Thought I saw some AF recruits on tv with M-16A1s.

Thanks

CRC

looked like it to me. ALso i would like to add, i gotta give credit to the AF, that was some kick ass training for airman/woman.

I thought the Army was weak, even though that was AFTER bootcamp they were actually showing, it was I.T. training.

but nuttin like the good ole USMC, ahh, that brought back memories, lol.

When you concentrate all the physical stuff into one or two days you can make it tougher.  [LOL]

That was a really good program. I liked the part when the TI(?) was shooting over the heads of the recruits with the old CAR-15 that was all dinged up. I also gots ta give cudo's to the Army too, their boot camp is harder than I thought! I'm still goin' USMC... Crap those DI's looked SCARY! [;)] The words... GET OUTA MY FACE!! is probably still ringing in those recruits ears! [:D]

I just returned home from Iraq. Last month we allowed the Air Force to fire on our range and fire a couple of AK's. I was surprised to say the least when an airman approached the firing line with a "new" Colt M-16. No forward assist and had the chrome bolt and carrier. It was a dead ringer for the SP1 except it had the round handguards. I was shocked but amused that the government still had these in stock and would actually field them. It ran great with no problems.

scary thought to me

All except possibly a few AF Reserve Components have the M16A2 rifles.  Special Ops units and Security Forces (cops) have, or are getting the M4 carbines.  It is possible that basic recruits are still being trained with M16 rifles (Air Force never went to the M16A1, as the AF powers that be never accepted the forward assist modification).  Most do not know that Air Force (compliment General Curtis LeMay) were the first US military entity to procure the M16 rifle for field use (1962).

{Air Force Combat Arms Specialist}

Yea I saw a airman in afghanistan with a M16 not an a1 a m16. The thing looked brand new I was floored when I saw it. no forward assist and had triangle handguards and the serial was 000300 or something like that. he was at the FOB(forward operating base) on a 3 day C130 refueling detail. If im not mistake he was from the Georgia Nat guard.
  FREE

The AF still uses m-16's and m-16a1s for their basic training rifle qualification.  When i had to qualify again when i got to Hurlburt Field i am fairly certain i was given an a1 to qualify with.

On the Basic program
the AF guys had M16/a1s
the marines had m16A4's
and the army recruits had what looked like brand new m16A4's all with full Knight's M5 RAS![:O]

It appears the Army seems to be pretty well funded.

When I went through basic for the Army in 1993 at Ft. Knox, I had an AR-15 that was re-stamped M-16A1.  It also had the A2 grips, handguards, and butt stock on it.  After basic, I only used M16A2's.  I was recently in NJ and saw the NJ National Guard still has the A1's.  I believe the Colorado National Guard went to the A2's in 1995 or 1996.        

I shot to qualify at Tinker AFB in 2000.
They had a couple of AR15's that were marked out with M16A1 over them.

They also had M16A1's with M16A1 uppers, and about a third of the rifles had chrome bolts.

They were in the process of changing all of their uppers to M16A2's and we only shot the M16A2's.

The armorer had a pile of new, used and trashed M16A1 barrels wire banded together to send to DRMO. Most of the uppers they "demiled" on the spot.

I tried like heck to buy that lot that had the barrels and good uppers, but I was too late for the auction.

A while back somebody (FreeFall, KrinkFreak, ???) posted a pic of a AF guy in Afghanistan/Iraq?? who had a "M4" that had the old school M16/M16a1 lower & a M16 slick side upper.  Looked pretty slick if you ask me, but I'm partial to the A1 anyways.  

Yea they must have the rail system/flat top because they qualify with the PAQ4C's and the aimpoints.and yes about 80% of them are new or at least have a new upper.
         FREE

Some USAF guys are still getting the "M16A-NONE"

There was a pic floating around the web after 9/11 of a USAF guard with an early M16, no forward assist, no mag either.

here's another
[img]http://www.fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/m16-1ccsq_23.jpg[/img]

[url]http://www.airfieldops.com[/url]

One of their pictures from Iraq:
[img]http://www.airfieldops.com/images/IRAQ%20GROUP%20MURAL.jpg[/img]

Whats with the mismatched uniforms? Jungle vest over desert BDU...in case they run into an oasis?

When I was in the AF in the late 80's we still had a number of M16s including rifles with the 1 in 14" twist barrels.  We also had all manner of Franken-rifles that had parts from M16A1s- uppers, bolts, trapdoor stocks- on them.  As parts need replacement, whatever is available in the supply system will be used.  I'm sure that M16A2 parts are now being used to repair any of the M16 that are still in service, so you could see an M16 with A2 stocks on it.

You must not have ever served in the Military.

Whatever gets the job done.

Ask President Clinton the reason why the uniforms are mismatched.

Well, they must be milsurping at least some of the old pieces. During the past 6 months I've been able to pick up both an M16 upper reciever AND a full chrome smooth side bolt and carrier assy., to build up an M16 type forgery.

Fun piece to shoot. Takes me back to my youth.[:D]

KId, you don't get out much do you?

I've been seeing a lot of these parts around lately.  It look slike the Air Force has been surplusing these parts and swapping over to A2 parts.

From Colt's website: ...Especially noteworthy is the return to Colt of the U.S. Government contract for procurement of M-16 rifles in excess of 32,000 units. Complimenting this is a contract for updating 88,000 M-16A1 rifles to the A2 configuration for the U.S. Air Force. Additionally Colt acquires Saco Defense which is a Maine based company specializing in automatic weapons for the military....

[url]http://www.colt.com/cmci/history.asp[/url]

Anyone remember the one member that stopped by to tell us about his equipment in Iraq?  I think that his name was tiger something.

I searched some of my computer files and found the word doc that I copied his post down on:

Would You Believe........  
 Posted - 06/19/2003 :  12:24:05  
OK, all you military experts...would you believe:

1) I'm on active duty, deployed to Iraq, right now?
2) Of the 50+ folks in my unit, some are carrying M16's, Not A1's or A2's.....no forward assist, 3 prong flash hider and triangular handguards?
3) Some of the folks with M16A2's were issued M193 Ball ammo, while others with just plain M16's were issued M855 Ball?
4) Some of the folks were issued M16's with NEW 20rd magazines and green M14 slings?
5) The folks that do have M16A2's are carrying M16's converted to M16A2's with the word AUTO crossed-out with an electric engraver and the word BURST hand-written below?
6) Some members of my squadron are deployed here with no flak vests and no weapons at all?
7) Of course.....numerous units with M60's?
With all of these antiquated weapons and gear we were the first regular unit to take over from the Special Forces?
9) I'm a crack-head living a pipe dream?

So, which of these are true or false.....perhaps all, perhaps none!


Thats where I got the website from with the pictures.

It is my understanding that the USAF wishes to dump all of its older M16 and GAU/GUU-5 variants for flat-top M4 with a high/low mix of M68 CCO and 4x ACOG.