Posted on May 9, 2021
Can you help understand the transition between the M14 to the M16 in Vietnam?
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My dad RIP 11LIB in 66-68 recalled the transition. He said one of them would jam due going through swamp or overheating. HE said he's best weapon was the the sawed off shotgun.
NAM Guys have really picked me up.... Peace to all You Guys man....
( I might be getting the M4 and M14 mixed up. Actually thought he said m4. But I think my memory is a bit off and he said the m14. )
1)
HASSAY, MICHAEL A
PVT US ARMY VIETNAM
B: 01/02/1948 D: 10/19/2017
AH SITE 19
SOUTHERN NEVADA VET CEMETERY
SON OF
2)
HASSAY, ALBERT, J
S1 US NAVY
WORLD WAR II
B: 1927 D: 1998
SAINT JOSEPH CEMETERY
NANTICOKE, PA 18634
NAM Guys have really picked me up.... Peace to all You Guys man....
( I might be getting the M4 and M14 mixed up. Actually thought he said m4. But I think my memory is a bit off and he said the m14. )
1)
HASSAY, MICHAEL A
PVT US ARMY VIETNAM
B: 01/02/1948 D: 10/19/2017
AH SITE 19
SOUTHERN NEVADA VET CEMETERY
SON OF
2)
HASSAY, ALBERT, J
S1 US NAVY
WORLD WAR II
B: 1927 D: 1998
SAINT JOSEPH CEMETERY
NANTICOKE, PA 18634
Vietnam War
Infantry
Weapons
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 13
The M16 replaced the M14 because it was thought to be a superior weapon. I was in Vietnam in 1969 - 1970 and the M14 was still widely used.
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SPC Joseph Kopac
You can tell it’s Matell. It’s swell ! Was new in the 1st Cavalry when sent out after spotted enemy. They got away and lucky for me they did. Later we test fired our 16’s at a standown and mine jammed every other round. Weren’t the guys that issued these to us supposed to make sure we had rifles that worked ? My LT going home and we switched bolts. It then was ok.
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PO3 Aaron Hassay
SSG Edward Tilton - I corrected my statement...yes it was either the m14 or 16 but one of them was jamming...as he went through swamp or due overheating.....man my dad did a lot there from what I am finding out...
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SSgt Christophe Murphy
PO3 Aaron Hassay the original M16 design that was released had a lot of issues with jamming. It was eventually addressed and refined to what we see today but it took some hard lessons learned
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SSG Edward Tilton
It was the M-16 that was jamming and it got bent out of proportion. That happens when you are being shot at..I always tried to fire off the entire magazine, until it was empty. Then I knew I had a full one for the next outbreak
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The early M14's had a reputation for having receivers that cracked and the bolts would also deform. The gun is not controllable on full auto, I believe that most were left in semi auto mode because of that issue.
The M16's big issue was that the change in powder in the round by the Ordinance Dept. increased the cyclic rate and chamber pressure and fired considerably dirtier than the powder the weapon was designed around. The issue is often sited as lack of cleaning equipment, but the change in cyclic rate would let the round fire before the bolt locked, splitting the neck of the casing. The only way to fix it was to drive it out with a cleaning rod.
The M16's big issue was that the change in powder in the round by the Ordinance Dept. increased the cyclic rate and chamber pressure and fired considerably dirtier than the powder the weapon was designed around. The issue is often sited as lack of cleaning equipment, but the change in cyclic rate would let the round fire before the bolt locked, splitting the neck of the casing. The only way to fix it was to drive it out with a cleaning rod.
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