Does anyone have a good high-res pic of an early M16 lower reciver?

When it first hit the army early.

Quoted: When it first hit the army early.

That is an open ended statement.

The M16 hit the Army at a number of different times.  Are you referring to when Army units first used it?  (That would be after Air Force units were fielded with it, by the way.)  Or when the Army formally started issuing the M16 to the majority of troops?  Or some other time?

There are a bunch of pictures of 1965-66 vintage M16s in the thumbtacked pictures thread at the top of the forum...

I think the M16 hit the North Vietnamese army first

I do not have any pictures but I have seen some really old yet in good shape M16 rifles. The old lowers look closer to an SP1 lower. They are marked AR15 have the Safe Semi and full Auto (the same fire control markings as any of the M16, M16A1 series). The main difference from the early lowers compared to an SP1 is the Property Of US Government stamp and on the other side the fencing around the mag well is different. The SP1s do not have any fencing around the mag well. The early M16 lowers (the ones I have seen marked as AR15) do not have the lower portion of the fencing around the mag well, but the upper portion of the mag fencing is still their (the portion where the take down pin spring and detent fit into located directly under the ejection port). I have seen many M16 receivers in service that have had A1 stamped after the initial stamping. The A1 stamp was done by hand as the stamps are not perfectly straight and the depth of the stamp varies. I have also seen A2 stamps stamped in over A1 stampings. The A2 stampings were done by a machine and are very deep into the receivers. They also stamped over the AUTO and stamped in BURST on the fire control portion of the lower. On the right side of the receiver they stamped in new fire control markings (Safe, Semi and Burst) as the M16, M16A1 were only marked on one side of the receiver. The rifles I have seen with the A2 stamps on them were done by Anniston Army Depot as they all had the ANAD stamp with date of rebuild and they were rebuilt in the mid 80s.
Again I do not have any pictures but I hope this helps describe what they look like.

Is when the army fisrt started to formally issue it to the majority of troops. I have seen some of the pics in the tacked threads, but I'm looking for a BIG picture.

The XM16E1 was the first "M16" issued to US Army Infantry.  Prior to this the US Army issued Colt's Model 02 to US Advisors in Vietnam in 63 and 64, and the Model 01 was used in various US Army tests.

Starting in 1964 the XM16E1 were first delivered to SFG's and the 82nd, in 1965 the 101'st and 1st Cav, etc, etc.  In 1966 and 1967 XM16E1 rifles were issued in large numbers to Infantry Divisions in Vietnam.

Here is a LITTLE pic:



Don't have any BIG pictures I can share.

Thanks for the picture. Do you know when they switched from the screw front pivot pin to the push pin?

Quoted: Thanks for the picture. Do you know when they switched from the screw front pivot pin to the push pin?

Select fire Colts never had a screw type front pivot.

Early ones had a non captive type pushpin.

Quoted: Does anyone have a good high-res pic of an early M16 lower reciver?

Not hi res, but its pretty early....  its also stamped AR15, and not M16, so I'm not sure if you meant as early as this one.

What Scott said.

The captive front pivot pin, and the boss that held the detent/spring went into production in the Spring of 64.

Quoted: Quoted: Does anyone have a good high-res pic of an early M16 lower reciver? Not hi res, but its pretty early....  its also stamped AR15, and not M16, so I'm not sure if you meant as early as this one. img97.imageshack.us/img97/7913/greengunandfirends0266ke.jpg

As you know that is a US Air Force Model 01.  He had clarified later that he was interested in US Army rifles.  The Model 01 was never really "formally" issued in the US Army, was limited to experimental use, most famous being Project Agile.

The Model 02 was issued in significant numbers, but that purchase was considered to be a "one time buy" of rifles for use in specific cases, as in not a service rifle to replace the M14.

Here is a picture of a Model 02 in service.  They were issued in 1963 and early 64: