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The True Story Behind the Mattel M16 Rifle

cavpilot said:
Was in the USAF ‘63-‘67, then Army ‘68-‘71 (active). In AF basic we were trained on the M-1 carbine - and the Air Force had been looking to upgrade that for some time. We were introduced to the Armalite in ‘64 - it had phenomenal ballistic performance, was lightweight, accurate and easy to shoot. The Air Force went for it, so to speak.
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It's very possible, maybe even likely, you and I have shot some of the exact same rifles. As I mentioned above, in USAF Basic and Tech School in 1972 (I mistyped 1970 above, and missed the Edit Window here), I shot a number of M16s that were absolutely original right down to their 4- and 5-digit serial numbers and the green paint worn off the naked fiberglass stocks. ;)
 
Snake45 said:
Great article; I could find nothing to dispute or add.

I heard the stories that Mattel actually made M16 "furniture" many, many years ago. Always assumed they were true. When I shot M16s in USAF Basic Training and Small Arms Marksmanship Training Unit (753X0 tech school) in 1970, some of our rifles were so old that they had 5-digit serial numbers and green "furniture" with the paint worn off, exposing bare laid-up fiberglass underneath. But all the M16s I later handled in service (basically identical to M16A1s but with NO FA assemblies) had solid black furniture, and it was easy to believe that they'd been subcontracted by Mattel.

OTOH, I spotted the Mattel toy in The Green Berets years before that. In addition to the scene mentioned in the article, one can clearly be seen in John Wayne's hands in at least one other scene. The speaker magazine can't be missed, if you know what you're looking at and you're looking for it. ;)
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My M-16— # 678143
 
tmccoys said:
I went to basic traing at Ft Leonard Wood, MO in 1983 and my M-16’s lower receiver had Mattel stamped into the metal.
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I went and looked and I can't find any definitive answer either way on the internet.

I mean we're not talking about the Loch Ness monster here. Either Mattel or the Army should be able to confirm or deny.

But I have never seen any definitive proof one way or the other.

I have also never seen an M16 A1 A2 or A3 with a Mattel logo on it
 
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Mike H. said:
Hello all, here is today's article posted on TheArmoryLife.com. It is titled “The True Story Behind the Mattel M16 Rifle” and can be found at https://www.thearmorylife.com/mattel-m16-rifle/.

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As an armorer for an AIT infantry training company at Ft. Lewis (WA) I can honestly attest to the fact that there were in-service M16’s stamped prominently with “Mattel” on the receiver. These were issued every day for live fire training and marksmanship qualifications. These were NOT plastic toys. During my own personal boot camp I personally fired an M16 so stamped. Later, as supply sgt. for my USNG unit, my armorer also had these weapons in our inventory in our arms room.
 
nickknack said:
@Mike H. Please go back and fact-check your source. I took basic training at Ft. Dix in 1981, and I laughed every time I had to field strip my weapon because the inside of the handguard was stamped "Made by Mattel." So, while Mattel did not manufacture the M16 they were a subcontractor.
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Tell us more. Where, exactly, was it "stamped?" How was it "stamped?" What exactly did the "stamping" look like? If you really saw such a thing, you should able to give some details. I want to believe you. ;)
 
Dyno*don said:
As an armorer for an AIT infantry training company at Ft. Lewis (WA) I can honestly attest to the fact that there were in-service M16’s stamped prominently with “Mattel” on the receiver. These were issued every day for live fire training and marksmanship qualifications. These were NOT plastic toys. During my own personal boot camp I personally fired an M16 so stamped. Later, as supply sgt. for my USNG unit, my armorer also had these weapons in our inventory in our arms room.
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Dyno'don, there seems to be iron in your words of steel, therefore I am willing to believe there is iron in your words of alloy and plastic. It is good that armorers as we meet in the struggle for truth. Thank you for your service, my new friend.
 
I enlisted (VolAr!) in the Army via delayed entry program in July 1973 (graduated HS in JUN 73), and took BCT @ Ft Knox, KY. I can attest to the truth of one commenter's statement regarding having M16 rifles seemingly thrown together by the company armorer from Vietnam War surplus rifle parts. I swear the M16A1 I was issued in Basic was one of these; it was Colt-branded BTW), and the upper & lower receivers, with worn-down finish, could damn near be rotated 45° from the other; the pins were that sloppy...OK not really, but you get my drift! Yeah, yeah: "It's a poor workman who blames his tools," yadda yadda. I and most of us "trainee/private/shitbird/etc." could only make Marksman. Many of us were Southern-by-God good ol' boys who'd hunted since big enough to hold & accurately shoot a gun, uh, I mean weapon. Luckily, getting to the first and each subsequent duty station, I received a much newer(?) better weapon and fired Expert throughout my 21-year career. All my M16A1s were Colt-branded; never saw a Mattel anything, though heard all the stories.
I always loved my M16A1s and took great care of them. I now build ARs for myself to include clones of the M16A1 (w/triangular handguards, A2 Buttstock, A2 Flash Hider, 20" barrel), and XM177E1 (w/pinned 5" "moderator" Flash Hider, shorty 2-position stock).
What the military services needed instead of a Mattel rifle was the Johnny Seven OMA (One Man Army) with the detachable pistol, hand grenade launcher, rifle grenade launcher, rocket launcher, rifle, and bipod. IRL it probably would have weighed nearly 50 lbs! Santa brought me one for Christmas when I was a kid. Got into trouble for occasionally shooting my big sister in the ass and killing her Barbie and wreaking havoc on the playhouse. Good times!
Johnny_Seven_OMA_toy_gun[1].jpg
 
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SFC Coody, there is also iron in your words of alloy and plastic, and I thank you for your service to our country. ;)

Confession time: I did not qualify my first time firing the M16 for record, either. It was the first centerfire rifle I had ever shot (the first centerfire ANYTHING, in fact), and the first semiautomatic. I had to re-shoot to make it even by the lame-ass USAF standards. (I clearly remember my basic buddy Murph, a graduate of Ole Miss, telling me, "Don't feel bad--our glorious Dorm Chief (an enormous man who had been an LAPD officer) didn't qualify either."

I eventually picked up the skills to shoot damn-near "possible" size groups from prone, sitting, and kneeling, but the standing eluded me for years. In fact, I earned my fourth stripe (USAF Staff Sergeant) before I earned the USAF Small Arms Expert Ribbon with the M16. Well, that's not exactly true--I mean until I earned the Oak Leaf for the Expert Ribbon I earned the very first time I shot the USAF M15 for record (Smith & Wesson Model 15, Target Hammer, Target Trigger), and that was the very first handgun of ANY kind I'd ever shot. The years of reading and rereading Jeff Cooper's Complete Book of Modern Handgunning and Chic Gaylord's Handgunner's Guide and other such since elementary school really paid off there, but that's another story. ;)
 
Airdale26 said:
Good article.
Mattel was a nick name giving to the rifle when it first was issued. I am sure we have all heard the stories that the rifle was self cleaning. We have heard the stories that the army changed the ammo powder which resulted in malfunctions and very dirty rifles. As well deaths to US personnel. Some of the first issued rifles went to indigenous personnel. The M1 Garand was too heavy and long for the smaller framed individuals. The M1 carbine and other similar were issued to them.

The XM16 and later models results in additional features to enhance operations. I.E. forward assist. The cleaning kit and comic book on how to.

It was called the gun made by mattel because in comparison to the M1 Garand, M1 Carbine, The 1903 and other rifles it was space age black plastic, lighter and suspect just by looking at it. Mattel only made toys.
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The comic book was PS Magazine and it was very useful since it had up to date info on virtually every weapon and piece of equipment in the Army. We could wait weeks or months for a Technical Bulletin but PS was a lot more timely and it had well-drawn chicks to get your attention. It is now available online: https://www.psmagazine.army.mil/
 
My two cents:

Prior to going to Fort Lewis we received mechanical training on the M16A1 at reserve centers several times during the year. In 1974 I qualified as Expert on the M16A1 at Ft. Lewis. At no time did I observe nor did any instructor tell me or show me any Mattel logos or markings on the weapon.

In Germany 1976 - 1979 we had M16A1s. At no time did our soldiers or armorers show us any Mattel markings nor did I see any.

From 1981 - 1983 my cadre and I trained about 1200 soldiers on basic rifle marksmanship and mechanical training on our well worn M16A1s. At no time did we observe a Mattel marking or did our armorer or the "drive by" armorers on the range tell us or show us about Mattel parts or markings.

Post 1985 we were issued M16A2s and these we took to the Gulf War.

Again, just my observations.
 
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