jordantask t1_iv09cbs wrote
You would be surprised how many companies you know of have been involved in the production of weapons.
Once upon a time Mattel produced plastic parts for the M-16 family of rifles at a factory in China.
Le_Garcon t1_iv0qxl7 wrote
That's a myth, Mattel never made M16 parts.
It was a rumor started by soldiers who (understandably) didn't like the early M16 models and said they were toy guns or had furniture made by Mattel.
A persistent one too, you can find vets who swear up and down their rifle had Mattel markings on it but Mattel never had such a contract and there's no evidence of them ever making parts.
jordantask t1_iv1ae50 wrote
No, the myth was that Mattel was making M-16s. They were not. They were, in point of fact, making the pistol grip of the rifle.
herpestruth t1_ivcng3k wrote
I think l remember seeing a Mattel logo on an M16 stock back in 1972.
123chop t1_iv0pwks wrote
GMs Hydramatic division (automatic transmissions) made m16 receivers as well. Actual hydramatic transmissions were in m5 light tanks as well, with Cadillac v8s
roberte94066 t1_iv1eb42 wrote
Yep, had one in Basic in 1972. Nice rifle!
[deleted] t1_iv1xzib wrote
[deleted]
roberte94066 t1_iv2rvca wrote
It needed to be clean. Never used it in combat, but it was a hoot to target practice with, given the lack of appreciable recoil.
TeamADW t1_iv37u0w wrote
Singer sewing machines made M1 rifles and 1911 pistols, and even IBM made M1s in WWII. GM did liberator stampings.
Heck, Packard built the merlin engines for the P51 Mustangs, and did it better than Rolls Royce after they standardised all the drawings and parts.
Sherman tanks had Chrysler engines. Basically, if your company had equipment and workers, the war department would tell you what you were needed and allowed to make.
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