[TominPA]

"2. Their sergeants failed to check"

The most important point made in this discussion. It's widely know the M-16 requires more maintaince in a sandy or dusty enviornment. No one made them check or clean them, plain and simple.

[fat city]

Seem to remember the M-16s jamming on occasion when the magazines were filled to capacity (18 rounds?)so we were advised to leave a round out. Also remember a lot of guys preferring M-14s for long distance accuracy despite being way heavier. Well, it was a long time and many brain cells ago.

[dogbyte12]

I was support personnel (commo), but in the HQ company of a light infantry division. I never worried about my weapon malfunctioning. Every time we fired it, went out in the field, etc... we had a grueling inspection on our m-16's.

If it wasn't clean, you couldn't turn it in period. After 2 weeks in the field, needing a shower desperately, you worked your ass off to get the thing cherried out. I know the supply companies just didn't have the same standards. It was more up to you to make sure your weapon was totally gi'ed out.