AR15 vs M4 - What's the difference?

[Sgt.K]

Ok, so what do you call a civilian AR that has a 16" barrel, collapsible stock, removable carry handle, and the larger diameter handguard ?

I will name him George, and I will hug him, and pet him, and squeeze him...

[sprrdhawk44]

I will name him George, and I will hug him, and pet him, and squeeze him...

Good for you man, PA finally allows that type of marriage now. I'm happy for you guys.


Jennifer Lawrence and I have the same relationship, only with less dude.

[Kabloosh]

Actually, you'd need a full F/A or burst fire control group - not just the selector.

Selector.

Auto sear.

Hammer with the sear hook.

And I think the trigger is different as well.

Yeah, I think you're right. There's a video online that explains it all. Even the part of the receiver that needs to be mill'd out.

I hear many people like the sugar coat the AR-15 as some sporter rifle that isn't even remotely the same thing as an military variant, but other than being able to switch to burst or full auto they function the same and have the same level of lethality. We as Americans have the right to own the same weapon system that is used by our nations military and use it in whatever lawful purpose we wish.
They make great home defense weapons and they also make for great hunting or target shooting rifles as well.
If it comes to mass open revolt against a totalitarian regime or a foreign invading force then they are freely available for us to own and operate.

[ungawa]

Yeah, I think you're right. There's a video online that explains it all. Even the part of the receiver that needs to be mill'd out.

Without going into detail, it's 1 hole.

Milling would apply to some older ARs and Colts that had shelves left in production to prevent sears from being installed. The sear does no make a firearm full auto, but it is important under most circumstances and in a different location from the other fire control parts.

[Splittiebus66]

May the odds be ever in your hot pants!

[Maquis]

Thanks for reminding me that the M4 has a 14.5" barrel.

I knew damn well before I posted that i would mess it up.

I would have been smarter to simply say - The M4 is the carbine version of the M16 and let it go at that with a few links.

I got out of the Infantry just as the M4's were issued. I carried a M16A2 during my service career.

...and the A2 was a definite improvement over the worn A1 rifles we were issued in the Marine Corps...loved that angled slip ring and rear sights...got a brand new one in my last year of duty in 1985 (along with the cool new kevlar flack jacket and kevlar helmet~thank you President Reagan that VietNam era stuff was getting old ) and was my best Expert score at the range

[QuackXP]

When someone says AR-15 in a very general sense, I'm going to assume they mean the 16" M4ish clone like the Colt LE6920.

Then the differences are 1.5" of barrel length and the needed machining and parts to make it select fire. The rest of the rifle is the same.

Also of note AR-15 is a Colt trademark. So unless its a Colt its not a true AR-15 at least from a trademark sense. There are better and worse rifles than the Colt regardless of trademark.

[Grey Bearded One]

Also of note AR-15 is a Colt trademark. So unless its a Colt its not a true AR-15 at least from a trademark sense. There are better and worse rifles than the Colt regardless of trademark.

My Colt AR-15 isn't an AR-15, it's a Colt H-BAR.

[QuackXP]

My Colt AR-15 isn't an AR-15, it's a Colt H-BAR.

Just because colt owns the AR-15 trademark does not mean they have to put it on every rifle.

[Solaran_X]

Yeah, I think you're right. There's a video online that explains it all. Even the part of the receiver that needs to be mill'd out.

I hear many people like the sugar coat the AR-15 as some sporter rifle that isn't even remotely the same thing as an military variant, but other than being able to switch to burst or full auto they function the same and have the same level of lethality. We as Americans have the right to own the same weapon system that is used by our nations military and use it in whatever lawful purpose we wish.
They make great home defense weapons and they also make for great hunting or target shooting rifles as well.
If it comes to mass open revolt against a totalitarian regime or a foreign invading force then they are freely available for us to own and operate.

Those differences make a military M4A1/M16A4 a completely different class of weapon from the civilian AR15-platform rifles.

Sure, you have the same POTENTIAL lethality per round. But when you got a M4A1/M16A4 spitting out rounds at a rate of (I believe) 900 rounds-per-minute compared to a civilian AR15-platform firing as fast as a person can pull the trigger...well...its not really the same class anymore.

Under the Miller (1939) decision, we SHOULD have access to any firearm any individual soldier in the military can be issued in the fulfillment of their duties. Unfortunately, due to the Hughes Amendment we're screwed.