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Last edited by Heavy Metal; 05-30-11 at 22:15.
My brother saw Deliverance and bought a Bow. I saw Deliverance and bought an AR-15.
For the M4 carbine, Things I would change:
1. Use a 16" barrel, 1x8 twist midlength cold hammer forged 11595-E steel barrel.
2. Crane LMT/KAC SOPMOD or VLTOR E-Mod stock to replace M4 stock both are stronger and better than the M4 stock.
3. KAC E3 style barrel extension and KAC style E3 bolt. Both have proven to last at least 4-5 times longer than Colt style AR/M4 bolts.
4. Standard charging handle replaced with Type 4 or 5 BCM/VLTOR Gunfighter charging handles.
5. CAR receiver extensions replaced with VLTOR A5 extensions and VLTOR 5oz standard A5 buffers. Buffer springs would share the same part number as the M16A2, A3 and A4 buffer springs.
6. Finish on gas tubes, barrel extensions, carrier keys, bolt carriers, cam pins, ejectors, extractors & extractor and ejector pins, firing pins, hammers, triggers and disconnectors, safety/selectors, take down pin detents, safety/selectors detents and interior of inner of metal magazines and the inner and outer surfaces of upper and lower receivers replaced with a nickel boron finish.
Chief Armorer for Elite Shooting Sports in Manassas VA
Chief Armorer for Corp Arms (FFL 07-08/SOT 02)
Monolith
"Not every thing on Earth requires an aftermarket upgrade." demigod/markm
I really think that KAC is well ahead of the power curve on this question. But I'll play.
mid-length or intermediate gas system matched with the correct buffer system
adjustable gas system w/ a "suppressed" setting
monolithic upper receiver, bottom section should be removable to allow free float of under barrel auxiliary weapon systems.
improved bolt & extractor
CHF barrel
improved flash suppressor/compensator/suppressor mount
ambidextrous lower receiver
improved charging handle
PMAGS
IMO there's nothing really wrong with anodizing but we should probably move away from black. All steel parts should be nitrided vs parkerized if it can be done without destroying the material properties.
Hell most of this can be done with COTS gear the Grant sells.![]()
Of course, replace 1913 rails with STANAG 4694 rails.
I'd like to see some experimentation with modern coatings on the Bolt, bolt carrier, barrel exterior, and trigger mechanism; strengthening the portion of the bolt surrounding the cam pin (like KAC's E3 system); a relocation of the extractor pin to provide more leverage for the extractor spring (like the KAC E3 bolt); consideration of stronger metal for the gas rings and a redesign of the gas rings to a more robust design with longer life; using a barrel nut or some other (robust) system of removing heat more quickly from the chamber area of the barrel regardless of handguards used (JP Rifles' barrel heat sink comes to mind for a starter); adopting a KAC or Noveske barrel profile using a cold hammer forged barrel and a midlength gas system on a 16" or an 8" system on a carbine 14.5" barrel; and affixing a better muzzle device than an A2....or multiple different devices for different roles (SPR, Mk18, M4, M16A4, etc.).
EDIT: after re-reading my post, I think I'm just gonna recommend a NiB coated KAC E3 bolt, cam pin, and receiver extension, with a KAC CHF barrel and intermediate gas system....**** it. Spec an SR15 E3 w/ an A5 RE and 5oz buffer. Coat the inside of the bitch and all internal components w/ NiB.
Last edited by BufordTJustice; 05-31-11 at 00:26.
Nail, meet hammer.
I would also go with a Geissele F/A trigger, a "flared" mag well (we'll see how NGA's does) and- while optics are an entirely different can of worms- a variant of the TA11 ACOG and/or a variable power optic. The TA01 and TA31's eye relief are unacceptable in comparison.
also include a small bottle of lube in every Emod or LMT stock compartment. Preferably the Sprinco Machine Gunner Lube that LaRue (used to?) ship with their orders. Change the training to emphasize lubrication over white-glove cleaning.
I believe we'll also see significant improvements in barrel coatings.
Last edited by Boss Hogg; 05-31-11 at 08:44.
From my observations of the way the M4 gets used by our security forces guys, and my own tinkering, I think these are the best things that can be improved upon:
1. Fully ambidextrous controls. Like JSGlock said, it has less to do with accommodating lefties than it does with providing adequate control when firing from either shoulder with either hand. Modern training doctrine is less about static range pop-up shooting and more to do with firing from cover and transitions.
2. Charging handle. The BCM Gunfighter is great for operating the gun while it's still at the shoulder with the off hand only, but it still only works from the left side of the gun. So in addition to the ambidextrous control, perhaps it's time to relocate to the sides.
3. Modern coatings. The fabled fragility of the M4 in adverse conditions is, as we all know, overblown. But that doesn't mean it has no merit at all. There are certainly ways we can coat the moving parts to increase longevity an reduce wear.
4. A barrel profile that makes sense. A pencil contour is great for us, but I see how Joe treats his rifle, and it's just asking for trouble if we force a pencil profile. But having the skinny end at the receiver and a fat end at the muzzle doesn't make much sense either. There has to be a happy medium.
5. Easily changed barrels/fore end units. Getting into the really out there conceptual stuff. It would make sense to me that a truly modular rifle could be configured for any mission. We know this can be accomplished by switching uppers on the fly, but what if we reduced that even further down to just the barrel and forearm? Joe could go from a CQB MK18 profile up to a 18" SPR profile in just a few seconds while keeping the same upper receiver and trigger, a forearm and barrel assembly alone certainly takes up less space and weight than a complete upper receiver with separate optics platform.
Lengthen the gas system. Corrosion free coating ****ing everywhere. Lighter barrel profile. Better stock. Lose a lug on the bolt, make the remaining ones bigger and stronger.
Last edited by Littlelebowski; 05-31-11 at 10:27.
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