Early 603 XM16E1 project finished

[imarangemaster]

I believe several of my mags are small number 223. I will check.

[Midmichigun]

All,
A FAL is a darn fine rifle.. but I thought we were discussing the XM16???

[jmoore]

Somebody had to chime in about how horrible the M16 was...As if the basic platform is any different after all these years...Jeeze, there's still 1960's vintage rifles still in service, esp. amongst the USAF FO types.

[imarangemaster]

Amen. On another forum, I have seen numerous pic of 601 lowers with all sorts of uppers, including M16A2s. As for lethality, read the after action reports from project AGILE in 1962-64. I have personally seen how dead a single hit from an M16 with M193 ball can make someone.

Much of the M16s bad reputation comes from two things. One is the same as the M2 carbines rep. Bad fire control, spray and pray, and missing the target. I have seen what a single thoracic hit can do. The second is the bad ammo (changed to wrong powder) and no cleaning kits that post AGILE troops were issued.

The current M4s suffer from too short a barrel (14.5 inch) for ranges used, and badly designed ammo. (The M4 was designed for CQB initially, as the bullet will not yaw, tumble, and break up past 75 yards from the 14.5 inch barrel.)

[imarangemaster]

Of my six Colt 20 round .223 marked magazines, five are the small numbers. Only one is larger numbers. All have aluminum followers.

[A square 10]

Very Nice Work , you have my compliments ,



i have a few of the vintage mags with my retro , there are at least three with 556 designation and one with 223 , as well as a few of the NHMTGs

20rnd -



and 30rnd -

[RCS]

These are the earliest that I have - got them when nobody wanted them. There is another pouch like this one that hold four magazines, but difficult to find.

[imarangemaster]

These are the earliest that I have - got them when nobody wanted them. There is another pouch like this one that hold four magazines, but difficult to find.

SWEET! Those pouches by themselves are $40. The magazines are expensive, too. Last one I saw for salw went for $140 and that is cheap for the original waffle mags.

[RCS]

There is a member on this forum that has a number of these ealy pouches, but have since forgot his email. The four magazine pouch is really hard to find. It is not uncommon to find the original waffles at between $200 and $400, all depends on what someone will pay. I have used these waffles in a early four digit SP1, always loaded 20 rds, never a problem.

[Bill Ricca]

Very nice job. I remember removing the front hand guards with that early retainer. I was a difficult job.

The later angled version made it so much easier.