What's the difference?

[Young.Gun.612]

I've been snooping around online for a rifle, and saw a few variations of the M4 that from all outward appearances (to my very untrained eye) seem virtually identical.

What is the difference between an M4A3 and an M4A4? From the descriptions I read it seemed there was nothing different between the two so I assumed maybe it was a typo?

 

[Ridge_Runner_5]

There is the M16A1

M16A2

M16A4

and M4/M4A1

The M16 series have 20" barrels. The A1 and A2 have fixed carry handles, the A4 has a flat top.

The M4 series have 14.5" or 16" barrels, a flat top and a collapsible stock. There is no M4A2/A3/A4.

 

[Young.Gun.612]

Then is there an A4 variant of the M16? If so what would the difference be between it and an A3?

 

[TX Hunter]

Yount Gun

Im not a Gu Ru on the M16, although I qualified with an M16A2 when I was in the Marines. I believe that the M16A3 had a removable carrying handle for mounting optics over the reciever, but was otherwise the same rifle as the M16A2.

 

[CTS]

The M16A2 was semi or 3 round burst only, the A3 went back to semi or full auto like the A1 but had the flat top configuration. The A4 version has gone back to semi or 3 round burst configuration. From what I understand they wanted the 3 round burst to keep soldiers in the field from wasting so much ammo but had problems with the A2 design so the A3 had the A1 trigger group which allowed for full auto fire. After the design flaws were worked out in the A2 design, they reintroduced it as the A4.

 

[bigghoss]

my understanding was that the M16a3 was the first to have the removable carry handle. However according to wikipedia (because they HAVE to be accurate, right? ) the a3 was an a2 but full auto for special forces and the a4 is 3-round-burst with removable carry handle. Then the a4 issued with a railed forend is the M16a4 MWS (modular weapon system)

What I do know is that the M16 looks just like the M16a1 pictured above but with a three-prong flash hider and also lacking the chrome lining on the bore or chamber and issued without a cleaning kit. The M16a1 incorporated the chrome lining that Stoner called for in the first place and came with a cleaning kit. Both of these originally had 20 round magazines. The a2 has a slightly longer buttstock, different pistol grip, different handguards, updated rear sight, and similar flash hider except the three slots on the very bottom were eliminated to prevent dust from getting kicked up when firing prone. It also has a 3-round burst instead of full auto, and a heavier barrel which increases the weight by about a pound.


beyond that there's loads of variations. Different barrel lengths, gas systems, calibers. You could easily build 100 different combinations and they would all perform differently.

 

[CTS]

The A3 was a flat top or removable carry handle. Also the A1 had the forward assist and unless I am mistaken the original M16 did not. the A2 also came out with the built in brass deflector not seen on the A1 and A1 had the tear drop shaped forward assist, the A2 and all after had a round forward assist and built in brass deflector. When I first joined up in the '70s, if you were left handed they had a little clip on brass deflector to keep the hot brass from hitting you in the face or falling down your shirt.