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XM-8: New U.S. Service Rifle?
Modern Firearms and Ammunition website ^ | unknown | Unknown

Posted on 08/07/2003 10:52:17 AM PDT by Long Cut

Caliber: 5.56x45 mm NATO
Action: Gas operated, rotating bolt
Overall length: no data
Barrel length: no data
Weight: 2.67 kg empty
Rate of fire: no data
Magazine capacity: 30 rounds (STANAG)

The development of the XM8 Lightweight Assault Rifle was initiated by US Army in the 2002, when contract was issued to the Alliant Techsystems Co of USA to study possibilities of development of kinetic energy part of the XM29 OICW weapon into separate lightweight assault rifle, which could, in the case of success, replace the aging M16A2 rifles and M4A1 carbines in US military service. According to the present plans, the XM8 should enter full production circa 2005, if not earlier, several years before the XM-29 OICW. The XM8 (M8 after its official adoption) should become a standard next generation US forces assault rifle. It will fire all standard 5.56mm NATO ammunition, and, to further decrease the load on the future infantrymen, a new type of 5.56mm ammunition is now being developed. This new ammunition will have composite cases, with brass bases and polymer walls, which will reduce weight of the complete ammunition, while maintaining compatibility with all 5.56mm NATO weapons. Along with 20% weight reduction in the XM8 (compared to the current issue M4A1 carbine), this will be a welcome move for any infantryman, already overloaded by protective, communications and other battle equipment.

The XM8 will be quite similar to the "KE" (kinetic energy) part of the XM-29 OICW system, being different mostly in having a telescoped plastic buttstock of adjustable length, and a detachable carrying handle with the Picatinny rail.

Technical description. The XM8 is a derivative of the Heckler-Koch G36 assault rifle, and thus it is almost similar to that rifle in design and functioning. The key differences are the NATO-standard magazine housing that will accept M16-type magazines, the set of Picatinny rails on the forend, telescoped buttstock of adjustable length and a different scope, mounted on the Picatinny rail, built into the detachable carrying handle.


TOPICS: Extended News; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; Your Opinion/Questions
KEYWORDS: ar; assaultrifles; aw; bang; banglist; g36; gunporn; guns; hecklerkoch; hk; m8; miltech; rhodesia; servicerifle; sl8; xm8
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To: wtc911
Break Out by Martin Russ about the Chosin Resevoir in winter '50-'51 clearly chronicles the Marines' complaints about the M1 carbine lacking the power to kill the heavily clothed chinese. I wasn't there so I guess I'll take their word for it.

During the US congressional hearings on the effectiveness and reliability of the M16 rifle in Vietnam, INTERARMCO/Interarms owner, weapons broker and dealer Sam Cummings was called to testify as an expert on the capabilities of the M16 and the Vietnamese and Korean fielded M1 and M2 carbines, since the congressmen were suspicious about the forthrightness of some of the testimony they'd received from Army Ordnance senior officers.

Commenting on the Carbine's WWII development as a replacement for the pistol for rear-area and support troops and that accordingly, its performance was more akin to that of a .32 or .38 pistol rather than a serious Infantryman's rifle and that in comparison, it was a *dog,* the Representatives were mildly shocked when their own stenographer jumped up and said *He's right! He's right! During the Battle of the Bulge, I popped a Kraut with eight hits from with my carbine, and the bastard got back up and nailed me....*

It seems the congressional investigators hadn't needed to have gone to such great lengths to find a real expert. They had one working for them all along....

-archy-/-

261 posted on 08/08/2003 12:37:34 PM PDT by archy (Keep in mind that the milk of human kindness comes from a beast that is both cannibal and a vampire.)
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To: archy
It's more like a .357 using a poor bullet.

110 grain Jacketed ball
1900 Feet per second
262 posted on 08/08/2003 12:45:19 PM PDT by Shooter 2.5 (Don't punch holes in the lifeboat.)
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To: Shooter 2.5; archy
Has anyone wild cat'd a .30 carbine into a .22 ? Something along the lines of a the 5.7 P90 round ? I heard rumors about a handgun chambered for a necked down .30 carbine but have never actually seen one.
263 posted on 08/08/2003 12:58:55 PM PDT by in the Arena
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To: SLB
Steve McQueen starred in the TV series, "Wanted, Dead or Alive".

His name was Josh Randall. This just shows my age.

Surely you're Joshing me!

[Sorry, I just had to offer that... but I always liked him better as Vin or Virgil Hilts, or maybe Jake Holman or Reese.]

-archy-/-



264 posted on 08/08/2003 1:06:00 PM PDT by archy (Keep in mind that the milk of human kindness comes from a beast that is both cannibal and a vampire.)
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To: in the Arena
The .22 Spitfire was designed by Melvin M. Johnson of Johnson rifle fame and introduced in 1963.

The rifle were sold by Plainsfield.

40 grain hollow point at 2850 Feet Per Second.
265 posted on 08/08/2003 1:07:13 PM PDT by Shooter 2.5 (Don't punch holes in the lifeboat.)
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To: in the Arena
Has anyone wild cat'd a .30 carbine into a .22 ? Something along the lines of a the 5.7 P90 round ? I heard rumors about a handgun chambered for a necked down .30 carbine but have never actually seen one.

Yep. Mel Johnson, designer of the Johnson semiauto rifle and Johnson Light Machinegun did some postwat work with doing just that, the result known variously as 5,7 Spitfire or 5,7 MMJ.

Johnson did most of his work with light projectiles in the 55-grain range, as used in the M193 version of the 5,56mm M16 round of the period, and a 1:12 barrel rifling twist.

With a 1:9 twist barrel suitable for either the light bullets or the heavier .224 bullets now popular- and the NATO SS-109 bullet with a potential for soft body armour penetration, the 5,7 MMJ might just have some utility today.

The handgun possibilities would include the pistol versions of the M1 carbine, the Universal and Iver Johnson Enforcers, and possibly a rebarrelled Ruger Blackhawk, once available in .30 carbine, could receive a new chamber for the semi-wildcat. But the idea has potential. And loaded ammunition is available from Quality Cartridge in Maryland.

It's the second cartridge from the left in the pic below, between a round of 4.85 British on the left and a .224 Winchester cartridge to its right. The fourth one over, with the red waterproofing lacuer at the case neck, is a 5,45x39mm Soviet cartridge, to give you some idea of the relative size.


266 posted on 08/08/2003 1:25:02 PM PDT by archy (Keep in mind that the milk of human kindness comes from a beast that is both cannibal and a vampire.)
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To: Long Cut
"It'll sunset unless it becomes an issue in the election, which it will if we have some crazed shooting massacre just before it."

Nooooooooooo - now it is still being pushed on Congress in a new form. These excerpts are from the NRAILA e-mails I get.

"H.R. 2038, introduced by Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-N.Y.), does not just "reenact" or "reauthorize" the 1994 Clinton ban. It bans millions more guns. And it begins backdoor registration of guns."

"In the Senate, the Clinton gun ban`s authors, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.), introduced S. 1034. The bill is less extreme than McCarthy`s, which they hope will give it a greater chance of passage. Like H.R. 2038, S. 1034 does not merely "reauthorize" or "extend" the Clinton gun ban, it: permanently bans millions of guns and ammunition magazines, including magazines used in the most popular target shooting rifles and conventional handguns; expands the Clinton gun ban by prohibiting the importation of "large-capacity" magazines; and places legitimate importers at increased risk of unfair prosecution for a 10-year felony offense."

FORAC/URGENT

So if you haven't writen to your congresscritters to oppose these bill's, I urgently suggest that you do so now. It is urgent to take action against these measures. I haven't heard of them being defeated yet, so everyone needs to take action now!

267 posted on 08/08/2003 1:33:57 PM PDT by Colt .45 (Cold War, Vietnam Era, Desert Storm Veteran - Pride in my Southern Ancestry!)
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To: Shooter 2.5
It's more like a .357 using a poor bullet.

110 grain Jacketed ball
1900 Feet per second

Remember the .256 Hawkeye versions of the Ruger Blackhawk, and, I believe in the Ruger singleshot #1 rifle or carbine for a year or two?

A pal of mine reworked a Martini Cadet singleshot to take the .256 cartridge but with the case neck expanded to use a .308 bullet, which offered a much wider selection of bullet weights and styles. That was a good bit more esoteric than the usual reworking of the Cadet actions to a .38 or .357 revolver cartridge, common at that time, but the resulting rifle was a little joy both to carry and shoot, and took a good many whitetails in the Kentucky woods for its owner. I suspect a .38/.357 would have done about as well, and even an M1 carbine will do okay with a good hollowpoint bullet for such work. But that was a sweet little setup.

-archy-/-

268 posted on 08/08/2003 1:35:21 PM PDT by archy (Keep in mind that the milk of human kindness comes from a beast that is both cannibal and a vampire.)
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To: archy
The single shot, single action. What was Bill thinking?

If I had to do it all over again, all of my guns would be the silliest ones that I could find, now that I know about collector's values.
269 posted on 08/08/2003 1:42:59 PM PDT by Shooter 2.5 (Don't punch holes in the lifeboat.)
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To: Shooter 2.5
If I had to do it all over again, all of my guns would be the silliest ones that I could find, now that I know about collector's values.

We may be saying things like that about the current crop of short/fat magnums that have popped up like so many mushrooms. But as shorties, there might be some interesting possibilities for use in autoloader actions. Or other things....

-archy-/-

270 posted on 08/08/2003 2:16:41 PM PDT by archy (Keep in mind that the milk of human kindness comes from a beast that is both cannibal and a vampire.)
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To: Shooter 2.5; archy; Woahhs
Found something interesting...my search for an inexpensive, robust, all-around rifle might be over...If I give up a semiauto option, that is...

AIM HERE

What do you guys know about his one?

271 posted on 08/08/2003 2:25:00 PM PDT by Long Cut (ANCHORS AWAY!!!!!!!!!!!!(figuratively...I'm AIRCREW!))
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To: Shooter 2.5
If I had to do it all over again, all of my guns would be the silliest ones that I could find, now that I know about collector's values.


272 posted on 08/08/2003 2:26:30 PM PDT by archy (Keep in mind that the milk of human kindness comes from a beast that is both cannibal and a vampire.)
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To: archy; Shooter 2.5
Thanks...as usual, you too are a weath of info...I used your data and found that IAI makes an M1 Carbine chambered for the 5.7 Johnson. Now if it could mimic the 5.7x28 with the ss109 bullet and come in a handgun I could satisfy my Five-seveN craving.
273 posted on 08/08/2003 2:29:08 PM PDT by in the Arena
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To: Long Cut
It looks like a chromed Destroyer.

The Destroyers were rechambered Enfields in .308 with the funnel flashhider.

As long as it doesn't cost too much. If it does, it might be necessary to put one together yourself.
274 posted on 08/08/2003 2:33:08 PM PDT by Shooter 2.5 (Don't punch holes in the lifeboat.)
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To: Long Cut
I couldn't say for sure...but I'm thinking it's a British Enfield with a facelift. Can't argue with the rifle that made the British Empire.
275 posted on 08/08/2003 2:33:19 PM PDT by Woahhs
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To: Long Cut
What do you guys know about his one?

A reworked Indian version of the venerable British Short Model Lee Enfield, but rechambered to accept the rimless 7,62 NATO/ .308 Winchester cartridge.

The stone-reliable ejection of the SMLE with the rimmed .308 becomes a bit more iffy with the rimless .308, due in part to the wide variation of case base diameters and rim thicknesses; 7,62 has been produced by a lot of different countries to a lot of differing specifications.

If you do go that route, I urge you to experiment carefully as to what varieties of ammo work well through the Enfield action- I prefer the later #4 myself, though my kid favours the late SMLE in the original .303 British chambering, about equal ballistically to the .308 in any event- particularly as to reliable ejection. THat adjustment is critical on the reworked .308s, and note that when the British rebarrelled their wartime #4 snipers' rifles to the 7,62 NATO, they rearranged the ejector much differently from the Indian 2A1 pattern.

The synthetic stocks and satin nickel finish are okay if you like that sort of thing; I'm more a wood and Parkerizing or Sunkorite fan meself.

-archy-/-

276 posted on 08/08/2003 2:35:30 PM PDT by archy (Keep in mind that the milk of human kindness comes from a beast that is both cannibal and a vampire.)
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To: archy
One of the most pleasant guns I have ever owned is an H&R single shot chambered in .357 maximum.

I bought it not too long after the Ruger pistols were introduced.

It was far more accurate than I would have thought and of course would fire about half a dozen different cartridges. I don't know exactly what the ballistics were from that longer barrel but they must have been pretty decent.

For a couple of years just about every time I would traipse through the woods I would carry the rifle and stick a Beretta model 70 .22lr in my pocket.

277 posted on 08/08/2003 2:35:44 PM PDT by yarddog
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To: Shooter 2.5; Woahhs
It is indeed a reworked Enfield, according to the Gibbs Rifle Website.

Its price looks to be $299.95, which looks DAMN good.

278 posted on 08/08/2003 2:38:08 PM PDT by Long Cut
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To: archy
I have only seen one gyrojet so I never had the opportunity to buy one. I was a little young at the time.

I can't afford the Webley so I bought the Mateba.

I do have a Belgium 9MM rimfire shotgun and a 4MM Martini Cadet. The Nagant Revolver will never have collector prices because they made too many of them but it was my deceased Father-In-Law's. A good man.

I don't care for the "Let's make something weird or "collectable"" from the Winchester or Colt companies. Adding a medallion or an odd barrel length doesn't do it for me.
279 posted on 08/08/2003 2:40:25 PM PDT by Shooter 2.5 (Don't punch holes in the lifeboat.)
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To: in the Arena
Thanks...as usual, you too are a weath of info...I used your data and found that IAI makes an M1 Carbine chambered for the 5.7 Johnson. Now if it could mimic the 5.7x28 with the ss109 bullet and come in a handgun I could satisfy my Five-seveN craving.

Try a websearch for *Kimball .30 carbine*. I believe the auto-mag folks also produced at least some prototypes of a scaled-down version of their .44 Automag in a .30 caliber carbine version. But if you rework either into a 5,7 MMJ, don't let the collectors find out or you may be facing crowds of them conming after you with pitchforks and torches.

280 posted on 08/08/2003 2:40:41 PM PDT by archy (Keep in mind that the milk of human kindness comes from a beast that is both cannibal and a vampire.)
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