Marine combat vet. I carried the M14 the first few months and then was issued the M16. It is true the M14 is heavier, but we were used to it. It always fired and the 7.62 round put a man down. It would penetrate cement block, jungle and just about anything else. The M16 was issued with two magazines and we had to find out on our own that if you loaded it with the full 20 rounds, it would jam. Seventeen rounds became our load. We only got one cleaning kit per fire team (3 or 4 ) and when the rifle jammed as it constantly did, you needed the cleaning rod to push the shell out of the chamber. In fire fights, we were hurling the thing back and forth and if you were inaccurate someone had to go out, under fire, to retrieve it. There were times that we all were jammed and Marines died because of this insanity. It was difficult to adjust sight. No knockdown power. I was on point one day and caught a VC in a patty. He took off and I began firing. Seventeen rounds and several into a second mag, he finally went down. I thought I was missing him at about 150 yards, but when I walked up to him he was swiss cheese. He motioned for a drink of water and when I handed it to him he pitched a grenade at me. Only that explosion finished him. With the M14, they went down on the first round. Finally, walking point, I surprised an NVA team setting up an ambush. I fired first on full auto at 10 yards. but my rifle jammed. They shot the Hell out of me until my squad leader, Clp. Shetterly dropped a second M79 round on them. Somehow, I walked away with light wounds but my M16 took 4 rounds and was done for. That is why I will take the M14, every time and I have more, just got tired of the question.