[archy]

Please don't misunderstand me. I think it's a fine rifle. It's just not the greatest weapon available. I just would prefer to use something that was selected for its lethality, rather than its ease of training, and the portability of its ammo.

No complaints with your opinion, most of those with serious experience seem to develop certain preferences along the way...which does not mean we can't get the job done with a bamboo umbrella if that's all that's available. My complaint with the M16 family is based on neither the rifle itself nor the cartridge, of which at least a great many can be carried. But the magazine for the rifle, which is straight going into the magazine well, and then curves to allow reasonably reliable feeding of more than 20 rounds, is a really, really bad design, a leftover from the original straight-side 20 round magazines envisioned by Gene Stoner in the days when the U.S. M14 riflle carried 20, and so did the nifty BAR then still in NG and reserve service.

The M16 magazine is certainly the worst thing about the rifle. I can make do with the cartridge [or do something about it for my own rifle] but you can't get away from a hundred million crappy M16 magazines made by the lowest bidders.

[conservativeharleyguy]

I always have felt the 20 rounders, of original Colt manufacture, were the most reliable and durable. I have never had good luck w/the curved 30 rounders, but these days, that’s about all one can get. I have an AR, just because I always wanted my own modernized version of the old XM-177, so I built one that at least resembles one.

But when the balloon goes up, I’m taking my AK. You can’t kill it w/a stick, it hits what I point it at, and it never, ever, ever, fails. I might someday buy an AR-10, if they’ll get rid of the direct gas system, and go w/a piston. At least it shoots a bullet that starts w/3 (or 7, for the metric guys).