Service Rifle Modifications

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kingcheese

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Just a question, not sure how welcome it will be.

i just wanted to know how far a current U.S. Marine is allowed to modify his service rifle, and what the restrictions are for things he/she can or can not add

id also like any pictures of any service rifles that where modified by an individual in the field

paint, acessories, i want to see/hear about it all

im hoping to build an ar-15 sometime and looking for some ideas, it figure if it works for people fighting a war, it will be good enough for my purpose
 
It's my understanding that there is a lot of gray area here but a list of acceptable parts has been considered. Spec Ops tend to carry Colt M4s so buying one will probably get you closer to what "works for people fighting a war". I know Daniel Defense quad rails are also used but not sure about BUIS. For optics i think Aimpoint and ACOG are the most common on M4s and M16s.
 
I came back from Iraq a year ago March.
I saw a wide variety of ways an M4 can be accessorized. You can quickly turn an 8 pound rifle in to a 14 pound rifle with useless stuff. You could usually find the clerks and mail handlers carrying the most tricked out anchor one man could carry.
The guys that really used the M4's had an ACOG and a light and nothing more. At that time no one in Baghdad was painting them.
 
Funny you mention that. My cousin was a clerk in Iraq, and when he got back he bought an AR15 and set it up "just like he had it in Iraq".

He was showing it to me at the range the other day... darn thing must have been 15 pounds - Aimpoint, flip up magnifier, foregrip, flashlight, spring loaded bipod, lazer, sidle saddle magazine carryer, ect.

Then I showed him mine - a pencil barrel with a low profile upper. Only thing on it is a micro red dot. About 6.5lbs, loaded, with optic :D
 
When I was in Iraq mine had the quad rail on it when I got it. We were issued a M68 CCO (Aimpoint Comp M2) and a Shurefire light. The BIUS was this one

http://www.botachtactical.com/maba60si.html

That was all I had on mine. The non issue accessories I had people send me were cleaning items.

for the ones I build now I prefer smooth free float tubes with one rail on top such as the Troy TRX Extreme. I still stand by the Aimpoints, I use the same BUIS. I dont need or desire all that other crap.
 
Currently deployed (Infantry).

Issued rifle is an M14.

1st thing we did was get rid of the Sage stock/op-rod guide, and replace it with a GI synthetic stock, as tons of rail space is not needed from my experience at current deployments as well as past. A synthetic stock also weighs less than the Sage, and a better cheek weld can be obtained off of one using field expedient methods.

I would prefer to be using an ARMS #18 mount vs the SEI mount, but it's not a big enough deal to matter.

P.O.G.'s run alot of M4's with as much stuff as they have room to clamp onto the rails. Most of it is not worth it's weight. An M68 or Acog, and a light if one is needed.

Sorry, but I dont show pics of things like this. Personally owned weapons only in this camp.:)

11B
 
My third and final trip into Iraq I was issued an M-4 with an ACOG. When I turned it into the armory, the only difference was that it was cleaner than when I got it.

1st and second trips into the box I had an M-16, second trip added an M-9. No modifications required.

All weapons performed their duties as required, no muss, fuss or useless crap hanging off of it, although I would have like a vert grip on the M-4.
 
When you walk around with all that, stuff,
you quickly learn what is useful and what isn't

I had iron sights, a PEQ-4 and a surefire, and a forward grip, and rails.
why, cause that was what I was issued, I did mounted patrol and the forward grip let me brace my rifle against the door and reload.
 
Most Marine grunt units are getting issued the M16a4(flat top, knights rail system) or M4s with the knights rail system. Issued optic is generally the ACOG. Lights are being provided too, and some units will issue out the grip pods. Designated personnel will have an infrared illuminator but there's really not too too much to add other than that.

I've never liked the grip pods... or vertical fore grips for that matter...
 
Mainre Corps, and M16A4 with some kind of ACOG is what I got. I was in a support role at Al Asad, so a lot of our guys would get a mag pouch that mounted to their buttstock so that they could keep a mag with the rifle. It really just depends on your command how much you can do with the rifle. I probably could have put whatever I wanted on the rail system but there wasn't much point in it, but there was no way in heck they would have let me paint it. They sold a self clinging camo wrap at the PX that you could use to wrap your rifle if you wanted, one of our guys did that.
 
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