Tag Archives: canadian rifle

Colt Bags $198 Million Canadian Modular Rifle Contract

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Colt is the winner of the Canadian Modular Rifle, or CMAR, program, to replace the current C7/C8 service rifle fleet, which has been in service for more than 35 years in the land of the Blue Jays and Silver Medal Olympic hockey teams. The contract is valued at CAD $273 million ($198 million USD).

As part of the contract, which requires at least 80 percent domestic production, Colt will deliver up to 30,000 General Service (GS) rifles between 2026 and 2029 from its Kitchener, Ontario, factory. The contract includes provisions for a possible increase in the volume of deliveries with a Phase 2 option including 19,207 GS rifles and 16,195 “Full Spectrum” rifles, the latter outfitted with optics and other accessories. The full award covers a maximum of 65,402 rifles.

The Canadian Armed Forces contains approximately 68,000 active and 32,000 reserve personnel, with about one third of those– 44,000– being in the Army.

Canadian Modular Rifle, or CMAR, with MFMD
The 5.56 NATO caliber Colt CMAR, type classified as the C25 in the above image, uses a monolithic upper receiver, chrome-lined free-floating barrel, ambidextrous controls, and a full-length STANAG 4694 top rail with M-LOK slots on the forearm. Accessories include a Magpul MOE grip and CTR adjustable stock. Photos: Department of National Defence/Ministère de la défense nationale 

An interesting factor on the CMAR is its use of an all-in-one combination flash hider/muzzle brake/flow-through suppressor, the Multi-Function Muzzle Device, or MFMD. Designed by Utah-based Strategic Sciences, the modular MFMD is billed as delivering in terms of sound (sub 140dB for all systems), flash (99 percent reduction), and recoil (60 percent faster follow-up shots) with a durability comparable to the barrel’s life cycle.

Canadian Modular Rifle, or CMAR, with MFMD
Initial production will be for 30,000 rifles between now and 2029, with as many as 35,000 additional rifles to follow. 
Colt C8A4 optics
What optics the new CMAR will carry is probably TBD at the moment, with the Canadian Army trialing several dots and LPVOs by Steiner and SIG on the interim C8A4 in the past year. The current standard day optic in Canadian service is the 3.4x fixed power Elcan C79 (M145 in U.S. service), which was adopted in 1989.  

As for what will happen to the country’s soon-to-be surplus C7 rifles and C8 carbines, which are based on the Colt M16A3 and M4, respectively, it is likely they will be retained in arsenal storage as the Canadian Armed Forces is seeking to expand its Primary reserve forces from the current 23,561 part-time members to 100,000 and beef up the current force of 4,384 inactive or retired Supplementary Reserve members to 300,000, figures not seen under the Maple Leaf flag since World War II!

Canada adopted the license-built C7 series in 1984, replacing semi-auto inch-pattern FN FAL pattern C1A1 rifles in 7.62 NATO, which entered service in the 1950s.

Soldiers of the Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada training at CFB Gagetown with C1A1s, circa 1974 (Library and Archives Canada MIKAN 4235794)

You know the C20, eh?

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The Colt Canada-produced C20 semi-automatic Intermediate Sniper Weapon is being acquired for the Canadian Army in small numbers.

Produced domestically by Colt Canada in Kitchener, Ontario, the semi-automatic C20 has an 18-inch barrel with a 1-in-10 twist and is reportedly pretty friggen accurate. Testing showed the rifle to fire 8,000 rounds with no stopping and deliver an average of .66 MOA over 144 five-round groups using 175-grain Federal Gold Medal Match.

The overall length on the C20 is 38-inches while weight is 9.1-pounds. It has a 46-slot continuous MIL-STD-1913 top rail and a handguard with M-LOK accessory slots in the 3-, 6-, and 9-o’clock positions. (Photo: Colt Canada)

More in my column at Guns.com. 

Canada goes all Colonial Marines

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Check this bad boy out:

“Developed with the Canadian Forces through the Soldier Integrated Precision Effects Systems (SIPES) project. A bullpup design that features the ability to install either a three round 40 mm grenade launcher, or a 12-gauge shotgun. The next phase will feature a TrackingPoint style system to automatically detect targets and assist in engaging them.When optimized, the integrated weapon prototype could weigh less than a C7 [Canadian Colt made M16A2) equipped with a M203 grenade launcher, reducing the burden on soldiers.”

Of course, the Canadian Forces are in the midst of the worst budget crunch since 1946 and are seriously overstretched in terms of new acquisition goals, so the odds of this working out are slim. The 5,000 Canadian Rangers are still stuck with WWII-issue SMLE .303s and a program to replace those has been stalled since 2011.