Redhawk Firearms M-4 Assault Rifle
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| Redhawk Firearms M-4 Assault Rifle | |
|---|---|
 A Guardsman First Class of the Shenandoahan Army National Guard carrying a Redhawk Firearms M-4 assault rifle equipped with a Silverman Stalker nigh vision device | |
| Type | Assault rifle |
| Place of origin |  Shenandoah |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1975 – present |
| Used by | See Operators |
| Production history | |
| Designer | Earl Rock, John Wayne Muncie |
| Designed | 1969 - 1973 |
| Manufacturer | Redhawk Firearms |
| Produced | 1975 – present |
| Variants | See Varaints |
| Specifications | |
| Weight |
|
| Length | 39.5 in (1,003 mm) |
| Barrel length |
|
| Cartridge | .224 Grady |
| Action | Gas-operated, rotating bolt |
| Rate of fire | 700-900 rounds/min |
| Muzzle velocity | 3,150 ft/s (960 m/s) |
| Effective firing range | 300 metres (980 ft) |
| Maximum firing range | 550 m (601 yd) |
| Feed system |
|
The Redhawk Firearms M-4 Assault Rifle is a selective fire assault rifle designed by Earl Rock and John Wayne Mauncy between 1969 and 1973. Currently produced by Redhawk Firearms, it is in service with all three branches of the Shenandoahan Army National Guard, but has been largely replaced in the Shenandoahan Army National Guard by the more compact Redhawk Firearms M-3 Carbine.
History and design
The M-4 rifle is a lightweight, air-cooled, gas-operated, magazine-fed assault rifle chambered in .224 Grady . The M-4's receiver is are made from aluminum alloy, its working parts, including the barrel, bolt, and bolt carrier are made of steel, with its furniture, including the handguards, pistol grip, and buttstock from impact resistant polymer.
The weapons action is very similar to that of its predecessor, the Redhawk M-2 Rifle. This internal piston action system designed by Earl Rock is commonly called a direct impingement system. The original M-4 rifle was especially lightweight at 7.9 pounds (3.6 kg) with a loaded 30-round magazine. This was significantly less than the M-2 that it replaced at 10.7 pounds (4.9 kg) with a loaded 20-round magazine. Weight increased with the adoption of the M-4A2, reaching 8.8 lb (4.0 kg) loaded. This increase is owing the the increased thickness of the weapon's barrel at the muzzle to allow for sustained firing without overheating, and to prevent damage to the muzzle and barrel under field conditions.
The original concept surrounding the M-4 magazine was that they were meant to be a lightweight and disposable. As such, it is made of pressed/stamped aluminum and was not designed to be durable. The rifles original 20-round magazines were quickly replaced by a curved 30-round design. Since its introduction, Many magazines, including commercial and aftermarket designs, have been developed to effectively mitigate these shortcomings, including an all-stainless-steel magazine design, and more modernly, polymer magazines. In 1990, the National Guard began fielding an "improved magazine" identified by a tan-colored follower. The new follower incorporates an extended rear leg and modified bullet protrusion for improved round stacking and orientation. The self-leveling/anti-tilt follower minimizes jamming while a wider spring coil profile creates even force distribution. These improvements did not alter the weight of the magazines. As early as 1985, the Shenandoahan National Guard authorized acquisition of commercial magazines by solders for their M-4 riles so long as they were approved for use by the National Guard, allowing soldiers access to these improved magazines. In 2014, this authorization was extended to include non-standard accessories for their weapons, including stocks, vertical foregrips and optical accessories.
Most M-4 rifles have a barrel threaded in 1⁄2-28" threads to incorporate the use of a muzzle device such as a flash suppressor or sound suppressor. The initial flash suppressor design had three tines or prongs and was designed to preserve the shooter's night vision by disrupting the flash. Unfortunately it was prone to breakage and getting entangled in vegetation. The design was later changed to close the end to avoid this and became known as the "bird cage" flash suppressor. Eventually on the M-4A2 version of the rifle, the bottom port was closed to reduce muzzle climb and prevent dust from rising when the rifle was fired in the prone position. In 1984, Grady Repeating Arms introduced a redesigned flash hider for civilian production M-4 rifles, known as the "Cyclone". This muzzle devise, which weighs 3 ounces, is 2.25 inches long, and does not require a lock washer to attach to barrel, proved extremely effective and popular with shooters. In 1987, the National Guard authorized the acquisition of these devices, and brokered a deal between Redhawk and Grady Repeating Arms to allow for the device to become a standard part for the M-4A2 and the in then in development Redhawk Firearms M-3 Carbine. The threaded barrel allows sound suppressors with the same thread pattern to be installed directly to the barrel; however this can result in complications such as being unable to remove the suppressor from the barrel following sustained fire. To resolve this issue, subsequent suppressor designs commonly install over the M-4s muzzle device as opposed to using the barrel's threads.
All current M-4 type rifles, including the M-3 Carbine, can mount under-barrel 40 mm grenade-launchers, such as the M-1 or M-2 Grenade Launcher.
Operational history
Although considered to be a successful firearm overall, consistent complaints about the reliability of the weapon's direct impingement system has led Redhawk Firearms to continue to develop the weapon to address these concerns. In 2012, Redhawk presented a new weapon to the Shenandoahan National Guard for consideration as a replacement to the M-3 Carbine and M-4A3 Assault Rifle. This new rifle, internal designated by Redhawk as the AR-2012, is similar to the existing M-4 series rifle, but utilizes a short-stroke, gas piston system design which is considered to offer substantial reliability increases over the current direct impingement system. In 2016, the Shenandoahan Army National Guard announced it was examining the idea of replacing the M-4 Assault Rifle and the M-4 Carbine with the Redhawk Firearms M-3 Carbine, also designed by Redhawk Firearms. A version of the Redhawk M-4, designated the M-2 Automatic Rifle, was accepted into service in 2016 as a infantry automatic rifle, a weapon niche that had not been filled in Shenandoahan service since the retirement of the Grady Automatic Rifle in 1965.
Variants
M-4
The M-4 was the first version of the rifle adopted operationally. The originally design utilized a triangular handguard, and lacked a storage space in the butt stocks for a rifle cleaning kit. The weapon featured a three position selector switch, including safe, semiautomatic and fully automatic fire. The Shenandoahan Air National Guard continued to operate these weapons until around 2001 with its security forces units, as well as in basic training roles before replacing it with the M-4A2 variant. Some M-4 rifles remain in service as basic training rifles, as well as in use by various law enforcement agencies across the nation.
M-4A1
The M-4A1 was a carbine length version of the M-4 Assault Rifle. It did not receive an independent carbine designation by the Shenandoahan National Guard as, traditionally, carbines were considered to be a separate weapons system within the military, and no funding for carbine appropriation had been approved by Government Council. Regardless, the military desired a carbine length weapon to replace the Grady Repeating Arms M-2A1 Carbines in service.
The only significant change from the M-4 Assault Rifle was that the barrel was shortened to 15 inches (381 mm) in length, so that it ended just forward of the front sight base. Because of the shorter barrel, no bayonet mounting lugs were provided. Some versions of the M-4A1 received even further reductions in barrel length, to as short as 10 in (250 mm). These weapons, never standard issue, received the designation M-4A1E1 and were primarily used by special forces.
The M-4A1 served as the basis for the Redhawk Firearms M-3 Carbine
M-4A2
The M-4A2 was the second operational model of the M-4 rifle series and saw extensive development and reconfiguration, including increased barrel thickness around the muzzle of the weapon to address concerns of warping or bending in field conditions and to allow a longer period of sustained fire without overheating. In addition the design of the flash suppressor with a closed lower section to prevent dirt or snow from being kicked up when the rifle was fired form the prone position and also functions as a recoil compensator. The weapons handguard was modified from the original triangle shape to a rounded shape which made gripping easier, especially for females and soldiers with smaller hands. The new handguards were also symmetrical so armories need not separate left- and right-hand spares, as was required with the original M-4 triangle handguards. A notch for the middle finger was added to the pistol grip, as well as more texture to enhance the grip. In addition, the rifles buttstock was lengthened and its sturdiness increased due to the use of a new polymer compound in its formation, address concerns of warping or cracking under field conditions.
The most substantial modification to the M-4A2 comes in the reworking of the fire control group and the removal of the fully automatic setting. It was discovered during testing and evaluation of infantry activates that, when using a fully automatic weapon, inexperienced troops would often hold down the trigger and "spray" when under fire, expending vast quantities of ammunition without an increase in hit probability. Following a two year long study, the The Shenandoahan Army National Guard concluded that three-shot groups provide an optimum combination of ammunition conservation, accuracy, and firepower. These findings pushed the Army National Guard to advocate for a three-round burst setting to replace the fully automatic setting on the M-4A2. As the primary user of the rifle in combat conditions, this request was granted. Although the M-4A3 was accepted into service in 2009, large quantities of M-4A2 riles remain in service, primarily with the Shenandoahan Coast Guard and Shenandoahan Air National Guard, but also in some reserve units of the Shenandoahan Army National Guard, though the Army National Guard has begun issuing the Redhawk Firearms M-3 Carbine in favor of the larger M-4 Assault Rifle.
M-4A3
The M-4A2 is the newest version of the M-4 rifle family, and was developed to incorporate improvements introduced in versions of the M-3 Carbine favored by units of the Army National Guard. The M-4A3 is equipped with a removable carrying handle and a full length quadaccessory rail for mounting optics and other ancillary devices on the rifle. It retains the safe/semi/3-round bust trigger group of the M-4A2. Although the M-4A3 was accepted into service by the Army National Guard, it is only issued to support and non-combat personnel, with combat units receiving the M-3 Carbine. All M-4A2s are expected to be phased out of the Air Nation Guard and Coast Guard inventories by 2022.
Further updates to the M-4A3 and its accessories have been proposed since its adoption in 2009, including the introduction of a free-floating barrel to increase accuracy. A 2014 study by Redhawk Firearms using several M-4A3 rifles equipped with free-floating barrels suggested accuracy of the rifle could be increased from 4.5 MOA to 2 MOA, considered a significant improvement by the Redhawk testing team. In addition, there has been considerable efforts made to design the reticle of the Silverman Infantry Combat Gunsight from its current chevron design to a more practical semi-circle with center dot style reticle. Other improvements suggested include the addition of ambidextrous charging handles and bolt catch releases for easier use with left-handed shooters, a reconsideration of the current burst fire system, the use of a trigger group with a more consistent pull force, and utilizing the adjustable stock from the M-3 Carbine, allowing for user to adjust the stock length to facilitate better shouldering for smaller individuals and individuals wearing body armor.
M-3 Carbine
M-4 Precession Rifle
Redhawk Automatic Rifle
The Redhawk Automatic Rifle was an open-bolt, full-automatic-only firearm developed by Redhawk to attempt to fill a perceived gap in the Army National Guard's inventory when the Grady Automatic Rifle was retired in 1965, and replaced by the Blitz & Keckler M-4 Machine Gun, serving in the infantry squad as a general-purpose machine gun. The Redhawk Automatic Rifle is distinctive from the basic M-4 series by its squared-off handguard, vertical grip, carrying handle and integrated bipod.
Proposed to the Army in 1977 as an alternative at the squad level to the heavier and more cumbersome M-4 machine gun, the weapon tested extensively by the Shenandoahan National Guard from 1975 to 1982 and was not ultimately adopted for service, the Army National Guard instead preferring to keep the M-4 with tis heavier round at the squad level. As such the Redhawk Automatic Rifle received no official National Guard designation.
A second version of the Redhawk Automatic Rifle was developed in the late 1970's, and was essentially a standard M-4A1 style rifle with a heavy 20 inch barrel and integrated bipod. The rifle could utlize standard M-4 magazines, and a special 50 round box magazine was also designed for its use. Though, again, not formally adopted by the Army National Guard, it was reportedly used in limited number by special forces in the 1980's and 1990's.
In 2007, the Army National Guard reversed its position on the M-4, and stated a desire for a lighter squad automatic weapon. While the Redhawk Automatic Rifle was reexamined, it was not seriously considered for the role, having aged out of service and needing substantial updates. The award would eventually go to the Ostlander Reich Ausrüstung Gesellschaft Maschinengewehr 05, designated as the M-5 Machine Gun in Shenandoahan service.
In 2015, the idea of the Redhawk Automatic Rifle would again be revisited, this time in an updated version utilizing the short-stroke, gas piston system of the Redhawk Firearms M-3 Carbine. In 2018 this weapon, designated as the Redhawk Firearms M-2 Automatic Rifle entered service with the Army National Guard.
Redhawk Pistol Caliber Carbine
The Redhawk Pistol Caliber Carbine was designed in the early 1980's as a pistol caliber carbine intended for use by law enforcement agencies in Shenandoah. Offered in several calibers, including 9×19mm, .45 Weston and, later, .40 Grady, it was marginally successful on both the law enforcement and civilian markets, but was never accepted into service by the Shenandoahan National Guard.
Redhawk Compact Assault Rifle
The Redhawk Compact Assault Rifle was an experimental personal defense weapon system developed by Redhawk Firearms in 1997 as an alternative to the Pequeñoya Armería M-4 Submachine Gun in service with the Shenandoahan National Guard. Essentially a scaled down version of the M3A2 Assault Rifle, the Redhawk CAR had an overall length of 23.5 with the stock collapse, The Redhawk CAR was chambered in a shortened version of the .224 Grady cartridge, which retained the same bullet diameter, but had a total length of 1.1 inches, or 30 mm. The 55 grain .244 CAR round had a stated velocity of 2,592 ft/s (790 m/s) from the Redhawk CAR's 10.5 in barrel. Redhawk claimed the round would offer substantial enhancements to accuracy, range and lethality over existing rounds like 9x19 mm or the Trinovantan 5.7×28 mm round used in the InMp-70. According to Redhawk internal testing data, the cartridge had no issues penetrating kevlar helmets and body armor at 300+ meters.
The CAR would have featured an integrated Silverman 1.5x optical sight, and utilized the same pattern of magazine as the M-4 Assault Rifle, modified for the new shorter round but retaining the same 30 round capacity.
Redhawk also experimented with a unique .45 Weston round known as .45 CAR round seemingly inspired by the Soviet Order 9×39 mm round, which would have also had a case length of 1.1 in, or 30 mm. Little information is available on this cartridge as none were produced.
Although a patent was granted for the weapon to Redhawk in 1999, it was never produced past the prototype phase, nor was it tested by the Shenandoahan National Guard, which ultimately adopted the Pequeñoya Armería M-4 Submachine Gun in the personal defensive weapon role in 2010. A total of six Redhawk CAR weapons systems were produced.
Operators
- Shenandoah
- Shenandoahan National Guard: The Grady Repeating Arms M-4 Assault Rifle has been the standard service rifle of the Shenandoahan National Guard since 1967, with the M-4A3 accepted into service in 2012.
- Shenandoah Forestry Service
- Shenandoah State Police
- Shenandoah Tribal Police
