Description
Technical Manual Change 2 (TM 9-1005-249-12) for 5.56mm M16, M16A1 Rifles and M3 Rifle Bipod September 1969 FSN 1005-856-6885
Add a strong piece of Vietnam War-era U.S. small-arms documentation to your collection with this Technical Manual Change 2 for TM 9-1005-249-12 issued on August 1968, covering the 5.56mm M16 Rifle, 5.56mm M16A1 Rifle, and M3 Rifle Bipod with carrying case.
This is a Change 2 update dated September 1969 for the TM 9-1005-249-12 manual family. Reference listings identify the base manual as an Operator and Organizational Maintenance Manual, including Basic Issue Items List and Repair Parts and Special Tools List, for the Rifle, 5.56mm, M16 (USAF), Rifle, 5.56mm, M16A1, W/E, and Bipod, Rifle, M3, W/Carrying Case.
This is the Change 2 update only, not the full base manual. For collectors, that makes it a useful companion piece for completing an early M16 / M16A1 technical manual set.
Historical Significance
The M16 and M16A1 rifle family became one of the defining U.S. infantry weapon systems of the Vietnam War era. DARPA notes that the AR-15/M16 program used a 5.56mm high-velocity cartridge instead of the heavier 7.62mm M14 cartridge, and that Project AGILE sent 1,000 AR-15 rifles to combat troops in Southeast Asia for field trials. Those trials helped support the first major M16 procurement in 1966 for Vietnam deployment.
That makes this September 1969 Change 2 especially relevant. It comes from the period when the M16 and M16A1 were still being documented, supported, and refined through official Army technical publications.
Military technical manuals were official working documents used to support identification, use, servicing, and field support of the equipment they covered. That makes surviving examples useful for collectors, historians, researchers, and restorers looking for authentic military reference material.
The M16, M16A1, and M3 Rifle Bipod Connection
This manual change covers three important pieces of the early 5.56mm rifle system:
- Rifle, 5.56mm, M16 (USAF) – FSN 1005-856-6885
- Rifle, 5.56mm, M16A1, W/E – FSN 1005-073-9421
- Bipod, Rifle, M3, W/Carrying Case – FSN 1005-890-2609
The inclusion of both the M16 and M16A1 gives this manual change strong reference value. The M16 is tied closely to early Air Force use, while the M16A1 became the better-known Army variant of the Vietnam War period. The M3 Rifle Bipod adds another equipment angle, connecting the manual to supported firing, rifle accessories, and the broader field-support system around the rifle.
For collectors, this change notice fits especially well with displays focused on Vietnam War infantry weapons, early M16 documentation, M16A1 field gear, 5.56mm ammunition history, and U.S. Army / Marine Corps / Air Force small-arms technical publications.
Key Features
- Technical Manual Change 2 for TM 9-1005-249-12 issued August 1968
- Covers the 5.56mm M16 Rifle (FSN 1005-856-6885)
- Covers the 5.56mm M16A1 Rifle (FSN 1005-073-9421)
- Covers the M3 Rifle Bipod with carrying case (FSN 1005-890-2609)
- Dated September 12, 1969
- Updates the operator and organizational maintenance manual family
- Related to basic issue items, repair parts, and special tools documentation
- Cross-service publication family includes TM 05538A-12 and T.O. 11W3-5-5-11
- Strong Vietnam War / Cold War small-arms collector subject
About This Manual Change
This listing is for Technical Manual Change 2 for TM 9-1005-249-12 (issued on August 2, 1968), covering the 5.56mm M16 and M16A1 Rifles and M3 Rifle Bipod, dated September 1969.
This listing is for the Change 2 update only unless otherwise stated. No complete base manual, rifle, firearm, receiver, barrel, bipod, magazine, ammunition, sling, tools, repair parts, storage case, or additional accessories are included unless specifically shown or noted.
Ideal For
This manual change is a strong fit for:
- M16 Rifle collectors
- M16A1 Rifle collectors
- M3 Rifle Bipod reference collections
- Cold War U.S. Army technical manual collections
- 5.56mm rifle documentation libraries
- museum and archival reference displays
- collectors completing a TM 9-1005-249-12 manual set
Approx length 10", Approx width 8", Approx height .2", Approx weight .2lbs.
Pictures are stock images of our inventory. Unless otherwise noted, you will not be receiving the exact item shown in the pictures. The pictures are representative of the item's general condition. The item you receive might be slightly better, or worse, condition than was shown in the pictures.
Please visit our page about order lead times here: Order Lead Times