Do current active duty military members modify their M-4s with different sights,
vertical foregrips and other mods by themselves or do they get the weapon
that way from their parent service? Are they free to make any modification
they desire? Do they pay for it themselves?
I see lot’s of different configurations in pictures and on TV and I just wonder,
did the individual soldier/marine/airman do that themselves or were they handed the weapon that way?
I spent 21 years in the USAF as a Security Policeman (now called Security Forces).
I retired in 1992 and at that time it was strictly taboo to modify
the M-16 in anyway. No one was allowed to modify their weapon.
But, back then we didn’t have the variety of add-on modifications we have
today. Maybe the old original M-16 with the triangular handguards was
perfect and didn’t need improving?
I just wonder, how much freedom do they have to make changes to their
weapons?
It’s a touchy subject and often you will find it varies greatly among different units, even at the battalion level! For example I was in 1st Battalion 320th Field Artillery 101st Airborne Div. for some time and then in 1st Battalion 502nd Infantry 101ABN for some time as well. On the FA side of the house (mind you FA in a light division still does the exact same thing the Infantry) we were pretty limited as to what we could do with our weapons. We were allowed to mount different optics (issue was the M68) so long as they were “NSN’d” but we had to pay for it ourselves. We were also allowed to use any sling we wanted or any “bolt on items” such as VFGs so long as they were NSN’d. We were not allowed to make other modifications to the weapons other than that though.
However on the infantry side of thing, painting weapons was OK, changing butt stocks, adding redi-mags, etc. were all ok. About the only things you couldn’t F with were the upper and lower, lower internals, the muzzle device (unless you had a KAC supressor), the BCG, and the barrel. Also there were a lot of different optics and what not available which you could be issued, like ACOG TA01s and TA-31Fs, M68s with the 3x magnifier, EOTech 552s, Harris Bi-Pods, KAC NT4QDSS Suppressors, etc. Not to mention M249s with the short barrels, telescoping stocks, KAC Rails, etc…M-14s with the Sage EBR stocks and Leupold scopes…ah the glory days
DA Pam 738-750 prohibits any unauthorized modifications to any Army equipment unless aproved by TACOM or other official publication (like PS Monthly).
Now, that is the book answer…
In reality soldiers and units (esp. combat units - esp. deployed combat units) will do whatever they can get away with. In general, aftermarket lights and optics, and plastic parts like stocks and grips will get a pass. Mechanical alterations like ambi safety/selectors will be a no-go. In general, as long as you can readily return your weapon to issue configuration most folks will not have a problem with it.
Painting is a touchy subject. Paint is suppose to deadline a weapon. But, the Special Operations community has opened the door for other units to paint their weapons. Some Bn and above organizations will give a command exception to policy for it. With so many other color options available, the Army it’s self will not be fielding new personal weapons in black ever again.
Of course, altering the mechanical function of the weapon is a straight-away no-go. I know a unit that in the not too distant past got drop-kicked becaues they installed end-plates with a sling loop. That was bad. Had they put on a clamp-on version like the Tango Down PR-4, they would have been ok.
Switching an A2 fire control group with an A1 fire control group would likewise be bad.
Generally, the items up for personal selection are VFGs, lights, slings, rail covers, and sometimes buttstocks. There is a set of items that are given to the individual (usually), but may not necessarily represent the most current technology due to the time from request of item to actual delivery. I prefer to keep the things Uncle Sugar gives me in case my perferred stuff breaks as I wait for the replacement to come in the mail.
Generally the biggest issue is with sights, and for good reason. The number of cheap 3-9x sights I have bolted to M16s would make you cry. The problem is that there are a lot less gun-savvy people in the military than they would have you believe. The simple fact of the matter is that 80-90% of the military is better off being told exactly what to use, where to put it, and how to use it. And frankly, most commanders have about the same amount of knowledge.
ETA- Painting makes me giggle. While there are a significant number of people that do distinctly benefit from painting their guns I saw a lot more people with painted guns that never strayed further than 5 meters from their Hummer. You just gotta laugh.
If you know what you are talking about and can intelligently explain to your commander what it is you want to use, and lose no caipability, then you probably have a good chance of being allowed to use it. Then again, sometimes the guy in charge just likes to say “no”.
I was with 2/6 WPNS CO and we kind of could do what we wanted. We were able to put on grips, ambix safety, mag release as long as the original parts went on before the end of the deployments. We were also able to put our own optics on. but the truth is that most guys dont want to spent the money. Also if our gunner saw it he would loss his mind.
This is usually a good indicator that you are doing something stupid.
And as much as I am not a fan of the USMC’s RCO, it is way better than pretty much anything else in the fixed 4x category.
If you really want an ass chewing, convert some M16A4’s to M4’s because someone in the food chain wanted them and see what happens. :D. It was a rather ugly sight!
I loved the RCO, I can’t say a bad thing about them. They were great for spoting (people and IED) They where tough peaces of gear. Mine held up for 2 deployments. I think the only bad thing I can kind of say about them is that QCB doesn’t really work with them, but I would just do the good old look over the optics for that.
Agreed 100%, on foot patrols the TA31F is the optic to have for just that reason. The one I had held up well except for the fiber optic element which was broken into about 30 pieces but still worked!!
If I was still in the Army and I was looking at another deployment my TA33-8 would be on the very very short list of optics (T1 in a La Rue mount would finish the list) I would be buying and bringing on my own dime.
