Replicating military M4

[PappyM3]

As the OP, I want to take a minute & say "thank you" for all the responses and all the pics. Really is helping me out in determining & deciding what I am going to need to acquire to finish my M4 off. I really do appreciate it!

I forgot to add my input for you, which is a little repeated, but adding it for posterity. Avoid the grip-pod. They were issued, but I mostly saw them on support personnel rifles. Combat arms folk generally continued to use the KAC vfg.

Don’t worry about Colt magazines. I don’t think I’ve ever seen colt magazines issued, aside from old 20 rounders we had laying around the arms room. I believe it was mostly okay magazines, but there are multiple companies that won contracts.

For optics, you don’t have to use an Aimpoint M4. You could do an ACOG TA01, TA31F, or TA31RCO. But those are all more money than the Aimpoint M4. If you want to save money and still have something great/authentic, go with an Aimpoint Pro. It’s not specifically an M68, but it’s close enough. I think it’s roughly half the cost of the compM4.

[PappyM3]

Thumbs up! "Kids-Grandkids"

PB

Ha, I should mention that the “grandkids” part of my post should have been future-tense. They don’t exist yet.

Good on you, looking ahead to future generations--even the grave hasn't gotten my uncle off my shitlist for hocking my grandfather's old USAF service sidearm to buy rotgut booze before the body was even cold.

That’s infuriating.

[Caduceus]

I cheated and started with a Colt M4A1 SOCOM marked US PROPERTY. It came with the KAC RIS. It came with the MATECH sight, KAC quad rail, KAC rail panels and M4 stock. I had to call Colt for the vertical foregrip.


In case anyone is wondering, the grip is a generic brand A2 with the bump shaved off. I can't abide the A2 bump.

The M4A1 SOCOM is a bit heavy and kinda clunky compared to a "stripped down" M4A1, but this one is a laser beam. It hits whatever you put the red dot on.

That's basically what I did. I have a few of the M4A1 lowers, bought two of the 14.5 P/W SOCOM uppers that Grant had, and slapped on Matechs and M4's. I left on Magpul SL handguards, mostly as a budget item.

Voila, my kids have M4 clones for when they're adults.

[Diamondback]

Question: Were TangoDown VFG's ever used in the field by mainline types, or outside Tier Ones was it pretty much KAC or Grip-Pod only?

BTW, my thanks to all who've shared details of your builds now, and what you carried then.

[Renegade04]

The TangoDown VFG was used by some in the military on their M4s.

[Diamondback]

The TangoDown VFG was used by some in the military on their M4s.

Thanks--with the KAC broomstick being out-of-stock from its ridiculous low price at Brownells and the TD coming up in Stick's Deals & Finds thread I was wondering if it might be a viable substitute, despite not being "By The Book."

[PappyM3]

Question: Were TangoDown VFG's ever used in the field by mainline types, or outside Tier Ones was it pretty much KAC or Grip-Pod only?

BTW, my thanks to all who've shared details of your builds now, and what you carried then.

Yup. They weren't issued to conventional forces, but some guys definitely bought/used them. Stuff like that would depend on unit leadership and how much customization they would allow.

Anyway, I finally took a couple pictures of my replica. I'm in the process of reverting it back from ban-state configuration, so please excuse the battle comp and ground down bayonet lug. The ACOG is the actual, personally purchased, ACOG I used on two deployments. Also, I have no IR laser on it. During the first deployment, I had an AN/PEQ-2A where the surefire is. However, during the second deployment, I removed it. I was no longer clearing buildings at night, and local threats had some night vision capability. So I opted to put a spare PVS-14 in front of my ACOG when necessary to keep my IR aiming passive rather than active. Since the PEQ-2A doesn't have a civilian "eye-safe" version for sale, I just went with my second configuration.

[Torch-36]

Don't forget to order a UID label if you want to clone a more recent example.

[Hammer_Man]

Yup. They weren't issued to conventional forces, but some guys definitely bought/used them. Stuff like that would depend on unit leadership and how much customization they would allow.

Anyway, I finally took a couple pictures of my replica. I'm in the process of reverting it back from ban-state configuration, so please excuse the battle comp and ground down bayonet lug. The ACOG is the actual, personally purchased, ACOG I used on two deployments. Also, I have no IR laser on it. During the first deployment, I had an AN/PEQ-2A where the surefire is. However, during the second deployment, I removed it. I was no longer clearing buildings at night, and local threats had some night vision capability. So I opted to put a spare PVS-14 in front of my ACOG when necessary to keep my IR aiming passive rather than active. Since the PEQ-2A doesn't have a civilian "eye-safe" version for sale, I just went with my second configuration.

Very nicely done! Looks like it would be right at home in any arms room.