Carbine Rifle

The Carbine Rifle, also known as the M4 and M16, is a rifle that has been featured in every GTA game since Grand Theft Auto III, except Grand Theft Auto Advance. It is useful in almost any situation, boasting accuracy, power and magazine capacity. Throughout the games, the models differ slightly, along with zoom capability, rate of fire, and power.

3D Universe
GTA III's rendition resembles the Armalite AR-10. This version differs from any other variant for how powerful it is: Featuring an exceptionally high rate of fire and a 60 round magazine, it is always a one shot kill against any enemy in any part of the body and can easily destroy most vehicles with a few bursts, making it arguably the most powerful firearm in the game. One might even compare it to the minigun or the M-60 in later games. Yet, despite its power, the Carbine Rifle in GTA III suffers from a huge and hardly controllable recoil, therefore not replacing the Sniper Rifle at long range combat.

Vice City's rifle is modeled after the Colt 733, but called 'M4' in-game (Which is historically inaccurate, as the M4 was not introduced until 1994). Originally, the beta featured an assault rifle that resembled an M16A2, but it was later replaced by the current model. It also appears to have an aftermarket crane stock. The beta rifle's model can still be found in the game files and can be seen in the intro cutscene. It's a much less poweful rifle than it's GTA III predecessor, and despite still being a one-shot kill at most occasions, it now features a slower rate of fire and a realistic 30-round magazine. The recoil is also much lower this time around, making it useful for more precise shots.

San Andreas reuses the model from Vice City, again called 'M4' in-game (And again inaccurate since the game is set in 1992). This version has a low rate of fire that is unusual for the rifle, but it is still highly effective as a weapon. It has a 50-round STANAG magazine. In the mission Stowaway, a government agent is shown holding a camouflaged Colt M16A1. This however, is never available to use in-game.

In Liberty City Stories, it is truly modeled after the M4A1 and named M4 correctly. The rifle mostly remains the same since San Andreas, only having an increased rate of fire and slightly more power this time around.

Vice City Stories features a rifle resembling a M16A1, named 'Assault Rifle' in-game. It uses the same model from the previously mentioned San Andreas mission Stowaway, sans the camouflage. Lance Vance mentions an M4 during a mission, which is an anachronism. It functions just as the Liberty City Stories version.

HD Universe
GTA IV features a rifle based on the Colt M4A1, titled 'Carbine Rifle' in-game. This version is accurate both in timeline and overall features, including accurate weapon specs such as rate of fire, magazine size and appearance. Interestingly, the carry handle has been replaced with a pica-tinny rail alongside an aftermarket drum sight mounted to it. It has the longest range of any non-sniper weapon in the game. It has "Property Of Liberty City Arms" stamped where the magazine release is normally found, probably a reference to the "Property Of U.S. Govt" stamped on its real-life counterpart. Performance wise, the Carbine Rifle is stellar. Accuracy and fire rate are both high, along with damage. It is highly effective in close to mid range, with accuracy dropping off at long range. Accuracy is even higher when crouched, allowing the player to fire it on fully automatic while being able to reliably hit targets.

GTA Chinatown's rendition is difficult to identify, but it it has a full stock and long barrel, and the triangular hand guard as seen on the HUD suggests it is based on the Colt M16A1. It has tremendous power and a fifty round magazine.

The Carbine Rifle returns in Grand Theft Auto V, this time seemingly inspired by the HK416 assault rifle, as seen in multiple screenshots, artworks and in the gameplay trailer. Confirmed attachments, for now, are an extended magazine, a suppressor and a grip.

In-Game Appearances
In Grand Theft Auto: Vice City it is used for the first time in Rub Out, where Lance gives Tommy an M4 to kill Diaz. After the mission it can be bought at the Downtown Ammu-Nation. Then during Cop Land, a police officer and two soldiers are seen using the rifles. They can also be seen at Fort Baxter Air Base being wielded by soldiers.

In Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas, the M4 is used by the army at a six star wanted level, during Black Project, Up, Up and Away! and Vertical Bird, and by some gangsters during End of the Line.

It is a very rare weapon during the course of Grand Theft Auto: Liberty City Stories, being used only by Forelli Family hitmen in Love on the Rocks and by Massimo's guards in The Sicilian Gambit.

In Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories, it is used in various missions (most notably when Lance uses it in Blitzkrieg Strikes Again), and can be bought at Ammu-Nation upon unlocking Ocean Beach following From Zero to Hero. Soldiers at Fort Baxter Air Base can once again be seen wielding the rifle.

GTA III

 * Rockford, Staunton Island - Available to buy from Phil Cassidy's Army Surplus after completion of Arms Shortage.
 * Bedford Point, Staunton Island - In the walled off area in the southeast part of the Liberty Tree Offices, where the mission Kingdom Come takes place. (Use the nearby Moonbeam, park it by the lowest part of the wall, climb the Moonbeam, and jump over the wall to access).
 * Cedar Grove, Shoreside Vale - On the back porch of the pink house (fourth from the west) at The Homes.
 * Cochrane Dam, Shoreside Vale - Near the top of the stairs for the west dam platform (not the top of the Cochrane Dam power house) at the base of the Cochrane Dam.
 * Delivered to safehouses after collecting 90 Hidden Packages.

GTA Vice City

 * Prawn Island - In Studio B (behind the moon lander) at the InterGlobal Films complex.
 * Starfish Island - In the small room at the bottom of the Vercetti Estate's stairwell east of the main entrance after the completion of Rub Out.
 * Downtown - Available to buy from Ammu-Nation after completion of Rub Out ($5,000).
 * Little Haiti - In the middle of a cluster of shacks in the center of the North Haitian Neighborhood (just south of Auntie Poulet's house behind the house with the Voodoo in front).
 * Little Havana - At the west side of the red and white building directly across the street west of Cafe Robina ( where Tommy took Phil to during Boomshine Saigon ).
 * Fort Baxter - Wasting some of the Soldiers will give a decent amount of M4 ammo.



GTA San Andreas

 * Los Santos International Airport, Los Santos - Next to the runway, there are three white and yellow striped "ramps". Between those which are placed at the end of the runway.
 * Palisades, San Fierro - Behind the northernmost house next to the beach.
 * Area 69, Bone County - Behind a staircase leading to a control tower.
 * Pilgrim, Las Venturas - On the roof of the hotel.
 * The Four Dragons Casino, Las Venturas - In front of the casino if all 50 Horseshoes are collected.

GTA Liberty City Stories

 * Newport, Staunton Island - Among the containers at the docks and east of an unique stunt jump. It's located between the containers that are placed towards the Big Shot Casino.
 * Bedford Point, Staunton Island - Available to purchase from Phil Cassidy's Fully Cocked Gun Shop for $5,400 once the player beats the mission "Friggin' the Riggin'".
 * Available at each safehouses after collecting 90 hidden packages.

GTA Vice City Stories

 * Vice Point - Behind the building next to northernmost empire site.
 * Vice Point Mall, Vice Point - Available to buy from Ammu-Nation for $5,400 but the price is decreased to $4,050 when the player beats Phil's Shooting Range.
 * Fort Baxter - Killing soldiers will make them drop their weapons.

Grand Theft Auto IV
It can be purchased from the back-alley gun shops for $5,000 and each additional magazine will cost $100. It can be purchased from Little Jacob for $3,500 with each additional magazine costing $70. The Carbine Rifle can also be acquired from NOOSE Tactical Response Unit Officers, FIB Agents and certain LCPD Officers, specifically those who guard places of high security such as The Statue of Happiness.

Bohan Algonquin Alderney
 * Bohan Industrial - Can be found in one of the offices inside the abandoned warehouse where the player rescues Roman from the mission Hostile Negotiation.
 * Algonquin Bridge - Can be found atop the roof of the Pedestrian Walkway on the Algonquin side, from the subway tunnel entrance.
 * Easton - Can be found well-hidden behind some trash cans on the east side of Grand Easton Terminal. The trash cans can be reached quickly through an alley on Jade St.
 * Leftwood - Can be found underneath the pier where the strip mall is situated off Beaverhead Avenue. The strip mall can be seen from the cliff where Niko executes Aiden O'Malley during the mission Tunnel Of Death.
 * Tudor - Can be found in a small loading dock area on the north side of the old Sprunk factory.
 * Tudor - Can be found atop the northern superstructure of the old rail bridge that spans the river which divides Tudor and the Acter Industrial Park.

Grand Theft Auto V

 * Can be brought at Ammu-Nation, however the cost is unknown.

Trivia

 * In the Playstation 2 version of GTA III, the M16 has a green aiming cursor, but in the PC, Xbox and mobile versions of the game, the green cursor is replaced by a circle and a dot.


 * Strangely, the M4 in GTA IV has two reload animations. When Niko is standing while reloading, he will pull the charging handle, but when crouching while reloading, he takes "out" the magazine, puts "another" in and pulls the charging handle. There is no confirmed reason for why there are two reload animations, but it is speculated that it is for balancing reasons, as the player is much more effective while crouched. This oddity is also present on the AK-47.
 * In GTA IV, the bottom of the Carbine Rifle's magazine is stamped with the words "Stop Chillin Start Killin".

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