Defense Review - Latest Comments in AR-15/M4/M4A1 Carbine Reliability Issues: Why They Occur, and Why They’re Our Fault!

Re: AR-15/M4/M4A1 Carbine Reliability Issues: Why They Occur, and Why They’re Our Fault!

Brian — Sun, 16 Feb 2020 12:23:25 -0000

That's to be expected, considering that the article is over 11 years old. Just taking a casual glance at the manufacturers list, I know that at least one of them is out of business now.

Re: AR-15/M4/M4A1 Carbine Reliability Issues: Why They Occur, and Why They’re Our Fault!

Michael — Fri, 14 Feb 2020 20:00:20 -0000

A lot of your links are broken

Re: AR-15/M4/M4A1 Carbine Reliability Issues: Why They Occur, and Why They’re Our Fault!

Chris — Sat, 12 Oct 2013 00:44:50 -0000

The owner at Sprinco informed me that I should use the enhanced (blue) action spring with my Spikes T2 buffer. After reading this article I'm starting to think that's too much for what I'm running. I'll put the specs below, let me know what you guys think. Thanks!

14.7" mid-length
Gas Block: .750"
Gas Port: .078"

Re: AR-15/M4/M4A1 Carbine Reliability Issues: Why They Occur, and Why They’re Our Fault!

13287 — Sat, 03 Sep 2011 03:32:58 -0000

I got out of the corps less than a year ago, im an 0311, google it if you dont know what it means, and i served 2 combat deployments in iraq, one in 07 and one in 09, and i can assure you that the marine corps does not ensure that weopons are inspected to such a high level of detail. The m16 i carried on both deployments was made by FN and i had a very low amount of problems with them. They were old, beat up and looked like they had been through ten shades of shit, but they worked. I knew several Marines that had performed armory work, and though they were good men, i know they didnt inspect weapons as youv described. Now you could say "well thats a unit issue", which is BS because when it comes down to it, its a LCPL to a SSGT on average who would be tasked with such an duty. The main way i noticed that we had these problems wasnt due only to the problems we had somewhat often with our 16s, it was how the condition of our weapons overall was reflected. Mostly in our 203s. The damn things got so worn down that there were not only useless, but a major hazard to the marine firing it and those around them. I recall being on a live fire range stricly for those who were blessed to carry a weapon capable of unleashing hell on alli babba if employed correctly, but iv personally been firing live high explosive dual purpouse rounds and had my 203 actuall fall off my damn rifle. A weapon firing live explosives that fell off the rifle. And NO!!! it wasnt because i re-assebled it wrong, this is 3 years into my enlistment. It was just worn to hell. I turned it into the armory and attached the red tag to the barrel explaining the discrepency and explained it directly to the armoror. Received it back a couple months later "fixed", but sure enough when i was on a live fire exercise in a MOUT town, it didnt fall off while firing the TP rounds, but began to dangle which in the heat off the moment, all i noticed was that my orange death rounds were hitting about 50 meters infront of me when i was aiming for a target that was about 150 meters away. the front ent that attaches under your front sight post is the part that came loose, but when i did a reloadm gravity made the position of the weapon see, natural. So much for fixing my shitty 203. This thing fires explosive rounds and such a problem could both cause friendly or civilian casualties along with wicked colateral damage. I kept reporting it but nothing came of it which made my 203 a 3 pound paper weight on the lower part of my rifle. Thankls Uncle Sam.

Re: AR-15/M4/M4A1 Carbine Reliability Issues: Why They Occur, and Why They’re Our Fault!

Gunz — Mon, 18 Apr 2011 17:01:25 -0000

Mike,
Per the TM all weapons are supposed to be inspected and gaged prior to an overseas deployment. This is known as a pre-embarkation inspection. As to whether or not this is occurring that's a different story. I believe that unit commanders should be enforcing this and it should occur after all major training and pre-deployment work ups have been completed. It should also happen again when the unit returns from a deployment.

I totally agree that mainetenance in the military world really needs to be looked at. Although I would say it is difficult to use a round count as a baseline because most weapons have been in the system and no one has a clue how many rounds have been through them.

The troops also need to get more than just the -10 training. They should be getting additional training on how the system works. Once they have that you can start to breakdown to them where the failure point are. Unfortunately I don't think the .MIL has enough people that know this and training priorities seem a bit skewed.

Re: AR-15/M4/M4A1 Carbine Reliability Issues: Why They Occur, and Why They’re Our Fault!

Dan — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:32:58 -0000

I am going to take exception to the extra power CS buffer spring as a generic reliability enhancer. It has been my experience that they will, more times than not, cause the BCG to short stroke and not lock open on the last round. They may also cause a bolt over base failure by preventing full stroke of the BCG. I say go with caution on the buffer spring. A better solution would be a heavier buffer... H2 or H3 in the carbine with a standard spring. My experience is based on a Colt 6721 with Pmags, lancers, and HK mags. No extraction or feed issues but several failures to lock back.

Re: AR-15/M4/M4A1 Carbine Reliability Issues: Why They Occur, and Why They’re Our Fault!

TC — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 10:42:19 -0000

The USMC checks out all their guns before they go to the range to shoot in the states. By check out I mean the do the head space gauges, barrel straigtness guage and a visual inspection.