Colt CAR-15 Commando (XM177)

History of the Colt CAR-15 Commando (XM177)

The Colt CAR-15 Commando (XM177) was an assault carbine developed by the U.S. Army during its involvement in the Vietnam War (1955-1975) to meet the needs of special forces for close range portable weapon systems employed in the jungle.

Released in 1966, it was based on the classic ArmaLite AR-15 and set the stage for the ubiquitous M16 assault rifle in service in the United States. The command retains the same 5.56x45mm NATO medium rifle cartridge as the M16, fed by similar 20- and 30-round STANAG magazines.

The Commando, however, is a more compact weapon, with an overall length of 32.5 inches (which can be folded to 29.8 inches with the retractable shoulder stock), a 10-inch barrel, and a weight of 5.35 pounds. Although its roots lie in the battlefield function of assault rifles and carbines, the U.S. military classifies the weapon as a submachine gun (SMG). The original weapon was dubbed the "Type 610" by Colt and adopted by the US Army as the developing "XM177" (XM177E1 and XM177E2), also known as the CAR-15 "Commando".

The US Air Force adopted this weapon as the "GAU-5/A".

The Commando retains most of the form and function of the AR-15/M16 series, although the shorter barrel assembly and retractable shoulder rest somewhat compromises accuracy. A special muzzle assembly is designed to delay the muzzle flash and suppress escape maneuvers, although the Commando is far from a "silenced" weapon.

Still, it can be a compact weapon whenever and wherever you need it.

As of 1966, the U.S. Army had contracted for more than 2,800 such specialized weapon systems. After working in the field for a while, and learning from the new gun, Colt responded to the report with a longer barrel (11.5 inches), which helped in part to improve accuracy and reduce noise.

The longer barrel also supports the XM148 Under Barrel Grenade Launcher (UBGL) unit to expand the tactical value of the warfighter. The modified Commandos were Colt's 629 and 649, the difference being that the 649 lacked forward assist. Beginning in 1967, the Army purchased over 500 new guns (i.e.

XM177E2).

Commandos were in production until 1970, and American involvement in Vietnam ended in 1975. However, commandos continued to exist in the postwar world, with some units still serving in various regional conflicts and civil wars across South America.

They were used in another service during the Yom Kippur War with Israel.

The modern M4 carbine replaced the commando assault carbine role in the 1980s and has been in wider use ever since.

Specification

Roles

Dimensions

Performance

Changes