post #816726 post #532227 post #443632

The M4 carbine is a shortened variant of the M16 rifle, the standard-issue assault rifle of the United States military. Its smaller size and weight make it more favorable in confined spaces. Many variants exist in both military and civilian use.

Tagging info:

The M4 carbine can be distinguished from the longer M16 rifle by the short handguard area toward the front of the weapon, and sometimes by the distinct notches cut into the barrel (example #2 above), which are necessary for attaching certain grenade launchers (example #3).

AR-15 has a diagonally protruding forward assist on the right side, just behind the chamber, straight above the handle/pistol grip, which the M€ doesn't have.

AR-15 has more straight parallel lines in the shape of the handle/pistol grip than M4, which also has a protrusion to go between the middle finger and the ring finger, which is unlikely to be visible if the weapon is held rather than being stored or carried.

If no other distinct identifiers, in order to avoid an excess of tags, please tag all M4/AR-15 variants with a short forend as M4.

See also:

• assault rifle
• ranged weapon