The early models had a terrible tendency to jam. It was over-complicated and also over-sensitive to dust, mud, etc. (unlike the AK)
That was as much the fault of the ammo they used initially.
We had to go thru foreign weapons training, the instructor dropped an AK in a mudhole picked it up, locked a magazine and fired thirty rounds down range.
“The early models had a terrible tendency to jam.”
Yes, but that problem was for the most part corrected by 1968, and the remedy included better cleaning discipline. In any event, when I went in the military (1970) I think the jamming problem was pretty much in the past. Of course, that was little solace to the troops who had to use the M16 before the quirks were ironed out. I had some good friends who were in the Marines, and they LOVED the M-14, which the M-16 replaced; they were very sorry to see the M-14 retired. I like the M1A (the standard semi-auto only version of the M-14), but my favorite battle rifle was the M1 Garand (which I was only able to shoot for fun, as it was pretty much out of the standard inventory when I was in)). I’ve shot the M1 Garand many times over the years and I just love it (though I wouldn’t want to have to lug it around for any extended period of time! It gets heavy!).