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Armalite Rifle


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Hi all,

Hopefully this is the right forum for this- the Trumpeter 1/3 scale M-16A1 rifle. It's always been a favourite design of mine, and I've been meaning to get round to this one for a while. I was going to do a WIP thread on it, but this:

rifle1.JPG

 

...turned into this so quickly, I didn't have chance:

rifle5.JPG

 

rifle4.JPG

 

rifle2.JPG

 

rifle3.JPG

 

rifle8.JPG

 

rifle7.JPG

 

It was painted in three types of Tamiya black- Semigloss black for the plastic grips and stock, NATO Black for the action and the barrel and Matt black buffed up for the magazine. It's a bout a foot long, and might not be to everyone's taste, but I rather like it...

 

Cheers,

Dean

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Nice M16. 
The magazine, 20 round mag, you have there, would be anodized aluminum, in a mid grey tone. Scuffs on the mag would show a dark yellow, prior to the grey of the aluminum. 
Receiver upper and lower, are mat black anodized, and scuff pretty easily in combat. 
The three markings around the safety selector were/are Not filled in with paint on Colt or FN M16’s or M4 carbine military rifles. I think @Das Abteilung is thinking about H&K firearms, such as the MP5. 
The bolt and bolt carrier are Parkerized in black. Not silver. 
 

Looking good !!

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I stand corrected.  Maybe I've seen too many worn C8 working parts.  It's rare to see a new-out-of-the-box service weapon.  I guess the last ones I saw were some LWRC M6s (M4 clones) bought as trials weapons for an abortive SF project and later given to their dog handlers.

 

I see that my former colleagues in the DE&S firearms team are currently out to tender for up to 10,000 "Armalite System" individual weapons with optics and suppressors to equip the new Special Operations Brigade and others.  Quite a number of specialist users in addition to SF already tote the C8.  The tender is agnostic about direct gas or gas piston operation but it is unusual to specify a weapon type in that way.  The lawyers get jumpy about unfair competition - and we're still subject to Brussels on public procurement as we remain in the Government Procurement Agreement as part of the Brexit deal.  But there are a large number of companies making "Armalite System" weapons:  even H&K and SIG have jumped on that bandwagon and the Schmeisser name was resurrected for a while making M4 clones.  But it would rule out the likes of FN and Beretta.

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18 minutes ago, Das Abteilung said:

I stand corrected.  Maybe I've seen too many worn C8 working parts.  It's rare to see a new-out-of-the-box service weapon.  I guess the last ones I saw were some LWRC M6s (M4 clones) bought as trials weapons for an abortive SF project and later given to their dog handlers.

 

I see that my former colleagues in the DE&S firearms team are currently out to tender for up to 10,000 "Armalite System" individual weapons with optics and suppressors to equip the new Special Operations Brigade and others.  Quite a number of specialist users in addition to SF already tote the C8.  The tender is agnostic about direct gas or gas piston operation but it is unusual to specify a weapon type in that way.  The lawyers get jumpy about unfair competition - and we're still subject to Brussels on public procurement as we remain in the Government Procurement Agreement as part of the Brexit deal.  But there are a large number of companies making "Armalite System" weapons:  even H&K and SIG have jumped on that bandwagon and the Schmeisser name was resurrected for a while making M4 clones.  But it would rule out the likes of FN and Beretta.


Only FN and Colt are contracted for the M16/M4, here. 
H&K have the 416, which is Spec Ops only, and more for Devgru and CAG than anyone else.  
FN was also supplying the SCAR for a while, which was universally hated due to the reciprocating charging handle (now rectified).

 

The 10.5 inch barreled M4’s that you see here, are actually Mk18’s, built at NSW Crane for Navy Spec Ops. 
 

There are others like Knight Armament supplying specialized AR type systems, and the failed Honey Badger system, built by Q. 
 

The platform is very versatile still, but not a true battle rifle. 

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1 hour ago, Longbow said:

Nice M16. 
The magazine, 20 round mag, you have there, would be anodized aluminum, in a mid grey tone.
Looking good !!

 

Mine isn't. 😉

IMG_0704.jpeg

And...thanks. 🙂

 

I was purposely going for a factory fresh look by the way folks, and everything was new once...thanks for the comments, all.

 

Cheers,

Dean

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Nice job on a very different type of kit

I prefer fire-locks myself these days

 

By one of those funny odd coincidences that happen, just with the last few days on my Leather work forum we've been discussing what leather a chap should use for the sling for a customer's M16

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31 minutes ago, Deanflyer said:

 

Mine isn't. 😉

IMG_0704.jpeg

And...thanks. 🙂

 

I was purposely going for a factory fresh look by the way folks, and everything was new once...thanks for the comments, all.

 

Cheers,

Dean


I guess it depends on the date and subcontractor. 
Here’s a Vietnam era Colt 20 round mag. 
 

spacer.png
 

Edit to add, transition from marking the baseplate from .223 to 5.56 MM was 1968. 
 

 

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The UK was the first purchaser for the original M16 (no forward assist) for the Ghurkas even before the US Army.  They were replaced in the SA80 L85A1 rollout.  The C8 was adopted as the standard SF individual weapon under the original Diemaco brand back in the 80's and remains so under the Colt name, with use expanded to other users.  Different barrel lengths pre-installed on upper receivers are available.  43 Cdo are probably the largest non-SF users along with their MDP oppos who operate in a similar role.  The last project to compete for a new SF weapon - MARS - was cancelled in favour of new C8s when it was realised that the cost of competitive multi-climate trials would exceed the cost of the relatively small buy!

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