The Marine Corps may have a new service rifle to consider in the future, as the Army pursues a redesign of the M4 carbine.The Army effort is aimed at making the 5.56mm weapon shoot cleaner and straighter, and with higher rates of fire. The service is awaiting Defense Department approval to launch a competition to find a new carbine, with weapons officials identifying six interim fixes intended to address shortcomings in the M4’s reliability, durability and handling.The overhaul proposals include:• Adding a heavier barrel for better performance during high rates of fire.• Replacing the direct-impingement gas system with a piston gas system.• Improving the trigger pull.• Incorporating an improved rail system for increased strength.• Adding ambidextrous controls.• Adding a round counter to track the total number of bullets fired over the weapon’s lifetime.The Corps, which uses both the M16A4 and M4 in combat, is watching closely as the Army proceeds, said Patrick Cantwell, a former Marine captain who heads the Corps’ fires and maneuver integration division at Marine Corps Combat Development Command, based at Marine Corps Base Quantico, Va. But Marine officials aren’t committing to any changes, and say they are largely happy with the M4s and M16A4s they have.In all, the Corps expects delivery of 126,000 M1A4s by the end of fiscal 2013 and 82,000 M4s by the end of 2011, said officials with Quantico-based Marine Corps Systems Command. The M16A4 is considered the Corps’ primary service weapon, but tens of thousands of M4s are also in use, especially by Marines in military occupational specialties where the longer barrel of the M16A4 can be problematic, such as motor vehicle operator.“These weapons have proven themselves more than capable in combat in Iraq and Afghanistan,” Cantwell said. “The Marine Corps continually evaluates the future of its individual weapons programs and will certainly include the results of the Army improved carbine program in that evaluation.”That hasn’t stopped a debate about what the Corps should do with its service rifles, with suggestions ranging from adopting a collapsible stock for the M16A4 to dropping 5.56mm-caliber rifles completely in favor of a weapon that fires larger 7.62mm ammunition.
Originally posted here: Corps has stake in Army’s M4 redesign
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