M4 carbine

Carbine, Caliber 5.56 mm, M4
Colt M4 carbine with RAS, M68 CCO
TypeAssault rifle
Carbine
Place of originUnited States
Service history
In service1994–present
Used bySee Users
WarsSee Conflicts
Production history
Designed1982–1993
Manufacturer
Unit cost$700 (avg. cost) in 2012[1]
$647 per unit in 2015
Produced1987–present[2]
No. built500,000[3]
VariantsSee Variants
Specifications
Mass6.43 lb (2.92 kg) empty[4]
7.75 lb (3.52 kg) with 30 rounds loaded magazine and sling
Length33 in (838 mm) (stock extended)
29.75 in (756 mm) (stock retracted)
Barrel length14.5 in (368 mm)

Cartridge5.56×45mm NATO
ActionGas-operated, closed rotating bolt, Stoner expanding gas
Rate of fire700–970 rounds/min cyclic[5]
Muzzle velocity2,970 ft/s (910 m/s) (M855A1 round)[6]
2,887 ft/s (880 m/s) (M855 round)
2,986 ft/s (910 m/s) (M193 round)
Effective firing range500 m (550 yd) (individual/point targets)[5]
600 m (660 yd) (area targets)[5]
Maximum firing range3,600 m (3,900 yd)[5]
Feed system30-round detachable STANAG magazine[a]
SightsIron sights or various optics

The M4 carbine (officially Carbine, Caliber 5.56 mm, M4) is a 5.56×45mm NATO, gas-operated,[b] magazine-fed carbine developed in the United States during the 1980s. It is a shortened version of the M16A2 assault rifle.

The M4 is extensively used by the United States Armed Forces, with decisions to largely replace the M16 rifle in United States Army (starting 2010) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) (starting 2016) combat units as the primary infantry weapon[8][9] and service rifle. The M4 has been adopted by over 60 countries worldwide,[10] and has been described as "one of the defining firearms of the 21st century".[11]

Since its adoption in 1994,[10] the M4 has undergone over 90 modifications to improve the weapon's ergonomics and modularity, including: the M4A1, which strengthened the barrel and replaced the burst-fire option with a fully automatic option; the SOPMOD, an accessory kit containing optical attachments; and the underbarrel weapons such as M203 and M320 grenade launchers to the Masterkey and M26-MASS shotguns.

In April 2022, the U.S. Army selected the XM7 rifle, a variant of SIG MCX Spear, as the winner of the Next Generation Squad Weapon Program to replace the M16/M4.[12]

  1. ^ Curtis, Rob (20 April 2012). "U.S. Army places order for 24,000 M4A1 carbines with Remington". Military Times. Archived from the original on 24 June 2012. Retrieved 23 August 2012.
  2. ^ Rottman 2011, p. 36.
  3. ^ McNab 2021, p. 57.
  4. ^ McNab 2021, p. 13.
  5. ^ a b c d "OPERATORS MANUAL FOR CARBINE, 5.56 MM, M4A1" (PDF). TM 9-1005-213-10. United States Army. June 2010. p. 18. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 October 2022. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
  6. ^ "M855A1 Enhanced Performance Round (EPR), LTC Philip Clark, Product Manager Small Caliber Ammunition, April 2012" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 25 January 2017. Retrieved 25 February 2017.
  7. ^ "US2951424A: Gas operated bolt and carrier system". U.S. Patent Office. 6 September 1960.
  8. ^ "Small Arms–Individual Weapons" (PDF). Federation of American Scientists (FAS). 3 November 2010. Archived (PDF) from the original on 9 February 2011. Retrieved 8 November 2010.
  9. ^ "Marine grunts react to switch from the M16 to the M4". Marine Corps Times. 1 November 2015. Archived from the original on 25 April 2016. Retrieved 4 February 2023.
  10. ^ a b McNab 2021, p. 5.
  11. ^ McNab 2021, p. 6.
  12. ^ "Army chooses Sig Sauer to build its Next Generation Squad Weapon". Army Times. 19 April 2022.


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