Anyone seen a M-4 with A2 upper?

[kaltesherz]

I bought a Colt 14.5" M4 upper off a guy over at AR15.com a year or two ago. It is an A2. It is a much lighter gray than most ARs you see. The forge mark is Mueller Brass. I was pretty sure it was an older military M4 upper. It has all the Colt marks in the correct spots, and the barrel is dated '93. It is in storage at the moment. I was going to pin a Phantom on it, and use it. Is this thing worth something as some sort of curiosity, or should I just use it?

Sounds like a 727, we're just trying to find actually M4's with fixed carrying handles, which are basically a 727 but marked "M4"

[squid8286]

Sounds like a 727, we're just trying to find actually M4's with fixed carrying handles, which are basically a 727 but marked "M4"

Thanks for the info. Y'all had my hopes up; thought I had something rare!

[kaltesherz]

Thanks for the info. Y'all had my hopes up; thought I had something rare!

Oh it's still rare, and collectible- I'm sure someone will chime in on it's value eventually...

[squid8286]

Oh it's still rare, and collectible- I'm sure someone will chime in on it's value eventually...

Good to know. I appreciate it.

[5POINT56]

That's a removable carrying handle- not what we're talking about at all

Then someone ought to tell the fella running his EO on the carry handle that <pssst!> its removeable.

[scottryan]

The pics coldblue posted are the closest we have seen, but were already known to me.

[jaygee]

All of this raises the question....Who gets to decide what is an "M4"? The US Military, Colt, or folks like us? I'm sure the XM4 in TBR was not an "XM4" until Uncle got interested in it. FWIW, I have a Colt A2 upper with ramps cut in before anodizing, and marked with a "4" above the gas tube entry star. Finish is black, not gray/green or Sandstrom 9. Does this prove anything? No, but I'm sure that my upper, which showed up on a 6520LE, is not the only one around.

[jtb0311]

All of this raises the question....Who gets to decide what is an "M4"? The US Military, Colt, or folks like us? I'm sure the XM4 in TBR was not an "XM4" until Uncle got interested in it. FWIW, I have a Colt A2 upper with ramps cut in before anodizing, and marked with a "4" above the gas tube entry star. Finish is black, not gray/green or Sandstrom 9. Does this prove anything? No, but I'm sure that my upper, which showed up on a 6520LE, is not the only one around.

Folks like us can no more decide to designate whatever we want as an M4 than we could designate a Garand an XM-1936-08 or whatever. Or we could, but it would be absolutely meaningless.

I spent a fair amount of time in Afghanistan from 2004-2011, and I think I saw every configuration of the AR platform ever issued. Slab side lowers/partial fence lowers and any 11.5 or 14.5 barrel configuration you can think of, flat top, A1, and A2. Every single one of these was in the hands of U.S. Government personnel.

Break free from the bonds of the M4 label!

[kaltesherz]

I finally checked out the new Infantry Museum at Benning. They no longer have M4 SN # 0001 on display (with the fixed carry handle and a high gloss finish), but they did have this XM4.

[markm]

I spent a fair amount of time in Afghanistan from 2004-2011, and I think I saw every configuration of the AR platform ever issued. Slab side lowers/partial fence lowers and any 11.5 or 14.5 barrel configuration you can think of, flat top, A1, and A2. Every single one of these was in the hands of U.S. Government personnel.

Break free from the bonds of the M4 label!

THANK YOU! The designation fixation crap is completely idiotic.