Colt XM177 Commando

About the Colt XM177 Commando

The Colt XM177 Commando was a compact carbine developed from the CAR-15 family during the Vietnam War to give special forces a short, handy weapon for close-in jungle fighting. Built on the AR-15/M16 platform with a telescoping aluminum stock, a roughly 11.5-inch barrel and a long moderator-style flash suppressor, it retained select-fire capability and the 5.56x45mm cartridge. The XM177E1 used a 10-inch barrel while the more common XM177E2 used the longer 11.5-inch barrel; the Air Force fielded the type as the GAU-5/A.

The XM177's iconic long flash suppressor was not just for looks: the 5.56mm round leaving such a short barrel produced a blinding muzzle flash and deafening report, so Colt fitted an oversized 'moderator' to tame both, giving the Commando its instantly recognizable Vietnam-era silhouette.

Colt XM177 Commando specifications

Part of the CAR-15 weapon system. The long combination flash-suppressor/moderator was needed to tame the muzzle blast of the short barrel and was later restricted under the NFA as a sound moderator.