The M4 Carbine: Aged to perfection

The M4 carbine is a lightweight, gas-operated, air-cooled, magazine-fed, selective fire weapon that is the primary infantry weapon of the United States military. It is a shorter and lighter variant of the M16 rifle, with a barrel length of 14.5 inches (37 cm) and a total length of 33 inches (84 cm) with the stock fully extended.

The M4 carbine was developed in the 1990s due to the United States Army's development and adoption of the M16A2 rifle, a more advanced version of the original M16 rifle. The M4 was designed to be a lighter and more compact version of the M16A2, with a shorter barrel and collapsible stock, making it easier to maneuver in tight spaces.

The development of the M4 carbine was driven by the changing nature of warfare, with more and more combat occurring in urban environments and other confined spaces. The M4 carbine was intended to provide a more versatile and effective weapon for soldiers in these situations while maintaining the accuracy and reliability of the M16A2.

The M4 carbine was first fielded by the United States military in the mid-1990s and has since become one of the most widely used weapons in the US military and in the military and law enforcement agencies of many other countries. Its modularity and customization options have made it popular for special forces and other specialized military units.

The M4 has undergone over 90 modifications since it was introduced in 1994 to enhance the ergonomics and modularity of the weapon, including the M4A1, which strengthened the barrel and eliminated the burst-fire option, the SOPMOD, an accessory kit with optical attachments, and the under-barrel M203 grenade launcher.

Since the early 1990s, and has seen widespread adoption by other military and law enforcement agencies worldwide. It is a versatile weapon that can be used in various roles, including as a standard infantry weapon and in close-quarters combat and special operations.

The M4 carbine is known for its accuracy, reliability, and modularity, and it can be customized with various accessories and attachments to suit the needs of the user. It is chambered for the 5.56x45mm NATO round, which provides good penetration and accuracy while remaining relatively lightweight.

It is difficult to determine the exact number of M4 carbines built, as production has been ongoing since the 1990s, and multiple manufacturers, including Colt and FN Herstal, produce the weapon.

The problem is complicated because the M4 has undergone several design changes, with different variants and configurations produced for different military and law enforcement organizations.

That being said, it is estimated that well over a million M4 carbines have been produced since its introduction in the 1990s. The exact number is not publicly available, as it is considered sensitive military information. However, it is clear that the M4 carbine has been a very successful and widely used weapon, and it will likely remain in service for many years.

That is unless the SIG MCX Spear, also known as the XM7 (chosen by the U.S. Army in April 2022 as the winner of the Next Generation Squad Weapon Program), replaces it in the future.

Whatever the future has in store, the M4 carbine remains a very capable weapon that has continuously improved and upgraded over the years. It is also widely used by military and law enforcement organizations worldwide, and many soldiers and other personnel are trained on the M4 carbine.