Developing 3,250 feet per second of muzzle velocity, and firing the devastating 7.62mm round, it proved a highly adaptable infantry weapon.Īlongside their M16s, US infantry in Vietnam held a stock of M-61 grenades. This M16, minus a few minor changes, is essentially identical to that still in use by US infantry forces today (though times are a-changin ’). Though initial trials of the new rifle indicated that it had some problems with jamming, especially when firing slightly damaged ammunition, some changes were made and the new design was standardized as the M16A1. The new rifle was lighter than the M1, weighing in at an impressive 6 pounds, and the gas system was heavily upgraded. The Armalite Corporation re-thought the M1 in collaboration with Colt. This rifle emerged in the early 1960s, after Kennedy committed more US military advisors to Vietnam. As the Vietnam War intensified, it quickly became apparent that a better rifle was needed. Though this rifle had proven itself up to that point, in essence the M14 was just a slightly adapted version of the Garand M1 rifle that had been used in WW2. The weapon chosen was the 7.62mm M14 rifle. And though primarily a military weapon, it even came to influence civilian hunting guns, like the semi-automatic AR-15 rifle, which is largely based on this Vietnam-era gun.Īt the very beginning of what would become the Vietnam War, back in 1954, US military advisors were armed for the first time. Though based on earlier rifles, the M16 represented a revolution in thinking about infantry weapons, and is still the base on which all modern infantry rifles are based. Arguably no infantry rifle has been more effective and more influential than this one. For this reason, the 1911 remains popular today among beginner and advanced shooters alike.Īh yes, the M16. Not only was it powerful, but the sturdy construction meant that it put up very well with jungle conditions: many Vietnam veterans report that they were issued 1911s that were some 30 years old, and they still worked perfectly. 45 ACP, it delivered a huge amount of power at close range.Īnd of course, the same features that led to the 1911’s adoption in the Philippines also suited it very well to Vietnam. The 1911 was Colt’s answer - chambered in. Jungle warfare in the Philippines meant that most enemies were engaged at very close range and many soldiers took to carrying their sidearm in hand in case they were ambushed. 38 Long Colt, did not deliver enough power. During the Philippine-American War way back in 1903, it was found that the then-standard infantry pistol, the. In fact, during Vietnam the 1911s issued to US troops were essentially identical to those of WW2.įor those of you unfamiliar with this pistol, let me give you an idea of why it was used for so long. Having proved itself a reliable pistol in WW2, the US Military saw no reason to replace the pistol as a standard sidearm during the Vietnam conflict. Though originally adopted for use in 1911, as the name suggests, this iconic design was to serve with the US military until 1986. Yes, the Colt 1911 saw a significant amount of action during the Vietnam War. First, though, let’s start with the humble … We’ll take a look at some artillery, the most effective aircraft used in the conflict, and some of the more strange ideas that arose during the war. Today, I’ll take you through some of the most important weapons used during the Vietnam war. In fact, Vietnam necessitated a previously unknown level of cooperation between forces from various branches of the military, and the advances in weapon technology made by one branch were in some cases quickly carried over into others. The multi-theater nature of the war also meant that the weapons that were developed applied to air forces as much as infantry troops, and as much to artillery as naval warfare. It also saw the production of several totally new weapon systems, some of which would later go on to become standard military equipment, and some of which would never be seen again. Vietnam accordingly saw the perfection of many of the weapons of previous wars, with assault rifles in particular assuming their modern form during the conflict. The ever increasing ferocity of the combat, and the body count, meant that unprecedented levels of resources were poured into weapon development. The Vietnam War saw the fastest rate of weapon development of any period since WWII. War, what is it good for? Well, as it turns out, weapons development. 7 Important Weapons Used By the United States in the Vietnam War
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