In Colt fashion, their Individual Carbine entry was shrouded in secrecy. From its development, entry and even after the Individual Carbine program was cancelled, this rifle still remained a mystery. Unlike many poor business decisions made by Colt executives, this incredible rifle would have fared well on the LE and Commercial markets, if they would have produced it. I would like to thank James Rupley/Vickers Guide for the excellent pictures of the Colt Individual Carbine. All photos are © by Mr. Rupley.
The development of the Colt IC (Individual Carbine) entry would be a progression of Colt’s development of an external piston operated rifle. But there is one major change from the standard progression which stands out. The receiver of the Colt IC would come from the Colt LE901 family of rifles. The LE901 was the first Colt lower receiver to be fully ambidextrous. Previous models of the carbine would use the Norgon ambidextrous magazine release, as well as, the Diemaco/Colt Canada designed ambidextrous selector lever. Colt had never introduced a dedicated lower receiver until the LE901/IC programs.
The development of the Colt IC (Individual Carbine) entry would be a progression of Colt’s development of an external piston operated rifle. But there is one major change from the standard progression which stands out. The receiver of the Colt IC would come from the Colt LE901 family of rifles. The LE901 was the first Colt lower receiver to be fully ambidextrous. Previous models of the carbine would use the Norgon ambidextrous magazine release, as well as, the Diemaco/Colt Canada designed ambidextrous selector lever. Colt had never introduced a dedicated lower receiver until the LE901/IC programs.
If you notice from the photo of the LE901 above, you will see the ambidextrous bolt release directly above the trigger. On the left side of the receiver you will notice the built in ambidextrous magazine release, as well as, the heavier built bolt release. Colt decided to design the IC with this lower receiver forging. The front of the forging was modified to take a 5.56mm only upper receiver, as opposed to being a convertible 7.62/51mm/5.56x45mm rifle. The lower receiver is slightly more bulky/heavier than the standard 5.56mm lower, but not really noticeable nor noteworthy. The upper receiver was manufactured from a Colt Canada IUR forging, which is also a 1-piece upper receiver, but different from LE901 and standard Colt monolithic upper receiver. The IC lower will accept any mil-spec M16/M4 upper receiver. The buffer would have to be mated with the upper receiver to prevent short stroking and bolt carrier bounce issues.
As previously stated, the lower receiver is manufactured from a 7075 T6 aircraft aluminum forging. The lower receiver used a standard receiver extension and stock. The stock is flat dark earth with a black stock latch. The buffer is a H3 buffer, which is abnormal. Normally the H2 is used on all Colt external piston rifles due to the more violent opening stroke caused by this operating mechanism. The H3 was used due to the much heavier barrel used on the IC rifle which caused more severe bolt carrier bounce. The trigger mechanism is the standard SAFE, SEMI and AUTO. Thank god the BURST was removed! This was a horrible infliction to the US serviceman by the Marine Corps with the development of the M16A2.
As previously stated, the lower receiver is manufactured from a 7075 T6 aircraft aluminum forging. The lower receiver used a standard receiver extension and stock. The stock is flat dark earth with a black stock latch. The buffer is a H3 buffer, which is abnormal. Normally the H2 is used on all Colt external piston rifles due to the more violent opening stroke caused by this operating mechanism. The H3 was used due to the much heavier barrel used on the IC rifle which caused more severe bolt carrier bounce. The trigger mechanism is the standard SAFE, SEMI and AUTO. Thank god the BURST was removed! This was a horrible infliction to the US serviceman by the Marine Corps with the development of the M16A2.
Looking at the right side, you can clearly see the Diemaco/Colt Canada designed ambidextrous selector lever. You can see the short arm on the right side. The ambidextrous bolt release is just that, a bolt release. You can only engage the bolt catch from the left side of the lower receiver. The hammer/trigger pins are slightly longer than the standard pins. The carbine has a standard pivoting winter trigger guard and flat dark earth A2 pistol grip. As per requirement, the carbine has a UID label placed on the magazine well. Looking on the left side we see the “M4 CARBINE ENHANCED” roll mark. We see the ambidextrous magazine release lever. This is in a much more natural position than the Norgon. The button is directly in front of the trigger which I find to be far more comfortable. The bolt catch has a stronger profile to it as well.
The charging handle is a standard profile with a flat dark earth anodizing. The bolt carrier group is the standard LE6940P/ APC (Advanced Piston Carbine) variation. The bolt carrier is one piece. The tombstone is part of the receiver. The earlier Colt external pistol bolt carriers utilized a modified bolt carrier key. With extended use, the pin that went from the carrier key into the carrier would break, which in turn would cause the carrier key screws to break. You will also notice on the rear of the carrier are two ski’s which assist in preventing carrier tilt, which damages the receiver extension. This bolt carrier group has a striking resemblance to the Taiwanese T91 bolt carrier. The bolt is a standard M16/M4 bolt, which uses the rubber O-ring that goes around the extractor spring and buffer.
The operating system is Short Stroke Tappet. The piston cylinder is adjustable by rotating 180°. The two positions are normal and suppressed modes. The proprietary rod and piston are what Colt calls the articulating link system. The pivoting piston assists in thermal changes that the operating rod normally experiences with extended firing. This oddly is also seen on the Taiwanese T91 rifle. You can also see there is a return spring attached to the operating rod. The rod is thick and heavy duty. The piston utilizes three gas rings that seal off the gas chamber, which now requires less gas to operate, resulting in a more balanced cycle rate, increasing reliability and component life.
The barrel used on the Colt IC is a button rifled, heavy fluted chrome lined barrel. The heavier weight of the barrel increases its thermal tolerance, thus prolongs overheating. Notice the Surefire flash hider/sound suppressor mount. The front sight base has a bayonet lug and a folding front sight. The disassembly of the operating rod is very simple. It is held in place by a detent and pin identical to the front and rear takedown/picot pins. The front sight base is drilled and pinned with two taper pins. The barrel and front sight base are flat dark earth as well.
The one-piece upper receiver is slightly different than the standard LE6940P. Instead of having quad MIL-STD-1913 rails it has removeable segments on the 3:00 and 9:00 positions. You can remove the lower handguard and install a M203 or another grenade launcher. Another interesting feature is a steel tab (Cam Wear Plate) located behind the cam track inside the upper receiver. When I first went to work at Colt in 2008, I worked with their then Head of Research and Development, Phil Hinckley. The LE1020 was experiencing the cam pin digging into the upper receiver and Phil was looking for a solution to prevent this.
Back in 1968, Winchester was working on a conversion system to convert the M16A1 into an external piston rifle due to the problems the M16A1 was experiencing in Vietnam. Simultaneously, Colt was working on their long stroke piston model 703. Winchester saw the same problem with the cam pin cutting into the receiver behind the cam pin notch. They inserted a steel screw in that location. This would prevent the cam pin from damaging the receiver. I provided Phil with the report from 1968 and recommended Colt do the same. Phil assigned Colt Engineer, Paul Hochstrate, to take that concept, modify it and make it better. Instead of just using a screw, he designed an insert which was a vast improvement. At first the Cam Wear Plate was only put on the external piston rifles, but later, on all the one-piece uppers, including the LE901.
The one-piece upper receiver is slightly different than the standard LE6940P. Instead of having quad MIL-STD-1913 rails it has removeable segments on the 3:00 and 9:00 positions. You can remove the lower handguard and install a M203 or another grenade launcher. Another interesting feature is a steel tab (Cam Wear Plate) located behind the cam track inside the upper receiver. When I first went to work at Colt in 2008, I worked with their then Head of Research and Development, Phil Hinckley. The LE1020 was experiencing the cam pin digging into the upper receiver and Phil was looking for a solution to prevent this.
Back in 1968, Winchester was working on a conversion system to convert the M16A1 into an external piston rifle due to the problems the M16A1 was experiencing in Vietnam. Simultaneously, Colt was working on their long stroke piston model 703. Winchester saw the same problem with the cam pin cutting into the receiver behind the cam pin notch. They inserted a steel screw in that location. This would prevent the cam pin from damaging the receiver. I provided Phil with the report from 1968 and recommended Colt do the same. Phil assigned Colt Engineer, Paul Hochstrate, to take that concept, modify it and make it better. Instead of just using a screw, he designed an insert which was a vast improvement. At first the Cam Wear Plate was only put on the external piston rifles, but later, on all the one-piece uppers, including the LE901.
As per requirement, the IC rifles had to be flat dark earth in color. Back in 2009, Colt discovered a company that could do a digital camo type anodizing instead of the traditional painting done on rifles to get camouflage patterns. The camo pattern anodizing is far more durable than painting. In fact, it is anodizing so it does not come off. As one would expect at Colt, being it is basically run by retired or former Marines, Colt chose the Marine Corps digital pattern for the rifle. The rear back up sight is a Troy back up rear sight in flat dark earth.
Prior to submission, Colt ran the rifle through the entire testing protocol that the IC was to go through. All environmental testing (hot, cold, desert sand, ice, mud, corrosion, etc.…) and the rifle passed with little difficulty. But there was one test Colt did not test, neither did any other of the manufacturers who entered the trial. This was the endurance test with the new M855A1. The Army would not send this ammunition to any of the manufacturers to test their entries, so all manufacturers designed their rifles around M855 ammunition, the NATO standard ammunition. Unbeknownst to all the manufacturers, the M855A1 ammunition drastically exceeded the port and chamber pressures of M855 to near proof pressures. From a 52,000 psi to 63,000 psi. As a point of comparison, the proof cartridge is 70,000 psi. This ammunition caused every rifle submitted to have an array of bolt failures, premature wear on the barrels to the point no rifle passed this test.
This was the reason for the cancellation of the Individual Carbine program due to no manufacturer passing the minimum requirements. I believe this rifle is a step ahead of the M4, maybe even enough to be a worthy replacement. The government played this dirty by not providing the manufacturers with the ammunition they would be tested with. Especially knowing the ammunition caused significantly more wear on the rifles components as the current NATO specification ammunition.
Prior to submission, Colt ran the rifle through the entire testing protocol that the IC was to go through. All environmental testing (hot, cold, desert sand, ice, mud, corrosion, etc.…) and the rifle passed with little difficulty. But there was one test Colt did not test, neither did any other of the manufacturers who entered the trial. This was the endurance test with the new M855A1. The Army would not send this ammunition to any of the manufacturers to test their entries, so all manufacturers designed their rifles around M855 ammunition, the NATO standard ammunition. Unbeknownst to all the manufacturers, the M855A1 ammunition drastically exceeded the port and chamber pressures of M855 to near proof pressures. From a 52,000 psi to 63,000 psi. As a point of comparison, the proof cartridge is 70,000 psi. This ammunition caused every rifle submitted to have an array of bolt failures, premature wear on the barrels to the point no rifle passed this test.
This was the reason for the cancellation of the Individual Carbine program due to no manufacturer passing the minimum requirements. I believe this rifle is a step ahead of the M4, maybe even enough to be a worthy replacement. The government played this dirty by not providing the manufacturers with the ammunition they would be tested with. Especially knowing the ammunition caused significantly more wear on the rifles components as the current NATO specification ammunition.
Colt had an excellent rifle here. But they never brought it to market. Whether deliberate or out of stupidity, they refused to make another product that would have been a commercial winner. The same was done with their 7.62x39mm model CK-901, which was another rifle that was of tremendous innovation above and beyond anyone else in the industry. Colt has yet to release the ambidextrous lower receiver to market. They have shown a couple prototypes around the past few years but never offered them for sale. These actions are clearly what keeps Colt behind the eight ball. Most of the top tier manufacturers offer ambidextrous lowers including KAC, LMT, LWRCI, RADIAN, S&W and so on. Will they ever learn?
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