Barrett Firearms Manufacturing M82 vs Colt M4A1
Barrett Firearms Manufacturing M82 and Colt M4A1 are both rifle & long arms, compared here on public specifications. The Barrett Firearms Manufacturing M82 leads on effective range (1,800 vs 500 m).
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Full data
Full spec sheet
 Barrett Firearms Manufacturing M82
Wins 2/6 | Colt M4A1
Wins 4/6 | |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ||
| Effective range (m) | 1,800 m ✓ | 500 m |
| Rate of fire (rpm) | N/A | 950 rpm |
| Muzzle velocity (m/s) | 853 m/s | 884 m/s ✓ |
| Firepower | ||
| Caliber (mm) | 12.7 mm | 5.6 mm |
| Ammunition | 10 | 30 ✓ |
| Physical | ||
| Length (m) | 1.45 m | 0.84 m |
| Empty weight (kg) | 14 kg | 3 kg |
| Crew | 1 | 1 |
| Program | ||
| Unit cost (USD) | $12,000 | $1,100 ✓ |
| Units built | 15,000 | 2,000,000 ✓ |
| Operator countries | 75 ✓ | 60 |
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper? +
The Colt M4A1 has the lower public unit-cost figure at 1,100 USD. Treat this as directional, defense pricing varies by contract and configuration.
Which has the higher effective range? +
The Barrett Firearms Manufacturing M82 has the higher effective range at 1,800 m.
Which has the higher muzzle velocity? +
The Colt M4A1 has the higher muzzle velocity at 884 m/s.
Which has the higher ammunition? +
The Colt M4A1 has the higher ammunition at 30.
Which has the higher units built? +
The Colt M4A1 has the higher units built at 2,000,000.
Which has the higher operator countries? +
The Barrett Firearms Manufacturing M82 has the higher operator countries at 75.
Is the Barrett Firearms Manufacturing M82 better than the Colt M4A1? +
On the public specs we track, the Colt M4A1 leads on 4 of 6 headline metrics, see the full spec sheet for the metric-by-metric breakdown.
Where does this comparison data come from? +
Every figure in the table is sourced from public manufacturer pages, defense-ministry releases and reference publications, and is verifiable on each system's spec page. WeaponSpecs does not accept vendor placement.
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