A General Motors M16?

[Slater]

http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA953115

Above is a report from 1968 detailing the M16 rifle's procurement, cost, and performance history up to that point. Toward the end of the text is a mention of two proposed alternate manufacturers, Harrington and Richardson and General Motors, and their forecasted prices.

I can't imagine GM making that much money off of a small arms contract when compared to their automotive operations. Indeed, did GM even make any small arms after WW2?

As a point of interest (from the report):

" Colt's Inc. acquired the rights from Fairchild on or about 7 January 1959, at a cost of $75,000 plus 4.5% royalty on all weapons produced. Colt's contract with Mr. MacDonald (who recommended the acquisition) provided a payment of $250,000 plus a 1 per cent royalty on every rifle produced. (The fee to Mac Donald is referred to as a finder's fee and takes into account funds which he expended on exhibits and firing demonstrations throughout the world)."

[Whytep38]

If you're asking whether GM produced M16s, the answer is, "Yes," according to The Complete AR-15/M16 Sourcebook by Duncan Long. The short story is that Colt went from having almost no sales to suddenly having more sales than they could handle, so the government had GM and H&R step in for a while.

That's about as much as I understand on the situation. I'm sure others on this forum know much more about it.

[bigbore]

They were made at GMs Hydramatic (transmission) plant in Toledo, OH.

[LukeMacGillie]

There are alot of HM lowers being made into Mk18's, SPR's and even M4's for other agencies. Seems Crane has a huge Stockpile of lowers from that particular production line.

[ThirdWatcher]

I was issued a Hydramatic M-16 in BCT in 1973. It was a good rifle.

[Low Drag]

I had one, an A1 in 1980 while in boot camp.

[Ross]

I had several Hydramatics over the years in the Army. They were good rifles.

The Army back then always wanted multiple sources for weapons systems so that a strike, natural disaster, enemy attack, whatever couldn't put the weapons system out of production by destryoing a single source.

There's probably something to that, since a couple key weapons systems, like the M1117 ASV for example, were put out of production by Katrina and it took nearly a year to rebuild the plant and get them back into production.

[Hawkeye]

I had a GM A1 in basic in 91.

[Ekie]

http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA953115

Above is a report from 1968 detailing the M16 rifle's procurement, cost, and performance history up to that point.

Excellent resource document, I now reference it more then any other source, including TBR.

http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA953115

I can't imagine GM making that much money off of a small arms contract when compared to their automotive operations. Indeed, did GM even make any small arms after WW2?

The Army ended up giving GM contracts totaling 469,217 M16A1 rifles. Am confident GM made out fine.

http://handle.dtic.mil/100.2/ADA953115

" Colt's Inc. acquired the rights from Fairchild on or about 7 January 1959, at a cost of $75,000 plus 4.5% royalty on all weapons produced. Colt's contract with Mr. MacDonald (who recommended the acquisition) provided a payment of $250,000 plus a 1 per cent royalty on every rifle produced. (The fee to Mac Donald is referred to as a finder's fee and takes into account funds which he expended on exhibits and firing demonstrations throughout the world)."

Yes, Bobby did good on that one.

[dewatters]

Excellent resource document, I now reference it more then any other source, including TBR.

Yes, I found it a couple of months ago, and have yet to incorporate the info into the 5.56 Timeline. I only wish that the other 11 sections of the report were available for download as well.