Commando

Information

1000

The attempts at identifying this AR-15 variant are numerous. Some have stated this assault rifle simply is a misplaced M4 Carbine, some have stated this is an XM177 CAR-15 and some have stated this is a Colt Model 629. As a matter of fact, all of these speculations are incorrect. Why? The simple fact is this CAR-15 variant does not exist, and was probably made up by Treyarch to illustrate the experimental stages many of the weapons were in at the times in which Black Ops takes place. All CAR-15 rifles, predecessors to the M4 family of firearms, featured carry handles on top of them, and this pretty much rules out all possible rifles up until the M4 Carbine and M16A3, which did feature flat-top receivers, but would not be seen until the 1980s. However, the entire lower receiver, the 10 inch barrel and the muzzle brake are all based on the XM-177E1 Commando, which is why we identify it as such. The Colt Automatic Rifle-15 was developed in the 1960s as a compact alternative to the existing AR-15 rifles, and was often classified as an SMG because of the short barrel. In 1967, the rifle had undergone several changes and its barrel was lengthened to 11.5 inches, which resulted in the XM-177E2. The XM-177 Commando rifles never got past their experimental designations, and eventually would cease to be produced in favor of a shortened Carbine version of the M16A1, the Colt Model 653.