M16/M4 Handbook

Mike Pannone, Erik Lawrence

Description

The handy to carry and use handbook of rifle knowledge for all owners/users of the M16/M4 rifle/carbine system. Written by two Special Forces instructors and AR builders this handbook includes decades of knowledge of this weapon system. The most up-to-date explanation of the proper corrections to common malfunctions and how to ensure they don't happen in the future. Maintenance, inspection, training tips, and common optics used.

Sujets

• Sport
• Autres sports
• Tir
• Recreation
• Shooting
• Sports

Informations

• Publié par: eBookIt.com
• Date de parution: 19 janvier 2015
• Nombre de lectures: 2
• EAN13: 9781941998465
• Langue: English

Extrait

M16/M4 HANDBOOK
 
AN OPERATIONAL GUIDE TO THE STANDARD
U.S. MILITARY ASSAULT RIFLE
 
 
by
Erik Lawrence and Mike Pannone
M16 / M4 HANDBOOK
By Erik Lawrence and Mike Pannone
 
Copyright ©2014 Erik Lawrence,
All rights reserved.
 
Published in eBook format by Erik Lawrence Publications
Converted by http://www.eBookIt.com
 
Print ISBN-13: 978-0-9905131-0-0
eBook ISBN-13: 978-1-941998-46-5
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information storage and retrieval system without permission in writing from the copyright holder. Exceptions to this include reviewers who may quote brief passages in a review to be printed in a magazine, newspaper, or on the Internet.
ATTENTION US MILITARY UNITS, US GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AND PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS: Quantity discounts are available on bulk purchases of this book. Special books or book excerpts can also be created to fit specific needs. For information, please contact:
Erik Lawrence
21150 Barbour County Highway | Philippi, WV 26416
[e-mail]
Although the author has made every effort to ensure the accuracy and completeness of information contained in this book, we assume no responsibility for the use or misuse of information contained in this book, errors, inaccuracies, omissions, or any inconsistency herein. Portions of this manual are excerpts from outside sources but have been validated and modified as necessary.

WARNING, SAFETY, AND TRAINING
WARNING
Firearms are potentially dangerous and must be handled responsibly by individuals. The technical information presented in this publication on the use of the weapon system reflects the author’s research, beliefs, and experiences. The information in this book is presented for academic study only. Neither the author nor the publisher assumes any responsibility for the use or misuse of information contained in this book.
SAFETY NOTICE
Before starting an inspection, ensure the weapon is cleared. Do not manipulate the trigger until the weapon has been cleared of all ammunition. Inspect the chamber to ensure that it is empty and no ammunition is present. Keep the weapon oriented in a safe direction when loading and handling.
TRAINING
Training should be received from knowledgeable and experienced operators on this particular weapons system.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
To all the American servicemen and women whom I have met and with whom I have operated and trained during my travels, and who stand in harm’s way every day — you are the reason I wrote this book.
 
 
“The bravest are surely those who have the clearest vision of what is before them, glory and danger alike, and yet notwithstanding, go out to meet it.”
Thucydides, 471 B.C.
CHAPTER 1
RIFLE SPECIFICATIONS
The M4 Carbine is a 5.56x45mm lightweight, air-cooled, gas-operated, magazine-fed, select-fire shoulder-fired assault rifle. The M4 fires from a closed bolt in either semiautomatic or three-round-burst mode while the M4A1 is either semiautomatic or full-automatic and is generally a special operations-specific model.
 
M4/M4A1
CALIBER - 5.56X45mm NATO
WEIGHT WITHOUT MAGAZINE - 5.9 pounds (2.68 kg)
EMPTY 30-ROUND MAGAZINE - 0.25 pounds (0.11 kg)
LOADED 30-ROUND MAGAZINE - 1 pound (0.45 kg)
OVERALL LENGTH -
33 inches (84 cm) Stock Extended
29.8 inches (76 cm) Stock Retracted
BARREL LENGTH - 14.5 inches (37 cm)
BORE CHARACTERISTICS - Hard chrome-lined, 6 Lands
METHOD OF OPERATION - Gas-direct system; rotating bolt
MUZZLE VELOCITY - 2800 feet/second (884 meters/second)
MUZZLE ENERGY - 1215 foot-pounds
EFFECTIVE RANGE - 600 meters
FRONT SIGHT - Adjustable front
REAR SIGHT - M16A4 target-style sight adjustable for windage and elevation to 600 meters
SIGHT RADIUS - 14.5 inches (37 cm)
CYCLIC RATE OF FIRE - 700-950 rpm
FIRE CONTROL SELECTION - Safe - Semi - Burst/Full Auto
UPPER RECEIVER - Flat top with detachable carrying handle
 
M16A2/A3/A4
CALIBER - 5.56X45mm NATO
WEIGHT WITHOUT MAGAZINE - 7.5 pounds (3.4 kg)
EMPTY 30-ROUND MAGAZINE - 0.25 pounds (0.11 kg)
LOADED 30-ROUND MAGAZINE - 1 pound (0.45 kg)
OVERALL LENGTH - 39.6 inches (1 m)
BARREL LENGTH - 20 inches (51 cm)
BORE CHARACTERISTICS - Hard chrome-lined, 6 Lands
METHOD OF OPERATION - Gas-direct system; rotating bolt
MUZZLE VELOCITY - 3110 feet/second (948 meters /second)
MUZZLE ENERGY - 1325 foot-pounds
EFFECTIVE RANGE - 600 meters
FRONT SIGHT - Adjustable front
REAR SIGHT - M16A4 target-style sight adjustable for windage and elevation to 600 meters
SIGHT RADIUS - 19.75 inches (50 cm)
CYCLIC RATE OF FIRE - 700-950 rpm
FIRE CONTROL SELECTION - Safe - Semi - Burst/Full Auto
UPPER RECEIVER - Flat top with detachable carrying handle
 
The barrel rifling twists vary from the original 1 turn in 12 inches (1/12) on the first M16 series guns shooting 55-grain bullets, to the current 1/7 twist on the M16A2/A4 service rifle and M4 Carbine. The faster twist is necessary to stabilize the longer, heavier SS109 62-grain bullet with steel penetrator used in M855 ammunition.
CHAPTER 2
DIRECT - IMPINGEMENT GAS SYSTEM THEORY
The M4/AR-15 family of weapons uses a direct-impingement gas system which does not utilize a gas piston. When a round is discharged, the bullet passes the gas port in the barrel where gas is tapped off into the gas tube and redirected back to the bolt carrier key. The gas enters the gas carrier key and is channeled into an expansion chamber in the bolt carrier. The gas is trapped between the rear portion of the expansion chamber and the gas rings towards the rear of the bolt. As the gas expands, it is contained by the bolt gas rings and acts on the bolt carrier, pushing it to the rear, and operating the bolt cam pin in the bolt carrier’s cam surface. As the bolt carrier moves to the rear, the bolt rotates 22.5 degrees clockwise, unlocks, and begins extraction of the expended cartridge case.
Variants- Numerous variants are available throughout the country and world, and nearly all work the same way. The key to keeping this system running reliably, with minimum maintenance, is ensuring that all the critical parts related to extraction and ejection and prone to wear are serviceable. These parts are extractor and spring, ejector and spring, gas rings, and buffer spring. If all these are in good serviceable condition and relatively clean, the M4 Carbine is extremely reliable.
 
NOTE
The buffer in the M4 should be marked with an “H” for heavy. This is a heavier buffer and aids in reliability by slowing down the cyclic rate. This point is covered in depth in Chapter 8.
 

Figure 2-1 Direct-Impingement Gas System prior to firing

Figure 2-2 Direct-Impingement Gas System during firing
CHAPTER 3
BALLISTICS
BALLISTICS
The study of the flight characteristics of projectiles (bullets).
TRAJECTORY
The path of a moving body (bullet) while in flight.
HOLDS
(hold-over/hold-under and windage hold left or right)
How far you must place your aiming point over, under, left, or right of the desired point of impact to achieve a hit.
EXTERNAL BALLISTICS
Soldiers must understand the basics of external ballistics so they can make necessary scope adjustments or hold compensations to allow them to hit the target. The external ballistic factors that affect bullet trajectory are:
1. GRAVITY
The force of gravity on a bullet is constant regardless of its weight, shape, or velocity. The longer a bullet is in the air or the greater its angle from the vertical, the more effect gravity will have on its trajectory.
2. MUZZLE VELOCITY
Muzzle velocity is the speed of a bullet as it leaves the barrel, measured in feet per second. Muzzle velocity diminishes as the bullet gets farther away. The bullet reaches its maximum velocity 76 feet from the end of the rifle and slows down from there until it reaches the target.
3. AIR RESISTANCE OR DRAG
Air resistance or drag immediately produces a slowing effect on a bullet.
4. ALTITUDE AND/OR AIR DENSITY
The greater the altitude, the thinner the air and the longer the bullet will travel (with a correspondingly flatter trajectory). Each 5,000-foot elevation will raise the strike of the bullet 1/2 to 1 minute of angle.
5. TEMPERATURE
Deviation from standard daytime temperature (59 degrees Fahrenheit/15 degrees Celsius) affects bullet trajectory.
A. Cold air is denser than warm air, meaning the bullet must travel through more tightly packed air particles. This causes the bullet to lose velocity, resulting in the impact being lower than the intended point of impact. Cooler air also causes lower chamber pressure, which reduces the initial velocity.
B. Warm or hot temperatures cause the strike of the round to move up.
6. TRAJECTORY
When a projectile exits the muzzle of a rifle, it drops from the line of departure, otherwise known as the center-bore line. As the projectile travels downrange, the velocity is decreased by air drag, giving way to the inevitable force of gravity. This effect creates trajectory.
A. Line of Sight
The line of sight is an imaginary straight line extending from the shooter’s eye through the telescopic sight, or rear and front sights, to the target.
B. Line of Departure
C. The line of departure is an imaginary straight line extendingfrom the center of the barrel to infinity.
D. Zero Range
Zero range is where the projectile intersects the line of sight. It occurs at two points — one on the way up and one on the way down.
E. Apex (maximum ordinate)
Otherwise known as midrange trajectory, the apex is the point where the projectile is at its highest in relation to the line of sight.
F. Bullet Path
The bullet path is the relationship of a projectile and the line of sight at any given range (normally expressed in inches).
7. WIND
Although gravity and air drag are the only forces that act on the trajectory, other ex