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The M4A1: A Twentieth Century Relic

The M4A1: A Twentieth Century Relic

The M4A1: A Twentieth Century Relic

At the turn of the 21st century the M4A1 was introduced into the U.S. military as the
standard carbine for nearly all branches. It replaced the longer more cumbersome M16, which
had been in service for the better part of the Vietnam War. The M4 had shorter barrel and
collapsible stock allowing for easier maneuverability and handling primarily in close quarters
combat. From the streets of Mogadishu to mountains of Afghanistan It has been and still is a
solid performer with exceptional range and accuracy for its size. The rifle has seen several
external design changes and modifications and while all of these have added to its overall
effectiveness, the basic mechanical components have remained untouched and this is where it
falls short. The M4 is quite simply an outdated weapon system; it is unreliable in adverse
conditions, requires constant maintenance and has very little stopping power. With the
availability of modern rifles like the HK 416 or ACR the U.S. needs to reevaluate their priorities
and arm our troops with the latest in assault rifle technology.
In the heat of battle the adrenaline rush can be overwhelming, most soldiers reflect on
their experiences during firefights and will usually describe it as an addicting rush, in most cases
numbing them to any pain. While this makes them more effective during battle there are
countless instances where soldiers do not realize they are wounded until after their bodies have
had time to come down from the high. The same is true for the enemy if not worse.

The M4A1: A Twentieth Century Relic

During the battle of Fallujah at the height of the Iraq war U.S. soldiers recount how Iraqi
insurgents would take drugs before going into battle, this combination of adrenaline and
painkillers made them extremely hard to eliminate, being able to take several gunshot wounds
without even flinching and ultimately making them a much more formidable for the U.S. troops.
The fact that the M4 fires such a small cartridge didnt help much either and although lighter and
with less recoil the 5.56 round is relatively weak round. Its higher velocity means that it has a
tendency to completely penetrate its targets leaving smaller wounds and dumping less of its
kinetic energy onto the target. In comparison the AK-47 fires the much larger 7.62 round, it
travels at a slower velocity, hitting its target and doing more damage while also unleashing all of
its kinetic energy like a ton of bricks, the definition of stopping power. Not to be underestimated
however, the 5.56 round is very lethal but as most U.S. soldiers will tell you it takes longer for
their enemies to feel the effects unless its a well-placed shot and in war there can be no
compromise. Weapons like the ACR which stands for Adaptive Combat Rifle can accurately fire
the more powerful 7.62 round and retains all the same standard features of the M4. With such a
weapon soldiers can be much more effective in combat and in doing so can save lives that would
otherwise be taken by a half wounded enemy.
Vietnam, Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan, the list of countries where the M4 and M16 have
seen action goes on. The ability for a weapon to be able to handle a constant beating from sand,
moisture and mud has been key in ensuring successful missions throughout these conflicts, yet
this is where the M4 fails to perform. It requires a rigorous amount of cleaning and maintenance
in order to keep it from jamming, any kind of dirt or sand will foul up the action and lead to
malfunction. Ironically these are the conditions that soldiers face every day no matter where they
are in the world and to continue using an unreliable weapon seems irrational.

The M4A1: A Twentieth Century Relic

Taking another look at the AK-47, one of its most notable features is the ability to keep
on firing no matter what kind of conditions or abuse it is put through, this is a weapon that has
been around since the cold war and it continues to be used around the world for this very reason.
Accuracy its biggest drawback, something that the M4 excels at, but with the modern rifles of
today both accuracy and reliability are easily achieved, enter the HK 416. This German made
weapon has all the characteristics of the M4 with none of the drawbacks. It is extremely popular
with the Special Forces community notably the SEAL teams and is infamous for being the
supposed weapon that ended Osama Bin Ladens life. It was once in the running to become the
standard issue rifle of the Army and its longer barreled version has become the new light
machine gun for the Marine Core. If the 416 were to replace the M4 as the standard carbine basic
infantry soldiers would immediately become a much more effective fighting force, more time
could be spent fighting battles or even training instead of constantly worrying about the upkeep
of the rifle. A more reliable weapons system also means that our soldiers would have a constant
edge against their enemies; lives would be saved in heated firefights because of reduced jams
and malfunctions.

The M4A1: A Twentieth Century Relic

Wars are constantly evolving, as technology advances so do the ways in which we fight
them, as drones and robots start to become standard in our armies and weapons become more
powerful and farther reaching, one thing remains certain, soldiers will always be needed. Living,
breathing, and thinking operators are necessary to have on the ground to make the vital
decisions. Giving them the best technology possible down to the smallest detail ensures that they
remain effective and stay alive. The M4 is a subpar weapon by todays standards, the availability
of much superior fire arms demands a re-evaluation of the current armament. Individual soldiers
matter in the grand scale of things and a superior fire arm will amount to a superior fighting
force, a more reliable and harder hitting replacement is all that is needed.

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