Colt Automatic Rifle
Encyclopedia
Colt Automatic Rifle is a 5.56 mm NATO firearm offered by Colt Defense
. It is based on the M16A2/A4
, but features full automatic fire, an integrated bipod, and it can be configured to fire from an open bolt. The forward hand-grip has a distinctive squared off shape.
It is one of many SAW
-type firearms that have been developed from the AR-15
. Others include the Colt CMG-1 machine gun
and CAR-15 Heavy Assault Rifle.
AR-15
family at the end of the 1950s. The name "Colt Automatic Rifle" should not be confused with Colt's original CAR-15
weapon family. Originally known as the Colt M16 LMG or simply as the Colt LMG (LMG standing for Light Machine Gun
in this context), this weapon was developed as a join venture by Colt and Diemaco, a Canadian firm licensed by Colt to produce variants of the M16
family. Diemaco was recently purchased by Colt bringing that story full circle.
The Colt/Diemaco weapon can trace its lineage back to a number of weapons developed both at Colt and by the US military. These weapons were all designed to fill the role of the Browning Automatic Rifle. The BAR was originally planned to have been replaced by the M15, a variant of the M14
designed to fill a similar role. With the cancellation of that weapon, the BAR was initially replaced by the M14 itself, and then by a variant of that weapon, the M14A1. When the M14 was removed from frontline service the US automatic rifleman was given an M16A1
and was supposed to use this weapon set to the fully automatic setting while the rest of the squad used the rifle in the semi-automatic setting. Throughout the period between the introduction of the M16 and the introduction of the M249 as a purpose built squad automatic weapon at the end of the SAW trials, interim weapons were developed and tested in order to fill the gap.
Colt engineer Rob Roy also created a belt fed version of the 606, named the "Heavy Assault Rifle M2," based on a feed system developed for the AR-10
by Eugene Stoner and John Peck back at Armalite. This weapon was also sent to the US Army for testing, in a variety of capacities (even as a possible helicopter door gun), but was rejected.
). Colt had also originally used the M60 bipod, but switched this to a proprietary design that was lighter for the subsequent Model 750
The Colt Model 750 was an improvement of the basic principle of the Colt LMG, developed jointly by Colt and Diemaco with an eye toward the Canadian Army (though they would eventually select the FN MINIMI
). The improved version featured all A2 parts and is essentially the same as original variant externally except for the redesigned vertical foregrip, now of a straight cylindrical style that is ribbed. This weapon was marketed by Diemaco as the Diemaco C7 Light Support Weapon (LSW) or simply as the LSW.
Colt and Diemaco further improved on the design, adding a flat top carry handle and a further improved bipod to the weapon in the '90s. Colt refers to it as the Model 950, but markets it as the Colt Automatic Rifle, and until their purchase by Colt, as the Diemaco LSW. Because of the Colt-Diemaco partnership on this system, it was the only weapon in their product line to feature A2 rear sights, and when modified a detachable carry handle with A2 rear sights (the majority of Diemaco's product line had A1 rear sights, and they actually developed a detachable carry handle with A1 rear sights). A maple leaf
is stamped on the lower receiver of current Colt Automatic Rifles.
Colt Defense
Colt Defense LLC, together with its subsidiaries, is a designer, developer and manufacturer of small arms weapons systems for individual soldiers and law enforcement personnel. It is headquartered in West Hartford, Connecticut...
. It is based on the M16A2/A4
M16 rifle
The M16 is the United States military designation for the AR-15 rifle adapted for both semi-automatic and full-automatic fire. Colt purchased the rights to the AR-15 from ArmaLite, and currently uses that designation only for semi-automatic versions of the rifle. The M16 fires the 5.56×45mm NATO...
, but features full automatic fire, an integrated bipod, and it can be configured to fire from an open bolt. The forward hand-grip has a distinctive squared off shape.
It is one of many SAW
Squad automatic weapon
A squad automatic weapon is a weapon used to give infantry squads or sections a portable source of automatic firepower. Weapons used in this role are selective-fire rifles, usually fitted with a bipod and heavier barrel to perform as Light machine guns...
-type firearms that have been developed from the AR-15
AR-15
The AR-15 is a lightweight, 5.56 mm, air-cooled, gas-operated, magazine-fed semi-automatic rifle, with a rotating-lock bolt, actuated by direct impingement gas operation. It is manufactured with the extensive use of aluminum alloys and synthetic materials....
. Others include the Colt CMG-1 machine gun
Colt CMG-1 machine gun
The Colt Machine Gun-1 or CMG-1 was an open bolt belt-fed machine gun that fired 5.56x45mm cartridges designed by Colt Manufacturing Company in 1965. Colt hastily developed the CMG-1 to complement the CAR-15, a Colt branding of the M16 rifle, so that Colt might offer both of them as an alternative...
and CAR-15 Heavy Assault Rifle.
Overview
The Colt Automatic Rifle is the name of a current product, but Colt has developed a number of similar weapons since the company obtained the rights to produce the ArmaliteArmaLite
ArmaLite is the name of a small arms engineering facility founded in the early 1950s, and once associated with the Fairchild Engine and Airplane Corporation. ArmaLite was formally incorporated as a subdivision of Fairchild on October 1, 1954...
AR-15
AR-15
The AR-15 is a lightweight, 5.56 mm, air-cooled, gas-operated, magazine-fed semi-automatic rifle, with a rotating-lock bolt, actuated by direct impingement gas operation. It is manufactured with the extensive use of aluminum alloys and synthetic materials....
family at the end of the 1950s. The name "Colt Automatic Rifle" should not be confused with Colt's original CAR-15
CAR-15
The Colt Automatic Rifle-15 Military Weapons System or CAR-15 was a family of AR-15 and M16 rifle–based firearms marketed by Colt in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Due to their compact size, the short-barreled Colt Commando and XM177 versions of this family continued to be issued to the U.S...
weapon family. Originally known as the Colt M16 LMG or simply as the Colt LMG (LMG standing for Light Machine Gun
Light machine gun
A light machine gun is a machine gun designed to be employed by an individual soldier, with or without an assistant, as an infantry support weapon. Light machine guns are often used as squad automatic weapons.-Characteristics:...
in this context), this weapon was developed as a join venture by Colt and Diemaco, a Canadian firm licensed by Colt to produce variants of the M16
M16 rifle
The M16 is the United States military designation for the AR-15 rifle adapted for both semi-automatic and full-automatic fire. Colt purchased the rights to the AR-15 from ArmaLite, and currently uses that designation only for semi-automatic versions of the rifle. The M16 fires the 5.56×45mm NATO...
family. Diemaco was recently purchased by Colt bringing that story full circle.
The Colt/Diemaco weapon can trace its lineage back to a number of weapons developed both at Colt and by the US military. These weapons were all designed to fill the role of the Browning Automatic Rifle. The BAR was originally planned to have been replaced by the M15, a variant of the M14
M14 rifle
The M14 rifle, formally the United States Rifle, 7.62 mm, M14, is an American selective fire automatic rifle firing 7.62x51mm NATO ammunition. It was the standard issue U.S. rifle from 1959 to 1970. The M14 was used for U.S...
designed to fill a similar role. With the cancellation of that weapon, the BAR was initially replaced by the M14 itself, and then by a variant of that weapon, the M14A1. When the M14 was removed from frontline service the US automatic rifleman was given an M16A1
M16 rifle
The M16 is the United States military designation for the AR-15 rifle adapted for both semi-automatic and full-automatic fire. Colt purchased the rights to the AR-15 from ArmaLite, and currently uses that designation only for semi-automatic versions of the rifle. The M16 fires the 5.56×45mm NATO...
and was supposed to use this weapon set to the fully automatic setting while the rest of the squad used the rifle in the semi-automatic setting. Throughout the period between the introduction of the M16 and the introduction of the M249 as a purpose built squad automatic weapon at the end of the SAW trials, interim weapons were developed and tested in order to fill the gap.
Colt Model 606 CAR-15 Heavy Assault Rifle M1 and Heavy Assault Rifle M2
Colt made a version of the M16 with a heavier barrel for sustained automatic fire. Along with a bipod, it weighed a pound more than a normal M16. The Army purchased less than 200 for use in the Small Arms Weapons System (SAWS) program, not to be confused with the Squad Automatic Weapon (SAW) program.Colt engineer Rob Roy also created a belt fed version of the 606, named the "Heavy Assault Rifle M2," based on a feed system developed for the AR-10
AR-10
The AR-10 is an American 7.62 mm battle rifle developed by Eugene Stoner in the late 1950s at ArmaLite, then a division of the Fairchild Aircraft Corporation...
by Eugene Stoner and John Peck back at Armalite. This weapon was also sent to the US Army for testing, in a variety of capacities (even as a possible helicopter door gun), but was rejected.
WAK "Interim SAW" and the BRL XM106
At the behest of the USMC, WAK Inc. started work on an "Interim SAW" in 1977. This was to provide a more solid automatic rifle to replace the practice of the automatic rifleman switching his weapon to full-auto, and to provide this capability until the US Army's SAW trials had been completed. The WAK SAW was essentially an M16A1 converted to fire from an open bolt, accompanied by a special buffer, and featuring a specially made compensator. In 1978 the US Army's Ballistic Research Laboratory decided to build upon the WAK idea to create a contender for the SAW trials, given the designation XM106. The BRL gun differed primarily in having permanently fixed handguards and a special quick-change barrel system. The handguards also had an M2 bipod originally for the M14 rifle and a vertical foregrip fashioned from spare A1 pistol grips fitted. Early XM106s also had the front sight moved forward along the barrel to create a longer sight radius for more accurate long range fire, but this was dropped from later versions. In the end the Army used the XM106 as more of a control variable during the competition and selected the XM249, better known as the M249 Squad Automatic Weapon.The Colt/Diemaco LMG
During the 1980s Colt decided to expand on the basic ideas that had been exposed in the WAK and BRL guns. The weapon was essentially a modified M16A1 with a new square handguard to cover the enlarged gas tube, a carry handle on top of this handguard, with a hydraulic buffer and the ability to fire from an open bolt. An angled foregrip was added to the handguard to improve handling as an automatic rifle. Rear sights later featured on the M16A2 were also introduced, and the weapon could only fire on the fully automatic setting. Colt initially packaged these weapons with the MWG 90-round "snail drum" (This was before the introduction of the Beta Systems C-MagBeta C-Mag
The Beta C-Mag is a 100-round capacity magazine designed by Jim Sullivan and adapted for use in numerous firearms firing the 5.56×45mm NATO, 7.62×51mm NATO, and 9×19mm Parabellum cartridges. C-Mag is short for century magazine, referring to its hundred-round capacity. It has two drum units, each of...
). Colt had also originally used the M60 bipod, but switched this to a proprietary design that was lighter for the subsequent Model 750
The Colt Model 750 was an improvement of the basic principle of the Colt LMG, developed jointly by Colt and Diemaco with an eye toward the Canadian Army (though they would eventually select the FN MINIMI
FN Minimi
The Minimi is a Belgian 5.56mm light machine gun developed by Fabrique Nationale in Herstal by Ernest Vervier. First introduced in 1974, it has entered service with the armed forces of over thirty countries...
). The improved version featured all A2 parts and is essentially the same as original variant externally except for the redesigned vertical foregrip, now of a straight cylindrical style that is ribbed. This weapon was marketed by Diemaco as the Diemaco C7 Light Support Weapon (LSW) or simply as the LSW.
Colt and Diemaco further improved on the design, adding a flat top carry handle and a further improved bipod to the weapon in the '90s. Colt refers to it as the Model 950, but markets it as the Colt Automatic Rifle, and until their purchase by Colt, as the Diemaco LSW. Because of the Colt-Diemaco partnership on this system, it was the only weapon in their product line to feature A2 rear sights, and when modified a detachable carry handle with A2 rear sights (the majority of Diemaco's product line had A1 rear sights, and they actually developed a detachable carry handle with A1 rear sights). A maple leaf
Maple leaf
The maple leaf is the characteristic leaf of the maple tree, and is the most widely recognized national symbol of Canada.-Use in Canada:At the beginning of the eighteenth century, the settlements of New France had attained a population of about 18,000...
is stamped on the lower receiver of current Colt Automatic Rifles.
See also
- Light machine gunLight machine gunA light machine gun is a machine gun designed to be employed by an individual soldier, with or without an assistant, as an infantry support weapon. Light machine guns are often used as squad automatic weapons.-Characteristics:...
- Colt MARSColt MARSThe MARS was an experimental, scaled-down variant of the M16 rifle tested by Colt as a personal defense weapon in the 1990s. It was chambered for the experimental 5.56x30mm MARS cartridge. The 5.56x30mm cartridge fired a 55 grain projectile at . The rifle was patented in 1998 .-External links:*...
- Colt CMG-1
- Colt Accurized Rifle
- Squad Automatic WeaponSquad automatic weaponA squad automatic weapon is a weapon used to give infantry squads or sections a portable source of automatic firepower. Weapons used in this role are selective-fire rifles, usually fitted with a bipod and heavier barrel to perform as Light machine guns...