Description of the M-4 Carbine
M-4 Carbine with IDF rubber bullet attachment.
The M-4 or M-4A1 5.56mm Carbine is a shortened version of the M-16A2 rifle. It is a lightweight, gas operated, air cooled, magazine fed, selective rate, shoulder fired weapon with a collapsible stock. The M-4 Carbine achieves over 80% parts commonality with the M-16A2 to simplify logistics. It will replace all M-3 .45 caliber submachine guns and for certain service applications, it will replace M-9 pistols and regular M-16 rifles.
The M-4A1 has a rail-mounted forward handgrip, a telescopic stock, a removable carrying handle and Military Standard 1913 (MilStd 1913) accessory mounting rail for night vision sights, combat optics, red-dot laser sights, flashlights or other add-ons, even the M203 grenade launcher. The trigger unit is also modified to fire full-auto rather than three-round bursts.
The M-4A1 Carbine Special-Operations Peculiar-Modified (SOPMOD) is described on the linked page.
Characteristics of the M-4 Carbine
USMC M4A1 carbine with 10 inch barrel.
The M-4 Carbine is an anti-personnel weapon designed to be more agile and lighter weight while retaining its lethal effect. Specifications are:
| Length, stock retracted | 2 ft. 5.79 in. |
| Length, stock extended | 2 ft. 9.49 in. |
| Weight, w/ sling and one magazine | 7.5 lbs. |
| Bore diameter | 5.56 mm. |
| Maximum effective range, area target | 1,968 ft. |
| Maximum effective range, point target | 1,640 ft. |
| Cyclic rate of fire | 825 rounds per minute |
Carbine, 5.56mm, M-4A1 showing rail mounting system with accessory equipment.
Bayonets for the M-4 Carbine
The M-4 Carbine uses the M-7 bayonet which was replaced by the newer M-9 Multipurpose Bayonet System starting in 1987. Since 2002, Marines use the USMC Multipurpose Bayonet (MB). The M-4 Carbine is interchangable with the M-16 for these bayonets.
Russian paratrooper fires M-4 Carbine during joint training exercise with A Company, 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry in Lazarevica, Republika Srpska, on 8 December 1999.
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