Does the front sight on an M16 get hot under heavy fire?

Question: From my limited understanding of the operation of the M16 rifle, the combustion gases travel through the front sight (transitioning from the barrel to the gas tube). It seems that under heavy fire situations, this would cause the front sight to heat up. Does anyone have any experience with this?

Answer: What you are describing is the gas block. About half way down the barrel there is a port. It is hidden by the hand grip. The gas travels through there to cycle the bolt. That part does indeed heat up with use, however the sight is not mounted to it. The front sight is fixed to the end of the barrel and actually does not heat up very much, even with prolonged strings of fire.

Related Questions

Related Items