Colt, Colt Canada, and their new parent company CZ Group displayed a multitude of firearms at DSEi.
One of the weapons that caught my eye was the latest upgrade to the M4 Carbine, which Colt calls the M5. It features a completely redesigned lower receiver with full ambidextrous controls and a new upper receiver and rail design for increased rigidity, while retraining the ability to change rails, lost with a monolithic design.
Above you can see several variants.
The latest addition to the ambidextrous controls is a Bolt Catch at the right side of the Carbine which can be manipulated with fore finger or thumb.
The upper receiver has some upgrades as well. They’ve incorporated an anti-torsion lug to the upper, extending the front of the receiver. This facilitated a free float Barrel. Additionally, the Foreend is M-Lok compatible, with a Picatinny Mil Std 1913 Rail along the top.
The M5 Carbine is offered in 5.56 NATO, .300 BLK and 7.62 x 39. Barrel lengths vary depending on caliber. For instance, the 5.56 model is offered with 10.3″, 11.5″, 14.5″, 16.1″ and 20″ Barrels.
The M5 Carbine is also available in a Sub Compact Weapon configuration in 5.56mm with 10.3″ Barrel and .300 BLK with a 8.5″ and 10.5″ Barrel as well as a 9mm Sub Machine Gun with 9″ Barrel.
RCMP to Canadians: “No ARs for you!”
So has the method of barrel attachment changed or are there still traditional style threads on the upper with some kind of barrel nut?
Changed.
On the international —> upgrades portion of the web sote they have some parts diagrams of the new guns.
The upper receiver has an extension that is internally threaded that accepts the barrel and new barrel nut inside of it. A lot like the monolithic guns. This is stronger and allows for the handguard to mount directly to the upper rather than the barrel nut. Pretty slick. I imagine the barrel extension is proprietary like the monolithic guns but can’t tell for sure.
Isn’t that all a LMT patent? It’s why LMT patent number is listed on Colt Canada monolithic uppers.
Not at all like LMT. LMT has two cross bolts that apply clamping force to the barrel extension rather than a threaded in barrel nut. The Colt Monolithic uppers bear the LMT patent number due to their monolithic design having a rail be one piece with the upper, not anything to do with the way the barrel is mounted. The LMT barrel mounting system is easily changed without special tool while Colt’s seems to be more secure and lighter(all other considerations equal, and most obvious on they 308 guns). The two screws you see at the bottom of the rail on the Colt M5 only serve to secure the handguard. On LMT they only serve to retain the barrel.
Spot on. Colt plans to offer the M5 lower and monolithic upper from Colt Canada to the British Army for the Special Operations Brigade Rifle.
That combo sounds just about perfect. You should tell them to market it in the US. Seriously.
Ok Colt make some money and bring them to market.
Sell these and bring back the Le901 or CM762. Add a metal insert on the charging handle catch on the upper like the Canadian guns.
These appear to be top tier carbines all the way through. These would be a turn key solution for a completely modern rifle from Colt that surpasses all the Gucci stuff out there on Instagram.
The look of that 9mm upper is horrible though, just use the 5.56 one with deflector like in the past.
Colt(CZ), plz!!
I’m surprised HK didn’t patent the anti rotation tab on the hand guards when they came up with the 416. It’s becoming the new standard.
Wow… innovation! CZ has owned Colt for a matter of months and appears to have brought more to the table than Colt did for decades.
The Colt M5 as it currently exists has been around since before the CZ acquisition. Colt routinely shows off rifles that are much more innovative then the 6920. The problem is that they seldom bring them to market. Hopefully CZ force that to change.
They were presenting it as a new thing but I’ve seen it before as well. However, it sounds like this will roll out as well as the new version of the 901, the M7, along with the CMK 7 which is 7.62 x 39.
Much of the stuff has been in R&D. CZ Group brought capital and direction.
Colt sold and delivered a bunch of these before CZ took over. Thailand has them for sure in late 2020.
Agreed on the push to bring them to market domestically.
Does the 14.5″ 5.56 barrel have a carbine or mid-length gas system?
Carbine according to their website.
Can you lock the bolt open with the lever on the right side?
Yes