Misfire: The Tragic Failure of the M16 in Vietnam

by Bob Orkand, Lyman Duryea

The M16 rifle is one of the world’s most famous firearms, iconic as the American weapon of the Vietnam War—and, indeed, as the U.S. military’s standard service rifle until only a few years ago. But the story of the M16 in Vietnam is anything but a success story. In the early years of the war, the U.S. military had a problem: its primary infantry rifle, the M14, couldn’t stand up to the enemy’s AK-47s. The search was on for a replacement that was lighter weight, more durable, and more lethal than the M14. After tests (some of which the new rifle had failed) and debates (more than a few rooted in the army brass’s resistance to change), Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara ordered the adoption of the M16, which was rushed through production and rushed to Vietnam, reaching troops’ hands in early 1965.

Problems appeared immediately. Soldiers were often not adequately trained to maintain the new rifle (in fact some were told the new rifle was “self-cleaning”), nor were they always given cleaning supplies or instructions. The harsh jungle climate corroded the rifle’s chamber, exacerbated by the manufacturer’s decision against chrome-plating the chamber. The ammunition that accompanied the rifles sent to Vietnam was incompatible with the M16 and was the principal cause of the failure to extract malfunctions. The result was the M16 often jammed, making the rifle “about as effective as a muzzleloader,” in the words of one officer. Men were killed in combat because they couldn’t return fire until the malfunction was cleared. Congress investigated and the rifle and its ammunition were incrementally modified, greatly improving its reliability over the next few years. Troop training was also improved. But the damage to the M16’s reputation could not be undone, and many soldiers remained deeply skeptical of their rifle through the war’s end.


Misfire combines insider knowledge of U.S. Army weapons development with firsthand combat experience in Vietnam to tell the story of the M16 in Vietnam. Even as it details the behind-the-scenes development, tests, and debates that brought this rifle into service, the book also describes men and M16s in action on the battlefield, never losing sight of the soldiers who carried M16s in the jungles of Vietnam and all too often suffered the consequences of decisions they had nothing to do with.

Genres: History, Military Fiction

268 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 26, 2019

Reviews

[David R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned a lot from this book, and it's a must read for anyone who has an interest in AR15/M16 history. The thorough explanation of the IMR vs. ball powder issue, and general mismanagement of the XM16E1 rifle adoption process, to include supportive (cleaning) equipment and maintenance instructions is well documented. It's sad to consider how many lives were lost or affected by the many bad decisions, bureaucracy, and tradition that is explained throughout the book. I would rate the book 5 stars, but for some unusual repetition, and I think it could have been better edited. My suggested edits would be to reduce the repetition of some quotes and information shared by both authors, and also to edit the commentary on snow handling during President Kennedy's 1961 inauguration, as well as the coverage of the demise of General Creighton Abrams. While coverage of the latter two topics was interesting, they did little to advance the main theme of the book. I'm VERY glad the book was written, and both authors shared a passion for the subject based on personal experiences.

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very ambitious book. It lives up to its title. Not only do you learn about creation and early use of the M16, but also the military weapons procurement, F-111, McNamara's DoD, Creighton Abrams, and the history of the Viet-Nam war. Some parts are very technical and redundant. However, a very good read.

[Guillermo · Rating 2 out of 5]

With utmost respect to the authors, the book often repeats itself, goes into the history of the Vietnam War itself to the point of being off topic. The editing is not where it needs to be as the story traverses many points in time in a nonlinear fashion.

[greg mcqueen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Execelent

This book is well written and very well researched. As a vet from the era we heard all sorts of rumors as to why there were problems with this rifle. Except read.

[Jerry Savage · Rating 5 out of 5]

Shockingly scary story on how corrupt and scandalous the industrial-military complex works. And nothing has or probably ever will change.