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Diff AR 15 & M4

o b juano b juan Member Posts: 1,941 ✭✭
edited February 2016 in Ask the Experts
whats the diff between Ar 15 & M4

Some one please enlighten me
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    mark christianmark christian Forums Admins, Member, Moderator Posts: 24,456 ******
    edited November -1
    In a nut shell; the M4 has a barrel (14.5 inches for military and 16 inches for civilians) which has a step-down to allow for the mounting of the M203 Grenade launcher.
    ColtM4rifle1.jpg

    The M4 hand guards are heavier than those used on the normal AR-15 carbine, and the M4 feedramps are extended from the barrel extension into the upper receiver.

    There are other differences, but this should answer your question.
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    beantownshootahbeantownshootah Member Posts: 12,776 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by o b juan
    whats the diff between Ar 15 & M4

    Some one please enlighten me


    Not much.

    Mark has the main technical differences, above.

    I'd say other "important" differences are that true M4 also has burst fire capability and telescoping stock.

    AR-15 has been used as a sort of generic descriptor for all rifles of this type regardless of the actual features on the gun, so you have to be a bit careful when you do the comparison. The original one (ie true AR15) has a longer barrel and a fixed stock.

    If you want to buy a rifle that's a civilian legal version of the M4 (16" bbl, one shot at a time), pretty much every manufacturer offers one.

    But other than above, these guns share most parts and use the same magazines.
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    spiritsspirits Member Posts: 363 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    All the differences already noted - maybe shorter gas port length compared to a rifle. My M4 came with a 1 in 7" twist chrome lined barrel. So I used the heavier soft points primarily for deer hunting. Also, found that it was a fairly light and handy rifle to carry while still hunting. Killed one eight point buck with it. Centered neck shot - deer dropped instantly and there was just one small entry hole but no exit hole.
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    TxsTxs Member Posts: 18,801
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by spirits
    My M4 came with a 1 in 7" twist chrome lined barrel. So I used the heavier soft points primarily for deer hunting.One of the changes made on the M4 specifically addresses this.

    Our military switched to the 62gr M855 bullet, primarily to supply a longer tracer burn. This longer and more pointed bullet caused feeding issues and in order to solve this the two feed ramp cuts that were formerly only in the AR's barrel extension were lengthened and extend down into the receiver.
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    nmyersnmyers Member Posts: 16,880 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I believe that the USGI M4 has a telescoping stock.

    The term "AR-15" is copyrighted by Colt Firearms; no one else can use that name for a rifle. Similar guns are call AR-clones or AR-type, but not AR-15.

    "M4" is not copyrighted, so any manufacturer can call any rifle that they make an M4.

    Neal
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