When the M16A2 was adopted in the 1980s, it could be seen as a rushed product. While the U.S. military needed a new rifle with the faster 1:7 twist to ...

Despite showcasing innovative features like duplex rounds, saboted flechettes, and caseless ammunition, none offered enough improvement over the M16A2 to justify the logistical overhaul needed.

Soldiers and marines who served before 9/11 may remember the M16A2 as the first and only military weapon they ever fired.