Intended application for the rifle includes CQB as well as outdoor use out to ranges of 250 to 300 yards in urban as well as rural settings.

If you had an M-4 (or similar 16" barrel carbine), how would you set it up?  Which brand and model would you choose from the following categories and why?

Iron sights?
Optics and mounts?
Rails?
Light and mount?
Sling?

Feel free to add additional items and yes, cost is an issue.

Thanks

My set up:

Preban Bushmaster w/old style CAR stock (I like the way they look better)
KAC RAS
KAC Vert grip
Aimpoint Comp M (upgrading to M2 eventually)
KAC offest Aimpoint mount.
KAC 600m BUIS
ZM weapons singlepoint bungee sling
DPMS reciever plate (the one with the small hole at the bottom that acceps a hook, not the one that accepts the sling threaded through..because of the...)
Badger Tac latch

For lighting I have the KAC 1 inch light mount that I will be putting a 6p in when I get around to getting it, and right now I'm running a post ban upper (full 16 inch with a FFH pressed over the end) until I get the funds up for a new upper.

A mess of loaded mags, some high speed gear and something to shoot at and I'm all set.

If I cold have my choice, I would have TA31 on ARMS #19S, and a Arms #40 BUIS. Maybee some sort of surefire light, but I dont realy like lights, and I dont have much use for them(although I do realize they can be very useful in some situations, and do a great job for what they are made for). Its not much stuff, but all I would realy want.

Full A2 buttstock, 20" barrel!!!!  LOL!

Ultimate?  OK...

Preban full spec lower (pushpin, magfence, no sear block, milspec pins etc)

Flattop 14.5" 1/7 twist M4 milspec barrel with M4 feed ramps.  Either a milspec M16 carrier with Wolf extractor spring or LMT improved bolt and carrier.

Magpul M93 stock with Colt M4 buffer, single point snap ring attachment, strike plate and side rail.

Accuracy Speaks 1 stage trigger or KAC 2 stage trigger.

KAC FF RAS

PRI front sight / ARMS 40 rear sight

Trijicon TA11C in an ARMS 19S

Tritium irons in the above sights (Trijicon/Ashley/etc)

Surefire M900A with blue filter so you dont get reticle wash out - The rail it replaces will be on your side rail on your stock to go back to a normal grip if you want / need it.

PEQ-2 IR pointer/illuminator

PRI Gas Buster charging handle

Replacement pistol grip of choice.

Gemtech or KAC flash hider and the suppressor that mounts to that flash hider. (Gemtech for low cost and legal length on a semi auto, but KAC for a full auto)

You will need a head mounted PVS-14D of course.

USGI Teflon mags loaded with 77 Grain Black Hills NATO pressure ammo.


This gives you a violent fragmentation range of 150 yards and somewhat less fragmentation to 200 yards.  Your reticle will match the ammo all the way out to beyond 500 yards which is the furthest you can even make an accurate shot with that barrel.  Its 16" in overall barrel length with the Gemtech Bilock so there is no SBR to pay yet its as short as you can get it for CQB work.  The TA11 works day or night in all conditions either CQB or long range.  You can go with full night vision / suppressed and lower the irons to get the glowing/blooming tritium inserts out of the fieled of view of your PVS14 yet you have day/night iron capability.  You can go with or without the front grip/light at the drop of a hat and have both the smallest and most accurate rifle you can get in one package.  This is the best Day/Night, CQB/Long Range Precision, Indoor/Outdoor, combo you can put together at the moment.  In the future KAC will have a new front sight to consider, the URX2 forearm, a new bolt/carrier/barrel extension and a new flashider/compensator/brake that takes a suppressor to consider.  There will be a new magnified optic for the SOPMOD bloc2 upgrade to consider and if you wanted a magnified NV scope there is the PVS-17 or Raptor 4X to consider as a quick swap optic with your day scope for dedicated, outdoor, long range, night time use.  Pneumatic buffers will also be developed and need to be tested and considered.

There that is the Ultimate semi auto M4...

Cost?  $15-20K depnding on the price you find a PEQ2 and PVS14 at and whether you get the PVS17/Raptor 4X or not.

Ultimate on a budget?

Post ban RRA 16" M4 upper with pressed on fake flash hider

ARMS 40 rear

Tritium inserts for irons

Aimpoint ML2 with cantilevered ARMS mount

A1 Cavarms Stock

Wilson front sight tower light mount with a Surefire G2 and high output lamp

Refinished USGI mags

Winchester Q3131A ammo

The light will be cheap and thumb activated.  The optic and irons are day/night capable and you have a fragmeting range of 150 yards (though less dramatic than the 77 grain ammo) with accuracy out to 200 yards and only slight hold over at 300 yards.

Cost?  approx $1400-1600

Factory colt current L.E. 'M-4' A-3 with carry handle. You get a 'real' upper of real quality and sights, optics option, feed ramps, best handguards, 7 twist for current quality bullet designs. Of course if you need a 9 twist or post ban config., s.a. can build one that way too. All colt.

 Short of that, call pete, get his expertise and his approved parts. Simple.

 imho, of course.

Hah!  So you DID like my AS trigger!

My M4 has:
Colt M4 A3
CQB transition sling
vertical forgrip
surefire at 3 o'clock
tritanium sight-iron
tactical charge handle
This is what I like, The only thing I would like to add is and aimpoint.

IMHO, there are two answers to your question.  One is the loaded up version that has a bit of everything, is expensive, and that most people keep as a safe & range queen.  The other is a basic no frills/ light weight M4, that is used for eveything, and makes us remember why we like the basics sometimes.

I own one of each, I like them both.

Mine goes like this:

Preban Eagle Lower - standard pivot and fire control pins
Colt LE 6920 1/7 upper
Aimpoint M2 in GG&G Cantilever mount
Cut carry handle BUIS
Surefire M500A w/ white LED's
GG&G Single point sling plate w/ CQB HSTS
Vltor carbine stock full of batteries [;)]

I consider this my primary 'do all' carbine.  Now as far as rifles go....

Keep it simple I have a preban bushy 14.5 HBAR with permanent phantom,fat M4 hand gaurds with a seperate bottom rail so I can attach a fore grip,the new waffle type 4 pos telestock with H buffer,its an A2 upper,and I have an aimpoint wich I would depend on for night shooting,Learn how to use the iron sights first they will be your best friend,Peole will say get an M4 or light weight barrel,but with all the stuff people put on my rifle is still lighter than most even with the aimpoint and I dont get barrel whip,so the HBAR is more reliable for sustained rapid fire,Im also in good shape so the extra pound is not noticeable.

[img]http://photos.ar15.com/WS_Content/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?sAccountUnq=24926&iGalleryUnq=235&iImageUnq=12665[/img]

Nothing left that I want to do to this gun.

I actually thought long and hard about selling my KAC 2 stage and getting the AS single stage after trying your trigger.  Its very sweet!  I still dont like that Compact ACOG as much as a full size one though. [;)]

My Future M4:

- Pre-Ban flattop
- BUIS or cut carry handle
- Suppressor

Thats it

My soon-to-materialize select-fire M4A1 setup will be:

Transferable M16 lower receiver
A3 upper receiver
Bushmaster 14.5" M4 barrel with full front sight
ARMS SIR 45M
Buttstock will either be Magpul or Vltor
ARMS #40 BUIS and .040" taller front sight post
ARMS #22M68
Aimpoint ML2 optic
SureFire M900A
KAC sound suppressor for full-auto compatability

Should be in the above configuration around the first of the year. [:D]

My setup is as follows:

Pre-Ban Bushy Lower (all black, not purple)
Bushy 14.5 1/7 M4 upper with a GEMTECH Bi-Lock F.H. perm. mounted
Aimpoint Optic
ARMS SIR "c"
SureFire 6p w/2 1" rings as a mount
Knights vertical foregrip
VLTOR Stock
GEMTECH M4-96D Suppressor
All Wrapped up in a custom cut Pelican Case.

I Love this setup, I think it is very cool.