Where can you get a m-16?

Answer 1

Before you could own one, you would need to obtain an NFA Class III permit, and find a transferrable rifle for sale (manufactured and marketed on the civil market prior to the Firearms Owners Protection Act of 1986.

As for semi auto variants, the closest to a mil spec rifle off the shelf would be the Colt AR15A2, which is manufactured to mostly the same specifications as the M16 rifle, but still with some notable differences. Like most commercial AR15 rifles and copies, the Colt AR15s come with the AR15 bolt carrier (rather than the M16 bolt carrier), and flat hammer, as opposed to the notched hammer used in the M16. It is possible to build up an AR platform rifle from stripped parts and components, or you could place an order through CMMG (see related link at the bottom), where you could place a custom order however you wanted the specs (if you were going for mil spec, you'd want a chrome lined standard profile barrel with a 1 in 7 pitch, and M16 bolt carrier group). After placing your order, you would need to have it shipped to a licenced FFL Type 1 or Type 2 dealer (Type 1 covers gunsmiths and gun shops, Type 2 is for pawnbrokers), who would charge a receiving fee (it varies between shops.. I only charge $20 receiving, but most shops charge between $30 - $40). They would also have to send a copy of their FFL to CMMG before it was shipped.

The ammunition you use should play a factor in what barrel you get. Most commercial rifles come with a 1 in 9 pitch, which is actually ideal for the 62 grain M855/SS109 ammunition standard to NATO forces - the US Military went with a 1 in 7 pitch because it would give the 64 grain tracer rounds the same flight characteristics as the 62 grain ball rounds - and the 1 in 9 pitch can also stabilise the lighter cartridges, such as the 55 grain M193 5.56 ammo, and 45 and 55 grain .223 cartridges (.223 and 5.56x45 are dimensionally similar, but are not the same cartridge). However, if you intend to fire heavier cartridges, such as the 77 grain rounds, the 1 in 9 pitch will not sufficiently stabilise these cartridges, and you'll need a 1 in 8 or 1 in 7 pitch barrel. Of the two, I find the 1 in 8 barrels to be the most dynamic, as they can stabilise everything from the 55 grain M193 and .223 cartridges up to the 80 grain .223 Wylde and 77 grain 5.56 rounds.

However, to buy a mil spec (or better than mil spec) rifle, you'll be spending a considerable amount of money, and many companies offer less expensive AR variants. Companies which do such include DPMS, Bushmaster, and Double Star. Out of these, I find DPMS and Double Star to be your best deals. Typically, money will be saved by not having a chrome lined barrel (which really is a non-issue, unless you intend to put thousands upon thousands of rounds through it), commercial spec bolt carriers and trigger groups, inexpensive hand guards (usually made simply by molding plastic, rather than using the aluminum inserts common to the mil spec handguards), etc. While purists on some forums like to bash anything which isn't made by Colt, LMT, or Noveske, companies such as DPMS and Double Star make reliable rifles which get the job done just as well as the more expensive rifles.