There is an interesting article at Human Events about the US Army culture favoring the M4, while the Marines culture being pro-M16A4.
Two years ago when I was in Iraq, I noticed there were essentially two different primary infantry weapons (the M16 automatic rifle and the also-automatic M4 carbine) carried by America’s two primary ground forces — the U.S. Marine Corps and the U.S. Army.
Marines for the most part were carrying the M16. The Army on the other hand was primarily carrying the M4: a shorter, lighter version of the M16 with a collapsible-stock.
The M16 in this photo, which was taken in Afghanistan a few days ago, has a carry handle mounted on the 9 o’clock handguard rail.
I had not seen a carry handle mounted there before so I asked about it on MP.net. BumpkinBoy and scrybe suggested he has it there in case his optics fail. If it failed he would need to detach the scope and carry handle, then reattach the carry handle.
I suppose it is not a bad idea if you cannot afford, are not allowed, or do not have backup iron sights (BUIS) on hand.
“FREEFALLE7″, a Ranger Instructor, posted the above photo at AR15.com. A student, on arrival at the Swamp phase of Ranger School, showed him his M4 and said “my barrel fell off”. His punishment for not telling an instructor at the Mountain phase (the previous phase) about the broken M4 was to be given a M240, which weights 27 lbs, as a replacement.
Keith J came up with a plausible theory of how this happened
Salt water in the threads. Steel rusts. Steel in contact with aluminum. Aluminum then oxidizes, reducing the rust to iron dust. Joint remains tight until it is abused, then it just falls apart.
This all started when the barrel was installed and it was tightened a bit too much, causing the anodizing to crack
Of course this would have happened over a long period of time and use.
In March Brownells were awarded a contact for 1.4 million M16 magazines. They have just shipped the first 60,000. Interestingly these have a new propriety anti-tilt follower, instead of the normal green follower.
The new military magazine manufactured by Brownells
Larry, from Brownells, told me that the follower will unfortunately not be available to the civilian market as part of the contact prohibits them from using the design for any other purpose than the military.
Colt and Umarex have teamed up to produce the Colt M4 .22 Tactical Rimfire. The is probably the only real “Colt M4″ you will ever be allowed to own!
I am not 100% sure they are in fact AR-15s. UMAREX USA uses well known brand-names such as Beretta, Ruger and Walther to sell their airguns. This could easily be a AR-15 patterned rifle much like the .22 GSG MP5 or GSG AK.
The Government of Iraq has requested a possible sale of (80,000) M16A4 5.56MM Rifles, (25,000) M4 5.56MM Carbines, (2,550) M203 40MM Grenade Launchers, spare and repair parts, support equipment, publications and technical data, personnel training and training equipment, contractor engineering and technical support services, and other related elements of logistics support. The estimated cost is $148 million.
The M203 will start being replaced next year. It looks like they will end up in Iraqi service.
For a while I have been waiting for Colt to a announce a ultra-reliable ultra-high capacity magazine that will accompany the Colt Infantry Automatic Rifle. One of the requirements for the Marine IAR is a ultra-high capacity magazine.
The tan colored weapon on the poster is the Colt IAR. Click to expand.
I think it would be safe to assume that Colt is going with the MWG 90.
MWG 90 Rounder High Capacity Magazine
If you look closely at the first image it appears that the MWG 90 magazine is attached to the M16 upper receiver. Something is attached to the receiver which extends towards the magazine. Anyone know what this is? It does not appear visible on MWG promotional photos, such as this one:
Colt may have customized the MWG 90 to increase reliability/durability.
KABUL, Afghanistan: Afghan national security forces will receive a huge capability and mobility boost throughout the next year with more than 6,000 up-armored vehicles and more than 75,000 M-16 rifles from Combined Security Transition Command Afghanistan.
…
“Accuracy will always be more important than lots of shots,” McPhail said. “They wanted a weapon that doesn’t waste shots. That’s the reason the Afghan government asked for the M-16.”
Military.com reported a few days ago that the entire Iraqi army is moving to the M16A2 and M4. Some Iraqi units have been using M16s since May last year. The move was originally announced last April.
So far, the U.S. military has helped the Iraqi army purchase 43,000 rifles – a mix of full-stock M-16A2s and compact M-4 carbines. Another 50,000 rifles are currently on order, and the objective is to outfit the entire Iraqi army with 165,000 American rifles in a one-for-one replacement of the AK-47.
“Our goal is to give every Iraqi soldier an M-16A2 or an M-4,” Scott said. “And as the Iraqi army grows, we will adjust.” – Military.com
Reasons given are logistical and that the M16 is a superior and more reliable weapon. Many think it is superior but few would say more reliable. It is easier to see the logistical benefits. I imagine training will also be easier.
The big advantage is that the rifles can be easily traced. Mexico has gone down this route by using a weapon they themselves designed. If a FX-05 “Xiuhcoatl” ends up in the hands of a drug runner, the Mexican army will know where to find the culprit who supplied it.
Last year it was reported that then an Iraqi soldier gets issued an M16 he is finger printed, undergoes a digital retina scan, and is photographed with the rifle serial number. The information is then transfered into a central database.
The weapon exchange is just the first step in a five-day program of instruction for the Iraqis. However, new rifles are not handed out in a one-for-one swap. Coalition Forces assign each IA recruit a weapon using a high-tech, biometric issue system.
Verified against a master list and having tuned in his old rifle, the IA soldier and his new M-16 continue on to one of ten biometric stations, where he is finger printed, undergoes a digital retinal scan and is photographed with the M16’s serial number. Officials then transfer the information to a database in Baghdad, to ensure accountability and to prevent the weapon from ending up in the wrong hands. – Blackanthem Military News
The BAT (Biometrics Automated Toolset) in Iraq
The DOD Biometric Task Force
My thoughts on the move to the M16
The move of course also sends money to American factories. It makes sense as hundreds of millions have been spent on arms for the Iraqi army. At the end of last year Iraq’s defence Minister Abdul-Qadir al-Obaidi announced a US$230 million deal with Serbia for what is likely to be rifles, machine guns, explosives and ammo.
Serbia has signed a US$230m (£116m) deal with Iraq to sell weapons and military equipment, the defence ministry said yesterday.
It did not specify the weapons but Serbian military experts believe they include Serbian-made assault rifles, machine guns, anti-tank weapons, ammunition and explosives. – IRAQ UPDATES
Training with M16s in Iraq. May 2007. US Army photo.
Unfortunately for the rest of us who do not own shares in ammunition manufacturers the supply of 5.56mm to yet another army at war, and who will be at war for a long time, means the price is only going to go up and up.
What does not make sense is why they do not supply them with the gas piston AR variants. Politics would be my guess. I think they had enough media attention over the body armor, they don’t want to be accused of issuing the Iraqi superior rifles.
The winners of the World Press Photo 2007 were announced in Amsterdam on 08 February 2008. “1st prize stories” of “People in the news” was awarded to Philippe Dudouit for “PKK fighters, Southern Kurdistan/Northern Iraq”.
This photo in particular is very interesting. The soldier is holding an M16 with an advanced sight!
The Turks have been accusing the US of not doing enough to prevent theft of firearms which they claim end up in the hands of the PKK. Although the US and other western nations has been known to work with branches of the PPK, it is very unlikely they would provide M16s which could be traced back to them.
When the photo was published I am sure some people were not too happy about it.
The rest of the photos are here. I especially like the last one which features a woman facing away with an AK slung over her back.
GunsAmerica has the 7th production M16 listed for sale. It is listed for $295,000!
Without a doubt the most famous and most documented Armalite/Colt M16 in existence, serial no 106 manufactured in 1959 (the 7th production gun) and of course the earliest known gun to exist. Yes, this is the gun that Gen Curtis LeMay shot the coconuts and melons with at the cocktail party and then turned to the Cooper-McDonald rep and said,”I want 10,000 of them and I want them yesterday!”. It is said this gun was also shot by Pres Kennedy (off the Presidential Yacht), Batista, MacNamarra, Diem, and a host of other important people. Traveling to Viet Nam twice, its history is part of America’s History, and I feel there is no other gun in existence as important as this firearm – at least as far as 20th century military firearms are concerned.
MilitaryPhotos.net has some interesting photos of the Chinese International Criminal Police Organization.
Some interesting suppressed AKs, they look like AK-103’s but could be something else, and what is probably a Norinco CQ (M16A1 clone) or CQ-M4 (you guessed it, an M4 clone).
Although, I wouldn’t be surprised if these were airsofters (btw, I have nothing against airsoft).
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Hi, welcome to my gun blog! This blog is dedicated to all things firearms related. If you are into AR-15 and AK rifles, skeet shotguns, self defense pistols or hunting arms there will be something here for you. I hope you enjoy it.