Anyone know for *sure* when the US armed forces went from 20 to 30 rd mags for the M16 service rifle? Was it during the Vietnam Campaign? It came up in conversation last night. How would one look it up? Army Ordinance records?
Thanks guys,
Rob
From
... The magazine release is on the right side of the rifle, ahead of the trigger guard. Current military magazines have a capacity of 30 rounds, as opposed to the 20-round magazines issued in Vietnam. (30-round magazines were not developed and issued until late in the war.) ...
Wes
IRRC..it was with the introduction of the A2 version, mid 70s
Im not much on Matel toys, living in California.
Gunner
Addendum..mid 80s. I hit the wrong key.
Not so....some were around in the early seventies, but they were scarce. I had 2 in Vietnam. I left Saigon in April '75. Steve
True, but they were not "standard issue". And with the 20s, you kept only 18 in it, with the 2nd or 3rd from the bottom being tracers.
The function of the tracers was to alert your opponent that you were about to change magazines?
"Hmm...every time I see tracers there's a lull in shooting from that guy...good time to advance to closer cover..."
David
An old timer taught us to fight - get in the habit of firing 3 round groups in a fire fight. Then after 6 groups - change the magazine.
Just think on your fingers - five - then the LAST one - then change.
It's a pretty well ingraned habbit even afre all these years.
I seem to automatically count gtoups - especially in Hollywood movies...
Richard
When you are in the bush, its all cover and its cat and mouse or balls to the wall scoot and shoot.
Your sceanario might make sense if you were by yourself. And its damned hard to see tracers coming AT you.
"Pax Americana is a philosophy. Hardly an empire. Making sure other people play nice and dont kill each other (and us) off in job lots is hardly empire building, particularly when you give them self determination under "play nice" rules.
Think of it as having your older brother knock the shit out of you for torturing the cat." Gunner
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