In many scenes, the flat 'slab side' upper receiver of the original M16 (AR-15/SP1) rifle is seen. Some of them appear to be genuine civilian AR-15/SP1s and aren't seen fired full-auto. Instead, M16A1s seem to be used to depict full-auto fire. That is, until the Grenada sequence, when the Recon platoon's weapons are both M16A1s and M16 rifles, possibly AR-15/SP1's converted to fire full-auto, perhaps to to a lack of enough M16A1 rifles for those scenes.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingM16 (AR-15/SP1) 5.56x45mmError creating thumbnail: File missingRecon Marines in training fire their M16s down range, although they are likely AR-15/SP1s, as they aren't seen firing full-auto until in Grenada, when more full-auto guns were required. One marine fires his weapon full-auto during the rifle training, but it is clearly an M16A1.Error creating thumbnail: File missingGunnery Sgt. Highway (Clint Eastwood) shows his recruit his AR-15/SP1 is not "Fuckin' fucked up."
What's the language limits of this site? Just to be sure.
Error creating thumbnail: File missingPvt. "Stitch" Jones (Mario Van Peebles) with his AR-15/SP1 while Highway hassles him over pawning his kevlar helmet.Error creating thumbnail: File missingHighway with his AR-15/SP1 in Grenada. This one appears to be converted to full-auto or it could be an actual M16 fitted with an A1 birdcage muzzle break, but it's a bit less likely.Error creating thumbnail: File missingLt. Ring with the AR-15/SP1 in Grenada, his also featuring full-auto fire, making it a possible M16 with a birdcage muzzle break as well.
Seen in the hands of several Recon Marines, used when a fully-automatic weapon is required early in the film, until Grenada when possibly all the weapons were converted to full-auto fire, perhaps do to a lack of M16A1s.
