M16 brass deflector

[MikieG]

Back in 89 my basic training weapon was an H&R M16A1. As a left handed shooter they issued me a snap on black plastic brass deflector. Anyone remember these? I have not seen one in 25 years.

Information

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[browningautorifle]

The ones you speak of have been out of sight for some time, Brownells have them though... http://www.brownells.com/shooting-ac...prod18554.aspx

Others show these... The Competitive AR : AR-15 Brass Deflectors

[MikieG]

I am interested in getting one of the originals. Today all my rifles have the a2 brass deflector on the uppers.

[Sarge]

I have a military issue deflector on my CAR 15, have had it for years. I like it because one of the purposes it serves is to drop fired brass at my feet so it is easy to pick up.
You seldom ever see these now and they were never very common.
Sarge

[browningautorifle]

How about a pic of that Sarge? I saw them years ago but that was YEARS ago...like 30 or so?

[HOOKED ON HISTORY]

I have been searching for a couple of these for months.
Link to discussion on another site A1 upper as a left-handed shooter - AR15.Com Archive

[browningautorifle]

Yes, I've seen those...

[chrisbroz]

Back in 89 my basic training weapon was an H&R M16A1. As a left handed shooter they issued me a snap on black plastic brass deflector. Anyone remember these? I have not seen one in 25 years.

...yes...I took basic from Jun - Aug '71 at Ft Dix (A-3-3) - most armorers had no idea what they were - my late brother, Ray, a lefty, got a a nasty burn on his chest from a hot case Ft Dix a year later, different company/battalion...the armorer had the deflectors but didn't know what they were or how to use 'em...BTW - my M16 in basic was an H&R also...

[browningautorifle]

my M16 in basic was an H&R also...

Even back when we were young, I knew odd issue items. I also could see the others around me didn't care a lick about them.

[old tanker]

When I was a drill sergeant at Fort Campbell in 1971-1972. Our company had M16A1 rifles from all three manufacturers, Colt, H&R and GM-Hydramatic, with most being GM. When issuing the rifles to each incoming cycle of trainees we made a concerted effort to ensure all the left handed shooters were issued Colts. Our observation then was that the Colts tended to eject brass pretty much straight out the side. The H&R seemed to have no discernible tendency while the Hydramatics very much toward the rear. On the ranges we always put all the left handed shooters together on the left end of the firing line. A trainee with hot brass down his shirt and a loaded rifle in his hands could generate more excitement than you wanted. Along about this time PS MAGAZINE, the Army's Preventative Maintenance "comic book" actually "advertised" a plastic brass deflector that snapped into the hole in the charging handle and advised "southpaws" how to get one through the Training Aids Support Office or "TASO" or by the Training Audiovisual Service Center or "TASC."

You can see in the picture that it is plainly marked "TASO-FJSC," having been produced by the Training Aids Support Office, Fort Jackson, South Carolina