If the U.S. Army has its way, several upgrades will go through that will altogether change the accuracy, performance, as well as the appearance of the M4A1 carbine assault rifle. In particular, the Army weapons and contracting officials are looking to improve the rails, triggers, charging handles and sights of the gun.

Interested companies have until April 3 to respond.

After the Army ditched a project to develop a new carbine for the existing M4 that was years in the making, they officially named the M4A1 as the standard in 2013.

According to Military.com, the M4A1 is the special operations version of the M4 that’s been around for more than a decade. Featuring a full-auto trigger and a heavy barrel, the gun was improved just recently when the three-round trigger was dumped resulted in better accuracy and a more consistent pull.

Here are a few of the “upgrades” highlighted in a FedBizOpps.gov document posted on March 13:

  • Improved extended forward rail that will “provide for a hand guard allowing for a free-floated barrel” for improved accuracy
  • New, removable front and rear back-up iron sights that attach to the rails and “stow down/away to reduce interference with the mounted primary sights and flip up to enable soldiers to engage targets out to 300 meters”
  • A more effective flash suppressor/muzzle brake brake “designed to reduce the day and night firing signature and night vision device blooming effect of the weapon to be less than the current carbine without loss in system performance”
  • Improved charging handle would provide shooters with an enhanced grasping surface area with an “extended latch capability for improved hand/finger-grasping access and enhanced operating leverage/operation for both left- and right-handed shooters”
  • An enhanced, single-stage trigger module “free of creep with consistent trigger pull weight within the range of 4.0 to 5.0 pounds”