Colt M4 Carbine's Future Uncertain: Dark Clouds Forming

Defense Review ^ | 24 June 08 | David Crane

[Anti-Bubba182]

"..optimize the M4's direct-gas-impingement operating system, and give it the best chance to win any future open carbine competition against the HK416, the FN SCAR-L, and any other gas piston/op-rod-driven carbine out there..."

And put wheels on your Grandma and make her a cart!

[Perdogg]

I think 40 years of armalite should be coming to end. I also believe the US military, despite accumulating large inventories, should consider dumping the 5.56mm and replacing it with either 6.8x43mm (SPC) or the 6.5x39mm Grende. The new weapon should be the Magpul Masada

[MindBender26]

>>>>The M4 Carbine's 3-round burst was a really stupid idea from the get-go, and needs to go away.

BS: The 3-round “burst control” (AKA VC Birth Control) is needed because it takes 3 rounds of 5.56 to do anything!

Fired an XM8 in 6.5 Grendel at SHOT. Incredible! 6.5 Grendel is a small round that fits the 5.56 form factor and has better downrange accuracy and ENERGY than 7.62 NATO!

[paul544]

Just like GM, Ford and Chrysler learned the hard way. If someone is making a better product, get off your ass and beat them fair and square.

[Wally_Kalbacken]

In my humble opinion - I think we should opt for the coolest looking gun out there. Forget performance, durability, stuff like that - one must always look good while being baad.

[Slump Tester]

Bring back the M14!

[MindBender26]

http://video.google.com/videosearch?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2005-08,GGLD:en&q=xm8&oe=UTF-8&um=1&sa=N&tab=wv&oi=property_suggestions&resnum=0&ct=property-revision&cd=2#

[Tailback]

also believe the US military, despite accumulating large inventories, should consider dumping the 5.56mm and replacing it with either 6.8x43mm (SPC) or the 6.5x39mm Grendel.

Actually the 6.5X47 Lapua should be adopted, or extensive testing conducted to find the 6.5mm round in the 120gr approximate weight that would best replace the 5.56mm for the M-16A2/M-4 carbine/M-249SAW weapons.

The 6.8 SPC is nice, but it is a compromise due to the OAL of the cartridge being the same as the 5.56mm. The M-16 has been in service since the 60's. Enough already, lets start with a clean slate.

[CapnJack]

“Bring back the M14!”

YES! I love my two (M1A’s).

Its funny that the “gas-piston” is making a come back.

The military is trying to refurbish as many M14 as possible these days.

Retire the M16/M4 (and issue them out to the CMP ... YEAH!).

[MindBender26]

Also

http://video.google.com/videosearch?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2005-08,GGLD:en&q=xm8&oe=UTF-8&um=1&sa=N&tab=wv&oi=property_suggestions&resnum=0&ct=property-revision&cd=2#

[mamelukesabre]

I like the carbon 15 series from bushmaster.

Someone made an AR variant that would fire from an open bolt when on full auto, and fire from a closed bolt when on single fire. THat’s the way to go with the AR gas system. Open bolt keeps everything cooler. Add that system to a carbon 15 style receiver and you have a winner. IMO

[MindBender26]

My FUBAR

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guOuVEWcXM8&eurl=http://video.google.com/videosearch?sourceid=navclient&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLD,GGLD:2005-08,GGLD:en&q=xm8&;

[LSUfan]

My vote is for the M14 as well. With a 20in barrel instead of the 22in barrel and a bird cage flashhider instead of the long flash hider and one of the telescoping stocks.

[Chode]

[xander]

Absolutely!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJhPMIVgF6c&hl=en

[Blood of Tyrants]

Te ONLY reason the Army chose the M16 was the fact that it weighed 6.5 lbs and the soldier could easily carry 200-300 rounds in combat. It had nothing to do with reliability or accuracy or stopping/wounding power. Vietnam was a ‘spray and pray’ war where most of the time you had no idea where the shots were coming from so a high rate of fire was the order of the day.

[yarddog]

I was recently reading an article on the .260 Remington which uses a 6.5mm bullet. The guy made a very compelling argument for it as the ultimate long range action target round.

Of course this is in bolt action rifles but it's ballistics must be close to the 6.5 Lapua round. They also are close to the old 6.5 Swedish Mauser cartridge. The really impressive thing about it was how little wind drift it had in the 120 grain bullet weight.

There has to be a bullet size which is the best compromise for killing power, long range, recoil etc. I really do think it is the 6.5 or .264 diameter bullet.

They jsut need to figure out how big a cartridge case for it needs to be.

[Perdogg]

If I were President I would require the US military adopt this weapon!

[MileHi]

Cool! Can’t wait for all those surplus M4s and 5.56 ammo!