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The war fought by young Americans in Vietnam was this nation’s longest conflict until the Global War on Terror, and the firearm that became the great icon of the American experience in Vietnam is the U.S. M16 rifle. But where did the M16 come from and how did it perform on the battlefield? How did it go from a rifle that failed and resulted in the deaths of desperate young Americans found on the battlefield with their guns hopelessly jammed, to the nation’s longest serving infantry rifle? In this first installment of “The Men & Guns of the Vietnam War,” American Rifleman Television examines the evolution of the gun that we know as the M16 and its use in Vietnam. From the early AR-15s, then to the XM16E1, the M16 and its combat use are described in detail. We also hear from two familiar contributors to American Rifleman, the first being Field Editor Wiley Clapp, who served for a year and half in Vietnam, including as a company commander in the 3rd Btn., 7th Marines. Another version of the M16 used in the conflict was the XM77E2, better known as the CAR-15. Another contributor to American Rifleman, Major John L Plaster, used this gun behind enemy lines as part of the covert Studies and Observation Group. Back then, John Plaster was a U.S. Army Special Forces sergeant and team leader, and he describes the combat use of the CAR-15 against our nation’s enemies. Watch Part 1 of the series here.
SIG Sauer introduced its first hybrid-frame, 2011-style pistol at its 2025 NEXT product launch event, and the P211-GTO blends features from the M1911 with design elements from the P320.
In an effort to reduce reliance on international supply chains and bolster domestic manufacturing, Sellmark Corp.—parent company of the Sightmark, Pulsar, Inforce, Kopfjäger, Firefield, BulletSafe and Dark 30 brands—has broken ground on a new manufacturing complex in Mansfield, Texas, that it calls a “transformative force for American-led growth and innovation.”
American Rifleman staff are on the range with one of the most iconic lever-actions ever created, except this one has a bit of a plot twist—it is a model made overseas and imported by Heritage Manufacturing.
A primary source investigation into the service history of a Smith & Wesson Victory revolver used by the U.S. Navy in the Pacific Theater during World War II.
Only a few days after the tragedy struck, two of the firearm industry’s foremost companies were raising funds for the victims and organizations dedicated to providing support through devastating floods in Texas.