Colt's Grip on Army Rifle Under Fire

[unhappycamper]

Colt's Grip on Army Rifle Under Fire
April 21, 2008
Associated Press

HARTFORD, Conn. - No weapon is more important to tens of thousands of U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan than the carbine rifle. And for well over a decade, the military has relied on one company, Colt Defense of Hartford, Conn., to make the M4s they trust with their lives.

Now, as Congress considers spending millions more on the guns, this exclusive arrangement is being criticized as a bad deal for American forces as well as taxpayers, according to interviews and research conducted by The Associated Press.

"What we have is a fat contractor in Colt who's gotten very rich off our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan," says Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Okla.

The M4, which can fire at a rate of 700 to 950 bullets a minute, is a shorter and lighter version of the company's M16 rifle first used 40 years ago during the Vietnam War. It normally carries a 30-round magazine. At about $1,500 apiece, the M4 is overpriced, according to Coburn. It jams too often in sandy environments like Iraq, he adds, and requires far more maintenance than more durable carbines.

"And if you tend to have the problem at the wrong time, you're putting your life on the line," says Coburn, who began examining the M4's performance last year after receiving complaints from soldiers. "The fact is, the American GI today doesn't have the best weapon. And they ought to."


Rest of article at: http://www.military.com/news/article/colts-grip-on-army-rifle-under-fire.html



uhc comment: If Tommy the C is involved, check your pockets frequently.

[NightWatcher]

1. I know of two (an have heard of other) soldiers who ave "liberated" AK's and are using them

The "black rifle" as it is nicknamed just screams "american" and I know of two and have heard of others (esp in Afghanistan) who have picked up an AK47 and are using them in the hills to "blend in". The AK's 7.62x39 is a much more suitable caliber for hand hitting, medium range warfare. The AK is a tad heavier, but I have seen pics of troops carrying them while they have their 'black rifle' slung on their back with the stocks compressed.

fwiw: I have had the Colt AR-15 as well as a Bushmaster and DPMS variant and I like the Bushmaster just as much as the Colt- which was the cheaper of the two. I do like the fact that the M4's (AR's) are much more easily customizable for scopes, grips, etc.

[unhappycamper]

2. I tried an AK-47 in Vietnam

but ended up using an under attachment for for my M-16A2 (or 3). We didn't care about blending in. I also carried a .45 and a K-BAR as my 'oh shit' weapons.