Key Points - The M16 rifle's introduction during the Vietnam War was deeply controversial despite its "on-paper" advantages over the M14—lighter weight, higher ammunition capacity, and lower recoil.

To gun enthusiasts, it is an effective, lightweight weapon. To gun-control advocates, it's a symbol of mass shootings. Approximately 16 million adults in the US now own at least one AR-15, according ...

This article, by Capt. William L. Smith, originally appeared in the January 1969 issue of THE AMERICAN RIFLEMAN, predecessor to American Rifleman. To subscribe to today's monthly magazine, visit NRA’s ...

** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. ** The world of the military M16 and, ...