Those are the most obvious differences between an M4 and an M16. A sling swivel is located on the left side of the barrel just below the front sight. Besides shortening the barrel to 14.5 inches-16 inches with the permanently attached A2-style flash suppressor-and replacing the handguard with a shorter one, the buttstock is replaced with a collapsible buttstock with six positions. The M4 is a carbine-length AR-pattern gun based on the M16. Otherwise, these guns really are Mil-Spec. But Mil-Spec calls for firing a very high-pressure round through each gun and then running a magnetic particle inspection to assure that there are no cracks or other defects present. To reduce costs, some commercial manufacturers will not subject bolts and barrels to high-pressure testing, or they will test only a portion of each production run. Mil-Spec staking is done to lessen the chance that those bolts holding the gas key to the bolt carrier will loosen under use, but it costs more to stake them correctly. They may not be staked at all, or staked in a less expensive manner than called for by the Mil-Spec. Often the gas key bolts on a commercial AR are not secured according to the Mil-Spec. To do these things costs more money than a typical manufacturer is willing to spend on a commercial AR. And Mil-Spec means that not only are the parts made to a certain dimension, but the surface treatment is of a certain thickness and hardness, fasteners are affixed a certain way and certain inspection steps have been performed.
Mil spec vs commercial spec a2 carry handle series#
The FN 15 Military Collector Series M4 and M16 have similar corresponding parts like handguards, bolt carrier groups and receivers, but the FN guns have actually been built to Mil-Spec where possible. Now, except for a few features that by law are not possible to include on an M4 or M16 destined for the commercial market, FN America has made it possible to own a genuine Mil-Spec gun. Other buyers just want to have a copy in their collection of the AR that is actually used by the military. And for this reason, as well as the fact that the M4 and M16 are well known to most people through movies and television, a lot of people just want to own whatever it is that the military is using. In the minds of most people, Mil-Spec denotes a very rugged, well made piece of equipment that will stand up to hard use in adverse conditions. Although some manufacturers may perform this test, some may not, and others may perform it on only a portion of the guns coming off the assembly line.
In the case of the M4 or M16, each bolt must be built to those specifications, but also tested with a high-pressure round and then examined using a magnetic device to detect any flaws. For example, the Mil-Spec sets forth not only dimensions of parts and the materials used to make them, but also the testing procedure for assuring the part meets a minimum quality standard. Nevertheless, a commercial AR must be semi-automatic only.īut there is more to Mil-Spec than the fire control system, and even though many manufacturers recognize this fact and promote their guns as Mil-Spec, they may not be. Some select fire models have a mechanism to limit the number of rounds fired with one pull of the trigger, and others are limited by only the number of rounds left in the magazine. They can’t be because Mil-Spec ARs are by definition select-fire guns that fire in either the semi-automatic or automatic mode. But if they are intended for the commercial market, they are not truly Mil-Spec. Many manufacturers of AR-style rifles for the commercial market say their product is built to military specifications, or Mil-Spec. Outfitted with ambidextrous charging handle and selector, and FN’s custom 6-position buttstock, pistol grip and magazine, the FN 15 TAC3 is a streamlined, rugged carbine ready for any situation.The new FN 15 Military Collector Series M4 and M16 are as close as a civilian can get to a real M4 or M16 without joining up. The rigid handguard, affixed with a proprietary barrel nut and anti-rotation technology, provides continues 12 o’clock rail space and multiple M-LOK attachment points for lights, lasers and other accessories while minimizing deflection during hard use. Superior accuracy and performance come from the company’s signature chrome-lined, cold hammer-forged barrel made from FN proprietary steel, fully free-floated within a Hodge Defense-designed wedge lock handguard. Built from a MIL-SPEC foundation with HP/MPI-tested and certified bolt and M16-style bolt carrier group with mid-length gas system and H buffer, the TAC3 performs reliably. With all new configurations, finishes and features, the FN 15 TAC3 carbine gives you everything you need in an AR-style rifle from top to bottom, made to FN’s exacting standards.