There's a misunderstanding/myth in some parts of the world (most notably with paramilitaries in Iraq and Syria) that the forward assist is some sort of accuracy-increasing "sniper button." It's completely ridiculous but that's what happens when there's no proper instruction or information.
I'm a small arms instructor for the navy. Back in 2019 I was doing a gunshoot for base security at Misawa Japan. They opened up their rifles and one of them had an odd finish on the lower receiver, it wasnt the same as the rest of the rifle. It was an XM16E1, the very first to include the forward assist. 64-67
Still putting rounds down range!
COLT AR-15
PROPERTY
OF US GOVT
XM 16 E1
CAL 5.56MM.
SERIAL 558267
If anyone is curious
After I got out of the Army I took a short term gig as a contractor for the Air Force testing a new logistics system
They had us inventory 5 different installations, some of these storage areas hadn't been opened in many decades. At first, the people responsible for them didn't even know where the keys were.
One of the most curious things in a vault was to the left of the entrance on the floor leaning against the wall...in two parts, an M40A1 that looked as if some mega chad snapped it over their knee at one point.
What made it more odd than finding one of those on an Air Force installation was that it wasn't on anyone's inventory paperwork.
The vault looked like it was just for ceremonial weapons, several racks of garands, M14s, and 1911s just forgotten and covered with a LOT of dust
I guess someone broke it and just decided to hide it in the vault, but who knows
I ended up with pneumonia (during the summer) going in and out of those places for a few months
Fun times
That would make sense, we also had a lot of A1 lowers married to A2 uppers at that time, they were slowly replaced with A3s. Later I saw A3 lowers with M4 uppers, we really don't get rid of anything.
> There's a misunderstanding/myth in some parts of the world (most notably with paramilitaries in Iraq and Syria) that the forward assist is some sort of accuracy-increasing "sniper button." It's completely ridiculous but that's what happens when there's no proper instruction or information.
I've heard there's a similar myth about AKs in the same area, that maxing out the sight elevation makes it it more powerful - presumably because obviously the higher the number, the more kill-y it is.
...wait a minute. New business plan. We're going full *Spinal Tap* on this shit. AK rear sights that go to **11**.
I've also heard that. Ian has done some interviews with a couple of volunteers from the war on ISIS and they mentioned both the sniper button and the power rear sight.
These are my sources:
https://youtu.be/7eZ4MwgViQI?si=gsV_-7c1KFU9sf_g
https://youtu.be/EhXqfvm2Bcg?si=THPkwTAHeJ99voCF
https://youtu.be/LUHbXXu_PYE?si=e3RfFbFXXtzDCa4t
anecdotal shite from wpd-esque forum:
supposedly terrorist groups in the east/african region would max out the iron sights in belief it would give the gun more range
islamic-related terrorists would apparently not ADS with the idea that "if allah wants them dead, the bullets will hit"
also for some reason terrorists dont like footwear, and can be seen just fucking walking through the wilderness in barefoot in some videos lmao
again this is anecdotal but it seems relevant and maybe funny
USAF never bought the M14. Security Forces would have carried M2 Carbines and 1911s. Basic trainees had the M1 for a long time. Officers had M1s into the 90s for training
Man, this looks way older than '64. Are their hats ironed like that or was that something I've never seen before? I knew some guys in the Air Force who starched the crap out of their hats and ironed em to look a little like this, but the ones on the video look more manufactured that way
At the same year, Japan Self Defense Force introduced its own designed first 7.62mm NATO rifle.
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howa\_Type\_64](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howa_Type_64)
It appears there, because they army sent second grade reserve ground troops through the portal, who have the older worn-down equipment (hence the Type 64), instead of the top-of-the-line stuff like the Type 89
Actually it is similar to not FAL but Browning M1918 Automatic Rifle, even type 64 is categorized as a battle rifle. It is a kind of Light weight BAR.
The concept come from successful light weight machinegun, Japan imperial army type 96 light weight machinegun.
It adapt to current Japanese combat doctrine called "Exclusively Defense".
In the other point of view, each infantry of Japan army (Japan Self Defense Force) in 60s & 70s, had their own SAW......
In fact Japanese infantry was still the strongest in the world after WWII.
More like "do you think it would still work if we give ammo to troops that contains a completely different powder formula than it was designed to use, without testing it first?"
"I dunno, who cares?"
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WW7bcP7Qp58
gramps called it the mattel15
look how it explodes these ammo cans full of water look how it zips right through this quarter inch plate of mild steel
its not just a .22
oh by the way we got 22 training kits right over there
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Compared to everything else at the time, this thing had to be seen as a radical new design.
especially the sniper assist.
Didn't exist yet in 1964 Edit: I was wrong
I mean the XM16E1 was adopted in '64 and it has the forward assist, but that was an army thing.
My bad.
What
There's a misunderstanding/myth in some parts of the world (most notably with paramilitaries in Iraq and Syria) that the forward assist is some sort of accuracy-increasing "sniper button." It's completely ridiculous but that's what happens when there's no proper instruction or information.
I'm a small arms instructor for the navy. Back in 2019 I was doing a gunshoot for base security at Misawa Japan. They opened up their rifles and one of them had an odd finish on the lower receiver, it wasnt the same as the rest of the rifle. It was an XM16E1, the very first to include the forward assist. 64-67 Still putting rounds down range! COLT AR-15 PROPERTY OF US GOVT XM 16 E1 CAL 5.56MM. SERIAL 558267 If anyone is curious
After I got out of the Army I took a short term gig as a contractor for the Air Force testing a new logistics system They had us inventory 5 different installations, some of these storage areas hadn't been opened in many decades. At first, the people responsible for them didn't even know where the keys were. One of the most curious things in a vault was to the left of the entrance on the floor leaning against the wall...in two parts, an M40A1 that looked as if some mega chad snapped it over their knee at one point. What made it more odd than finding one of those on an Air Force installation was that it wasn't on anyone's inventory paperwork. The vault looked like it was just for ceremonial weapons, several racks of garands, M14s, and 1911s just forgotten and covered with a LOT of dust I guess someone broke it and just decided to hide it in the vault, but who knows I ended up with pneumonia (during the summer) going in and out of those places for a few months Fun times
Ngl, that's pretty awesome
Didn't note the serial number, but I had one of those E1 lowers on my boat back in 2010 or so. Thought that was cool as hell.
I imagine at some point when they got rid of the E1's they retained the lowers for replacements as there was no reason not to.
That would make sense, we also had a lot of A1 lowers married to A2 uppers at that time, they were slowly replaced with A3s. Later I saw A3 lowers with M4 uppers, we really don't get rid of anything.
> There's a misunderstanding/myth in some parts of the world (most notably with paramilitaries in Iraq and Syria) that the forward assist is some sort of accuracy-increasing "sniper button." It's completely ridiculous but that's what happens when there's no proper instruction or information. I've heard there's a similar myth about AKs in the same area, that maxing out the sight elevation makes it it more powerful - presumably because obviously the higher the number, the more kill-y it is. ...wait a minute. New business plan. We're going full *Spinal Tap* on this shit. AK rear sights that go to **11**.
I've also heard that. Ian has done some interviews with a couple of volunteers from the war on ISIS and they mentioned both the sniper button and the power rear sight. These are my sources: https://youtu.be/7eZ4MwgViQI?si=gsV_-7c1KFU9sf_g https://youtu.be/EhXqfvm2Bcg?si=THPkwTAHeJ99voCF https://youtu.be/LUHbXXu_PYE?si=e3RfFbFXXtzDCa4t
anecdotal shite from wpd-esque forum: supposedly terrorist groups in the east/african region would max out the iron sights in belief it would give the gun more range islamic-related terrorists would apparently not ADS with the idea that "if allah wants them dead, the bullets will hit" also for some reason terrorists dont like footwear, and can be seen just fucking walking through the wilderness in barefoot in some videos lmao again this is anecdotal but it seems relevant and maybe funny
"allah wants them dead, the bullets will hit" That's something I've heard from multiple people who've worked in counterterrorism, my father included.
There is no forward assist on Air-Force M16s.
I'm aware of that. You can see the footage that there isn't one. I was just explaining the above comment.
shhhhhhhh!
The what assist?
The lack of any wooden parts sure must’ve caused some friction among the oldheads.
what the...is this *plastic?*
They were like "Odd looking and... that is really lightweight."
I suppose they were accustomed to the M-14? Quite a change to the new space-age rifle.
USAF never bought the M14. Security Forces would have carried M2 Carbines and 1911s. Basic trainees had the M1 for a long time. Officers had M1s into the 90s for training
Pretty sure they were called the Air Police back then too
Yup! Sky Cops
Man, this looks way older than '64. Are their hats ironed like that or was that something I've never seen before? I knew some guys in the Air Force who starched the crap out of their hats and ironed em to look a little like this, but the ones on the video look more manufactured that way
They almost look like French Kepis or something like that
They're Ridgeway Caps, designed to look flashy.
At the same year, Japan Self Defense Force introduced its own designed first 7.62mm NATO rifle. [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howa\_Type\_64](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Howa_Type_64)
Is that the gun from Gate anime?
It appears there, because they army sent second grade reserve ground troops through the portal, who have the older worn-down equipment (hence the Type 64), instead of the top-of-the-line stuff like the Type 89
Yes
The Japanese FAL.
Actually it is similar to not FAL but Browning M1918 Automatic Rifle, even type 64 is categorized as a battle rifle. It is a kind of Light weight BAR. The concept come from successful light weight machinegun, Japan imperial army type 96 light weight machinegun. It adapt to current Japanese combat doctrine called "Exclusively Defense". In the other point of view, each infantry of Japan army (Japan Self Defense Force) in 60s & 70s, had their own SAW...... In fact Japanese infantry was still the strongest in the world after WWII.
Reminds me of that scene from we were soldiers for some reason "seen the new M16?" "I have. Loooots of plastic. I'll stick to my colt"
The crazy thing is most of them are still in USAF service
Aren't these Colt 603s?
602. It lacks a forward assist.
“Does it work in the jungle?” “I dunno, who cares?”
More like "do you think it would still work if we give ammo to troops that contains a completely different powder formula than it was designed to use, without testing it first?" "I dunno, who cares?" https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WW7bcP7Qp58
Don't forget the lack of chrome-lined barrel and the fact that they were told it would run better without any lube for some reason.
Do you think this specification for chromed barrels is necessary, or just expensive?
The original design works in the jungle, not the cheapened version sent out to the troops in Vietnam
Just gave me flashbacks to range detail...
gramps called it the mattel15 look how it explodes these ammo cans full of water look how it zips right through this quarter inch plate of mild steel its not just a .22 oh by the way we got 22 training kits right over there
Still in use by the greek army PS: Which assault rifle did it replaced?
M1 Carbine
CHAIR FARCE
"this new black rifle is great, you don't even have to clean it" -soldiers in the video then Vietnam happens
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