Reading the report on M4 capabilities give me the apprehension on how our boys going to survive in a war. From statistic to study cases showed that M4 is not good rifle although it is cheap. I guess our generals who have a nostalgic experience using M16 in era against communize think that the revolution of this rifle is the best light weapon to engage the enemy that threaten this country.
What are the problems?
The new designs shorten the M4 barrel which automatically shortens gas system. As a result, M4 works in great pressure increase the rate of fire and produce more stress on mechanical moving parts.
As the result the rifle will get jammed and reduce reliability. From the experience in Afghanistan, the Natick Soldier Center reported that:
15% reported feeding jams, 20% reported double feeding and 13% reported that feeding problems were due to magazines.
H&K offered a solution through HK416 a modification of M4. It replace the gas tube system with a short stroke piston systems that eliminates carbon blow back to the chamber and help to reduce the overheat problem. The magazine, barrel and etc also are change.
As for our new rifle M4, I hope there will be an effort to such modification or the good guys will be like a sitting ducks because the rifle suddenly jammed.
It is reported that SME Ordinance has a license to manufacture M4 locally.
