M15 rifle

The M15 was developed as a replacement for the Browning Automatic Rifle for use as a squad automatic weapon. It took the basic M14 rifle, added a heavier barrel and stock, a hinged buttplate, a selector switch for fully-automatic fire, and an attached bipod. It fired the standard 7.62 mm NATO (.308 Winchester) round, the same as the M14 and the M60 machine gun.

However, firing tests showed that the M14, when equipped with the selector switch, hinged buttplate and bipod, performed as well as the M15. As a result, the M15 was dropped and the M14 (modified) became the squad automatic weapon. Accuracy and control problems with this variant led to the addition of a pistol-grip stock, a folding metal foregrip and a muzzle stabilizer. The final design was designated as the M14A1.

Today, the "M-15" designation is used as a marketing name for certain civilian variants of the M16 rifle, particularly the ones manufactured by ArmaLite.

ee also

*United States Navy Mark 14 Mod 0 Enhanced Battle Rifle
*List of individual weapons of the U.S. Armed Forces

External links

* [http://www.rediscov.com/spring/VFPCGI.exe?IDCFile=/spring/DETAILS.IDC,SPECIFIC=1823,DATABASE=70850108, Springfield Armory Collection: U.S. RIFLE M15 (T44E5)]
* [http://www.rediscov.com/spring/full/P_MUSEUM-SERVICES_IMAGES_OBJECT-IMAGES_3501-4000_3914A.jpgSpringfield Armory Collection: Picture of M14 and M15]