The applique armor on the M2A2 did away with the firing ports, but they did indeed retain the two in the rear ramp.- mike_DuplessisYeh, it does look like the firing ports were covered over on the Bradly starting with the A1... with the exception of the rear ramp firing port, I think
- Neil_BaumgardnerThe M231 "Firing Port Weapon" was based off the M16 for use in the Bradley.
According to this, the M231s are still around, used for self-defense, etc. I wonder if anyone on here with first-hand knowledge can confirm or deny this...
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colt_M231_FPW
By the look of it, I doubt an M16 or M4 could be used in its place at least unless you removed the hand guards...
Neil
it was great for clearing trenches. The high rate of fire (I think over 1000 rpm) and full auto feature were why
Specifics
The M231 is different in many ways from a standard M16. The original RIA FPW fired from an open bolt, with an extremely high rate of firing (1,050 rpm). The Colt XM231 introduced a special buffer and spring assembly, with three springs nested one within the other. This was done to allow the rate of fire to be lowered to 200 rpm, because the theory at that period was that, using all tracer magazines, if the high ROF was retained troops would exhaust their magazines before the weapon was brought to target. The original RIA FPW had an 11 in (280 mm) barrel, while the Colt prototypes and the production M231 both had 15.6 in (396 mm) barrels. Initially the FPWs had no locking mechanism and had flip up sights, along with a metal wire stock akin to that on the M3 SMG, to allow the weapon to be used outside of the vehicle more effectively. Later this was dropped, and a new handguard introduced with a screw type locking mechanism to fix the weapon into the port. Late XM231s had no rear sights either. By the time the M231 was finalized the wire stock had been done away with as the weapon had a tendency to unfasten itself from the firing port and the stock was deemed to be dangerous in the confines of the vehicle. The firing rate had also returned to a higher rate of 1,100-1,200 round/min.
These weapons are all capable of only fully automatic fire, with the special FPW upper receiver "locking out" any additional movement of the selector switch with a special side plate that extends down to the lower receiver. These weapons are retain a 65% commonality with standard M16 rifles.
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