[4rcane]

ive read several reports that the m4 jams up, like 8 times more than new models. Why can’t they come up with a system that NEVER jam up. This is life and death. Having it jam up every 15k round and require it constantly cleaned is ridiculous

[pfflier]

This sounds like the redux of the original M-16 story from Vietnam. I’m wondering how much is valid and how much is from the leftist playbook?

[Sons of Union Vets]

Where are these unreliable weapons being manufactured? China???

And if manufactured in the U.S., how many of the weapons’ components are manufactured in China or some other “unfriendly” country???

Where are all the D.O.D. inspectors??? Have inspection responsibilities that are designed to make sure that weapons manufacturers are conforming to the standards spelled out in their government contracts been “outsourced” to private entities???

One can understand the need on the part of the government
to save a buck.....but if it is at the expense of the safety of our sons and daughters serving overseas, someone needs to start inspecting the “inspectors!!!” PDQ!

[Oldpuppymax]

Undoubtedly far too many big money congressional contributors involved in the manufacture/procurement of these undependable weapons to permit a change OR investigation. Better several dead marines than Jack Murtha losing a few bucks.

[PAMadMax]

FN SCAR....There, that’ll fix it

[PAMadMax]

http://www.fnhusa.com/le/products/firearms/family.asp?fid=FNF054&gid=FNG006

[Sarajevo]

Many of the troops are oiling their weapons after cleaning. This is a desert environment. The weapons needs cleaning, but it must be kept free of oil or dust will gravitate to the operating parts like stink on feces.

[WalterSkinner]

..from wiki

In the fall of 2007, the Army tested the M4 against three other carbines in "sandstorm conditions" at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Maryland: the Heckler & Koch XM8 rifle, Fabrique Nationale de Herstal SOF Combat Assault Rifle (SCAR) and the Heckler & Koch HK416. Ten of each type of rifle were used to fire 6,000 rounds each, for a total of 60,000 rounds per rifle type.[7] The M4 suffered far more stoppages than its competitors: 882 stoppages, 19 requiring an armorer to fix. The XM8 had the fewest stoppages, 116 minor stoppages and 11 major ones, followed by the FN SCAR with 226 stoppages and the HK416 with 233.[8][9] The Army was quick to point out that even with 863 minor stoppages—termed "class one" stoppages which require 10 seconds or less to clear and "class two" stoppages which require more than ten seconds to clear—the M4 functioned well, with over 98 percent of the 60,000 total rounds firing without a problem. The Army said it planned to improve the M4 with a new cold-hammer-forged barrel to give longer life and more reliable magazines to reduce the stoppages. Magazine failures caused 239 of the M4's 882 failures. Army officials said the new magazines could be combat-ready by spring if testing went well

[Rummenigge]

Buy a german rifle.

[RichardW]

I’m no gun nut but I have fired enough home weapons at the firing range and without question automatics have a very nasty habit of jamming. In a combat situation it is deadly. We ought to reverse engineer the AK47 and just admit we have been providing junk to the combat soldiers and it is costing lives. The best weapon in the world under ideal conditions is fine and dandy but if it fails when it is needed most it isn’t worth a damn.

[JamesA]

here is a video of rapid fire at bottom of this web page. Worth watching the M-4 in action. http://www.gunsmokeenterprises.net/index.html

[Cheetahcat]

If that story is factual some people need imprisoned for life is it that we can not build weapons anymore?? How do they test ? A mud bath then shoot the rifle we seem to be getting too cutesy with the gimmickry while our people are getting killed with 62 year old technology.

[calex59]

Ok, you guys can laugh if you want to but I will tell you a weapon that very seldom, if ever, jammed. An M3 grease gun. Crudely made, using a .45 ACP round and the range for reliable hits was about 100 yards, but the open bolt with loose tolerances allowed that piece of stamped metal to just keep firing. A low cyclic rate of about 600 rounds per minute helped keep it cool. I used one while in the Army and, although never in combat, I fired thousands of rounds in a test program for the M3 and never had a jam or misfire.

For that matter Ma Duce and .30 caliber brownings very seldom had problems. M1 was unstoppable and the M14 was terrific.

We have had nothing but problems with the M16 and its varients since it was forced onto the military.

[RicocheT]

If you read the article, the M4 and the machine gun jammed after hours of continuous firing, after the barrels got white hot. No make of automatic carbine or machine gun will work when it gets to that point. The outpost was in deep trouble and the weapons didn’t fail due to poor reliability, but due to use beyond designed norms. The units put in remote outposts need to be supplied with extra arms for use when the primary arm fails. Also, why are we locating outposts where air relief and rescue takes a long time? Have a plan for fast relief.

[PapaBear3625]

More to the point, we don’t hear about them having grenade launchers and mortars to hit back at mass attacks.

[Durus]

No weapon system is going to function flawlessly after shooting 10’s of thousands of rounds on full auto as mentioned in the article. We shouldn't even have that as a design goal. If you are shooting on full auto for hours then something other then the weapon is broken and I would say that is the chain of command.

An AK variant is not significantly more reliable then an M16 variant. Yes DI does port hot gases back into the chamber while a piston system does not. A piston system however introduces a number of moving parts that will make a rifle inoperable if one of them breaks. DI rifle are also generally more accurate then piston type rifles.

[Who is John Galt?]

Possibly of interest:

M4/M4A1 Carbine Reliability Issues: Why They Occur, and Why They’re Our Fault!
http://www.defensereview.com/m4m4a1-carbine-reliability-issues-why-they-occur-and-why-theyre-our-fault/

M4/M4A1 Carbine Reliability Issues Part II: Diagnosing the root cause.
http://www.defensereview.com/m4m4a1-carbine-reliability-issues-part-ii-diagnosing-the-root-cause/

Ruger SR-556 Gas Piston/Op-Rod AR Carbine User Feedback: Case Extraction Problem and Solution.
http://www.defensereview.com/ruger-sr-556-gas-pistonop-rod-ar-carbine-user-feedback-case-extraction-problem-and-solution/

Personally, I kind of like FALs:

The Tale of Ol' Dirty. A Texas Legend.
http://ronocracy.blogspot.com/2007/02/ol-dirty-texas-legend.html

(Update: over 15,000 rnds fired w/o cleaning)
http://www.falfiles.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=68486

Ol' Dirty
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3pFWU54skA