Does FN make the M4?

[deMontacute]

Does FN make M4s? I know they make the the M16 variants, but was under the impression that Colt had exclusive license to produce the M4 for the Military. I know a Marine that says that he was issued an FN M4. I have no reason to doubt him, but had always heard that the M4 was under exclusive license to Colt. Can anyone chime in here, CITES either for or against appreciated...

[James Cox]

CMT lost their military contracts awhile ago. What you hear is correct. FN currently produces and supplies all M4's. They do NOT however, sell them to the public.

[Rebel_James]

I saw a TV show on the Military Channel awhile back about the FN factory in NC. It was about the process of building the M4 from scratch to the final test firing.

One thing that was kind of noteworthy. One of the men that did the test firing had a son in the Army stationed in Iraq. His son carried a rifle his Dad had testfired at the factory.


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http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v32/Rebel_James/Stag15001.jpg

[Branspop]

Colt has a sole source contract for the M4

http://www.ca1.uscourts.gov/pdf.opinions/06-1696-01A.pdf

The design set forth in MIL-C-70559 was deemed proprietary to Colt and, as part of the Addendum, the military designated Colt as its sole supplier of M4s until 2011.



http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/20/AR2008042000854.html

Colt's exclusive production agreement ends in June 2009. At that point, the Army, in its role as the military's principal buyer of firearms, may have other gunmakers compete along with Colt for continued M4 production.


In 1994, Colt was awarded a no-bid contract to make the weapons. Since then, it has sold more than 400,000 to the U.S. military.


BTW, there is an interesting rebuttal to the article here:

http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=118&t=374893

[deMontacute]

Colt has a sole source contract for the M4

http://www.ca1.uscourts.gov/pdf.opinions/06-1696-01A.pdf

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/04/20/AR2008042000854.html

BTW, there is an interesting rebuttal to the article here:

http://www.ar15.com/forums/topic.html?b=3&f=118&t=374893
That's what I had always thought, but this guy is a Marine, and swears that he was issued an FN made M4. I didn't want to say has was wrong because I respect his service. I assume since the M-16 A4s are common in the Marine Corp that perhaps he is getting the two confused...

[theberettaman]

I believe that if Colt who has exclusive rights to supply guns to the US,they have the right to have FN make the guns for them.I think it's called outsourceing???

[BOSS302]

Colt has the contract until 2011 for all M4s. FN makes the M16s. I've seen a few that had mismatched lowers and uppers, you do what you can to get a functioning rifle.

[deMontacute]

I believe that if Colt who has exclusive rights to supply guns to the US,they have the right to have FN make the guns for them.I think it's called outsourceing???
No, Colt most definitely does not outsource to FN (one of its biggest competitors). Colt holds the exclusive contract for the M4, but not the rest of the M-16 family including the M-16A4. I think that is where people get confused...

[caponec2]

was the Marine talking about the Benelli M4?

[deMontacute]

Nope, this came up in reference to the spate of articles about the M4 replacements.

[Branspop]

Marines don't carry the M4 (as a general rule). They carry the M16A4 (current issue), which is made by FN and Colt. I think he is just getting his nomenclature confused.

http://www.fnmfg.com/products/m16fam/m16a4.htm

Dec 26/07: FN Manufacturing in Columbia, SC received a $33.7 million firm-fixed-price, contract for M16A3 and M16A4 Rifles to support the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps. Work will be performed in Columbia, SC, and is expected to be complete by Dec 31/10. Contract funds will not expire at the end of the current fiscal year. Web bids were solicited on Sep. 10, 2007, and 9 bids were received by TACOM LCMC in Rock Island, IL (W52H09-08-D-0121).

Dec 26/07: Colt Defense in Hartford, CT received a $15.9 million firm-fixed-price contract for M16A3 and M16A4 Rifles to support the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Marine Corps. Work will be performed in Hartford, CT and is expected to be complete by Dec 13/10. Web bids were solicited on Sept 10/07, and 9 bids were received. by TACOM LCMC in Rock Island, IL (W52H09-08-D-0122).

http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/the-usas-m-16-rifle-purchases-04517/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:USMC_M16A4_Rifle.JPG

[Onmilo]

A4, M4, it's all the same,,,,right? :)

[kirgi08]

I saw a TV show on the Military Channel awhile back about the FN factory in NC. It was about the process of building the M4 from scratch to the final test firing.

One thing that was kind of noteworthy. One of the men that did the test firing had a son in the Army stationed in Iraq. His son carried a rifle his Dad had testfired at the factory.


.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v32/Rebel_James/Stag15001.jpg

That was a GI Factory episode,watched it myself.'08. :supergrin:

[LSP972]

Marines don't carry the M4 (as a general rule).


The guy montacute is referring to claims to have been in Force Recon.

They have M4s.

.

[Morris]

Per Colt - M4s are theirs, M16A4s are FN. Will be that way for awhile but anything is subject to change, especially if FN gets the TDP.

[RM]

Marines don't carry the M4 (as a general rule). They carry the M16A4 (current issue), which is made by FN and Colt. I think he is just getting his nomenclature confused.

http://www.fnmfg.com/products/m16fam/m16a4.htm



http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/the-usas-m-16-rifle-purchases-04517/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:USMC_M16A4_Rifle.JPG

About 1 in 4 Marines have a carbine in operational units.

[psybain]

Exactly RM. I just got back from Iraq about a month ago and pretty much everyone in our IRP (along with a few others that were TAD from other units) were issued the M4.