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Thread: Colt M4 VS M4A1 Carbine

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    Colt M4 VS M4A1 Carbine

    If I may ask , what are the differences between a Colt M4 and M4A1 carbine ? Is it true that a Colt M4A1 comes with a KAC rail hand guard while the M4 does not ? In regards to the upper receiver and barrel , how can I tell if it is a Colt M4 or a Colt M4A1 ? What markings should I look for in the upper receiver and barrel to know if it is an M4 or an M4A1 ? The reason for me asking this question is because I have an upper receiver and barrel of either a Colt M4 or M4A1 and I don't know which is which .
    Thanks in advance .

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    There should be an NSN on the QR code on the magwell, but since you only have the upper... (poor reading comprehension on my part)

    The M4A1 is 1005-01-382-0953
    The M4 is 1005-01-231-0973

    Another obvious difference would be that the M4 is burst while the M4A1 is full auto. Both should have KAC rails, but the M4A1 has a thicker barrel profile especially under the handguards. The barrel is the best way to tell from what you have.
    Last edited by Eurodriver; 10-30-14 at 14:25.
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    Where do I find those numbers?
    Thanks.

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    It doesn't sound like you're talking about an issued rifle are you? While Colt did start branding their civilian ARs with "M4" on the magazine well not too long ago, as Euro said, the M4 has burst fire while the A1 has full auto. You can't just go out and buy either of them.
    Sic semper tyrannis.

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    Well , I only have the upper receiver and barrel and not the lower receiver . That is why , I cannot tell if it's it has a 3 round or full auto burst . As for the the rifle being issued , probably , the lower receiver from which my upper receiver and barrel came from , might have been . I don't really know but definitely , it is not a Colt civilian AR/M4 rifle . By the way , in the upper receiver , there is a laser mark "c" and "AF" .
    Thanks.

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    Are you referring to the 6920 models with a 16" barrel?
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    Quote Originally Posted by Secretariat View Post
    Where do I find those numbers?
    The NSNs don't appear on the upper - they are just used when ordering the components through the government supply system. The only way to tell the difference between the two uppers is by the barrel, because nearly all M4s were refitted with the KAC rail system years ago. The M4A1 has a heavier (thicker) barrel under the handguards with notches cut into the sides, as seen about halfway down this article in the comparison photo (M4A1 on top, M4 on bottom):

    http://www.guns.com/2014/03/05/colt-...grade-program/

    Now having said that, the Army is starting to replace original M4 barrels with the heavier M4A1 barrel, so it's not guaranteed.

    You can check to see if it's a civilian Colt barrel by measuring the barrel length. If it's more that 16" (about 17") including the flash suppressor, then it's the civilian version. If it's less than 16" total, well... PM one of us before replying.

    Dave

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    My guess is that the M4 you are referring to is the generic LE6920 while the M4A1 is the Colt 6920 SOCOM since they rollmark the LE6920 "M4 CARBINE" and the 6920 SOCOM "M4A1". The barrel profile under the handguards of the "M4A1" will be the same thickness as it is after the FSB while the "M4" will have a barrel that is a thinner profile under the handguards. The "M4A1" also does come with the KAC M4 RAS or, more recently, Troy rails .
    Last edited by midSCarolina; 10-30-14 at 14:13.

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    When I said issued rifle, I meant if you were currently serving in the military or law enforcement and they issued it to you. If not, then it is definitely not an issued rifle and not really an M4/M4A1. Those don't mix into the civilian world at any point. You can buy Colt rifles available to the public which come pretty damn close, but it sounds like you're pretty new to firearms (or at least ARs) and are under a common misconception.


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    Last edited by Wake27; 10-30-14 at 14:55.
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    M4A1 SOCOM barrel on top
    M4 government barrel on the bottom

    This will be the only difference between the 2 uppers.



    Something else to note, if your barrel is 16" I'm pretty sure Colt does not put the slots in the barrel under the hand guards on the SOCOM. They only do this on the 14.5" SOCOM barrels. It's for mounting a grenade launcher.
    Last edited by JBecker 72; 10-30-14 at 15:30.

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