So, if you have an Army M4A1, you may have an issue with that selector switch
FORT GORDON, Ga. – Spc. Alexander Musarra, Company B, 782nd Military Intelligence Battalion, from Miami, Florida, is shown here firing his M4A1 carbine rifle during the Stress Shoot Exercise which was an event on day one of the 780th MI Brigade’s Best Warrior Competition, April 23.
Saftey of use message:
- A small number (881 out of 259,000) of M16/M4 weapons have been found to potentially have an unintended discharge while manipulating the selector.
- An additional step in the updated Function Check will readily determine if your M16/M4 is affected.
- If your M16/M4 passes the additional steps to the Function Check to inspect for this problem, there is absolutely no need to change Immediate Action procedures.
- The previous Immediate Action procedure (“SPORTS”) has been since replaced with an improved procedure described in TC 3-22.9. TACOM and the published Technical Manuals have not yet updated to the new standard.
SOUM #18-004 alerted the field of an unintended discharge on an M4A1 PIP’ed (Product Improvement Program) weapons that occurred when the operator pulled the trigger with the selector switch between the SEMI and AUTO detents (outside of detent). The weapon did not fire when the operator pulled the trigger and instead fired when the selector was moved further. As a result of this incident, an on-going investigation determined that there is the potential for all carbines and rifles noted above, to behave in this way.
First, this potential mechanical problem is uncommon. The Army has converted 259,000 M4s to M4A1s in the past three years with the M4 carbine product improvement program. Out of 259,000, 881 have been found to exhibit this problem.
Second, TACOM’s updated Function Check will easily determine if your M16/M4 is one of those of the small number affected.