XM-8 - Aircraft of World War II

cheddar cheese · 04-29-2005, 10:50 AM

Does anyone know anything else about this gun? It seems kinda kick-ass, especially if you can have a combination of anything..

Nonskimmer · 04-29-2005, 10:55 AM

Ah, the planned M-16/M4 replacement! Very modular, eh?
Should be something else, as long as all the kinks are worked out.

cheddar cheese · 04-29-2005, 10:56 AM

YEah it sure as heck sounds great

evangilder · 04-29-2005, 11:17 AM

Is it just me, or does the accessory "butt cap" sound a little unnerving?

Nonskimmer · 04-29-2005, 11:30 AM

...Nah, I guess it's just you.

evangilder · 04-29-2005, 11:54 AM

DerAdlerIstGelandet · 05-05-2005, 01:30 PM

From the information that we have recieived on it. It is actually a very good rifle. It has many different configurations and is very light weight, easy to take apart and simple to fix. It does however like any advanced weapons system have some kinks but they will get them worked out. It is currently being tested against other experimental weapons by a team made up of soldiers form different backgrounds i.e. 1 Ranger, 1 Pilot, 1 cook, 1 mechanic, 1 medic....etc. So the soldiers get to decide what is going to be the next standard rifle. I will have to dig up an Army Times News Paper article on the different rifles they are testing and post it here. Very interesting stuff if my wife did not throw it out yet.

plan_D · 05-05-2005, 01:48 PM

And it's almost a direct copy of the G-36 which will be equipping most European forces by 2008. America just doesn't like having the same so they got H & K USA to develop a seperate model. Both the G-36 and XM-8 are H & K though.

Nonskimmer · 05-05-2005, 04:38 PM

Basically it is, yeah. They've just made it modular and reconfigurable.

plan_D · 05-05-2005, 04:42 PM

I like the looks of it. We'll have to see how well it performs though. It should be good, both the M-8 and G-36.

DerAdlerIstGelandet · 05-06-2005, 01:59 PM

I believe the G-36 is already being used by the German Bundeswehr. If I recall they showed it to us when we visited one of there posts a while back. It is probably just fielded limited right now for trials and tests but I think I have seen it before.

Concorde247 · 05-06-2005, 02:52 PM

It looks a good weapon, & the fact that the Americans are testing it in this way with all different personnel using it makes perfect common sense.

Shame the europeans didnt think of testing the SA80 in the same way - instead of giving our troops unreliable crap!

DerAdlerIstGelandet · 05-06-2005, 02:56 PM

It is the best way to test i think, you get a real soldiers opinion.

Matt308 · 05-09-2005, 12:08 PM

From what I have read is that the action makes use of M-16 parts. To what extent I don't know other than the bolt is virtually the same. Apparently this similarity is enough that Colt (another manufacturer in this competition) has put a temporary halt on the HK XM-8 until Colts lawsuit is resolved.

The action apprarently makes use of the M-16 action, but with the short stroke piston (AK-47) in lieu of the gas impingement upon the bolt face (M-16). The modular weapon system includes a short carbine, rifle, squad auto, and heavy barrel machine gun.

Other competitors included Robinson Arms, Armalite (apparently with a late submittal), and some others that escape me at the moment. What was most interesting to me is that with the exception of the XM-8, virtually all submittals looked just like an M-16/M-4 with lots of accessory rails hung all over it. Go figure.

DAVIDICUS · 05-09-2005, 12:31 PM

THere is also apparently serious discussion about a new cartridge too. The 5.56mm NATO aka the civilian .223 Remington has been the subject of numeroius complaints from frontline soldiers, especially in Afghanastan, over failure to achieve one shot stops with center of mass hits.

Remington, in conjunction with the military has developed the 6.8mm SPC (Special Purpose Cartridge) and is pitching it as a replacement for some, if not all 5.56mm NATO applications.

The new 6.8mm cartridge fires a 115 gr. bullet at approximately 2,750 fps.

The 5.56mm NATO fores a 62gr. bullet at about 3,100 fps.

The new cartridge's dimensions are such that it can operate in the M-16 and related model platforms.

Some of the military brass aren't sold on it. It should be interesting to see if it actually goes into operation.

Left - 6.8 SPC / Right - 5.56 NATO

04-29-2005, 10:50 AM	#1
cheddar cheese Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: WSM, England Posts: 20,387	XM-8 Does anyone know anything else about this gun? It seems kinda kick-ass, especially if you can have a combination of anything..

04-29-2005, 11:17 AM	#4
evangilder "Shooter" Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Moorpark, CA Posts: 15,410	Is it just me, or does the accessory "butt cap" sound a little unnerving? __________________ For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return. Leonardo Da Vinci

04-29-2005, 11:54 AM	#6
evangilder "Shooter" Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Moorpark, CA Posts: 15,410	__________________ For once you have tasted flight you will walk the earth with your eyes turned skywards, for there you have been and there you will long to return. Leonardo Da Vinci

05-05-2005, 01:30 PM	#7
DerAdlerIstGelandet Der Crewchief Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ansbach, Germany Posts: 34,057	From the information that we have recieived on it. It is actually a very good rifle. It has many different configurations and is very light weight, easy to take apart and simple to fix. It does however like any advanced weapons system have some kinks but they will get them worked out. It is currently being tested against other experimental weapons by a team made up of soldiers form different backgrounds i.e. 1 Ranger, 1 Pilot, 1 cook, 1 mechanic, 1 medic....etc. So the soldiers get to decide what is going to be the next standard rifle. I will have to dig up an Army Times News Paper article on the different rifles they are testing and post it here. Very interesting stuff if my wife did not throw it out yet. __________________ fly boy:"isnt that the first jet bomber becasue i have flown one in a flight sim before and i know how it handles"

05-05-2005, 01:48 PM	#8
plan_D Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 11,978	And it's almost a direct copy of the G-36 which will be equipping most European forces by 2008. America just doesn't like having the same so they got H & K USA to develop a seperate model. Both the G-36 and XM-8 are H & K though. __________________ "When you go home tomorrow, don't expect anyone to know what you have been through. Even if they did know, most people probably wouldn't care anyway. Some of you may get the medals you deserve, many more of you will not. But remember this, all of you are now members of the front-line club, and that is the most exclusive club in the world." - Lt. Col. Matthew Maer CO 1st Battalion, the Princess of Wale's Royal Regiment. Camp Abu Naji, Oct. 2004 To those in that club.

04-29-2005, 10:55 AM	#2
Nonskimmer Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia Posts: 8,871	Ah, the planned M-16/M4 replacement! Very modular, eh? Should be something else, as long as all the kinks are worked out.

04-29-2005, 10:56 AM	#3
cheddar cheese Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: WSM, England Posts: 20,387	YEah it sure as heck sounds great

04-29-2005, 11:30 AM	#5
Nonskimmer Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia Posts: 8,871	...Nah, I guess it's just you.

05-05-2005, 04:38 PM	#9
Nonskimmer Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Halifax, Nova Scotia Posts: 8,871	Basically it is, yeah. They've just made it modular and reconfigurable.

05-05-2005, 04:42 PM	#10
plan_D Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 11,978	I like the looks of it. We'll have to see how well it performs though. It should be good, both the M-8 and G-36. __________________ "When you go home tomorrow, don't expect anyone to know what you have been through. Even if they did know, most people probably wouldn't care anyway. Some of you may get the medals you deserve, many more of you will not. But remember this, all of you are now members of the front-line club, and that is the most exclusive club in the world." - Lt. Col. Matthew Maer CO 1st Battalion, the Princess of Wale's Royal Regiment. Camp Abu Naji, Oct. 2004 To those in that club.

05-06-2005, 01:59 PM	#11
DerAdlerIstGelandet Der Crewchief Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ansbach, Germany Posts: 34,057	I believe the G-36 is already being used by the German Bundeswehr. If I recall they showed it to us when we visited one of there posts a while back. It is probably just fielded limited right now for trials and tests but I think I have seen it before. __________________ fly boy:"isnt that the first jet bomber becasue i have flown one in a flight sim before and i know how it handles"

05-06-2005, 02:52 PM	#12
Concorde247 Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: LONDON Posts: 519	It looks a good weapon, & the fact that the Americans are testing it in this way with all different personnel using it makes perfect common sense. Shame the europeans didnt think of testing the SA80 in the same way - instead of giving our troops unreliable crap! __________________

05-06-2005, 02:56 PM	#13
DerAdlerIstGelandet Der Crewchief Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Ansbach, Germany Posts: 34,057	It is the best way to test i think, you get a real soldiers opinion. __________________ fly boy:"isnt that the first jet bomber becasue i have flown one in a flight sim before and i know how it handles"

05-09-2005, 12:08 PM	#14
Matt308 aka Dickcheese Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Washington State Posts: 14,003	From what I have read is that the action makes use of M-16 parts. To what extent I don't know other than the bolt is virtually the same. Apparently this similarity is enough that Colt (another manufacturer in this competition) has put a temporary halt on the HK XM-8 until Colts lawsuit is resolved. The action apprarently makes use of the M-16 action, but with the short stroke piston (AK-47) in lieu of the gas impingement upon the bolt face (M-16). The modular weapon system includes a short carbine, rifle, squad auto, and heavy barrel machine gun. Other competitors included Robinson Arms, Armalite (apparently with a late submittal), and some others that escape me at the moment. What was most interesting to me is that with the exception of the XM-8, virtually all submittals looked just like an M-16/M-4 with lots of accessory rails hung all over it. Go figure. __________________ "Some people spend an entire lifetime wondering if they made a difference in the world. But, the [U.S.] Marines don't have that problem." -- Ronald Reagan Master of Duplicate Posts

05-09-2005, 12:31 PM	#15
DAVIDICUS Senior Member Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 880	THere is also apparently serious discussion about a new cartridge too. The 5.56mm NATO aka the civilian .223 Remington has been the subject of numeroius complaints from frontline soldiers, especially in Afghanastan, over failure to achieve one shot stops with center of mass hits. Remington, in conjunction with the military has developed the 6.8mm SPC (Special Purpose Cartridge) and is pitching it as a replacement for some, if not all 5.56mm NATO applications. The new 6.8mm cartridge fires a 115 gr. bullet at approximately 2,750 fps. The 5.56mm NATO fores a 62gr. bullet at about 3,100 fps. The new cartridge's dimensions are such that it can operate in the M-16 and related model platforms. Some of the military brass aren't sold on it. It should be interesting to see if it actually goes into operation. Left - 6.8 SPC / Right - 5.56 NATO __________________ . -=DAVIDICUS MAXIMUS=- .

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