M4/M16 series

[-Gews- 7443]

Continuing on with the weapons analyses... this time the AR-15-pattern rifle and carbines. There are quite a few of these...

Handling:

First up is the dexterity (handling) values. I don't think these values don't matter too much, they mostly affect the vertical movement of the weapon. Don't read too much into this. From quickest to clunkiest:

M4A1: 1.8

M4A1 CCO: 1.8

M4A3 CCO: 1.8

M16A2: 1.64

M4A1 Holo M203: 1.59

M16A4 ACOG: 1.51

M16A2 M203: 1.46

Accuracy:

Next up is the accuracy. All the M16s have the same value as each other, and all the M4s have the same value as each other. Note that the M4s are less accurate than AK-74s!

Rifle: 1.00 mils

Carbine: 1.75 mils

Here are the spreads at 100, 200 and 300 meters:

As you can see, as expected, at longer ranges the M16s have the accuracy advantage.

Recoil:

Recoil also is a major factor in how many rounds get on target. They have the same recoil in semi-automatic mode, so there isn't really a significant difference. The M16's burst mode has lower recoil than the M4's full auto.

Carbine recoil: 3/10

Rifle recoil: 3/10 (2/10 in burst mode)

The exception is the M4A1 CCO SD, which has 2/10 recoil in semi and full-auto modes.

Zeroing: some rifles are zeroed for 300 meters, others for 100. The ones zeroed for 100 should shoot SD rounds fine, if that matters to you.

M16A2: 300m

M16A2 M203: 300m

M4A1: 300m

M4A3 CCO: 300m

M4A1 CCO: 100m

M4A1 CCO SD: 100m

M4A1 Holo/M203: 100m

M16A4 ACOG: 100m

Damage:

(standard rounds)

000m: 3,555

100m: 3,078

200m: 2,663

300m: 2,304

400m: 1,994

(SD rounds)

000m: 2,722

100m: 2,563

200m: 2,412

A note about G36 magazines: I've heard people say the G36 magazines are more powerful, this is false. They're actually slightly weaker - 1.08 % weaker. To show how inconsequential this is, move a few meters closer to your target and you'd be dealing STANAG damage. Don't worry about the damage difference, it doesn't matter.

A note about SD magazines: in some guns, these shoot far too high. In others, they work as intended. They shoot fine in guns with a 100 meter zero, but not in guns with a 300 meter zero. With their low 320 m/s velocity, these rounds need to be launched high into the air if they are going to come back down and hit your line of sight at 300 meters.

Iron sights:

The iron sights on the M4A1 and M16A2 are almost identical. There are some minor differences (ie, the post on the M16A2 is slightly finer). The sight gives good visibility of the target and your bullet impacts, but takes up a large amount of the screen. I feel it's worse for following a running target at closer ranges. Still, overall it's not bad at all.

However, the iron sights on the M16A2/M203 are a piece of crap. It shoots way high despite having the same zero range, so something in the actual 3D model must be off-kilter. Not only that, but it has very poor visibility and the grenade launcher sight is essentially nonfunctional. I would drop this weapon as soon as possible.

Optical sights:

The red dot sights on the CCOs are nice. The sight gives very good visibility of the target and the surrounding area. Bullet impacts are easily seen, moving or multiple targets are easy to track, and the dot is always very visible on the screen. The dot can cover the target at longer ranges, but usually this is a non-issue.

The red dot sight on the M4A1 Holo is "okay", but I feel the thick red outer ring obscures both the target and my bullet impacts. It is transparent, but I still don't like using this sight.

The optics on the M16A4 ACOG are nice and this is my favorite of the M4/M16s. It has its stadia lines spaced at useful ranges, roughly 100, 200, 300, 400 and 600 meters, although they may not correspond exactly. It doesn't zoom in too far and helps one be very accurate at longer ranges. I wouldn't choose it for combat under 150 meters, but for scouting and general DayZ use it works very well.

Full auto vs burst:

The burst feature on the M16s groups its shots a bit closer together than the full auto fire on the M4s. I still prefer the full auto option. If you run into someone at close range and need to spam bullets, it just works better. I'd be using semi-auto in all other cases anyways, so full auto wins.

Rarity:

"Rarity"... heh. Here are the chances of finding one of these in a single military spawn location (chance of gun x chance of spawn)

From lowest to highest:

All normal military locations:

M16A2: 2%

M4A1: 0.8 %

M16A2 M203: 0.4 %

M4A1 CCO: 0.4 %

M4A3 CCO: 0.4 %

STANAG magazine: 4%

STANAG SD magazine: 1 %

Barracks:

M16A2: 4%

M4A1: 4%

M4A3 CCO: 3.2 %

M16A2 M203: 2%

M16A4 ACOG: 2 %

M4A1 AIM: 0.8 %

M4A1 CCO SD: 1.6 %

M4A1 Holo M203: 0.8 %

STANAG magazine: 8%

STANAG SD magazine: 2 %

Note that magazines are "loot" and loot tends to spawn in piles, weapons spawn by themselves... so the magazine chances are likely larger. Once I understand loot better I'll edit it if necessary.

In sum:

Overall, my favorite rifle of these is the M16A4 ACOG because of its superior scouting and long range capabilities. If you can't see it, you can't hit it. This rifle does have its drawbacks in close range.

Ranking them according to my taste (all pure personal preference):

1. M16A4 ACOG.

2. M4A3 CCO: it's got a red dot and a flashlight.

3. M4A1 CCO: no flashlight. Also a lower zero range than the A3, but all these guns shoot pretty flat anyways.

4. M4A1 Holo: may as well have a grenade launcher with that. Don't like the sights though.

5. M4A1: it's got full auto, that's saved my ass before.

6. M16A2: it doesn't have true full auto. More accurate though.

7. M4A1 CCO SD: I have no use for a rifle that only takes rare SD rounds, but at least it's suppressed. Still better than the next one...

8. M16A2/M203: even the grenade launcher can't save this from the terrible sights.

So, what are your favorites? :lol:

[GOD™ 2795]

I pesronally like the M4A1 CCO in normal ArmA

But i prefer the M4 M203 HOLO for the ACE mod.

[Mullraugh 1151]

Accuracy:

Next up is the accuracy. All the M16s have the same value as each other, and all the M4s have the same value as each other. Note that the M4s are less accurate than AK-74s!

That's messed up. But a good way to convert people to the Russian side. AK variants all the way!

Edited May 1, 2013 by mullraugh

[Lupatchi 143]

wierd, the crappier weapon is more rare, i guess the only thing running for it is the full auto mode, wanting to know, are the dmg values in blood loss?

[burritoman259 593]

M4A1 holo hands down, has a nice sight on it also a Gl and doesn't the torch work?

Edited May 1, 2013 by burritoman259

[-Gews- 7443]

wierd, the crappier weapon is more rare, i guess the only thing running for it is the full auto mode, wanting to know, are the dmg values in blood loss?

Yes, blood loss.

[fluxley 2228]

Out of those the M4A3 cco, nice sight and a flashlight.

[simfreek@hotmail.com 48]

The weapon analysis is greatly appreciated. Nicly detailed as well. As the ACOG is my prefered weapon, I had already known that its damage wasn't all that great at the longer ranges, but I didn't relise it was that demineshed. If rocket implements weapon reliability into SA, I think you will also find many people going to the AK's. As I was military and consistently while on the firing range you would have JAMs left and right of you. The weapon needs a certain amount of lubrication, to much and you get bolt overrides, that is where it tries to feed to rounds at once. That or you would get a round that would fail to load by not enough lubrication. Then the other common jam was after about a hundred rounds you would have so much carbon iin the bolt area from the gas system, that the weapon just wouldn't cycle.

My Basic training weapon, jammed so royaly, that I was tought the emergency relase of the charging handle. I couldn't pull it back so i gave it to the drill seargeant, he couldn't pull it back, and so he than put it on the ground and then jumped on the charging handle to dislodge the bolt that was jamed forward. After this I learned how to keep the weapon preperly oiled. After a combat load, which is six 30 round mags, you have to field strip it and clean it, reoiling it. Oh, and what ever you do, don't put the wapon on the ground in a hurry, you get any sand in that bitch and you are going to be spending a few minutes cleaning it.

Edited May 1, 2013 by Theonis

[boxman80 964]

Excellent review, really good read. I must admit, as I've said on other weapon threads before, I tend to look out for M16 ACOG myself as I've always rated it as the best all rounder in the rifle department. I find it invaluable for loner range scouting and conflicts, plus from a distance most people presume it's just a regular M16 and usually underestimate your capabilities, this give s you a bit of an edge.

I'm going to check your other weapon reviews now! Well done sir!

[Josh225 129]

It's a shame the m16 with the 203 has such horrid sights, I think it just looks badass. Not a fan of the ACOG one, I prefer to be up in people's face if I don't have a nice rifle so one of the CCO's would be my pick. Other than that I've been trying to kill someone with a launched HE these last few weeks so I've been rolling with anything that will launch them.

[sanguinius 7]

Excellent guide, Gews. I've always preferred the ACOG to the others - it's just better. You don't have to switch out your weapons and run the risk of making a mistake and losing it, because you already have a medium-range weapon. Can even be long range, if you're especially proficient. It's a shame you can't use the secondary sight.

Mayhaps a comparison must be made between the SA58(vanilla) and the AKM. Or even an SVD, M24, and DMR. That would be quite interesting; it'd remove some of the prejudices people have.