Description
Technical Manual (TM 9-1005-249-34) for 5.56mm M16, M16A1 Rifles and M3 Rifle Bipod February 1972 FSN 1005-856-6885
Add a strong piece of Vietnam War-era / Cold War U.S. small-arms documentation to your collection with this Technical Manual TM 9-1005-249-34. This manual covers the 5.56mm M16 Rifle, 5.56mm M16A1 Rifle, and M3 Rifle Bipod with carrying case, dated February 1972.
This is a Direct Support and General Support Maintenance Manual, including Repair Parts and Special Tools Lists for the M16, M16A1, and M3 bipod equipment group.
Historical Significance
The M16 and M16A1 rifle family became one of the defining U.S. infantry weapon systems of the Vietnam War. The AR-15 / M16 program used a high-velocity 5.56mm cartridge instead of the heavier 7.62mm M14 cartridge, and Project AGILE sent AR-15 rifles to combat troops in Southeast Asia for field trials. Those trials helped support the first large-scale M16 procurement in 1966 for Vietnam deployment.
The February 1972 date places this manual in a key period. By then, the M16A1 had become firmly established in U.S. service, and the Army was maintaining a full technical publication system for operator, organizational, direct support, and general support maintenance. Military technical manuals were official working documents intended to support identification, use, servicing, and field support, making them valuable references for collectors, historians, researchers, and restorers.
The M16, M16A1, and M3 Rifle Bipod Connection
This manual documents the support-level maintenance side of three important early 5.56mm rifle-system items:
- Rifle, 5.56mm, M16 – FSN 1005-856-6885
- Rifle, 5.56mm, M16A1 W/E – FSN 1005-073-9421
- Bipod, Rifle, M3, with carrying case – FSN 1005-890-2609
The M16 represents the early 5.56mm service rifle story, while the M16A1 became the Vietnam War-era Army variant most collectors recognize. The M3 Rifle Bipod adds an important accessory and supported-fire reference point, making this manual more complete than a rifle-only publication.
What This Manual Covers
As TM 9-1005-249-34, this publication was written for direct support and general support maintenance. It is especially useful for collectors who want the deeper technical side of the M16 family, including repair parts, special tools, inspection, repair, and support-level reference material.
This manual is especially relevant for:
- M16 Rifle maintenance documentation
- M16A1 Rifle support-level reference
- M3 Rifle Bipod documentation
- Vietnam War small-arms collections
- 5.56mm rifle technical manual sets
- repair parts and special tools research
- Cold War U.S. Army small-arms reference libraries
- museum and archival reference collections
Available manual archive listings identify this title as TM 9-1005-249-34, February 1972, Direct Support and General Support Maintenance Manual Including Repair Parts and Special Tools List, covering the M16, M16A1, and M3 bipod equipment group.
Key Features
- Technical Manual TM 9-1005-249-34
- 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 February 1972
- Direct Support and General Support maintenance subject
- Includes Repair Parts and Special Tools List context
- Strong Vietnam War / Cold War 5.56mm rifle collector subject
- Excellent reference for M16, M16A1, and M3 bipod manual collections
About This Manual
This listing is for Technical Manual TM 9-1005-249-34, covering the 5.56mm M16 and M16A1 Rifles and M3 Rifle Bipod, dated February 1972, with listed stock numbers 1005-856-6885, 1005-073-9421, and 1005-890-2609.
This listing is for the manual only unless otherwise stated. No 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 is a strong fit for:
- M16 Rifle collectors
- M16A1 Rifle collectors
- M3 Rifle Bipod reference collections
- Vietnam War small-arms displays
- 5.56mm rifle documentation libraries
- repair parts and special tools manual collectors
- museum and archival reference displays
Approx length 11", Approx width 8", Approx height .25", Approx weight 1lbs.
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.
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