Newbie M-4 owner. What am I looking at?

[A_Wrench]

My Brother just sold me his Bushmaster M-4 with $2,500 worth of goodies.

Aimpoint quick release sight, M-6 tactical light/laser, flip-down iron sights, a 100 rd. Beta mag, twelve USGI 30 rd. mags, a grocery bag full of those rubber mag-pull things, two different foregrips and hand gaurds, and all his .223 ammo.
He dressed it out to match his Service rifle so he could train himself to perfection with it before leaving for Iraq.

My first questions are likely simple to you folks...
-What are the T-#'s in the Picatinney rails for?
-Why cover the Picatinney's with those plastic shields?
-Are there any bayonets that fit a carbine? AR-s and M-16s have them...

Looking forward to chattin' with you guys again.
-Wrench.

[Triggerh4ppy]

My Brother just sold me his Bushmaster M-4 with $2,500 worth of goodies.

Aimpoint quick release sight, M-6 tactical light/laser, flip-down iron sights, a 100 rd. Beta mag, twelve USGI 30 rd. mags, a grocery bag full of those rubber mag-pull things, two different foregrips and hand gaurds, and all his .223 ammo.
He dressed it out to match his Service rifle so he could train himself to perfection with it before leaving for Iraq.

My first questions are likely simple to you folks...
-What are the T-#'s in the Picatinney rails for?
-Why cover the Picatinney's with those plastic shields?
-Are there any bayonets that fit a carbine? AR-s and M-16s have them...

Looking forward to chattin' with you guys again.
-Wrench.

the plactic sheilds are so the rails dont get all screwed up and I imagine hot sharp rails arnt fun to touch

[Emptymag]

Congrats on the new stuff and welcome to the forum.

As for the bayo, I think you'd need to have one custom made, as the civilian ARs have a longer barrel and the mounting points don't line up correctly. Why they even have the lug there is beyond me.

Someone will surely correct me if I'm wrong.

[Andrew17019]

My Brother just sold me his Bushmaster M-4 with $2,500 worth of goodies.

Aimpoint quick release sight, M-6 tactical light/laser, flip-down iron sights, a 100 rd. Beta mag, twelve USGI 30 rd. mags, a grocery bag full of those rubber mag-pull things, two different foregrips and hand gaurds, and all his .223 ammo.
He dressed it out to match his Service rifle so he could train himself to perfection with it before leaving for Iraq.

My first questions are likely simple to you folks...
-What are the T-#'s in the Picatinney rails for?
-Why cover the Picatinney's with those plastic shields?
-Are there any bayonets that fit a carbine? AR-s and M-16s have them...

Looking forward to chattin' with you guys again.
-Wrench.

The numbers on your rails are so that when you match your optics after you take them off for cleaning so they are already near the same spot as last time (or lights, etc.). For example, if you know the rear of your Aimpoint sits on the T10 slot, then when you take it apart for cleaning you can remount it at the T10 slot and only have to make minimal zero readjustments.

If you have a quad rail and don't use rail covers and you fire more than 30 rounds or so at a time the rail will heat up quite hot, which is an issue if you aren't wearing gloves. Fire close 50+ rounds and you can definitely burn your hands.

There should be bayonets that fit a carbine gas system on a 16" barrel, but you'll have to find them special made for the civilian market. If you have a bayonet lug then mounting shouldn't be an issue, it's just getting the length right.

Sounds like you got a pretty good deal, have fun shooting it, and....POST PICTURES.

[fastfive0]

Military issue bayonets mount fine on my Colt 6920 just a tad shorter then normal and the front ring of the bayonet does not "lock" onto the muzzle brake/flash hider. But for the look it mounts fine.

[Al LaVodka]

Edges of the rail grips feel sharp fast and can get banged up.

The Military carbine is actually about an inch and a half shorter than our civy 16" barreled ones. There ARE "mid-length" barrel setups that are basically 18" barrels with full length handguards as well as usually mid-length gas-tube setups that the bayonet fits on.

If someone knows of a long-handled bayo that fits a carbine or an adadptor (or wants to start making them) as well as a really, really, short handled bayonet so it'll fit on a Dissipator configuration (2-3" long grip), please let me know...

Al

[Neko456]

You are looking at a GREAT head start on me a lot of things you bought into I've yet to get. A lot of things you bought into I hadn't even thought of getting. Boy you are off and running all you need to do is get good at shooting that Kitted out AR-15 you lucky dog.

[electronics]

The main thing the rail covers are for besides keeping you from scraping up your hands is simply so clothing doesn't get snagged on your rifle. In a situation where you need a gun to be pointed somewhere extremely quickly, a snag on your pants can mean the world.

Just wanted to add that since I didn't see anyone mention snags yet.

*Staff Note - This poster was issued an infraction for a 'non-post' issue, not for the content of this post.

[ithinkimamedic]

To mount a Mil Spec bayonet on a standard AR 15 with a 16 inch barrel you will need one of these.



clamps on the barrel and provides the lug as needed for mounting properly, I personally feel they are a waste of money and look horrible. To each their own I guess.

Other options are to get a mid length gas system upper from BCM, Sabre or anyone else making them. They should be dimensionally correct for a bayonet to be affixed.

BCM's available here. http://www.bravocompanyusa.com/BCM-1...urg-mid-16.htm

and lavodka... if you want a shorty bayonet for a dissy or 10.3-12 inch build you need to get choppin and weldin' ! This is my personal build, going to do a second one here shortly I think.

[orionz06]

Check to see if the gas key is staked and the castle nut on the receiver extension as well. Check the gas rings and the extractor too.