Colt Defense Super-Stoc

Colt Defense LLC, is pleased to introduce the new Colt® Super-Stoc and announce that it is making the new, leading-edge technology buttstock standard issue on select Colt AR and M4 rifles sold into the domestic commercial and law enforcement markets. The new Colt Super-Stoc, designed by Bill Rogers, will be available later this month.

“Since 1836, Colt has been committed to offering nothing but the highest quality products to each and every customer,” said David Ridley, vice president, Colt Defense. “With the new Colt Super-Stoc, we continue to deliver on that tradition by pairing one of the most advanced stocks available with the best rifle in the world.”

Colt Defense and Bill Rogers have teamed up to engineer the most advanced, third generation of the Super-Stoc, using innovative technologies and proprietary materials. Designed to be as lightweight as possible while maintaining durability, the Colt Super-Stoc weighs 6.56 ounces, ranking it among the lightest stocks available. The stock is designed specifically for the new Colt rifles to give an unequaled fit and survivability during the most extreme conditions.

“The Colt Super-Stoc is one of the lightest, strongest and most secure collapsible stocks for the M4/AR series of weapons,” said Bill Rogers, chief shooting instructor, Rogers Shooting School. “Our partnership with Colt was a no-brainer. We want the highest quality rifle in the world to be outfitted with the world’s newest and most technologically advanced stocks available.”

A unique Cam-Lock system is a new design feature that, when operated, securely locks onto the buffer tube like a solid stock. This Cam-Lock system completely removes any slop or play commonly inherent with aftermarket collapsible stocks as well as eliminating any movement due to wear. The Cam-Lock lever also features a convenient reversible design, enabling the user to customize his or her stock to suit the desired preference. Other features include a removable recoil pad, sling loop, quick detach swivel sling mount and Quick Release lever which unlocks the Cam-Lock and indexing pin with one motion.

The original M4 buttstock will still be made available to commercial and law enforcement customers by Colt Defense. For more information on the new Colt Super-Stoc or Colt’s classic M4 stock, please visit Colt.com.

Colt is making available a new buttstock they’ve recently developed. It represents a third-generation of buttstock technology and was developed in partnership with renowned shooting instructor, Bill Rogers. Colt’s new Colt Super-Stoc is available this month and features numerous improvements over similar buttstocks, listed below.

Fit – Performs like a solid stock -
A unique Cam-lock system securely locks the stock on the buffer tube and removes the slot or play that is all too common in aftermarket collapsible stocks.

Lightweight -
Even with features such as a recoil pad, sling loop, Quick Release level and Cam-Lock system, the Colt Super-Stoc is on of the lightest buttstocks on the market.

Additional Features -
Removable recoil pad, sling loop, quick detach swivel sling mount, Cam-Lock system, Quick Release lever

Source

U.S. Army services working to cut weapon flash, sound.

The nights are getting deadlier for the Taliban now that it’s much harder to see Americans shooting at them.

Late last year, overall Afghanistan commander Gen. David Petraeus became concerned that the muzzle flash from weapons such as the M4 carbine was too easy for the enemy to spot.

As a result, the Army began equipping troops with special muzzle flash hiders that significantly reduce the visual powder flare during night firing.

“He wanted an immediate fix,” said Col. Doug Tamilio, the Army’s top weapons buyer, at a Feb. 2 Pentagon round table with reporters.

The Blackout flash hiders, made by Advanced Armament Corp., replace the M4’s closed flash hider with an open-prong device. The Army’s Rapid Equipping Force shipped about 10,000 of these flash hiders to Afghanistan for use on the M4 carbine and the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon and about 1,000 flash hiders made by Surefire, for the 7.62mm M240 machine gun.

 “Those are overseas now and that satisfied General Petraeus’ concern,” Tamilio said.

The interim fix is part of a broader effort by the Army and the Marine Corps aimed at reducing the flash and audible report of individual and crew-served weapons.

Source: Matt Cox for Military.com.

Army Launches Competition for New Carbine

ARMY LAUNCHES COMPETITION FOR NEW CARBINE

PICATINNY ARSENAL, N.J. (Jan. 31, 2011) – The Army has issued a draft solicitation to industry to provide a carbine that outperforms the current M4. Project Manager Soldier Weapons will conduct the carbine competition on behalf of the Army to determine which commercially available carbine represents the best value in meeting new requirements. The full text of the solicitation is available on Fedbizopps.gov under W15QKN-11-R-F003. The Army plans on hosting an industry day in late March to solicit feedback and answer specific industry questions before issuing the final solicitation in May 2011.

“The Secretary of the Army has directed us to determine the most effective, accurate, and reliable individual weapon available for the Soldier,” said Col. Doug Tamilio, Project Manager Soldier Weapons. “This will be the Army’s first full and open carbine competition in the modern era. We’re challenging industry to develop the next generation carbine and we’re looking forward to the results.”

The carbine competition calls for vendors to provide weapon bid samples along with accompanying accessories. The submitted weapons will undergo extensive and exhaustive testing against the new requirements established by the Maneuver Center of Excellence at Fort Benning.

The competition will follow a three-phase down-select process beginning with the submission of proposals and ending with the selection of a single weapon over a period of two years. Weapon submissions will be rated on their physical attributes and features as well as their compatibility with existing Army accessories and modular weapon attachments. Other areas of consideration include: accuracy, reliability, durability, and other characteristics specified in the draft solicitation. The competition will also include “Soldier in the loop” tests to rate probability and quality of hit, aiming performance, and mobility/portability.

Upon completion of the competitive evaluation and down-select process, the Army will consider its range of options for awarding a production contract to the winner of the competition based upon a business case analysis. The overall schedule of competition, testing, production, and fielding is approximately three years to first unit equipped.

The carbine competition is part of the Army’s “dual path” strategy of overhauling its service rifles. The strategy consists of conducting a carbine competition while pursuing its Product Improvement Program of the combat-proven M4.

To schedule interviews on programs within PEO Soldier, please contact Debi Dawson at 703-704-2802 or debi.dawson@us.army.mil.

The Dual Path Strategy for the Next Generation of Army Service Rifles

 

The U.S. Army is implementing the most dramatic overhaul of its service rifles in nearly 50 years.   Our own Project Manager (PM) Soldier Weapons division is currently pursuing a “dual path” strategy that will result in significant changes to the one system that is critical to all Soldiers – their standard issue service rifle. The dual path approach consists of the continuous improvement program for the M4 Carbine, paired with a full and open carbine competition.

According to Colonel Douglas Tamilio, PM Soldier Weapons, the intent of the dual path strategy is to allow the Army to continue its practice of upgrading the combat-proven M4 while simultaneously challenging industry to develop the next generation carbine. With nearly 500,000 M4s in the Army inventory, it is critical to strengthen the M4 platform while the Army invests the time necessary to properly develop, test and field a new weapon system. The Army has already made more than 60 refinements to the current M4 Carbine since its introduction and, not surprisingly, 94 percent of Soldiers rate the M4 as an effective weapon system in Post Combat Surveys. That said, PM Soldier Weapons will continue its search for advanced small arms technologies to match Army requirements and better serve our Soldiers.

Our PEO, Brigadier General Peter N. Fuller, first communicated the dual path concept in October 2009 to foster a better understanding of the PEO Soldier strategy. The first path is the improvement plan for the M4, which is broken into three phases. For Phase I, the Army will purchase 25,000 M4A1 Carbines with ambidextrous fire control assemblies (FCA) and is preparing additional solicitations for the fall to purchase kits to convert up to 65,000 fielded M4s into M4A1s with the new FCAs. Compared to the M4, the M4A1 has a heavier barrel and is fully automatic, improvements that deliver greater sustained rates of fire. Phase II improvements will compete forward rail assemblies, bolts and bolt carrier assemblies to increase accessory integration while enhancing durability. Phase III will evaluate commercially available operating systems against the M4’s current gas impingement system. The Army’s long-term plan is to improve the entire M4 fleet.  Implementation for all improvements and competitions is contingent upon funding and demonstrated performance gains over current capabilities.

The second path is the carbine competition, which received Army Review Oversight Council validation back in April and Joint Review Oversight Council (JROC) validation this August. Now the final approval authority has returned from AROC to allow work to begin on the “Request for Proposal” from industry. The carbine competition is already fully funded for research, development, testing, and evaluation. With the final approvals nearly in place, the stage is set for an inspiring competition.

Small Arms Series

Considering that millions of Soldiers have carried the M16 or its M4 sibling since the 1960s, this is naturally a topic that generates great interest in the veteran community – not to mention Congress, industry and leadership at the top levels of all the services. In light of this interest and of the significant Army small arms developments to come, PM Soldier Weapons will be publishing a series of posts over the next several months that discuss the concepts inherently tied to issues of weapon selection along with deeper dives on the M4 improvements and the carbine competition itself. The small arms series will cover the following topics:

 1. Small Unit Armaments: Just as our Soldiers’ combat activities are synchronized, so are our weapon systems. M16/M4 weapons are employed alongside larger caliber 7.62mm rifles, machine guns, and grenade launchers for a combined effect. This article will provide insights as to how small units are organized and armed with various individual and crew served weapon systems that serve particular roles to enhance unit firepower and effectiveness.

2. Lethality: For decades, the “better bullet” debate has raged as to whether the 5.56mm or 7.62mm cartridge reigns supreme. While it’s impossible to close the door on this debate, we will explain that there’s more to the lethality story than just the bullet. This article will examine the aspects that contribute to Soldier lethality, including the weapon system, ammunition, optics, training, and shot placement. 

  

3. M4 Product Improvement: This article will discuss the evolution, performance and future of the M4 Carbine that is currently the standard for our Brigade Combat Teams. The article will detail the Army’s three-phase improvement plan for the M4 Carbine and discuss how the Army will expand partnerships with industry to arrive at an even better M4.

4. Carbine Competition: The final article in the series will discuss the imminent Army test and selection of a new carbine resulting from a full and open competition among the finest weapon manufacturers in the world.

The intent of this series is to educate and inform our readers’ thinking on these matters. We look forward to sharing with you our progress and welcome your ideas on this important topic. If there are particular aspects you would like us to explore in this series, please drop us a note and we will work to address your suggestions where possible. 

Source

Tough test for companies in carbine competition

By Lance M. Bacon - Staff writer
Posted : Sunday Sep 26, 2010

The M4 will not compete in the forthcoming carbine competition, according to the colonel in charge. But, he adds, the winner will have to score “a knockout” if it expects to replace the Army’s primary weapon for the past 20 years.

The announcement comes amid skepticism by some industry leaders who have questioned whether the Army is serious about getting a new carbine at all.

“It is my belief if given the choice tomorrow, the Army would not compete a new rifle,” said Darren Mellors, executive vice president of LWRC International. “They would like to buy more M4 carbines sole-sourced from Colt with a few hand picked incremental improvements.”

Mellors said there are “valid reasons” for this, and acknowledged the M4 as a “highly successful platform” that has served America’s war fighters well. Mellors, like many other weapons manufacturers, believes he has a better weapon — but he isn’t sure if “better” will be good enough.

“The key word the Army is using is ‘measurable improvement,’ ” he said. “Measurable improvement will be the downfall of any contender in a competition if the Army uses the standard testing protocol the M4 was designed to pass.”

Many manufacturers with whom Army Times spoke echoed the sentiment.

Mellors’ solution is to allow industry to propose tests or objective requirements. “If they are going to ask industry for a solution, it has to be in a format where we can demonstrate value to the war fighter and the Army,” he said. “All we want is a level and wide-open playing field.”

Col. Douglas Tamilio, project manager for soldier weapons, was adamant that the competition will be exactly that.

“For someone to say that we’re not full and open or that we’re not serious about this is absolutely crazy,” he said. “We couldn’t survive.”

The Army will “spend over $30 million of taxpayer money just in testing to make sure we get this right,” he said. That means there will be congressional oversight. In addition, the Office of the Secretary of Defense will monitor test and evaluation, and the Army chief of staff is getting regular briefings.

“In short, the best weapon is going to win, and I don’t care who that is,” Tamilio said.

The competitors

The carbine competition is one half of a “dual path strategy” designed to give soldiers the best possible weapon. The strategy will make M4 improvements while simultaneously inviting industry to design a new carbine that can outperform the M4.

All of the major players are expected to compete. A few of the notable submissions include:

• The XCR by Robinson Armament Co.

• The M6A4 IAR, or similar variant, from LWRC.

• The Adaptive Combat Rifle by Remington.

• The SR-16 by Knight Armament Co.

• The SCAR by FNH.

• Colt will be looking to keep its corner on the market, and is likely to submit more than a dozen variants in the competition, including the CM901.

Full Article

Corps takes a new look at green bullet

By Dan Lamothe and Matthew Cox
Posted : Monday Jul 12, 2010

The Marine Corps intends to purchase 1.8 million rounds of the Army’s new green bullet in addition to the millions of U.S. Special Operations Command cartridges already downrange as the service looks to find the best replacement for its Cold War-era ammo.

The new environmentally friendly M855A1 Enhanced Performance Round is on the way to U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan, Army officials said, with about 1 million rounds arriving soon. The updated 5.56mm round is touted as more effective than old M855 ammunition and, in some cases, 7.62mm rounds currently in use.

The new M855A1 will be used by the Army to replace the Cold War-era M855 round, which was developed in the 1970s and approved as an official NATO round in 1980. In recent years, troops have widely criticized it, saying it is ineffective against barriers such as car windshields and often travels right through unarmored insurgents, with less-than-lethal effects.

The Army plans to buy about 200 million rounds of the new ammunition over the next 12 to 15 months, Army officials said late last month. The announcement came 11 months after the service had to halt the program when the M855A1 lead-free slug failed to perform under high temperatures.

The lead-free M855A1 is more dependable than the current M855 and delivers consistent performance at all distances, Army officials said. It performed better than the current-issue 7.62mm round against hardened steel targets in testing, penetrating æ-inch-thick steel at ranges approaching 400 meters, tripling the performance of the M855, Army officials said.

“For hardened steel, it is definitely better than the 7.62mm round,” said Chris Grassano, who runs the Army’s Project Manager Maneuver Ammunition Systems.

The Corps had planned to field the Army’s M855A1 until the program suffered a major setback in August 2009, when testing revealed that some of the bullets did not follow their trajectory or intended flight path. The bismuth-tin slug proved to be sensitive to heat, prompting Marine officials to choose the enhanced Special Operations Science and Technology round developed by U.S. Special Operations Command instead. Commonly known as SOST ammo, the bullet isn’t environmentally friendly, but it offered the Corps a better bullet after the Army’s M855A1 round failed. Marine infantrymen began using it in Afghanistan this spring.

The Army has replaced the bismuth-tin slug in its new round with a copper one, solving the bullet’s problems, Army officials said. More than 500,000 rounds have been fired in testing.

With the improvements to the lead-free round, the Corps is again considering it as a long-term replacement for the old M855 bullet, said Capt. Geraldine Carey, a spokeswoman for Marine Corps Systems Command, based at Quantico, Va. The Corps already has bought 4.5 million cartridges of SOST ammo as “interim enhanced capability,” but also will receive 1.8 million rounds of the new Army bullet in July, she said. A decision to field the new M855A1 bullet will be based on how well it does in additional testing. Either way, the Corps plans to continue replacing the older M855 round.

The SOST bullet weighs 62 grains and has a lead core with a solid copper shank. It is considered a variation of Federal Cartridge Co.’s Federal Trophy Bonded Bear Claw round, which was developed for big-game hunting and is touted in a company news release for its ability to crush bone. It uses an open-tip match round design common with sniper ammunition, provides Marines deadlier ammunition with more stopping power, and stays on target through windshields and car doors better than conventional M855 ammo.

The new Army round also weighs 62 grains and has a 19-grain steel penetrator tip, 9 grains heavier than the tip on old M855 ammo. Seated behind the penetrator is a solid copper slug.

Unlike the old M855 round, the M855A1 is designed for use in the M4 carbine, which has a 14.5-inch barrel, compared with the M16’s 20-inch barrel. The propellant has been tailored to reduce the muzzle flash of the M4, but it also works in the M16A4 and other rifles chambered for 5.56mm ammunition.

Source

M26 12-Gauge Modular Accessory Shotgun System (MASS)

Mission
Enhances Soldier effectiveness with lethal, less-than-lethal, and door-breaching capabilities with a 12-gauge accessory shotgun attachment that provides faster transition time between the primary weapon and shotgun.


The M26 12-Gauge Modular Accessory Shotgun System (MASS) attaches quickly beneath the barrel of the M4 Modular Weapon System (MWS) and fires lethal, less-than-lethal, and door-breaching rounds. The MASS enables soldiers to transition between lethal and less-than-lethal fires and adds the capabilities of a separate shotgun without carrying a second weapon. Features include a recoil-absorbing butt-stock, box magazine, flip-up sights and an extendable standoff device for door breaching.


M4 not Suited to Warfare in Afghan Hills

By Slobodan Lekic - The Associated Press

KABUL, Afghanistan — The U.S. military’s workhorse rifle — used in battle for the last 40 years — is proving less effective in Afghanistan against the Taliban’s more primitive but longer range weapons.

As a result, the U.S. is re-evaluating the performance of its standard M4 rifle and considering a switch to weapons that fire a larger round largely discarded in the 1960s.

The M4 is an updated version of the M16, which was designed for close quarters combat in Vietnam. It worked well in Iraq, where much of the fighting was in cities such as Baghdad, Ramadi and Fallujah.

But an Army study found that the 5.56mm bullets fired from M4s don’t retain enough velocity at distances greater than 1,000 feet to kill an adversary. In hilly regions of Afghanistan, NATO and insurgent forces are often 2,000 to 2,500 feet apart.

Afghans have a tradition of long-range ambushes against foreign forces. During the 1832-1842 British-Afghan war, the British found that their Brown Bess muskets could not reach insurgent sharpshooters firing higher-caliber Jezzail flintlocks.

Soviet soldiers in the 1980s found that their AK47 rifles could not match the World War II-era bolt-action Lee-Enfield and Mauser rifles used by Mujaheddin rebels.

“These are important considerations in Afghanistan, where NATO forces are frequently attacked by insurgents using ... sharpshooter’s rifles, which are all chambered for a full-powered cartridge which dates back to the 1890s,” said Paul Cornish, curator of firearms at the Imperial War Museum in London.

 

The heavier bullets enable Taliban militants to shoot at U.S. and NATO soldiers from positions well beyond the effective range of the coalition’s rifles.

To counter these tactics, the U.S. military is designating nine soldiers in each infantry company to serve as sharpshooters, according to Maj. Thomas Ehrhart, who wrote the Army study. They are equipped with the new M110 sniper rifle, which fires a larger 7.62mm round and is accurate to at least 2,500 feet.

At the heart of the debate is whether a soldier is better off with the more-rapid firepower of the 5.56mm bullets or with the longer range of the 7.62 mm bullets.

“The reason we employ the M4 is because it’s a close-in weapon, since we anticipate house-to-house fighting in many situations,” said Lt. Col. Denis J. Riel, a NATO spokesman.

He added that each squad also has light machine guns and automatic grenade launchers for the long-range engagements common in Afghanistan.

In the early years of the Vietnam War, the Army’s standard rifle was the M14, which fired a 7.62 mm bullet. The gun had too much recoil to be controllable during automatic firing and was considered too unwieldy for close-quarter jungle warfare. The M-16 replaced it in the mid-1960s.

Lighter bullets also meant soldiers could carry more ammunition on lengthy jungle patrols.

The M16 started a general trend toward smaller cartridges. Other weapons such as the French FAMAS and the British L85A1 adopted them, and the round became standardized as the “5.56mm NATO.”

The Soviet Union, whose AK47 already used a shorter 7.62mm bullet that was less powerful but more controllable, created a smaller 5.45mm round for its replacement AK74s.

“The 5.56 mm caliber is more lethal since it can put more rounds on target,” said Col. Douglas Tamilio, program manager for U.S. Army firearms at the Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey. “But at 500-600 meters (1,600-2,000 feet), the round doesn’t have stopping power, since the weapon system was never designed for that.”

The arsenal, which is the Army’s center for small-arms development, is trying to find a solution.

A possible compromise would be an interim-caliber round combining the best characteristics of the 5.56mm and 7.62mm cartridges, Tamilio said.

The challenge is compounded by the fact that in flat areas of Afghanistan, most firefights take place at shorter ranges of up to 1,000 feet, where the M4 performs well.

U.S. soldiers in militant-infested Zhari district in southern Afghanistan’s Kandahar province said they haven’t experienced problems with the range of their M4 rifles.

Lt. Scott Doyle, a platoon commander in Zhari, said his troops are usually facing Taliban AK47s.

“When the Taliban get past 300 meters (1,000 feet) with an AK47, they are just spraying and praying,” he said.

Martin Fackler, a ballistics expert, also defended the 5.56mm round, blaming the M4s inadequate performance on its short barrel, which makes it easier for soldiers to scramble out of modern armored vehicles.

“Unfortunately weapon engineers shortened the M16’s barrel to irrational lengths,” Fackler said. “It was meant for a 20-inch barrel. What they’ve done by cutting the barrel to 14.5 inches is that they’ve lost a lot of velocity.”

Source

Associated Press correspondent Sebastian Abbot in Lako Khel, Afghanistan, contributed to this report.

U.S. Army Makes Moves Toward New Carbine

The Army is now following not one but two paths to give soldiers a better weapon than the current M4 carbine.

The Army launched an effort to find a new weapon in November 2008, a year after the M4 finished last in an Army reliability test involving three other carbines.

Officials hoped to start a competition for a new carbine last fall.

Army weapons officials said March 2 that the service still intends to go after a new carbine.

The requirement, or blueprint, for the new weapon, however is still awaiting approval from the Defense Department, said Col. Doug Tamilio, the head of Project Manager for Soldier Weapons.

“People have asked me how long it will be in the joint staff,” Tamilio said. “I don’t know when this will go through.”

Tamilio added that it could be late summer before the Joint Requirement Oversight Council makes a decision.

In the meantime, the Army is making progress on an effort to make significant improvements to the 500,000 M4s in the inventory.

Army weapons officials have asked the small arms industry “can you take the current M4 and make it more reliable, more durable, easier to maintain and more accurate,” Tamilio said. M4 modifications could include improvements to carbine parts, such as the bolt and bolt carrier assembly, upper receiver and barrel assembly, gas operating system, trigger group assembly and the rail system.

Improved M4s, however, will still be chambered for 5.56mm round. The next step in the M4 improvement program calls for the Army to release a draft request for proposal in the coming weeks. Gun makers will then have 30 days to come up with initial plans. The Army will then hold an industry day to allow gun makers to ask questions.       The Army will then release an official request for proposal in the April-May time frame. Participating companies will have 90 to 120 days to submit “no-kidding pieces of equipment,” for the Army to evaluate, Tamilio said.

As for the effort to replace the M4, Army weapons officials said the service has the roughly $10 million it needs to open a competition but can’t set a date until the Joint Regiments Oversight Council approves the requirement for a new carbine.

The requirement has to go through one more short review by Army staff. Then it goes to JROC, where it could sit for “four to five months; that’s the maximum time usually,” Tamilio said “If it is non-controversial, it will go through very quickly.”

 Source: ArmyTimes.com

Computer Simulation of Improved M4 mag

This computer simulation depicts the operation of the Army's Improved Magazine.

The Army has begun fielding the new 5.56mm 30 round Improved Magazine that delivers a significant increase in reliability for the battle-tested M16 and M4 weapons systems. Bolstering the already high reliability ratings of the M16/M4 systems, the Improved Magazine effectively reduces the risk of magazine-related stoppages by more than 50 percent compared to the older magazine variants. Identified by a tan-colored follower, over 500,000 of the improved magazines have been fielded to units in Iraq, Afghanistan and in the U.S.

M4 Carbine, 62 ECP

Μια ενδιαφέρουσα αναφορά με μερικές από τις 62 συνολικά αλλαγές, βελτιώσεις (ECP -Engineering Change Proposals) που έγιναν στο Μ4 από την ημερομηνία εισαγωγής του στον Αμερικανικό στρατό τα τελευταία 18 χρόνια. Οι αρχικές προδιαγραφές ζητούσαν 600 MRBS (Mean Rounds Between Stoppage),για να φτάσει σήμερα να έχει 3600 MRBS. Συγκριτικά παραθέτομε τις αρχικές απαιτήσεις των M240 SAW (Squad Automatic Weapon) που ήταν 1200 MRBS και έχουν φτάσει στις 23400 MRBS.

Νέες προτάσεις για αλλαγές, βελτιώσεις υποβάλλονται συνεχώς για μελέτη και αποδοχή. Μεταξύ άλλων προτείνεται αμφίπλευρη ασφάλεια και αφαίρεση γεμιστήρας, καθώς και βαρύτερη κάνη.