Compact automatic Colt CAR-15 Commando
Compact automatic Colt CAR-15 Commando
Compact automatic (assault rifle, or internal classification firm Colt – pistol-machine gun) Colt Commando was established in 1965 at the request of us special forces operating in Vietnam. The engineers at Colt just shortened the rifle barrel AR-15 in 2 times (from 508 to 254 mm), and the shortened plastic butt 76 mm, making it a sliding (latch butt was placed on the back plate). Otherwise the new machine, called the CAR-15 Commando was not different from the AR-15 rifle. Specifically for the U.S. air force based on the CAR-15 Commando firm Colt developed a version of the CAR-15 Survival rifle, intended for crews of aircraft and helicopters as weapons of survival in hostile territory. This variant had a metal clumsy butt, forearm circular cross section and a shortened pistol grip, and was released in very limited quantities. Initial experience in applying CAR-15 in Vietnam showed a number of problems. Due to the short barrel the sound of the shot was too loud, and a considerable flash from the arrow shots made at dusk and gave his position to the enemy. The solution was the installation of a new, long flash Hider, and a new variant began to enter service with the U.S. army under the designation XM-177E1 (brand designation Colt model 609) in 1967. HMM-177Е1 had the fore-end tubular section and a telescopic metal sliding butt, developed by an employee of the company Colt Robert E. Roy. In the future guns of this type were equipped with all versions of the carbine rifles based on the AR-15 / M16, including the modern M4 carbines. The receiver of the rifle XM-177Е1 from a rifle ХМ16Е1 (М16А1) had the rammer bolt. In 1968 there was a further modernization of the Commando by lengthening the barrel to 292 mm. This modification received the designation XM-177Е2 (brand designation Colt model 629). Later, with the adoption of the assault rifle M16A2 and M16A3/A4, new variants of carbines Colt Commando got a new receiver with reflectors and spent cartridges (some models) universal rail instead of the integral carrying handles by type М16А3. Different Commando variants are in service with Special Forces of the US and in several other countries, including Israel and the Philippines.
From a technical point of view, carbines, short rifles) Colt Commando almost indistinguishable from the contemporary variants of the M16 – they have the same receiver box of aluminum alloy, consisting of two parts, the same automatic direct removal of powder gases in the bolt carrier and rotating bolt with 7 lugs. The spring is located in the butt, because all versions are equipped with the Commando not folding sideways or down, and telescopic sliding butt. Depending on the model, the Commando can have a fully automatic mode of fire or fire from the cutoff line for 3 of the cartridge (in addition to the legal regime of single shots). Currently, the firm Colt is releasing 4 models of the Commando carbines: models 933 (fully automatic fire) and 935 (fire bursts with a cutoff of 3 shots) with the guide type Picatinny rail on the receiver, and model 733 (fully automatic fire) and 735 (fire bursts with a cutoff of 3 shots) with a fixed carrying handle rear sight on the M16A2 type. Thus, in contrast to earlier models of the series ХМ177 modern rifles of the series Colt Commando have regular short patiserii the flash Hider from the rifle M16A2.
