always amazes me the shear number of variations to the stock M-16 platform

Originally Posted by Infern0

always amazes me the shear number of variations to the stock M-16 platform

That is why when the Department of Defense always tries to get a rifle to replace the AR-15 platform (I can never call it an M16, that's not what Eugene Stoner made it) they can never find something that can be changed and modified with little to nothing in terms on labor and parts. The AR-15 is chambered in more calibers than I can think of...

Here is just a few.
.204 Ruger
.243 Winchester
.223 Remington
.22 Long Rifle
.223 WSSM
.243 WSSM
6x45mm
6.5 Grendel
6.8 SPC
.300 Whisper
7.62x39mm
5.45x39mm
9x19mm
.40 S&W
.45 ACP
10mm Auto
5.7x28mm
.45 Bushmaster
.458 SOCOM
.50 AE
.50 Beowulf
.50 BMG
.260 Remington
.300 Rem SAUM
.308 Winchester
7.62x51mm NATO

That's just the calibers. That's not counting the different setups. Carbines, Dissipators, Pistols, Rifle, Bush Rifle, DM Rifle, Sniper Rifle, 3-Gun Comp, etc.... All of the variations are there because of civilian involvement in the rifle. Not the military.... just about everything that the military has done to that rifle was brought about because of civilians designing things for the platform and then having Gun Owners that happen to be soldiers bring those items on deployments and having them become popular in the military circle.

The AR-15 is the number one selling rifle in America. There are more manufactors of the AR-15 rifle then any other design expect the 1911 Series Pistol. More companies make AR-15s then AK Series rifle... That's alot of companies. Companies that have always said that they will never make AR-15s are now making them because of the demand.

Smith & Wesson and Remington are two big names that just jumped into the AR-15 market. Remington, the maker of the number one selling shotgun and bolt action rifle for hunting. the company that said that they will never make "assault rifles" just announced that they will be making AR-15s.

Awesome photos.

In pictures I can see mostly to be individual training like shooting or some squad/section-level small unit training (patrolling, ambushes, surviving in the field).

Does militia train also larger-scale actions involving units of platoon of company level?

I'm sure some of the larger and more organized militia groups have FTX's that incorporate up to company level operations, but even that requires a lot of planning and logistics to run well.

These small unit and individual drills are relatively simple to set up and execute with a minimal amount of supplies (personal gear, weapon, ammo) as opposed to a company level exercise which requires things like commo equipment, vehicles, fuel, first aid readiness/planning, space in which to operate without disturbing the sheeple, and one important aspect, good leadership who know what they're doing. Just getting to the point where you can execute the plan (in a timely manner) is a test of good leadership, because these things have to be planned waaaaay in advance to get anything out of the training.