M4A1 Carbine

The Colt M4A1 Carbine is a short-barreled, telescoping stock-variant of the M16A2 rifle, based in part on the AR-15 series used by United States' forces during the Vietnam conflict. The M4A1 Carbine fires the same 5.56x45mm round as the M16, but the M4A1 version is capable of firing on full automatic as opposed to the M16A2 and M16A4's three round burst. The standard M4 Carbine, however, has the same firing modes as the M16A2 and M16A4. The M4 Carbine was designed to be a defensive weapon for personnel whose role may require a powerful defensive weapon when a full-sized rifle may be impractical. The M4 is also used by various special forces for its compact nature and full-power rifle cartridge, making it ideal for close quarters combat. To this end, a variety of modifications for the M4A1 Carbine, known as the Special Operations Peculiar MODification (SOPMOD) kit, are issued to US Army Special Forces, which include the Knight's Armament Company vertical foregrip, M203 grenade launcher, Knight's Armament Company QDSS-NT4 Suppressor, AN/PEQ-2A, ACOG Scope, and other accessories. The US Army's units vary between keeping the M16, issuing the M16 to some soldiers and the M4 to others, and replacing the M16 entirely, and the US Marine Corps still largely uses the M16. The M4 is also used by many other countries including Israel, Japan, Australia, Greece and Mexico.

Call of Duty 4
In Singleplayer, the M4A1 (with a mounted M68 reflex sight, AN/PEQ-2A, and foregrip) is a frequent Marine drop and infrequent SAS drop. It is the starting weapon in Charlie Don't Surf and Game Over and one of the optional weapons at the beginning of Hunted. The "M4A1 Grenadier", which uses an EOTech Holographic Weapon Sight, AN/PEQ-2A and M203 grenade launcher is the starting weapon in The Bog, War Pig and Shock and Awe. The "M4A1 SOPMOD" uses the red dot sight, M203 grenade launcher, AN/PEQ-2A, and suppressor and is the starting weapon in the majority of MacTavish's missions. Captain Price uses it in all missions. Surprisingly, in the SAS missions the M4A1 SOPMOD seems to have all attachments available, a red dot sight, suppressor, foregrip (though the M4A1 Carbine has a grip, this does not serve to decrease recoil and does not count as an attachment. Note that the foregrip does not show from the third-person perspective in-game, as when dropped or held by another character, in both single-player and multiplayer), and an M203.

In Multiplayer, the M4A1 Carbine model has an attached foregrip. It can be modified with the Red Dot Sight, ACOG Scope, M203, or suppressor. The M4A1 Carbine is fully automatic with moderate damage and very low recoil, but it has very high idle sway (4 degrees) and idles very fast, making it more difficult to aim with at long range. This was done for balancing purposes because the M4A1 was incredibly overpowered in the beta, in which it had no idle sway. The M4A1 also shares ammo with the M16 and the G36C. The M4A1 Carbine is one of the most commonly used weapons in online multiplayer on all platforms.

Weapon Performance
As stated above, the M4A1 is not particularly effective at long range due to its sway on consoles. In the PC version, however, idle sway is easily compensated for with the mouse, making it very effective at all ranges. The M4 is, however, superior to other assault rifles in close quarters combat due to its high rate of fire. Steady Aim makes the M4 a fairly effective hip-fire weapon. Double Tap can be quite effective due to low recoil and low damage, but ammo use increases dramatically. It is mainly used with the Red Dot Sight and has become one of the most popular weapons in Call Of Duty 4 Multiplayer. It has become a popular gun for novices and is widely known as a "noob" gun.

The weapon's low damage output is compensated by its high rate of fire, and the very low recoil allows for accurate full automatic fire at short and medium ranges. Because of this, the "bandolier" perk is recommended.

Trivia

 * An M4 Carbine has semi/burst firing. The version in game is actually the fully-automatic M4A1 Carbine.


 * On the side of the M4A1 Carbine, it says " BLUE4 ". It also says, "Property of U.S. Government, Caliber 5.55mm, M4A1 Carbine". However, the M4A1 Carbine fires a 5.56mm, not a 5.55mm, and it is also used by the SAS in game.


 * The M16 and M4 use the same ammo yet the M4 does lower damage. Some claim that this is because the longer barrel of the M16 increases the muzzle velocity (and therefore kinetic energy) of the bullet, but in actuality all a longer barrel does in make the bullet spend more time going in a straight line with equal gas pressure on all parts of the bullet, negligibly increasing range but not power.


 * The red-dot scope found on standard M4A1 Carbine in Single Player is actually a Tasco red dot sight, not an M68 CCO as previously mentioned. The same red-dot scope can be found on G36C in Single Player.


 * In a newly released Concept art screenshot of Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, it shows a British soldier holding the M4A1 SOPMOD with several attachments.


 * If you attach an M203, the recoil will be slightly increased, but not by much. This also applies with the M16A4.

M4A1 Grenadier
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