The M203 is a single shot 40 mm grenade launcher designed to attach to a rifle. It uses the same rounds as the older M79 break-action grenade launcher, which utilize the High-Low Propulsion System to keep recoil forces low.

In the Vietnam War, U.S. Navy and Coast Guard personnel on boats would lob 40 mm grenades into the water (using the M79 grenade launcher), to preemptively attack Viet Cong swimmers ("sappers") attempting to plant explosives on anchored or moored U.S. watercraft.

In Vietnam, some soldiers were issued a carbine version of the M16 named XM177. The XM177 had a shorter 10 in (254 mm) barrel and a telescoping stock, which made it substantially more compact.

2022年4月28日 · Throughout the course of the Vietnam War, the US Army developed a number of grenade launchers to aid forces in Southeast Asia. One of those was the M203, a single-shot under-barrel launcher designed to attach to shoulder-fired rifles.

The M203 was accepted for Federal service in 1969, and in the following year, deliveries were made to the troops in Vietnam, including the Centaurs. This weapon fared well in Vietnam, and has been used in every conflict since then with a nearly fifty-year distinguished service record.

The fist user of the M203 was the US military and it was used during the later stages of the Vietnam war and all subsequent conflicts. At first the M203 was only used by operators of the M16 series of assault rifles.

2022年5月1日 · The M203 first saw combat during the Vietnam War, in which it was deemed a great success. It has since been used by many nations in seemingly innumerable conflicts worldwide, also usually successfully.

The M16A1 is an automatic assault rifle which replaced the M14 rifle to become the US military's standard service rifle during the Vietnam War. The original M16 fared poorly in the jungles of Vietnam and was infamous for reliability problems in the harsh environment. The M203 is a …

2024年5月30日 · The new M320 single-shot, double-action, side-loading grenade launcher is set to replace the M203 in service with US military forces, bringing an end to the M203's legacy in the US military inventory. Several other nations have also retired the type from service.

The M16 was selectable for full and semi-automatic fire. The M16 was to have had the same effective range as the M14 rifle it replaced, but it was most effective at a range of 215 yards (200m) or less.