The M4 carbine has become one of the defining military firearms of the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Developed as a fusion of the XM177E2 Colt Commando and the M16A2 assault rifle, the M4 offered a more convenient battlefield firearm than the full-length M16 variants, and the US Army adopted it as the standard infantry weapon in the 1990s. Today, military and law-enforcement personnel of more than 60 countries have adopted either the M4 or the M4A1 variant, both of which have been tested and proven in major combat operations worldwide. This study describes the development process in detail, from production of the first XM4 prototypes in 1984 through numerous modified types until it emerged into official use as the M4 in 1994. The M4 offered a weapon that was 1lb lighter and 6in shorter than the standard M16A2, yet could still deliver precision semi-auto and full-auto firepower up to an effective range of 500m. Over time, its capabilities have been enhanced by the M4A1 modifications plus an extensive range of tactical accessories, including optical day/night sights, laser/infrared designators, under-barrel grenade launchers and shotgun modules, foregrips, furniture options, mounting rails, and sound suppressors. Numerous M4/M4A1 combat operations are investigated to reveal why the weapon has received such high levels of approval by front-line combat troops, not only in Afghanistan and Iraq, where the M4/M4A1 has been intensively combat-tested, but also in contexts such as Colombia, India, Israel, and the Philippines. Profusely illustrated with photographs and artworks, and drawing its research from the latest declassified documents, this is a complete guide to one of the most important and widely distributed tactical infantry weapons of the last quarter-century.

This US issue manual is a truly hands on and is the only M4/AR15 book you will ever need. Filled with how to photos and complimented by detailedtext, it covers every part right down to the smallest pin. A few of the topics covered are: Disassembly, Assembly, Maintenance, Troubleshooting, Tools Required, Inspection and much more. If you want to understand how the rifle works and how to keep it working this book is an absolute must.

The author, a New York Times reporter, traces the invention and mass distribution of the AK-47 assault rifle, and its effects on war. He traces the invention of the assault rifle, following the miniaturization of rapid-fire arms from the American Civil War, through World War I and Vietnam, to present-day Afghanistan, where Kalashnikovs and their knockoffs number as many as 100 million, one for every seventy persons on earth. It is the weapon of state repression, as well as revolution, civil war, genocide, drug wars, and religious wars; and it is the arms of terrorists, guerrillas, boy soldiers, and thugs. From its inception to its use by more than fifty national armies around the world, to its role in modern-day Afghanistan, he discusses how the deadly weapon has helped alter world history.

The M16 was first introduced in 1958 and was revolutionary for its time as it was made of lightweight materials including special aluminum and plastics. It was first adopted by US Special Forces and airborne troops in 1962 before it was issued to Army and Marine units serving in Vietnam. Its use spread throughout the following decades and a number of variants including submachine and carbine versions were also fielded. As a result it is now amongst the three most used combat cartridges in the world while over 10 million M16s and variants have been produced making it one of the most successful American handheld weapons in history .But despite its undeniable success the M16 is not without its detractors. Indeed, the “black rifle”, as it is known, is one of the most controversial rifles ever introduced with a long history of design defects, ruggedness issues, cleaning difficulties and reliability problems leading to endless technical refinements. This volume provides a technical history of the M16 and the struggle to perfect it together with an assessment of its impact on the battlefield drawing on over a decade's combat experience with the rifle.

For six decades, the 7.62mm FN MAG has been a dominant general-purpose machine gun (GPMG) in worldwide arsenals. Three qualities have guaranteed this enduring status – reliability, ease of operation, and firepower. Several nations have license-produced the weapon as their standard GPMG, including the British (as the L7) and the Americans (M240), and in total more than 80 nations have adopted the FN MAG. The machine gun has also been modified extensively for vehicular, naval, and aircraft platforms, demonstrating versatility in the air, on sea, and on land. In this book, Chris McNab charts the technical evolution of this extraordinary weapon, created by Belgian company Fabrique Nationale d'Herstal. From the jungles of South East Asia, to the deserts of the Middle East, and the icy battlefields of the Falklands, this study explores the origins, development, combat use, and legacy of the FN MAG machine gun, a dominant weapon in its field for more than a half-century.

A detailed, fully illustrated study of the most recognizable assault rifle ever produced. The Kalashnikov AK-47 is the most ubiquitous assault rifle in the world, with more AK-47s and its variants in use than any other individual small arm. Created by Senior Sergeant Mikhail Kalashnikov, and first adopted by the USSR soon after World War II, its production continues to this day, with an estimated 75 million produced worldwide. Supported by photographs and original artwork, this book takes a look at the complete history of the weapon, discussing its design, development, and usage, taking its story from the great armies of the Soviet Union to the insurgents and criminal gangs that often employ the weapon today.

This manual, "Rifle Marksmanship M16-/M4-Series Weapons," provides guidance for planning and executing training on the 5.56-millimeter M16-series rifle (M16A1/A2/A3/A4) and M4 carbine. It is a guide for commanders, leaders, and instructors to develop training programs, plans, and lessons that meet the objectives or intent of the United States Army rifle marksmanship program and FM 7-0. This manual is organized to lead the trainer through the material needed to conduct training during initial entry training (IET) and unit sustainment training. Preliminary subjects include discussion on the weapon's capabilities, mechanical training, and the fundamentals and principles of rifle marksmanship. Live-fire applications are scheduled after the Soldier has demonstrated preliminary skills.

All Marines share a common warfighting belief: "Every Marine a rifleman." This simple credo reinforces the belief that all Marines are forged from a common experience, share a common set of values, and are trained as members of an expeditionary force in readiness. As such, there are no "rear area" Marines, and no one is very far from the fighting during expeditionary operations. The Marine rifleman of the next conflict will be as in past conflicts: among the first to confront the enemy and the last to hang his weapon in the rack after the conflict is won. Rifle Marksmanship, a Marine Corps Reference Publication, provides techniques and procedures for Marine Corps rifle marksmanship. Every Marine is first and foremost a rifleman. Rifle Marksmanship reflects this ethos and the Marine Corps' warfighting philosophy. This publication discusses the individual skills required for effective rifle marksmanship and standardizes the techniques and procedures used throughout the Marine Corps. It constitutes the doctrinal basis for all entry-level and sustainment-level rifle marksmanship training.

This manual provides operation and maintenance instructions for the M16A2, M16A3, M16A4 Rifles, M4 and M4A1 Carbines. These weapons are lightweight, gas-operated, air-cooled, magazine-fed. shoulder-fired weapons that can be fired in either automatic, three-round bursts, or semiautomatic. The purpose of the weapons is to provide personnel an offensive/defensive capability to engage targets in the field. The adapter rails allows the operator the capability to mount various accessories on to the M16A4 Riffle and the M4/M4A1 Carbines. When a procedure is common to M16 rifle and M4 Carbine, ONLY the M16A2 configuration will be depicted. If a procedure is not common to both -weapons, the procedure will be incorporated and the weapon will be identified. If your weapon is configured with adapter rails, refer to the appropriate appendices in this manual for operation and maintenance procedures for the adapter rails.