The Marine Corps is considering some upgrades to its M16A4 rifles that would make combat troops deadlier marksmen.
Leaders at the annual Combat Marksmanship Symposium held at Weapons Training Battalion Quantico said one of the themes of the event was giving troops the tools they need to dominate the battlefield of the future.
“I thought the most important thing was not to look at the short term. I didn’t want a range or weapon for today. I wanted one for 2050 to 2100,” Col. Tim Parker, the commanding officer of WTB Quantico and the Marine Corps’ marksmanship proponent, told Marine Corps Times reported Monday.
Some of the advancements the Marines may make to the M16A4 include a free-floating barrel, rifle compensators, new reticles for the Rifle Combat Optic, more ambidextrous controls and a new trigger group, the newspaper reported.
Such changes — already used with many competition rifles — would allow the Marines Corps maximize accuracy at minimal cost.
The Marine Corps will study the commercial market for the next eight months before giving Commandant Joseph Dunford its final recommendations.
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• Douglas Ernst can be reached at dernst@washingtontimes.com.
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