When we were at the Primary Arms range day before NRA in Indy earlier this year, Jeremy got a chance to shoot Anderson Manufacturing’s new AM-15 Dissipator rifle. It’s an updated 5.56 take on the classic Vietnam era M16 with a 16-inch barrel and a Magpul flip-up rear iron sight among other updates. Here’s Anderson’s press release . . .
Anderson Manufacturing has launched their AM-15 Dissipator, a modernized take on an iconic, Vietnam-era rifle. This rifle, upon initial launch, will be available exclusively through Classic Firearms.
The Dissipator origins stem from the 1960’s into the Vietnam War and was introduced to facilitate the need for a lighter, more compact weapon system without pivoting from the already fielded M16 Service Rifle. The fix was simplistic in nature- chop 4’’ off the barrel to bring it down to a 16’’, this gave troops the clearance they needed to go door to door and fight CQB (close quarter battles) without sacrificing the sight radius, felt recoil and reliability of a rifle gas system.
Anderson’s AM-15 Dissipator is equipped with a 16’’ government profile, front sight based (FSB) Anderson Barrel, chambered in 5.56, with a 1:8 twist rate and capped off by an A2 Flash Hider. The FSB is pinned, the sight is adjustable and serves as the gas block for the rifle-length gas system. Butted up against the FSB is a triangle end-cap that secures the 12’’ polymer, A2 Style Handguard with internal heat shield, all secured by an A2 Barrel Nut.
The barrel nut is secured to an AM-15 Upper Receiver which is matched up with an AM-15 Multi-Cal Lower Receiver, both forged from 7075 T6 Aluminum. There is a Magpul MBUS Rear Flip-Up Sight attached to the flat-top, 1913 picatinny rail atop the upper receiver. The upper is host to an Anderson M16 Profile Bolt Carrier Group (Carrier: 8620 Steel, Bolt: 9310 Steel) and Anderson’s Standard Charging Handle. The fire control group is an Anderson Premium Lower Parts Kit and the stock is an A2 Rifle Buttstock with the A2 Rifle Buffer, spring and tube.
The A2 Rifle Buttstock gives you a rear sling connect while the FSB features a front sling attach point. This rifle ships with a 30 round ASC Magazine, Anderson Owner’s Manual, Anderson Chamber Flag, Rifle Cable Lock and an Anderson decal. Anderson Manufacturing has the MSRP listed at $599.99, check out www.classicfirearms.com for their exclusive pricing.
“The A4 Dissipator gives a classic rifle a slight refresh, maintaining a true to original rifle gas system while adding a flat top receiver to mount modern optics. The rifle gas system on a 16″ barrel offers an extremely smooth recoil impulse and long sight radius, while maintaining a short overall length. This rifle answers the question: ‘What would have happened if the original chopped m16 made it all the way to the A4 generation?’” -Truman Brough, Anderson Manufacturing’s Product Engineer.
