the 5.56 x 45mm 1957 - 1962 - a chronology of development - by daniel watters

8/13/2019 The 5.56 x 45mm 1957 - 1962 - A Chronology of Development - By Daniel Watters

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The Gunperson's Authoritative Internet Information Resource.

Part Two...

The 5.56 X 45mm: 1957-1962

A Chronology of Development by Daniel Watters

1957...

January : The ORO publishes " SALVO Rifle Experiment:Preliminary Results ."

The BRL reprints " The Theory Of The Motion Of A Bullet About Its Center Of Gravity In Dense Media, With Applications ToBullet Design ."

CONARC Board No. 3 is officially renamed the Infantry Board.

February : Fairchild/ArmaLite officials receive their first officialbriefing on the 1956 SALVO trails.

March : CONARC HQ sends a letter to the Infantry Board titled"Study of Military Characteristics for a Rifle of High Velocityand Small Caliber ."

The BRL's Donald L. Hall and Billy S. Campbell publish " UponSelecting an Optimum Rifle Round ." The study indicates that aprojectile which tends to yaw soon after target impact also tends toresult in greater kill probabilities. As a conclusion to this study, it isshown that a .22 caliber projectile weighing 50 grains could be madeto result in good wound ballistic performance if the transversemoment of inertia is sufficiently low to encourage yawingimmediately after impact. This results in the recommendation of a.22 caliber, 50 grain lead core projectile.

AAI files " Final Report - Small Arms Cartridge " concerning itsflchette development efforts. The report claims that a high velocity10 grain flchette is equally lethal as the .30 M2 rifle bullet out to600 yards. Yet in terms of cartridge weight, five rounds of thesaboted flchette cartridge could be fired for each individual .30'06cartridge. However, even at this early date, the issues of cartridgecost and individual accuracy are noted as potential problems.

Fairchild President Richard Boutelle goes on an African safari with USAir Force Strategic Air Command (SAC) commander General Curtis

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5.56mm 'Prologue'

5.56mm 1957-1962

5.56mm 1963-1964

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5.56mm 1968-1969

5.56mm 1970-1973

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5.56mm 1980-1985

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5.56mm 2000-2001

5.56mm 2002-2003

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5.56mm FAQ - v1.14

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Flchette / SPIW

Multiplex / SALVO

Green Ammo

T G Z B l o g

Daniel Watters' suggested
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E. LeMay, radio and television personality Arthur Godfrey, andJames Shepley, the head of Time-Life's Washington bureau.

Spring : The Infantry Board extends the original 300 yard "ideal" to400 yards in order to pacify certain CONARC members, and onceagain to 500 yards, to insure acceptance at the Pentagon. Thefinalized request calls for a 6 pound, select-fire .22 caliber rifle witha conventional stock and a 20 round magazine. The proposedchambering has to penetrate the issue steel helmet, body armor,and a .135" steel plate at 500 yards, while maintaining thetrajectory and accuracy of M2 ball from a M1 rifle, and equaling orexceeding the "wounding" ability of the .30 Carbine.

At ArmaLite, Stoner is more interested in developing 7.62mm NATOweapons, and is already working on the design of what was tobecome the AR-12 rifle (the father of the AR-16 and grandfather ofthe 5.56x45mm AR-18). Sources disagree as to who designedArmaLite's first SCHV prototype, the AR-11 (AKA: The "Stopette").Essentially a scaled down version of Stoner's 7.62mm AR-3 rifle

chambered for the commercial .222 Remington, the AR-11 isalternately credited to 'Doc' Wilson and Robert Enewold (who is alsocredited with the ArmaLite/USAF AR-5 .22 Hornet aircrew survivalrifle). The AR-11 proves to be too light, which combined with a highcyclic rate and the requested conventional stock, leads to difficultyin controlling automatic fire. Ultimately, the AR-11 prototype iswrecked when its barrel extension fails during testing. It is laterclaimed that the barrel extension was scaled down too far,weakening it. Remembering General Wyman's favorable bent towardthe AR-10 design, ArmaLite had also begun work on a scaled downversion of the rifle. But this design, credited to John Peck, also usesthe same small barrel extension as the AR-11. After the failure ofthe AR-11's barrel extension in testing, work is discontinued onPeck's design. Robert Fremont and L. James Sullivan are eventuallytasked with starting from scratch in scaling down the AR-10 to .222Remington.

Concurrently, Earle Harvey of Springfield Armory (father of the7.62mm NATO cartridge) designs a lengthened .222 Remington caseto meet the new 500 yard requirement. Remington loads 10,000unheadstamped .224 Springfield cartridges: 9500 with 55 grainprojectiles and 500 with the 68 grain "M1 ball homologue." Albert J.Lizza designs a rifle around the cartridge, using the best features ofHarvey's 7.62mm NATO T25 and T47 rifle prototypes, along withitems inspired by the T22 (a full-auto variant of the M1 Rifle) andthe T44 (pre-M14). It also appears that a T25 may have beenconverted to chamber the cartridge. Once Dr. Carten learns ofHarvey and Lizza's development, all further work on the .224Springfield is ordered to cease. Ironically, Dr. Carten cannot claimthat Springfield Armory is not in the weapon building business as hedid two years earlier with Aberdeen. However, Carten is busyshepherding the T44 rifle into what is now known as the M14. Nocompetition for resources (or attention) could be brooked.

syllabusThe Black Rifle by R. BlakeStevens and Edward C. Ezell.Second Edition. Collector GradePublications, Toronto, Ontario,1992.

The Great Rifle Controversy by

Edward C. Ezell. Stackpole Books,Harrisburg, PA, 1984.

The M16 Controversies byThomas L. McNaugher. PraegerPublishers, New York, NY, 1984.

The History and Development ofthe M16 Rifle and its Cartridge by David R. Hughes. ArmoryPublications, Oceanside, CA,1990.

The SPIW: The DeadliestWeapon that Never Was by R.Blake Stevens and Edward C.Ezell. Collector GradePublications, Toronto, Ontario,1985.

Black Rifle II: The M16 into the21st Century by Christopher R.Bartocci. Collector GradePublications, Cobourg, Ontario,2004.

The Last Enfield - SA80: TheReluctant Rifle by Steve Raw.Collector Grade Publications, Cobourg, Ontario, 2003.More by Daniel ... Other of Watters' learned works-in-progress for TGZ include A BriefHistory of Flchette and ProjectSPIW , as well as .30 CarbineWildcats and Miniguns and theMovies .

Valued E-mail Utility All E-mail to TGZ is screened byMailWasher Pro for spam andviruses. For a free trial download,click here. Stop unwanted E-mailbefore it reaches your machine.Strongest recommendation.Document History Publication: 12/10/1998Last Revised: 05/17/2009
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April : George Sullivan files a patent application for the use ofaluminum receivers in the design of a firearm.

May : Stoner provides a brief live-fire demonstration of theprototype AR-15 for General Wyman. CONARC formally requests thepurchase of 10 test rifles for the Infantry Board (five days after the7.62mm NATO M14's official adoption is announced). After a visit toFort Benning, Stoner begins to tweak the .222 Remington round tofit the Infantry Board's penetration requirements. First, Stoner andSierra's Frank Snow modify the .224" 68 grain "M1 ball homologue"to 55 grains by shortening the bearing length and the boattail, whilemaintaining the original 7-caliber ogive and 9-degree boattail. Thenew projectile is also produced by Sierra. Robert Hutton usesSpeer's Ballistic Calculator to estimate the muzzle velocity need toprovide the desired performance at 500 yards. The results indicate amuzzle velocity of 3300fps with the 55 grain bullet will be required.Hutton begins load development with IMR 4198, IMR 3031, and anunnamed Olin ball powder. Using a Remington Model 722 with a 22"

Apex bull barrel and a Lyman 25x scope, Hutton successfullyperforates US helmets at 500 yards during a public demonstration.However, testing also indicates that the .222 Remington cannotachieve the required velocity without excessive chamber pressure.Stoner contacts Winchester and Remington about increasing thecase capacity; Remington accepts the request. (This refusal is hardlysurprising since Winchester had their own SCHV rifle and cartridge inthe works.) The resulting cartridge is designated the .222 Special.

George Sullivan files a patent application for the forearm assemblyused on the early AR-10 and AR-15 prototypes.

The T44E4 and T44E5 rifles are adopted as "US Rifles, 7.62mm M14and M15." (None of the heavy barrel M15 will ever be produced forissue prior to the M15 being declared obsolete in December 1959.)The USAF is the only service to decline use of the M14, and insteadretains the M2 Carbine.

June : Springfield Armory publishes the report " Chromium Platingof Caliber .22 Barrel Bores ."

Springfield fabricates barrels for .22'06 simplex and duplexcartridges. These cartridges are based on the .30'06 case neckeddown to .22 caliber. The barrels are fitted to M1 rifles.

Psychological Research Associates publishes " PsychologicalEffects of Small Arms Fire on Combat Experienced and Non-Experienced Infantrymen " and " Psychological Effects ofPlatoon Weapons - A Questionnaire Study ."

Summer : CONARC invites Winchester to develop and submit acompeting SCHV rifle. Ralph Clarkson, a member of Winchester's in-house design team which developed the M1 Carbine, takes the


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assignment. Clarkson borrows heavily from David "Carbine"Williams' shelved .30 Carbine design (completed two months afterthe adoption of the M1 Carbine). Working with David Mathewson, ofthe Mathewson Tool Company, Clarkson is able to complete the firstfiring prototype of the rifle in less than two months.

July : The Infantry Board forwards a letter to CONARC titled " DraftMilitary Characteristics for a Rifle of High Velocity and SmallCaliber ."

Psychological Research Associates publishes " PsychologicalEffects of Patterns of Small Arms Fire ."

September : Laurence F. Moore of Aberdeen's Infantry and AircraftWeapons Division's Development & Proof Services (D&PS) publishesthe report " A Test of SALVO Rifle Materiel ."

October : Clarkson's design, the Winchester .224 Light WeightMilitary Rifle (LWMR) is demonstrated at CONARC headquarters.

Aberdeen's BRL publishes " Penetration of an Experimental .22Cal. Bullet in Gelatin ." The study involves a 50gr bullet fired at~3,950fps.

November : The US Army Chemical Warfare Laboratory (CWL)publishes " Wounding by Salvo Bullets ."

November-December : The LWMR is demonstrated to the InfantryBoard at Fort Benning. The success of this demonstration leads theOrdnance Weapons Command and CONARC to order fifteen LWMRfor further testing. However, it soon becomes clear that the new.224 Winchester cartridge will not meet the Infantry Board's updatedpenetration requirements. Like its competitors, the .224E1Winchester uses a lengthened .222 Remington case; however, thecartridge has a fairly short overall length (OAL). The stubby 53 grainprojectile simply cannot retain enough velocity at longer ranges. AsStoner and Hutton had experienced before, Clarkson finds that hecannot load his .224E1 cartridge to a high enough velocity withoutencountering dangerously high chamber pressures.

Around the same period of time, the Infantry Board decides thatWinchester and ArmaLite should cooperate to make certain thattheir ammunition will interchange between the competing rifles forfuture testing. The .224E1 Winchester's case neck is lengthened toprovide extra volume, and Winchester even chooses the sameDuPont IMR 4475 powder used in the .222 Special. (At the time,DuPont owned a majority interest in Remington, while Olin ownedWinchester.) However, the resulting .224E2 Winchester cartridgeretains the same short OAL from the .224E1 in order to feed inClarkson's LWMR. Despite the fact that the .224E2 Win's case isslightly longer than the .222 Special, ArmaLite is able to chambertheir updated AR-15 to feed and function with both cartridges. In


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contrast, the Winchester entry can only feed their .224E2 cartridge.Subsequent trials are thus run using the Winchester cartridge.

December : SALVO II trials begin at Fort Benning. Among theweapons and cartridges tested are modified M1 rifles chambered for.22'06 simplex and duplex cartridges.

The CWL publishes " Incapacitation Criteria for Salvo Bullets ."

On behalf of the US Army, Albert J. Lizza files a patent applicationfor the stock and action clamp of the Springfield .224 rifle.

Winchester ends contractual work on the double-barreled SALVOrifle.

1958...

January : General Wyman sends a letter to General Maxwell D.Taylor , Chief of Staff of the US Army, recommending caution in

overselling the M14 rifle to Congress during the Fiscal Year (FY)1959 budget hearings. The letter indicates General Wyman's supportof the small caliber rifle:"As you know, in April 1958 we will receive two types of smallcaliber rifles, an Armalite and a Winchester, for evaluation at theUSA Infantry Board. Should these rifles be found superior to theM14, as I am almost certain they will be, it would be mostunfortunate if the Army had committed itself before Congress toirrevocable support of the M14 rifle. Disregard of the potentialpresented by the small caliber rifle at this time might well precludeArmy exploitation of a superior rifle system which could conceivably

appear on the developmental scene at an early date."On behalf of the US Army, Albert J. Lizza files a patent applicationfor the operating system of the Springfield .224 rifle.

February : Earle Harvey's .224 Springfield is introducedcommercially as the .222 Remington Magnum. (Robert Hutton hasclaimed in print that this was the first time he and Gene Stoner weremade aware of the cartridge.)

CONARC sends the directive " Evaluation of Small Caliber HighVelocity Rifles ."

The Infantry Board submits their test plan for evaluation of theSCHV rifles.

Springfield fabricates a Mann accuracy test barrel for one of the .224experimental cartridges. It is fitted to a Remington M1903A3 action.

Department of Defense directive 5105.15 is signed, establishing theAdvanced Research Projects Agency (ARPA). The directive givesARPA the responsibility "for the direction or performance of suchadvanced projects in the field of research and development as the
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Secretary of Defense shall, from time to time, designate byindividual project or by category." It is originally intended forresearch and engineering projects regarding spacecraft, ballisticmissiles, and nuclear weapons. However, it will come into play laterin conventional warfare research.

Ordnance Technical Intelligence publishes " A Test of Gun, LightMachine, 7.62mm Model RPD, Soviet and Gun, Light Machine,7.62mm Mod 52 Czech ."

March : Ten AR-15 rifles chambered in .222 Special are delivered toFort Benning for the Infantry Board field trials. Due to the changesrequired for the new .224E2 Winchester cartridge, the WinchesterLWMR is not ready. However, a number of new T44E4 (pre-production M14) rifles are included as a control. Stoner is allowed toparticipate since no instruction manuals are yet available for the AR-15. Embarrassingly, the T44E4 rifles turn in a malfunction rate of 16per 1000rds. In contrast, the AR-15 displays a malfunction rate of6.1/1000. Oddly, after all of the trouble to coordinate the

development of the competing cartridges, the .224E2 Winchesterstill fails the 500 yard helmet penetration requirement. The tests arere-run with the .222 Special, which succeeds.

Engineering tests for the SCHV candidates are assigned to Aberdeendespite efforts by Dr. Carten to have them performed at SpringfieldArmory. Laurence F. Moore of the D&PS is assigned to conduct thetests, and William C. Davis volunteers to participate in firing testing.

In addition, examples of the candidate rifles are sent to Fort Greely,Alaska for Arctic testing.

The ORO publishes " SALVO II Rifle Experiment: PreliminaryResults ."

April : Aberdeen's BRL publishes the report " A Comparison ofProposed Small Arms Weapon Systems ," concerning SALVO andSCHV developments. The authors conclude that a lightweight .22caliber rifle with a 50 grain projectile will result in a considerablygreater effectiveness than the other weapon systems compared.

The BRL also publishes the report " Retardation and VelocityHistories of an 8-Grain Flchette ." The report is intended

primarily to cover issues related to multiple flchette canistercartridges.

May : The Infantry Board publishes the report " Evaluation of SmallCaliber High Velocity Rifles - ArmaLite (AR-15) ." The InfantryBoard concludes that:

a. The AR-15 is a potential replacement for the M14 rifle;

b. The AR-15 equipped with a bipod and hinged butt plate


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should be a potential replacement for the M15 rifle; and

c. The penetrating capability of the .222 Special and .224E2Win are significantly less than that of the 7.62mm NATOand should be improved.

The Infantry Board recommends that eight AR-15 modified tocorrect the deficiencies reported (three of these rifles to be equippedwith hinged butt plate and bipod) be furnished for service testing.Development should be expedited to provide a round for the AR-15that has greater resistance to bullet disintegration and betterpenetrating characteristics.

June : The Infantry Board sends the memo " EstimatedRequirements for Service Test of ArmaLite Rifle ."

The Chief of Ordnance, MG John H. Hinrichs, informs GeneralWyman that during rain tests at Aberdeen, two AR-15 experiencedburst barrels. The combination of water in the bore and the heavily

fluted barrels used by the rifles prove too much. (Later, the sameoccurs with the Winchester LWMR, but with less fanfare. Bothmanufacturers respond by providing unfluted barrels for subsequentprototypes.) CONARC orders the Infantry Board to conduct duplicaterain tests with the AR-15 to see if the same results occur. TheInfantry Board subsequently duplicates the problem. Seizing uponthe issue, Dr. Carten begins a campaign to support development ofan alternate .258 SCHV cartridge. (The eventual pair of 6.35mmalternates are based on the .25 Remington case.)

CDEC publishes " Armalite Experiment Summary Report ."

Winchester experiments with a 38 grain steel projectile for their.224E2 cartridge. The velocity is credited as 3,618fps.

July : The Infantry Board informs CONARC of the results of theirduplicate rain tests. CONARC orders the Infantry Board to prepare asupplemental report, in coordination with the Infantry School, whichwill re-evaluate the AR-15 rifle in light of the results of the rain test.

Winchester finally delivers their LWMR to Fort Benning for testing.

The Infantry Board publishes the report " Evaluation of Small

Caliber High Velocity Rifles - Winchester ." One of the authors isCaptain Herbert P. Underwood . The Infantry Board concludes that:

a. The Winchester rifle is a potential replacement for the M14rifle;

b. The Winchester rifle equipped with a bipod and hingedbutt plate should be a potential replacement for the M15rifle; and

c. The penetrating capability of the .224E2 Win is
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significantly less than that of the 7.62mm NATO andshould be improved.

The Infantry Board recommends that eight Winchester riflesmodified to correct the deficiencies reported (three of these rifles tobe equipped with hinged butt plate and bipod) be furnished forservice testing. Development should be expedited to provide a roundfor the Winchester rifle that has greater resistance to bulletdisintegration and better penetrating characteristics.

Trading is suspended briefly for Fairchild common stock on the NewYork Stock Exchange. The price of the stock plummeted afterFairchild President Richard S. Boutelle revealed that the companywould have a first-half loss of about $5 million. The losses are inpart due to the high costs of tooling up for production of the F-27aircraft and slow sales.

Liberty Powder Defense Corporation's Robert R. Buell receives USPatent #2,843,584 titled "Method of Reclaiming the Constituents

from Double Base Smokeless Powder."

August : The results of the Infantry Board's supplemental testing ofthe AR-15 are discussed in an additional report titled " Evaluationof Small Caliber High Velocity Rifles - ArmaLite (AR-15) ." TheInfantry Board concludes that:

a. Surface tension and capillary attraction will retainsufficient quantities of water in the barrel of a fully loadedAR-15 to cause excessive overpressure when the weaponis fired;

b. The retention of the water in the barrel of an AR-15 is amajor deficiency. However, because of its other favorablecharacteristics, the AR-15 remains a potential replacementfor the M14 and M15 rifles;

c. The effect of the deficiency of the AR-15 may be avoidedby taking proper precautionary measures such as partiallyextracting the cartridge from the chamber when draining;

d. Retention of water in the barrel due to surface tension andcapillary attraction is not peculiar to the AR-15; and

e. Weapons of approximately .25 caliber or larger do notretain water in their barrels due to surface tension orcapillary attraction when the rifles are fully loaded.

The Infantry Board recommends that SCHV rifle research continueand that the procurement of additional AR-15 be made for servicetests. The rifles should be modified to eliminate the possibility ofburst barrels. However, if this cannot be done, training should bemodified to deal with possible water retention, and research shouldbe conducted to determine the minimum caliber at which water is no
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longer retained in the barrel.

CONARC sends the letter " Directive for an Experiment with theRifle Squad Armed with a Lightweight, High-Velocity Rifle(LWVR) ."

General Wyman retires.

The CWL publishes the report " Wounding By Flechettes ."

September : CONARC issues their final judgment regarding theInfantry Board's tests in the report " Evaluation of Small CaliberHigh Velocity (SCHV) Rifles ." Both SCHV rifles are judged to besuperior to the M14 in terms of lightness and ease of handling. It isnoted that for the same weight, a soldier with one of the SCHV riflescould carry ~650 rounds of ammunition versus ~220 with the M14.The AR-15 is judged to be superior to the M14 and the WinchesterLWMR in terms of reliability and ease of assembly/reassembly.However, both SCHV candidates are faulted on their burst barrels

during rain testing. This said, CONARC notes that contrary to theInfantry Board's proclamation, even rifles of .25 caliber or greatermay also suffer burst barrels when retaining water. The .222 Specialand .224E2 Win are judged to be inferior to the 7.62mm NATO interms of their penetration and position disclosing characteristics.CONARC concludes that the SCHV candidates are not acceptable forArmy use at this time. Still, the report recommends that bothmanufacturers be allowed to submit 16 improved rifles and 96,000rounds each for further testing by the Infantry Board and the ArcticTest Board.

Winchester chooses to decline further development of the LWMR.

Deputy Commanding General of CONARC, General Herbert B. Powell assembles a general board to investigate the Army's various rifleresearch and production programs. (Sources disagree as to whetherthis was ordered by General Wyman as his last act prior to hisretirement, or by his successor, General Bruce C. Clarke.)

Meanwhile, Cooper-Macdonald, Inc, the sale representatives forArmaLite, Colt, and Remington in Southeast Asia, encourages amanufacturing license agreement between ArmaLite's parentcompany Fairchild Engine & Airplane Corporation and Colt for thelatter to manufacture the AR-10 and AR-15 rifles. Fairchild has beenunwilling to allow ArmaLite to start their own production line, and ismore than happy to pass future development risks on to Colt.Confident of pending success, Robert W. Macdonald cuts anindividual deal with Colt providing for Colt to pay Cooper-Macdonaldone dollar on every AR-10 and AR-15 rifle and two percent for spareparts produced by Colt for a period of 20 years.

October : Fred A. Roff, Jr., Colt's Vice President and Director ofSales, sends Robert Macdonald a signed copy of the previous
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month's agreement between Cooper-Macdonald and Colt.

November : The ORO publishes " Multiple Flechettes for Small Arms ."

Fairchild President Boutelle reports an operating loss of $9,211,000.

December : Stoner is asked to deliver replacement parts to theArctic Test Board trials at Fort Greely. To his surprise, Stoner findsthat many of the rifles have had parts substituted. In particular, thefront sight assemblies have been removed from the barrels, andwhen reassembled, some of the tapered pins have been inserted inreverse while others have been replaced by pieces of welding rod.The upshot of this tinkering is that the front sight assemblies arevery loose, and do not quite line up with the barrel's gas port.

Stoner is subsequently requested to give a presentation on the AR-15 before the Powell Board. At the presentation, Powell inquiresabout the Arctic tests. Believing that the testing had only just

begun, Stoner refers to minor problems that have been rectified.However, the Powell Board already has possession of an Arctic TestBoard report critical of the AR-15's cold weather accuracy andreliability.

Meanwhile, the US Army's Combat Development ExperimentationCenter (CDEC) begins mock combat trials of the AR-15, WinchesterLWMR, and the M14. Conducted at Fort Ord, California, the testscover the effects of the new weapons on squad tactics andorganization. More than 500 firing runs are made on two attackranges and one defense range. Different fire techniques andcombinations of techniques are studied, and four different squadsizes are examined to accumulate data bearing on the appropriatesize for squads using these weapons.

Fairchild President Boutelle is fired. Fairchild's losses have beencompounded by the recent cancellation of US Air Force contracts forthe Goose missile and its J83 engine. Concurrently, Boutelle iselected Vice Chairman of Fairchild's Board of Directors. He quits justover a month later.

Watertown Arsenal publishes the report " Terminal Ballistic Studyof Flchettes ." While inspired by research supporting multipleflchette canister cartridges, the armor penetration characteristicsshould be applicable to individual flchette cartridges.

1959...

Fearing the confusion of so many "Triple Deuce" nomenclatures, the.222 Special is renamed the .223 Remington.

AAI receives two additional Ordnance contracts for flchettecartridge R&D.


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Picatinny Arsenal, which conducts ammunition R&D, is merged tothe existing Ordnance Ammunition Command to create theOrdnance Special Weapons Ammunition Command (OSWAC).

Word leaks of Remington and Smith & Wesson's joint developmentof a SCHV revolver cartridge.

Winter : Colonel Neilson retires.

Robert Fremont leaves ArmaLite to join Colt.

January : The Powell Board concludes its investigation and issues itsreport prior to the release of final reports from the Aberdeenengineering tests and the CDEC trials (which are not yet complete).The board approves of the SCHV concept, and recommends that 750AR-15 rifles be purchased for extended trials. However, no furtherconsideration should be given to the .223 round as a potentialreplacement for the 7.62mm NATO. Instead, the board recommends

development of an AR-15 type of weapon, chambered for a .258caliber cartridge, be expedited to replace the M14 in the rifle role.However, the M14 rifle should be retained for the automatic riflerole.

Upon review of the Powell Board's report and urging by the OCO,General Taylor rules that production of the M14 will continue asscheduled. Furthermore, any additional Army purchases of the AR-15 should be canceled. The 7.62mm NATO will remain the standardcartridge, and all further product improvements will retain thecaliber unless a new concept offers a very significant improvement.Finally, the development of the All-Purpose Hand-Held Weapon(APHHW) is approved.

ArmaLite protests General Taylor's decision to Senator W. StuartSymington (D-MO). Symington enters the protest in theCongressional Record but declines to push the issue any further.

Within days of Taylor's decision, Colt and Fairchild finalize theirlicensing agreement. Colt pays a $75,000 lump sum, plus a 4.5percent royalty on future production of the AR-10 and AR-15.

AAI submits " Proposal for Special Type Small Arms Ammunition, Continuation of Development ."

February : The final report " A Test of Rifle, Caliber .22, AR-15;Rifle, Lightweight Military, Caliber .224; and Pertinent

Ammunition " from the Aberdeen engineering tests is finallyreleased. Moore's recommendations and conclusions are missing,reportedly excised on the order of Dr. Carten.

Fred A Roff, Jr., now Colt's President, sends Cooper-Macdonald anadvance payment of $5,000 to begin promoting the AR-10 and AR-
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15. During the following "world" tour (primarily Asia), RobertMacdonald finds that there is very tepid interest in the AR-10. Incontrast, the smaller AR-15 is an immediate hit. Small orders for theAR-15 come in from Malaya, India, Australia, Burma, and Singapore.However, some interested buyers, such as the Philippines, are ham-strung by their military assistance pacts with the US. While the AR-15 is an American rifle, it isn't a US military issue rifle; thus, USmilitary aid funds cannot be used to purchase the new rifle.

March : CDEC ends its comparative trials of the AR-15, theWinchester LWMR, and the M14.

AAI files " Proposal for the Development of a .22 Caliber Fin-Stabilized Armor Piercing Round ." AAI proposes an armor

piercing flchette made of tungsten carbide.

Spring : AAI proposes the construction of a "burst simulator"comprised of five single-shot fixtures bundled into a Gatling-typeassembly. The individual fixtures are triggered electronically in a

short sequence to simulate a high-cyclic rate burst from a singlebarrel rifle. This is intended to provide experimental data onoptimum burst spread until AAI can construct an automatic weaponfor its flchette cartridges.

April : The Arctic Test Board publishes " Evaluation of SmallCaliber High Velocity Rifles ." Oddly, in one phase involving thefiring of 40 cartridges, the AR-15 is charged with 48 malfunctions.

The ORO publishes " Design of Experiment for Effects ofWeapon Configuration, Weight, Sights and Recoil on Rifle

Accuracy " and " Range Estimation for Infantry SquadWeapons ."

Ordnance Technical Intelligence publishes " Wound Ballistics Testsof the Soviet 7.62mm Bullet ."

May : CDEC publishes " Lightweight High Velocity RifleExperiment ."

The final report of the CDEC trials, " Rifle Squad Armed with aLightweight High-Velocity Rifle ," is released. It projects that a 5-7 man squad armed with AR-15 rifles would have a higher numberof hits and kills than the then current 11 man squad armed withM14 rifles. The report particularly praises the reliability of the testedAR-15 rifles, and suggests that a SCHV design such as the AR-15 orLWMR should be further developed as a replacement for the M14.

The ORO publishes the papers " Optimum Duplex Spread " and"Optimum Dispersion for Gaussian Salvo ."

At Springfield Armory, David C. Fletcher and Herman F. Hawthornepublish the report " Feasibility Study of a Caliber .222, Salvo


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Type Shoulder Rifle ." The rifle under study has three fixed barrelsand uses a rotary feeding mechanism. Without muzzle brakes, therifle will have twice the recoil of a M1 rifle. Muzzle brakes will reducerecoil to less than that of the M1 rifle.

June : The ORO publishes " SALVO I Rifle Field Experiment ."

Springfield Armory publishes the report " Water DrainageCharacteristics of Caliber .22/06 and 7.62mm Barrels ."

General Taylor retires at the end of the month.

July : Springfield Armory approves AAI's "burst simulator" designand grants a contract for the manufacture of two units.

While operations manager for the Dardick Corporation, Melvin M. Johnson, Jr. completes an outline of various weapon concepts usingthe Tround principle. These include a Tround-firing Gatling (the"Dispenser") and military rifles, all using a "super-velocity" .224

caliber cartridge.

September : The US State Department's Office of Munitions Controlapproves of the sale of 25 AR-15 to Malaya.

Gene Stoner receives US Patent #2,903,809 titled "CartridgeMagazine of Aluminum or Magnesium."

The new Army Chief of Staff General Lyman L. Lemnitzer reaffirmsGeneral Taylor's earlier position in regard to the small armssituation.

October : CONARC HQ sends the Infantry Board a directive titled" Evaluation of Single Flchette ." The Infantry Board is to conducttesting to determine whether the single flchette has sufficientmilitary value under temperate weather conditions to warrantfurther development. A similar directive is sent to the Arctic TestBoard.

The USAIB publishes " Draft Military Characteristics for All-Purpose Hand-Held Weapon ."

The Combat Operations Research Group publishes " Infantry Small Arms Weapons. Technique for Evaluation and Application tothe All-Purpose Hand-Held Weapon ."

November : The OCO sends the Office Chief of Research andDevelopment (OCRD) " Development of All-Purpose Hand-HeldWeapon ." The Chief of Ordnance LTG Hinrichs proposes to the Chiefof Research and Development (CRD) LTG Arthur G. Trudeau thatdevelopment of the APHHW system be initiated, using singleflchette ammunition in the direct fire role.
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The Infantry Board receives AAI single flchette ammunition fortesting.

On behalf of the US Army, Albert J. Lizza receives US Patent#2,912,781 titled "Stock and Action Clamp."

December : The US State Department's Office of Munitions Controlapproves of the sale of 23 AR-15 to India.

Gene Stoner files a patent application for the trigger mechanism ofthe AR-15.

AAI publishes the report " Final Report - Research andDevelopment Activities on Flchette Ammunition Test Rifles ."For the purposes of testing, ten Winchester Model 70R bolt-actionrifles had been modified to fire individual flchette cartridges.

The Infantry Board concludes testing of the AAI single flchetteammunition. The Board sends a preliminary report to CONARC HQ,

concluding that single flchette ammunition has the potential forfulfilling the requirements of the direct fire ammunition for the APHHW.

1960...

L. James Sullivan leaves ArmaLite.

January : On behalf of the US Army, Albert J. Lizza receives USPatent #2,920,538 titled "Bolt Mechanism for Firearms."

CONARC issues " Approved Utility Characteristics for All-Purpose, Hand-Held Weapons ."

February : AAI's first firing "burst simulator" is shipped to Aberdeen's BRL. After initial adjustments, the device could simulatea cyclic rate of 2,300rpm.

Aberdeen's BRL publishes " Provisional Estimate of theWounding Potential of Flchettes ."

The CWL publishes the report " Studies in Wound Ballistics -Temporary Cavities and Permanent Tracts Produced by High-Velocity Projectiles in Gelatin ." In these experiments, .30-06 M2

AP and M2 Ball, 45 grain .22 Hornet FMJ and JSP bullets, .30 caliberfragment simulators, and 1/4-inch steel spheres were fired intocylinders of 20 percent gelatin. Of note, energy absorption andmomentum transfer in 20 percent gelatin are determined to beindependent of temporary-cavity formation.

March : The US State Department's Office of Munitions Controlapproves of the sale of 1,250 AR-15 to Indonesia.
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The USAIB publishes the report " Evaluation of Single Flchette ."The report covers testing of AAI's "Arrow" flchette cartridge usingthe modified Winchester rifles. For comparison purposes, both theshort and long variants of the 6.35mm Simplex cartridges and7.62mm NATO M59 Ball are also tested. Poor base accuracy, whichdeteriorated even further during use, is noted for the flchette rifles,along with excessive muzzle flash and poor penetration againstwood and sand. Comments are also made concerning thedownrange hazard presented by the discarding sabot to friendlytroops. The flchette cartridges were found to be so lightlyconstructed that the case walls could be bent during handling. Thecartridges had to be hand chambered individually, lest they bedeformed during feeding from a magazine. On the positive side, theflat trajectory of the cartridge would require no sight settingchanges out to 400 meters. Moreover, the future APHHW is

projected to weigh roughly 3.5 pounds and possess a cyclic rate of2,000rpm. Based on the projected characteristics, the flchette isdeemed to have a greater potential than the 6.35mm and 7.62mmNATO cartridges.

The OCRD reports back to the OCO " Approval of MCs for APHHW ."

Gene Stoner files a patent application for a magazine design utilizinga constant force spring.

April : CONARC forwards the Infantry Board's report on flchettecartridge testing to Army CRD LTG Trudeau. CONARC concurs withthe Infantry Board's conclusions, and recommends that developmentof single flchette ammunition be continued and directed toward,but not limited to, the correction of deficiencies listed in the report.Moreover, the improved ammunition should be submitted to theInfantry Board for further testing.

May : The US Army Arctic Test Board publishes the report" Evaluation of Single Flchette and 6.35-MM Simplex andDuplex Ammunition ." In these follow-up tests, AAI's "Arrow"flchette cartridge, now designated the 5.6x53mm XM110, has been

pitted against duplex and simplex versions of the short 6.35x48mmcartridge, 7.62mm NATO M59 and M80 Ball, and even the defunct.224 Springfield (.222 Rem Mag). (Additional details concerning thelatter were excised.) The duplex 6.35mm cartridge is dismissed ashaving insufficient military value, and while the same complaintsnoted by the USAIB are repeated, the XM110 cartridge is deemed tobe the superior choice for future development.

AAI's second "burst simulator" is shipped to Springfield Armory.

On behalf of Winchester, Stefan Janson receives US Patent#2,935,915 titled "Gas-Operated Automatic Rifle Having a Pluralityof Barrels."
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June : Colt requests new Ordnance testing of their improved AR-15rifle. Dr. Carten refuses the request, citing the lack of militaryrequirement for such a rifle.

Colt President Roff sends Cooper-Macdonald copies of the wiremessage from Dr. Carten denying Colt's request for testing, a letterfrom Charles Dorchester outlining potential arguments for gettingCarten's decision overturned, a Congressional report with helpfulstatements made by Army CRD LTG Trudeau, and an Aberdeen testreport.

Gene Stoner files a patent application for the triangle patternforearm assembly.

The ORO publishes " Battle Sight Setting ."

The Infantry Board publishes " Evaluation of 6.35MM Simplex andDuplex Ammunition ."

AAI publishes the report " Final Summary Report - Small CaliberDemonstration Guns ."

July : In hopes of generating interest (and royalties) in the AR-15,Macdonald invites General Curtis E. LeMay , then Vice Chief of Staffof the US Air Force, to a combination 4th of July celebration/birthdayparty for former Fairchild president Richard Boutelle. Boutelle andLeMay are long-time friends and fellow firearms-enthusiasts. In fact,LeMay had previously attempted to have ArmaLite's AR-5 survivalrifle adopted for the USAF. At the party, LeMay is conveniently givenan opportunity to shoot a new Colt-production AR-15 at a trio ofwatermelons. After bursting the first two melons at 50 yards and150 yards, LeMay is suitably impressed with the terminal results.(Note: The third melon is spared the firing squad and issubsequently eaten.)

LeMay offers to recommend the AR-15 as a replacement for theUSAF's aging stock of M2 Carbines, and it is arranged for three ColtAR-15 to be sent to the Air Force Marksmanship School at LacklandAFB for testing. LeMay also holds a meeting with the Army CRD LTGTrudeau, and representatives of Cooper-Macdonald. As a result, theOCO is asked to complete additional tests of the AR-15 rifle for theUSAF.

Colt President Roff writes Cooper-Macdonald confirming Colt'sauthorization for Cooper-Macdonald to represent Colt in attempts toget the AR-15 tested and approved by the US Government.

August : At the first of the month, the USAF Marksmanship Schoolreceives an additional five AR-15. Testing is conducted with LacklandMilitary Training Center's commander General Robert M. Stillman , his Staff Officers, and Air Police personnel in attendance. Testing isconducted with both Remington and Norma ammunition. Accuracy
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testing is conducted using a mounted scope; however, there areproblem with a loose scope mount. The AR-15's ability to launch riflegrenades (both anti-personnel and anti-tank) is demonstrated. GeneStoner and Charles Dorchester participate in the testing, and an AR-10 is demonstrated for comparison purposes.

A week later, Major Burton T. Miller of the USAF MarksmanshipSchool sends the memo " Evaluation of AR-15 ." Within, Millernotes that 10 AR-15 are now on-hand and that 5,000 rounds arescheduled for delivery. However, he anticipates that a total of50,000 rounds will be needed, and wonders who is going place theorder for additional ammunition and who will pay for it. Approval isrequested to work out a test evaluation program with the Air PoliceSchool and the 3720th Basic Military Training School wherein arepresentative number of trainees will utilize the AR-15, firing theexact courses currently required for M2 carbine training. However,given the limited number of rifles, the AR-15 will need to be shuttledbetween the trainees and the range test staff conductingpenetration, accuracy, and function testing.

During a staff meeting late in the month, General LeMay notes thata requirement exists for a better small arm for Air Force securityforces to replace the M2 carbine. LeMay orders that an all-commandsurvey be taken to validate the requirement and to determine theexact number of replacement rifles needed.

Fairchild Secretary Paul S. Cleveland writes Cooper-Macdonaldlaying out the relationship between the two companies.

1. Cooper-Macdonald will attempt to secure an order and possibly a manufacturing license for ArmaLite weaponsfrom India;

2. Cooper-Macdonald will also attempt to secure approvalfrom the US Government for sale of ArmaLite weapons toMilitary Assistance Fund (MAF) clients;

3. In return, Cooper-Macdonald will receive 10 percent of anydown payments and royalties from Indian licensing, and10 percent of royalties from sales to the US Governmentand MAF clients; and

4. The same terms as India's will apply to any other foreignlicensing deals made via Cooper-Macdonald's efforts.

September : The USAF Marksmanship School publishes " EvaluationReport of the Colt-Armalite AR-15 Automatic, Caliber .223 ."

General LeMay is briefed on the latest small arms developmentprograms of the Department of the Army. Dr. Carten is ordered toprovide testing of the Colt AR-15 for the USAF. Ironically, the testingis requested to coincide with Ordnance testing of Dutch-productionAR-10 rifles. Moreover, General LeMay, Army CRD LTG Trudeau, and


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other representatives from the USAF and Army will be in attendancefor part of the testing. Mr. Sloan, a representative from the FederalBureau of Investigation (FBI), also attends. Among the otherobservers are Gene Stoner, Robert Macdonald, and GeraldGustafson, representing his current employer, the USAF ArmamentLaboratory.

Gene Stoner receives US Patent #2,951,424 titled "Gas OperatedBolt and Carrier System."

November : Ordnance releases the Aberdeen D&PS test results onthe AR-10 and AR-15 in separate reports. Once again, LaurenceMoore's recommendations and conclusions are missing. However,the remaining data is encouraging. For instance, the Colt AR-15displays a malfunction rate of 2.5/1000 rounds (less than half of the1958 Fort Benning tests).

In a report to the OCRD, Dr. Carten summarizes the AR-15 resultsas "reasonably satisfactory." Thus, the Colt AR-15 is approved for

USAF trials.

Colt Chairman Sidney A. Stewart writes Cooper-Macdonald topropose the following commissions to be paid on AR-15 rifles sold tothe US Government:

RiflesSold

RoyaltyPerRifle

1-25,000 $1

25,001-50,000 $1.50

50,001-100,000 $1.75

Over100,000 $2.00

The ORO publishes " Rifle Accuracies and Hit Probabilities inCombat ."

December : Ten AR-15 are sent to Lackland AFB for additionaltesting.

George Sullivan receives US Patent #2,965,994 titled "GunForearm."

The US Army Chemical Research and Development Laboratory(CRDL) publishes " Wound Ballistics Assessment of Winchester-Western Caliber .25 Salvo Ammunition ."
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1961...

USAF testing at Lackland AFB continues, pitting the Colt AR-15versus the M2 Carbine and the M14 rifle. 43 percent of the AR-15users score "Expert" in marksmanship qualifications versus 22percent of the M14 users.

Using the AAI "burst simulator," Aberdeen's BRL estimates that the proposed APHHW could produce three times the enemy casualtiesversus the M14 per engagement. Based on equal rounds expended,the APHHW could be up to seven times more effective than the M14.

First Half 1961 : Springfield begins design of two weapon conceptsto fire the XM144 flchette cartridge.

January : Aberdeen's D&PS publishes another report titled " A Testof Rifle Caliber .223, AR-15 ."

Colt Chairman Stewart writes Cooper-Macdonald to confirm increase

in commission from $1 to $1.25 on all AR-15 sold to the USAF.

The BRL publishes " Dispersions for Effective Automatic Small Arms Fire and a Comparison of the M14 Rifle with a WeaponYielding Effective Automatic Fire ."

February : Fairchild allows ArmaLite to split off into a separatecompany. ArmaLite's management team purchases the right andtitles to all of the ArmaLite designs with the exception of the AR-10and AR-15. Around the same time, Gene Stoner leaves ArmaLite.

Aberdeen's BRL publishes " An Investigation of the WoundingPotential of Flchette Rounds When Fired from a Multi-Barreled Test Gun ." Experimental firings were conducted with thefive-barreled test gun firing single flchette cartridges in single shotsand in bursts at a rate of 2,680 rounds per minute. Observationsfrom the targets and photography indicate that most flchette yawin flight regardless of how they are fired. Those fired in salvos yawmuch more than those fired in single shots. Yaw may be induced bytransverse forces set up by the motion of the gun tubes, blast fromadjacent muzzles, shock waves from other flchette, andinterference from the sabots.

Frankford Arsenal publishes " An Effectiveness Analysis of Spin-Stabilized Rifle Systems, Based on a Caliber .17 Projectile ."

March : General LeMay sends a letter to the OCO requesting costand availability figures for both the M14 and AR-15.

General LeMay is briefed on the Air Staff recommendations onselection and procurement of a new weapon for the USAF. Followingthe briefing, LeMay directs that the Air Staff select the weapon, andthat the Air Force Materiel Command be directed to procure the


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June : General LeMay is appointed Chief of Staff of the Air Force.

The ORO's administrative organization, Johns Hopkins University,and the Army mutually agree to terminate the contract funding theORO. This change is made so the Army can fire the ORO's director,Dr. Ellis A. Johnson. Dr. Johnson had long fought to keep the ORO'sresearch from being a mere intellectual rubber stamp for existingArmy orthodoxy. Despite Army pressure, Johns Hopkins was notwilling to remove Johnson without cause.

Second Half 1961 : Springfield supplies Aberdeen and Frankford Arsenal with test weapons and ammunition to enable continuation offeasibility and development studies of micro-caliber weapon systems

proposed at Springfield. Micro-caliber cartridges are considered aback-up to the XM110/XM144 flchette cartridges. Terminal ballistictests at the BRL confirm the feasibility of micro-caliber systems asindicated initially by lethality tests at the Chemical Center's WoundBallistics Laboratory.

Springfield completes the design and fabrication of one of its twoweapon concepts to fire XM144 ammunition.

AAI continues the development of small arms mechanisms to fire XM110 ammunition. In addition to increasing mechanism reliabilityand development of a high capacity magazine, AAI directsdevelopment efforts toward reduction of automatic fire dispersion.

Winchester, under contract to Springfield, designs, fabricates, anddevelops a small arms mechanism incorporating an unique "softrecoil" mechanism. A request is made for funding of an additionalcontract to conduct additional dispersion and accuracy tests.

A contract is also negotiated with Winchester to modify the .224LWMR to fire XM144 ammunition.

Summer : General LeMay requests 19,000 AR-15 rifles in the USAF'sbudget proposal for the upcoming fiscal year, with the ultimate goalof procuring a total of 80,000 in successive years. Initially, funds forprocurement of the AR-15 rifle are withheld by the Department ofDefense (DOD). The reasons given are that: 1) introduction ofanother rifle of different caliber and characteristics into DODinventories is not desirable; 2) adoption of a .223 caliber rifle for theUSAF is not consistent with NATO standardization objectives; and 3)Army and USAF depots hold large quantities of M1 and M2 carbines,which are still usable despite their age.

July : General LeMay is informed that the Offices of the Director ofDefense Research and Engineering (DDR&E) and the AssistantSecretary of Defense (Installations & Logistics) - ASD(I&L) had notagreed to USAF procurement of the AR-15. Within days, LeMayconfers with the executives of these offices. It is agreed that a studyshould be made of the entire matter to serve as the basis for a


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decision by the Secretary of Defense. By the end of the month, thestudy is complete. It recommends that the USAF be allowed toprocure the AR-15 rifle.

ARPA selects the AR-15 as the weapon with the most potential forbeing compatible with small statured South Vietnamese soldiers.ARPA purchases ten AR-15 rifles out of their available funds.

August : After several exchanges between the USAF and the Officeof the Secretary of Defense (OSD), a meeting is held to discuss theprocurement of the AR-15. Deputy Secretary of Defense Roswell L.Gilpatric chairs the meeting. DDR&E Harold Brown and ASD(I&L)Thomas D. Morris support the USAF position. However, AssistantSecretary of Defense (Comptroller) Charles J. Hitch opposes theprocurement of the rifle. The results of this meeting are contained ina memorandum to Secretary of the Air Force Eugene M. Zuckert , stating that the request for procurement of the AR-15 rifle is notapproved. The prime reason given is the problem of justifying to theBureau of the Budget or to Congress a proposal to procure another

new weapon in view of the Army's rifle program.

General LeMay continues to hold conferences with the DeputySecretary Gilpatric to determine the best course to follow to obtainthe rifles. From these and other meetings within the OSD, it isconcluded that procurement of the new weapon depends on how theHouse Appropriations Committee feels about the matter. At the firstapproach, Representative George H. Mahon (D-TX), chairman of theHouse Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, is not sympatheticwith the proposal, and this information is presented to the LeMayalong with the recommendation that the whole matter be dropped.

A week later, LeMay again broaches the topic of AR-15 procurementin an OSD staff meeting. It is suggested that the request beresubmitted on the basis of a need for new weapons for specialwarfare. Upon presentation of the new approach to Rep. Mahon,Mahon suggests that there should be no Congressional objections toprocurement of the AR-15 for special warfare purposes. The Air Staffis instructed to submit a new request for a lower number of AR-15rifles for use by Composite Air Strike Forces and other USAFpersonnel assigned duty in Southeast Asia. Oddly, while the ideawas originally suggested by OSD staff, some in the OSD now voiceobjections to the approach.

Following successful demonstrations of the AR-15 rifle in SouthVietnam, ARPA requests 4,300 AR-15 for testing with SouthVietnamese troops (ARVN). This request is denied on the groundsthat M2 Carbines were available from surplus.

September : Upon review of the USAF's latest request for only8,500 AR-15 rifles and 8.5 million rounds of ammunition for test,training, and unconventional warfare, Deputy Secretary Gilpatricauthorizes funding the same day.
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A few days later, the Chief of the Military Assistance Advisory Groupin Vietnam, LTG Lionel C. McGarr, requests 4,300 AR-15 rifles forcombat testing by the South Vietnamese. The request suggeststhree alternatives involving approximately 1,000, 2,500, or 4,300rifles, and cites the political and psychological advantages ofproviding advanced weaponry for use by the small staturedVietnamese in their counterinsurgency war. DDR&E Brown and othermembers of the OSD staff brief Rep. Mahon on the entire effort inVietnam. Mahon promises his support in the procurement of therifles.

Deputy Secretary Gilpatric sends a letter to Congress supporting theUSAF's procurement of the AR-15:"Subsequent to Congressional action on the Defense Departmentbudget, the Air Force introduced an urgent requirement forequipping a portion of its forces with the AR-15 Rifle.

The Department of Defense has investigated thoroughly and concurs

with the need for the rifle. The necessity for it has been personally justified to me by the Chief of Staff of the Air Force."Rep. Mahon allows only seven minutes for discussion of the AR-15proposal before the House Appropriations Subcommittee onDefense. Funding is withheld pending consideration of additionaldata. Days later, Mahon writes Secretary of Defense Robert S.McNamara stating that the Subcommittee has voted to deny fundingfor the USAF's AR-15 purchase. However, they are willing to give thematter further consideration when Congress reconvenes in January1962, if requested to do so.

The Army establishes a new research organization called theResearch Analysis Corporation (RAC). The RAC takes over the ORO'spre-existing projects, property, and most of its former staff. Onewag jokes that RAC is short for "Relax and Cooperate."

October : President John F. Kennedy reportedly tells General LeMayto quit badgering the Army about the AR-15.

After conducting a limited test in Saigon with their 10 AR-15, ARPAresubmits their request for AR-15 rifles with the additional data.They further note that the requested rifles will be evaluated only interms of their usefulness for ARVN units and their US advisors, notfor general US military issue.

Aberdeen's BRL publishes the report " An Interim Report on theStudy of Parameters that Affect the Accuracy of AutomaticRifles ." This report is a brief summary of the work being done forthe All-Purpose Hand-Held Weapon (APHHW). It gives some ideas ofthe present trends of thought and some indications of ways toimprove the accuracy of automatic fire.

The CRDL issues the report " Wound Ballistics of High-Velocity
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Flechettes for Hand Held Weapons ."

Mel Johnson, with assistance from MBAssociates, designs a rocket- propelled flchette weapon. Johnson converts a Smith & WessonModel 29 revolver to serve as the test bed. Later dubbed the"Discharger," it fires three rocket flchette from each cartridge fedby belt through an open chamber "star-wheel."

November : CDEC publishes " Optimum Composition of the RifleSquad and Platoon. Final Report of Experiment ." The findingsindicate that all members of a squad, except machinegunners,should carry the APHHW. While AAI had finally built APHHWprototypes, a burst control device had not yet been designed orincorporated. Burst length had been simulated by loading only therequired number of rounds for a given "burst" into the magazine.

Late : Springfield performs preliminary investigations concerning theeffect of water in the bore of small caliber rifles.

December : Fairchild sells Colt an exclusive license to the patentrights related to the AR-15 rifle. The license will last up to theexpiration date of the last-to-expire patent. The agreement includesthe right to grant sub-licenses, but does not cover the right toreassign the patents or the agreement. The purchase price is basedprimarily on subsequent sales by Colt of AR-15 weapons and partsincorporating the above mentioned patent rights.

The Director of ARPA, Jack P. Ruina, sends a memo to McNamaratitled " AR-15 Armalite Rifles for Test in Southeast Asia "recommending approval of the request for 1,000 AR-15, necessaryspare parts, and ammunition.

General LeMay makes a personal appeal for the USAF's rifles in ameeting with President Kennedy. Again, the request is denied.

McNamara approves the ARPA request, allowing for the purchase of1,000 AR-15 rifles, accessories, and ammunition.

The USAF classifies the status of the .223 Remington cartridge asdevelopmental.

The US Army Chief of Staff's Office (OCSA) receives a fact sheettitled " ArmaLite Rifle (AR-15) ."

Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) Chairman General Lemnitzer sendsPresident Kennedy a memo titled " ArmaLite (AR-15) Rifle ."

The chiefs of the Technical Services are formally briefed as toMcNamara's planned reorganization of the Army. McNamara himselfeven appears for a time to take questions. While some like MG FrankS. Besson, Jr. , the Chief of Transportation, embrace the plan, otherssuch as the Chief of Ordnance LTG Hinrichs, and the Chief Chemical
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Officer MG Marshall Stubbs are vehemently opposed.

The BRL publishes " Effectiveness of Proposed Small Arms forSpecial and Guerilla Warfare ."

1962...

Gene Stoner joins Cadillac Cage to begin work on the 7.62mm NATOStoner 62 system.

At the World Shooting Championships in Cairo, the Russian "RunningDeer Match" team uses the 5.6x39mm cartridge. It is based on the7.62x39mm M43 cartridge case necked down to .22". World Recordsare tied and broken for individual and team scores respectively inthe two-shot event. (One source claims that the cartridge datesback to at least 1957, but the earliest found examples bear 1961headstamps.)

Remington begins development of a bolt-action pistol chambered for

a SCHV cartridge. Wanye Leek heads up the development team.Initial efforts center on the .222 Remington, but it is discovered thatthe cartridge is not as efficient as desired in a 10" barrel.Experimentation then begins with shortened .222 Remington cases.

First Half 1962 : Springfield continues to supply Aberdeen andFrankford Arsenal with various small arms mechanisms for lethality,accuracy, and dispersion tests. These include multiple and single-barrel test mechanisms to fire micro-caliber, and the XM110 and

XM144 flchette cartridges.

Springfield completes the design and fabrication of both of its SPIWmechanism concepts. The function and development testing of thesemechanisms are seriously delayed because of XM144 ammunitiondevelopment problems, which remain to be resolved. The design,fabrication, and initial testing of a three shot, pump action grenadelauncher are also completed.

Springfield completes its preliminary investigations regarding theeffects of water in the bore of small caliber rifles, and a report iswritten. These tests have been conducted with the XM110ammunition. Preparations for more extensive water-in-bore testsare also completed. Three commercial rifles are modified to fire

XM144 ammunition. Each are fitted with three barrels of differentwall thickness for the water-in-bore tests. Testing is scheduled tobegin in mid-July and awaits a sufficient supply of XM144ammunition, along with FY 1963 funding.

AAI continues development of small arms mechanisms to fire XM110ammunition. The major portion of AAI's work is devoted todecreasing the dispersion of short burst fire in preparation for aseries of dispersion tests at Aberdeen. The results of these tests arequite favorable and are indicative of the feasibility of the single-


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barrel, serially fired approach.

Winchester completes the development of its first "soft recoil"mechanism prototype. While excessive clearances between thebarrel-receiver group and the mechanism frame produce widedispersions, the test results are encouraging regarding dispersion

pattern and total recoil distance of barrel-receiver group.

Winchester also completes modification of five LWMR to fireFrankford Arsenal XM144 (FA-XM144) ammunition. (Sometime in FY1963, Winchester will receive another contract to modify one of thefive LWMR rechambered for FA-XM144 to accept Winchester's own

XM144-WE4 ammunition. At the completion of the contract, themodified rifle is then loaned back to Winchester to support aFrankford Arsenal contract.)

Winter : Rep. Mahon and the Deputy Secretary Gilpatric are guestsat the USAF firepower demonstration at Eglin Air Force Base. Bothare impressed by a demonstration of the AR-15 rifle. A similar

demonstration is later arranged for President Kennedy.

January : Secretary of Defense McNamara abolishes the statutorypositions of the Technical Service chiefs, transferring them to theSecretary of the Army subject to Congressional approval of hissweeping reorganization plan for the Army. McNamara proposes thecreation of an Army Materiel Command and a Combat DevelopmentsCommand (CDC). The new commands will be raised to the samelevel as CONARC. The responsibilities and subordinate commands ofthe formerly independent Technical Services (Ordnance, Chemical,Quartermaster, Transportation, and Signal Corps) will be dividedamong the three major commands. The Technical Services will losetheir materiel functions to the Army Materiel Command, theirtraining functions to CONARC, and their doctrine formulationfunctions to the CDC. The Offices of the Chief of Ordnance and theChemical Warfare Services will be abolished, and their stafffunctions will be transferred to the office of the Army's Deputy Chiefof Staff for Logistics (DCSLOG). The Corps of Engineers and theSurgeon General remain for the most part untouched.

When Congress reconvenes, Air Force Secretary Zuckert visits Rep.Mahon, and one of the items discussed is the AR-15 rifle. Mahonadvises that unless the USAF AR-15 rifles are in the budget, it willbe better not to bring the matter to the attention of Congress.

The USAF classifies the AR-15 as a standard weapon for itsinventory.

ARPA receives the first shipment of their 1,000-rifle order.

In the letter " SPIW - Initiation of Project and Recording of Approved Military Characteristics ," the OCO approves formalspecifications for the new Special Purpose Individual Weapon


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(SPIW). The SPIW combines the point-fire capabilities of the APHHWwith the area-fire capabilities of the 40x46mm grenade launcher.

The CRDL issues the report " Wound Ballistics of the 1.7 GrainSteel Flchette ."

Mel Johnson and Jack Fitzgerald, representing AdvancedDevelopments Inc (ADInc.), meet with ARPA Director of R&D, Dr.William H. Godell and other ARPA staff to discuss ADInc. projects.These concentrate on the rocket flchette "Discharger" and a .22-caliber "Quick Fix" conversion for the M1/M2 Carbine. On its own,

ADInc. obtains two M1 carbines for conversion, plus additional 15and 30 round magazines. A third carbine is later ordered along withspare barrels and 1,000 rounds of .30 Carbine ammunition.

February : Project AGILE begins operational testing of the AR-15 inVietnam.

Hill AFB conducts testing to determine whether the .223 Remington

cartridge is of sufficient quality to justify complete testing anddevelopment for USAF use.

Congress approves McNamara's reorganization plans for the Army.Carrying out the reorganization is the responsibility of theDepartment of the Army Reorganization Project Office (DARPO). MGBesson is chairman of DARPO's planning group for the Army MaterielCommand, then tentatively called Materiel, Development, andLogistics Command (MDLC).

US Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV) is formed.General Paul D. Harkins is its first commander.

Mel Johnson completes an outline of an ARPA proposal titled" Advanced Light Guerilla Cal. .224 Sub-Rifle System for ShortLead-Time, Lost Cost and Advanced Performance ." Johnsonestimates a budget of $200,000 for prototype fabrication andtesting. In addition, Johnson asks for a $18,000 fee to be paid to

ADInc. Weeks later, ARPA Director of Special Projects COL ThomasW. Brundage (USMC) declines support for Johnson's Sub-Rifle andDischarger proposals.

March : McNamara orders Secretary of the Army Elvis J. Stahr, Jr. toaccelerate the Army's reorganization so that the new Army MaterielCommand will be in full operation by 1 July 1962, nine monthsahead of the previously proposed schedule. Secretary Stahrprotests.

Macdonald calls to report that he has information indicating that theHouse Appropriations Committee is ready to approve the USAFrequest for the AR-15.

The OCO approves the development timeline for the SPIW. Type
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classification of a SPIW as "Standard A" is projected for June 1966.

On behalf of the US Army, Herman F. Hawthorne files a patentapplication for a triple-bore Tround, which will be used later by theH&R SPIW.

Spring : Remington submits the specifications of the .223Remington to the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers'Institute (SAAMI).

Mel Johnson finalizes plans for the commercial development of the"Johnson Semiautomatic Sub-Rifle" (JSSR).

April : George Sullivan receives US Patent #3,027,672 titled"Firearm with Aluminum Alloy Receiver."

The OCSA receives a fact sheet titled " ArmaLite Rifle, AR-15, Cal..223 ."

McNamara approves a plan by MG Besson to establish earlyoperations of the Army Materiel Command. Upon approval ofBesson's plan, the activation of the Army Materiel Command ispushed back to August.

ADInc. and Interarmco make arrangements for Interarmco torepresent ADInc. products overseas, particularly the Sub-Rifle/Guerilla Gun. Interarmco provides two additional M1 carbinesfor conversion to .224.

Aberdeen's D&PS publishes the report " Test of Rifle, Assault,7.62mm, Model 1958, Czech ."

May : The American Rifleman publishes an article on the AR-15.From their limited testing during the winter, the authors allege thatthe rifle/cartridge combination is unreliable and inaccurate. This isprimarily attributed to the stability of the bullet under cold weatherconditions. They suggest that the rifling twist be changed from 1-in-14" to 1-in-12".

The USAF resubmits its request for the procurement of 8,500 AR-15rifles and 8.5 million rounds of ammunition. During Congressionalhearings, the USAF is asked to rebut the American Rifleman article. Members of the Appropriations Committee are suitablyimpressed with the quality of the USAF's arguments, and withindays, the funding is approved.

The US Navy orders a small quantity of AR-15 rifles for servicetesting by its SEAL teams. Ultimately, 172 rifles are ordered forteam use. (One source claims that SEAL Team Two's Lt. Ray Boehmused the open purchase system to procure 136 rifles straight fromColt, with 66 going to SEAL Team Two and the remainder to SEALTeam One.)
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Secretary of the Army Stahr tenders his resignation.

The Department of the Army officially establishes the Army MaterielCommand (AMC) as a major field command.

MG Nelson M. Lynde, Jr. is appointed commander of the US ArmyOrdnance Weapons Command (OWC).

The Johnson "Guerilla Gun" is publicly demonstrated for the firsttime at the American Ordnance Association meeting at Aberdeen.Mel Johnson leaves one converted carbine behind for testing by theLimited Warfare Laboratory (LWL).

June : Demonstrations of the AR-15 are held for OSD staff. Those inattendance include Systems Analyst Alain C. Enthoven andComptroller Charles J. Hitch. Attendees are allowed to test fire theAR-15 along with the M14 and AK-47.

The BRL publishes " Estimated Incapacitation Probabilities ofCaliber .14 Bullets ." Tests had been ordered on behalf ofSpringfield Armory, who had developed manufacturing techniquesfor micro-caliber barrels. The cartridge, based on a necked down.222 Remington, launched a 17 grain projectile at 4,400fps.

Winchester is awarded a new contract to design, fabricate and testan improved "soft recoil" mechanism to fire short bursts of FA-

XM144 ammunition.

Second Half 1962 : AAI continues development of its small armsmechanisms to fire XM110 ammunition. The contract is extendedfrom August to October, and then to December when it is cancelled.During this period, AAI completes fabrication and limited testing ofits Model #4 firing mechanism.

Winchester's improved "soft recoil" prototype mechanism contract isextended from mid-December 1962 to mid-February 1963.Functional difficulties are experienced.

July : ARPA's operational testing of the AR-15 in Vietnam ends. Laterin the month, ARPA releases the report " Test of ArmaLite Rifle,

AR-15 ." The report concludes that the AR-15 is superior to the M2Carbine, and better suited for Vietnamese soldiers than the M1 rifle,the M1918 BAR, and the Thompson SMG. Vietnamese troops andtheir US advisors reportedly considered the AR-15 "the best " allaround " shoulder weapon" then in use. ARPA notes that there wereno part breakages in nearly 80,000 rounds fired, and only two partswere replaced. The report also includes graphic details of the .223Remington's terminal effects. The results are typically described as"explosive." ARPA recommends that the AR-15 be adopted as thebasic weapon for all South Vietnamese forces. No deficiencies arenoted, and only two minor changes are recommended. One is to
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roughen the texture of the upper surfaces of the handguard for amore secure grip when a soldier's hands are wet. The second is toadd an additional section to the cleaning rod along with a T-shapedhandle.

Ordnance Weapons Command is renamed US Army WeaponsCommand (USAWC or WECOM). Ordnance Special WeaponsAmmunition Command is renamed US Army Munitions Command(MUCOM).

On behalf of Comptroller Hitch, the Systems Analysis Directorate ofthe OSD begins a study of rifle procurement.

Gene Stoner receives US Patent #3,045,555 titled "AutomaticTrigger Mechanism with Three Sears and a Rotatable ControlMember."

Department of Defense General Counsel Cyrus R. Vance becomesSecretary of the Army.

Mel Johnson prepares a detailed cost analysis for JSSR conversions. Johnson also prepares a press package on the JSSR and MMJ 5.7mmfor firearm and hunting magazines.

August : The USAF officially awards Colt the contract for 8,500 AR-15 and ammunition. Following the procurement of the initial quantityof weapons, the USAF includes 19,000 new AR-15 rifles in its FY1963 budget.

The AMC is activated with LTG Frank S. Besson, Jr. as its firstcommander. AMC is organized initially into five commodity majorsubordinate commands (MSCs); Electronics Command, MissileCommand, Munitions Command, Mobility Command, and WeaponsCommand; and two functional MSCs; Supply and MaintenanceCommand (SMC) and Test and Evaluation Command (TECOM). Dr.Carten is reassigned as the Technical Coordinator of the WeaponsDevelopment Branch of the AMC's Research, Development, &Equipment Directorate.

ARPA sends to the White House a brief titled " AR-15 ArmaliteRifle, Test Completion and Adoption for Vietnamese ArmedForces ."

General Harkins, the commander of MACV, requests a $4.6 millionadd-on to the FY 1963 Military Assistance Program (MAP) budget.This funding will be used to acquire 20,530 AR-15 rifles forimplementation of the Project

the 5.56 x 45mm 1957 - 1962 - a chronology of development - by daniel watters

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