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What are the differences between an M-16 LR and an AR-15 LR? Is there anything that's keeping them from manufacturing select-fire M-16 LRs? Are the other parts

by vernie 11y ago

What are the differences between an M-16 LR and an AR-15 LR? Is there anything that's keeping them from manufacturing select-fire M-16 LRs? Are the other parts of an AR-15 (e.g. barrel, stock, UR) incompatible with an M-16 LR? I don't understand why they would machine semi-auto AR-15 LRs if they have all the tools necessary to build their full-auto/burst counterparts.

hga 11y ago
As I understand it, the critical difference is that they'd have to source or make (out of steel, and likely with heat treating) more parts, like the full auto sear, and make an additional cut and hole in the lower receiver. Here are some of them: http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/triggers-parts/sear-parts/index.htm?avs%7CMake_3=M16 http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/triggers-parts/sear-par... (There are many, many not so big differences, especially as these have evolved over they years, and then there's the newer M4 carbine variant, which I'm told also has some important general reliability improvements.) Of course, buying these, especially in large quantities, would likely attract the wrong sorts of attention. One motivation they might have for making their own lower receivers from billets is to stay off the radar; normal AR-15 parts and ubiquitous, seeing as we started using it as a service rifle in 1962-5, and we civilian in the US own probably around 6 million.
Zak 11y ago
It's just the extra hole to accommodate the M16's full-auto sear. Anyone finishing an 80% AR15 lower could easily drill that third hole, but in the US the resulting firearm would be considered "readily convertible" to fully-automatic and therefore only legal to manufacture or possess under a limited set of circumstances. Buying a bunch of M16 trigger parts, while legal in the US might attract unwanted attention, but I think a cartel with machine tools could easily manufacture these parts themselves, or a full-auto sear of a different design. If they're not making select-fire rifles, and it wouldn't surprise me if they're not, it's because using a fully-automatic rifle effectively requires a lot of training and discipline. Most people under most circumstances would use a rifle more effectively without having the option of full-auto; even the US military has questioned its value for the average soldier, using some models with 3-round burst instead.

by vernie 11y ago

hga 11y ago

As I understand it, the critical difference is that they'd have to source or make (out of steel, and likely with heat treating) more parts, like the full auto sear, and make an additional cut and hole in the lower receiver. Here are some of them: http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/triggers-parts/sear-parts/index.htm?avs%7CMake_3=M16 http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/triggers-parts/sear-par... (There are many, many not so big differences, especially as these have evolved over they years, and then there's the newer M4 carbine variant, which I'm told also has some important general reliability improvements.) Of course, buying these, especially in large quantities, would likely attract the wrong sorts of attention. One motivation they might have for making their own lower receivers from billets is to stay off the radar; normal AR-15 parts and ubiquitous, seeing as we started using it as a service rifle in 1962-5, and we civilian in the US own probably around 6 million.

Zak 11y ago

It's just the extra hole to accommodate the M16's full-auto sear. Anyone finishing an 80% AR15 lower could easily drill that third hole, but in the US the resulting firearm would be considered "readily convertible" to fully-automatic and therefore only legal to manufacture or possess under a limited set of circumstances. Buying a bunch of M16 trigger parts, while legal in the US might attract unwanted attention, but I think a cartel with machine tools could easily manufacture these parts themselves, or a full-auto sear of a different design. If they're not making select-fire rifles, and it wouldn't surprise me if they're not, it's because using a fully-automatic rifle effectively requires a lot of training and discipline. Most people under most circumstances would use a rifle more effectively without having the option of full-auto; even the US military has questioned its value for the average soldier, using some models with 3-round burst instead.