![]() ![]() Joseph Dunford, the M16 would be used exclusively by support personnel in communities like logistics or admin. Ultimately, if the move to the M4 is approved by Commandant Gen. “…It will increase the war fighter’s lethality and mobility.” “The carbine is a great weapon system for its time,” he said. The proposed switch also gets the thumbs up from senior marksmen such as the 1st Marine Division gunner, Chief Warrant Officer 5 Vince Kyzer. “The M4 is a great weapons system that has done everything I have ever asked of it,” he added. Nathan West, an explosive ordnance technician with 8th Engineer Support Battalion, who carried an M4 on dismounted patrols and vehicle-borne operations during two deployments to Afghanistan as an anti-tank missileman. “I would have to say my gut reaction is it’s the right choice and will do a lot of good for the guys in the infantry,” said Sgt. They tout the M4 for its weight savings, improved mobility and collapsible butt stock, allowing the rifle to be tailored for smaller Marines or those wearing body armor. The change would be welcomed by infantrymen who say the M16A4 was too long and unwieldy for close-quarters battle in Iraq or vehicle-borne operations in Afghanistan. Anton Semelroth, a Marine spokesman in Quantico, Virginia. “The proposal to replace the M16A4 with the M4 within infantry battalions is currently under consideration at Headquarters Marine Corps,” according to a jointly written response from the commands provided by Maj. With the endorsement of several major commands already supporting the switch - including Marine Corps Combat Development Command Combat Development and Integration Plans, Policies and Operations Marine Corps Systems Command and Installations and Logistics - final word is possible in weeks or months. It follows a similar shift already underway in the Army. But, the swap appears imminent and if approved will relegate the M16 to a support role. The recommendation to swap the venerated rifle that has served as the grunt’s primary implement of war since Vietnam now sits on the commandant’s desk, pending his final review and a decision. Marine Corps Times: Marine leaders have made the momentous recommendation to ditch the iconic M16 in favor of the M4 carbine as the new universal weapon for infantrymen. It’s just too bad it’s come 12 years after the invasion of Iraq and years of fighting on modern battlefields. It’s an example of the School House being too concerned with shooting “across the course” as opposed to shooting across the battlefield. It has long been a joke in our circles that when you see United States Marines engaged in building searches in far off lands, those full-length M16 stocks are truly F’ing them. ![]()
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