AR Sponsor
Posted: 3/7/2011 8:15:51 AM EDT
| Did they ever have the duck bill style flash hider? I swear i have seen some pix of one being used in vietnam before but i havent been able to find it. I just like the retro look of the duck bill and if it was actually used that way then i would feel bad about it not being ''correct''. |
|
If you mean three-prong, then yes. Some early M16A1's are said to have come from the factory with three-prongs because Colt was supposedly using up spare parts from the XM16E1 and early 604. Also, it's been said that armorer's sometimes swapped three-prongs on to M16A1's during rebuilds and so on.
Duckbill: 
Three-prong: 
|
| XM16E1s (early model 603s) came with the three prong/type 2 duckbill flash hiders. They also had partial fence lowers among other slight variations. When the XM16E1 was standardized as the M16A1, these weapons technically became M16A1s. XM16E1s still in the pipeline and early repair parts clearly continued to circulate. Subsequent 603s would have had the new flash hider, as well as the full fence lowers, etc. The nature of the weapons still in the system and preventive maintenance explain the numerous small variations among M16A1s early on. |
| ya 3 prong is what i ment. I was thinking of getting one and adding to my m16a1instead of the birdcage for a more retro look as i was pretty sure i had seen it that way in some pix but i havent be able to locate one. Whats the difference in shooting the 3 pron vs birdcage? |
|
Quoted:
3 prong hides flash better, but will get caught on vegetation. For trips to most ranges, the 3 prong is fine. 
It does look cooler too. Ya i dont run into too much vegetation on the way to the range.  I think i'll go with the 3 prong whenver i get the kit built.
|
|
Quoted:
Between my uncle and several other vietnam veterans I grew up knowing - they used the three prongers to pryse things with to include metal banding holding cases of rations together. I was watching "Stripes" the other afternoon and noticed that during the "graduation" ceremony the two drill sergeants carrying M16s with the color guard both had 3 prong f/s. I went through BCT and then armor AIT in '75, we had all M16A1s with bird cage f/s. When I was at the Armor School '78-Jan. '80 I only saw one M16E1 with a 3 prong f/s at Wilson Range where it was used as a sub-caliber training device with a .22 adaptor. Stripes started filming at Ft. Knox in Nov. '80 after I had transferred to the 11th ACR in Germany. I can't do a frame freeze on my iPad, but if someone can please post it. The "M16s" the actors used are clearly SP1s. |
|
Quoted:
Between my uncle and several other vietnam veterans I grew up knowing - they used the three prongers to pryse things with to include metal banding holding cases of rations together. This is the real reason they went to the birdcage - they were bending three prongs. I understand that the Marines went to the trouble of replacing the birdcages with three prongs even into the early '70's, and I've seen pics of full-fence M16A1's in country that supports this. Check the 'Real Deal' thread and you'll find some I'm sure. I am thinking the three prong may be a better flash hider than the birdcage - didn't someone do a comparison of several awhile back? I wouldn't hesitate to put on on an M16A1 or 604, no matter what barrel or lower it wore. It's YOUR rifle, and just about any variation you can imagine (and a few you couldn't) was tried. They put A1 stock on early XM177E1's for example, and I think it was to fix feeding problems, as the rifle buffer is about the same weight as a 9mm buffer. Heavier buffers in short carbines are known to help the overgassed problem. The trapdoor stocks weren't being shipped until '70 or so, which means for most of the war, the type 'D' stock would have been standard on most weapons, even M16A1's. My mailman was an early 'Air Assault' guy in the Army and was issued a SLICKSIDE, either a 602 or 604! He was adamant about it, and ended up buying my 604 because it was the same. He was also an ex-cop and ex-SWAT, with a lot of Class III experince, so he knows what he saw. He carried a greasegun as a door gunner mostly. My point is, you should research the crap out of it, then build what you want. The feel of a type D stock is entirely different than an 'E' - thinner and lighter somehow. I like them both though, for different reasons. I am thinking more an more about building the 'early M4' I'm working on with an A1 trapdoor stock, which I have a pic of being used in the door of a Helo approaching a ship, with a Trijiicon mounted. I hated the look of a standard A1 stock on a carbine until I tried it, now I really like it. Very comfy, and still plenty maneuverable. Hell, I might even put a three-prong on it! (Actually looks pretty cool on an M4 barrel, but I'd need a tax stamp  )
|
AR Sponsor