m16 in firefights

[BanjoOnMyKneeo]

[quote=" After trying all the guns, the M-16 crosshairs hardly move an inch. It is by far the most accurate gun aside from the sniper rifles. I wonder if it's like this in real life. Has anyone out there ever fired one of these puppies?[/quote]

I own a Colt Delta Match HBAR, civillian version of the M16. Its only semiauto, no burst. It is by far one of the most accurate semi-auto rifles I've ever owned or shot. Mine is a match rifle, with a heavier barrel than an M16, its a little heavier too. Recoil is negligible, the gas blowback action of the gun absorbs much of the felt recoil, I also have a muzzle compensator/flash hider that directs propellant gasses upward to help slow muzzle rise when firing quick bursts. As far as accuracy, 5 shots in 1 inch at 100yds is no problem, I've never shot it beyond 200 yards (mine has iron sights), at 200 yds I can usually get 5 shots in 4" from a rest, with a scope, I'd say 2" groups would be easy.

I saw another post here where somebody compared an M16 to an M4, and referred to a difference in power related to a difference in caliber. With a standard issue M16A1 and an M4A1 , the caliber is the same. Both fire the 5.56mm NATO, or 223 Remington (same caliber). However, the M14 is a 7.62mmNATO, or 308 Winchester. It is a more powerful caliber. Both are very accurate and both are available on the M16 "platform". The basic M16 reciever can accept (or be modified to accept) a variety of calibers. You can even buy a kit to use an M16 "lower" (the grip/stock/reciever) and a .50 BMG (like M821A rifle) barrel to make a ground shaking rifle. So yes, you can buy a 7.62 AR-15 (civillian M16). Bushmaster makes these rifles.

The main advantage of choosing a 308 over the 223 is resistance to changes in the trajectory in different conditions. Every bullet has a "ballistic coefficient" assigned to it. This number reflects how flat a given bullet will shoot when fired at a given velocity. 2 bullets, of any caliber, with the SAME ballistic coefficient will travel the exact same path if fired at the exact same velocity. The 308 is much more resistant to the effects of cross winds than the tiny .223 caliber bullets fired by the M16A1. Another factor is deflection caused by contact with grass, twigs, limbs etc before the bullet hits the target, very generally speaking, the larger 308 caliber bullets will deflect less under the same conditions.

The 223 got a bad rap when it replaced the M14 in vietnam, because the caliber was so small. However, the tiny 55 grain (7000grains in 1 lb) bullet typically tumbles when it hits flesh and bone and creates a large wound cavity, causing massive internal damage and death. The 308 caliber fired by the M14 is also capable of this type of damage, but often the larger heavier bullet travels completely through the target, leaving a linear wound channel, still causing internal trauma, but it won't "rattle around" inside the human body like a 223.