CAR-15

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CAR-15 has a meaning split between closely related firearms, which depends on the context. In popular usage it is a general name applied to many ultra-short and carbine variants of the Colt AR-15 rifle (adopted by the USA as the M16 rifle). In more technical usage, it refers to the CAR-15 weapons system developed by Colt in the 1960s.

The former use originates from shortening CAR-15 SMG to just CAR-15. However, the 'submachine gun' version was just one of a whole CAR-15 family that included a range of other 5.56 mm firearms weapons (listed below). The CAR-15 Submachine gun was ordered by the US Army in 1966. However, various developments of it would go on to receive various type classifications such as XM177, and GAU-5/A. See Colt Commando for the main page on these developments (such as the XM177).

Other members of the Colt CAR-15 system include support versions (CAR-15 HBAR), though these should not be confused with the CMG-1 and CMG-2 (these two families were often marketed together). The other members of CAR-15 system were not adopted-the CAR-15 Survival rifle was rejected by the Air Force, as was the HBAR (one type of which was tested). The primary legacy of the CAR-15 name, is as one of the namesakes (along with 'Commando') of the firearms family that descended from the CAR-15 SMG.

What Colt models are rightly included under this general name is a matter of debate. When a specific model is not known, and a more general name is needed people tend to choose between CAR-15 SMG, or just CAR-15, Colt Commando, and XM177. However, care must be taken to avoid confusion with a specific model. For example, M16 is often used to describe all M16 rifles such as the M16A2 and A4 models in service in 2005; however, M16 was also the specific model adopted solely by the US Air Force. Original M16 are still in their inventory despite continued attempts to strike it from their arsenals. Some consider it ok to describe Models 603, 604, 605, 606, 607, and 608 as CAR-15s in the general sense- and some would include the Model 609 and 610 as well. Other general names for family, e.g. names that are inclusive of many Colt models, can have similar debate over what models it refers too.

The key to correct use of the CAR-15, or for that matter, related terms like Commando, is to imply a general meaning. There is no one firearm that is the 'CAR-15', there is only a wide array of more specific technically correct models (such as to mean the CAR-15 SMG) and to refer to the CAR-15 firearms family.

Contents

1 CAR-15 firearm family
2 The Family

2.1 CAR-15 Rifle
2.2 CAR-15 Carbine
2.3 CAR-15 Submachine Gun
2.4 CAR-15 Commando
2.5 CAR-15 Survival Rifle
2.6 CAR-15 Heavy Barrel Assault Rifles (HBAR)

3 The naming issue
4 External Link
5 See also

CAR-15 firearm family

When Colt acquired the AR-15 from Armalite in 1959 it not only became the primary contractor for the pattern, but also proceeded to develop an entire family of weapons around the original weapon. Colt's family came under a new name, the Colt Automatic Rifle-15, or CAR-15, and the increasing sales of rifles to the US military increased hopes that they could be induced to purchase all the other members of the family. In the end Colt developed two rifles, two Heavy BARreled rifles (or HBARs), a carbine, an ultra-short carbine, and a survival rifle, all under the common name, CAR-15. However, by the end of the 1960's, the idea of the CAR-15 family would be long gone at Colt, and the name had entered the lexicon for carbine variants of the AR-15/M16 family. To this day, Colt only uses the term CAR-15 to describe civilian semi-automatic variants of its product line.

The Family

CAR-15 Rifle

By the time the idea of the CAR-15 family was developed, Colt had already been producing two rifle variants for the US military. Colt's CAR-15 family included two rifles, one with the forward assist function (Model 603) and one without (Model 604). Both of these weapons were purchased by the US military. The 603 was adopted first as the XM16E1 and later the M16A1, while the 604 was adopted as the M16.

For more information see M16

CAR-15 Carbine

The CAR-15 Carbine was a shortened M16-style weapon for situations where length could be a problem, such as stowage aboard vehicles. The barrel ended just fore of the front sight triangle. Obviously, a bayonet could not be attached and all CAR-15 Carbines had no bayonet lugs. The initial prototype used a shorter handguard and a 16-inch long barrel. Carbines with forward assist were designated Model 605As. Some carbines were made without forward assist but with a four-way fire control group that allowed semi-automatic, three-round burst, and full-automatic fire were labeled Model 605Bs. The Navy SEALs were seen using a CAR-15 Carbine as early as 1962.

CAR-15 Submachine Gun

The Model 607 CAR-15 SMG was a compact weapon that for use among special forces and vehicle crew. The barrel was reduced in length by half to 10 inches, so that the SMG had an empty weapon weight of 5.3 lb and an overall length of 26 inches. The SMG was the first AR-15 made with a retractable buttstock. It resembled a shortened fixed buttstock, but a two-position latched recessed in the back allowed it to be extended and locked into position, increasing the length of pull by 2.7 inches. The 607 was in many ways a non-standard weapon, even in its from factory configuration. The original 607s did not feature the forward assist bolt-closure device, but later this was found on some models. In the end, Colt developed a from factory version of the gun, the 607A, which was standard with the forward assist.

A number of muzzle devices were used on the CAR-15 SMG. Initially, they used the duckbill or three-prong flash hiders, which proved unsatisfactory. Colt made a 1.3-inch long moderator that lessened the noise and muzzle flash from such a short-barreled weapon as well as aided reliable cycling by increasing the amount of back pressure. However, problems such as heavy barrel coppering still occurred. Tracer bullets also would wildly yaw. A second moderator, 4.25-inches in length, with six slots, would replace the previous muzzle device and become standard for the SMG as well as its descendants, the XM177/GAU-5 series.

Reflecting its non-production nature, the CAR-15 SMG was made with what spare parts were available. They initially were made with M16 receivers without forward assists and with shortened pistol grips from the Survival Rifle. Eventually, they were made with XM16E1 receivers with forward assists, standard pistol grips, and the 4.5-inch long moderator. The handguards were made from full-length rifle handguards by chopping them in half and using either the fore or aft pair. The ends would then be machined to fit the slip ring and handguard cap.

About 50 CAR-15 SMGs were made. Most were issued to Navy SEALs and Army Special Forces, though some were also given to Army K-9 units. Although commonly referred to as CAR-15s, the rifles used on the raid on the Son Tay prison camp in North Vietnam, equipped with Armson Occluded Eye Gunsights (or OEGs) were more likely XM177E1s or XM177E2s.

For more information see Colt Commando

CAR-15 Commando

Often grouped with the rest of the CAR-15 family, the Commando members were the last to be added before the family passed out of Colt nomenclature. Developed after the relative success of the 607 concept, the Commando's featured 10" barrels and a totally new retractable stock, fabricated from aluminum. There were two Commandos, and a subvariant, the 609, the 610, and the 610B. The 609 differed from the 610 only in the fact that the 609 had the forward assist while the 610 did not. The 610B, like the 605B featured a 4-position selector, with safe, semi-automatic, fully-automatic, and 3 round burst options. Both the 609 and the 610 would be adopted by the US Armed forces. The US Army designated the 609 the XM177E1, and the 610 the XM177. The US Air Force adopted the 610 as the GAU-5/A.

For more information see Colt Commando

CAR-15 Survival Rifle

The Model 608 CAR-15 Survival Rifle was meant for use among downed aircrew. Because of the AR-15's takedown feature, it could be split in two and stowed with four 20-round magazines in the seat pack. By having a 10-inch long barrel, the assembled weapon was 29 inches in overall length. Unique to the CAR-15 Survival Rifle were a fixed tubular plastic-coated aluminum buttstock and a round handguard. They did not have a forward assist or a bayonet lug. The pistol grip was chopped down. Some were made with a conical flash hider, though the 1.3-inch long moderator was also used. For more information, see Colt Commando.

CAR-15 Heavy Barrel Assault Rifles (HBAR)

The CAR-15 family also included versions with heavy barrels to be used for sustained automatic fire, similar to the Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR), a weapon of WWII fame, that was being replaced throughout the US military. The Colt Model 606 Heavy Assault Rifle M1 featured a heavy barrel and could be fitted with a bipod, including those designed for the M60, those designed for the BAR, or a Colt-made design. Two additional subvariants were eventually created for the Model 606, the 606A, which added the forward assist feature, and the 606B which added in Colt's own 4-position trigger that allowed for a 3-round burst function in addition to fully automatic. The 4-position selector was developed by Foster Sturtevant in December 1966. The burst cam could be modified so the burst length was two-rounds, three-rounds, or six-rounds. The US Army purchased less than two hundred Heavy Assault Rifle M1s for testing, but did not adopt them.

A further variant of this system, the Heavy Assault Rifle M2, was developed that was belt-fed. Rob Roy at Colt designed a special box to hold the belt and expended links. The ammunition box came in two versions, a 50-round box and a 120-round box. The system required a heavily modified upper and lower receiver. The belt-fed version was similar to one already developed by Eugene Stoner and John Peck at Armalite for the AR-10 that was also never fielded. A conversion kit based on the M2 was built by John A. Ceiner as well. Though the US Army evaluated their use as helicopter door armament, less than 20 of the belt-fed version were made.

See also Colt CMG-1 and Colt CMG-2

The naming issue

The CAR-15 name continues to be debated. Only the 607 was ever widely fielded with this name. The term "CAR-15" quickly became common terminology for carbine variants, the full Colt name, Colt Model 607 Commando Model SMG, being a mouthful.

The only other members of the family that were heavily used were the 603 and 604 rifles, and the 603 became the M16A1 and the 604 became the M16, and their CAR-15 lineage was lost. With the death of the CAR-15 family, Colt themselves began to use the term in this fashion for marketing purposes, further adding to the confusion.

External Link

*[Springfield Armory Collection: U.S. SUBMACHINE GUN XM177]