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Thread: .22 caliber M16 at Air Force basic training, 1972

  1. #11
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    I went thru AF Basic in May of 1985 and we shot the .22 modified M-16's then as well. I remember not firing over five rounds before having a malfunction. We were not allowed for clear our problems. You stopped, raised your hand and waited for a CATM guy to come and clear it for you.
    I didn't shoot actual 5.56 until I requalified before leaving to Iceland in 1988.

  2. #12
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    Yes that is what we trained with on one (1) day of wet fire in 1982. Most ridiculous day at a firing range in my entire life. I never fired a 5.56 round the entire 4 years I was in and my weapons card was stamped "Orientation Only - Individual Not Qualified To Bear Arms" the whole 4 year enlistment. One of the main reasons I got out. To be honest it's always been a point of absolute shame.
    Never forget every word you spoke when you took your oath of office.

  3. #13
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    I went thru Lackland in 1982, fired the .22LR for about 15-20 minutes and that was it. Stayed at Lackland for 811X0 training and never fired anything but 5.56 or blanks for Maid/Miles gear. As active duty for almost 8 years, we qualified almost as often with .22LR as we did 5.56. I don't recall that we knew until we got to the range what the hell we were gonna shoot. If we were lucky it was M-203 and M-60 that day!!

  4. #14
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    I was in the National Guard for about two years in the 80's. We shot Qual in our armory using 22lr adapters in our M-16s at least once.

    The adapters just replaced the BCG and used a different mag, I know CMMG makes an adapter that looks like the ones I remember.

    I joined the Active Army after those 2 years.

    Andy
    Last edited by AndyLate; 10-27-18 at 21:25.

  5. #15
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    Quote Originally Posted by MASP7 View Post
    That mirrors my experience in the summer of '83
    +3

    BMTS in September, 1983.

  6. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by devinsdad View Post
    I went thru AF Basic in May of 1985 and we shot the .22 modified M-16's then as well. I remember not firing over five rounds before having a malfunction. We were not allowed for clear our problems. You stopped, raised your hand and waited for a CATM guy to come and clear it for you.
    I didn't shoot actual 5.56 until I requalified before leaving to Iceland in 1988.
    I went through Lackland the spring of '82 as well. IIRC, we had one day of familiarization and one day live fire on the range that consisted of maybe 30 rounds of .22lr. That was the one and only time I held any gun other than a rivet gun in the Air Force.

  7. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by JediGuy View Post
    I was talking with my father over the weekend, and he mentioned using .22 caliber M16’s back in the early seventies, as part of basic training.

    He does remember they were ‘slick side,’ because he had to learn about the forward assist when his security team transitioned from Mini-14’s to AR’s in the early 90’s. He’s not a ‘gun nut,’ but enjoys firing his M1A and S&W 5906 about once a year. So, he’s not familiar with the GAU’s, etc, and was simply told that he was firing an M16.

    The .22 thing threw me off... Is anyone familiar with this?
    Why would they bother with an AR pattern rifle for training, then chamber it in .22 LR?
    Good night Chesty...wherever you are.

  8. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by GRA556 View Post
    Yes that is what we trained with on one (1) day of wet fire in 1982. Most ridiculous day at a firing range in my entire life. I never fired a 5.56 round the entire 4 years I was in and my weapons card was stamped "Orientation Only - Individual Not Qualified To Bear Arms" the whole 4 year enlistment. One of the main reasons I got out. To be honest it's always been a point of absolute shame.
    There is no shame in this admittance of yours. You are honest, and that to me is worth more in respect points than a liar who probably did shoot 5.56 but claims he was a recon delta seal or some other BS.


    From this retired Army combat veteran to you a former Airman, you are most welcome at any table myself or my brothers to drink and feast with.
    Last edited by FightinQ; 01-28-19 at 04:45.

  9. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by FightinQ View Post
    There is no shame in this admittance of yours. You are honest, and that to me is worth more in respect points than a liar who probably did shoot 5.56 but claims he was a recon delta seal or some other BS.


    From this retired Army combat veteran to you a former Airman, you are most welcome at any table myself or my brothers to drink and feast with.
    Thank you very much indeed. I really do appreciate that.
    Never forget every word you spoke when you took your oath of office.

  10. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by artoter View Post
    Why would they bother with an AR pattern rifle for training, then chamber it in .22 LR?
    They were real M16's (real early ones too...) just with .22 lr. conversion kits. Even worse, as stated before, the conversion kits worked poorly when dirty. Luckily, the ones I used were filthy...

    Why did they use .22 conversion kit? Money I'd imagine. .22 lr. Is a lot cheaper than 5.56, quieter and easier to have a reduced distance range on base.

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