Citations:black magic

English citations of black magic

(US military during the Vietnam War) an M16 rifle (1960s-1970s)

• 2012, Gordon L. Rottman, Green Beret in Vietnam: 1957–73, Bloomsbury Publishing (→ISBN)

  The “black magic” had significant teething problems, but these were eventually resolved, and the XM16E1 was standardized as the M16A1 rifle on February 28, 1967. Improvements included a bolt forward assist device, […]

• 2015, Eric Van Lustbader, Floating City: A Nicholas Linnear Novel, Simon and Schuster (→ISBN), page 145:

  The boat rolled deeply in the green and indigo swells. “We're almost there,” Abramanov said. Rock looked up from his methodical cleaning of a black magic—an M16A1 army rifle—[and] saw Abramanov hulking like a brown bear across the deck.

• 2007 March 15, Edward Wilson, A River in May, Arcadia Books, →ISBN:

  So he picked up his rifle – to him a black magic crossbow – and an American ended up with a bullet between the eyes. The Montagnard always seemed to choose a mortar pit for his last stand. They always brought in a tribal elder who tried […]

mentions

• 1987, Shelby L. Stanton, Vietnam order of battle, Bookthrift Co

  Black Magic Nickname for the M16A1 rifle

• 2014, Tom Dalzell, Vietnam War Slang: A Dictionary on Historical Principles, Routledge (→ISBN), page 13:

  black magic noun the M-16 rifle, the standard rifle used by US troops in Vietnam after 1966 […] It was nicknamed “black magic” because it was made of black plastic and steel. — Barbara Schading, A Civilian's Guide to the U.S. Military [2006]