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The difference between the AR 15 and M4 is that the M4 has either a full-auto or burst fire mode whereas the AR-15 does not. There are also other minor differences such as attachments and barrel length, but these do not have any fundamental effect on the rifle. In this article, we will consider the history and differences between the AR15 and the M4.
There is a lot of talk about the AR-15 and especially M4 both in the news and the firearms community but do you ever wonder what the differences are between them? The most popular modern rifles in production are the AR15 and the M4. If you have an easy eye then these two rifles are virtually identical. There is a lot of confusion as to exactly what differentiates them.
Because both are available in both automatic and semi-automatic versions. They become even more similar which makes the comparison that much more essential.
How Were the AR15 and M4 Born?
The fundamental principle that may differentiate each firearm from the other is its origin. Both the AR 15 and M4 rifles came into existence in their unique way. Both also have experienced a long history of development and that is why they perform well today. First and foremost, spend a little time learning about the development history of AR 15 and M4.
History of AR15
The name derives from the company that first manufactured it. As a result, the AR 15 has become the most popular civil gun. It is also known as ArmandLite Rifle-15, it was created by ArmaLite – then a small company in Hollywood in the late 1950s.
Afterwards, in 1959, ArmandLite sold the AR 15 model for the gun manufacturer Colt Firearms. Following this event, the evolution of the AR 15 model was realized and it significantly improved.
With the significant advancements in function and design, the new version of AR 15 gained immense popularity. The American military adopted it and began production in large quantities. On the other hand, separate manufactures different from the Colt, called Bushmaster, produced variants of the AR 15 as civil guns to the civilians.
To date, other manufacturers besides Bushmaster, have also taken into the manufacturing successful variations of the AR 15 for civilian use. They include DPMS Firearms and Stag Arms among others.
The latest variations of the AR 15 have two new and interesting upgrades. One is a bump-fire stock that allows you to simulate full-auto fire. The rifle recoils into the stock when you take a shot. It moves the trigger away from your finger, and when it returns, you can hit the trigger again. The action sends another round downrange.
The second variation is new to the market and it is the Binary trigger. You pull the trigger back, it fires- you release-it fires another round. Simple as that. Wondering what caliber the AR15 uses, checkout our article on What is the Caliber for AR15 Rifles?
History of M4
The M4 Carbine is among the best choices for military use. In the firearm community, it is regarded as a considerable improvement over the M16. The M16 is based on the prototype of AR 15. Logically, The M4 took long strides as compared to AR 15.
The concept started in the late 80s, after revelations from numerous wars, the American military realized that the area for fighting was increasingly getting narrowed. At most time