Unusual M16

[Spartan198]

I'm watching this episode right now and the M16 Bob is using in this shot isn't exactly an A2. From what I'm seeing, it has A1 sights, an A2 profile barrel, and A2 guards.



I'm fairly certain that would make it a Model 715, and not an M16A2.

[MoviePropMaster2008]

Originally Posted by Spartan198

I'm watching this episode right now and the M16 Bob is using in this shot isn't exactly an A2. From what I'm seeing, it has A1 sights, an A2 profile barrel, and A2 guards.

I'm fairly certain that would make it a Model 715, and not an M16A2.

I know for a fact that many 'barreled uppers' sold in the 1980s & 1990s had that configuration. Don't know why, but I figure that manufacturers or Distributors were putting together their own franken guns from A2 barrels and A1 upper receivers. I bought several, however, since then (years ago) i sold those off and replaced them with correct A2 style uppers. A lot of armorer guns are ONE lower receiver and multiple upper receivers built by different manufacturers ... even the armorer themselves.

[Spartan198]

How should this instance be classified? Left as-is under the M16A2 entry, added to the M16A1 entry, or should I add a 715 to the page?

[MT2008]

Originally Posted by Spartan198

How should this instance be classified? Left as-is under the M16A2 entry, added to the M16A1 entry, or should I add a 715 to the page?

Unless we can see the right side of the receiver, I would just put "unknown" and explain why it's difficult to distinguish between an A1 and a 715 in this case.

I can say (speaking from personal experience) that I haven't seen too many movies or TV shows done in the U.S. that use AR rifles with the Model 715-style receivers. The Canadian armorers seem to use the Olympic Arms K4Bs pretty often (which look just like the Model 715), but American armorers seem to use almost exclusively A1 or A2 uppers. So my guess is that this rifle is probably an A1 upper receiver with an A2 barrel, as MPM suggested.

[Spartan198]

Okay, for now I'll list it as unknown, and after while I'll put the DVD in my computer and see if I can get a shot of the right side for a definite ID.