Armor Development Group INSULON M4 Thermal Shroud
The military is developing an improved version of the M4 Carbine with a heavier profile barrel to allow a higher rate of sustained fire in emergency situations like, for example, the Battle of Wanat where M4 Carbines began failing after long periods of sustained fire. According to The Ground Precautionary Message ACALA #97-031, the M16 and M4 Carbine can only sustain 12-15 rounds per minute over long periods of time. A heavy barrel will help, but that will not prevent the Carbine’s gas tube from overheating and eventually bursting, leaving the rifle unable to cycle its action. The video below demonstrates …
The Armor Development Group, a military and law enforcement research and product development organization, has developed an insulated gas tube for the M4 Carbine to keep barrel heat away from it. Judging from the thermal photos they sent us, it is very effective …
We will be testing the prototype in the near future and will report back.
I founded TFB in 2007 and over 10 years worked tirelessly, with the help of my team, to build it up into the largest gun blog online. I retired as Editor in Chief in 2017. During my decade at TFB I was fortunate to work with the most amazing talented writers and genuinely good people!
More by Steve Johnson
Comments
Join the conversation
Didn't Teludyne Tech already "fix" this problem with DG upper receiver group with a composite barrel that can take the heat and is the same weight roughly as the m4 upper?
https://vimeo.com/76266829
Green Mountain Defense Industries created a product through a military contract to address the heat issue and more, The link provided is the results of the test in comparison to Colt's test. It is a complete kit to include bolt components and a thermally armored gas tube.