Got a question regarding some OIF Marines I'm working on.

What came first: the change from 3-color BDUs to MARPAT, or the change from M16A2s to M16A4s?

I think MARPAT came first, but wanted to make sure before I arm them with the wrong weapons!

TIA!

I guess it would be dependant on timelines, but I've got pics of Marines wearing MARPAT early in the war armed with M16A3s (flat top M16 w/ regular handguards).

Thanks for the reply!

That actually helps a lot, since I can mod an A2 into an A3 much easier than trying to replicate the railed handguards.

So the way it looks is:
3-color BDU can go with A2s and (maybe?) A3s
MARPAT can go with A3s and A4s.

Just a wild guess, but I'd bet than in typical Marine fashion, they'd have A3s and A4s serving at the same time.

Did any Marine units ever field M4s?

I've seen MEUSOC guys armed with M4 carbines equipped 203s with the old school SOPMOD flashlight.

M-16A3s and M4s with rails are available from BLAST Models.

The Marines had a tendency to favor the M-16 because of the longer barrel = longer range. However, there is a system-wide push to field all M4s within the Army and Marines although I'm not really sure if this will happen since the Marines still prefer the M-16 in Afghanistan due to its longer range than the M4.

I would say that the MARPAT indeed came first. The Marines want to equip every M-16 with a scope, but this doesn't mean all M-16s will get rails. It's more of a piecemeal nature for the rails, unlike the Army.

Thanks for the replies, guys.

I'm modeling these Marines around the time of the "retaking" of Fallujah. I'm guessing MARPAT+A3s and A4s?

According to some documentaries on Falluja, MARPAT is almost a requirement. However, the rifles used were M-16A2s to M-16A4s. In actuality, there isn't a M-16A3; it's a misnomer. There's a M-16A3 that the SEALs used, which is a fully-auto M-16A2.

Then there's M-16A4 with the "Picatinny Rail" on top of the receiver (essentially a M-16A2 with a scope on top and no carrying handle) and the M-16A4 with the MWS = "Modular Weapons System," which is the "Knight Armament System barrel rails." Not all M-16A4s have the the MWS. One can try to replicate a M-16A4 by removing the carrying handle and adding a row of 1/48 or 1/72 bullets on top to mimic the "Picatinny Rail."

So you'd be fine using a M-16A2 and M-16A4 and perhaps a few AT-4 rocket launchers and SMAWs, which all are available from DML.

I have a half-decent way of making picatinny rails. Take a strip of styrene the width of a picatinny rail and some pliers (the kind that have "teeth" on them) and imprint the teeth on the plastic. In 1/35 it looks just about right.

The Marines used the M4A1 in Fallujah, but namely the squad leaders, so perhaps 1 in 9-13 Marines had one. Concord's Special Ops photobook shows this.

Good to know, and thanks for all the replies. I just ordered the Blast M16 and M4 sets, along with 3 figures, so I'll put them to good use.