Colt M4A1 vs Remington Arms 870
Colt M4A1 and Remington Arms 870 are both rifle & long arms, compared here on public specifications. The Colt M4A1 leads on effective range (500 vs 40 m).
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Full data
Full spec sheet
 Colt M4A1
Wins 4/6 | Remington Arms 870
Wins 2/6 | |
|---|---|---|
| Performance | ||
| Effective range (m) | 500 m ✓ | 40 m |
| Rate of fire (rpm) | 950 rpm | N/A |
| Muzzle velocity (m/s) | 884 m/s ✓ | 400 m/s |
| Firepower | ||
| Caliber (mm) | 5.6 mm | 18.5 mm |
| Ammunition | 30 ✓ | 7 |
| Physical | ||
| Length (m) | 0.84 m | 1 m |
| Empty weight (kg) | 3 kg | 3 kg |
| Crew | 1 | 1 |
| Program | ||
| Unit cost (USD) | $1,100 | $450 ✓ |
| Units built | 2,000,000 | 11,000,000 ✓ |
| Operator countries | 60 ✓ | 30 |
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper? +
The Remington Arms 870 has the lower public unit-cost figure at 450 USD. Treat this as directional, defense pricing varies by contract and configuration.
Which has the higher effective range? +
The Colt M4A1 has the higher effective range at 500 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 Remington Arms 870 has the higher units built at 11,000,000.
Which has the higher operator countries? +
The Colt M4A1 has the higher operator countries at 60.
Is the Colt M4A1 better than the Remington Arms 870? +
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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