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View Full Version : U.S. Marines getting close to ditching the M-16.



Joe_K
07-30-2015, 15:05
http://www.thefirearmblog.com/blog/2015/07/29/marine-corps-brass-approve-replacing-m16-with-m4-carbine/#comment-2163175914

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Aardvark
07-30-2015, 17:30
I know it's a fantasy, but I sure hope they can sell the old parts kits to us lowlife 'civilians'. I'd love to have a couple of 20" uppers.

sniper7
07-30-2015, 18:25
They need to sell us the whole guns, make full autos legal and start getting these things for a couple grand a piece!

rondog
07-30-2015, 19:28
They need to sell us the whole guns, make full autos legal and start getting these things for a couple grand a piece!
Like button - where's that damn like button.....

Rooskibar03
07-30-2015, 20:23
They need to sell us the whole guns, make full autos legal and start getting these things for a couple grand a piece!

I'll be the blue face in the corner.

Scanker19
07-30-2015, 20:54
I went in thinking they were getting a whole new weapon system. The M4 is just an M16 Lite, the low calorie alternative.

Gman
07-30-2015, 21:52
I went in thinking they were getting a whole new weapon system. The M4 is just an M16 Lite, the low calorie alternative.That happened to me too. Same stuff, different form-factor. This wasn't exactly a leap they took.

Circuits
07-31-2015, 08:19
"U.S. Marines getting close to switching uppers and stocks on the M-16"

-fify

Robb
07-31-2015, 08:24
Since they're getting new uppers it really would have fun if they could have made the jump to 6.8.

Joe_K
07-31-2015, 08:47
They aren't getting new uppers, they are swapping whole M16 A-4's for whole M-4's. Not a leaps and bounds improvement. But it sure goes a long way towards lightening the load for the grunts.

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Skip
07-31-2015, 09:32
I know it's a fantasy, but I sure hope they can sell the old parts kits to us lowlife 'civilians'. I'd love to have a couple of 20" uppers.

I love 20" ARs! :)

But I would save your money and buy a new A4 upper/rifle, not that we would ever have the chance to buy these. Many of those uppers would have shot out barrels and the finish would never match unless your threw your lower down the driveway, every day, for years.

FN started selling an A4 clone last year...

http://www.fnhusa.com/l/products/carbines/fn-15-series/fn15-rifle

http://www.fnhusa.com/files/7213/8876/1577/FN15_rifle_web.png

PSA also has 20" uppers with FN made barrels.

I wanted an A2 clone so I bought a MT6601 way back in 1997. Took it to BP Tactical recently to have the FN FSB installed, barrel threaded, and A2 flash hider installed.

http://i803.photobucket.com/albums/yy316/skip237/Bayonet/BayonetOKC3S08.jpg


USMC is going to regret this decision. They seem to be really limiting the fire team and I wonder how much politics is playing into these decisions. I could see the need for a few M4s for MOUT but every Marine is a rifleman for a reason. I guess every future Marine will be a carbineman?

Before anyone says there is no difference...

http://www.sadefensejournal.com/wp/?p=1093

http://sadefensejournal.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2012/02/barrel6.jpg

This goes back to Stoner's original design which called for a 20" barrel. He knew how to maximize the power of 5.56MM. Is the ~2lbs of weight savings really worth it? I guess it's fine if you are engaging within 300M. While this has been reported as the "average" experience recently, it's not always a guarantee.

Add to that the advances in optics... Even a simple ACOG on an A4 kicks ass. It really extends the range/effectiveness of the weapon.

To get women into combat arms, they had to kill the M16, so I guess this is expected.

clodhopper
07-31-2015, 11:55
To get women into combat arms, they had to kill the M16, so I guess this is expected.

So the Marines are just being sexist?

Irving
07-31-2015, 13:35
length of pull and weight


That's what she said.

Skip
07-31-2015, 15:34
So the Marines are just being sexist?

No. The M16 is sexist and therefore it must die in the name of equality.


ETA: PFT is sexist too.