Army, Corps researching collapsible M16 stock - Military News | News From Afghanistan, Iraq And Around The World - Military Times

Army, Corps researching collapsible M16 stock

LAS VEGAS — The Army and Marine Corps are looking at collapsible butt stocks for some of their M16 rifles, a change that would make the weapon more compact but possibly less reliable.

The fixed stock on the M16 series rifle can make aiming more difficult for shorter soldiers and Marines when wearing body armor. The M4 Carbine’s collapsible stock solves this problem since the shooter can adjust the length of the stock so the weapon is easier to quickly shoulder when aiming.

But replacing the M16’s stock with a collapsible M4 stock currently results in a 25 percent reduction in reliability, said Army Lt. Col. Christopher Lehner, who is working the effort for Product Manager Individual Weapons. The buffer assemblies on the M4 and the M16 — which are located in the stock to manage recoil and ensure the weapon cycles properly — are not designed to be interchangeable.

This has Marine Corps Systems Command unsure if the change is worth the cost of reliability, Marine Col. Andrew Bianca said at the National Defense Industry Association’s International Infantry & Joint Services Small Arms Systems Symposium on Tuesday.

“It has reduced reliability right now; we don’t want to give up a lot of reliability,” Bianca said. “The other issue is how do you beat a man to death with a plastic stock.”

Army weapons officials say they are working on a new buffer, the H6, which will fix the problem.

“It will have nearly identical reliability,” Lehner said.

The new buffer may be available by November, February at the latest, he said. Army commanders will have the option to buy the current M4 stock and buffer assembly parts out of unit funds sometime this summer or wait until the new H6 buffer is ready, Lehner said. Once the H6 buffer is ready, the Army plans to include it in the M16 Sliding Butt Stock Conversion Kit, Lehner said. The national stock number for the kit will be NSN 1005-01-569-6938, and the cost should be a little less than $100, Army weapons officials said.