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The M16 has been (and still is to an extent) a staple weapon of the US Armed Force since its introduction in 1957,and subsequent deployment in 1964, by weapon designers Eugene Stoner and L. James Sullivan. It first saw widespread use in the Vietnam War and proved to be a significant improvement over its World War II and Korean War predecessors. However, despite the improvements, the M16 suffered many shortfalls in the Vietnam conflict and in the years preceding the Gulf War of 1991, when alterations were made to fix critical problems. Some of the shortfalls were constant jamming, its direct impingement operation and relatively underpowered 5.56 mm NATO round. Most of these shortfalls have been addressed through releases of newer versions of the rifle, such as the modern M16A4, but concerns still linger over reliability when compared to legendary assault weapons such as the AK-47. The M16 uses the NATO 5.56 mm round with a rate of fire of roughly 700-950 rounds a minute. Muzzle velocity varies among different versions of the rifle, but averages around 3,100 feet per second. In addition, it has an effective range of about 550 meters (600 yards). As far as the future is concerned, the M16 has been phased out from the Army but is still being used by the Marine Corps until they find a suitable replacement. The weapon is an icon of American weapon design regardless of the issues associated with it, and it will be remembered in the future as the mortal enemy of Russian designs such as the AK in decades to come.
