Setup (CQC Only): Any sight, T break, Stubby Grip, Any laser, Hollow point.
History
The M16A3 is a modified version of the M16A2 adopted in small numbers by the United States Navy SEALs, Seabees, and Security units.[1] The M16A3's main difference from its predecessor is its adoption of a three-position trigger group, with safe, semi-, and fully-automatic settings.
In-Game
General Information
The M16A3 is a rather on-par assault rifle; dealing 32 damage up close and dropping to 22 damage at the end of its damage drop off, equating to a four-shot kill (4SK) up close and a 5SK at longer ranges. The range is fairly good for its class, with damage beginning to drop off at 80 studs and stopping at 145 studs. Its rate of fire (RoF) is also quite good for an assault rifle, at 800 RPM. The M16A3 boasts the highest muzzle velocity for its weapon type at 2800 studs per second. This results in the M16A3 having a fairly consistent, albeit relatively average time to kill (TTK) across all distances.
The M16A3 has moderate first-shot recoil, but fairly controllable overall recoil kicking mostly vertically with some horizontal deviation—this is noticeable when aiming down sights (ADS). Furthermore, it has a good recoil recovery speed as well as a moderately low camera recoil. Hipfire accuracy is on par with other assault rifles along with the ADS time, weapon switch time, and walk speed.
As of the April Fools update, the M16A3 is able to switch ammunition to the Remington .223 round with 0 kills with the weapon. That was later reverted to 500 kills on any weapon it can be equipped on. This decreases max damage from 32->22 and min damage from 30.40->19.80. In turn, these .223 rounds mitigate the large majority of recoil from the weapon. Combined with attachments such as the Blue Laser and Muzzle Brake, the weapon loses nearly all recoil.
The M16A3 carries much faster reload times than most assault rifles. With a tactical reload requiring 1.9 seconds to complete and an empty reload taking 2.7 seconds, the M16A3 is tied with the M16A4 for the fastest tactical reload time in-class. The M16A3 ends up having a fairly high ammunition consumption rate due to its higher RoF with an in-class average 30-round magazine. Fortunately, the M16A3's ammunition type is quite common among assault rifles and carbines.
Usage & Tactics
The M16A3 is a very versatile Assault Rifle with moderate stats in most areas. It's geared towards close and medium range combat, given its higher RoF and quick reload times. Its consistent and low TTK can go toe-to-toe with some personal defense weapons and carbines such as the MP10, G36C, and L22, while remaining competitive with medium-range assault rifles such as the G36, AK12, and AUG A3. Despite its higher rate of fire, with the right attachments equipped, it can be an effective weapon out to range, though other rifles such as the AN-94 and SCAR-L are more suited for ranged combat.
M16A3 users should remain within close to medium range. In close-quarters-combat (CQC), the M16A3 loses out to faster firing weapons such as the Kriss Vector and MAC10, M16A4, and higher damage weapons such as the AK47. Despite the higher muzzle velocity compared to other assault rifles, M16A3 users should not engage at longer ranges. Its 5SK makes it much harder to achieve kills at longer distances compared to more suitable weapons such as a designated marksman rifle. Remaining within the 4SK range is the best way to take full advantage of the M16A3's versatility. Multiple strategies and playstyles work well with this weapon, from aggressive rushing tactics and defensive methods to flanking.
One major flaw hindering the M16A3's performance is its relatively high muzzle flash. Compared to the M4A1, it is more visible, obstructing its iron sights making target acquisition more difficult. To combat this, a Flash Hider is a good attachment at the cost of slightly reduced hip-fire accuracy, sight accuracy and stability. Alternatives are suppressors, which reduce damage, muzzle velocity, and the overall effective range for minor changes to recoil.
Attachment-wise, the M16A3 is very flexible and can accommodate many different combinations that fit into individual playstyles. Those who struggle with horizontal recoil can opt for a Compensator, making the M16A3 very stable at the expense of slightly higher vertical recoil. The suppressors provide suitable sound masking to those looking for a stealth option. The downsides of suppressors are not as severe as with other weapons; the damage and range reduction is minimal, making the shots to kill (STK) remain the same. Muzzle velocity reduction depends on the equipped suppressor. Thanks to the above-average muzzle velocity by default, the reduced values remain higher than that of other assault rifles with the same suppressor.
Conclusion
The M16A3 is an effective Assault Rifle for those looking for a balanced weapon geared more towards close and mid range combat. The high customizability of the weapon allows users more say in how they would like the weapon to handle to meet their purposes. It is a good substitute for users who do not prefer to use the M16A4; however, its obstructive muzzle flash and high first shot recoil results in some difficulty to engage in long-range situations.