The M16A1 service rifle (Rifle, Caliber 5.56 mm, M16) is a lightweight, air-cooled, shoulder-fired weapon derived from the ArmaLite AR-15 rifle, intended for use by the U.S. military. It originally entered service in 1967 as an improvement over the M16 rifle, which was introduced in 1964 as the XM16E1. It was chambered in 5.56×45mm NATO and could fire with one shot per trigger pull or in fully automatic mode by means of a three-position selector lever.

World War I to Vietnam: The Genesis of the M16A1

The M16A1 instituted a few significant changes over the M16. The changes included a forward-assist, chrome-lined chamber and bore, and an improved flash hider. Most importantly, a regimen for weapon maintenance was developed that had been lacking at the time. However, the Black Rifle needed to overcome many hurdles to get to the top spot over 55 years ago. To understand the story of the M16A1, you have to go back to the end of World War 1, believe it or not. The U.S. Army Ordnance Department began conducting tests at Aberdeen Proving Ground in 1928.

The board recommended that all branches of service should transition to a smaller caliber round than the standard .30 caliber of the time. Combat lethality, weight of the individual cartridge, and a higher rate of fire with less recoil were all cited as reasons for the shift. A 6.8mm or .27 caliber was recommended and subsequently ignored as the Army wanted to stay with the “tried and true” .30 caliber. About 20 years later, after the Second World War, the U.S. military began looking for one sole automatic rifle to replace their current arsenal. However, there was no “One” answer. The M1 Garand proved disastrous in select fire, for example.

The Search for a Replacement

During the Korean Conflict, select-fire M2 carbines replaced the M1A1 Thompson and M3 Grease Gun. However, the .30 carbine round used by these weapons proved to be severely under-powered. The Ordnance Board again concluded that an intermediate-sized round was needed in the form of a small-caliber, high-velocity cartridge. They wanted it bigger than the pistol-inspired rounds such as .30 Carbine, but heavy–like the 45 ACP. Others asked for a round that was shorter and lighter than the .30-06 chambering of the M1 Garand.

Unfortunately, General Grade officers who were veterans of World War II and/or Korea still insisted on developing a powerful .30 caliber round. They wanted this round to see dual use in the development of rifle and belt-fed machine guns at the time. This led to the design of the 7.62×51 mm NATO cartridge.

The U.S. Army solicited different rifles for testing in order to replace the M1 in .30-06 Springfield. The Springfield Armory submitted the T44E4 and heavier T44E5. These were updated versions of the M1 Garand chambered in 7.62×51 mm NATO. Fabrique Nationale (FN) submitted the company’s FN FAL as the T48. A relatively new aerospace company called ArmaLite submitted several prototype rifles known as the AR-10 in late 1956.

Armalite’s AR-10 may have been the most radical of the group. These high-tech rifles had a very unique yet innovative design. They were built on aluminum alloy receivers, and were fitted with synthetic stocks and hand guards. The AR-10 had a rugged set of elevated sights and boasted an adjustable gas system.

The upper and lower receivers of the final prototype had a front hinge and rear take-down pin. The charging handle was mounted on the top of the upper receiver within the body of the carry handle, which also functioned as the rear sight’s tower.

Due to the use of aluminum receivers and plastic furniture, the AR-10 was an incredibly lightweight rifle, even when chambered in 7.62X51mm NATO. The AR-10 tipped the scale at a mere 6.85 lbs. The men who conducted testing found it to be the “best lightweight automatic rifle ever tested by Springfield Armory.” The Army ultimately chose the Springfield T44, a marginally retooled M1 Garand that accepted a 20-round detachable magazine over the Em-Bloc “clips” and had select fire capability. It entered service as the M14 and its first real look at combat was in the early days of the Vietnam Conflict.

Accounts from the front lines claimed the M14 was impossible to control in full-auto fire. Additionally, the weight of the ammo meant that troops were unable to carry sufficient combat loads to gain fire superiority. Especially when the enemy were armed with either SKS or AK-47 rifles that used shorter and lighter .30 caliber rounds (7.62X39). Although some troops were armed with M2 carbines with a lighter round and had a much more controllable and higher rate of fire, that gun was severely under-powered.

Big Army finally conceded that another rifle featuring an intermediate cartridge was needed. Something like what may have been proposed in 1928, for example.

Enter the M16

The Army found itself reevaluating a 1957 request submitted by the U.S. Continental Army Command (CONARC). They wanted to design a select-fire rifle weighing chambered in the new round based on the .222 Remington Bench Rest cartridge.

Engineers at Remington lengthened the case of the .222 Remington by 2 mm. This aimed to produce ballistics closer to the longer and more potent .222 Remington Magnum.

The projectiles were intended to tumble when contacting a soft target like a human body instead of passing straight through like the .30 Carbine. Some of these supersonic projectiles fragmented and caused huge wound channels. These projectiles were so light that they allowed the rifle to be controllable in full auto fire with a cyclic rate of fire of 600 rounds per minute. The result was the .223 Remington (in civilian parlance) and the 5.56mm NATO designation given the round once it was adopted by the military.

This rifle was a smaller version of the Armalite AR-10 and used a similar gas system. It weighed 6 lbs. with a full 20-round magazine. The lighter weight of these rounds allowed the troops to carry more ammunition and have a higher sustained rate of fire in the field. It was dubbed the Armalite AR-15, and its inventor, Eugene Stoner, had unveiled it to the Army at a demonstration at Fort Benning, Georgia, in May of 1957.

The following year, the Army’s Combat Developments Experimentation Command ran war games by arming squads of soldiers with the issued M14 and the AR-15. This testing resulted in the command recommending the adoption of a lighter-weight, smaller-caliber rifle over the M14.

Once again, ignoring this test, the Powers That Be declared that all service rifles and machine guns had to use the same ammunition and ordered full production of the M14.

Despite that, advocates for the AR-15 courted Air Force Chief of Staff General Curtis LeMay. After conducting similar testing to what the Army did, the U.S. Air Force adopted the AR-15 as its service rifle and ordered 8,500 rifles with 8.5 million rounds of ammunition. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) subsequently acquired 1,000 AR-15s and shipped them to be tested by the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN).

Early Adoption and Controversy

South Vietnam released extremely positive reports of the AR-15’s reliability in the field. The Vietnamese report revealed that the rifle suffered no broken parts after firing 80,000 rounds in one stage. Only two replacement parts were required for the evaluation of 1,000 weapons. The report came with the strongest recommendation that the United States should provide the AR-15 as the standard rifle of the ARVN. However, Admiral Harry Felt, Commander in Chief of Pacific Forces, rejected this after hearing the advice and counsel of the U.S. Army.

In 1962 and 1963, the military extensively tested the AR-15. The rifle was praised for its lightness and reliability. On the other hand, Army Materiel Command criticized its inaccuracy at long ranges and its lack of penetration at these ranges.

The U.S. Army’s Special Forces asked and were permitted to make the AR-15 their standard weapon. Requests from Army units such as the 101’st Airborne and clandestine units affiliated with the Central Intelligence Agency quickly followed.

At this time, Lieutenant Roy Boehm, who was developing the U.S. Navy SEALs at the time, was subjected to a Board of Inquiry over buying AR-15s over the counter instead of going through the Navy’s Bureau of Weapons. However, the investigation was closed after Boehm received authorization from President John F Kennedy after the president witnessed the rifle performing in a demonstration by the SEALs during a visit to their facility in Little Creek, Virginia.

More units began adopting the AR-15, prompting Army Secretary Cyrus Vance to investigate why the Army initially rejected it. It turned out that the Army Material Command rigged the earlier testing by using match-grade M14s while the AR-15s were standard off-the-shelf types.

By January 1963, Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara determined and stated that the AR-15 was the best current choice as a weapon system and immediately ceased the M14 production and closed the Springfield Armory. The Department of Defense started mass procurement of AR-15 rifles for the Air Force, special Army units, and the Navy SEALs. The U.S. Army Ordnance Department had permission to modify the design as needed. The first modification was the addition of a forward-assist mechanism to allow a troop to force a round into the chamber if it failed to load properly.

Of course, the U.S. Air Force and the US Marine Corps objected to this addition, with the Air Force noting there was no record of malfunctions that the use of the forward assist could have corrected. Additionally, it was noted that the forward assist added weight and complexity to the manual of arms, which had the potential to reduce the AR-15’s reliability. The Air Force, Colt’s Manufacturing, and Stoner himself objected to it on multiple grounds, including the expense of retooling.

Colonel Harold Yount, who managed the Army procurement, later stated that the addition of the forward assist came as a directive by senior leadership and not from any test or complaint in the field. Yount testified: “The M-1, the M-14, and the carbine had always had something for the soldier to push on; maybe this would be a comforting feeling to [them] or something.”

After adding the forward assist and relocating the charging handle to the rear of the receiver instead of within the carry handle, the redesigned AR-15 was initially adopted as the XM16E1. The Air Force version lacked the forward assist and was adopted as the M16.

However, this rifle, already swirled in controversy, was about to have some teething problems in combat.

When the M16 Faltered

The small changes to the AR-15 did not include one feature critical to operating in a humid environment: A chrome-lined bore. Compounding this was a lack of an adequate cleaning kit for a smaller bored weapon than the .30 caliber weapons previously in inventory.

This led to a misconception due to advertising by the manufacturer, Colt’s Manufacturing. Colt boasted that the modern materials (aluminum and plastic) used in the rifle’s construction required little maintenance. This was somehow interpreted as the rifle being “self-cleaning.” Most cleaning used the wrong fluids, from water to mosquito repellent to aviation fuel, leading to further wear on the rifle.

Adding to this was an issue with ammunition. In 1964, DuPont announced that it could no longer produce the IMR 4475 rod powder according to the specifications provided by the Army. Competitor Olin Mathieson Company said its WC 846 high-performance ball powder could achieve the 3300 feet per second muzzle velocity. Yet this powder produced much more fouling, which induced stoppages in the rifle’s action when not properly maintained.

The most severe stoppage reported by troops was a failure to extract a spent case. There were documented accounts of dead troops holding disassembled M16s, which resulted in a Congressional investigation. Some troops claimed that the issued rifle contributed to more casualties than the enemy’s attacks.

Another, albeit less serious issue, was the rifle’s distinct three-prong flash hider that proved to be fragile and prone to becoming entangled in vegetation in a jungle environment.

The Not-So-Carriable Carry Handle

Perhaps the most unique feature of the M16A1 service rifle is the ubiquitous carry handle.  Yet one of the first things you were taught in the U.S. Military was to never carry the rifle by the handle. More importantly, it acts as a sight tower to hold the rear sight. This feature is largely absent on modern M16s and AR-15s and has been replaced by a Picatinny rail in most cases.

The carry handle was present on its predecessors to house the rear sight and protect the charging handle. On the M16A1, the rear sight is only adjustable for windage and can be adjusted by means of either a sight tool or a 5.56 NATO cartridge to hold down the detent and turn the wheel in whichever direction it is needed. Elevation adjustments are performed by raising or lowering the rifle’s front sight post.

For more accurate shooting, there is a groove in the top of the carry handle as well as a hole. This was intended for the ability to mount an optic, provided by Colt. The fixed power 3×20 telescopic sight included a bullet drop compensator, allowing the shooter to adjust between 100 and 500 yards. Other sights were available in later years, including the Trijicon ACOG and the ANPVS-4 night vision scope.

The rifle’s rear sight is a dual aperture flip-up sight shaped like the letter “L.” One is used for short-range out to 250 yards, and the other allows the shooter to range to 400 yards.

Lessons Learned

In order to eliminate issues with corrosion in the humid jungle environment of Vietnam and extraction of the spent cases, the bore and chamber of the M16 were lined with chrome. Additionally, a proper cleaning kit was issued with the rifle and a list of authorized cleaning agents and lubricants.

To its credit, the U.S. Military began intensive training programs for all troops. It went as far as to publish a cleaning and instruction manual in the form of a comic book, generously using illustrations in a storyboard format to educate the troops. Later versions of the rifle incorporated a compartment in the butt stock to store the cleaning kit. A raised section was incorporated around the magazine release, sometimes referred to as the “fence.” This was to prevent troops from accidentally hitting the magazine release while handling the rifle.

Lastly, the flash suppressor was replaced by a bird cage design that strengthened it, prevented it from catching on things, and decreased muzzle rise by acting in a sense like a compensator or a muzzle brake. These measures resolved issues with reliability, and the M16A1 emerged, leading to widespread acceptance by troops across all military branches. In 1969, the A1 officially replaced the M14 rifle as our nation’s standard service rifle, and in the following year, Olin introduced a cleaner burning propellant with its WC 844 powder.

Yet, the initial reports from troops in the field during the War’s early days continued to plague the entire M16/AR-15 platform. Although these issues largely disappeared with the introduction and adoption of the M16A1, the rumor mill continued to churn out misinformation about the rifle’s abilities that lasted into the 21st Century.

Despite these rumors, the M16A1 and its variants were manufactured by Colt, Harrington & Richardson, and GM’s Hydramatic Division until 1982.

Although superseded by the later M16A2 by the early 1990s, the M16A1 continued to see service by Reserve, National Guard Troops, and Law Enforcement Agencies well into the 2000s. For as many updates as the A2 and even later models received, a lot of troops preferred not only the simplicity of the M16A1 but the full auto mode over the restricted “3-round burst” mode and, of course, the smoother and crisper trigger of the A1 over the A2.

In many ways, it paralleled the idea of a classic car being phased out for more modern automobiles. It not only could be called the muscle car of the AR-15/M16 platform, it should be.

Or at least one of the muscle cars!

Military Grade – This Is What’s Issued

The phrase “military grade” is often used as a marketing term, but in reality, it’s a thing. A description, really, of items made to an exact set of specifications. Gun, knife, life-jacket, or insect repellent; they can all be military grade. The items might be great or they might be crap, and typically the lowest bidder gets the contract. That doesn’t always mean cheap, though. Hell, have you seen how much the military pays for toilet seats?

Note that military grade is not the same as military issue.

For the purposes of this article, we’ll be talking about “military grade” firearms that are commercially available to the private citizen. These weapons, while issued to military personnel in various duty assignments, differ only slightly (if at all) to their “civilian” counterparts.

Let’s dive into the world of the military-grade guns you can own. Yes, you, the average joe, as long as you aren’t a felon and live in a free state. Of course, with many things, a lot of the fun of these guns has been removed. Sadly the NFA and later Hughes Amendment make owning guns with giggle switches somewhat difficult, so you’ll have to excuse the lack of such features.

So without further ado…

Military Grade Firearms You Can Own

Mossberg 590A1

Mossberg designed the 590A1 to meet the military’s requirements for a pump-action shotgun. This includes a heavy, thick-walled barrel, a bayonet lug, a metal trigger group, and an action reliable enough to eat 3,000 rounds of buckshot without issue. Mossberg has long made the 590A1 available to the average joe and in numerous configurations. This mighty mean shotgun is an excellent home defense and fighting shotgun and is one of the few guns on the list that’s legal in all 50 states.

Benelli M4

The Benelli M4, or M1014 Joint Service Shotgun, is what happens when you send the Marines to find you a shotgun. They did just that, and the Benelli name became synonymous with tactical shotguns. You can go two ways with this gun. Purchase the M1014 clone from Benelli with its fixed faux collapsing stock and five round tube. Or go my route, buy a Benelli M4, buy the proper collapsing stock, and get 922R parts from Freedom Fighter Tactical. The latter is the best way to get as close as possible to a military grade M1014.

SIG M17/18 Series

SIG won the MHS contest and almost immediately made the M17 and M18 series available to the civilian market. These are almost 1 for 1 clones of the military’s pistol, and the big difference is the controls are black instead of FDE. A quick visit to the cerakote shop will fix that. The M17 is the full-sized SIG, and the M18 is essentially the ‘Carry’ model. SIG’s military grade handguns are optics ready, fitted with a manual safety, and all you need is a Safariland holster to complete the package.

Beretta M9

Yeah, it might be sour grapes that Beretta has lost their dominant spot on the military’s sidearm list, but the M9 will stick around for a few years. It takes time, often lots of it, to equip the entire military with a new handgun. Until then, the classic Beretta M9 and M9A1 will continue to serve. The M9 is a 9mm, DA/SA pistol with an all-metal frame and is the military-grade version of the 92FS. Beretta makes the M9 and M9A1 configurations available to shooters so you can have a perfect clone of the classic Italian stallion.

The M40 Series

When the Marine Corps needed a new rifle system, they turned to the Remington 700 series of bolt action rifles and have seemingly never looked back. You can buy the base level Remington 700 in .308 Winchester and turn it into any of the M40 variations or go directly to the source. A little company called GA Precision produces the M40A5 as a plug-and-play Marine Corps and military grade sniper rifle. The half MOA guarantee might make you feel a bit better about the 5k price tag!

FN Military Collector Series

I’m combining two for one in this entry. FN produces the Military Collector series to replicate the M16 and M4 almost perfectly, minus the giggle stick. This includes the quad rail, UID sticker, and the classic aluminum magazines. Sure the M4 has a 16-inch barrel instead of the 14.5 the actual M4 wears, buts it’s close enough for collectors who don’t want a stamp. FN makes solid rifles and has been the trusted provider of M16s to the military since 1988.

FN M249

Sticking on the FN train, I have to give them major props for having the balls to release the M249 PARA in semi-auto, closed bolt form. This famous light machine gun has been the squad support weapon since 1984, and out of the blue, FN decided to release a semi-auto belt-fed model a few years back. That’s evolved into the Para model that’s available today. Be prepared to fork over close to 10K if you want your own NFA-free M249. At the end of the day, the civilian M249 is a big, heavy, and expensive rifle, but holy crap, I still want one.

Ohio Ordnance Works M240 SLR

Since we are talking about belt-fed, semi-auto, somewhat nonsensical rifles, I can’t forget to mention the Ohio Ordnance Works M240 SLR. Yep, a full-powered, belt-fed M240 clone in semi-auto, closed bolt form. It’s a thing of beauty, and they replicate the look and feel of the classic M240 well. For a little over 14K, you get the gun, 2,500 links, a custom hard fit case, and almost two dozen accessories. It’s silly to have a nearly 30-pound .308 semi-auto rifle, but you can’t deny it’s not stylish. A semi-auto format might not be exactly military grade, but I give it up to Ohio Ordannce Works for making such a beautiful piece of machinery.

SIG Spear in .277 Fury

SIG recently won the NGSW contest with their entry of the SIG MCX Spear in their new 6.8x51mm round. Coming off that win, they released the SIG Spear in .277 Fury for the civilian market. SIG’s short store gas piston gun features a 13-inch barrel, so it’s an SBR. The first run is a special edition run complete with a suppressor, so it’s a two-stamp setup. This gun is as close as we can get to the new XM5, and it costs a pretty penny to do so. Hopefully, Vortex makes the coordinating optic so we can get the full NGSW experience. As of right now, it’s the latest in military grade rifles.

SIG Rattler

Yep another SIG. I know, I know, they’ve kind of dominated the list. SIG has been getting contract after contract, and the latest isn’t the NGSW but the Rattler. SOCOM wasn’t a personal defense weapon, and SIG’s Rattler fit the bill. The Rattler is a pocket-sized military grade rifle in 300 Blackout and 5.56. Socom apparently purchased quantities of both calibers. It should be noted the SIG Low Visibility Assault Weapon, or LVAW is a variant of MCX very similar to this layout made for Delta Force. SIG sells the Rattler as both an SBR and large format, braced pistol.

B&T APC9K

Last but not least, the B&T APC9K is the first SMG adopted by the United States Army since the Grease Gun. The subcompact weapon contest came out with B&T on top and the little APC9K being the gun to beat. B&T happily made a limited series of SCW clones, as well as releasing the APC9K. I love the APC9K, and it’s my favorite little subgun. It’s certainly high priced, but man, the Swiss sure know how to build a gun, plus they aren’t shy to sell them to you or me, and I can greatly appreciate that.

Military Grade Misses

I provided 11 guns you can purchase today that are in use by the United States military. They aren’t perfect replicas but fall within the lines of what’s legal for the average joe to own. I know I had to miss some, so I’m turning it over to the comments section to help out.

Do guns like the Mk23 and M11-A1 deserve to be on the list? Let us know!

About the Author

Travis Pike is a former Marine Machine Gunner, a lifelong firearms enthusiast, and now a regular guy who likes to shoot, write, and find ways to combine the two. He holds an NRA certification as a Basic Pistol Instructor. is the world’s Okayest firearm instructor, and a simplicisist when it comes to talking about himself in the 3rd person. Hit him up on Instagram, @travis.l.pike, with story ideas.

The Maxim name is well-known in American and European firearms circles. Sir Hiram Maxim and his son, Hiram Percy Maxim, are gun industry giants, though neither initially set out to advance firearm technology. Rather, both men were talented inventors who applied their skills and interests to specific firearms-related endeavors.

It just happened that each of those endeavors became their creators’ most famous and influential inventions.

Hiram Maxim the Inventor

Hiram Stevens Maxim was born to a French Huguenot family in 1840. A native of Sangerville, Maine, Maxim became an apprentice coach builder at age 14. At 24, he moved to Fitchburg, Massachusetts to work at his uncle’s machine company. He later worked as an instrument maker and a draftsman. A natural tinkerer, Maxim was reportedly often disappointed by his employees’ lack of ability and industry later in life.

Maxim’s first notable invention was a menthol inhaler for bronchitis patients. He suffered from chronic bronchitis himself and was disappointed when critics called the inhaler “quackery.” Maxim also created the “Pipe of Peace,” a larger steam inhaler that used pine vapor. He claimed it could relieve asthma, hay fever, tinnitus, and catarrh, which is an inflammation of the membranes in the throat or sinuses.

Maxim lamented his critics, saying, “It will be seen that it is a very creditable thing to invent a killing machine, and nothing less than a disgrace to invent an apparatus to prevent human suffering.” Prophetic words, given the invention for which Maxim is best remembered.

Maxim also invented a curling iron, a watch demagnetizer, stabilizing devices for ships, riveting machines, coffee substitutes, and engines running on steam, oil, and gasoline. Maxim also designed the first automatic sprinkler system to fight building fires. He never produced it, but others did when the patent expired.

Maxim designed and installed electric lights for New York City’s Equitable Life Building in 1878, making it the city’s first office building to be so equipped. Maxim also claimed to have invented the incandescent light bulb, accusing Thomas Edison of stealing his idea by manipulating patent law.

Hiram Maxim the Gun Maker

Maxim’s most famous, and influential, invention was the Maxim Machine Gun. The inventor said he turned to firearms after an 1882 visit to Vienna, Austria. An unnamed American with whom he was acquainted gave Maxim some advice: “Hang your chemistry and electricity! If you want to make a pile of money, invent something that will enable these Europeans to cut each other’s throats with greater facility.”

Maxim was in Vienna representing the United States Electric Lighting Company, whose London offices he took over in 1881. He stayed in Great Britain and became a naturalized British citizen in 1899. Maxim remembered being knocked down by a rifle’s recoil when he was young, and his thoughts turned to harnessing that energy to operate a firearm.

Between 1883 and 1885, Maxim patented gas, recoil, and blowback firearms. He tested his guns in his garden (that’s what Brits call yards). He thoughtfully placed newspaper announcements warning his neighbors of his tests and suggesting they open their windows to avoid unintentional broken glass. Maxim seems not to have given much thought to hearing protection, as he became mostly deaf later in life from testing his gun designs.

Maxim’s progress drew the attention of British industrialist Edward Vickers. Vickers provided funding, and Maxim went into the firearms business. He merged his company with Swedish gun maker Nordenfelt in 1888, establishing the Maxim Nordenfelt Guns and Ammunition Co. Ltd.  The British Army adopted the Maxim Gun in 1889, followed closely by Germany, Russia, Austria, and Italy.

Vickers bought Maxim’s company in 1897, forming Vickers, Son, & Maxim. The company introduced the Vickers machine gun, an improved Maxim gun, in 1911. The Vickers gun served British and Commonwealth forces through both World Wars, and into the 1960s. Other Maxim variants served on both sides of the world wars, and are still in use today, most recently in Ukraine, along with many Vickers guns. The Maxim family of machine guns is among the most reliable firearms ever built. Maxim resigned from Vickers, Son, & Maxim in 1911, on his 71^st birthday.

Maxim also designed and built the QF 1-Pounder, a 37mm autocannon based on the Maxim machine gun. The gun was known as the “Pom Pom” thanks to its distinctive sound. Maxim patented the gun in the 1880s, and it saw action with British, South African, German, Finnish, and American forces as a light naval and infantry support gun in the Spanish-American War. It reprised that role, while adding antiaircraft responsibilities, in both world wars and the 1939-40 Winter War. It was also used by several South American nations. The 1-pounder Mark 6 version became the US Navy’s first dedicated antiaircraft gun in 1916.

Hiram Maxim the Aeronautical Engineer

Maxim inherited a lifelong interest in powered flight from his father. The senior Maxim had sketched out a helicopter with two counter-rotating rotors. But engine technology was still comparatively primitive, and he couldn’t power it. Hiram Maxim also conceived a helicopter in 1872, but never followed through. He began his first powered flying machine in 1889. Maxim tested airfoil and propellor designs in a wind tunnel and a self-built “whirling arm” test rig. He later developed that test rig into an amusement park ride that is still running today and provided the basis for many modern rides.

Maxim’s test craft was 40 feet long with five wings. The wingspan was 110 feet and the craft weighed 3.5 tons. He powered it with two naphtha-fired 360-horsepower steam engines. Two 17-foot laminated wood propellors provided thrust. Maxim ran the machine along an 1,800-foot section of railroad track he laid at his home. He attached four wheeled outriggers running on an exterior wooden track to keep the craft from lifting more than a few feet during the 1894 trials. The craft did indeed lift off, engaging all the outriggers, but it pulled up their wooden track, forcing Maxim to shut it down.

Maxim never developed his flying machine further, concluding it needed a better power-to-weight ratio to operate properly. It seems he might have beaten the Wright brothers to actual powered flight had he pursued his work.

After leaving Vickers, Maxim started the Grahame-White, Blériot, and Maxim Company to produce scouting and bomber aircraft for the nascent Royal Flying Service. But ill-health forced his retirement before the company could be developed.

Sir Hiram Maxim

Maxim was granted 122 United States patents and 149 British patents. The Maxim gun remains his signature invention, but others were also significant, especially if the light bulb story is true.

Queen Victoria knighted Maxim in 1901 for his contributions to science, though she died before his investiture. Maxim received his knighthood from his “friend and new king, Edward VII.” He was also a Chevalier of the French Legion of Honor, a Fellow of the Royal Institution, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Maxim worked as long as he was able, only retiring as his health failed. He passed away on November 24, 1916, at age 76. Maxim is buried in London’s West Norwood Cemetery, along with his wife, Sarah and his grandson, Lt. Colonel Maxim Joubert.

Hiram Percy Maxim

Genius begets genius, and Hiram Percy Maxim was very much like his father. He earned a mechanical engineering degree from MIT at age 17. It was a two-year program at the time, but it’s still impressive. He shared his father’s interest in electricity and worked for electric utility companies in Boston after graduating.

Maxim was soon interested in automobiles, and by 1892 was building his own internal combustion engine. Many early cars were driven by electricity, but Maxim believed gasoline powered engines were the future. He said he was “staggered at the amount of time required to build one small engine.” But he was also intrigued.

Still, his final product left much to be desired. The engine, he wrote, “shook and trembled and rattled and clattered, spat oil, fire, smoke, and smell, and to a person who disliked machinery naturally, and who had been brought up to the elegance and perfection of fine horse carriages, it was revolting.” It seems odd that a mechanical engineer and inventor would dislike machinery.

1895 saw Maxim hired by the Pope Manufacturing Company’s Motor Vehicle Division. He immediately involved himself in auto racing, serving as an umpire in that year’s Chicago Times-Herald race and riding in the Morris and Salom Electrobat II.

Four years later, Maxim drove the winning car, a Pope Columbia, in the first American closed circuit auto race. The Pope Columbia became the Columbia Gasoline Carriage. With Hiram Percy Maxim’s latest internal combustion engine under the hood, the car was among the world’s first gasoline powered production automobiles.

Maxim the Acoustical Engineer

Maxim’s dislike of loud automobile engines led to his interest in muffling their sound. Source material indicates that Maxim immediately grasped how his ideas for car mufflers could be applied to firearms, and the technology was developed simultaneously.

Despite his love of automobiles, Maxim’s primary focus between 1902 and 1910 or so was a firearm sound muffler, which he patented in 1909 as the “Maxim Silencer.”

Maxim claimed the idea came when observed his bath water swirling into the drain. He wondered whether gases generated by a fired cartridge could be slowed down by forcing them through vortices as they escaped the firearm’s muzzle.

The new product was marketed nationally by the Maxim Silent Firearms Company, claiming that the Silencer “absolutely annuls all of the noise of the report.” It also reduced recoil by two-thirds.

Sonic booms and the sound barrier were yet unknown, but Maxim understood that atmospheric conditions also affected a firearm’s noise level. “The only noise the Silencer does not control is the noise made out in the air beyond the gun by a high velocity bullet in its flight.” Maxim explained that the sound results from the same phenomenon that makes a whip crack. “This noise cannot be avoided when the bullet velocity is high no matter how quiet we make the gun.” Maxim clearly knew about where the speed of sound was in feet per second (1,125), since his company offered 1,100 fps ammo, which he advertised as having “strictly noiseless bullet flight.”

The Maxim Silencer was a big hit, with many considering it rude to use an unsilenced firearm. Maxim’s company was very successful until ignorant politicians, egged on by the police and Justice Department, included suppressors in the 1934 National Firearms Act.

Maxim himself soon returned to automobiles, applying similar technology to make engines quieter. Those principles were also used for air compressors, air conditioning units, and other machines. Modern muffling techniques are built on Maxim’s pioneering work.

Maxim’s Other Interests

Hiram Percy Maxim shared his father’s enthusiasm for aviation, and owned one of New England’s first aircraft, a glider. Maxim promoted the advantages of reliable air mail service and was the longtime chairman of the Hartford, Connecticut Aviation Commission. He was responsible, in that role, for establishing Brainard Field, Hartford’s first municipal airport.

But Maxim’s greatest love may have been radio, which he discovered in 1909. He quickly learned radiotelegraphic code, and he and his son, Hiram Hamilton Maxim, built one of Hartford’s first radiotelegraph stations. It featured a powerful rotary spark-gap transmitter with “enormous antennas.” Maxim called his rig “Old Betsy.”

Maxim wanted to extend his communications range, so he and the Radio Club of Hartford created the American Radio Relay League in 1914. The League organized amateur radio operators across the country to relay messages across the American continent. Maxim was the League’s first president.

The organization still exists today and is the national membership organization for amateur radio operators. The League’s headquarters radio station is called the Hiram Percy Maxim Memorial Station, with its call sign, W1AW, being Maxims last licensed call letters. “Old Betsy” is displayed at League headquarters.

The Remarkable Hiram Maxim

Hiram Percy Maxim died unexpectedly on February 17, 1936, at age 66. Returning home from a visit to the Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, he fell ill as his train passed through Colorado. He was taken to the hospital in La Junta, and died the next day from a throat infection. He rests in Hagerstown, Maryland’s Rose Hill Cemetery, in his wife’s family’s plot. His wife, Joesphine Hamilton Maxim, later joined him there.

Sir Hiram Maxim and Hiram Percy Maxim are both best known for their work in firearms technology. Though quite different from one another, each invention was based on harnessing the gas released by a fired cartridge. The Maxim Gun used the gas to cycle its action, allowing for sustained automatic fire. The Maxim Silencer tamed the gas to reduce noise and recoil, creating a more pleasant shooting experience.

But the Maxims were far more than firearms engineers. They were true inventors, each with a wide range of interests that often influenced one another. They grasped concepts and principles, following them to their practical applications. Critics have intimated that Sir Hiram Maxim bears some responsibility for the destruction dealt out by his Maxim gun. But realistically, if Maxim hadn’t invented his machine gun, someone else would have. And Maxim neither set British colonial policy nor drive the nations to war in 1914.

Rather, society benefits from talented people with diverse interests coupled with insatiable curiosity and drive. Sir Hiram Maxim and Hiram Percy Maxim were among the rare individuals with all those characteristics. Both men deserve to be remembered for more than the machine gun and the silencer. They were true giants of the industrial age.

As a woman who works in the firearms industry, I’m often asked “what’s the best AR-15 for women?” What the question usually implies is what’s the best AR-15 for someone small in stature. And it isn’t just women, really. Sometimes men are small. And sometimes both men and women are small (mentally speaking). Remember when a verklempt CNN reporter went to the range to do some reporting on the AR-15, and cried after pulling the trigger? Pepperidge Farm remembers. It was all too much for him, what with the loud noise and unbearable recoil. Rumor has it he still has bruises from the horrible kick. 

In all seriousness, the almost pantomime play acting of this journalism and countless Hollywood renderings have those who don’t know any better believing that the AR platform is all but unmanageable by anyone who hasn’t trained as a Navy Seal. This is bogus, at best; the AR-15 is ideally suited for new shooters, and both women and men of small stature.

Let’s assume you’re relatively new to guns

Narrowing down an ideal platform–like handguns or rifles–depends on numerous variables like your skill-set and physical size. And it is much more than simply painting a gun pink, or Tiffany blue, or some hideous shade of purple.

For those new to guns, or with limited experience, going to a gun store can be daunting–there’s so much to choose from and counter staff can be intimidating and pushy. And this experience is often worse for women for all the reasons you’d expect. 

Armed self defense shouldn’t be gendered. Some women carry handguns. And some, like this Florida woman who used an AR-15 to protect her husband and daughter from from violent intruders, are capable with long guns. Here’s the story, as related by her husband.

“Them guys came in with two normal pistols and my AR stopped it. [My wife] evened the playing field and kept them from killing me,” King said.

Hats off to this woman who stepped up to protect her family. This story exemplifies the need for legal firearm ownership for home defense.

But at a closer look, the story tells us something about the firearm itself. Even though there is plenty of political backlash against the ‘scary-looking’ AR-15 Modern Sporting Rifle (MSR), it remains one of the most popular rifles on the civilian firearms market for recreation, competition, hunting, and–as in this case–home defense. Relatively affordable and available, AR-15’s are known to be effective, yet manageable firearms for people of all statures. As such, they are particularly beneficial as home-defense weapons for women.

So…. What’s the best AR-15 for Women?

This answer depends on how you define a woman. If we’re drawing on stereotypes, we would assume a woman to be lighter and possibly shorter than the stereotypical male. Her shoulders may not be as wide or as physically strong. Her hands may be smaller and her grip strength less substantial. Still a well-built AR-15 can weigh a comfortable 6 pounds, naked, and the inherent modularity of a carbine-style build would suggest that this is an ideal gun for anyone who might be described as “small.”

Shotguns, lever actions, bolt actions, pistols, revolvers…. The AR is one of, if not the single most adaptable rifle platform available. If you’re 6’6″ and weigh 300 pounds, the AR is almost too compact–tall men (and women who are 6’6″) have trouble getting the length-of-pull needed on ARs. If you’re 4’10” and barely break triple digits, though, the AR fit you, perfectly.

Women, like the rifle’s we’re here to talk about, are adaptable.

With training and practice they can, and do, learn to operate all kinds of firearms. But who doesn’t appreciate owning and operating a firearm that fits their own physical dimensions? Some women have short arms and smaller hands. Because of that, there are several AR-15 features that women shooters can benefit from.

I’d contend that there’s no one-best-option (if you were looking for a make and model of rifle) but rather a style of AR-15 rifle itself that is the best option for the reasons that follow. It just happens to be the most common AR set up made.

Lightweight and Easy to Maneuver

AR-15’s are relatively lightweight (8 pounds  +/- in the most common configurations). This makes them easy to maneuver, and that has positive effects on accuracy, speed, and safety. Since they are shorter than most standard hunting rifles (their barrels are often 16.5″), they are easier to store, move, and use around corners and obstacles inside the home.

The gun can be operated one handed, which speaks to it’s ease of operation. This is a specific benefit to physically impaired individuals. Gun owner and writer Mary Chastain explains it this way:

“You can use it with one hand, which helps me,” she said. “My entire left side is handicapped, caused by brain trauma at birth. There are many guns I cannot use. The AR is perfect because I can use the functions with only my right hand. The lightness of the gun makes it easy for my handicapped left arm and hand to hold it.” 

Understanding the AR-15’s Recoil

The AR-15 chambered in 5.56 has a really mild recoil. Compared to other rifles and most shotguns, women and other people of smaller stature can operate it with more confidence. This assists with target acquisition, and makes it possible to make quick follow-up shots if needed. The “kick,” despite what some reporters want you to believe, is almost non-existent. Talking about this is hard, though–it is best to try it out.

Shooting a 5.56 AR (or a .223–virtually the same round with a different name) is easy on the shoulder. There’s little kick, so you won’t fatigue easily and you won’t bruise like you might with a heavier shotgun. This means you can practice more, and that’s a must. Having a gun means nothing if you aren’t capable of shooting it. It would be like having a car, but not knowing how to drive. What’s the point?

And both .223 and 5.56 are readily available. Check out online retailers like AmmoToGo. You’ll want to keep a healthy amount on hand, and keep enough to shoot, too.

Adjustable Length of Pull (LOP)

AR-15s are highly customizable. There are many accessory options nowadays for AR-15s, but the easiest to adapt and change out is the furniture (the stock, grip, and handguard). Most stocks are easily adjustable, allowing for a customizable length of pull. This is what allows you to get your eyes in just the right place behind the iron sights (or behind a red dot or scope).

A firearm that is too large for the the shooter to manage can be dangerous. If we fall back on the stereotypes, women have shorter arms then men, which means they’re more likely to need a shorter LOP. Women who desire a personal home-defense gun that is tailored to fit their stature can do so with an adjustable stock, ensuring that the trigger is at the optimal position for their needs.

The Pistol Grip 

AR-15’s are designed with a pistol grip. As this is where your shooting hand lives, it has to be comfortable. While most pistol grips aim for an average hand size, there are fatter grips and slimmed down versions, too–and they are super easy to swap out.

The finer customizable details

There are many accessory options nowadays for AR-15 owners. Beyond adjusting the LOP, owners can upgrade the trigger, find a more ergonomic hand-guard, change barrel length…. Thanks to accessory rails, users can also choose from the wide assortment of weapon lights and opticwhat’s the best ARs that are available.

AR-15 for Women’s Home Defense

Each of these features make it clear that the AR-15 deserves some respect as a home-defense firearm that is especially useful for women. It’s lightweight, adjustable, and can be customized to fit individual women’s needs.

FAFO. It’s a term that has gone from relative obscurity to mainstream, and (given the conversational FAFO meaning) for good reason. Why? Because FAFO is one of the best acronyms ever to see widespread use. But what does FAFO mean?

It’s a phrase that eloquently expresses the idea of just desserts, or even Playing stupid games and winning stupid prizes, but with the wonderful addition of implied violence or physical harm.

FAFO literally means “Fuck Around And Find Out.” It’s succinct, direct, and recognizable. Damn near any reasonable person can identify a FAFO moment when they witness one.

But wait, there’s more.

FAFO MEANING

We’ve already answered the question, “What does FAFO mean?” but we haven’t really explained its significance. There’s so much more to FAFO than the acronym and the words those letters stand for. It’s an expression that can contain any mix of condemnation, humor, threat, or instruction.

See, the world is increasingly full of unnecessarily belligerent or adversarial people who just aren’t savvy enough to justify their attitudes. This might be the result of overconfidence, hubris, a (false) sense of security provided by the anonymity of a keyboard + user name, or even just the ill-advised certainty that our current beta male, violence-averse, conflict-reluctant social construct will render assholes safe from the consequences of their actions.

Sometimes, it’s just an oh-so gratifying convergence of entitlement and/or stupidity, the laws of probability and physics, or someone willing to provide a physical chastisement for inappropriate behavior (i.e., whipping someone’s ass).

And the best part is, it’s unapologetic.

Is it a colloquialism? An aphorism?

FAFO Meaning: Its Public Uses

Interestingly, the phrase has made its way from TikTok and other social media platforms to political circles. We hear it not just in TV shows but in news reports during the demagoguery of lawmakers and public officials, and of course in various diatribes by celebrities and influencers.  Elon Musk directed a FAFO tweet at Kanye West when he booted the unpredictable clown-shoe hip-hop artist from the X platform. President Trump engineered a FAFO moment with Columbia’s president over illegal immigrant deportations just days after he took office – and then tweeted about it.

Now, uses such as these aren’t usually as entertaining as the public ones that result in lessons learned (q.v.), but no matter how you parse it, FAFO is a justly popular phrase.

How popular, you ask? Glad you asked. The Washington Post called it the “Word of the Year” back in 2022. Recent events (including the 2024 election and subsequent Trump administration actions) have made it more popular than ever, and it has definitely secured a place in military vernacular (with the same contextual FAFO meaning but additional profanity and some good old-fashioned dark humor.

We’ve even seen debates between what some are calling traditional parenting vs “FAFO parenting,” which might not entirely be a bad thing as long as we don’t go full Spartan-baby-over-the-cliff with it.

What is FAFO? A Song Helps Explain

There’s even a country~ish rap song about it. This is Bryan Martin with Charlie Farley, OG Caden, and Austin Tolliver. It’s an interesting take on FAFO, with a pretty specific Second Amendment focused FAFO meaning.

FAFO Lyrics

I love my country, love my freedom
Fuck a welfare, no, I don’t need ’em
Shotgun raised from the woods to the plate
Ain’t never went hungry, ain’t ever too late
To come around here son, running your mouth
You can fuck around and find out
You can fuck around and find out

You may make it through the snakes, snares and alligators
But once you get to the gate, you can’t depend on your waders
‘Cause you’ll be over your tater, I’m talking growing tomaters (yeah)
Feeding the worms I’ll fish with later
I’ll have a fish stick plate over a six-foot grave
Before I take a knee as our anthem plays (stand up)
My hand’s on my heart, I stand on what I say (what I say)
And my Second Amendment handles what I can’t
I ain’t tryna be Billy Badass or talk shit (nope)
I’m just saying, there’s the line, don’t cross it

I got a Red Ryder gun when I was three
So I don’t run or hide from anything
Bitch, I’m a red, white and blue-collar boy from the south (from the south)
Hey, you can fuck around and find out

I love my country, I love my freedom
Fuck a welfare, no, I don’t need ’em
Shotgun raised from the woods to the plate
Ain’t never went hungry, ain’t ever too late
To come around here son, running your mouth
You can fuck around and find out (OG, here you go)
You can fuck around and find out

If they looking for me, well, they know where to find me
I’ll be half drunk, strapped up in a white tee
I can show you if it’s needed, when you see it, you’ll believe it
If you don’t love it you can leave it, Michael Jackson, you can Beat It
FAFO, I teach you how this game go
Different joint, same smoke, wake up, wear the same clothes
Real redneck, I’m a piece of white trash
Blue collar boy but my lady’s high class
Got my music way up loud with a cigar in my mouth
Fuck around and come find out, how we do it in the south (come on)

Ain’t saying nothing but you’re running that mouth
I never take a handout, I’m too damn proud
I’m a son of the dirty south
Where the trucks sit high and these straight pipes loud
This land, a land of freedom
Double barrels in case we need ’em
Man up or sit your ass down
We done talking, fuck around and find out

I love my country, I love my freedom
Fuck a welfare, no, I don’t need ’em
Shotgun raised from the woods to the plate
Ain’t never went hungry, ain’t ever too late
To come around here son, running your mouth
You can fuck around and find out
You can fuck around and find out