United States Marine Corps

Weapon Systems Series

United States Marine Corps

One Shot Sheet

M16A2 5.56mm Rifle

Primary function: Infantry weapon

Manufacturer: Colt Manufacturing and Fabrique Nationale Manufacturing Inc.

Length: 39.62 inches (100.66 centimeters)

Weight, with 30 round magazine: 8.79 pounds (3.99 kilograms)

Bore diameter: 5.56mm (.223 inches)

Maximum effective range:

Area target: 2,624.8 feet (800 meters)

Point target: 1,804.5 feet (550 meters)

Muzzle velocity: 2,800 feet (853 meters) per second

Rate of fire:

Cyclic: 800 rounds per minute

Sustained: 12-15 rounds per minute

Semiautomatic: 45 rounds per minute

Burst: 90 rounds per minute

Magazine capacity: 30 rounds

Unit Replacement Cost $586

Features: The M16A2 5.56mm rifle is a lightweight, magazine-fed, gas-operated, air-cooled, shoulder-fired weapon designed for either automatic fire (3-round bursts) or semiautomatic fire (single shot) through the use of a selector lever. The weapon has a fully adjustable rear sight. The bottom of the trigger guard opens to provide access to the trigger while wearing winter mittens. The upper receiver/barrel assembly has a fully adjustable rear sight and a compensator which helps keep the muzzle down during firing. The steel bolt group and barrel, extension are designed with locking lugs which lock the bolt group to the barrel extension allowing the rifle to have a lightweight aluminum receiver.

M16A2

Service Rifle

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Every Marine a Rifleman!

My Rifle

The Creed of a United States Marine

bv MGen. William H. Rupertus

U. S. Marine Corps Retired

(Written following the attack on Pearl Harbor)
This is my rifle. There are Many like it, but this one is mine.

My rifle is my best friend. It is my life.

I must master it as I must master my life.

My rifle, without me is useless. Without my rifle, I am useless. I must fire my rifle true. I

must shoot straighter than my enemy who is trying to kill me. I must shoot him before he

shoots me. I will…

My rifle and myself know that what counts in this war is not the rounds we fire, the noise

of our burst nor the smoke we make. We know that it is the hits that count. We will hit…

My rifle is human even as I because it is my life. Thus. I will learn it as a brother. I will

learn its weaknesses, its strength, its parts, its accessories. its sights, and its barrel. I will

ever guard it against the ravages of weather and damage as I will ever guard my legs, my

arms, my eyes and my head against damage. I will keep my rifle clean and ready, We

will become part of each other. We will…

Before God, I swear this creed. My rifle and myself are the defenders of my country. We

are the masters of our enemy. We

are the saviors of my life.

So be it until victory is America’s and there is no enemy, but peace.

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Description

Light-Weight

Magazine-Fed

Gas-Operated

Air-Cooled

Shoulder-Fired

WEAPON…

It is not a gun!

General Data

Weight:

Rifle only: 7.78 lbs

30 Round Magazine 1.01 lbs

Rifle, Magazine. Bayonet 9.39 lbs

Length:

Rifle only 39.62 Inches

Rifle with Bayonet 44.87 Inches

Ammunition:

5.56mm (.223 cal) NATO Standard

Types: Ball (FMJ Lead)-Green Tip

Tracer-Red Tip

Blank-No round

Dummy-Blue Tip

Armor Piercing-Purple or Black

Maximum Range: 3534 Meters

Effective at Point 550 Meters

Effective at Area 800 Meters

Rate of Fire: Sustained 12-15 RPM~ 800 Cyclic

Muzzle Velocity: 2800 Ft/Sec

Chamber Pressure 52000 Psi

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Components

Major Component:	Composed of:
Upper Receiver	Compensator
	Barrel
	Front Sight
	Front Sight Post
	Bayonet Stud
	Front Sling Swivel
	Hand Guards
	Slip Ring
	Gas Tube
	Carry Handle
	Rear Sight
	Rear Sight Aperture
	Windage Knob
	Elevation Knob
	Forward Assist
	Charging Handle
	Brass Deflector
	Ejection Port
	Ejection Port Cover
	Chamber
Lower Receiver	Butt Plate
	Butt Plate Door
	Rear Sling Swivel
	Stock
	Buffer Tube
	Action Spring
	Buffer
	Buffer Retaining Pin
	Take Down Pin
	Pistol Grip
	Trigger
	Trigger Guard
	Magazine Release
	Magazine Well
	Pivot Pin
	Hammer
	Selector Lever
	Bolt Catch
	Bolt Release
Major Component:	Composed of:
Bolt Carrier Group	Bolt Carrier
	Bolt Carrier Key
	Bolt
	Firing Pin
	Firing Pin Retaining Pin
	Bolt Cam Pin
	Gas Rings
	Extractor
	Extractor Pin
Optional Components	Sling
	Magazine Night Vision Sights
	Bayonet
	CLP (Cleaner. Lubricant)
	BFA (Blank Firing Adapter)

Testing

To pass and receive M16A2 safety certification you must:

1. Disassemble the weapon in 30 seconds

2. Reassemble the weapon in 45 seconds

3. Pass the written test

4. Perform Immediate and Remedial Action

5. Know all weapon conditions

6. Perform Inspection Arms

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Weapons Handling

SAFETY RULES
1. TREAT EVERY WEAPON AS IF IT WERE LOADED.

2. NEVER POINT A WAPON AT ANY THING YOU DO NOT INTEND TO SHOOT.

3. KEEP YOUR FINGER STRAIGHT AND OFF THE TRlGGER UNTIL YOU ARE READY TO FIRE

4. KEEP THE WEAPON ON SAFE UNTIL YOU INTEND TO FIRE.

WEAPONS CONDITION CODES CONDITION 1 Magazine inserted, round in chamber, bolt forward, safety on, ejection port cover closed. CONDITION 2 Not applicable to the M 16A2 rifle. CONDITION 3 Magazine inserted, chamber empty, bolt forward, safety on, ejection port cover closed. CONDITION 4 Magazine removed, chamber empty, bolt forward, safety on, ejection port cover closed	WEAPONS COMMANDS LOAD -takes the weapon from condition 4 to 3 MAKE READY -takes the weapon from condition 3 to 1 FIRE -engage targets(s) CEASE FIRE -stop target engagement UNLOAD -takes the weapon from any condition to Condition 4 UNLOAD, SHOW CLEAR -requires a second individual to inspect the weapon before the weapon is placed in to Condition 4
IMMEDIATE ACTION TAP -Slap the bottom of the magazine RACK -Pull the charging handle to the rear and release it. BANG -Sight and attempt to fire	REMEDIAL ACTION S -Seek cover. P -Pull the charging handle to the rear and attempt to lock the bolt to the rear. O -Observe for a round or brass to be ejected and take appropriate action to clear the stoppage. R -Release the bolt. T -Tap the forward assist. S -Sight and attempt to fire.

The M16A2 service rifle is unique in several ways. First, it is the only service rife ever to be totally developed by Marines for Marines. It was developed with several goals in mind. It had to be more accurate and more conservative with ammunition. It had to be as easily fired by a left-handed Marine as by a right-handed Marine. The sights had (0 be easily and rapidly changed to a variety of ranges. All of Ih~c goals, and more, were attained. Many Marines felt that the M16Al service fine had some weak areas. Most of these areas were corrected or at least considered during the development of the M16A2 service rifle. To fully understand the M16A2 service rifle, you m~l lcarn some basic characteristics including physical Characteristics. functional characteristics, and basic characteristics in rates and ranges of fire.

1202. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Figures 1-1 through 1-4 illustrate the basic physical characteristics of the M16A2 service title.

1203. FUNCTIONAL CHARACHTERISTICS

a. The basic functional characteristics of the M16A2 service rifle are as follows:

1. Lightweight (Wilh 30 rounds in a magazine 3.99 kg. or 8.79 Ibs).
2. Magazine-fed (either 20-or 3D-round magazine).
3. Gas-operaled.
4. Air-cooled.
5. Shoulder-fired.
6. Either automatic 3 round burst or semiautomatic single shots.

b. The following are the rates and ranges of the M16A2 service rifle: .

1. Cyclic rate of fire: 800 rounds per minute (rpm)
2. Maximum effective rate of fire, semiautomatic: 45rpm
3. Maximum effective rate of fire, auto burst: 90rprn
4. Sustained rate of fire: 12 to 15rpm
5. Maximum range: 3,534 meters (m)
6. Maximum efiective range for individual or point targets: 550m
7. Maximum effective range for area targets: 800m

SECTION IV. MAINTENANCE

1401. INTRODUCTION
The first and most important thing you should learn about any weapon is how to properly clear the weapon. Most people are accidentaJly shot by supposedly safe/unloaded weapons.

1402. CLEARING THE WFAPON

To properly clear the M16A2 service rifle, follow the sequence listed below:
a. Point the weapon in a safe direction and place the selector lever on safe (figure I-lOb). If the weapon is not cocked, the selector ca~not be placed on safe. If your selector cannot be placed on safe, leave it on semi.

b. Remove the magazine by pressing the magazine release and pulling downward on the magazine

c. Lock the bolt to the rear by pulling lhe charging handle all the way rearward, then press the bottom of the boll catch inward (figure 1-12). If you have not done so before, place the selector on safe.

d. Check the receiver and the chamber to ensure that no ammunition is present.

e. With the weapon pointed in a safe direction and its selector remaining on safe, Jet the boll go forward by pressing on the top of the bolt catch (figure 1-13). The M16A2 service rifle is now cleared and safe but should still be treated as if it were loaded.

1403. DISASSEMBLY

To disassemble the M16A2 service rifle, follow the sequence listed below; always remember to clear the weapon first:

a. Remove the sling.

b. Remove the haodguards by pressing downward on the slip ring and pulling outward on the base of the handguards. It is recommended (hal the buddy system be used with one person pulling down on the slip ring and the other pulling the handguards free.

c. Separate the upper receiver group from the lower receiver group by first pushing the rear takedown pin out as far as it will go, and then pushing the forward takedown pin out as far as il will go (figure 1-15).

d. Remove the boh carrier group by pulling the charging handle and the bolt carrier out as far as they will go. Then remove the boll carrier group by itself (figure 1-16).

e. Remove the charging handle by lowering it into the receiver, and then pulling it to the rear (figure 1-17).

f. Disassemble the bolt carrier group by following the steps below. as shown in figures 1-18a through 1-18e.

Step 1. Remove the firing pin retaining pin by pulling it free, closed end first (figure 1-18a).

Step 4. Remove the bolt by pulling it out of the carrier (figure 1-18d).

Step 5. Remove the extractor by pushing the extractor pin out while holding the extractor down and then lifting the extractor off (figure 1-18e).

g. Remove the buffer and buffer spring by pushing the buffer rearward slightly, then depressing the detent enough to allow the buffer to slide over it. The buffer and the buffer spring then can be removed by pulling them free (figure 1-19).

STOP!! AT THIS POINT NO FURTHER DISASSESSEMBLY IS ALLOWED.