Colt M4

Last Updated on Tuesday, 21 July 2009 15:20 Written by Administrator Thursday, 02 July 2009 16:38

The Colt M4 is a carbine version of the M16. It is shorter and lighter than the parent rifle. However, about 80% of the parts of the M4 can be interchanged with the M16. The M4 differs from the M16 only in the butt stock and barrel shroud.

The Colt M4 has been the basis of several variants. One such example is the M4A1. The M4A1 is a fully automatic version while the M4 fires only in selective fire mode.

The M4 and its variants are chambered to fire the 5.56x45mm NATO round and feed using a 30-round box magazine. They can also be fed using other STANAG magazines. With a rate of fire approximating 700-950 rounds per minute, the M4 is accurate up to 360 meters.

The M4 is very popular with Special Forces and security personnel. The M4 is preferred for its heavy-weight stopping power. The rifle is much shorter than the M16 thus making it a better choice for operations requiring quick deployment. However, the M4 has high muzzle-flash which needs a flash suppressor for effective use.

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