First my credentials; I was a unit Armorer with an SMOS of 45B. Because of my previous experiences before enlisting with the AR, I helped our LRSD set up "shortys" for their mission. (I was in during the time the XM177E2's had all been DX'd, but before the M4 was issued.) We used 10" commercial barrels and modded the gas tubes to function correctly. My unit was issued A1's, the line units had A2's.
OK. We all know the AR/M16/M4 needs to be maintained. You are not in combat 24/7, there is always time to maintain it. Frequent basic 'wipe it down' maintenance is better than nothing between depot-level takedowns once a year, or whenever you get around to it. And a professional soldier maintains his rifle before getting chow, hitting the latrine, etc., when getting back inside the wire. The problem I had was I had a bunch of REMF's who considered the rifle an extra 8 pounds they had to carry for no good reason.
Maintenance? Isn't that just wiping it down before turning it in to the Armorer? (Not in MY arms room it wasn't!) I can't speak to M4's as they were issued after I got out, but the M16A1's and A2's I handled and worked on, had aluminum gas tubes. (We kept the full length of the gas tube for those 10" by bending them to fit under the short handguards of the CAR's we built.) The gas tubes tended to get carbon fouled to beat all, but I usually replaced them before any corrosion would have happened.
I don't have combat experience with the 16, I wasn't a 'high-speed/low drag' type, but I worked on a lot of M16A1's and A2's. I saw all the common failures, and a few uncommon ones. (Those were usually the result of 'operator headspace and timing') .Parts need to be replaced on a regular basis, as you mentioned, Baja Oro, and that's why I agree with you it's not the best rifle for an individual for long term unsupported (no gunshop for parts and a gunsmith in the Apocalypse....
) use. That's why I have an AK. (AMD-65, which by the way, isn't that what the ANA troops usually carry? ) I agree with you, the Scout Squad is a top notch rifle. I'd have one if I were better off financially. I built my AMD for under $300, can't build an M1A for anywhere near that...
And yes, blanks are the
worst for fouling up an AR! I shot up the excess from an FTX once, so many the barrel on my A1 was glowing. I had planned on replacing ti anyway. I replaced the gas tube also, as well as the sight block.