Why do people say "AR-15's are not as equal as M4/16"?

It's funny watching you motherfuckers run around in circles. The AR-15, the M16, and the M4 are all the same weapon. Albeit military versions have selective fire instead of just semi auto but that's it. Everything is "Mil-Spec" meaning completely compatible and interchangeable. My AR is chambered in 5.56mm with a 14.5" barrel. It's pretty much identical to my USMC issued M4 aside from the M4 having burst. It's like arguing one car is different than one exactly like it because it has cruise control and the other doesn't.

Your car has cruise control? What the heck is this world coming to.

PO1 John Miller - Well this popped up on the feed page and while it is old, the origin of the weapon is CAR-15 not armalite.

PO1 Daniel Morren - I flipped out, when i heard cars had "automatic" power windows that go up and down! lol

Hey Sir, I was just pointing out that the burst option on our Gov issued rifles are rarely used (correct me if I'm wrong since I've never seen combat)

if i had the choice between my assign weapon and my civi weapon, 30-06 with sniper scope, i'm zeroed at 400 yards. my m4 well not zeroed well

SFC Zach K - The issue with the burst mechanism is that it was a mechanical solution to a training problem. Training soldiers (and I use soldiers in the generic term to mean all military personnel) to not waste ammo on full auto takes time and effort. So DOD figured lets put a burst mechanism in place of full auto. The problem with the AR burst trigger is though, is that is has an inconsistent trigger pull when on semi. The pull weight increases with each shot until it resets after the third shot. So while you may start out with a 5lbs pull at first, by the third shot you were looking at around a 13lbs pull. SoF, because they have the ability to dedicate a lot of time to training, figured it's better to keep the full auto capability with it's better trigger and just spend more time on the range.

SPC(P) (Join to see) - on the range you don't qualify 3 round burst you qualify one shot at a time, in combat, control by firepower supiority is controlled shot groups not spray and pray, that is one of the reasons the m16a1 was modified to the m16a2, in my career I have shot both, full auto exciting as hell but not very accurate, 3 round burst a little more accurate, to be honest I miss the m1 carbine

SFC Pete Kain - Remember what the purpose of suppressive fire is: to fix you in place and keep your head down while the bad guy's buddy maneuvers on you to either shoot you or drop a grenade on you. So if the dude doing the spraying isn't necessarily hitting you, that is inconsequential as long as he is keeping you from moving or returning fire.

LTC Paul Labrador - I spent my career first 4 in the Infantry the last 16 as a F.O. I like aimed fire. The Arty and Mortars can suppress (well in a perfect world).
I think the Military went to the three round burst mode to save ammo and the kill rate on full auto is not all that impressive. Takes a lot of practice to get even just ok with it.

SFC Pete Kain - I totally agree the move to 3rd burst was to save ammo....but it was done because they thought a mechanical solution was a better one than spending the time and effort to train them better.

Spray and pray has only one purpose with an assault rifle. To suppress the enemy. It is less effective in every other category that you can think of over controlled pairs.