The switch to the M4, right move for the USMC?

While the M4 carbine has been around for decades, the United States Marine Corps has finally made the proposal to adopt the platform as the standard Marine infantry rifle.

The decision comes on the heels of the Army, who made the transition from the M16 to the M4 nearly 20 years ago. Now, the USMC is pushing the long range M16 to a support role and brining the more maneuverable M4 to the foreground.

“The carbine is a great weapon system for its time,” said Chief Warrant Officer 5 Vince Kyzer. “It will increase the war fighter’s lethality and mobility.”

As most GunsAmerica readers know, the M16 is a proven platform, but was designed for reaching out and touching someone. Today’s battlefield, however, is significantly different, and our warriors need a primary weapon that better suits their environment.

After a lengthy evaluation, the USMC found the M4 would be a suitable replacement for the archetypal M16.

“The Marine Corps conducted an evaluation of its individual weapons (M4, M27 and M16A4), with specific focus on comparing accuracy, shift of impact and trajectory with improved ammunition, and determined the M4’s overall performance compares favorably with that of the M27 IAR, the most accurate weapon in the squad,” said Marine Corps spokesman Maj. Anton Semelroth.

Alongside the adoption of the M4, the USMC plans to implement a slew of other new technologies that are set to be unveiled in the coming months.

(This article was a submission from freelance writer Brent Rogers)