COLT CANADA’s C8A2
The 5.56 mm C8A2 Carbine has a short heavy barrel and adjustable stock for vehicle crews, police and other special operations . The C8 meets all applicable military standards including: reliability in all environmental and operational conditions, accuracy, lethality, maintainability in field conditions and safety. The C8A2 is the answer to demanding customer requirements for a carbine that matches the rifle’s best characteristics in a compact package.
• Direct Gas System. The unique direct gas system eliminates the operating rod and keeps all of the firing forces in line with the bore for maximum accuracy and reliability.
• Hammer Forged Heavy Barrel. The long-life chrome lined cold hammer forged barrel is the most advanced and durable barrel available. The integrally forged special carbine chamber ensures consistency and accuracy over the life of the barrel. The heavy barrel profile maintains zero with accessories fitted and provides extra thermal mass to dissipate heat during intensive firing.
• Flat Top. The upper receiver can be manufactured in the original Canadian Forces specification Weaver rail, or with a MIL-STD-1913 Picatinny rail.
• Simplicity. The proven design ensures ease of operation and the ultimate in maintainability. The weapon is easy to operate and can be field stripped in seconds with no tools.
• Durability. The high strength materials and precision manufacturing ensure durability and low life-cycle costs. The C8 has 97% parts commonality with all other models.
Features:
1 - Reduced length cold hammer forged heavy barrel
2 - Flash suppressor
3 - Bayonet lug
4 - TRI-AD 1TM MIL-STD-1913 accessory mount
5 - Special carbine chamber and gas system
6 - Accepts all STANAG magazines
7 - Integrated sight rail (Weaver or Picatinny)
8 - Optional ambidextrous controls
9 - Single or double sided sling loop
10 - Standard 4 position buttstock with no slip rubber butt pad
For more information on this and other Colt Canada products, visit www.diemaco.com
November 20th, 2008 at 5:15 am
Probably the logistics answer; presumably that’s why the military still holds to 5.56×45mm. Even with that caliber, there’s an article on the HK416 where Larry Vickers said that the M16 magazine design is inherently flawed, but that a better magazine would be incompatible.
Admittedly I’m not sure how valid the idea of accuracy going down with use of the gas piston (as the direct gas system description in the article implies) is, though.
August 17th, 2008 at 2:47 pm
It boggles the mind why Canada stayed with the direct gas system. Anyone who has slogged through a jungle or played in the Arab Sandbox can tell you that the direct-gas system of the M-16 is a bust. Too many soldiers died in Vietnam when they pulled the trigger only to find that their bolt head wouldn’t cycle due to carbon build-up.
While it is true that chroming the chamber and the barrel helped some, sand and grime can still bring an M-16 to a grinding hault. There is however, a promising system for the M-16 on the horizon.
Heckler & Koch have manufactured the perfect 5.56 system in the model 416. The 416 incorporates all of the positive features of the M-16 but adds a gas piston system similar to the ultra reliable AK system.
The 416 has all of the accuracy of the M-4 carbine coupled with the reliability of the AK-47. The bolt carrier group stays clean and cool which means that the piston system is far less likely to seize up during extended firing strings.
Because the exhaust gasses do not impinge on the bolt face, none of the carbon ends up fouling the bolt. In application, the clean bolt would practically eliminate the need for a forward assist such as it found in the M-16.
Becuuse the gas piston accumulates all of the carbon in the system, the piston system rarely fails. This is because the recoil impulse on the gas piston is sufficient to cycle the weapon. Plus, with an internal piston and operating rod, none of the sand, mud or grime one encounters in a combat situation can jam one’s weapon.
If the U.S. military has any sense, they will abandon their search for the perfect new assault rifle and convert its inventory of M-16s and M-4s to the H&K system.