A

It’s probably the ones left behind

I’ve seen them with the Vietnam area ones recently brand new out of storage boxes

the M855 was designed specifically to be fired from the M16 20' barrel giving it maximum armor pen value

But the distance of fire and the body armor that the Russians fielded there 5.56 mm cartridge will provide no stopping power.....and given the muddy condition of Ukraine impingement instead of piston operating will be the Achilles heel of that rifle. And for close engagement, a long barrel will be very unwieldy. Most Ukrainian servicemen will not live long enough to experience the expected problems. Yes, the West will fight to the last Ukrainian. Well, something is better than nothing..

@@TheArmourersBench Well you just lost some credibility... If you knew ANYTHING about the 5.56 you would know it was designed to punch through the old Soviet shit that is on the battlefield right now with that 20" full length barrel for full velocity and penetration value. The original 55 grain M193 was proven to punch through both sides of a Soviet era steel pot helmet at 300m. Those helmets are in wide use right now. Along with the lack of body armor. The Russian Army as a whole has basically reverted back to Soviet era gear making this even more valuable. For an "armorer" you don't know shit about US service cartridges.

@@chrisfly777300ER no, i same bullet type is compared. The 5.45 has a better ballistic coefficient.

@@mattandrews8528 It's not just the length, 5.45 can hold the same (rather little more) amount of powder inside

Yeah I think they have been largely FN made, the early contracts went to Colt, 100k+, but a lot of the more recent contracts have been with FN from the awards I've seen.

Most likely FN since I believe they had the most recent runs. There was a third company that produced a run of A4s I just don't remember who it was (you can probably ask the guys from Ohio Ordnance Works). I had to snag two of the cage coded FN made A4 uppers when OOW had them for sale bc they were so inexpensive (400-500 dollars). I can only speak for the uppers I received but they are both incredibly accurate (one is sub MOA with 77gr tipped matchking, the other is about 1.5 to 2 MOA with the same rounds) and I've never had a malfunction with either one (both on gen 2 Aero lowers). Was never really an AR-15 guy until I picked up those FNs, now I'm hooked.

@Hagscock I think at one time I recall Sabre Defence had been awarded a contract for either rifles or parts, but not long after they were shut down by the State Department and ATF for smuggling machine guns into the UK

Why did the US Army move over to the M4 ??

@@MultiDrew83 Probably for Clearing rooms, and going in and out of armoured vehicles etc

It did not jam? Were you a cook? Or just didn't have any bullets?

@@blacklight4720 no, i just know how to clean and lubricate a rifle properly. I was actually in an infantry unit. I cleaned my rifle right after waking and before bed. In Iraq I used a dry lube so it wouldn't attract dust and gum up. I always tried to keep a shoot thru muzzle cap on. I kept the ejection port closed as much as possible. I had a specific carbon scraper for bolt and carrier. When your life is dependent on it, you damn well maintain it.

@@cascadianrangers728 Not the experience I had with the rifle. Kept jamming from time to time. To the point where you wonder if the rifle will let you down while clearing a room.

@@blacklight4720 I'm sorry man that fucking sucks! I forgot to mention that I used either pmags or steel body mags with anti tilt follower, I've found a huge amount of malfunctions could be attributed just to magazine issues; the issue mags w/ green follower are pretty garbage, that and for some reason armorers don't seem to change buffer springs ever, I'm certain good quality magazines and a wolff gunsprings +10% extra power buffer spring were major factors in the reliability

@@cascadianrangers728 sounds like you're your own armorer. To be honest that's the right way to go about it, when life is in stake.

I'm inclined to agree, controllable in burst, lots of rail space , more than accurate enough and pretty robust. Definitely wouldn't be disappointed to be issued one if I was a Ukrainian soldier.

@@TheArmourersBench M16 A4s are not full auto. They are 3 round burst or semi. I am a former US Marine who has had extensive experience with them, I even deployed to Iraq with one. Later I joined the Army National Guard and was issued an M4. I prefer the M16, although that might just be because I have so much experience with them. Great rifle and platform.

I agree, the us military's obsession with shortening everything basically landed them with a worse weapon in the M4.

I agree by far my favorite varient, I always shot better at weapon qualifications with the m16 then the m4. Also the ability to keep a full cleaning kit in the rifle is awsome

Quite right Beau, I was thinking burst but wrote full auto haha.

They work, huh? The one I pulled from the armory for use at the range was absolute shit. Mean rounds between failures was no more than 180. I can't imagine they're sending the "good" ones to Ukraine. This seems like more of a death sentence to me, having used the rifle during my service, albeit briefly (about 1000 rounds through it, not my main service weapon at all).

@@saml7610 we were hitting beyond 300yds with ridiculously worn out M16A2s back in 2004. M16A4 is a solid weapon. Yes, likely getting rid of worn out stock from OIF/OEF, but it's not that hard to replace the barrels.

@@saml7610 probably had worn springs and crap mags. If it's maintained, it'll work great.

@@saml7610Doesn't seem all that scientific to only use your experience to generlize an idea for a weapon system...

Now only POGS have M16s 👀

@@jagaterbarn5744 And Reservists.

@@jagaterbarn5744 former POG here. M16 is life.

true

Designed by Filipino inventor Armando Malite. Used by the whole world for so maby decades

@@reymeradrianotv4001 Nope, that’s just an urban legend

@@reymeradrianotv4001 eugene stoner

​@@reymeradrianotv4001Armalite, lol I get it

It's definitely in the works. I'm curious about that too

I read they came out of Belgium

@@nigeldean3726 I mean, Sweden has been sending a large number of small arms as well, though.

@@Oddball_E8 Yes and what else could it even be than the AK5?

@@skitidetdu6672 Ksp 58 has been seen in Ukraine. They could be sending AK-4's, Ksp 90 or Psg 90. Hell, they could have sent some AG 90 too. Technically, Carl Gustaf and the like is counted as small arms as well.

I remember seeing a new story on TV about that. If I recall correctly, it was during the battle at the cemetery.

The use of the ACOG is why this is the case. The 4x optic essentially made every Marine a mid range sniper. Even if the Iraqis make good use of cover, their heads are still likely to be the biggest target available. All that said, training and discipline trumps tool selection.

"The deadliest weapon in the world is a Marine and his rifle!" - Gen. John J. Pershing

M27 HK IAR is the rifle that in 2017 the USMC equipped every member of an infantry squad. Thank you Commandant James Conway.

@@F15ElectricEagle It's actually the radio.

we are about to hear a bunch of whining and crying ivans when heads start exploding from 500 to 600 meters away

It takes a good trigger group, a clean break, and good quality accurate ammo to explode heads at 500 Meters.

@@assclapper2231 They did. The USMC in particular ended up under investigation because the Corps in Iraq were racking up so many headshots that some thought they were executing prisoners. They weren't, obviously. It's just that an ACOG on a damn fine rifle in the hands of professional combat marksman makes for something terrifying in application.

Have seen the video! Some very interesting footage.

🔫

@@d3m1gawd81 Send them some 77 grain

@@trofchik9488 ASSUMING you find Russian Soldier these days with issued armor, AND it’s not gift armor from China and actually correctly made you are correct. It’s still going to hurt like a MOFO tho.

Ratnik “Body Armour”

@@trofchik9488 M855A1 most definitely will penetrate that armor

I had one when I was a Navy corpsman. I'm now in the process of slowly building mine. Though I'm going to build mine with a 1 in 9 twist chrome-lined heavy barrel. With a PSA u.s. government marked M-16 A4 clone lower. And eventually once I get everything in the last thing I'm going to do is put one of those Franklin Armory binary triggers in there. I can't wait to see how that things going to shoot with the heavy barrel.

@@mason569 did you get your 1/9 twist heavy barrel from "Small Team Supplies"? I did and with 62gr green tip that barrel is a half or better moa all day long.

@@brazzy1467 no I've never checked them out before I'm getting mine from Delton. I haven't ordered it yet I just ordered the lower from Palmetto State Armory. It's a slow work in progress

don't worry, they probably sold them all to china by now lol

Glad you think so! Thanks for watching.

Definitely more and more M4A1s appearing

4x Acog>

@@Schmidty1 I used to think a scope was excellent, till I grew out of it. It felt more marriage-like to have iron sights. If I see a small figure far away, I bet I could line up sights and plink a few rounds. I could shoot further away accurately and up close without worrying about scope in my way. You could say the 1000 yard stare is your scope, but you need to worry about close quarter combat too.

@@CenobiteBeldar The acog can be used in cqb pretty decently

Thanks for watching!

It might be that they've issued out quite a few for propaganda purposes, to appear in the video. Difficult to know.

@@TheArmourersBench That makes sense. So if they just grabbed the rifles right out of the boxes for the video and photo, they would not had worked out who is getting the 40mms just yet. On a second note, if I was there and was handed one of these rifles, I would not feel bad about that at all. It is a bit long and older, but they are great rifles, and these seem to have not been ridden hard and put up wet like some rifles I see in inventory.

Definitely been something a lot of countries have done over the years but as I say, tricky to know for sure. Yeah, having gotten some trigger time with an A4 recently, I wouldn't not be disappointed to be handed one!

Well, rifle grenades have always done well in extending the range of a hand thrown grenade. Considering lots of combat is taking place with entrenched enemy positions, that extra bit of blammo would be super handy. Also, the 40mm grenade was one of the reasons the 60mm mortar systems have declined in numbers in the latter part of the 20th century. I get that a proper 60mm Mortar can usually outrange even the best 40mm automatic grenade launcher...But, 35 rounds of 40mm dropping 1500m away in a short order is quite a lot of bombardment capability for a small crew. And the Russian model AGS-40 ranges out to 2500m, and it gets used in the mortar type fire support missions regularly.

We just shipped over our overstock of rifles. In this case, the majority of them have M203 on them

Core?

@@larrys4383 USMC

If you were in the United States, you could come to my house and try one. No full auto, though.

@@georgesakellaropoulos8162 Hahhah, thanks :)

@@georgesakellaropoulos8162 You could have full auto like the Ukraine boys if you really wanted it

Used a M16A2 during my days as a Singapore army reservist

@@hellishcyberdemon7112 Trying to stay law abiding for the moment. I know what to do when I need to.

That's something I'm actively working on. Working on traxki at least 2 dozen different weapons at the moment.

Perhaps so, I will have to see if we can see some marking in future imagery.

The Army never really issued the M16A3 it was mainly a navy issued weapon (Seals, sea bees). Army security forces and maybe Army special forces had them in inventory for a brief period around 2000 (prbably never used them as they had M4A1's), Theyre almost definently A4s.

Plenty of ACOGs on all the M4s that have been in use since the spring. Il cover them in more detail in my video on the M4s! Thanks for watching.

Been seeing guys also take the ACOGs off of NLAWs and putting them on rifles after the launchers are used.

@@baneofbanes Hey that was something I didn't know! I looked it up and the NLAWs have a Trijicon NCOG on them! Wow, a $2000+ optic on a disposable missile launcher tube!.

@@gandalfgreyhame3425 4x ACOGs are not $2k. You can get a basic TA-31 for $900. RCO for a bit over $1100.

@@jcoolG192 Yep, you are correct, although some versions of the ACOGs have retail listings on the Trijicon site at over $1700

From the few images of them we have I'd say they're probably recent production from FN. Thanks for watching.

Happy to. Send me some examples of their use Ukraineweaponstracking@gmail.com

Ain’t that the fucking truth.

"b-b-b-but 65 years ago the rifle was bad according to anecdotes!"

@@Nathan-Roman Dont you know? The first lots of ammo for the M16 (Not even A1, M16-) where made with the wrong kind of gunpowder and had problems, which means all AR15 derivitives afterwards are all trash, TRASH I TELL YOU, unusable! What if someone finds a box of ammunition with a 1960 production code EH? WHAT THEN, THEY ARE DOOMED

I haven't but that would be interesting to do!

@@TheArmourersBench Perhaps that is a test that can only be done in Ukraine. ( They use both. And the heavy automatic weapon versions also. )

The thing is 7.62x51 battle rifles are not really competitive for the kind of fighting happening there.

Or build a good one for $1,000.

@@SonOfTheDawn515 not with a hammer forged barrel with SAW spec chrome lined bore and chamber you won’t !

Gov will send these all over the world to anybody but god forbid your ar15 can shoot 3 bullets with one pull of the trigger.

@@hws-rl1cp in actual combat, well trained soldiers seldom use full auto on their battle rifles

@@hws-rl1cp right!!!

Can't spot any in the photo but I would imagine they would have shipped with them if they shipped them by the issue list. Not seen a lot of bayonet use in Ukraine come to think of it. Odd considering Russian doctrine.

@@TheArmourersBench The Ukrainians will have to push the Russ out for good by standing on their ground and taking it from them so I think bayonets will be used sooner or later. Nothing says "f*ck off" like a company of lads with fixed bayonets. It's a statement of intent more than anything.

@@zoiders yeah, the psychological value/impact of them is hard to argue against.

Yeah exactly. I think this would still be very much essential both for training and the hardware, as British infantry units did have to actually use bayonets a few times during direct confrontations with enemy forces in Afghanistan.

@@TheArmourersBench why bayonet someone when you can just shoot them?

Better than a 14.5 inch tube i personally prefer the 16 inch tube uppers.

The FN FNC rifle is one of two rifles I consider top tier rifles. The other is the Robinson Arms XCR-L rifle. Both are clear diversions from the AR-15/M-16 platform. The XCR-L and FN FNC are long stroke, gas piston operated. Both with side mounted charging handles. The FN FNC is on the right side. The R.A. XCR-L is on the left side. Both have folding stocks. The stocks fold to the right sight with positive locking in the folded and straight positions. The FN FNC is made in Belgium. The Robinson Arm's XCR-L is made in Utah, USA. Both chambered in 5.56-NATO. Both use STANAG sized magazines. These are NATO specification magazines. Both have piccatinney rails to add optics. Both are very dependable in adverse conditions.

Hell just ask Joe Biden if you can have one since we’re just handing out weaponry.

I don’t know if you notice but in the arms packages we send Ukraine. Every month there is usually one line that says millions of rounds of small arms ammunition. That is probably almost all 5.56 and any 5.45/7.62 laying around. Don’t think 5.56 ammo would ever be a problem quantity wise if the U.S. and the west keeps supplying it.

@@Mortablunt honestly I'm a far right winger (for today western standards) and if you ask, for me the war in Ukraine is a problem between Slavs, so absolutely not my business. My comment was only related to the type of war and the rifle in consideration.

@@Mortablunt The overwhelming majority of ukranians are not nazis

The problem with a longer range infantry rifle is a after a certain point it just starts competing with armored vehicles and artillery, which totally outclass it. Most of the rifle fighting is as always very close.

@@Mortablunt That presumes that they have consistent support for everyone which isn't the case. An AK with irons is fine until it isn't. In any case, they get what we have to send so it's not like they're choosing the A4 over everything and anything else. Edit: it seems like these might be new rifles based on what others have said so maybe I'm wrong. Not sure.

@@Mortablunt that's what NLAW and Javs are for.

@@Mortablunt how is it a problem to have a more accurate rifle in an open space?

Yeah the 16.5 inch barrels of the M27 are a nice size to be used for both urban and rural engagements especially when 5.56mm ammo needs at least over 2600 fps to be lethal and the 16 inch keeps its at 2900 fps to do what it does best.

Not yet but its coming!

@@TheArmourersBench what about the M2 50 cal?

Not yet but I'm collecting data all the time, definitely planning a video. Check out the playlist in the end cards of the video it has everything I've done so far, about 40 vids.

@@TheArmourersBench I'm a big fan of your videos especially the series on the war in Ukraine. Thank you for responding to your viewers and keep up the great work. 🔥💣💥

I'm glad you're enjoying them and finding them useful! Certainly keeping me busy.

All A4s are 'DI', thank for watching.

@@TheArmourersBench Thank you. I know the HK makes the AR pattern rifles with the piston but those are not the M16 variants with the direct impingement right?

Yes, lots and lots of them in use.

Thanks for watching. That's what I aim for.

Thanks for watching! Check out some of the earlier videos hope you find them interesting.

...Pop

@@TheArmourersBench woooooosh

Id be interested to see that

Yeah I’m sure it is, especially when someone else is paying for them.

On the top? That's the fibre optic which illuminates the reticle.

@@TheArmourersBench ahh thx

they/them army

Definitely a propagandized photo inteded for Western audiences.

@@IFarmBugs as is almost everything released by Ukraine.

Where?

@@IFarmBugs Bullshit. Citizen soldiers. You fight with the army you have.

Most of Ukraine is a large open environment so probably a good choice.

People keep dismissing the 5.56 and I keep having to explain the logistical reasons why it 100% is the right choice. There are also numerous things about 5.56 platforms that make them a force multiplier that the AK variants are not. Every state arsenal in NATO supplies 5.56 by the million on a weekly basis. Supplies of 7.62x39 come nowhere near to that. Outside of Russia there are two nations producing 7.62x39 namely Serbia and the Czech Republic and both of those nations prefer 5.56. Two. Versus every other NATO nation.

@@zoiders The standard issue rifle of the Ukrainian ground forces is the AK-74, which uses 5.45×39mm ammo, not 7.62x39. This round has similar characteristics compared to the 5.56 cartridge, so definitely no force multiplier difference here as far as ammo is concerned.

@@Drrolfski Again you are focusing on the wrong factors. Ukraine were fighting with what they have which was historical stocks of AK74 pattern rifles. They did however have notable numbers of Western rifles in service and now they have tens of thousands of them at least. The AK74 is hard to modernise. The glut of rifles such as the M16/C7/C8/Bren 2/SCAR L etc all have the ability to mount not just optics but night vision and the all important IR laser for target designation. These are the things that make a modern infantry rifle and its why they want more of them. The Russians have reported losing entire battalion HQs to Ukrainian company size attacks. Mostly at 3AM in the morning. That is how NATO fights, that is how the Ukrainian troops they trained now fight. You can't keep up with that with your iron sighted AK74. The logistical problems in relation to 5.45x39 are even greater than with 7.62x39.

@@zoiders I'm not focussing on the wrong factors. As I said, if anything it is about the optics that can make the difference with NATO small arms, not so much the rifles themselves and definitely not the ammo. And the scenarios you mention are mostly relevant for shock troops/special forces on the offensive. For the average Ukrainian soldier, defending a static trench line that sees only artillery duels, replacing the AK-74s they're comfortable with, is definitely not the highest priority atm. As for logistics, afaik Ukraine is still producing its own 5.45x39 ammo (at least it did before the invasion). Bulgaria, Poland, and Romania are also producing it.

@@Drrolfski Despite all that patronising guff about Ukrainian infantry the fact remains that they are being sent thousands of rifles by western nations and millions upon millions of rounds of 5.56 ball. Its not a debate - that is what is happening and it is one of the reasons Ukrainian troops have been so effective because their small arms and training out matches that of the Mobiks. Poland doesn't use 5.45 anymore. Just because you bought a surplus can of it at a gun show once it doesn't make it current production. You are getting fixated on that Americanism of "manual of arms". Most Ukrainians fighting today had never used a rifle before. They are not "used" to the AK74 pattern and they not illiterates who can't be taught how to use other weapons.