Marines choose M-16A4 as infantry rifle

Stars and Stripes ^ | Thursday, October 24, 2002 | Mark Oliva

[SlickWillard]

The Marine Corps chose a new infantry rifle, and it’s not the short assault rifle with which the Army equipped soldiers in the Afghan campaigns.

Marine Corps Systems Command in Quantico, Va., announced last week it would buy 65,463 of the M-16A4 service rifles for infantry Marines between now and 2007.

The new rifle resembles the M-16A2 service rifle in use now but allows for add-on parts as emerging technology warrants.

After head-to-head comparison tests, the Marines rejected the M-4, the shorter rifle the Army issued to soldiers fighting in Afghanistan.

“The ground board chose the M-16A4 over the M-4 because it had a lesser frequency of malfunctions,” said Marine Corps officials from Headquarters Marine Corps in a prepared statement. “The initial units will be fielded to Ground Combat Elements.”

The M-4 received sharp criticism from soldiers who fought the Taliban in Afghanistan earlier this year in Operation Anaconda and Mountain Lion. Some soldiers complained bullets used in the rifle lacked stopping power, according to a survey Army officials conducted. They also noted that heat shields in the hand guards often rattled, prompting soldiers to remove them, only to burn their hands from overheating hand guards.

Marine support units will continue to use the M-16A2 rifles.

The old rifles were nearing the end of their life cycles and needed replacement, according to the Marine Corps statement. But Corps officials also wanted to be able to integrate attachments Marines could need for different missions, such as flashlights, laser sights and a rail system for interchangeable sights and scopes.

In a head-to-head performance comparison between the M-16A4 and the M-4, a shorter carbine version with a collapsible stock, Marine officials found few similarities.

“Both weapons have flat-top receivers with the 1913 Military Standard rails for mounting optics, as well as forward rail hand guards,” said Marine Capt. John Douglas, project officer for Marine Corps Systems Command.

The new rifle can handle standard rifle sights plus night vision options and scopes. The rifle also can be fitted with a vertical forward handgrip.

But that’s where comparisons end. The M-4 is 10 inches shorter and one pound lighter than the current M-16A2.

Marine officials found some deficiencies in the M-4. In tests and surveys conducted last July at Camp Lejeune, N.C., most Marines preferred the M-4 over the longer M-16A4 for most combat situations, but the M-4 had more malfunctions, they said. The comparisons were based on Infantry Training Standards and reviewed by Marine Corps Operational Test and Evaluation Activity.

“Though the number was very low for each weapon, the M-4 was found to have three times the number of weapons malfunctions as the M-16A4,” the statement read. There was no significant difference in accuracy between the two rifles.

Several Marine units already use the M-4, including Force Reconnaissance platoons, Fleet Anti-Terrorism Security teams and Military Police Special Response teams. Those units will continue to use the M-4, and the Marines still may purchase more in the future after corrections are made to reduce malfunctions, said the Marine Corps statement.

[Travis McGee]

Perfect sense. Say, how far do you have to drive to get to the Mississippi? Ever thought about getting a cruiser?

[Travis McGee]

They look like props from "Starship Troopers."

[wardaddy]

200 miles but one can get anywhere from nashville on the cumberland via the ohio and tenn-tom.

my uncle from holland michigan takes his viking 80 by here on his way down to naples every few years.

a viking 80 is of course off the chart for me.

[Travis McGee]

Hey, I've had some fun on pontoon boats! And on pontoon boats, you don't have to dress yachty.

[I got the rope]

The more I dig...the better it gets.

http://www.hk-usa.com/pages/military-le/rifles-carbines/xm8.html

[wardaddy]

Tennsssee has great mountain lakes for pontoons....and houseboats.

[onyx]

I keep telling Trav is time to get out of CA --- sell him on the South, wardaddy.

[I got the rope]

I keep telling Trav is time to get out of CA --- sell him on the South, wardaddy.

Don't listen to him Travis. Next thing you'll know he'll have you drinking mint juleps and smoking those Médaille d'Or No.2's.

[wardaddy]

He was raised semi Southern but I think he likes being on the front lines.

[onyx]

WHO "he"? Not me. I a "she."

[I got the rope]

Oops!

[onyx]

He's ready to roll on out of CA. wardaddy, we're in near chaos here. We've been under an illegal alien assault and now the homosexuals are fixing to turn CA into a mecca of sodomy.

[rmh47]

The .22-250 is truly a varmint round, as is the 6mm (.243.) But the .223 is strictly used for killing people. 140 grains at 3000+fps, frag round after impact.

To the contrary, the .223 makes an excellent varmnit round, as I can personally attest. The .22-250 case will accept any bullet that the .223 will (and vice versa), and drive it to a higher velocity at higher pressures, requiring a heavier action. The .22-250 case is considerably longer that the .223 which necessitates a longer action.

The .243 Winchester cartridge is different from the 6mm Remington, although the bore diameter is the same and they will, therefore, shoot the same bullets (bullets, not cartridges).

The .243 loaded with heavier bullets (100 grain and up) of the right type makes an excellent cartridge for whitetail deer and similar sized animals. It is a very popular cartridge for this use in my neck of the woods.

[Travis McGee]

Actually I plan to move back to Florida in about 2 years. But Texas is not out of the question. I need warm salt water and conservative politics.

[Travis McGee]

It's my dream that the 6.8mm remington the SFs are adopting will become a somewhat popular cartridge. I really want to see a significant number of battle rifles built around it, starting with AR's. I know Armalite makes a .243 AR-10, but it's got to be an "orphan" for mags etc.

[onyx]

GOOD. The coasts of Florida and Texas are both nice.

[ExSoldier]

I went to the gun show yesterday and got a brand spankin' new Springfield Armory "Micro Compact" .45! It has tritiums and that sort of parkerized finish (K-Coat?). It needs a match trigger with an overtravel stop and the pull (which at about 3 pounds, is too light for the street) needs to be increased to 5 pounds with the overtravel adjusted....but I got a GREAT deal (at least I think so). I traded my jam-a-matic ParaOrdnance P10 + $200. Consider I bought the P10 used a few years ago. At that time I traded a mouse gun in .32 + $100. I'm a happy camper. Already got tons of mags fer it, and it fits all my holsters. I just need a Blade Tec IWB for it and I'll be set! I'm just braggin' about my new toy, don't mind me. It's my new full time carry gun. But not before I take it to the range and figure out where it's shootin' with all my defense loads! LOL.

[Shooter 2.5]

The Gun Mfrs Liability Protection Act should pass as a clean Bill with the amendments removed. Please call your Senators with special attention to Majority Leader Frist.

http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm

[Shooter 2.5]

What a great deal!
I have friend that has a P-10 and it was sent back to the factory. That made the total to be about four that I know of. I had three jams out of my P-14 last weekend but I'm blaming the Mec-Gar magazine.

I know I shoot a lot but just once I would like to go to the range and shoot all day and not have a single jam or failure to fire out of any of my toys.

[Squantos]

Try a "new" 18# spring in that P-10 before ya toss it on the junk pile .........:o)

Keep me posted on your progress with that rig. My smallest 45 is a old custom AMT Backup. The smallest one I "like" is the Colt Officers Model. My day to day is still a melted commander flavor.

Stay safe !