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Colt Canada / Diemaco C8

1988 COLD WAR MODERN

History of Colt Canada / Diemaco C8

The Diemaco (now Colt Canada) C8 is an "assault carbine" form of the C7 - the C7 is the Canadian military's standard assault rifle - corresponding to the US M4 carbine line. Introduced in 1984 as an improved version of the American Colt M16A2 assault rifle, the C7 has since been refined into a variety of usable forms to meet the needs of the Canadian Army. The main difference between the C7 and the M16A2 is the use of fully automatic fire mode.

As such, the C8 shares the same internal working parts as the C7 before it, but has a shortened front end and barrel, and a retractable stock for tight spaces or close quarters combat. The C8 was originally intended to be issued to vehicle crews, but has since been expanded to include special forces, paratroopers, etc. - Soldiers who require a more compact weapons facility.

Like the C7 series, the C8 uses the standard 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge, which also comes from a curved, detachable 30-round box magazine. The barrel size is 14.5 inches.

The original C8 carbine line has been expanded to meet various military needs in Canada. The C8A1 is an improved version of the original with a detachable carrying handle and upper receiver using the C79 optical sight.

The C8SWF (Special Forces Weapon) has a longer, heavier barrel for use as an assault rifle on the battlefield. Also mentioned is support for a 40mm grenade launcher under the base. This version is envisaged for service with the British Special Forces under the designation "L119A1".

The C8FTHB (Flat Top Heavy Barrel) is another version that improves upon the basic C8 design, adding heavy barrel and standard C79 optical sight support. The C8CQB (Close Combat) is a nifty short-range weapon.

The Diemaco PDW (Personal Defense Weapon) has a similar range but a more compact C8 carbine shape.

Diemaco operated under its own brand under the Colt production license until 2005, when it merged under the Colt Firearms banner to become "Colt Canada Corporation".