OK I knew my girlfriend knew I guy that died in Somalia but just found out the full story. He was a friend of hers from college, joined the Army and was attached to the 101st AVN. He's name was PFC Matthew K. Anderson, here is the action report from the day he passed 25 SEP 93:

A/C was hit by an RPG during a night recon mission. The blast ignited the fuel and two crew members were consumed by the blaze. As the A/C began to lose altitude, the pilot tried to steer it toward friendly forces located at the port. A/C hit the top of a building, the rotor blades shredded, and A/C ricocheted to the ground and slid over 100 yds down a street before it came to rest against an embankment.

Matthew was one of the crewmen that died in the fuel fire that night.

This is Matthew:


What I want to do is since she is really getting into shooting, and since this young man was a friend of hers, was thinking of building her a replica of the gun Matthew might have used that night. Been doing some fast research trying figure out what he would have been issued and figured I would tap the vast knowledge of the Hive mind on this one. Any help you guys can give would be greatly appreciated.

It would have been an M16A2.

sounds like a really cool idea, however my suggestion would be to get her an m4 style rifle with a laser engraved logo with his unit patch and name.  The M16A2 does not lend itself to female ergonomics and the options are limited for mounting optics and accessories.  just my $.02

I'd build her a carbine, but I wouldn't have it have anything to do with his memory - in other words, not linked to it in any way.Sometimes you can just dredge up old pain, reopen a wound that should remain healed. You don't want that to happen everytime she picks up the rifle. Just my .02

I was gonna email you direct Riggs and say almost word for word what Morg says above. It is certainly an honorable gesture that you want to remember this soldier,,but at the same time,you want to keep your shooting time with her as "your time" and not have her thinking about him whenever you guys hit the range.It's fan-damn-tastic that she is enjoying shooting time with you and Farmboy,,,keep it "your special time together".. Just my 2 pennies.

I was at Ft. Drum, NY during that time with the 25th Aviation Brigade.  I was selected to deploy with my unit but one week before our intended deployment date I was cancelled and only one other person was selected to go.  The 10th Mountain Division was selected as the acting command unit but was changed over to the XVIII Airborne Corp thus limiting the headcount.  

If he was in an aviation unit he would have been issued an M16A2 or M203.  I have never seen a carbine in an aviation unit's arms room and I was the unit armorer when my unit deployed to Haiti from Wheeler Army Airfield, Hawaii in 1995.  We had the M16A2, M203, M60 and M9.

In my opinion, an M16A2 clone would be the way to go.  Let me know if you need any help with parts and I will see what I have in my spare parts box to send to you.

Chris

I agree about it should be an A2.  To make it more a shooter for her, use a shorter C7 stock, or Type E with an M16A2 butt plate.  Also, nake sure you get a Government profile barrel , light under the handguards, rather than an HBAR.  Let me see, I think I have an A2 grip I can send you!

Sir,

This would be my advice as well.

What is hive?  

What is this female ergonomics you speak of regarding the M16A2? No wait don't answer that as it's an A2 question and should go to that forum. I also take issue with the "the A2 limits your options on accy"!! Not only is that statement false, but goes against the spirit of retro! Sure you don't have rails up the wazzoo, but any A2 will accept a good number of accy! Ahh damn! See you got me on an A2 tangent! I vote before this A2 topic infects our retroland, it be moved to the A2 forum!

In all seriousness to the OP, I agree that you should not bring up any connection to this lost soldier!! And at most just build her a period correct rifle, that will suite her needs! You did say girlfriend Right? I would wait till things got more seriouse myself but I'm a tightwad!! Or so I'm told...

Retro hive,,, Like Bee hive.

A 6520 or 6520 clone would be a perfect first carbine for the little lady but I think I'd just build it for you and let her take care of it.   That's what my dad did and his dad did......  If you install the permanent ball and chain they are all gonna be her's anyway.  Chicks really dig 6520's especially with type D stocks and it will shoot the heavier bullets for a little variety.  From our yearly ammo expense onversation's I'd say you need to start reloading and give her the reins on that project unless you want to just shoot Wolf.  The perfect load is up there with building and shooting your own rifle/carbine for a quality experience.  Think I'd also take some of the advice listed above about her friend.  Consider it possibly a blessing in disguise and don't look back.  Kinda interesting how things actually work sometimes.  Retroangles,  except for Ol G I think we're all tightwads.  If we had a coral full of ladies like we had a rack full of retros' we wouldn't have any money for retros.

Thanks for the info. all. Also good point on the bringing up bad memories, not sure if it would be an issue with her or not, but probably best not to walk down that path just in case. Think it will be built up and offered for her to shoot when we go, maybe explain after the fact that it is the type of weapon that would have been used there if she asks later.



Thanks for the offer, very kind of you, wouldn't want to raid your parts for a build for my girlfriend.



Might not be a bad idea teaching her how to reload. She is so analytical every round would be loaded like it was for the sniper competition team

Hmmmm......good thing you didn't tell Sherri Gallagher that, she'd have known better than to earn her Distinguished Rifleman Badge, among other things:

2010 Soldier of the Year

Women soldiers have been qualifying with the M16A2 since the 1980's.

OP needs to consult with his priest for using that term

Um, what?  Why would he need to consult his priest?  I guess you really don't understand the term.  Hive basically means a "hive mind."  Individually there are a lot of people in the Retro Forum that know a lot about Retro ARs.  Put them all together into a HIVE MIND (otherwise known here in the forum as the "Hive") and there's basically nothing about Retro ARs they don't know.  Or at least know where to get the info.

This ^^^^^,I should have been more explicite.

i have a buddy who served over there. I could find out what type of weapon he used while there if you would like.

Talked with my buddy who was in Somalia. He was there later, we are a bit younger, 35. He carried an M16 while there, but said many of the soldiers, especially rangers, carried M60's. Maybe not helpful for what you want to do. I think something with his name on it bolted to a gun would be a great idea. Did you decide what to do?

Thanks for the info. And no I haven't decided yet. Still weighing the pro's and con's of doing this idea.