It is no secret that the AR-15 has had a long history, and its platform has gone through many changes. Whether it's to be suitable for combat, hunting, home defense or personal use, the platform is built for any need. One of these alterations to the AR-15 platform makes its stand as the M4A1 carbine. What are some of the differences between these two rifles?

The M4 is a product of a problem the AR-15 faced. Its long barrel and small caliber were ok, but did not perform as well as well in terms of damage against the 7.62x39, the standard round for the AK-47.

However what the platform excelled at was range and accuracy. Its easily interchangeable and lightweight. So there wasn’t really much to change in terms of its design.

The Caliber

In order to combat the AK-47 the 300 Blackout round was made. It is similar in size and power to the 7.62x39, but is optimized for the M4. The round is also available in subsonic, making it easily suppressible.

However, range is one thing that is sacrificed with the .300blk, having a negative 200 yd distance then the 5.56 NATO.

The M4 is usually equipped with a shorter barrel, as the round and it takes is also designed to be more optimal with shorter barrel lengths. This modification allows it to be very useful with suppressors, while being lightweight and much more maneuverable.

While the AR-15 is a civilian firearm, the M4 is not. It is a fully automatic firearm made for military use in multiple different mission types. It shares many characteristics with the AR-15 in that they share the same platform, but the M4 shoots a bigger bullet with a slight sacrifice to range. However it keeps up with accuracy and gives the AK-47 a formidable challenge.

However, the .300Blk caliber can be chambered with your own AR-15 at home. All you need is an upper assembly built for the caliber and voila.