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While my delicate and dainty fingers have never touched a M-16A1, I can see some benefits to using them. The sight radius is longer than an M4, The sight is not prone to maladjustment, you don't have to worry about batteries dying after riding around or being in storage. At police ranges of engagement if they rifle has been sighted in you should get minute of orc accuracy. Also if you have a bunch of guys fixing bayonets it could be a deterrent.
I've heard that if you know what you are doing you can control one with the giggle switch on.
So those old farts who have used these, what are your opinions
I went through Army Basic in 1986. We still used A1s since the new A2s were still trickling down to the lower priority units. We only had one range excursion where we were allowed to fire full auto. We were strictly admonished to fire only in short 3-4 round bursts, in accordance with doctrine. If I remember correctly, we also fired auto using a bipod on the ground at a special range designated for full auto fire.
"If at first you don't succeed, that's one data point." XKCD
I trained with the A1, and liked it just fine, but I really like the A2.
My personal rifle now is the Bushmaster XM15E2, which approximates the A2 without the burst switch. It's also got the adjustable stock which I really like for teaching new shooters about the rifle. It's got great iron sights and a good trigger, there is not much that can go wrong with it.
The last time I went through a patrol rifle course, I used the Bushmaster and easily out-shot all the guys using M4geries. I didn't have to fiddle with anything, just went out and shot the course. The only guy with a better score that day was a trained police sniper who was using his semi to go through the course. We both cleaned it, but his group was smaller than mine on the paper targets. He was using optics, though, while I was using irons.
When I was in ROTC (92-96) we would borrow A1s from a local NG artillery unit. (They must have been REALLY low priority.) Being the CA NG, they had had a small metal piece inserted between the pistol grip and receiver that blocked the selector from going to full auto.
Somehow those always got "snagged on equipment or something" and broken off.
I'm seriously considering ditching my rear M4 sight that has elevation adjustments. It seems unnecessary with an adjustable front sight. The Daniel Defense "1.5" windage-only sight on my 20" upper seems to do the trick.
Remember, folks, you can't spell "douche" without "Che."
“PET PARENTS?” You’re not a “pet parent.” You’re a pet owner. Unless you’ve committed an unnatural act that succeeded in spite of biology. - Glenn Reynolds
