M-16

plural M-16s · alternative M16

1. USA lightweight assault rifle, originating from the Vietnam War period.

   Not long after it started selling M-16s to the military, Colt began marketing the semi-automatic AR-15 to civilians.

   2017 December 14, David Heath, Elise Hansen and AJ Willingham, CNN Design: Joyce Tseng, “How an ‘ugly,’ unwanted weapon became the most popular rifle in America”, in CNN

   1 more example

   The legislation specifically bans several AR-15 style weapons by name. The weapons — semi-automatic variants of the M-4 and M-16 type weapons issued to US troops — have been used in a plethora of shootings in the past few years, including the October 27 attack on the Tree of Life synagogue.

   2018 December 17, Evan Simko-Bednarski and Taylor Romine, “Pittsburgh City Council to consider ban on assault weapons, bump stocks”, in CNN

   Synonyms: AR-15, AR