Basic Training M-1 vs M-16

[Squeak]

I went thru Army Basic Training at Fort Leonard Wood, MO in the fall of 1961.
We trained with the M-1 Garand.
I'm thinking that that must have been one of the last classes to train with the M-1 before they changed to the M-16. (never did see an M-14)
Anybody out there know when the Army started training with the M-16??

[Old Grump]

All I know was us navy sailor recruits were marching with 1903's, army soldiers with MI Garands, the marine recruits were in the process of beating to death their M14's doing the manual of arms. The Air force was phasing in M16's. Special Forces in Nam already had them and their 14's were taken away from them. I ain't naming dates because I don't know officially when the transition was but my brother got a Donald duck hat in boot camp and my company didn't. we were 1 week apart and it was a time of transition. It was a wild and wooly time when all decisions were made logically by reasonable people then overturned by politicians......................see, nothing has changed.

[SSMN]

I was living in Chicago and also went to Ft. Leonard Wood for basic. For me, the year was 1965. We were issued M-14s. Never saw an M-1 or an M-16 during my time there. But after basic, during AIT and from thereon it was all M-16s.

[436]

Originally Posted by Squeak

I went thru Army Basic Training at Fort Leonard Wood, MO in the fall of 1961.
We trained with the M-1 Garand.
I'm thinking that that must have been one of the last classes to train with the M-1 before they changed to the M-16. (never did see an M-14)
Anybody out there know when the Army started training with the M-16??

Something of a guess; adopted in late 1963 by Army must have been between late 1968 early1970 may have been when they were turning up in Fort. Leonard Wood
I used M16A1 at Fort. Polk for both BCT & AIT 11 Bush in 1971 never saw a M14 or M1... I have an M1A now and still scratch my heads as to why the Army never stayed with it {or adopted the M1A version which is even better} they should’ve issued the M16 as they would've the M1 Carbine. Still, letting guys use them based on operational needs. I like the M16 for CQC work or for incursions Op’s where you’ll have to have a lot of kit and ammo; and you can sure hang a ton of aftermarket on that little black rifle… but like the man said…. “Bring Enough Gun”
436

[RunningOnMT]

USMC basic training in Jan 1966 we were issued M14's. We did have classes in the M16 but were never issued them. In ITR we were issued M-1's. These things were so worn out FTF's and FTE's were numerous. My remaining time in the states was with the M14.

Upon arriving in in Nam in Aug 1967, being assigned to an Engineer Bn., I was issued an M14 (all the infantry units already had M16's). About three months later we started getting M16's. We actually had a choice to keep our M14's or switch to the M16. In 1968 when I transferred to an infantry unit of course I was issued an M16. Being a field radio operator, the TO weapon was a 1911 but we were given a choice of a pistol, M16 or even a M14 if we really wanted it. A couple of guys did. I carried both a pistol and M16 most of the time.

[DixieLandMan]

Dad went through Basic at Ft. Jackson in 1965. Trained with M-14. Got to his unit later that year or early 1966 and had M-16's.

[deadin]

Navy 1959, drilled with '03's, qualified with M1's.

[Snakedriver]

The Internet says the first 1,000 AR-15 Rifles were shipped to Vietnam in 1962, but the Army and Air Force didn't officially adopt the M16 until 1964.

When I went through Army Basic Training at Ft. Polk in mid-1970 we were using the M16A1 to qualify for our marksmanship badge.

When I got to Vietnam I was issued a XM177 CAR-15 to carry in my helicopter.

[jedwil]

Basic training at Fort Bliss in Feb/Mar 1969 using the M14. Did have a class and qualification with the M16.

[jim brady]

I'm no expert on how the Army actually did it, but we had the M14s stateside and the M16A1s issued to the field in Nam during my first tour (1969 to 1971). We did receive training on the '16 stateside in RVN training.

Short story - in that familiarization training, we fired the '16 at very short ranges just to see how it functioned. I loaded my first mag, fired 3 rounds and the mag dropped out. I picked it up, reloaded and fired another 3 rounds and the mag dropped out again. The Range NCO came over and asked me what the heck I was doing. I told him what happened, and HE picked up the mag and loaded the weapon for me, I fired another 3 shots and the mag fell out. He just shrugged his shoulders and walked away.

Got to Nam in 1970, went thru SERTS Training (101st Airborne in Quang Tri). Went to the range to check the weapon. Fired 3 shots and the mag fell out. I carried a Smith and Wesson .38 Special after that. At least I had SIX shots.

My next older brother was in Nam 1968 thru late 1969 - Engineers - and they were cgangeing from the M14 to the '16 at that time. He managed to keep his '14.

[Thunder Struck]

I used M-14 for basic at Fort Jackson may of 68. Then M-16 for AIT 11B at Fort Poke Aug 68, Overseas I used M-16 and 12gauge Nov. 68

[17thfabn]

My father in law went to Army basic in 1968 trained with the M-14.

When he went to Vietnam in late 1968 he went to a training course there on the M-16 before he went to his unit. They had the old M-16s with the three progned flash supressers and no forward assist. While he was over there they got the newer M-16A1.

When he came back to the States and was stationed at Fort Bragg his unit there was still carrying the M14. He got out in 1971 and his unit at Fort Bragg was still carrying M14 rifles.

[langenc]

Read today where the wonderful Obamas will allow 86 thousand M1 Garands back from Korea, previously not allowed.

They will be made available to Korean War vets.

[DixieLandMan]

Trained with M16A2 in basic in 1993. Got to my 1st duty station and we had M16A1's. In our arms room, we still had the old grease gun as well.

[clamman]

Marine Corps boot camp San Diego, November 1974. We were issued the M-14, and within a day or two turned them in for the M-16A1

[silvertip44]

I too did basic at Ft. Leonard Wood with the M 14 in 1965. Got my invitation from LBJ a week after graduation at Georgia. I wasn't issued an M 16 until 1967 with 17th Arty.

[Brass Tacks]

Had basic at Ft Polk in June and July of 68, with M14s. The High School I went to in Casper, WY had ROTC, we learned all about the M1, including field stripping blindfolded. I soon discovered how similar the M14 is to the M1. While in class to strip the M14 I wasn't paying as close attention to the instructor as I should have been so he "asked" me to field strip then re-assemble the weapon. No problem. With the detachable mag the M14 is much easier than the M1. Well, he wasn't impressed. "DROP AND GIVE ME 20"

Only a few in my company got any time with the M16 (me not icluded) so the rumor was those that did had but one destination.....Vietnam.

I received RVN training at Fort Dix, NJ. Fired a whopping 10 rounds of 5.56. I was paired with a 2nd Lt for qualification, we both had perfect scores.

An M16 was my constant companion in VN. I also had a 1911 that I "leased." These leased models were past on from guys leaving to the FNGs. The going rate was $25-35.

[Snakedriver]

Originally Posted by Brass Tacks

Had basic at Ft Polk in June and July of 68, with M14s. The High School I went to in Casper, WY had ROTC, we learned all about the M1, including field stripping blindfolded. I soon discovered how similar the M14 is to the M1. While in class to strip the M14 I wasn't paying as close attention to the instructor as I should have been so he "asked" me to field strip then re-assemble the weapon. No problem. With the detachable mag the M14 is much easier than the M1. Well, he wasn't impressed. "DROP AND GIVE ME 20"

Only a few in my company got any time with the M16 (me not icluded) so the rumor was those that did had but one destination.....Vietnam.

I received RVN training at Fort Dix, NJ. Fired a whopping 10 rounds of 5.56. I was paired with a 2nd Lt for qualification, we both had perfect scores.

An M16 was my constant companion in VN. I also had a 1911 that I "leased." These leased models were past on from guys leaving to the FNGs. The going rate was $25-35.

That is so funny, I was there at the end of the war when most of the ground-pounders were being sent home and you could have your pick of almost anythng you could imagine for practically nothing. I was CAV., so as you can imagine they were pretty lax about personal weapons. There were some very creative designs and types of weapons being carted around by our flyboys. One guy I especially remember had a couple M2 carbines chopped down into pistols and had them slung into a double leather holster set-up. Very comical, but it went with the Cav. hat. I stayed with the CAR-15 & Colt .45 Auto., they worked just fine for me.

[vacabill]

I took basic at ft. leonard wood from may 61 to july 61 and we had the M1. Then to Ft Knox for armor, then to Ft Hood 2nd armored division, where in mid 1962 they gave us M14's to familiarize with it, if I remember right we only went to the range one day to shoot it, no qualification, I do remember most of us didnt like it, felt like a toy. As tank crewman, we only carried the 1911 and M2 grease gun the M1 was a little too big to wield in a tank. I've noticed on the web where you can get year books from your basic training, does anyone know how often they published them. Did they publish them after each graduation or what?

[NVSmith]

-I went through basic training at Ft. Gordon, GA, in the summer of 1963. We used the M-1 and qualfied using the standard course of fire out to 600 yards.
-We had a one hour block of instruction on the M-14 and were told not to worry about it because we would probably never see one again.
-A few months later I was in RVN carrying an M-14 but never qualified until after my tour was up and I went to Ft Dix. I think the max range was 300 meters. I never saw an M-16 during my first tour but we did have Colt marked AR-15s with "Property of US Government" stamped on them. They had the funny brownish furniture.
-We had M-14s and M-16s on my second tour but, again, no qualification. I finally qualified with the M-16 years later in the Reserves on that stupid 25 meter target.