neoatomica: Bullet shouldn’t be lubricated, it was the AR-15 NOT the M-15 (actually, the Squad Automatic Rifle version of the M-14 don’t you know). It’s a myth that bullets “knock people down” 7.62 or otherwise.

Tim Tracy: A lot of the “flaws” that amateurs keep harping about were fixed a long time ago, but that doesn’t stop bloggers and even people in uniform from repeating them over and over.

The barrel twist had to be increased to improve accuracy 9but this halved lethality); the ammunition had to be changed to a dirty-burning compound from Olin (because it was similar to the powder used in other weapons); and an insertion-assist had to be added to force home recalcitrant rounds (this added zero to effectiveness, but increased cost and weight).

The original weapon, which can be bought from Armalite, is as good as the article says. But the Army still wouldn’t back down from its mistaken specs, even after the hearings exposed the Ordnance dept.’s blunder. “The system” protects its own–and it recognized blood-brothers in the mediocrity and petty gamesmanship of the blunderers.

Fallows’ article isn’t available online yet, Fallows explains in his thread on the Atlantic’s site that articles from that date have to be scanned in and are still in a legal limbo. But you can obtain it by interlibrary loan—they may even make a free copy for you and mail it to you. Check with your library.