Although the title is a little misleading, here is an interesting article from Marine Corps Times.
The proposal is to upgrade the M16A4 with a better trigger, flee float barrel, ambi controls, and compensator.
They are also asking Trijicon to update the RCO reticle to the Squad Day Optic.
Thoughts?
Funny…our armory just deadlined every ambi rifle we had…
and also, most of use hate the SDO… I have carried an SDO for 2.5 years and wish they would put the RCO on my IAR.
The IAR trigger is fine (and smooth as ****) but the FN m16 and colt m4 triggers suck.
match barrel…? putting up with our heavy volume of fires? I see that wearing out fast as hell, and armories are to cheap the replace the already worn out FN cold hammer forged barrels…
I think this is a proposal from some top shooter but I don’t see a few of those too far fetched.
When I got out we all had A4’s with chevron acogs. My FNH barrel was pretty damn worn but I never had a malfunction with it.
Ultimately I think the funding will go elsewhere and the Corps will get sh*t on per usual…
Ironic. It isn’t like the Marines have replaced everything they own in the last 15 years.
There is no issue with the RCO, why replace it with a less accurate SDO?
All this stuff is fine… but they should be really focusing on getting rid of those heavy ass A4s and going to all M4s. I really don’t know a single person who prefers the A4 over the M4, except maybe on the 500 yd KD range… and even then most gunners will tell you it shouldnt make a difference.
That I can agree on. sucks doing MOUT when your rifle is almost as tall as you are…
That’s because it is the Marine Corps. Every Marine a rifleman, not a carbine man.
And believe it or not those extra 6" come in handy in places like Afghanistan.
Regardless if it is practical and makes sense or not, don’t count on the Corps getting rid of its rifles.
IIRC USMC requested that the new MK318 round work in carbines and shorter barrelled rifles. I would honestly point to the USMC’s training program as it’s primary reason for success at distance.
In all honestly the USMC seems to do a pretty good job in getting equipment (ACOGS, Slings,Ammo) to support it’s program.
All good stuff, FF rails, replace 3 round burst trigger and 318 SOST. Sorta like what big Army is doing with it’s M4 to M4A1 program, except for the FF rail and SOST rounds. IMHO the best package is what SOCOM has been doing for years, M4A1 with SOPMOD and now the geisselle trigger, just add SOST rather than 855A1 and it’s a winner.
I’m all for M4s over A4s, I’ve never serviced a target thinking “I wish I had an A4 for this one”. Anything outside the SOST engagement envelope is better served with crew served or 7.62 sniper systems.
I have not served, so my perspective is not from first hand experience, but I do have a son in the USMC, and I do like that there are actually people looking at what may be some common sense and relatively easy upgrades to the equipment, so that is encouraging. No gear will ever please everyone, but I do look forward to anything that may help our Marines be more effective and stay alive.
I’m going to go out on a limb and guess you are not a 4 Star, a Gunner, or a SgtMaj.
They are proposing changing the reticle in the RCO to the horseshoe-dot, not changing the RCO to the SDO.
That said, pretty much everyone I know that performs at a high level of proficiency/performance prefers the TA-11 (SDO type) over the TA01/TA-31, and while you are certainly welcome to your opinion, to say that “most of us” hate the SDO would be inaccurate regarding SDO users.
Good guess, although to be fair I know a lot of higher that are switched on. The Gunner’s today are light years ahead of the days of old. It is still Gov’t though and all of the bureaucracy and maneuvering that goes along with it.
Wouldn’t going to the M4A1 fix most of their wants, aside from the rail.
Also whats everyone take on comps vs flash hiders?
I’m interested to see where this goes. I’m not sure the reticle and comp is paramount, depending on the comp to be used. However, a FF rail and new trigger group sounds promising.
An M16A4 doesn’t have a hammer forged barrel.
I’m just glad to see the Mk318 SOST round, and dumping ball ammo for handguns. The rest is nice if the approval and funding actually happen.
Wasnt it the USMC’s fault in the first place that the M16A1 went from a light weight combat rifle to the M16A2 KD target musket we see today? Now the USMC wants to turn the M16 into a 3-gun rifle…
I believe the M16A2 is a “product improved” M16A1.
The Army originally had a laundry list of things they didn’t like about the A2. They didn’t like the new rear sights, they thought the M16A2 lacked accuracy compared to the M16A1, they wanted a 1/9 twist instead of the 1/7, they weren’t crazy about the lengthened buttstock, and they certainly weren’t in favor of the 3-round burst arrangement. Of course, the fact that it was a Marine initiative probably didn’t help matters.