NATO standards M16 rifle

german army soldiers of 13th panzergrenadier division qualify m16a2 @ würzburg, part of partnership range u.s. 1st infantry division.




video of u.s. troops using grem (simon) rifle grenade system



m16a4 picatinny rails , acog sight

in march 1970, u.s. recommended nato forces adopt 5.56×45mm cartridge. shift represented change in philosophy of military s long-held position caliber size. mid 1970s, other armies looking @ m16-style weapons. nato standardization effort started , tests of various rounds carried out starting in 1977. u.s. offered 5.56×45mm m193 round, there concerns penetration in face of wider introduction of body armor. in end belgian 5.56×45mm ss109 round chosen (stanag 4172) in october 1980. ss109 round based on u.s. cartridge included new stronger, heavier, 62 grain bullet design, better long range performance , improved penetration (specifically, consistently penetrate side of steel helmet @ 600 meters). due design , lower muzzle velocity (about 3110 ft/s) belgian ss109 round considered more humane because less fragment u.s. m193 round. nato 5.56×45mm standard ammunition produced u.s. forces designated m855.

in october 1980, shortly after nato accepted 5.56×45mm nato rifle cartridge. draft standardization agreement 4179 (stanag 4179) proposed allow nato members share rifle ammunition , magazines down individual soldier level. magazine chosen become stanag magazine designed u.s. m16 rifle. many nato member nations, not all, subsequently developed or purchased rifles ability accept type of magazine. however, standard never ratified , remains draft stanag .

all current m16 type rifles designed fire stanag 22 mm rifle grenades integral flash hiders without use of adapter. these 22 mm grenade types range anti-tank rounds simple finned tubes fragmentation hand grenade attached end. come in standard type propelled blank cartridge inserted chamber of rifle. come in bullet trap , shoot through types, names imply, use live ammunition. u.s. military not use rifle grenades; however, used other nations.

the nato accessory rail stanag 4694, or picatinny rail stanag 2324, or tactical rail bracket used on m16 type rifles provide standardized mounting platform. rail comprises series of ridges t-shaped cross-section interspersed flat spacing slots . scopes mounted either sliding them on 1 end or other; means of rail-grabber clamped rail bolts, thumbscrews or levers; or onto slots between raised sections. rail scopes. however, once established, use of system expanded other accessories, such tactical lights, laser aiming modules, night vision devices, reflex sights, foregrips, bipods, , bayonets.

currently, m16 in use 15 nato countries , more 80 countries worldwide.