Army considering M4 upgrades

[Proyas]

Major revamp possible for M4 carbine - Army News, news from Iraq, - Army Times

Interesting to see how the military keeps quietly upgrading the gun without any changes to the designation (M4).

[StevoJH]

• Adding a heavier barrel for better performance during high rates of fire.

• Replacing the direct-impingement gas system with a piston gas system.

• Improving the trigger pull.

• Adding an improved rail system for increased strength.

• Adding ambidextrous controls.

• Adding a round counter to track the total number of bullets fired over the weapon’s lifetime.

Wouldn't the bolded change literally change the way the rifle operates, aka.make it no longer an M4/AR-15 technically.

[roffelskates]

Wouldn't the bolded change literally change the way the rifle operates, aka.make it no longer an M4/AR-15 technically.

Well in America the lower reciver is considered the rifle. So even if you put an M468 upper onto your AR-15 lower, the ATF still considers the rifle the AR-15. But that's the ATF and not the army so...

[Maxor]

Honestly with the designation being almost at the sole direction of the army they could call it whatever they want. In some ways this almost sounds like they are trying to slip through a gun without going through procurement contests. I'm highly suprized when I think about how expensive this will be but it also doesn't sound like it is being done without a fair amount of testing and consideration so I'm ok with it.

[US_MiltCom]

Seems like they should just upgrade to a whole new rifle at this point. Preferably with a new caliber.

[Maxor]

Changing the round adds about 33% to the price of changing the weapon. If they are trying an under the table change, which is kinda what it looks like they can't afford that and probably can't anyways.

[gunnut]

Adding a round counter to track the total number of bullets fired over the weapon’s lifetime.

WTF?

[US_MiltCom]

Yeah, that confused me too