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, gas-operated,[b] magazine-fed carbine 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 United States Armed Forces, with decisions to largely replace the M16 rifle in United States Army (starting 2010) and United States Marine Corps (USMC) (starting 2016) combat units as the primary infantry weapon[8][9] and service rifle. The M4 has been adopted by over 60 countries worldwide,[10] and has been described as "one of the defining firearms of the 21st century".[11]
Since its adoption in 1994,[10] the M4 has undergone over 90 modifications to improve the weapon's 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.[12]
^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.
^ abcd"OPERATORS MANUAL FOR CARBINE, 5.56 MM, M4A1" (PDF). TM 9-1005-213-10. United States Army. June 2010. p. 18. Archived (PDF) from the original on 18 October 2022. Retrieved 13 August 2023.
^"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.
^"US2951424A: Gas operated bolt and carrier system". U.S. Patent Office. 6 September 1960.
^"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.
^ abMcNab 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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The M4carbine (officially Carbine, Caliber 5.56 mm, M4) is a 5.56×45mm NATO, gas-operated, magazine-fed carbine developed in the United States during...
for carbines to be issued to front-line soldiers to offset the increasing weight of other issued equipment. An example of this is the M4carbine, the...
Look up m4 in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. M4 or M-4 most often refers to: M4carbine, an American carbineM4 Sherman, an American World War II medium...
submitted the APC as the “Enhanced M4” for the U.S. Army’s Individual Carbine competition to replace the M4carbine in 2012. However, the competition was...
Sauer for the Next Generation Squad Weapon Program in 2022 to replace the M4carbine. The XM7 features a free-floating reinforced M-LOK handguard for direct...
current carbine technology prior to writing formal requirements for a future replacement for the M4Carbine. It was also part of the Individual Carbine competition...
equip every member of an infantry squad with the M27, supplanting the M4carbine which would be retained at the platoon leadership positions and above...
(including mount): 335 g (11.8 oz) Afghanistan: Used by Afghan Commandos on M4carbine Armenia: Used by Armenian Special Units. Belgium : Used by most Belgian...
The M6 is a series of carbines designed and manufactured by LWRC International. It is based on the M4carbine, with which it shares 80% of its parts....
been 1005-LL-L99-5996. A complete CQBR-equipped carbine now has the NSN 1005-01-527-2288. The M4carbine and M16 are not ideally suited for all missions...
military program created in 2017 by the U.S. Army to replace the 5.56mm M4carbine, the M249 SAW light machine gun, and the 7.62mm M240 machine gun, with...
review current carbine technology for any situation prior to writing formal requirements for a future replacement for the M4carbine. The SCAR was one...
battlefield. Still in service today, the M16 is being phased out by the M4carbine. Office of the Deputy Chief of Staff for Research, Development, Acquisition...
The Individual Carbine was a competition to select the planned successor to the M4carbine in the United States Army. The U.S. Army conducted an open...
for the M16 rifle, it can also be used with the M4carbine as well as many other assault rifles, carbines, and combat shotguns. It can be used as a fighting...
The Colt Model 933 is a compact carbine based on the AR-15, M16 rifle and M4Carbine produced by Colt starting in 1995. Due to its compact size, the short-barreled...
the Next Generation Squad Weapon Program to find replacements for the M4carbine and M249 light machine gun. In September 2019, SIG Sauer submitted their...
Trijicon. The ACOG was originally designed to be used on the M16 rifle and M4carbine, but Trijicon has also developed ACOG accessories for other firearms....
which could be mounted underbarrel of the standard issue M16 rifle or M4carbine. These would provide soldiers with additional capabilities, such as: door...
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