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The 'M' on weapons
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Balaam View Drop Down
Housecarl
Housecarl

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Posts: 1286 		  Quote Balaam Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Topic: The 'M' on weapons
    Posted: 03-Jan-2008 at 13:27
Why is it that on pretty much all of the weapons that the U.S. army uses they have an 'M' infront of the name.
 
Some examples being: M16 Assault Rifle
                                     M4 Carbine
                                     M203 grenade launcher
                                     M249 SAW light machine gun
                                     M9 pistol
                                     M1014 Combat Shotgun
                                     M107 Sniper Rifle
 
At first I thought the 'M' meant that they were made by Colt cause of the M16 and M4 being made by them which made me think on why would they only use guns by Colt so I looked these weapons up and found out they were made by different companys and most had different names.
 
So my question is what does the 'M' stand for?
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Guests View Drop Down
Guest
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  Quote Guests Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03-Jan-2008 at 13:34
Depends on the system, but it usually means "model"
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jacobtowne View Drop Down
Samurai
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Posts: 102 		  Quote jacobtowne Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03-Jan-2008 at 17:55
Correct. It's an abbreviation for 'Model,' and is equivalent to the British Mark, or Mk.
Originally, it was not abbreviated, as in "U.S. Pistol, cal. .45, Model of 1911."

JT
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Frederick Roger View Drop Down
Colonel
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Posts: 658 		  Quote Frederick Roger Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03-Jan-2008 at 19:24
Ah, so it is just a matter of verbal laziness, then.
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Cataln View Drop Down
Pretorian
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Posts: 178 		  Quote Cataln Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 03-Jan-2008 at 19:28
Originally posted by jacobtowne

Correct. It's an abbreviation for 'Model,' and is equivalent to the British Mark, or Mk.
 
I wish I would have known this before - it would have made it a lot easier to shut up all the recruits who always asked why the B in M240B was said 'Bravo' and the M wasn't said 'Mike'.  LOL  Even though, twenty kilometer foot marches with the M240B and full battle rattle are easier to endure when you have something silly to take your mind off the weight.  Confused
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