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**The Reaper** · 10-01-2006, 21:59

Gene:

No doubt, you have taught more people with the M-4 than I, but I have never had any real problems with them in the thousands of rounds I have shot through issued and civilian M-4 variants.

I have seen bad ammo and bad mags, and am not a real fan of the gas impingement system, but most of the well-maintained M-4s I have used have done well over 1,000 rounds MTBF, in some cases, more than 5,000 rounds. I have easy access to an M-1, several M-1As/M-14s, and plenty of M16s/M4s. Unless I knew that I was going to an area with regular requirements to engage beyond 250 meters, I would opt for the M-4, some good mags with the green followers, and the Mk 262 Mod 1 ammo. Over 250 meters, I would take the SPR.

Are the problems you are noting due to maintenance, service life, ammo, mags, what? It appears to be Army policy not to maintain a round count or service life on small arms, and just shoot them till someone has the fortitude to turn it in to maintenance and refuse to take it back.

I have seen a LOT of M-9 failures, with most of the Berettas I recently saw on the range choking at least once per mag. That appeared to be a combination of bad mags and excessive use/wear.

Sorry to hear that your troops do not have good rifles. Five years into this war, you would think that we would have most of the small arms issues sorted out.

TR

10-01-2006, 21:59	#17
The Reaper Quiet Professional Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Free Pineland Posts: 24,826	Gene: No doubt, you have taught more people with the M-4 than I, but I have never had any real problems with them in the thousands of rounds I have shot through issued and civilian M-4 variants. I have seen bad ammo and bad mags, and am not a real fan of the gas impingement system, but most of the well-maintained M-4s I have used have done well over 1,000 rounds MTBF, in some cases, more than 5,000 rounds. I have easy access to an M-1, several M-1As/M-14s, and plenty of M16s/M4s. Unless I knew that I was going to an area with regular requirements to engage beyond 250 meters, I would opt for the M-4, some good mags with the green followers, and the Mk 262 Mod 1 ammo. Over 250 meters, I would take the SPR. Are the problems you are noting due to maintenance, service life, ammo, mags, what? It appears to be Army policy not to maintain a round count or service life on small arms, and just shoot them till someone has the fortitude to turn it in to maintenance and refuse to take it back. I have seen a LOT of M-9 failures, with most of the Berettas I recently saw on the range choking at least once per mag. That appeared to be a combination of bad mags and excessive use/wear. Sorry to hear that your troops do not have good rifles. Five years into this war, you would think that we would have most of the small arms issues sorted out. TR __________________ "It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." - President Theodore Roosevelt, 1910 De Oppresso Liber 01/20/2025
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