When did M4 Carbine first go into US Army service?

[plato]

When did M4 Carbine first go into US Army service? Thanks

[ShakesFIST]

I want to say 1997...

[onefast93z28]

1994

1234567890

[D-gin]

Entered Army Service
1997



LINK: http://www.army.mil/fact_files_site/m-4_carbine/index.html

[Breakfast in Vegas]

I saw my first M4 in 1996 on Bragg stuck bayonet first into the ground in during an equipment display for a visiting Korean delegation... and wanted one right away!

But they didn't give me one... :(

In fact, I think that after I so incessantly asked, they made me carry the pig for a week...

[onefast93z28]

My sources say it was adopted in 1994, here's one:

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ground/m4.htm

EDIT: and another:
http://www.forcerecon.com/strongmenarmed3.htm


1997 is when it was first issued to line units I guess, since my refrences all say SOCOM adopted it on 1994.

[D-gin]

My sources say it was adopted in 1994, here's one:

http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/systems/ground/m4.htm

EDIT: and another:
http://www.forcerecon.com/strongmenarmed3.htm


1997 is when it was first issued to line units I guess, since my refrences all say SOCOM adopted it on 1994.

SOCOM always gets the cool stuff first.p-)

[onefast93z28]

isn't that the truth

[masterblast]

When did M4 Carbine first go into US Army service? Thanks

The 82nd received them in the summer of 1997 and we were the first unit to have them issued in the regular Army. The Rangers received their M4A1s prior to that in 1994/5 as the M4 was actually a SOCOM program.

Cheers,

MB

[wicked_hind]

Meanwhile, I was carrying a worn out M-16A1 a year after the M-4 was introduced......no fair. :-(

[KalleBalleSvartSk@lle]

If you choose to belive the pictures at http://www.tfrogs.com/ the original m4 was in service as early as 1992.

[SMGLee]

There were M4 in service with the US military in Desert Storm(cough, cough NAVY). I can't give the sources to validate this, but as a civilian, I took possession of a Colt M4 with A2 sights and no feed ramp in 1990 while shooting with the Marines in 1992, they told me they were suppose to get some soon. some got them early, and some got them late but like I stated, there were M4 in service with US military since or might be even prior to Desert Storm in other then offical capability.

[Frens]

from AR15.com (thanks to Ekie)



Model 723:
Commonly referred to as a M16A2 Carbine, slang as "CAR-15", or "M4", 8 million serial number range, 1984-? (1/7 pencil barrel also used)
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/Ekie12091941/Govt%20Carbines/variation%20guide/upperassy11.jpg

Model 727:
Commonly referred to as a M16A2 Government Carbine, slang as a "M4", 8 million serial number range, 1988-1993
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/Ekie12091941/Govt%20Carbines/variation%20guide/upperassy10.jpg

Model 920
USGI M4 Carbine, W serial number prefix, US PROP marked, 1994-current

Model 921
USGI M4A1 Carbine, W serial number prefix, US PROP marked, 1994-current

Model 921HB
USGI M4A1 Carbine with heavy barrel, W prefix serial number, US PROP marked, deliveries beginning as early as January of 2001, to current.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/0603/Ekie12091941/Govt%20Carbines/variation%20guide/upperassy14.jpg

notice the CAR HGs vs M4 HGs

[SMGLee]

Frens,

that is nice..you just post the picture of my old upper.. lol

yes... 727 Gov't carbine. When i first got it, it was pretty odd looking but i like the concept of a 14.5 inch barrel vs. the old 11.5 for more velocity and also shorter then the 16" and 20" Gov't gun.

[Frens]

you were were not the only one that liked the 14.5 vs the 11.5/10.5 barrel.
my father worked several years with you americans in late '80 and he often tell me that US soldiers were not very happy about their commandos

[BenUSMC]

I realise that its not the M-4, but CAR-15's were used as far back as vietnam by the U.S Army
http://www.1stcavmedic.com/glossary-files/car15.jpg

[SMGLee]

you were were not the only one that liked the 14.5 vs the 11.5/10.5 barrel.
my father worked several years with you americans in late '80 and he often tell me that US soldiers were not very happy about their commandos

I ran a ARMS mount and an Aimpoint 5000, it was good enough for room work and still be able to do some perimeter work.

[Dan2004]

I realise that its not the M-4, but CAR-15's were used as far back as vietnam by the U.S Army
http://www.1stcavmedic.com/glossary-files/car15.jpg

The first CAR-15's started showing up in 1965 as a cut down version of the M16. Basicly it was a '16 with the barrel shortened by 10" and 3" chopped off the stock, it even had the old triangular handguards too.

http://world.guns.ru/assault/car15.jpg

Almost kind of looks like one of those mini bb guns.

[raph_g]

i remember hearing about how all the sf guys in vietnam hated their commandos (/car15/xm177) because they were too loud. anyway, socom m4 as we know it today entered service in 1994 because it was created in 1994 (the gulf war/somalia pics are of xm177 variants).

[sgtmonroe]

because it was created in 1994 (the gulf war/somalia pics are of xm177 variants).

Ugh...maybe if they are USAF personnel. Not many XM177 variants were in service after 1983 except for USAF rebuilds [which some are still in service to this date]. The Army was utilizing the M653 during Urgent Fury and later had limited use of the M727 and M733 after the introduction of the M16A2.

Furthermore, to quote a REAL source, not some internet website or pictionary website - from the foremost gun guru of his time Edward Ezell in his book Small Arms Today PUBLISHED in 1988:

Under the entry for "Carbine, 5.56mm, M4"

"New version of the old XM177 submachine-gun-type weapon being tested by the US Marine Corps and the US Army. This weapon has M16A2 upper and lower receivers with a 368mm barrel, slightly larger diameter M16A2-style round front hand guards, and a M16A2-style pistol grip. Unlike the aluminum construction sliding butt stock of the older XM177 guns, the XM4 has the same stock fabricated from plastics to further reduce weight. Since the XM4 carbine is derived from a standard weapon, the US Army Test and Evaluation Command (TECOM) went directly into Development Test/Operational Test II (DT/OT II) program in April of 1986. The US Marine Corps has standardized the M4; the Army has not yet made a decision."

This is from a 1988 published text - which means alot of it was probably written in 1987! The Marine Corps, according to the text have already adopted the weapon sometime in 1987-88.

The weapon, the XM4, is what SMGLee has already described as a modified M727 with, or sometimes without, the "stepped" barrel and does not have the M4A1 "detachable" carrying handle.

[raph_g]

rockin', yeah the early m4 style rifles were all over the place

[Frens]

added the model 723 to my post.

[Mach6]

Back in 1986 I was assigned to the 7th ID (Light). Our LRSD in the 107 CEWI (MI) had M4's as did a couple of other units...can't recall which. I remember seeing them up close and they were clearly marked "Colt M4". My guess is that this was some form of unit testing asscoviated with the ongoing Operational Test (OT), cited above.