Inaccuracy in the disinformation cowpath...
The errornet is spectacularly good at perpetrating myths, falsehoods and lies, often cached as opinions.
The amount of misinformation in even this little thread is but an example why we should fact check prior to posting- and maybe why you should listen to Jeff White...
I think most of the militaries M16s are manufactured by FN,
Actually not. Both Colt and FN have contracts for different M16 models
From what I have gathered, Armalite is just as good or better than Colt.
Apparently U.S. Special Forces units are using Armalite rifles in Afghanistan and Iraq and state that the weapons perform marvelously, and that was some years ago.
Can you cite the sources from which you have gathered this information????
Armalite is not- and never was- a supplier to the military (Note- the current company) USSF use M4A1 Carbines. They are made only by Colt, and no other.
Colt along with Bushmaster make the M4 carbine for the military. FN makes the full length M16 versions.
And, can you cite your sources for this? No, an Internet source is not valid. How about a true contract, as posted by your government, announcing such an award??
Only Colt makes the M4 and M4A1 Carbine. Both Colt and FN make M16 Rifles.
Bushmaster did make M4s for the military.
And can you cite your sources.
I can remember when Peter Kokalis stated this in a SOF spinoff. He was apparently told this by the company, because they had advertised it heavily at one time.
As Jeff White stated, they don't anymore.
Ever wonder why?
I have been around since the first USMC tests of the XM4 Carbine at Quantico in 1986, and have fired two or three rounds downrange since then.
I don't know everything, nor have i ever stayed at a Holiday Inn, but in the 20 years since then, i have touched, supervised training on or actually fired a few rounds from some M4/ M4A1's.
All of the M4/ M4A1's that i have ever seen have a W prefix, and all have been made by Colt. The only exception to this is those M16A2's (Colt) that have been converted by ANAD to M4A1 configuration, and were remarked, and those very early guns which were marked M16A2..
I imagine it is possible that somewhere along the line there may have been an anomaly of some sort, but anything official has a paper trail.
Show me the paper- that can be verified- that BM sold M4 Carbines to the military.
A question. If they did, they would have had to have the Technical Data Package. If they did (not likely as that is Colt property), how come what is sold is so far removed from that? As in Non MP inspected bolts and barrels? Failure to stake the bolt carrier key" Using a non spec receiver extension? The list of course goes on....
For those of you that don't like the fact that Colt won't sell to civilians- i wish they did too.
However, previous management of Colt had to make deals with the state and local governments and with the union to keep in business.
Colt sells a great number of M4/ M4A1 Carbines and M16 Rifles to the US military (as well as some foreign contracts). They sell everything they can make, which may be between 8,000- 12,000 per month. I don't have access to actual figures, but looking at mil contracts it is apparent that they do more in a short period of time (and correctly) then all of the lower tier makers combined.
My classes are a large part military, with other government agencies, and a few open enrollment classes a year.
All companies are capable of turning out great guns as well as trash. What you have to look at is the overall performance.
All guns wear, and all have a finite service life.
And no Virginia, one gun- or even one hundred- is a poor statistical sample.
I see many guns in a year- in the thousands. As Jeff can tell you, i have a photo book of broken guns. As is no surprise, the only issues with M4/M4A1 guns is that the bolt lugs will show cracks after 10k rounds- normal wear.. However. i have pictures of a great many lower tier (just as good as) bolts broke at the cam pin hole. New guns with no bolt catch (or the return spring). Bolt carrier gas keys not staked. Barrels mis aligned. Faulty FCG parts.
My company has a fair number of guns. They mostly say "Colt". I say mostly because Colt guns are hard to get. So some say Noveske. Some say LMT, and some upper say BCM.
Rumors and conjecture make for hard feelings, and they continue to perpetuate falsehoods or fantasies.
