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Created by Randy Wilson [email protected] The Civilian M4 Style Carbine A Guidebook for Preppers

The Civilian M4 Carbine

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Page 1: The Civilian M4 Carbine

Created by Randy Wilson

[email protected]

The Civilian M4 Style Carbine

A Guidebook for Preppers

Page 2: The Civilian M4 Carbine

Created by Randy Wilson

[email protected]

Contents Introduction .................................................................................................................................................. 3

Why the M4?................................................................................................................................................. 4

Exploded Diagram ......................................................................................................................................... 5

MILSPEC Myths ............................................................................................................................................. 6

Function ........................................................................................................................................................ 7

The Gas System ............................................................................................................................................. 8

Buying a M4 style carbine ............................................................................................................................. 9

The Lower Receiver ................................................................................................................................... 9

The Upper Receiver .................................................................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.

The Barrel ................................................................................................................................................ 10

The Bolt Carrier Group ............................................................................................................................ 12

Manufacturers ........................................................................................................................................ 14

Magazines ................................................................................................................................................... 15

Ammunition ................................................................................................................................................ 16

Optics .......................................................................................................................................................... 18

ACOG ....................................................................................................................................................... 18

AIMPOINT ............................................................................................................................................... 19

VECTOR ................................................................................................................................................... 20

Burris AR-332 .......................................................................................................................................... 21

EOTech .................................................................................................................................................... 22

Leupold Mark4 CQ/T Scope .................................................................................................................... 23

Technical ..................................................................................................................................................... 24

Iron Sight A1 Zero Target ............................................................................................................................ 25

Iron Sight A2 Zero Target ............................................................................................................................ 26

ACOG Zero Target ....................................................................................................................................... 27

AIMPOINT Zero Target ................................................................................................................................ 28

Page 3: The Civilian M4 Carbine

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Introduction

Preparing for disasters is a worthwhile endeavor and will insure that you and your loved ones have a

survival advantage in time of crisis. You are probably putting a lot of effort into your preparations, I

know that I am. Storing food, water and many other crucial supplies to insure my family is taken care of

if and when the time arises. A frequently overlooked element of preparing is the ability to defend what

you have stored. The reality of the situation is that those who can will take from those who cannot

defend what they have.

I am always surprised when I meet a fellow preparer who does not own a suitable weapon for defense

or is not trained in using what they do own. Having the correct firearm and knowing how to use it is an

important step in your survival planning.

There is so much to do and know to be prepared sometimes it seems overwhelming. Thankfully we

Preppers are almost always willing to share knowledge and insight. I have learned so much from many

of you and this book is my opportunity to give back to our growing community.

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Why the M4?

When we speak of the M4 style rifle we are speaking specifically to an AR15 16inch barrel carbine. The

actual M4 designation is a military rifle not available to civilians. There are some Colt M4 semi auto law

enforcement rifles out there but they are hard to get and expensive.

The M4 style carbine is a reasonable choice for self defense use. Its light weight and short barrel length

make it easy to carry and store. The M4 style carbine has very light recoil and can be fired by most

anyone making it highly usable. The M4 style carbine is accurate and capable of engaging targets

effectively up to 400 yards. M4 style carbines can be purchased relatively cheap these days starting at

around $650.00 at the time of this writing. These attributes make the M4 style carbine a good choice for

those preparing to defend themselves.

Is the M4 style carbine the best rifle for your defense? Maybe, it really depends on your situation. A

weapon is simply a tool like any other. Does one screwdriver meet all the needs you might have?

Weapons are the same way and no single weapon will be perfect in all situations. I do believe however

that the M4 style carbine will meet most of your self defense requirements.

There are always tradeoffs when selecting weapons and the M4 style carbine is no exception. So what

will we be giving up to have a light weight low recoil carbine? Well for one thing you will be sacrificing

range. The 5.56 or .223 round is small and limited in its ability to inflict damage at long ranges. But

considering you are concerned with self defense your engagements will most likely be limited to 200

yards or less. The other consideration is the ability to stop a threat with one shot. This is where much

debate has raged over the years but I assure you the M4 style carbine will stop a threat used within

reasonable ranges. Modern ammunition has helped the M4 style carbine platform achieve acceptable

stopping power. Later in the book I will go into the ammunition in great detail.

The modern M4 style carbine is a reliable weapon. Based on the M16 rifle the AR15 has been updated

along with the US Militaries M16 over the past 30 years. If kept reasonably clean and lubricated the

carbine will provide good service.

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Exploded Diagram

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MILSPEC Myths

It seems that everyone today is an arm chair warrior who knows everything about the AR15. I

was in a gun shop the other day and heard a sales person berate a customer over not having

purchased a MILSPEC AR15. I shuffled on over smiling and pleasantly said so what is a military

specification rifle and what does it consist of? The sales person puffed out his chest and started

to explain what he thought it meant. He of course was wrong. I hear people say to make sure

your AR15 is MILSPEC. I have a secret for you… nobody owns a true MILSPEC AR15 or M4

carbine because such a thing does not exist. OH I see the look on your face. Some of you are

now gnashing your teeth and wringing your hands. Calm down and let me explain my take on

the matter.

The government does not contract for AR15 rifles. They contract for M16 rifles. The government

has onsite inspectors at each contract location to ensure quality control all the way down to the

metallurgy used in the receivers (yes I have been part of this process in my lifetime). Everything

is exacting and any deviance is cast out (you would cry at what they destroy). Now as far as I

know no one is contracting Ar15 rifles as part of a government contract, thus none of the Ar15

rifles have been held to military specification. Hence none of you has a MILSPEC AR15. You

might own a MILSPEC M16. I suppose that is fully possible but not an AR15 and you NEVER

will. Many manufacturers claim to make MILSPEC AR15 rifles but without the military

representation onsite they could never be certified as MILSPEC.

The good news is that you can still own a high quality dependable M4 style carbine buy

following the suggestions in this book.

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Function

The M4 style carbine is a lightweight, 5.56 mm, air-cooled, gas-operated, magazine-fed semi-

automatic rifle, with a rotating-lock bolt, actuated by direct impingement gas operation. It is

manufactured with the extensive use of aluminum alloys and synthetic materials.

The main mechanism of operation for the rifle is known as direct gas impingement. Gas is trapped from the barrel as the bullet moves past a gas port located above the rifle's front sight base. The gas rushes into the port and down a gas tube, located above the barrel, which runs

from the front sight base into the M4 style carbines upper receiver. Here, the gas tube protrudes into a “gas key” (bolt carrier key) which accepts the gas and funnels it into the bolt carrier.

The bolt and bolt carrier together form a piston, which is caused to expand as the cavity in the bolt carrier fills with high pressure gas. The bolt is locked into the barrel extension, so this expansion forces the bolt carrier backward a short distance in line with the stock of the rifle to first unlocks the bolt. As the bolt carrier moves toward the butt of the gun, the bolt cam pin, riding in a slot on the bolt carrier, forces the bolt to turn and unlock from the barrel extension. (The gas system only serves to unlock the bolt while the projectile has long exited the barrel). Once the bolt is fully unlocked it begins its rearward movement along with the bolt carrier. The bolt's rearward motion extracts the empty cartridge case from the chamber, and as soon as the neck of the case clears the barrel extension, the bolt's spring-loaded ejector forces it out the ejection port in the side of the upper receiver. The bolt is much heavier than the projectile, and along with the recoil-spring pressure inside the stock buffer-tube performs the cartridge ejection function and chambers the following cartridge.

Behind the bolt carrier is a plastic or metal buffer which rests in line with a return spring that pushes the bolt carrier back toward the chamber. A groove machined into the upper receiver traps the cam pin and prevents it and the bolt from rotating into a closed position. The bolt's locking lugs then push a fresh round from the magazine which is guided by feed ramps into the chamber. As the bolt's locking lugs move past the barrel extension, the cam pin is allowed to twist into a pocket milled into the upper receiver. This twisting action follows the groove cut into the carrier and forces the bolt to twist and “lock” into the barrel’s unique extension.

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The Gas System

The M4 style carbine has been around a very long time. It has gone through a lot of upgrades

over the years and after 30+ years it has become a dependable weapon. If you want to read the

history of the rifle it is out on the Internet.

The M4 style carbine design is inherently accurate due to the bolt locking into the barrel

extension and the straight travel of the bolt motion. The .223 or 5.56 cartridge is also an

accurate round only adding to the overall accuracy of the rifle.

There is one major design flaw in the M16 and AR15 design. The rifle poops where it eats! OK

maybe your laughing, maybe not (what is this guy talking about?). What I mean is that the gas

used to cycle the weapon dumps right into the area the rifle loads a new round in. It deposits

carbon at alarming rates into an area designed with close tolerance. This causes malfunctions

and stoppages thus giving the rifle some of the negative reputation it has earned over the years.

This need not be a liability if the rifle is kept clean and properly lubricated but short of that you

are going to have issues.

Recently gas piston conversions have become popular to replace the direct gas impingement

system used on the AR15 rifle. While these systems do seem to increase to reliability (if

properly installed) they have not come without problems. I have seen them break rendering the

rifle useless. I have also seen them wear out the bottom of the buffer tube. Is the gas piston

really the final answer to the AR15 design problem? I don’t know but to date I have decided to

stay with the original direct gas impingement system on my rifles and carbines. I do currently

Page 9: The Civilian M4 Carbine

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have one M4 style carbine with a self installed Osprey 416 piston system that has seen in

excess of 500 rounds with no problems to report so I hold out hope for this technology.

Buying a M4 style carbine

When selecting a quality M4 style carbine you need to consider a few things. In a crisis situation

you want the carbine to be dependable. This means that you need to shoot your M4 style

carbine a lot prior to a crisis to assure its reliability and your proficiency. Only high quality parts

should be used in the manufacture of you carbine to insure they can stand the test of time. The

following is a list of features you should ensure any potential carbine has before purchase.

The Lower Receiver

The M4 style carbine lower receiver should be made from forged 7075 aluminum with

reinforcement updates.

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The Upper Receiver

The M4 style carbine upper receiver should be made from forged of 7075 aluminum. You can

choose a flat top or a fixed carry handle, it about your preference here. I prefer the flat top as a

removable carry handle can be attached with ease or an optic solution.

The Barrel

The barrel rivals the bolt in terms of how critical it is to the long term reliability and functionality, as well as accuracy of the firearm. Clearly, accuracy may be sacrificed to some degree in favor of longevity in terms of a chromoly and chrome-lined barrel. The features that are included in the barrel section, the next eight items on the chart, are all related to the longevity of the barrel as well as the reliability of the firearm, with some features being somewhat optional as they pertain to use of certain projectiles and other shooter-defined needs. Barrel Steel This is a science unto itself but I am going to simplify it for you. The best barrels are 4150 hammer forged chrome lined. Other barrels may be used including stainless but the 4150 hammer forged is superior in longevity.

High Pressure Test (HPT) Barrel

This means the same thing, and is done for the same reason, as the HPT of the bolt.

Magnetic Particle Inspection (MPI) Barrel This means the same thing, and is done for the same reason, as the MPI of the bolt.

Chrome Chamber and Bore Chrome-lining of the chamber and bore serve to protect both from corrosion due to the heat of

combustion of the gunpowder in the bullet as well as "neglect" in humid or other harsh

environments. The chamber and bore are directly related to the accuracy potential of a firearm,

and damage to either in the form of pitting will negatively impact the accuracy potential. The

trade off is that chrome is often applied unevenly, at the microscopic level, meaning that it may

negatively affect the accuracy potential in and of itself. The potential for damage due to other

factors is generally considered greater than the small amount of uneven application, and so

Page 11: The Civilian M4 Carbine

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chrome-lining is generally considered desirable. No, it cannot be added after the fact as barrels

intended for chrome-lining are first slightly overbored with the lining then reducing the internal

diameter to the proper dimension.

5.56 Chamber There is a common misconception that .223 and 5.56 are the same thing. They are not. 5.56 is

often loaded to a higher pressure, among other things, which is the most critical issue. There

are other dimensional differences pertaining to throat, bullet seat, etc. but what it comes down to

in practical terms is that you can shoot .223 in a 5.56 chamber but the reverse is not a good

idea. Generally speaking the barrel will be marked with one or the other but unfortunately those

markings cannot always be trusted. If you think you may ever shoot 5.56 ammunition it is a

good idea to get a 5.56 chamber from a maker that can be trusted.

1:7 barrel twist 1:7 will stabilize bullets in the 55 to 90 grain range. Like all things this is not a given, and any

barrel should be tested with the intended ammunition to ensure the desired results are

achieved.

M4 Feed ramps M4 feed ramps refer to the feed ramps in the barrel extension being matched up to feed ramps

cut into the upper receiver. The alternative is Rifle feed ramps which stop at the end of the

barrel extension and do not continue into the upper receiver. Longer projectiles, soft-point

projectiles, and carbines with faster cyclic rates tend to benefit from the extended M4 feed

ramps. There are no known downsides to having the extended feed ramps.

"F" Height Front Sight Base Front sight bases come in two basic varieties. One is the front sight base intended for use on

carbines and rifles with fixed A2 uppers, the other (The "F") is intended for carbines with flattop

uppers. In order to ensure compatibility with the various aftermarket rear back up iron sights, the

"F" is more desirable. Not all "F" height front sight bases are marked with the "F" (LMT for

example), and some that are marked are not true to the correct height.

Taper Pins at Front Sight Base (FSB) A minor issue, but taper pins hold the front sight base better and tighter than a straight pin.

Some makers attempt to make up for this by using slightly oversized straight pins that can be

extremely difficult to remove.

Parkerizing under FSB Parkerizing under the front sight base (or FSB) is done by very few makers. Most prefer to

attach the base to the barrel and then parkerize the assembly as a whole. If parkerized as an

assembly, both the outside of the barrel under the rings of the base and the inside of the rings

themselves do not get the protective coating of the parkerizing process. There have been some

reports of these parts rusting in the unprotected area, but it is unlikely that rust in these locations

will affect the function of the carbine.

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Double Heat Shield Hand guards The added diameter and extra shield serve to keep the shooter's hands cooler over prolonged

The Bolt Carrier Group

This is the part that moves back and forth in the upper receiver chambering fresh rounds,

extracting and ejecting empty rounds, and generally ensuring that your rifle or carbine operates

as it should. As such, in terms of reliability, the BCG is the heart of the gun, and having as high

a quality BCG that is assembled correctly out of the correct materials and which has been

properly checked for flaws is key to the continued reliability of the AR-platform firearm.

Shot Peened Bolt There are many resources available online as to the exact process and how it affects the structure of the part at the molecular level, but essentially the goal is to increase the resistance of metal to fatigue. The bolt, in the performance of it's duties, is put under a considerable amount of stress as the gun fires. Ensuring that this part lasts as long as possible is key to the continued reliability of the firearm over time, and increasing the resistance of the part to fatigue increases its service life. High Pressure Test (HPT) Bolt This is also sometimes referred to as "proof loading" or "proof firing". Essentially it is a test fire

of the bolt (and barrel) in order to subject the part to a pressure that could cause it to fail in use.

This is a preparatory step in order to prepare the part for the next step. Not all companies

perform this step and prefer to "batch test" their bolts and barrels, or to test a representative

sample of each batch.

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Magnetic Particle Inspection (MPI) Bolt Like shot peening, there are resources available online as to what the exact process is and how

it works, but the intended purpose is to check for surface cracks in the part that may not be

detectable by the naked eye and that may have been caused by the HPT. Not all companies

perform this step and prefer to "batch test" their bolts and barrels, or to test a representative

sample of each batch. This is a crucial step following the HPT in order to observe the results.

Black Extractor Spring Insert The crucial element here is, in fact, the 5-coil extractor spring which the black insert indicates as there is some debate as to the actual chemical or physical properties of the insert itself as compared to the rifle version which comes with the 4-coil spring and is blue. The shorter gas system of the carbine makes for a quicker and more violent operation of the BCG which can cause the extractor on the bolt to jump over the rim of the case and not properly extract the empty case. To some degree this can be mitigated by gas port size, but beefing up the spring tension to cause the extractor to clamp more tightly on the case ensures proper function. Properly Staked Gas Key The gas key on top of the bolt carrier is the part that the gases (which have been re-directed through the gas port, then the gas block or front sight base, and into the gas tube) pass through in order to expand within the carrier, push back on the carrier against the bolt, unlock the bolt and cycle the firearm. As such it is under tremendous pressure and is critical to the continued operation of the firearm, and must remain sealed in order to allow all of the gas pressure into the carrier to do its job. The key is held on to the top of the carrier by two screws, typically allen but sometimes torx, that are tightened to a specified torque. After tightening the metal of the key should be "staked" in such a way as to prevent the screws from loosening. In order for the staking to perform its job properly it must deform the metal of the key sufficiently to make contact with, and perhaps even deform a bit, the attachment screws. Use of Locktite is not sufficient, as virtually all versions of Locktite are weakened by heat.

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Manufacturers

There are some great M4 style carbine manufacturers out there building high quality rifles. The trick is

to make sure we get the right one. I caution you to remember, civilian manufacturers even the best of

them occasionally put out a turd, military contractors do not (your tax dollars can afford all the testing

ever needed).

So you want to buy a quality AR15 M4 carbine right off the shelf. I have a few manufacturer

recommendations for you based on my experience in order of quality –

COLT (specifically the 6920) (Government contractor)

Lewis Machine & Tool Company (Government contractor)

LWRC International, LLC

Vltor

Rock River Arms

DPMS

STAG Arms

Many of you have rifles by manufacturers not listed above and they work very well for you. My list is

based from experience in the field shooting more than 1500 rounds through each rifle. If you have an

AR15 that you shot more than 1500 rounds without failure in a day please let me know the make!

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Magazines To the Ar15 rifle nothing is more important than the magazine. I have tried them all and there is only

one brand I use or recommend. The PMAG® MAGAZINES by MagPul are far superior to any other

magazine available. This statement has caused great debate but remember this is my opinion based on

years of experience. No other magazine functions and feeds ammunition to the Ar15 rifle as dependably

as the PMAG. Military magazines are inferior and at only $15.00 at the time of this writing they are an

incredible value. Trust me on this. Buy the PMAGS and only PMAGS for your AR15 rifle. I do not work for

MagPul or have any affiliation they are just the best hands down.

In early 2007 Magpul announced the PMAG 30-round 5.56 NATO Polymer Magazine for AR15/M16

platform weapons. With millions fielded to military, law enforcement, and commercial users, PMAGs

have become the de facto standard for magazine reliability and durability.

You should have at least twelve MPAG 30 round magazines for each of your rifles. The PMAGs can be

loaded and left in storage for many years without issue so they are always at the ready. Use the

provided caps that lock on for long term storage to alleviate the pressure on the upper feed lips of the

magazine.

NOTE: A note on magazine rotation practices. It is a common practice for people to keep several

magazines loaded for a period of time and then rotate them and load others for a period of time. It was

once believed this would extend the life of magazines. I will not go into the science but due to the way

springs work loading and unloading magazines is the worst thing you can do for them! The compression

and decompression of magazines is what weakens the springs, not leaving them loaded.

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Ammunition

The AR15 rifle shoots a very anemic .224 diameter bullet (that’s a .22 caliber). Military

ammunition is very light weighing in at 55 to 62 grains based on ammo type used. There are

varied opinions on why the US military adopted this light varmint round for a combat rifle. Some

say the intent was to wound not kill in the field of battle. Others claim it was because the

ammunition is light and a soldier can carry more. I have read that the light recoil and accuracy

was the primary reason and this sounds most plausible to me. Whatever the reason the military

ammunition is unacceptable for the intended purpose of defense.

Yes I said the MILITARY ammunition is not adequate for your defense. There are reports

coming out of Iraq and Afghanistan where soldiers are shooting multiple times to stop a threat.

In the real world you cannot always take the headshot, in fact you should not even try, shoot

center mass. So what is needed to insure a one shot incapacitation of a human from an AR15?

Well you have some options with today’s modern ammo technology.

One option is the DRT ammunition from Dynamic Research Technologies offered in 55 and 79

grain bullets. This ammo will stop a human with a single shot to the torso 90% of the time,

Special Forces refer to it as DEAD RIGHT THERE ammo. It has a powdered tungsten steel

core that explodes in a target after about 3 to 4 inches of penetration. My testing also shows it

will fully penetrate class 1 body armor at 75 yards. The second option is to purchase modern

civilian ammunition. Short of DRT ammo I use any good 75 to 77 grain JHP bullet. Remember

when it comes to defense heavier is better if your barrel can stabilize the bullet. Up to 77grain

ammo will feed in the AR15 platform without issues.

I am going to go a little more into military ammunition as it is highly available and at the time of

my writing fairly inexpensive. The military uses two basic rounds one is a 55grain bullet with a

cantilure designated XM193 in its older rifles with slow twist rates. This round is only

dependably lethal out to 200 yards (you will never see that in a manual but it is true). The bullet

will travel much further than 200 yards but we are talking stopping power not range. The 55grain

round when traveling very fast will strike its target and yaw creating a serious wound channel

due to the cantilure destabilizing the round. The problem comes in after 200 yards the bullet

speed has dropped to low to dependably cause the yaw effect on impact. So if you are going to

use this round 200 yards and closer it will perform satisfactorily.

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The other round the military is fielding in its newer rifles with faster twist rates is the 62grain

SS109 or M855 bullet. This bullet is often inaccurately identified as armor piercing, it is not! It

does have a small steel penetrator that helps it go through enemy Kevlar helmets but it will not

go through armor. This round though heavier is actually worse than the 55grain round against

soft targets as it tends to zip right through. Look I am not saying it will not kill, it just is not

optimal.

NOTE: Always use brass case ammo in the AR15 rifle. DO NOT use steel case lacquer coated

ammunition from Russia unless it is an emergency in an AR15. This ammo will eventually gum

up the chamber and cause your rifle to fail.

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Optics Iron sights are a wonderful thing and no optic should ever be used to replace them. Always

have backup iron sights available and zeroed on your rifle regardless of other add-on optics.

First and foremost when it comes to optics you get what you pay for (and not always then). Do

not buy cheap optics and put on your AR15 rifle. It is also counterproductive to mount anything

more than a 4x power optic on an AR15, they are not sniper rifles (even though they use them

in the movies).

NOTE: ONLY buy optics from reputable dealers, there are many forgeries from China and they

can be difficult for the novice to spot. If the deal is too good to be true…. I warned you!

ACOG

The number one best optic for the AR15 is the Advanced Combat Optical Gunsights

(abbreviated ACOG) TA31RCO-M150CP: Trijicon ACOG 4x32, ARMY Rifle Combat Optic. It

just doesn’t get any better than this. You are going to pay about $1400.00 for this optic but it is

worth every penny.

Standard issue with many governments worldwide. Specified for use by the Marines, U.S. Army and Navy Seals, self-illuminating Trijicon scopes and sights have earned a reputation as the most sophisticated and dependable combat optics on the battlefield.

Uses Batteries: NO

Magnification: YES

Water Proof: YES

Fog Proof: YES

US Military Use: YES

Durability:

Glass Quality:

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AIMPOINT

The next best sight is the Aimpoint Patrol Rifle Optic. While you do not get any magnification

you do get stellar performance. A single battery will last three years turned on! They are used by

the military and are tough and accurate for around $400.00

Designed with input from a distinguished group of current and former professionals, the Patrol Rifle Optic

incorporates many never before seen features to maximize this sight's performance within the challenging

conditions faced by modern law enforcement. A hard-anodized 30mm tube was utilized, enclosing a high

efficiency circuit that allows the sight to be turned on and left on for up to three years using a single

battery.

Uses Batteries: YES

Magnification: NO

Water Proof: YES

Fog Proof: YES

US Military Use: YES

Durability:

Glass Quality:

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VECTOR

I know that some of you are on a very tight budget but still want a tacticool optic that will work

dependably. There is only one that I know of and it is the Vector Red Dot Sight SCRD-06. It is a

red dot site for around $140.00 that has held up pretty well in my testing. I have dropped them,

soaked them and generally abused the sites and they still seem to work and hold zero. While

not the quality of the ACOG or AIMPOINT they can be used. They do eat batteries so you will

need a good supply for the long term if you choose this optic.

Uses Batteries: YES

Magnification: NO

Water Proof: YES

Fog Proof: YES

US Military Use: NO

Durability:

Glass Quality:

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Burris AR-332

I wish I could tell you something about this optic but I have yet to get my hands on one. Its

Burris so it cant be to bad but I refuse to give a rating or opinion with testing as I have the other

optics. I simply include it becouse I know it is out there and some people have said it is great. It

does have one cool feature - The reticle is illuminated, but it appears black if not illuminated or if

the batteries are dead. That's a great feature I think as you're not dependent on batteries.

The Burris AR-332 is a 3x tactical prism sight that’s rugged, compact, and waterproof. The

Burris AR-332 features a unique Ballistic/CQ™ reticle. This ‘Close Quarters’ reticle also

performs at long range too, with bullet drop compensation out to 600 yards.

Uses Batteries: YES

Magnification: YES

Water Proof: YES

Fog Proof: YES

US Military Use: NO

Durability: ???

Glass Quality: ???

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EOTech

I do not recommend this optic for use on anything except light duty urban use. It is somewhat

fickle and uses batteries up quickly. I have had them open up and dump batteries during a live

fire exercise so I cannot recommend it to you. Prices start around $350.00

Uses Batteries: YES

Magnification: NO

Water Proof: YES

Fog Proof: YES

US Military Use: YES

Durability:

Glass Quality:

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Leupold Mark4 CQ/T Scope

It is expensive ($1000.00) and I do not see the reason I would EVER choose it over the ACOG

or AIMPOINT optic offerings. I have used them and cannot say I have had any problem.

Leupold makes good stuff but it wouldn’t be my first choice.

Multi-function, red-dot and optical sight has variable power settings for fast, accurate

engagement of close and distant targets. Use at 1x where the large field of view is excellent for

close-in, both-eyes-open target engagement. The 3x setting permits precise target acquisition to

300 yards and beyond. Circle-Dot reticle gives accurate ranging plus hold-over and lead on

moving targets. Circle subtends six feet at 100 yards. Reticle has ten brightness settings,

including two for night vision devices; remains visible when not illuminated. Mil-Spec, Picatinny

rails, on the top and right side, let you attach accessory lights, night vision equipment or laser

designators. Dual mount system fits both Flattop and A2, carry handle receivers.

Uses Batteries: YES

Magnification: YES

Water Proof: YES

Fog Proof: YES

US Military Use: UNKNOWN

Durability:

Glass Quality:

Page 24: The Civilian M4 Carbine

Created by Randy Wilson

[email protected]

Technical

There is no valid reason for me to re-write all the procedures the US military has documented so

thoroughly. All owners of M4 style carbines must have a copy of the militaries TM9-1005-319-

10.pdf technical manual. This manual explains the operation, maintenance and zeroing of your

rifle.

Locations to download this manual for free:

http://www.ar15.com/content/manuals/TM9-1005-319-10.pdf

https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B6TXMzzHWDbyN2NkZmIyOTQtMDhlOC00MGIwLTlhNjItM2

ZmOTE3NjBkNDhi&sort=name&layout=list&num=50#

www.xmarks.com/site/www.ar15.com/.../TM9-1005-319-10.pdf

Page 25: The Civilian M4 Carbine

Created by Randy Wilson

[email protected]

Iron Sight A1 Zero Target

Page 26: The Civilian M4 Carbine

Created by Randy Wilson

[email protected]

Iron Sight A2 Zero Target

Page 27: The Civilian M4 Carbine

Created by Randy Wilson

[email protected]

ACOG Zero Target

Page 28: The Civilian M4 Carbine

Created by Randy Wilson

[email protected]

AIMPOINT Zero Target