| Carbine, Caliber 5.56 mm, M4 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Assault rifle Carbine |
| Place of origin | United States |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1994–present |
| Used by | See Users |
| Wars | See Conflicts |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1982–1993 |
| Manufacturer | |
| Unit cost | $700 (avg. cost) in 2012[1] $647 per unit in 2015 |
| Produced | 1987–present[2] |
| No. built | 500,000[3] |
| Variants | See Variants |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 6.43 lb (2.92 kg) empty[4] 7.75 lb (3.52 kg) with 30 rounds loaded magazine and sling |
| Length | 33 in (838 mm) (stock extended) 29.75 in (756 mm) (stock retracted) |
| Barrel length | 14.5 in (368 mm) |
| Cartridge | 5.56×45mm NATO |
| Action | Gas-operated, closed rotating bolt, Stoner expanding gas |
| Rate of fire | 700–970 rounds/min cyclic[5] |
| Muzzle velocity | 2,970 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 range | 500 m (550 yd) (individual/point targets)[5] 600 m (660 yd) (area targets)[5] |
| Maximum firing range | 3,600 m (3,900 yd)[5] |
| Feed system | 30-round detachable STANAG magazine[a] |
| Sights | Iron sights or various optics |
The M4 carbine (officially Carbine, Caliber 5.56 mm, M4) is a 5.56×45mm NATO assault rifle 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 US military, with decisions to largely replace the M16 rifle in US Army (starting 2010) and US Marine Corps (starting 2016) combat units as the primary infantry weapon[7][8] and service rifle. The M4 has been adopted by over 60 countries worldwide,[9] and has been described as "one of the defining firearms of the 21st century".[10]
Since its adoption in 1994,[9] the M4 has undergone over 90 modifications to improve the weapon's adaptability, 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.[11]
- ^ 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.
- ^ Rottman 2011, p. 36.
- ^ McNab 2021, p. 57.
- ^ McNab 2021, p. 13.
- ^ a b c d Cite error: The named reference
Army_fact_filewas invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ "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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ "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.
- ^ a b McNab 2021, p. 5.
- ^ McNab 2021, p. 6.
- ^ "Army chooses Sig Sauer to build its Next Generation Squad Weapon". Army Times. 19 April 2022.
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