This article, by Capt. William L. Smith, originally appeared in the January 1969 issue of THE AMERICAN RIFLEMAN, predecessor to American Rifleman. To subscribe to today's monthly magazine, visit NRA’s membership page.
From the time I came to Vietnam in May 1967 to date, I have been on 82 patrols as an infantry unit commander and have been shot at on 38 separate occasions. From this experience I have several observations which may interest readers of THE AMERICAN RIFLEMAN, especially those who may be slated for combat duty in this area. The standard U.S. infantry rifle in Vietnam is the M16. There have been stories of men getting killed because their M16s jammed in battle. My advice is to ignore these tales. I have carried at different times two M16s as well as two of the stubby little CAR-15s. The CAR-15 is simply an M16 with a short, carbine-length barrel and telescoping stock. With these four arms I have never experienced a jam in 18 months of combat. If given the same care as a .22 rimfire semi-automatic rifle, the M16 will not fail.
I’ve been in monsoon rains where the water was belt deep and mud was everywhere. Under these conditions it was impossible to detail strip and clean my rifle for days at a time. However, we remembered two things. One was to keep the dust cover over the ejection port closed at all times when not actually firing. The moment they ceased fire our men were taught to close the dust cover with the thumb of their right hand. Officers and NCOs should insist on this. Secondly, if the barrel is dipped into a stream and becomes filled with water, it is necessary to remove the water quickly before firing again. Otherwise, the barrel may burst. To drain the barrel, point the muzzle of the rifle downward and pull the bolt back about 1½". As soon as air can bypass the cartridge in the chamber, the water will run out of the barrel and you are back in business.
Troops arriving in Vietnam are put through a “mass production” zeroing process in which three groups of three shots each are fired at 25 meters. This is supposed to zero-in the M16 rifle for 250 meters. To supplement this, I had my platoon sergeant scrounge a case of 5.56 tracer ammunition. I then took my platoon out to a hillside area where we fired at tree stumps about 300 meters distant. The bipods were attached to the rifles for this shooting, and each man fired semi-automatically until he had adjusted his sight correctly to hit a man-sized target at 300 meters. This method of zeroing took time and effort, but it gave my men confidence that they could drop an enemy in his tracks if he was observed within combat range.
With the high velocity flat trajectory 5.56 mm cartridge one should aim about half way between the enemy’s chin and belt to assure a hit in the chest area. This is with the rifle zeroed in at 300 meters. At 400 meters, aim just under the chin, and, at 500 meters, hold a couple of inches over the head to obtain a hit in the chest or abdominal area.
In respect to full-automatic fire, forget the movie heroics you saw as a boy. Full-automatic fire is wasteful of ammunition if the enemy is more than 75 to 100 meters away, except when you have been ambushed. When that happens pour in fire at the maximum rate to keep “Charlie’s” head down while you scurry to cover or assault his position, whichever the leader orders.
I have knocked out Communists at ranges from 50 feet to 750 meters and have yet to use full-automatic fire. There are two reasons why I stress semi-automatic fire. First of all, it is just wasteful of ammunition. The average G.I. carries from 10 to 20 18-round magazines (21 rounds can be squeezed into the M16 magazine, but overfilling can cause jams. One can fire off 20 magazines of ammunition in from 5 to 10 minutes, but then there are likely to be problems.
If a group of Uncle Ho’s “nephews” jump out of a clump of bamboo 10 feet from you, go ahead and hose them with full-automatic fire, but if they are 100 feet or so away you can drop them quickly with aimed semi-automatic fire. You will be surprised how fast the trigger finger can be wiggled under combat conditions! In other than very close combat, it is better to shoot straight than first.
The enemy is well supplied with the latest Russian-designed small arms and other infantry weapons and frequently can temporarily prevent resupply helicopters from reaching engaged units. If you find yourself in a spot where you must fight from a half hour to half a day with the ammunition carried into battle, you’ll be happy that you didn’t waste your ammunition in Hollywood-style “hosing” during the first 10 minutes of action. Remember, semi-automatic fire will prove most effective. The “heavy volume of fire” you heard so much about in basic training may scare the enemy, but it may not. Don’t sell your enemy short. He is as brave as you are and will continue to exchange fire with you until he is hit. Forget the idea of scaring him and concentrate on hitting him. He will get over his fright a lot quicker than he will recover from a hit by a 5.56 mm bullet.
Captured enemy weapons include bipod-mounted Russian designed RPD cal. 7.62 mm light machine guns and (rear) AK-47 cal. 7.62 mm assault rifles, which the author found cumbersome and not accurate beyond 450 meters.
Military regulations prohibit one from bringing personal arms to Vietnam, but do not prohibit telescope sights. I brought over a 2-7X variable sight with internal range finder and a mount for the Colt AR-15 commercial rifle. This proved an ideal tool for the NCO or company grade officer, as it eliminated the guesswork in range estimation. Additionally, this scope has greater magnification than the 6X binocular with less than half its weight.
I was told by so-called experts that the M16 rifle is not accurate beyond 350 meters. But with my rifle fitted with a bipod mount and a scope sight and firing tracer ammunition, I can reach out and drop a walking enemy soldier at better than 700 meters range, and I make no claim to being an outstanding shot. By contrast, the Russian AK-47 rifle used by the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese troops is useless beyond 450 meters.
A word on small arms. No doubt you have heard “war stories” by returning veterans who say the AK-47 is a better arm than the M16. I did not find this to be true. I obtained an AK-47 from a Vietnamese who had no further use for it. I carried this rifle on two patrols. It proved mechanically reliable, but so is the M16 when given at least minimum care. The AK-47 has a heavy sheet steel 30-shot magazine compared to the lightweight alloy 18-shot M16 magazine. Basic load for the AK-47 rifleman is only four magazines; three in a pouch across the chest and one in the rifle. The AK-47 is several pounds heavier than the M16.
The Soviet 7.62 mm M43 cartridge used in the AK-47 is much smaller and less powerful than the 7.62 mm NATO cartridge used in our M14 rifle. It has a comparatively low velocity and high trajectory. Its bullet makes a puncture wound comparable to a pencil stab. By contrast, our 5.56 mm bullet will severely batter a man wherever it hits him. I would rather stop a half dozen bullets from the AK-47 than one from an M16.
It is difficult to concentrate 18 months of experience in one article, but I would like to emphasize that the M16 is a great combat arm. True, the ones they had three years ago were jam-prone if not cleaned meticulously, but the improved M16A1 version now in use is tough and will take as much rough handling as either the M14 or the old M1. My M16 has never let me down.
