[dbandit]

This is an HK weapon? Nothing on it looks like it's interchangeable with anything but brand spanking new HK parts. No light rail, new, different magazines, no way to mount anything but that fancy new HK dot scope. Looks like HK has gotten themselves a smashing new government contract to design stuff so that no one else can contribute any add-ons.

Doesn't look like there's a rate selector switch on this one, but surely it's standard on the real deal.

All that's going to make the first civilian versions very expensive. That sucks.

[Euro-American Scum]

Here's a brief description of what this weapon is capable.

Wave of the Future: The XM-8 Battle Rifle

It doesn't say anything about the 6.8mm cartridge or anything about Chinese manufacture of the weapon.

Personally, I'd be more than a little nervous having the Chicoms supply the primary shoulder weapon for the U.S. military. And I don't care how cheap the price is.

[Vigilant1]

dbandit:

"This is an HK weapon? Nothing on it looks like it's interchangeable with anything but brand spanking new HK parts."

This is mostly true. No internal M-16 parts interchange with the XM-8 that I am aware of.
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"No light rail, new, different magazines, no way to mount anything but that fancy new HK dot scope. Looks like HK has gotten themselves a smashing new government contract to design stuff so that no one else can contribute any add-ons."

Not so. I beleive the XM-8 uses standard M-16 mags and has an add-on standard Picatinny rail.
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"Doesn't look like there's a rate selector switch on this one, but surely it's standard on the real deal."

By 'rate selector', I assume you mean the 3-round burst setting that is found on the most recent versions of the M-16/M-4. I hope they do not unnecessarily increase the complexity of the weapon with such a device. That is a hardware solution to a training problem. Troops should be taught proper fire discipline and trigger control, and then no burst setting is needed.
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"All that's going to make the first civilian versions very expensive. That sucks."

Have you *ever* seen an inexpensive civilian version of any H&K firearm ??? I guess surplus G3 'parts guns' ("demilled" surplus parts kits built onto American receivers by outfits like Century Arms, as per Sec. 922r) are as close as we have ever gotten to that.

[LibTeeth]

Re: "All that's going to make the first civilian versions very expensive. That sucks."

One day you'll probably be able to get all you want free for the taking off the blue helmet goons that come to confiscate your deer rifle.