After the Vietnam War, the M16A2 rifle was developed by Colt Industries in response to a number of improvements to the M16A1 suggested by the U.S. Marine Corps. In November 1983, the USMC adopted this new version chambered for the 5.56x45 mm NATO round. The rifle differed significantly from its predecessor with changes such as improved rear sights, a brass deflector, a heavier barrel and 1:9" rifling. Additionally, the M16A2 replaced the M16A1’s “AUTO” selector setting with a “BURST” setting, delivering three rounds with every trigger pull. The M16A2 has the longest service life of any American military shoulder arm and continues to serve to this day. Due to federal firearms laws, the M16A2 is not available to civilians. However, civilians can own a similar version by mounting an M16A2 upper on a lower receiver. For more on the U.S. M16A2 Rifle, watch this "I Have This Old Gun" segment from a recent episode of American Rifleman TV.
Leupold & Stevens can claim credit for a number of the optics industry’s most transformative innovations, and, as a result, the Oregon-based company has had an outsized influence on the state of the contemporary riflescope landscape.
In July 2023, American Rifleman celebrates 100 years of continuous publication under its current name. In that time, we’ve borne witness to the American Century, comprised of historic conflicts, economic upheaval, political turmoil and technological development not seen before in the entirety of the human experience.
In the May 1986 issue of American Rifleman, Technical Editor Pete Dickey took an early look at the then-new Glock 17 and dispelled many of the common myths surrounding the revolutionary pistol at the time.
In 2022, Jerry Kuhnhausen passed away in Idaho at age 85, having just updated the Mauser shop manual. From 1984 to 2021, Kuhnhausen wrote 12 gunsmithing shop manuals and produced three DVDs, regularly updating content and improving each title to ensure the best information for his readers.
Fisher Space Pen, manufacturer of the original zero-G astronaut pen, is now offering its 400-series Bullet Pen in a number of Cerakote exterior finishes.