In 1965 when the US intervened in San Domingo, military observers noted that the paratroopers of the 82nd Airborne were armed with a completely new gun made of light alloy and plastic. This was the M 16, a weapon developed by an aeronautical engineer based on the design of Eugene Stoner. It was subsequently used in Vietnam and it was there that it became world renowned. With a number of adaptations, more than ten million M 16's have been produced and it is in service in at least 80 countries. Packed with more than 200 full colour images and 200 black and white photos, this book is a comprehensive history of the development of this key weapon. It shows every conceivable version, variant and accessory of the weapon and even includes versions made under licence by other manufacturers.