Shouldering an M4

Bravo · 05-02-2008, 09:33 PM

Is there a reason that we see soldiers putting the stock of the M4 so high on their shoulder (as in having just the lower portion of the stock touching their shoulder)?

As seen here:

http://www.imagereferencedatabase.co...soldier_09.jpg

stitchclimber · 05-02-2008, 09:47 PM

I can't get the link to work. Try again.

Big Tool · 05-02-2008, 10:29 PM

Link isn't working, but i know what you are referring to. I think it boils down to the .223 having no recoil and some people just rest them there.

When I shoot my bushmaster off my bench i usually rest the buttstock up high because my seating position is alittle low.

I wouldn't be doing that with a rifle in .308. Would have a pretty bruised up shoulder.

Bravo · 05-02-2008, 11:25 PM

Let's try this:

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big Tool

I wouldn't be doing that with a rifle in .308. Would have a pretty bruised up shoulder.

Yeah, that's why I asked. I figured they weren't doing this in WWII with M1-Garands. If I did that with my M1, I would have a nice bruise.

stitchclimber · 05-02-2008, 11:29 PM

I think you need to save the image to your puter then upload it on a photo sharing site, then post it here.

GlockMeister · 05-02-2008, 11:37 PM

Ok, I won't say link not working since everyone before me has. lol, Wait, I guess I did say it.

But to try and answer your question, I haven't a clue, so I won't try, lol, but I know what you're talking about and have seen it before. Maybe one of the soldiers we have as members here will see this and have an answer? As, curious minds want to know...

RMTactical · 05-03-2008, 04:56 AM

Just trying to get a good cheek weld most likely.

I believe this is the picture he meant to show:

Beer Forever · 05-03-2008, 09:58 AM

Good cheek and shoulder weld, but also, a lot of Acogs of poor eye relief and you have to get your face right up to it.

oejeffrey · 05-03-2008, 10:04 AM

Well I am not in the millitary or anything but I do shoot NRA across the course matches. My guess would be that they are mounted up so high like that so they can see there sights without having to cant or tilt there head down to see. From the looks of the picts it appears that there neck and head are kind of straight....if you took that stock and put it lower into their shoulder it would bring there head lower to be able to see there sights.
I also would have to agree that the light recoil that the .223 or 5.56 makes this much easier. I would definitely not shoot a Garand that way.
If you do any match shooting you might be interested in looking over at my post that has pics of my adjustable stock. It allows me to place the stock fully on my shoulder but keep the sights at a angle where I do not have to tilt my head over.
Like I said I am not in the millitary and do now know how they train the worlds greatest soliders....but that is my guess.

turkn8r1 · 05-03-2008, 10:39 AM

After carrying an M-4 in combat for 11 months let me take a stab at it. The body armor that we had was quite bulky and about 2" thick. It also makes it impossible to to move your head down like you are use to so to get things lined up we would adjust the stock all the way in or close to it and then mount the rifle high to get propper alignment. It looks awkward but in all that stuff it actually is quite comfortable and natural. Believe it or not it is quite easy to adjust back to the normal position once out of all that equipment.

103M 95G · 05-03-2008, 03:18 PM

A line from the Movie Full Metal Jacket comes to mind "Move the rifle around your head, not your head around your rifle". it could be interpited as bring the rifle up not your head down.

deadman03 · 05-03-2008, 03:41 PM

even if they were using a 308 they still have the body armour to disperse some of the recoil, but thats just a guess because i have never even seen body armour in person.

7mmremmag1995 · 05-03-2008, 03:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beer Forever

Good cheek and shoulder weld, but also, a lot of Acogs of poor eye relief and you have to get your face right up to it.

+1

YugoM59/66 · 05-03-2008, 08:36 PM

truthfully, i do it too, i dont really know why. i guess its just because thats how were trained. and when we do combat marksmanship training you are tought to stand straight on with your target with your rifle at the alert carry and when a target is presented we are tought to bring the rifle up without moving your head. So i am guessing with our flak jacket thats just how it sits with the ACOG on it like mentioned before. we dont tuck our heads down and close one eye. We keep our heads up and leave both eyes open to keep our peripheral(however you spell it) vision.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 103M 95G

A line from the Movie Full Metal Jacket comes to mind "Move the rifle around your head, not your head around your rifle". it could be interpited as bring the rifle up not your head down.

exactly

jmp8927 · 05-03-2008, 09:24 PM

I catch myself doing that with my Tapco stock on my SKS. For me its because my sights are low down and the tapco stock is higher than any other for the SKS. So rather than bring my head way down, I bring the stock up some. Recoil is still nothing o worry about and with the good weld to the stock, its comfortable and stable.

DWARREN123 · 05-03-2008, 09:36 PM

Low bore line to low sight line. Better than trying to push your head/neck down to the stock and low recoil lets you do it.

evilblackrifle · 05-04-2008, 12:45 AM

And it just "fits".

YugoM59/66 · 05-04-2008, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by evilblackrifle

And it just "fits".

^...+1

mym1a · 05-04-2008, 11:46 AM

It would appear to me that do to the scope and not using/having iron sights the weld would be higher.

Bravo · 05-04-2008, 05:31 PM

Thanks RMTactical, that's the one.

Thanks for the input guys

05-02-2008, 09:33 PM	#1
Bravo Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Maine, USA Posts: 1,987	Shouldering an M4 Is there a reason that we see soldiers putting the stock of the M4 so high on their shoulder (as in having just the lower portion of the stock touching their shoulder)? As seen here: http://www.imagereferencedatabase.co...soldier_09.jpg

05-02-2008, 09:47 PM	#2
stitchclimber Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: The great northwest Posts: 1,001	I can't get the link to work. Try again. __________________ turning up the radio, got just enough religion and a half tank of gas...

05-02-2008, 11:29 PM	#5
stitchclimber Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: The great northwest Posts: 1,001	I think you need to save the image to your puter then upload it on a photo sharing site, then post it here. __________________ turning up the radio, got just enough religion and a half tank of gas...

05-02-2008, 11:37 PM	#6
GlockMeister Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Northern Illinois Posts: 6,158	Ok, I won't say link not working since everyone before me has. lol, Wait, I guess I did say it. But to try and answer your question, I haven't a clue, so I won't try, lol, but I know what you're talking about and have seen it before. Maybe one of the soldiers we have as members here will see this and have an answer? As, curious minds want to know... __________________ I'd rather be tried by 12 than carried by 6! Last edited by GlockMeister; 05-02-2008 at 11:49 PM.

05-03-2008, 04:56 AM	#7
RMTactical Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Rocky Mountains Posts: 176	Just trying to get a good cheek weld most likely. I believe this is the picture he meant to show: __________________ rockymountaintactical.net Last edited by RMTactical; 05-03-2008 at 05:15 AM.

05-02-2008, 10:29 PM	#3
Big Tool Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: MS Posts: 630	Link isn't working, but i know what you are referring to. I think it boils down to the .223 having no recoil and some people just rest them there. When I shoot my bushmaster off my bench i usually rest the buttstock up high because my seating position is alittle low. I wouldn't be doing that with a rifle in .308. Would have a pretty bruised up shoulder.

05-03-2008, 09:58 AM	#8
Beer Forever Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Tucson, AZ Posts: 2,718	Good cheek and shoulder weld, but also, a lot of Acogs of poor eye relief and you have to get your face right up to it. __________________ Paramedic sks forever

05-03-2008, 10:04 AM	#9
oejeffrey Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: West Virginia Posts: 60	Well I am not in the millitary or anything but I do shoot NRA across the course matches. My guess would be that they are mounted up so high like that so they can see there sights without having to cant or tilt there head down to see. From the looks of the picts it appears that there neck and head are kind of straight....if you took that stock and put it lower into their shoulder it would bring there head lower to be able to see there sights. I also would have to agree that the light recoil that the .223 or 5.56 makes this much easier. I would definitely not shoot a Garand that way. If you do any match shooting you might be interested in looking over at my post that has pics of my adjustable stock. It allows me to place the stock fully on my shoulder but keep the sights at a angle where I do not have to tilt my head over. Like I said I am not in the millitary and do now know how they train the worlds greatest soliders....but that is my guess. __________________ Jeffrey Lifetime N.R.A. member Criminals rely on the kindness and pity of society

05-03-2008, 10:39 AM	#10
turkn8r1 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Southern Mississippi Posts: 156	After carrying an M-4 in combat for 11 months let me take a stab at it. The body armor that we had was quite bulky and about 2" thick. It also makes it impossible to to move your head down like you are use to so to get things lined up we would adjust the stock all the way in or close to it and then mount the rifle high to get propper alignment. It looks awkward but in all that stuff it actually is quite comfortable and natural. Believe it or not it is quite easy to adjust back to the normal position once out of all that equipment.

05-03-2008, 03:18 PM	#11
103M 95G Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Katrinas wasteland Posts: 48	A line from the Movie Full Metal Jacket comes to mind "Move the rifle around your head, not your head around your rifle". it could be interpited as bring the rifle up not your head down.

05-03-2008, 03:41 PM	#12
deadman03 Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: nc Posts: 309	even if they were using a 308 they still have the body armour to disperse some of the recoil, but thats just a guess because i have never even seen body armour in person.

05-03-2008, 09:24 PM	#15
jmp8927 Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Walterboro, SC Posts: 1,186 Images: 17	I catch myself doing that with my Tapco stock on my SKS. For me its because my sights are low down and the tapco stock is higher than any other for the SKS. So rather than bring my head way down, I bring the stock up some. Recoil is still nothing o worry about and with the good weld to the stock, its comfortable and stable. __________________ Doing the unexpected makes the unexpected the expected and thus the expected becomes the unexpected.

05-03-2008, 09:36 PM	#16
DWARREN123 Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: BETWEEN TN & KY Posts: 833	Low bore line to low sight line. Better than trying to push your head/neck down to the stock and low recoil lets you do it. __________________ Have a nice day!

05-04-2008, 12:45 AM	#17
evilblackrifle Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 194	And it just "fits". __________________ The patriot's blood is the seed of Freedom's tree.

05-04-2008, 11:46 AM	#19
mym1a Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,313	It would appear to me that do to the scope and not using/having iron sights the weld would be higher.

05-04-2008, 05:31 PM	#20
Bravo Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Maine, USA Posts: 1,987	Thanks RMTactical, that's the one. Thanks for the input guys