Diemaco C-7

     Notes: The C-7 started life as a license-produced version of the M-16A2; but the engineers at Diemaco (now called Colt Canada) tinkered with the base design, correcting many of the shortcomings of the M-16A2, such as sensitivity to dirt, and the problem that often occurs with case ejection on the M-16A2.  They also managed to lighten it somewhat by using more modern materials that are also tougher, and the barrel is cold-forged to give it added strength and durability.  The result is basically a product-improved M-16A2, and the Canadians began to issue it to their troops in 1984.  In the late 1980s, the Danish and Dutch issued it to their troops, and it is rumored that the special operations units of several other European countries are also using the C-8A1 and C-8A2 versions of this rifle. Colt USA has also quietly incorporated most of the improvements into their production M-16-series rifles.

     The basic C-7 is in fact a product-improved version of the basic M-16A2 and depending on the customer, may be had with a 3-round burst setting or a full-automatic fire setting.  The C-7A2 is basically the Canadian equivalent of the M-16A3/A4, being a C-7 with the top of the receiver redesigned.  In place of the carrying handle/rear sight combination, the C-7A1 has a raised rear sight and a MIL-STD-1913 rail to allow the mounting of a large variety of optics.  The rear sight is removed and stored in the stock if some sort of optical or night sight is mounted.  As an option, the MIL-STD-1913 rail may be removed and replaced with a Weaver or RARDE rail if older optics are going to be used.  The C-7A1 is normally issued with a light optical sight made by Elcan; this is included in the cost listed below.  Like the M-16A2, they have barrels which are 20 inches long.

     The C-7A2 is the mid-life upgrade for the C-7 and C-7A1; it features a telescoping stock like that of the C-8.  This stock also has a butt pad which acts as a shock absorber and an anti-slip device.  The buffer was modified by replacing one of the steel weights in the buffer mass tube with a tungsten weight; this slight additional mass prevents light strikes on the bolt carrier group which might otherwise cause a misfire.  The cyclic rate is somewhat reduced (but has no practical effect in game terms) to increase reliability, controllability, and wear and tear.  The C-7A2 has an ambidextrous magazine catch, ambidextrous charging handle release, and ambidextrous selector lever. 

     The C-7CT (Custom Tactical) is meant for designated marksmen and other such “non-sniper” sharpshooters.  The C-7CT is basically similar to other members of the C-7 series, but has numerous special features to suit its role.  The barrel is heavy and target-quality (though still 20 inches in length), free-floated, cold hammer-forged, and equipped with a muzzle with threads allowing the C-7CT to use anything from target crowns to silencers.  Atop the receiver is a MIL-STD-1913 rail, and atop the gas block is another small rail, allowing the C-7CT to use any sort of optics.  The round aluminum handguards have a sling swivel as well as a light adjustable bipod mounted beneath the front of the handguard.  The stock includes a handgrip on the bottom and also has a space to insert counterweights as necessary.  The pistol grip is ergonomic with a hand stop/weight at the bottom.  The trigger mechanism is replaced with a two-stage trigger that has no capability for automatic or burst fire.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: In the Twilight 2000 world, supplies of the C-7 have probably been supplemented with older stocks of standard M-16A2 s and M-16A1s (both from Canada and the US), particularly among those troops called late in the Twilight War.  This would be even truer among Dutch soldiers. Danish soldiers were supplied with the C-7 primarily for interoperability reasons while working in Bosnia and Kosovo, and would most likely never have been issued the C-7 in the Twilight 2000 world.  This version of the C-7 would still appear, but would be lesser in number.  Again, Danish troops would probably never have been issued the C-7A1.  First appearing in 2003, the C-7A2 would not appear in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

C-7

5.56mm NATO

3.3 kg

20, 30

$609

C-7A1

5.56mm NATO

3.9 kg

20, 30

$759

C-7A2

5.56mm NATO

4.1 kg

20, 30

$787

C-7CT

5.56mm NATO

4.3 kg

20, 30

$1316

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

C-7

5 (3)

3

1-Nil

6

2

6 (4)

56

C-7A1

5 (3)

3

1-Nil

6

2

6 (3)

56

C-7A2

5 (3)

3

1-Nil

5/6

2

6 (3)

56

C-7CT

SA

3

1-Nil

6

2

Nil

59

With Bipod

SA

3

1-Nil

6

1

Nil

77

 

Diemaco C-8

     Notes: This is the same thing to the C-7 that the M-4 Carbine is to the M-16A2: a shorter version of the C-7, with a collapsible stock and shorter 14.2-inch barrel and appropriate handguards.   The Danish also bought a quantity of the C-8 and C-8A1.    The Dutch Marines and Special Forces also use the C-8, but they use the C-8A1 version (which they call the M-96 Karbine).  The Dutch have actually been using the C-8A1 for some time, but the Canadian military has not adopted it until recently. The British SAS is also known to make some use of the C-8A1; theirs are typically fitted with a Heckler & Koch AG-36 grenade launcher under the barrel.  Like the C-7 series, most versions can be had with 3-round burst settings or full-automatic settings.

     In the C-8A1, the carrying handle is replaced with a MIL-STD-1913 rail, and the standard sight is the same Elcan sight used by the C-7A1.  The barrel used is heavier than that of the C-7 and C-7A1, but is still cold-forged.  The C-8A2 is essentially a C-8A1, but it has an even heavier barrel to allow sustained automatic fire, and short 4-position MIL-STD-1913 rails are added to the handguard.  Though a version of the C-8A2 is available with a 3-round burst setting, the Canadians use only the full-automatic version.  It is unknown whether any other countries are using the C-8A2.  The C-8FTHB is a development of the C-8A2; it differs from the C-8A2 primarily in having an extra-heavy bull barrel and standard handguards.

     The C-8CT is sort of a “marksman’s carbine,” equipped with a 15.75-inch extra-heavy barrel tipped by a target crown.  The handguards are replaced with aluminum tube-type handguards that allow the barrel to float.  The C-8CT does have a MIL-STD-1913 rail atop the receiver, but the rail is about twice as long as that of the other C-8 versions. The pistol grip is ergonomic with a hand stop/weight at the bottom.  The modified sliding stock includes a space for counterweights, a recoil pad on the butt, and has generally heavier construction that is more adjustable in length; this stock is also adjustable for swivel, cant and height in addition to length.  The C-8CT is equipped with a two-stage trigger mechanism.  The C-8CT has a lightweight, adjustable bipod under the front of the handguard.

     The C-8CQB (Close Quarters Battle) is designed for special operations forces and police SRT-type units for use in urban combat and house-to-house-type fighting.  The barrel is abbreviated to 10 inches, and the muzzle is equipped with a Vortex muzzle brake to reduce recoil and muzzle flash.  This muzzle brake may also be easily removed and replaced by either a silencer or suppressor if necessary.  The weapon does have a MIL-STD-1913 rail atop the receiver, but the standard Elcan sight is replaced by an EOTech low-magnification optical sight which is much more useful in close-range combat.  The extractor is also strengthened in concession to the lower gas pressures delivered by the shorter barrel. 

     The SFW (Special Forces Weapon) was designed at the behest of the British MoD for use by its special operations forces.  British SOF units have long been dissatisfied by the L-85 series, including the L-85A2; they used the US-made M-16 series as well as the M-4 series, and later the C-7 and C-8 series, but were looking for a weapon more tailored for their special needs.  They also didn’t want to buy from any company that had been in bankruptcy within the past ten years, as Colt had been.  The C-8SFW is basically a highly modified and tailored version of the C-8A1, with a 16.1-inch heavy barrel instead of the 14.5-inch heavy barrel of the C-8 series; this increases accuracy at long ranges without unduly increasing the length and bulk of the weapon.  The forward sections of the handguards are equipped with MIL-STD-1913 rails (actually a KAC RAS system) which allow the use of a wide variety of accessories such as handgrips, flashlights, laser aiming modules, bipods, etc.  The top of the receiver also has a MIL-STD-1913 rail for the mounting of optics; standard is the same Elcan sight used on the C-8A1 and C-7A1.  Provision has also been made for the mounting of the HK AG-36 grenade launcher or the HK-79 grenade launcher.  The iron sights were redesigned to give them more strength and stability.  The C-8SFW is equipped with a sliding stock.  The C-8SFW is capable of using virtually types of 5.56mm NATO ammunition, including armor-piercing types, heavy bullets, rubber bullets, etc.

     Twilight 2000 Notes: The C-8 would still be in use, but in lesser numbers.  The Danish would not have been issued the C-8A1, but the Canadians would have been, in even smaller number than the basic C-8.  The C-8CQB is a very rare weapon virtually exclusive to Canadian special operations units.  The C-8A2, C-8FTHB, C-8CT and C-8SFW do not exist in the Twilight 2000 timeline.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

C-8

5.56mm NATO

2.67 kg

20, 30

$568

C-8A1

5.56mm NATO

2.77 kg

20, 30

$718

C-8A2

5.56mm NATO

2.77 kg

20, 30

$728

C-8FTHB

5.56mm NATO

2.8 kg

20, 30

$722

C-8CT

5.56mm NATO

4.2 kg

20, 30

$1197

C-8CQB

5.56mm NATO

2.63 kg

20, 30

$653

C-8SFW

5.56mm NATO

3.35 kg

20, 30

$745

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

C-8

5 (3)

3

1-Nil

4/5

3

7

34

C-8A1

5 (3)

3

1-Nil

4/5

3

7 (4)

34

C-8A2

5 (3)

3

1-Nil

4/5

3

7 (4)

34

C-8FTHB

5 (3)

3

1-Nil

4/5

3

7 (4)

35

C-8CT

SA

3

1-Nil

4/6

2

Nil

41

With Bipod

SA

3

1-Nil

4/6

1

Nil

54

C-8CQB

5

2

1-Nil

3/4

2

5

19

C-8SFW

5

3

1-Nil

4/6

2

6

41

 

Para-Ordnance TTR

     Notes: The TTR (Tactical Target Rifle) is an AR variant that uses a unique variant of the Stoner direct gas impingement system.  Called DIGS (Delayed-Impingement Gas System), it uses a lengthened gas block that slows the cycle time of the operation, keeping the rifle cleaner longer without the use of a piston. (I’m skeptical.)  This is combined with the Manifold Injector System (MIS) which channels gasses through the bolt carrier and vents them out of the ejection port, which helps to keep the bolt carrier group itself cleaner.  The TTR has a shortened carrier along with a recoil spring above the barrel, which means that the traditional buffer tube assembly is not necessary and that the TTR can have a traditional side-folding stock.  The stock also slides, with five positions available. The lack of the normal buffer tube assembly also means that the TTR is somewhat quieter than a traditional AR, particularly in the shooter’s ear; it also gives the TTR even more of a straight-line recoil, cutting barrel climb and making the aim of follow-up shots quicker (unfortunately, not measurable in Twilight 2000 v2.2 terms). The 16.5-inch barrel is tipped by a Para-designed flash suppressor which is slightly longer than a standard AR flash suppressor, and has longer slots.  The upper receiver is topped with a MIL-STD-1913 rail which joins the upper rail of the handguards, and the sides and bottom of the handguards have shorter rails which are about one-third the length of the handguards and positioned at the front of them.  Removable AR-type rear iron sights are included, though the rear sight is a bit more finely-adjustable than a standard AR sight. The front sight is a hooded post which is also removable and folds down.  The handguards themselves are made of aluminum instead of polymer.

Weapon

Ammunition

Weight

Magazines

Price

TTR

5.56mm NATO

3.36 kg

10, 20, 30

$589

 

Weapon

ROF

Damage

Pen

Bulk

SS

Burst

Range

TTR

SA

3

1-Nil

4/6

2

Nil

42