POTD: Bring This One Back Please – M4 Survival Rifle
Sam.S 06.27.23
Welcome to today’s Photo of the Day! Here we have another survival rifle that needs a revival! This is the M4 Survival Rifle and it served as a military-issued armament for aircrew members during survival scenarios. It was designed to accommodate the 22 Hornet caliber, a rather intriguing choice even for its time. The concept of a survival firearm, whether it be a rifle, carbine, or pistol, is not novel. During the Second World War, Allied aircrew members were typically equipped with Colt M1911 .45 ACP pistols, while some German aircrew members in the Africa campaigns received drilling combination guns. Following the war, the United States military aimed to adopt a designated “survival rifle.” They conducted trials with commercial combination guns like the Stevens Over/Under-style .410 Gauge/.22 Long Rifle. Ultimately, they developed the Harrington & Richardson M4 Survival Carbine. This carbine, chambered for the .22 Hornet, operated with a bolt-action mechanism and a magazine feed. It boasted a collapsible wire stock and a rudimentary wire pistol grip. It is worth noting that there is a common misconception that it was replaced by the subsequent AR7 rifle, which is incorrect.
“This is an example of a “U.S. Air Force” M4 bolt action survival rifle. These rifles were developed after World War II and were intended as a survival rifle for downed fighter pilots and bomber crews. They were not really intended as a defensive weapon but more for hunting and survival. They saw service well into the late 1950s and early 1960s with B-52 bomber crews. Manufactured by H&R at the Worcester, MA plant, the rifle has a blade front sight and Lyman 55-H adjustable rear peep sight, matching numbers on the barrel and receiver, two-line Worcester address on the left side of the receiver, “RIFLE, SURVIVAL, CAL .22, M4 (HORNET CARTRIDGE)/U.S. PROPERTY” on the left side of the frame, and telescoping wire buttstock. Modern fixed flash hider.”
Lot 3322: U.S. Harrington & Richardson M4 Survival Rifle with Case – U.S. Property Marked Harrington & Richardson M4 Bolt Action Survival Rifle with Case and Accessories. (n.d.-ai). Rock Island Auction Company. photograph. Retrieved June 25, 2023, from https://www.rockislandauction.com/detail/86/3322/us-harrington-richardson-m4-survival-rifle-with-case.
