CASR
Canadian American
Strategic Review

DND  101
Army

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SMALL ARMS
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Rifles
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A Visual Guide
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DND  101
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Canadian  Small Arms  – Rifles –  A Visual Guide

Canadian Forces  Automatic Rifles

Diemaco C7A2 Rifle
A 'mid-life' upgrade for the C7 family with Elcan C79A2 optical sight, a Triad mount for laser designator and tac lights, and telescoping butt stock. Replacing C7A1s.

CF designation:  Rifle, Automatic, 5.56mm, C7A2,  Calibre:  5.56x45mm NATO (or .223" Remington),  Origins:  Updated C7/C7A1,  Diemaco Inc, Kitchener  (now Colt Canada).
C7 and C7A1 Rifles[1]
The Diemaco version of  the Colt AR-15A1/A2 automatic rifle. The first 'iron sight' C7 rifle entered service in 1984, followed in 1990 by the  flat top C7A1 with an Elcan C79 3.4x  magnified optical sight.

CF designation:  Rifle, Automatic, 5.56mm, C7 [... C7A1] ,  Calibre:  5.56x45mm NATO, Origins:  Diemaco Inc, Kitchener  (parallel development to US Colt M16A2/AR-15A2).

[1]  There was a third original Diemaco AR-15 type weapon, the Rifle, .22-calibre, C10. DND then cancelled this semi-automatic training rifle in .22" Long Rifle (5.6×16mmR ).
C8FTHB  Carbine  [2]
The C8FTHB ( for 'Flat Top, Heavy Barrel') is a C8/C8A1 upgrade roughly equivalent to the C7A2  'mid-life' albeit on a more modest scale. The C8FTHB, as the designation implies,  uses a 'flat top' C8A1-style upper receiver  (with its built-in Weaver rail mount for sights) and the heavier, heat-dissipating 40cm barrel.

CF designation:  No confirmed 'C' designation (C8FTHB is a marketing name), Calibre: 5.56x45mm NATO, Origins: Diemaco (now Colt Canada), simplified  Diemaco C8SFW. The rarely-mentioned C8A3 can be considered the production version of the C8FTHB.

[2] This C8 update is variously referred to as the C8FTHB, C8A1HB, C8SFW or C8A2.
C8 & C8A1 Carbines
The C8 and  C8A1 are short versions of  C7 / C7A1 rifles. C8s have iron sights, C8A1s have opticals. Both carbines have telescoping buttstocks and 38 cm barrels – vs 53cm for C7s. The new C8FTHB is a  C8/C8A1 update program.

CF designation: Carbine, Automatic, 5.56mm, C8 [C8A1] ,  Calibre: 5.56x45mm NATO, Origins:  Diemaco Inc, Kitchener  (Colt Model 725, equivalent to US  M16A2 carbine).
Canadian Forces  Bolt-Action Rifle [2]

See: New Canadian Ranger Rifle  (and NCRR P&A)  for plans to replace Lee Enfields

Lee Enfield No4 MkI*
A WWII-vintage bolt-action rifle, the .303" Lee Enfield  is used  by  Canadian Rangers. The No4 MkI* has a 10-rd magazine.  The C No7 MkI is a single-shot .22" for training.

CF designation: Rifle, .303 Calibre, Lee Enfield, No 4 MkI*,  Calibre: 7.7x56mm R (.303" British),  Origins: Long Branch Arsenal, Toronto  (devel. from RSAF Enfield's  SMLE).

CF designation: Rifle, .22 Calibre, Lee Enfield, No7 MkI, Calibre: 5.6×16mmR (0.22 Long Rifle),  Origins:  Canadian Arsenals Limited  (formerly Long Branch Arsenal), Toronto.

[2] There are other CF bolt-action rifles, such as the Diemaco C11 (a 5.56mm Anschütz Model 6522) and the Diemaco C12A1 (a 7.62mm RPA Quadlock). Both are target rifles. There are also a host of Anschütz model competion rifles. A true oddity is the folding stock SAR Rifle in .30-06" calibre, a modified Ruger Model M77 for use by SAR techs.


See: Snipers Rifles for dedicated Canadian Forces Sniper Rifles