The M-16 Bent Nail sight adjuster Club

[Griff Murphey]

How many of you guys wore a bent nail in your utility cover (fatigue hat) for sight adjustment on the OLD M-16 before dial-in sights? They were actually issued on the firing line in the Marines in the 1970's. My guess is this will apply only to Marines and Navy men like myself who shot with Marines, as the Army just did a 25 yd. BZO; whereas Marines put dope on for 200, 300, and 500 yard stages.

You could use a bullet tip but even in tho old days the Corps did not want loose rounds floating around for Private Pyle to take into the head and confront the gunny with.

[Dan Shapiro]

Stoner should have been shot just for putting that sight on a military rifle!

[Maury Krupp]

At Ft Polk circa 1971 it was straight not bent and carried in the grenade loop of the M1956 Small Arms Ammo Case. Mostly used to GET that BZO, after that once in a blue moon during BRM.

At the time the M16 was adopted the practically un-adjustable sights were touted as a *good* thing. They were supposed to keep nervous GIs from screwing around with the sights

Maury

[mike24d20]

All my issue m-16's had the adj. front site. An on every one I allways ended up useing a nail. Kept mine in the buttstock cleaning kit. Found the nail easier to use than a bullet tip.

[Griff Murphey]

Bent, it "pretty much" stayed in the grommets (drain holes/vents) of your cap (cover!)....

[BEAR]

[QUOTE/] My guess is this will apply only to Marines and Navy men like myself who shot with Marines, as the Army just did a 25 yd. BZO; whereas Marines put dope on for 200, 300, and 500yard stages.[/QUOTE]

The Army did and still does use a 25 meter zero range in conjunction with a record fire on a pop up range with targets ranging from 50 to 300 meters. The OLD M16A1 was not conducive to engaging targets over 300 meters.
The Army also requires use of steel or Kevlar helmets on ALL firing ranges (except SF). Our nails were straight and were kept in our helmet camouflage cover bands (something the Marines did not use ... I believe you guys called them "doggie collars".)
BEAR

[pmclaine]

We had to attach it to our data book with some string in 1986. We had the A2 and only had to use the nail once to BZO the front sight. I guess they had a surplus of nails to get rid of. Its still attached to my data book up in the attic. It was galvanized so it hasnt rusted. DOD probably paid $100 for it and the string was another $50.

[Liam]

Like BEAR said. Kept it in the helmet band at the range. Right next to the tiny Tobasco bottle ; )

[Griff Murphey]

Kind of forgot, we wore steel M-1 helmets shooting TRAINFIRE at Fort Sill in 1970 in my Army ROTC period. In 1974-76 with the USMC I never saw a helmet on a range. One day a "Super Squad" arrived to prepare for a competition in all things military. They had the steel pots with full flack jackets and 782 gear. The Range Officer (a warrant officer "gunner") CWO R. D. Embese ran them off. Said that clothing is not what the regs said, go get shooting jackets and soft caps. I have looked at some You Tube of Range 214 at Camp Horno (on Pendleton) and they show "present day" Marines running an assault course on the KD range and they are fully geared up in all the Kevlar and Molle stuff.

[mike24d20]

What peace time armys forgot, is that a rifle shoots different with battle gear on than when not on.

[Michaelp]

I don't recall adjusting sights.

First trained with M 14s in 1967. We learned to set the battle sight zero and then simply applied different sight pictures at various ranges.
Same principle gramps taught whhen I was a kid.
I used the same principle on the shorter range 16s and always fired expert.

[Corps 8404]

We didn't keep nails in our covers, but the PMIs did pass them out on the firing line for sight adjustments. I recall that my rifle was an Colt XM-16. That was in 1980. It was also at the time the Corps was making the transition from the old sateen uniform to camouflage...we were issued sateen covers and camo utilities.

[joem]

All my issue m-16's had the adj. front site. An on every one I allways ended up useing a nail. Kept mine in the buttstock cleaning kit. Found the nail easier to use than a bullet tip.

My M16 didn't have a buttstock trap for the cleaning kit. The cleaning kit was a web belt item which I still have.

[Terry N.]

Current Army wisdom is that using a nail or bullet causes damage to the sight and detent. They expect units to either fabricate or buy front sight adjusting tools. I don't see that happening on any regular basis!

[catmandu]

My experience matches Corps 8404. I also had a XM-16. The PMI ran out of nails so we scrounged up a coat hanger and each got a 3 inch piece. Ground a angle on one side and it really helped remove the carbon. I still have my little blue book on how to clean my M16. We also had sateen covers and cammies. We adjusted our sights before the 100 inch course and again during snap in week.
Semper Fi.