Diemaco / Colt Canada C7A1 C7A2 assault rifle, C8 carbine(Canada)

 Calibre: 5.56 x 45 NATO Diemaco C7, 5.56 x 45 NATO Diemaco C8

Length: 1020 mm, 840 / 760 mm

Barrel length: 510 mm, 370 mm

Weight: 3.3 kg empty w/o magazine 3.9 kgloaded with 30 rounds, 2.7 kg empty w/o magazine, 3.2 kgloaded with 30 rounds

Magazine capacity: 30 rounds, 30 rounds

Rate of fire: 800 rounds per minute,900 rounds per minute

In 1984, Canada adopted a new 5.56 mm assault rifle. To avoid research and design expenses, the Canadians simply purchased the license from USA for a new assault rifle, chambered for the latest 5.56 x 45 NATO ammunition. This was the Colt model 715, also known as the M16A1E1 rifle. Adopted as the C7,this rifle combined features from both earlier M16A1 rifles, such as full automatic fire mode and a two-position flip-up diopter sight, and from the newest M16A2, such as heavy barrel, rifled with faster 1:7 twist, better suited for 5.56mm NATO ammunition. Latter on, Diemaco (now Colt Canada) developed a short-barreled carbine version, fitted with telescoped buttstock, which was designated the C8. 

While the C7 rifle went to the Canadian armed forces, the C8 is in use with Canadian police forces. According to the recent trends in small arms development, Diemaco also produced so called "flat top"models of both the C7 and C8. These models have a Picatinny-style rail instead of the M16A1-style integral carrying handle with rear sight,and are usually issued with the Elcan optical sights, or with the detachable carrying handle with M16A1-type diopter sights. Designated by the manufacturer as the C7FT and C8FT, in Canadian service these models are issued as C7A1 and C8A1, respectively. Other derivatives are the LSW (Light Support Weapon, basically a heavy barreled C7) and SFW(Special Forces Weapon, a heavy barreled C8). Netherlands adopted the C7 (in both standard and flat top versions) in 1994, and Denmark purchased and adopted the C7FT as the Gevaer M/95 in 1995.

Currently Canadian army is upgrading existing C7 and C7A1 rifles in Canadian service to new C7A2 configuration, which combines the standard C7-type 50cm barrel with C8-type telescoped buttstock, colored furniture,C7A1-type Picatinny rail upper receiver, and additional short Picatinny rails on the sides of front sight block for mounting sighting aids like laser pointers and tactical lights. C7A2 also is fitted with improved sight, Elcan C79A2. Other changes include ambidextrous magazine release and safety/fire selector switch, and other minor improvements.

Internally,the C7 differs very little from the original M16A1 rifle, with the mostvisible differences being the heavy M16A2-style barrel and A2-style handguards. Flat top models (C7FT / C7A1) are quite similar in appearance to the M16A3 rifles, and issued with Elcan optical sight along with backup iron sights. The C8/C8FT carbines are quite similar to the US M4/M4A1 carbines.

Beretta ARX-160 assault rifle (Italy)

Caliber: 5.56x45mm NATO

Action: Gas operated, rotating bolt

Overall length: 820-900 mm with 406 mm barrel and butt in ready position; 700 mm with butt folded

Barrel length: 305 mm / 12" or 406 mm / 16", quick changeable

Weight: ~ 3 kg with 406 mm barrel, w/o mag

Rate of fire: rounds per minute

Magazine capacity: 30 rounds

The Beretta ARX-160 assault rifle is, as of mid-2008, still in prototype / development stage. It is a part of the Italian Army's 'Soldato Futuro' program, and is developed by famous Italian company Beretta in close cooperation with army. The rifle is a part of a massive soldier equipment package, which, among other items, will include an advanced rifle sight witch will combine day and night time (optical, TV and IR) view / sight capabilities and laser pointer (also visible and IR). Another component of the Soldato Futuro system is an advanced 40mm single-shot grenade launcher, which will be either installed on the rifle (using Picatinny rail interface) or used as stand-alone weapon (by adding a detachable pistol grip and telescoped stock to it).

The Beretta ARX-160 assault rifle is gas operated weapon that utilizes conventional piston-operated action, with gas piston located above the barrel. Barrel locking is achieved by more or less conventional rotary bolt. Unlike most other assault rifles, the Beretta ARX-160 assault rifle features quick-detachable barrels, which can be changed by operator in the field by depressing the barrel release button (located on right side of receiver, in front of magazine housing), pulling the barrel forward and out of the gun, and then inserting another (or same) barrel back. The receiver consists of two parts, upper (which holds barrel and bolt group) and lower (which hosts magazine housing, trigger unit and pistol grip). Both halves are made from impact-resistant polymer and connected using special quick-release locks, so there are no pins to push out (and lose). Another interesting and unusual feature of the Beretta ARX-160 assault rifle is that it has selectable left / right side ejection system with dual ejection ports (on either side of the gun) and user-switchable left / right position of cocking handle. 

To change the direction of empty case ejection, user has to push the cross-bolt button, located above and slightly to the rear of pistol grip, by the tip of the bullet (or other pointed item). This affects dual extractor-ejector claws, installed on the bolt, forcing them to eject spent cartridge to the desired side without any further disassembly of the gun or parts change. Charging handle, which is attached to the bolt carrier, also can be installed on either side of the gun. The Beretta ARX-160 assault rifle fires from closed bolt, in single shots and full automatic mode, and has ambidextrous safety / fire mode selector switch conveniently located above pistol grip. Upper receiver is fitted with full-length Picatinny type rail, made of aluminum, which can accommodate a wide variety of sighting equipment, including iron, telescopic, red-dot or electronic sights. Standard open sights are mounted on folding bases using rail interface. Additional lengths of Picatinny rail are installed on the forend on 3-, 6- and 9- o'clock positions. Lower (6-o'clock) position rail is strong enough to host GLX 160 40mm single-shot grenade launcher. Standard buttstock is also made of plastic, and folds to the right side. The buttstock is of telescoped, user-adjustable design.

Beretta AR-70/223 and AR-70/90 assault rifle (Italy)

Caliber: 5.56x45mm M193AR-70/223, 5.56x45mm NATO (SS109/M855) AR-70/90,SC-70/90,SCP-70/90

Length: 995 mm, 998 mm 756mm SC-70/90 with folded butt, 908 mm 663 mm with folded butt

Barrel length: 450 mm, 450 mm , 360 mm

Weight, empty: 3.8 kg, 4.07 kg, 3.80 kg

Magazine capacity: 30 rounds

Rate of fire: 650 rounds per minute, 670 rounds per minute

Effective range: 400 meters, 500 meters, 350 meters

Famous Italian arms company Pietro Beretta Spa began to develop a new assault rifle, chambered for American 5.56mm cartridge in 1968. The resulting design appeared circa 1972 and after trials was adopted by the Italian Special forces,as well as by some foreign armies, like those of Jordan, Malaysia and others.The rifle was designated AR-70/223, and was available in three basic versions(standard assault rifle AR-70/223, carbine SC-70/223 with same barrel and folding butt, and a special carbine SCS-70/223 with shortened barrel and folding butt). The Squad Automatic (light machine gun) variation of the basic 70/223 design, with the heavy, quick detachable barrel also was developed but never produced in quantity.  

The basic design showed some minor flaws, and when Italian army decided to replace its ageing 7.62mm Beretta BM59 automatic rifles with the new 5.56mm NATO assault rifle, Beretta entered the contest with the upgraded version of the 70/223. 

This upgraded version appeared in 1985, and eventually won the following trials. In 1990 it was adopted as the basic AR-70/90 assault rifle, with the available modifications of SC-70/90 (same rifle but with the folding buttstock for Special Forces) and SCP-70/90 (Airborne troops carbine with shortened barrel and folding butt). A squad automatic version with heavy, non-detachable barrel and detachable bipod is available as AS-70/90. The Beretta AR-70/90 is a general issue shoulder arm with the Italian Army, and also is offered for export. Both70/223 and 70/90 rifles are available in semi-automatic only versions, for police or civilian markets.

Technical description.

The AR-70/223 and AR-70/90 rifles are very similar in basic design, but with some differences. The description below is for AR-70/90, with differences to 70/223 noted, where appropriate.

The AR-70/90 is a gas operated, magazine fed, selective fire weapon. The receiver is made from stamped sheet steel, and consist of two halves, upper and lover, connected by two cross-pins, at the rear and at the front. For maintenance and field stripping the rear pin is pushed out and the receiver is hinged around the front pin. If required, the front pin can be removed too, so the receiver halves will be separated completely. On the AR-70/223 the upper receiver is of square cross-section, with stamped bolt guides. This design proved to be not strong enough, so the AR-70/90 features a trapezoid-shaped upper receiver cross-section, with separate bolt guides welded in place.

The gas operated action of the AR-70/90 is fairy conventional, with the longstroke gas piston, located above the barrel. The gas piston rod is linked to the bolt carrier by using a cocking handle as a lock, and the return spring is located around the gas piston, above the barrel. The gas block featured a two positions gas regulator (for normal and adverse conditions), and the gas cutoff,integral with raising grenade sight. When grenade sight is raised into the firing position, it automatically closes the gas port. The rotating bolt is somewhat similar to one, found in the Kalashnikov  AK-47 rifles, and has two massive lugs, which are locked into the barrel sleeve, which is welded into the receiver. The charging handle is attached to the bolt carrier.

The barrel is fixed to the receiver using the threaded barrel nut, allowing for quick barrel replacement (for repair purposes only, not in the field), without the extensive headspace adjustments. The barrel bore is chrome-plated.

The conventional trigger / hammer mechanism allows for single shots and fullauto on the AR-70/223 rifles and for single shots, 3 rounds bursts (optional)and full auto on AR-70/90 series rifles. The safety /selector switch is ambidextrous on AR-70/90 series rifles, and is located on the right side of the receiver on the AR-70/223 series rifles.

The feeding of AR-70/90 series weapons is achieved by using STANAG (M16-type)compliant magazines, with the ambidextrous magazine release button located at the both sides of the magazine housing in the lower receiver. On the AR-70/223 rifles, feeding was from the proprietary 30 rounds magazines, with the magazine release lever located between the magazine and the trigger guard. Both AR-70/90 and AR-70/223 series rifles featured a bolt stop device, which holds the bolt open when the last round from the magazine is fired. The bolt release button is located at the left side of the receiver, above the magazine housing.

The sights of the AR-70/90 rifles consists of the hooded front blade, mounted on the top of the gas block, and the flip-up aperture rear, marked for 250 and400 meters range. The top surface of the receiver is fitted with the NATO-standard scope / accessory rail. A detachable carrying handle with thesee-through base is available for all AR-70/90 series rifles. The AR-70/90 also can be equipped with Zeiss "Orion" night-vision sight or the Aimpoint4X telescope sight (any other sights with compatible mountings also can be easily installed, if required).

The furniture on all rifles is made from plastic, with the standard rifle shaving the fixed plastic buttstocks. The SC-70/223 and SC-70/90 Special Forces carbines are different from AR rifles only by having the side-folding, skeleton type metallic buttstocks, covered with plastic. The SCP-70/90 carbine is similar to the SC-70/90 except that it has a shortened barrel which cannot be used to launch rifle grenades directly. However, a special detachable rifle grenade launcher is available for short barreled carbines, which could be easily clamped onto the muzzle of the gun. The hollow pistol grips of all AR-70/90 series rifles is used to store a cleaning kit.

A wide variety of accessories is available for AR-70/90 rifles, including knife-type bayonets, lightweight, foldable and detachable bipods, blank firing adaptors etc.

Beretta BM 59 (Italy)

Caliber: 7.62x51 mm NATO (.308 Winchester)

Action: Gas operated, rotating bolt

Overall length: 1095 mm

Barrel length: 491 mm

Weigth: 4.4 kg empty

Rate of fire: 750 rounds per minute

Magazine capacity: 20 rounds

Since the end of the World War 2, Italy adopted the US-designed M1 Garand rifle in .30-06 (7.62x63mm) and manufactured it under licence. This semi-automatic rifle proved itself wery well during WW2 but in the late 1950s it was seriously outdated and obsolete, so Italian military wanted a new rifle, chambered for the NATO-standard cartridge, 7.62x51mm. The most cost-efficient way to build a new rifle was to redesign the old good M1, and this was done by Pietro Beretta SPa. New gun, designated as Beretta BM59, was adopted in 1959 and served with Italian, Indonesian and Marocco armies. It should be noted that earliest BM59s were manufactured from available M1 parts, including rechambered barrels. In the late 1980s BM59 was rplaced in Italian service with Beretta AR70/90 assault rifles.

Basically, the BM59 can be described as re-chambered M1 Garand, with addition of the removable 20 rounds magazine and select fire trigger. Another addition was a flash-hider of NATO-standard diameter, which also served as a rifle grenade launcher. To launch grenades, one must turn on gas cut-off valve by raising grenade front sight, mounted on the gas block. If it will not be done, the excessive gas pressure will damage the rifle. BM59 is a gas operated rifle, with gas chamber and gas piston located under the barrel. Chamber locks by the rotating bolt with two massive lugs. Fire mode selector/safety switch is located at the front of the triggerguard, charging handle is attached to the gas rod and reciprocates during the fire cycyle.

BM59 was available in 4 modification:

* BM59 Mark I had a wooden stock with semi-pistol grip.

* BM59 Mark II had a wooden stock with pistol grip to achieve a better control during the full-auto fire;

* BM59 Mark III, or Ital TA, was a gun with a pistol grip and a metallick folding buttstock, and was    

   intended for Mountain troops; BM59 Para was similar to BM59 Ital TA but had shorter barrel and shorter     flash-hider, and was intended for paratroopers.

* BM59 Mark IV, had a heavier barrel and plactick stock, and was used as a light squad automatic          

   weapon.

CETME mod. L and LC (Spain)

Caliber: 5.56x45 mm NATO (.223 rem)

Action: Delayed blowback

Overall length: 925 mm (860/665 mm mod. LC)

Barrel length: 400 mm (320 mm mod. LC)

Weigth: 3.4 kg empty (3.22 kg Mod. LC)

Rate of fire: 600 - 750 rounds per minute

Magazine capacity: 12 or 30 rounds

The Mod. L rifle had been developed by Spanish CETME company (now Santa Barbara SA) as a further derivative of the previous Mod. 58 ad Mod. B rifles. These rifles, in turn, have their roots in WW2 German assault rifle Stg.45, developed by Mauser. After the WW2, some Mauser men moved to the Spain and started to work for CETME, where they developed the Mod. B battle rifle, chambered for 7.62mm NATO cartridge. 

This rifle later was licensed by Heckler&Koch and beб ame the famous G3, but CETME also continued the development. In the mid-1960s men at CETME began to work at smaller-caliber version of the basic rifle, initially called Mod. E. Development was completed in 1980, when first prototype of the Mod. L, chambered for 5.56mm cartridge appeared. Production of the Assault Rifle Mod. Land carbine Mod. LC began in 1984, and it was adopted by Spanish army. In 1999 this rifle was declared obsolete by adoption of the H&K G36E assault rifle.

Like the previus models, CETME Mod. L is a delayed blow back operated, selective fire assault rifle. It has two-piece bolt with two rollers, which are used to accelerate bolt body and to slow bolt head and to hold the cartridge case in chamber until the pressure will drop. 

The chamber walls are fluted to help the extraction. Overall design is somewhat similar to H&K 33 rifles, but Mod. L is easily distinguishable by larger triggerguard and different (from HK designs) plastic pistol grip and handguards. Sights on Mod. L also are different from HK pattern and rear sight is a simple flip-up "L" shaped leaf with two apertures for 200 and 400 meters. Magazine port also is different from HK pattern and is designed to acceptt M16-type magazines. Carbine Mod. LC differs from the Mod. L by having shorter barrel and telescoping metallic buttstock.

CETME A, B, modelo 58, C Assault Rifles (Spain)

Caliber: 7.62x51 mm reduced power load; also 7.62x51mm NATO

Action: delayed blowback

Overall length: 1015 mm

Barrel length: 450 mm

Weight: 4.4 kg

Rate of fire: 550 - 600 rounds per minute

Magazine capacity: 20 or 30 rounds

The Spanish state company CETME (Centro de Estudios Tecnicos de MaterialesEspeciales - Special Materials Technical Studies Center, now known as EmpresaNational Santa Barbara) was founded in 1949 to develop various small arms for Spanish army. At about the same time it employed the German arms designer Ludwig Vorgrimler, who worked for the famous Mauser Werke in Germany before and during the World War 2. The Vorgrimler was the designer of the experimental German assault rifle, known as "Gerat 06" or Stg.45(M). This rifle was not manufactured in any quantities, but its design served as a basis for further development at the CETME, and more important, at the another German company,Heckler & Koch, which obtained a license for the Vorgrimler / CETME rifle design circa 1957. This deal later resulted in the famous family of the H&K weapons, like the G3 and HK33 assault rifles, HK21 and HK23 machine guns, MP5 submachine guns and numerous other small arms that achieved a worldwide popularity. All those weapons are built using the delayed blowback system of operation, designed by Vorgrimler and his men at the Mauser in 1945 and refined by CETME.

The initial assault rifle development at the CETME was conducted around proprietary intermediate cartridge, known as 7.92x40mm CETME.This cartridge featured a long and streamlined bullet, made from aluminum. The overall design was found adequate, but cartridge was rejected in favor of the 7.62x51mm round with lighter bullet and a reduced powder charge. Improved rifle entered serial production in 1956 and was adopted by the Spanish army in 1957.In 1958 CETME introduced a slightly improved design, known as Modelo B or Model58. 

This rifle was intended to fire 7.62x51mm reduced loads but also could fire the standard 7.62mm NATO, if the bolt group and the return spring are replaced with the appropriate set of parts. In 1964, CETME introduced the Modelo C, which also was adopted by Spanish Army, Navy and Air Force. This rifle was intended to fire only standard, full power 7.62x51mm NATO ammunition. Its key improvements were 4-position diopter sights (instead of the earlier leaf type open sights),wooden handguards instead of earlier steel ones, bipod was made as a separate part and, most important, the chamber was fluted to improve extraction and avoid torn rims and cartridge case failures in harsh environment conditions.Production of the modelo C rifle was ceased in 1976, and in 1980s it had been gradually replaced by its 5.56mm derivative, CETME Modelo L assault rifle.

All 7.62mm CETME rifles are built around Vorgrimlers' roller delayed blowback system. This system employs a two parts bolt with two rollers.The front bolt part (bolt head) is relatively light and has a bolt face with extractor on it. It also has a hollow cavity at the rear, in which an in clined forward end bolt body) is inserted. The system features two rollers, inserted from the sides into the bolt head and rested on the inclined forward end of the bolt body (seethis diagram; it will pop up in the new window). When gun is fired,the pressure began to move the cartridge back against the bolt face. The rollers, which are extended into the recesses in the barrel extension, began to move inward into the bolt head, due to inclined shape of the recesses. 

This movement translates into the faster rearward movement of the heavier bolt body,so, at the initial moments of shot, when pressure in the chamber is still high,bolt face moves relatively slow. When pressure drops to a reasonable level,rollers disengage the barrel extension completely and from this moment on the bolt head and the bolt body move backward at the same speed, extracting and ejecting spent case and chambering a fresh cartridge on the way back. All CETMErifles are firing from the closed bolt. The trigger mechanism is hammer fired,and in military versions is capable in semi-automatic and fully automatic modes of fire. 

On the early models the safety / fire mode selector switch was located above the trigger at the right side of the gun. From the model C the safety /selector switch was relocated to the left side of the gun. The receiver is made from steel sheet stampings, as well as the trigger group housing, which is hinged to the receiver just behind the magazine housing. Early models (prior toModelo C) were issued with integral folding metallic bipods and open leaf-type rear sights. 

The Modelo C rifles were issued with wooden handguards and a separate detachable bipods. The rear sights were replaced by the 4 positions diopter sights, marked for 100 - 400 meters range. All rifles featured a wooden buttstock and a folding carrying handle above the receiver. The flash hider of the Modelo C rifles was shaped to accept and launch NATO-standard rifle grenades. Most rifles were issued with magazines of 20 rounds capacity and made of steel, but 30 rounds magazines also were available.

Khaybar KH2002 assault rifle (Iran)

Caliber: 5.56x45 mm

Action: Gas operated, rotating bolt

Overall length: 730 mm (with "medium" barrel)

Barrel length: n/a

Weight: 3.7 kg with empty magazine

Rate of fire: 800-850 rounds per minute

Magazine capacity: 30 rounds

Khaybar KH 2002 assault rifle is a recent development of the Iranian Defense Industry Organization; this rifle was first shown in 2004 and is intended to replace the obsolete 7.62x51 HKG3 rifles of German origin, which are license-built in Iran since the Shah times. Khaybar KH 2002 assault rifle can be best described as a bullpup conversion of the Iranian S-5.56 rifle, which is a direct copy of the Chinese CQ assault rifle.

Khaybar KH 2002 assault rifle is gas operated, selectively fired rifle of bullpup layout. It uses M16-type direct gas system with multi-lugrotary bolt locking. Polymer pistol grip with enlarged trigger guard is attached below the tubular barrel shroud. Safety / fire selector lever is located at the left side of the receiver, behind magazine housing and away from the pistol grip. Ejection is to the right side only. 

Feeding system uses M16-compatible magazines, with M16-style magazine release button located on the right side of the magazine housing. Sights are of open type, with rear sight being installed within a carrying handle. Additional equipment includes lightweight folding detachable bipods and knife-bayonet. According to the manufacturer, rifle is available with three styles of barrels: short(carbine), medium (standard rifle) and long (designated marksman rifle).