Rifles of War
The development of what can be considered the modern military rifle began in the 1950s after studies of battleground clashes of World War I and World War II.
The result of those studies was that soldiers needed a weapon they could aim quickly and fire as many shots as possible. Eventually it would lead to the invention of several automatic rifles, but the one the U.S. Army first used was Springfield Armory's T44, which the army renamed the M14.
The M14, with its wooden stock and forend, and steel barrel and workings, remained the main rifle for the U.S. Army and Marine Corps from 1959 to 1970. It is still in limited use by all branches of the U.S. military, but can be found mostly in ceremonial duty these days.
The rifle that would replace it is the one that most people probably recognize €" the M16. At the same time the M14 was developed, Armalite was developing a gun with more synthetic materials that was lighter and more accurate. Armalite created the AR-15, which became the M-16, but because of financial problems sold the design to Colt. When the M16 was first used in Vietnam, there were problems with corrosion that made it inoperable. It was criticized heavily and it took major revisions before it became the weapon a soldier could trust.
The M16 became the standard for the U.S. Military in the early 1970s and for many militaries around the world. But the M16's reign wouldn't last and it is being replaced by a variation on its design called the M4 carbine. The M4 is the gun you're most likely to see carried by U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq.
While there have been many weapons developed for war over the years, such as the Thompson Submachine Gun in World War I, Colts development of the M16 and now the M4 has become the modern standard.
In civilian life, gun owners would recognize the M16 as the AR-15. It's the semi-automatic version of the rifle that Colt has been selling to the general public since 1963.
While Colt continued as one of the major gun manufacturers through the years, ArmaLite continued to flounder. After going through several owners, Mark Westrom, a former U.S. Army Ordnance Officer, bought the brand name and lion logo. Today, ArmaLite Inc. produces a number of AR-15 and AR-10 based rifles, as well as .50 BMG rifles (the AR-50). Armalite has also announced that they are introducing a handgun line including the AR-24 and AR-26.
Florida Gun Exchange has a complete inventory of ArmaLite rifles and ones made by many other top manufacturers.
The result of those studies was that soldiers needed a weapon they could aim quickly and fire as many shots as possible. Eventually it would lead to the invention of several automatic rifles, but the one the U.S. Army first used was Springfield Armory's T44, which the army renamed the M14.
The M14, with its wooden stock and forend, and steel barrel and workings, remained the main rifle for the U.S. Army and Marine Corps from 1959 to 1970. It is still in limited use by all branches of the U.S. military, but can be found mostly in ceremonial duty these days.
The rifle that would replace it is the one that most people probably recognize €" the M16. At the same time the M14 was developed, Armalite was developing a gun with more synthetic materials that was lighter and more accurate. Armalite created the AR-15, which became the M-16, but because of financial problems sold the design to Colt. When the M16 was first used in Vietnam, there were problems with corrosion that made it inoperable. It was criticized heavily and it took major revisions before it became the weapon a soldier could trust.
The M16 became the standard for the U.S. Military in the early 1970s and for many militaries around the world. But the M16's reign wouldn't last and it is being replaced by a variation on its design called the M4 carbine. The M4 is the gun you're most likely to see carried by U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan and Iraq.
While there have been many weapons developed for war over the years, such as the Thompson Submachine Gun in World War I, Colts development of the M16 and now the M4 has become the modern standard.
In civilian life, gun owners would recognize the M16 as the AR-15. It's the semi-automatic version of the rifle that Colt has been selling to the general public since 1963.
While Colt continued as one of the major gun manufacturers through the years, ArmaLite continued to flounder. After going through several owners, Mark Westrom, a former U.S. Army Ordnance Officer, bought the brand name and lion logo. Today, ArmaLite Inc. produces a number of AR-15 and AR-10 based rifles, as well as .50 BMG rifles (the AR-50). Armalite has also announced that they are introducing a handgun line including the AR-24 and AR-26.
Florida Gun Exchange has a complete inventory of ArmaLite rifles and ones made by many other top manufacturers.
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