Argument I need help

[PSYCHOBILLY]

I have a guy at work that thinks he knows everything about guns. I have a bushmaster m4 type carbine patrolmans edition. He says that is a ar15 not a m4 type. Please help. I need to show this guy.

 

[meytind]

Actually, an M4 is an AR15 type rifle. The AR15 came first.

 

[PSYCHOBILLY]

I know that. But I want it made clear that it is actually called a M4 type carbine. He says its a ar15. AR15's have a 20" barrel and a full butt stock.

 

[meytind]

Well it is an AR15. I'm not sure what you mean by M4 type. An M4 has a 14.5" barrel and is capable of firing on full auto or burst depending on the model.

 

[PSYCHOBILLY]

http://www.bushmaster.com/catalog_xm15_BCWA3F14M4IZ.asp
When I bought mine this is what the model said. And its semi auto.

 

[highorder]

It's a stretched M4 profile barrel.

In reality, it's an AR pattern rifle.

It's not an "authentic" M4, as it does not conform to the technical data package (no longer owned by Colt)

Dont waste time arguing over cosmetic details or designations.

 

[freakshow10mm]

It has an M4 profile barrel. That's about it. If it was an M4 rifle it would have a 14.5 inch barrel, say Colt on it, and be capable of full automatic or burst fire depending on if it's an M4 or an M4A1. Your work guy is right. Your gun isn't an M4.

 

[PSYCHOBILLY]

Yeah but my reciept says its a M4 type Carbine.

 

[everallm]

For civilian weapons M4 is purely a marketing tool and you do not have an actual M4, ditto if you have a police version, the relevant phrase from Bushmasters own site

M4 Type Type, as in similar too, looks like, has some characteristics similar to.......

What you have is an AR15, badged as an "M4" with shortened furniture and the same legal (non SBR) 16" barrel. Assuming this is a select fire police model YOU do not own it, the police department owns it.

The general term is "M4gery"

 

[PSYCHOBILLY]

I actually own it. It isnt an issued firearm. It just has fire and safe on the selector switch. I guess he was right.

 

[highorder]

Nevermind who's right; time to take the high road and educate him on the meaningless(ness?) of the marketing terms that surround the AR system.

They are like Legos. Build, tear apart, rebuild differently.

Its an AR. Armalite started making them a while back. Now everyone makes them.

 

[jr_roosa]

The trouble is you are using a military model number to describe a civilian knock off.

It's like the eternal 1911 argument. A m1911 is a specific kind of 45 made for the military to meet a particular set of specifications. But we call all similar 45s 1911s and everybody knows what you are talking about.

Your rifle is an ar15 made to look sorta like an m4. So when you say it's an m4 we all know you mean an ar15 type rifle with a shorter barrel adjustable stock and shortened gas system.

Nobody can win your argument at work because you are both right. It's like an ar15, it's like an m4, it's not actually either. It's a bushmaster carbine.

Time spent arguing about this is better spent shooting.

 

[W L Johnson]

There's no one answer for all of this, but look at it this way, AR-15 is Armalite's design code for these things and the M-16 (Rifle) and then the M-4 (Carbine) was developed from it. All Armalite designs are AR-something.

 

[Maj Dad]

When I bought my second shorty (first was in 1983, SGW/Oly Arms) this January, I specifically avoided anything to do with "M4" - the name is just a marketing hype outside the military. It also has a machined step for attaching a grenade launcher, which I don't plan on acquiring until S__t breaks out at Megiddo. I opted for a 16" heavy bbl, 1-9 twist, A2 configuration (might should have considered flat top, but I'm not in the desert with ACOGs etc), and a 6 position stock. It's short, handy, accurate and at 899 a good bit less (still too high ) than the "M4s". It is utilitarian and shoots where I point it, every time I pull the trigger. That's hard to fault. It's a DPMS, by the way.
My 2 cents

 

[kanook]

M4gery would be a term often used to describe the rifle in question.

 

[Norinco982lover]

the XM-15 is an AR-15 variant. It is not an M4 clone because it is semi-auto only and does not have the 14.5" barrel.

~Norinco

 

[inherentical]

I wouldn't sweat it. Call it whatever you'd like to. I usually name my ARs after the manufacturer, barrel-length, and add in the type if whomever I'm dicussing it with isn't aware of what it is, i.e. "LMT 16 inch AR" or "LaRue 20 inch".

 

[C-grunt]

Actually I would say with the A1 style sites and the skinny handguards its more like an old school CAR than an M4. LOL. It does have the M4 style barrel though.

AR-15 is a blanket term used to describe all the AR type rifles and carbines, at least in 5.56. Just like all the .308 ARs are called AR-10s whether or not they are actually one.

 

[Rshooter]

Mine has the standard A2 configuration but I just call it Ester. No one has ever disagreed with me but sometimes people give me strange looks and move a few slots over.

 

[zt77]

I kind of like how some companies are naming it differently now.
like s&w's is mp-15, remington is r-15, etc..

 

[MrFox]

Uh...why does that guy have a pistol pointed at his head?

 

[freakshow10mm]

Yeah but my reciept says its a M4 type Carbine.

Big deal. It's not an M4 carbine, no matter what the receipt says. If I sell a machine gun but list the item as a rubber duck, is it a rubber duck?

 

[PandaBearBG]

I think if you sell a machine gun and list the item as a rubber duck, then you go to jail.
M4 is just marketing and sucking consumers in with catch phrases. M4's are military issued and full auto or 3 rnd burst. There are many variant's of military M4's Commando's CAR's, XM's. And a million variants of civilian Mforgeries.

 

[Bwana John]

M4gery would be a term often used to describe the rifle in question.

+1......, Your AR-15 type rifle is not a M-4.

Looks like you need to listen to the "guy at work" more.

 

[TJHell]

whats up with the a1 rear sight

M4gery

lol you put it perfect kanook