Is the M16 Rifle Full Auto? A Hardcore Gamer‘s Breakdown

As an avid first-person shooter gamer and military weapon enthusiast, few rifles get me more excited than the venerable M16 platform. This iconic assault rifle has armed American infantry for over 50 years across its numerous variants – boasting over 8 million units produced.

Its familiar silhouette and renowned reputation naturally make it a staple weapon in tactical military games. But with so many iterations of the M16 over the years, which ones actually allow full auto fire capability? Let‘s analyze the nitty-gritty details.

The OG Full Auto: M16 & M16A1

The original M16 entered U.S. military service in 1964 as a revolutionary lightweight, select-fire assault rifle feeding the new 5.56×45mm cartridge. Its key features included:

• 20-round magazine
• Semi-automatic + full automatic fire modes
• Cyclic rate up to 850–950 rounds per minute on full auto

This amount of lead flying downrange may seem excessive. But America was embroiled in the Vietnam War‘s close-quarters jungle fighting, where volume of fire could mean life or death.

The M16A1 variant quickly replaced the original M16 in 1967, featuring only minor changes like a forward assist button to remedy jamming issues. It retained both semi-automatic and full auto functionality.

These early M16‘s were plagued by reliability problems in Vietnam‘s harsh environment due to terrible quality control and incorrect ammunition. But when functioning properly, their full auto setting provided American GIs a decisive edge in frantic firefights at short range.

Just listen to this actual Vietnam audio recording of M16A1 full auto fire support kicking off an engagement – it‘s easy to see why the intimidating crackle became infamous among enemy fighters!

Real WWII M16A1 Firepower

In games like Medal of Honor, Battlefield Vietnam, and the classic Call of Duty Black Ops, these early full auto M16‘s feel tremendously lethal in close quarters. Holding down mouse 1 to dump a full magazine of 5.56 cuts down enemies swiftly.

However, their high recoil and slower reloads make them less forgiving than modern assault rifles – retaining a skill gap that rewards trigger discipline and well-aimed bursts over reckless full auto spray.

The Move to 3-Round Burst with the M16A2

In 1983, the U.S. Marines adopted the redesigned M16A2 assault rifle as their new standard-issue infantry weapon. With lessons learned from over a decade of Vietnam combat experience, the A2 variant aimed to increase accuracy and ammo conservation.

The most radical change came through replacing the full auto setting with a 3-round burst limiter. This modification emerged from research showing most soldiers would empty entire 30-round magazines on full auto, largely aiming uncontrolled bursts high and wide after only the first few shots.

The 3-round restrictor brought discipline back to rapid firing, ensuring every quick squeeze of the trigger delivered a tight trio of rounds downrange. At 650–750 RPM, well-aimed burst fire allowed more controlled suppression of enemies. And soldiers no longer burned through precious ammunition.

This table highlights the key differences between the M16A1 and M16A2‘s firing capabilities. Removing full auto for a refined burst setting helped rectify battlefield shortcomings.

In games like Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, the AN-94 assault rifle brings a similar 2-round hyperburst mechanic to the sandbox. Mastering the delayed rapid double-tap over spamming full auto fire gives players an accuracy advantage at mid-range.

The 3-round burst rifles in COD4, Ghost Recon Advanced Warfighter, and other military shooters retain moderate recoil to incentivize well-aimed triggered pulls over emptying the whole magazine. Their balanced risk-reward profile keeps burst weapons relevant among full auto AR spray, unlike the real M16A2‘s forced limitation.

The M16A4 – Continuing the Burst Fire Legacy

The M16A2 continued as the standard-issue rifle for regular U.S. Army units over the next 15 years. But by the late 1990‘s, shorter carbine-length weapons emerged as the desired platform for frontline troops.

The Marines pressed forward with the longer M16 platform, adopting the improved M16A4 variant in 1998. This new model incorporated modernized ergonomics and a durable Picatinny accessory rail with leaf sights.

However, the M16A4 retained the 3-round burst setting instead of reverting to full auto – evidence of the tactical advantages offered by disciplined burst fire. The rifle would go on to reliably serve Marines across Iraq and Afghanistan throughout the Global War on Terror.

But while burst mode struck the right balance for line infantry, special operation forces needed rapid full auto spray when storming compounds in close quarters. This requirement ultimately gave rise to the modernized M4A1…

The Return of Full Power with the M4A1 SBR

As I discussed in my article M4 vs M16: Gaming‘s Top AR Platforms Face Off, the 1990‘s saw major militaries downsize from long 20-inch barreled assault rifles to more agile carbine-length weapons for urban warfare. America quickly adopted the 14.5” M4 carbine as the ideal compact replacement.

Originally firing only semi-auto and burst like the M16A2/A4, special operation forces demanded the superior close-range spray potential of full auto for CQB raids. This gave rise to the M4A1 in the late 90‘s – distinguished by bringing back full auto overburst.

The M4A1 close quarters beast cemented its reputation across the GWOT, proving tremendously effective at room clearing and other rapid raid tasks. Its lighter weight and shortened profile also reduced fatigue and increased mobility in vehicles/aircraft.

By 2015, the full auto M4A1 completely overtook burst-limited M4‘s as the U.S. military‘s standard-issue rifle. Its CQB superiority made the weapon ubiquitous among infantry brigades.

Meanwhile, diehard fans of the M16A4 like Marine Corps continue using it as a powerful, battle-proven workhorse – just without full auto.

M4A1 Improvements Over M16A4:

In games like Modern Warfare (2019) and Sandstorm, the short-barreled M4 feels like an ultra-responsive headshot machine in close-mid engagements. Meanwhile, longer M16‘s provide a bit more accuracy for distance, but recoil heavier under full auto. That said, they still feel amazing to shoot in virtual worlds!

I‘d argue the iconic M16A4 stands as the best overall virtual assault rifle due to its balance of stability and damage across most ranges. It just lacks the dangerous CQB full auto spray of the M4A1 that gameplay often demands.

AR-15 Variants: Civilian Semi-Auto Only

While military and law enforcement personnel can access select-fire M16‘s and M4‘s, civilian AR-15 rifles are limited to semi-automatic by the NFA. This means gun owners are restricted to firing only one shot per trigger pull.

AR-15‘s lack burst or full auto settings to comply with regulations – but compensating muzzle devices like binary triggers and bump stocks have simulated automatic capabilities…often landing themselves in legal gray areas.

Of course, from a gaming perspective, we can enjoy wielding AR-pattern rifles in full uncensored glory! Titles like Escape from Tarkov feature civilian AR-15 parts mixed with illegal full auto components to create tactical Frankenstein monstrosities.

This freedom to experiment with weapon mods and fire selector settings keeps military-style shooters endlessly entertaining as a virtual playground unattainable in real life.

Verdict: An Iconic Rifle Restricted and Unleashed

The M16 entered Vietnam as a revolutionary fully automatic infantry rifle touting blistering firepower. But battlefield lessons led commanders to value ammo conservation and precision over spray-and-pray tactics.

Burst mode reduced unnecessary full auto waste while boosting accuracy – a compromise balance deemed superior for decades of frontline combat.

However, the rise of close quarters warfare once again necessitated unrestrained full auto capabilities. This brought back the raw CQB dominance of the M4A1 now cherished globally among special ops and rifle enthusiasts.

Meanwhile in games, we get to enjoy the iconic M16/AR-15 platform in whichever flavor satisfies our gameplay appetite on a given virtual mission!

I hope this guide gave fellow FPS gamers some interesting insight into the real-life full auto capabilities behind our favorite digital assault rifles over the years. Let me know your thoughts in the comments!