Frag Out! Magazine

FIREARMS of the M16A1 modified specifically for the US Navy SEALs, though it was also used by other elite units. The weapon differed in the protec- tive coatings used, which were se- lected to better protect steel com- ponents against corrosion, and it also featured a modified recoil system. The modification involved the buffer tube and consisted of drilling drainage holes, which were aligned with corresponding holes in the stock, designed to facilitate the rapid removal of water from the interior of the tube. Fifty y e a r s lian Colt SP-1. I decided that one would remain in "mint condition," while the other two M16A1s would be modified into specific configu- rations: the US original will receive an M203 grenade launcher, and the used "Malay" would become a "plus-minus" Mk4 Mod0 clone. later, two German companies liti- gated over a similar solution, which is essentially a standard today. Ad- ditionally, the weapon was equip- ped with a HEL E4A suppressor and a Colt 3x20 optical sight. These rifles were also very frequ- ently camouflaged by wrapping the black plastic furniture with green tape—the color black does not occur naturally in the wild, and any regular shapes in this hue are instantly picked up by the human eye, even in the jungle. There is an "urban legend" that NVA and VC sol- diers were trained to watch for long black sticks in the jungle, because an American soldier stood behind each one. To break up the regular outlines and cover this black finish, the rifles were wrapped in 100 MPH Tape (duct tape) in a light green (essentially almost seafoam) color. I own a total of four M16 rifles—two "Malaysians," one with "US Govern- ment Property" stamps, and a civi- How was it made? The base for the entire build is an ex-military Malaysian M16A1. The rifle is in slightly used condition, but mechanically it is almost brand new. Hel I began by purchasing a replica of the HEL E4A suppressor—de- spite its external appearance, it is not a 1:1 functional equivalent. It is a multi-functional muzzle de- vice that reduces recoil and mu- zzle rise, limits the muzzle flash signature, and modifies the report. The Human Engineering Laborato- ry HEL E4A was the final result of a program implemented to deve- lop a sound suppressor for spe- cial operations units fighting in Vietnam. It was the successor to the original HEL M4, which had nu- merous flaws, including excessive weight, a significant increase in overall weapon length, and a high volume of gas blowback into the barrel extension, which resulted in an over-gassed rifle. This, in turn, translated into an increased velocity of the Bolt C a r r i e r Group (BCG), higher recoil, erratic shell ejection (sharply forward rather than to the side or rear), and accelerated wear on the mecha- nisms. The amount of returning gas was so significant that it made shooting very difficult—and in extreme cases, impossible—which is why an additional "gas shield" was developed in the form of a pie- ce of sheet metal attached to the charging handle. The idea was so absurd that almost no one actual- ly used it; currently, this solution is implemented in the design of some

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