If you have been watching the news or reading any of the online forums lately, it would have been hard to miss all the talk about the M4 carbine and its “failure” in Afghanistan.

I had a number of thoughts on this topic and had a draft written up for an article I was going to post, then I saw a new post on the topic at Vuurwapen Blog which I will quote a few lines from ( because I agree 100% with them ):

I’m always a little suspicious when I see claims of M4s going down in combat.

One of the biggest problems is when Soldiers and Marines try to use their rifle in a manner other than that which was originally intended.

Unfortunately, an incorrect thought process persists among many officers and senior enlisted – that the rifles should be scrubbed clean as often as possible, and that oil should not be added to the weapon, for it will “attract dust and dirt”. Soldiers and Marines have been dying because of this absolute garbage since the introduction of the Garand in combat operations in the Pacific during WWII. Proper lubrication is vital for any semiautomatic or automatic weapon.

Check out the full article at Vuurwapen Blog – HERE