Ep. 232 | M16 Vs. M4 Vs. AR-15 - What’s the Difference 

Great suggestion! We appreciate it!

The NFA is the only reason 12-14.5 isn't the norm..if there was no NFA or if 12 inches was SBR probably 90% would run a 12.5

The NFA iis the reason 16 is common. Any rifle with a barrel lengrh shorter than 16 inches is considered a short barreled rifle and requires a tax stamp, a long waiting period, and limits to how it can be sold or transported. While this tax stamp is $200, it has not been adjusted since the bill was signed into law in 1936. $200 in 1936 was the equivalent of $4,500 today. 20 inch barrels fell out of favor in the civilian AR market when the M4 was introduced. Virtually everybody looked at it as a lighter handling rifle that was better fit for home defense and close quarters situations. The m4a1 has a barrel length of 14.5 inches, making civilian direct copies an NFA item. This allowed civilians the option to go with a 16 inch barrel OR a 14.5 inch barrel with a pinned and welded muzzle device of at least 1.5 inches in length. During the first 10 years of the m4s life, the federal assault weapons ban was also in effect. This classified any semi automatic rifle with a detachable magazine as illegal if it had two or more of the following features. Flash hider or threaded barrel, pistol grip, telescoping stock, or bayonet lug. It also made AR pistols completely illegal. During this ban, people trying to match the aesthetic of the m4 were usually keeping the pistol grip as their allowable feature (and many were pinning telescoping stocks, allowing them to keep the appearance of the new m4's tactical looking stock). This meant that the barrel was going to be 16 inches anyway, so most elected to leave the full accuracy of the 16 inch barrel. Had we not had the AWB, its entirely probable that the favored way of copying the m4 would have been a 14.5 inch barrel with a slightly extended, pinned, and welded a2 flash hider. Without the NFA of 1936 or the AWB of 1994, 16 inch barrels on AR15s likely wouldnt be a thing.

Did you get the 458 response you desired? I don't hear much about that round

@Chano Leyva great 150 yard hunting load here in the southeast.

Honestly it probably wouldn’t matter what they would’ve named it, the current pool of libtards would find some way to criminalize it

No difference between that and 18 inch unless youre handloading. You get the same numbers with factory ammo. The M16 was introduced in the era of no hearing protection for the military, that 20 inch barrel helps keep the sound farther away and burns up that last bit of powder.

I’ve been shooting 1/4” steel plate at 200 yards with 5.56 ball ammo. When I use my 20” barrel, it pokes a hole clean through…when I use my 16” carbine, there’s a big dent, but no hole. That’s the difference 4” of barrel can make with an AR in terms of velocity. Anyone who thinks an AR-15 (or M-16) is “not enough” and the caliber is too small probably hasn’t shot a full-length 20” rifle.

@@cadamsm11 20" ar15s also cycle real smoove, good recoil impulse, less jumpy.

@@miamislice3280 Agree 100%. Although I’ve just built a 16” that comes close. I used a midlength gas system instead of carbine, a solid A2 stock which has a bigger buffer and longer spring than an adjustable stock, and a full-auto BCG, which is a little heavier. It’s a smooth shooter.

@@cadamsm11 Hell yeah

You: Hey, let me borrow your bolt! My broke. Me: Uh, I'm not done with it yet.

@@The10thManRules I’m assuming there will be more than a few sitting around unused at that point.

That or you just also collected an extra part already by that time.

There was never a stamped M16 ever made..

Can add that to our list and see what we can make happen! Thanks for the suggestion!

Problem is that the SiG is just a product improved AR-15 to most people, so I'd doubt it's actually that much better.

What SIG product are you referring to?

I was referring to the XM5. Honestly, I'm not convinced it's wildly better but time will tell I guess.

@@cameronjaeger Ah.. ofc. Well.. i guess it will be better in some ways and worse in others. I was in the army ( not US ) when the AG3 rifle from H&K was the standard. We wanted a rifle that had a smaller cartridge, pref. one in a 6.5 mm short action style, but recieved the 5.56 instead, lol. My respect for the 5.56 has grown over the years though. But as you say, only time will tell.

It always did annoy me that my AR didn’t have a genetically correct genitalia, or nipples, and I can’t bend its arms…

How neat is that

Crazy!

Super good question. Aero and many other manufacturers have developed some of their own proprietary naming, but the base of what they’re selling is all compatible with any Mil-Spec AR-15 stuff. The “E1” in their naming refers to some level of “Enhancement” that they’ve done over the standard M4 stuff. Checking out their upper here online, it looks like they’ve integrated the handguard mounting surface into the upper itself rather than having it as a separate piece that usually attaches to the barrel nut. Any time you can eliminate multiple separate components and turn them into one solid component, it usually adds strength. Adding strength to your handguard mounting surface isn’t a bad place to do it either so looks cool! Only thing worth noting is that it might restrict you to only being able to use their handguards. That might not be an issue, but if you’ve got your eye on something super specific that they don’t make, then just be aware there may be compatibility issues with that particular upper.

Can do! We'll add that to our list - we appreciate the suggestion!

No, the Armalite AR rifle is different than the military rifle..Colt/military changed many things..

The AR15 was created to compete in the late 1950's for the SCHV test..

Well, you aren't wrong. This video was for the newbies who don't already know all of this.

They’re all buzz words created by media and other sources…it’s kind of like the new 9mm’s (think Sig P365) being called micro compact, but somehow everyone knows what you mean (10+ round double-ish stack magazine, small carry gun) I don’t care what anyone wants to call them (except assault rifle, that’s ridiculous), it’s the person that uses them inappropriately and their own deviant intentions that make them a criminal, not what firearm they can get their hands on to commit their crime If we didn’t have firearms, people would kill each other with explosives or vehicles or swords or hammers or whatever they have at their disposal…it’s the nanny state government that feels the need to try and protect us from ourselves that needs to quit worrying about it…not saying there shouldn’t be laws, I actually work in law enforcement, but trust me…if someone wants to kill someone else badly enough, they’ll find a way

Only Colt is the only manufacturer who uses the military M4 TDP that is sold to civilians as Colt owns the rights..FN's civilian M4 rifles don't use the M4 TDP as Colt owns the rights..