XM-8 on History Channel

[ZoneOne]

On the History Channel at 10pm eastern time -- Mail Call will be on featuring "Weapons of the futre"

xm-8 is going to be featured and shot

check it out

[PJ]

just watched, it was cool but only lated like 10 minutes then they moved on

[Howitz]

it was pretty cool, there was a soldier wearing the ACU too, i was more interested in that, only he wasn't on screen more than 3 seconds at a time. :|

[szr]

it was pretty cool, there was a soldier wearing the ACU too, i was more interested in that, only he wasn't on screen more than 3 seconds at a time. :|Well at least it confirmed that the ACU looks exactly as it does in the photos. I really wish someone would wake up and get some crye multicam. If for no other reason (and there are many reasons) do if for morale! :|

[Howitz]

actually, from the shots a few feet away, it looked like it blended fairly well, it reflected the shadows and broke up the outline at least. Granted, this is just watching small, 1-3 second clips so i can't judge anything. But there really haven't been any pictures of the full ACU in an environment to show it's effectivness, so.....that's the best i've seen, whereas there's been a lot of pics for the Crye camo. i dunno, im going to bed.

[agcsy]

I thought it was pretty funny how the Army rep said that the XM8's key to success is going to be its modularity. That training a soldier on one version of the rifle will train them on all. He didnt mention that M16/M4 is a modular weapon systems also and that training someone on one will prepare them to use all versions of it.

While i think the XM8 is cool i dont think its going to be a good idea in the long run. The army rep compared swapping to the XM8 to the change from the garand to the m14 and the m14 to the m16. What he failed to mention is that in all of these swaps there was a change in caliber that offered something the other rifle couldnt. Swapping to the XM8 just offers a different gas system and ergonomics. The gas system could be changed in a m16 very easily there is 4 gas piston type uppers in production that i know of.

I think transitioning to a gas piston upper with a future change in caliber to 6.8 or something like that further down the road would be the better road to take.

[aartamen]

Did not know, missed it, shame.

I'd go with M468 instead of XM8. It's a better round, it looks same and works similar to a Stoner, it's American.

But changing the caliber is a huge load on the industry.

[Red]

The demo that Mr.Ermer put on with that XM8 was sweet.The weapon has a lot of potential.

[Virus]

im afraid im in LOVE with the xm8... :)

[aartamen]

Be careful, she can hurt you.

[SOG]

I thought it was pretty funny how the Army rep said that the XM8's key to success is going to be its modularity. That training a soldier on one version of the rifle will train them on all. He didnt mention that M16/M4 is a modular weapon systems also and that training someone on one will prepare them to use all versions of it.

While i think the XM8 is cool i dont think its going to be a good idea in the long run. The army rep compared swapping to the XM8 to the change from the garand to the m14 and the m14 to the m16. What he failed to mention is that in all of these swaps there was a change in caliber that offered something the other rifle couldnt. Swapping to the XM8 just offers a different gas system and ergonomics. The gas system could be changed in a m16 very easily there is 4 gas piston type uppers in production that i know of.

I think transitioning to a gas piston upper with a future change in caliber to 6.8 or something like that further down the road would be the better road to take.

yah, i think the only thing the xm8 offers is better reliability and lighter weight. however with new uppers the exact same can be achieved with the same current wieght. not to mention compatibility with underslung launchers and shotguns, all mounted optics up top, barrels less ****e to overheating of older m4's, and "throw in the dirt" reliability just like the hk and bushmaster uppers. plus the 6.8 round in the barret upper which is what soldiers need. new uppers all round. hell, new uppers in 5.56 so the brass doesnt bitch. theyll blow a few hundred million on wasted big name projects but not on proven needed gear. ah well.

and as always its nice seeing ermey dispatch of his mortal enemy, the watermelon. although thats a pretty short barrel on the standard soldier version of the xm8. i know most fights dont go out to 800. is that what the unit sharpshooter is for?

[Operation Ivy]

was it the old XM8 or the newer one?

[aartamen]

One can never overestimate the viciousness of the scheming watermelons.

[Uncle Sam]

was it the old XM8 or the newer one?

Looked like the newer one to me. I liked it IMO.

Here's an interesting comparison chart (http://www.hksystems.com.au/pages/XM8.htm)

[Lt_Crooks]

XM8= ugly gun ever, waste of money

[Operation Ivy]

was it the old XM8 or the newer one?

Looked like the newer one to me. I liked it IMO.

Here's an interesting comparison chart (http://www.hksystems.com.au/pages/XM8.htm)

was this the one they showed?
http://www.ischys-welt.org/Bilder/WHQ/xm8-g3.jpg

[aartamen]

That's not the one I saw in recent articles about troops testing them.

[SOG]

was it the old XM8 or the newer one?

Looked like the newer one to me. I liked it IMO.

Here's an interesting comparison chart (http://www.hksystems.com.au/pages/XM8.htm)

was this the one they showed?


nope they showed the one made before that. this one http://www.murdoconline.net/archives/001107.html the one with two big holes above grip.

the pic you have seems to be the newest from the looks of it. ive never seen a clear picture of the latest one.

[Uncle Sam]

was it the old XM8 or the newer one?

Looked like the newer one to me. I liked it IMO.

Here's an interesting comparison chart (http://www.hksystems.com.au/pages/XM8.htm)

was this the one they showed?
http://www.ischys-welt.org/Bilder/WHQ/xm8-g3.jpg

Nope, it wasn't that one. Shows how much I know about the XM-8. :cantbeli:

Is this it?
http://img89.exs.cx/img89/1504/untitled300.jpg

http://img89.exs.cx/img89/9406/xm8-4.jpg

And I also found this pic

http://img8.exs.cx/img8/2610/xm8grip.jpg

[Operation Ivy]

lol i really have no clue either p-)

[Lt_Crooks]

was it the old XM8 or the newer one?

Looked like the newer one to me. I liked it IMO.

Here's an interesting comparison chart (http://www.hksystems.com.au/pages/XM8.htm)

was this the one they showed?
http://www.ischys-welt.org/Bilder/WHQ/xm8-g3.jpg

Nope, it wasn't that one. Shows how much I know about the XM-8. :cantbeli:

Is this it?
http://img89.exs.cx/img89/1504/untitled300.jpg

http://img89.exs.cx/img89/9406/xm8-4.jpg

And I also found this pic

http://img8.exs.cx/img8/2610/xm8grip.jpg

are these the new versi9ons of the Xm8 or the old prototypes?

[ZoneOne]

those are old prototypes

The very first pic that Ivy posted was a pic designed to give the XM-8 a RIS all over it.

The rifle that was shown on the SHOW was the one in the last picture - somewhat -

It didnt have a vertical grip.

they showed one like this

with a shorter barrle and a different collapsable stock -- there where actually 3 on the show

all this color though

http://world.guns.ru/assault/xm8-ar.jpg

http://world.guns.ru/assault/xm8-c.jpg

ah ha -- this one

the scope is different then the ones above

http://www.foxnews.com/images/134399/2_22_080904_gun_future_450.jpg

if the 2 above pics dont work -- go here
http://world.guns.ru/assault/as61-e.htm

[MEGR]

I still love the m16 series. Stay with it, if more power is needed, replace the caliber...

[aartamen]

M-16 is old. If it can be replaced with something better (and M-8 will be) that's a good idea. Whether this is the absolute best way to spend the dollars I and, I suspect you, do not know.

[Operation Ivy]

i think the US should replace the M9 before the M16

[tribal]

i wonder how the m8 would go up against IMI tavor

http://www.theavonlady.org/latrun/tavor_04.jpg

btw, did anyone have a chance to try out either weapon? the new designs tend to go with the bullpup construction as opposed to the traditional M8 design.

[aartamen]

Tavor is an ugly-ass weapon. From what I saw about M-8 testing it would go very well against any assault rifle out there.

As far as M-9 is concerned, it's a minor concern compared to the main infantry weapon system. Those who care and are able use 1911's and HK's.

[tribal]

Tavor is an ugly-ass weapon. From what I saw about M-8 testing it would go very well against any assault rifle out there.

As far as M-9 is concerned, it's a minor concern compared to the main infantry weapon system. Those who care and are able use 1911's and HK's.

im not interested in the tavor's looks, but its performance. the M8's design looks awfully similar to HK g36

[Seiyuuki]

Tavor is an ugly-ass weapon. From what I saw about M-8 testing it would go very well against any assault rifle out there.

As far as M-9 is concerned, it's a minor concern compared to the main infantry weapon system. Those who care and are able use 1911's and HK's.

im not interested in the tavor's looks, but its performance. the M8's design looks awfully similar to HK g36

HK is one of the companies working on the XM8, I think?

[Ratamacue]

The XM8 is essentially a G36 that's been modified to accomodate the requirements of the US military (modularity, controls, stock, etc.). So the resemblance is more than superficial.

[tribal]

seems strange that US would give such a large project to a non-national manufacturer like HK. the weapon is billions of $$ in future contracts.

[[AFSOC]]

oh

[Ratamacue]

seems strange that US would give such a large project to a non-national manufacturer like HK. the weapon is billions of $$ in future contracts.
To my knowledge, HK is setting up a manufacturing facility in the US. Can anyone confirm that?

[Durandal]

Yes, and on the way...


German gunmaker Heckler & Koch, which has a U.S. site in Sterling, Va., is working with the military on the prototype rifle. It would be mass-produced by H&K at a 150,000-square-foot plant the company plans to build in Columbus, Ga.

H&K spokeswoman Jimmi Clifton said initial work could mean about 200 jobs, although more could be added as production ramps up. The company has said a contract with the government could be very lucrative, perhaps worth up to $1 billion over 10 years.

Clifton said the company remains in a testing mode and is hoping to begin plant construction soon and have at least part of the facility up and running by early 2005. But it's unlikely the entire factory will be built until H&K receives some signal that federal funding for mass production of the XM8 is forthcoming, she said.

"There's no way I can put a time on that," Clifton said of a production contract. "It could be tomorrow. It could be a year away."

It appeared funding was on the way in July when U.S. Rep. Phil Gingrey's office said $25.9 million had been tucked into a $417.5 billion House appropriations bill for the XM8.

The Georgia Republican, whose district includes a portion of Columbus, backed off that assertion after learning the money had been squeezed out of the budget to make room for additional funding for the war on terrorism.

[MEGR]

Wonder who'll get the first rifles? I see some in Iraq. Who got them? SOF?

[aartamen]

seems strange that US would give such a large project to a non-national manufacturer like HK. the weapon is billions of $$ in future contracts.

Not strange at all given the fact the the most common pistol, rifle and machineguns (2) that the US armed forces use are or were initially poduced by foreign concerns.

[mr.x]

My cousin is in one of the battalions that field tested the XM-8.
He said funtionally the weapon is fine and he liked it.
He also related a story that was pretty funny.

Apparently as he was shooting one of the handguards heated up and melted. A nearby SF seargent asked him what the hell happened to it. He replied in a very loud voice that the idiots who designed the motherf*cker neglected to add aluminum liners to the handguards so they absorbed the barrel heat...the H&K reps were standing about 10 feet away which he noticed when he turned around...oops!

He smiled and said something like, "that's why I'm a soldier and not a diplomat!"

Obviously it was a prototype i believe and troops probably won't have to worry about their handguards melting off in a firefight when/if it is fielded.

Other than that incident he said he had a very favorable impression of the weapon overall.

[aartamen]

Handguards were mentioned as one of the redesigns resulting from field testing. Addition of iron sights was another.