The best rifle in the Corps

By: David Carriker

I’ve long known of the eternal discussion of the Springfield, M-1, M-14 and finally the M-16. Depending on the age of the Marine, each of these rifles has its supporters. I qualified Expert on the M-1, M-14, and the early M-16.

I personally lean toward the M-14 over the M-1 because of the increased capacity for rounds. The M-14 was a very robust design that was fairly easy to maintain.

And finally, it was the end of an era in the Corps when extreme accuracy was the goal. You could easily hit a man sized target at 500 yards. Try that with an M-16.

For the last 40 years or so, the concept of battle was no longer accuracy but rather volume of fire. This was the intended use of the M-16. As a very old Marine I find this deplorable.

The old phrase “one shot, one kill” was not originally used by snipers. In my day, every Marine believed in that motto and we all strove to emulate. Today’s Marines and soldiers are taught to blow the crap out of anything that moves.

Which is better? We’ll never agree!