Mattel M16? - AR15.COM

Posted: 12/29/2001 8:33:23 AM EDT

A friend of mine said that he really wants to find a 1st Generation M16 made by Mattel [the toy company].
He claims that Mattel made the gun, or possiby plastic furniture for the gun and then lost the contract due to breakage of the parts.
Can anyone shed some light [or darkness] on this claim? This one is beyond my scope of knowledge.

Posted: 12/29/2001 9:01:49 AM EDT

[#1]

I have always been told that the Mattel thing is an old wives tale. However I could be wrong.
I know every gov't 16/16A1 I ever came across was Colt through and through.

Posted: 12/29/2001 9:03:18 AM EDT

[#2]

GOD ALMIGHTY!!!! THE URBAN LEGEND THAT WON'T DIE!!!!!! We have beat this horse until it is DEAD!!!!!!! Do a search, there have been inumerable threads devoted to this and it has ALWAYS and CONSISTENTLY proved FALSE.

Posted: 12/29/2001 9:04:28 AM EDT

[#3]

Hey Goatboy - I propose you put something on the front page of the site that says, to effect:

"Mattel Never Made M16's"

Urband legend, guys. Plus, an M16 is not a toy. You could shoot your eye out.

Posted: 12/29/2001 9:11:32 AM EDT

[#4]

Mattel never made M-16's. They never made parts for M-16's they had nothing to do with anything related to the M-16. Anyone who tells you they saw one or were issued one when they were in the service A) Is full of Sh*t and most likely never was in the service. B) Is just full of Sh*t. C) Is pulling your leg.

Posted: 12/29/2001 9:18:42 AM EDT

[#5]

I gather from the replies that Tonka probably never made tank parts and Mr. Machne was not the nickname for an M16.

Posted: 12/29/2001 9:20:49 AM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
I gather from the replies that Tonka probably never made tank parts and Mr. Machne was not the nickname for an M16.

Wait! Are you telling me Tonka never made Tanks?!?!?! Damn!

Posted: 12/29/2001 9:22:04 AM EDT

[#7]

Instead of beating you to death for asking, I'll actually give you the information...

Read this paragraph it explains where "Mattel" became associated with M16's:

<< Clark Walker:As an aside, another bitter irony of vietnam was that the M16 was a shitty gun for the jungle. It was designed as a cheaper knock off of an AR-15, a gun that was more reliable, but manufactured by a smaller company. The large corporation that made the M16 configured it with a cheaper barrel, and the FMJ's weren't really compatable with the weapon. They got dirtier quicker than they should have and many a grunt was found dead in the field with the cleaning rod in his barrel - trying to unjam the gun in the heat of a firefight. . It all had to do with who got the contracts to make guns and bullets for war -- money, not logic was the reason. One of the sayings soldiers had about the M16 was, "You can tell it's Mattel" which was a toy company's slogan at the time -- the gun had a lot of plastic parts, which can't stand up to the vibrations like wood can but it is cheap, and it benefits the oil companies to use it instead of wood....>>

Mattel Actually made a TOY M16 called the "M16 Marauder".....

That's it....

John

Posted: 12/29/2001 9:33:49 AM EDT

[#8]

Thanks John, but does this mean I can't have the 'beating to death'? I like to make my own choices, thank you very much.

Posted: 12/29/2001 9:37:49 AM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
Thanks John, but does this mean I can't have the 'beating to death'? I like to make my own choices, thank you very much.

OK then you asked for it....
Try using a search engine next time and do a little work on your own. They have this wonderful place called Yahoo.com where you can type in this little box and find out about things you don't know. Then you wouldn't be here wasting all of our time....

Edited because "Hear" and "Here" are different words..

Posted: 12/29/2001 11:32:24 AM EDT

[#10]

hey...i've got a 'nam era mattel i can sell ya! don't let these guys try and tell ya they don't exist! due to early field failures, only a handfull survived.

i figure mine is worth $35,000. if interested, contact me at: the campybob firearms instute / p.t. barnum blvd. / one born, ohio

Posted: 12/29/2001 11:37:09 AM EDT

[#11]

I have never, ever! ever! ever! seen nor shot a Mattel M16.

Posted: 12/29/2001 11:39:34 AM EDT

[#12]

Yes thats the same rifle carried by my good buddy G.I.Joe. Oh the stories he could tell.Too bad he washed out after the incident with the Tonka M-60 tank in country.

Posted: 12/29/2001 3:36:31 PM EDT

[#13]

Tell your friend he is full of shit.

Posted: 12/29/2001 3:38:50 PM EDT

[#14]

Barbie's got gun!

Posted: 12/29/2001 3:50:05 PM EDT

[#15]

Hey Campy,

That looks just like the one I have. And I have a matching Mattel M16A1 to go with it.

If I knew how to post a pic (I gotta' get off my butt and learn how one of these days) I'd show ya'.

Posted: 12/29/2001 5:22:40 PM EDT

[#16]

ok, ok...so there are a few other mattel's laying around.

i'll drop the price to $25k!!!

Posted: 12/29/2001 5:37:42 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
ok, ok...so there are a few other mattel's laying around.

i'll drop the price to $25k!!!

Lets get serious you know that it is not worth a penney over $24,999. Thats if you throw in Barbie.

Posted: 12/29/2001 5:40:20 PM EDT

[#18]

Quoted:
Plus, an M16 is not a toy. You could shoot your eye out.

NADDA FINGA!!

Posted: 12/29/2001 5:45:36 PM EDT

[#19]

I know for a fact it's true that Mattel made M16s. Look at this photograph and see for yourself.

Oh wait a minute, those are the Hasbro M16s.

Posted: 12/29/2001 5:57:28 PM EDT

[#20]

Still don't believe me, eh? Here's a picture of six GI's of the 1st Infantry Division Ð "The Big Red One." One officer, his radio man, M79 Granadier, and NCO, M60 machine gunner, and a wounded GI. The one on the left is carrying a MATTEL M16.

Here's another picture taken in Viet Nam of an Air cavalry officer, a door-gunner, two sitting troopers, plus a kneeling grenadier.

Here's more proof, a kneeling officer with a radio, one standing M60 gunner, one Marine throwing grenade, one Marine loading his rifle, a MATTEL M16.

One crouching NCO, one running Marine, one M79 Gunner, one Marine advancing, ALL carrying MATTEL M16s.

Well I guess that settles that question once and for all! <harumph!>

Posted: 12/29/2001 8:21:19 PM EDT

[#21]

This really pisses me off. If your tired of the same old threads that ask the same old questions, THEN DON'T REPLY TO THEM!!!! Royce, I've been guilty of asking old questions too. Why not just say no instead of being sarcastic. It is real easy to just click on the next thread. Shame on all of you genius' (sp).

Posted: 12/31/2001 5:53:45 AM EDT

[#22]

Quoted:
hey...i've got a 'nam era mattel i can sell ya! don't let these guys try and tell ya they don't exist! due to early field failures, only a handfull survived.

i figure mine is worth $35,000. if interested, contact me at: the campybob firearms instute / p.t. barnum blvd. / one born, ohio

CampyBob, I ALMOST thought this was real until I saw the PT Barnum in the address. Nice photoshop job!

Well, my son came home from Basic Combat Training at Ft. Benning for the Christmas/New Years break. He and I got into an argument whilst out plinking.

His Drill Sargent told him M16's were first made by Mattel. I told him this was urban legend. I'm not encouraging him to argue with the man, but I'm trying to set him straight. Don't know if he'll believe me, though.

I guess this is another proof point that just because someone was in the Army, they don't necessarily know anything about firearms, or M16's.

Thanks!

Posted: 12/31/2001 7:16:00 AM EDT

[#23]

unclesam, lighten up...we're just saying "no" with a little humor. sorry it pisses you off...well, not really! heheh!

c man, i didn't do the original photoshop job. another "genius" pulled off this nice high-res pic. a friend sent it to me a couple months ago after it was used as a joke in a thread similar to this one!

Posted: 12/31/2001 9:32:22 AM EDT

[#24]

Hey Campy check your mail.

I sent you a copy of the M16A1.

I'm not getting the hang of photo hosting just yet. Or not soon enough to display it on this thread before it dries up.

Posted: 12/31/2001 10:12:19 AM EDT

[#25]

I have a Mattel M16, Sony Surface to Air missle launcher, and a Nerf RPG. I have some Sam's Club MRE's waiting to be picked up as soon as I get the cash.

Posted: 12/31/2001 3:11:14 PM EDT

[#26]

Quoted:
I have always been told that the Mattel thing is an old wives tale. However I could be wrong.
I know every gov't 16/16A1 I ever came across was Colt through and through.

not the case for all military M16's

I have seen FN and General Motors corp and Hydramatic M16's in the arms room over the years.