teams , and ceremonial guards. Civilian semiautomatic variants are used for hunting, target shooting, and shooting competitions. The M14 served as

10120-500: The military system at the same time would be problematic and the request was rejected. In October 1961, William Godel, a senior man at the Advanced Research Projects Agency , sent 10 AR-15s to South Vietnam. The reception was enthusiastic, and in 1962, another 1,000 AR-15s were sent. United States Army Special Forces personnel filed battlefield reports lavishly praising the AR-15 and the stopping-power of

10235-470: The moisture in the humid jungle environments of rural Vietnam causing wood to swell. The stock was fitted with a hinged shoulder rest for improved user comfort when firing from a prone position. Original-equipment walnut and birch stocks carry the Department of Defense acceptance stamp or cartouche, consisting of an arc of three stars above a spread-winged eagle. After successful test firing, a proof stamp

10350-617: The muzzle to operate a "flapper" in the earliest prototype gas-operated firearm described in U.S. patent 471,782 , and used a slight variation of this design on the M1895 Colt–Browning machine gun "potato digger". The Danish Bang rifle used a muzzle cup blown forward by muzzle gas to operate the action through transfer bars and leverage. Other gas-trap rifles were early production M1 Garands and German Gewehr 41 (both Walther and Mauser models). The American and German governments both had requirements that their guns operated without

10465-415: The muzzle. This gas impinges on a surface that converts the energy to motion that, in turn, cycles the action of the firearm. As the resulting motion is forward toward the muzzle of the gun, some sort of mechanical system is needed to translate this into the rearward motion needed to operate the bolt. This adds to the complexity of the mechanism and its weight, and the placement of the trap generally results in

10580-402: The needs of the armed forces and ordered a halt to M14 production. At the time, the AR-15 was the only rifle that could fulfill a requirement of a "universal" infantry weapon for issue to all services. McNamara ordered its adoption, despite receiving reports of several deficiencies, most notably the lack of a chrome-plated chamber. After minor modifications, the new redesigned rifle was renamed

10695-435: The now familiar forward = safe, upward = semi-auto, and backward = full-auto of the M16 rifle. The only major difference between the 601 and 602 is the switch from the original four grooves, right-hand 1:14-inch (1:355.6 mm or 64 calibers) rifling twist rate to the more common four grooves, right-hand 1:12-inch (1:304.8 mm or 54.8 calibers) twist. This was done as the original 1:14-inch twist rate to just stabilize

10810-428: The other factions that opposed them. The M14 remained the primary infantry rifle in Vietnam until it was replaced by the M16 in 1967, though combat engineer units kept them for several years longer. Further procurement of the M14 was abruptly halted in early 1968 due to a U.S. Department of Defense report which stated that the AR-15 , which would soon be designated the M16, was superior to the M14. A series of tests by

10925-477: The redesigned rifle to various military services around the world and was eventually adopted by the U.S. military in January 1962 and subsequently designated as M16 rifle in December 1963, which went into production and service in 1964. Colt continued to use the AR-15 trademark for its line of semi-automatic-only rifles marketed to civilian and law-enforcement customers, known as Colt AR-15 . The Armalite AR-15

11040-480: The select-fire M2 Carbine largely replaced the submachine gun in US service and became the most widely used Carbine variant. However, combat experience suggested that the .30 Carbine round was under-powered. American weapons designers concluded that an intermediate round was necessary, and recommended a small-caliber, high-velocity cartridge. However, senior American commanders having faced fanatical enemies and experienced major logistical problems during WWII and

11155-541: The select-fire mechanism to prevent full-automatic firing. The M14NM (National Match) is an M14M rifle built to National Match accuracy standards. The M14M and M14NM rifles are described in a now-obsolete Army regulation, AR 920–25, "Rifles, M14M and M14NM, For Civilian Marksmanship Use", 8 February 1965. Paragraph 2 stated that the Director of the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Division, Internal Revenue Service , Department of

11270-719: The speed of sound, while matching or exceeding the wounding ability of the .30 Carbine cartridge. This request ultimately resulted in the development of a scaled-down version of the ArmaLite AR-10 , called the ArmaLite AR-15 rifle. In 1958, ArmaLite submitted ten AR-15s and one hundred 25-round magazines for CONARC testing. The tests found that a five to seven man team armed with AR-15s had the same firepower as an 11-man team armed with M14s and soldiers armed with AR-15s could also carry three times more ammunition than those armed with M14s (649 rounds vs. 220 rounds). The AR-15

11385-532: The standard infantry service rifle of the U.S. Army, only second to the US Springfield Krag–Jørgensen rifles and carbines. The Philippines issues M14 rifles, M1/M2 carbines, M1 rifles, and M16 rifles, to their civilian defense forces and various cadet corps service academies. The Hellenic Navy uses the M14. In 1967, the Springfield tooling and assembly line for M14 production was sold to

11500-506: The standard rifle for U.S. Army Basic Training and troops stationed in Europe until 1970. The U.S. Army converted several thousand M14s into M21 sniper rifles , which remained standard issue for this purpose until the adoption of the M24 SWS in 1988. In 1969, tooling for the M14 was sold to Taiwan, and many rifles were exported later to Baltic countries and Israel. Although the M14

11615-408: The stock directly behind the action, and serves the dual function of operating spring and recoil buffer. The stock being in line with the bore also reduces muzzle rise, especially during automatic fire. Because recoil does not significantly shift the point of aim, faster follow-up shots are possible and user fatigue is reduced. Gas-operated reloading The first mention of using a gas piston in

11730-422: The strain on the mechanism. To simplify and lighten the firearm, gas from nearer the chamber needed to be used. This high- pressure gas has sufficient force to destroy a firearm unless it is regulated somehow. Most gas-operated firearms rely on tuning the gas port size, mass of operating parts, and spring pressures to function. Several other methods are employed to regulate the energy. The M1 carbine incorporates

11845-417: The time and is ammunition specific, since it does not have an adjustable gas port or valve to adjust the weapon to various propellant and projectile or barrel length specific pressure behavior. The AR-15 is a modular weapon system . It is easy to assemble, modify and repair using a few simple hand tools, and a flat surface to work on. The AR-15's upper receiver incorporates the fore stock, the charging handle,

11960-412: The use of the barrel as a fulcrum to drive the bolt back. Also, due to the greater mass of moving parts, more gas is required to operate the system that, in turn, requires larger operating parts. With a short-stroke or tappet system, the piston moves separately from the bolt group. It may directly push the bolt group parts, as in the M1 carbine , or operate through a connecting rod or assembly, as in

12075-417: Was also applied to these stocks consisting of a letter "P" within a circle. Rifles manufactured through late 1960 were provided with walnut handguards. Synthetic, slot-ventilated handguards were produced, but proved to be too fragile for military use. These were replaced by a solid synthetic handguard that is still in use, usually colored in dark brown, black, or a camouflage pattern. Standard M14 rifling has

12190-611: Was an improved M1 Garand with a 20-round magazine and automatic fire capability. The U.S. also adopted the M60 general purpose machine gun (GPMG). Its NATO partners adopted the FN FAL and HK G3 rifles, and the FN MAG and Rheinmetall MG3 GPMGs. The first confrontations between the AK-47 and the M14 came in the early part of the Vietnam War . Battlefield reports indicated that the M14

12305-517: Was called the Marine Corps DMR and was intended for use by security teams ( Special Reaction Team and Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team companies), and Marine scout snipers in the cases where a semiautomatic rifle would be more appropriate than the standard bolt-action M40A1/A3 rifle. The USMC Rifle Team currently uses the M14 in shooting competitions. Some original-production M14s, not to be confused with M21 rifles , were in use by

12420-488: Was first planned as a replacement for the old M21, but after the Army adoption of the M24 SWS as its standard sniper rifle, the M25 was intended to be used by spotters of the sniper teams, while the snipers use the bolt-action M24. The M14 has remained in service longer than any other U.S. infantry rifle, surpassing the M1903 Springfield rifle , and holds the distinction of serving one of the shortest periods as

12535-471: Was found to be three times more reliable than the M14 rifle. However, General Maxwell Taylor , then Army Chief of Staff, "vetoed" the AR-15 in favor of the M14. In 1959, ArmaLite—now frustrated with the lack of results and suffering ongoing financial difficulties—sold its rights to the AR-10 and AR-15 to Colt . After acquiring the AR-15, Colt promptly redesigned the rifle to facilitate mass production. Based on

12650-422: Was known as the M14 (USAIB), after the initialism for "United States Army Infantry Board". The variant was issued in 1963 and redesignated as M14A1 in 1966. It had a full pistol-gripped in-line stock to control recoil, a plastic upper forend to save weight, a muzzle compensator, the BAR sling, an M2 bipod, a folding metal vertical foregrip mounted under the forend of the stock, and a rubber recoil shoulder pad under

12765-451: Was later used in the M16 rifle action. This internal piston action system designed by Eugene Stoner is commonly called a direct impingement system, but it does not utilize a conventional direct impingement system. In U.S. patent 2,951,424 , the designer states: This invention is a true expanding gas system instead of the conventional impinging gas system. The gas system, bolt carrier, and bolt-locking design were patented at for

12880-402: Was not without faults, as various modifications to the basic M1 were considered during the last months of World War II . Changes included the addition of fully automatic fire and the replacement of the eight-round en bloc clip with a detachable box magazine holding 20 rounds. Winchester , Remington , and Springfield Armory 's John Garand offered alternate conversions. Garand's design,

12995-667: Was phased out as the standard-issue rifle by 1970, M14 variants are still used by various branches of the U.S. military, as well as other armed forces, especially as a sniper rifle and as a designated marksman rifle  (DMR), due to its accuracy and effectiveness at long range. In 1989, the Marine Corps began a program to upgrade their M14s into DMRs. The final product created by the Precision Weapons Section in Marine Corps Base Quantico

13110-585: Was tested with a variety of folding stocks to provide better maneuverability for armored infantry, paratroopers and others. No variant was standardized. Selective fire version of the standard M14 used as a squad automatic weapon. Successor to the full-automatic M14 with a bipod and the never-issued M15. The developmental model was known as the M14E2. The model concept was developed by the United States Army Infantry School. The variant

13225-458: Was uncontrollable in full-auto and that soldiers could not carry enough ammo to maintain fire superiority over the AK-47. While the M2 Carbine offered a high rate of fire, it was under-powered and ultimately outclassed by the AK-47. A replacement was needed: a medium between the traditional preference for high-powered rifles, such as the M14, and the lightweight firepower of the M2 Carbine. As

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