HK XM-8 - Interesting weapon

[Bob Hubbard]

http://www.military.com/NewContent/0,13190,Gear_051104_XM8,00.htmlAnyone know more about this? Looks like something outta Star Trek.

 

[Cryozombie]

That is, I believe, the weapon they demonstrated on one of the "sicence" channels... History, Discovery... etc...

Phenominaly cool weapon if it is the same one...

 

[Baytor]

I read about it in popular mechanics. Should be a good change for the military. Being able to customize depending on the mission is a good thing I think.

 

[kelly keltner]

I saw something simalar a few months back on a discovery or history chanel I don't remember which. I believe it was called the XM29 it had 20mm programable air burst ammo coupled with the .223 and maybe a shotgun. It had some ungodly weight problems and the manufacterer was looking for a way to make it lighter. This rifle looks like it may be a variant of that one.


kelly

 

[Seig]

I want one.

 

[bignick]

coming to a flea market near you...

 

[KenpoTex]

coming to a flea market near you...

I wish...

 

[Bob Hubbard]

Heres an official photo.


I want 1 too.

 

[Cryozombie]

I saw something simalar a few months back on a discovery or history chanel I don't remember which. I believe it was called the XM29 it had 20mm programable air burst ammo coupled with the .223 and maybe a shotgun. It had some ungodly weight problems and the manufacterer was looking for a way to make it lighter. This rifle looks like it may be a variant of that one.


kelly

Yeah... thats the one I was thinking of.

 

[AnimEdge]

All we have to do is wait on the machine gun ban to go away then we can
I want one too

 

[Mark Weiser]

Combine this weapon with the new battle field suits/armour coming out and I will bet any amount of funds that the US SOLIDER will be able to walk into any battlefield and walk away the winner. Along with new bio technologies and GPS guideance systems for the small unit member. We may have to look for new opponents.

Starts looking at the sky

 

[Baytor]

The planet Mars is harboring intergalactic terrorists. And yellow cake. Except it's Red...becuse it's on Mars.

 

[Cryozombie]

The planet Mars is harboring intergalactic terrorists. And yellow cake. Except it's Red...becuse it's on Mars.

Mmm. Cake.

 

[kelly keltner]

All we have to do is wait on the machine gun ban to go away then we can
I want one too

Yeah you will be able to get one in every state except California(where I live) because they are banned here by state law.

kelly

 

[Tgace]

I would do away with the carry handle and get the optics a little closer to the bore line. I could never figure that out with the M-16 either (before the development of the removable handle). I was trained to never carry a weapon by the carry handle anyway.

Interesting "Land Warrior" site..
http://www.usma.edu/publicaffairs/PV/020719/Warrior2.htm

 

[Tgace]

Good Old H&K. Take a look at the G36C assault carbine. Its basically the same design except for the "Star Wars" chassis. Personally I like the design of this one better.

http://www.floridaairsoft.com/reviews/g36c/g36cleftgrip.jpg

 

[Gaidheal]

Yeah, I was following the prototype but not looked in on it for a while...

This is pretty much the ultimate Assault Rifle as far as I am concerned... I mean it does everything:

<rave>

Squad level support fire? 20" barrel & bipod, drum magazine.

'Tactical' fire support (sniper)? 20" sharpshooter barrel, possibly a smaller magazine?

Standard Infantry role? 12.5" barrel, M16 style magazines (must be loads of them so they'll want to keep using them for a while...)

Tank crew PD? 9" barrel, no optics, small magazine.

</rave>

US Army would be idiots not to adopt it, frankly. As would any other army... sadly British Army persists with the ill-fated SA-80 POS.

John

 

[TonyM.]

Bore line at too much angle, 5.56mm ineffective round, 20mm is almost uncommentable as the 40mm is a terribly weak grenade. Anouther scientific breakthrough ala Stoner to insure our boys look good on the field as they die.

 

[Tgace]

Bore line at too much angle, 5.56mm ineffective round, 20mm is almost uncommentable as the 40mm is a terribly weak grenade. Anouther scientific breakthrough ala Stoner to insure our boys look good on the field as they die.

Ahhh..the old 5.56 arguement . Ive seen some video/studies of police shootings with 5.56. Let me tell ya, when loaded with hollow point rounds, the 5.56 drops people like sacks of $%&!. Its the bizzare use of hardball by the military (can bomb, torch, run over with tanks, etc. but hollow points are inhumane??) that is the root of all the inadequate stop stories.

One thing I do wonder about the use of 5.56mm....6.8 Remington looks berthed to launch as the new round of choice for the AR platform, why design a whole new weapon on 5.56?

As for 40mm being weak. I was actually impressed with how big a bang they made for the size. I recall engaging targets at 800+ meters with HE and having my chest rattle....

 

[Gaidheal]

5.56mm is not ineffective at all. Use of hardpoint is for penetration - most military targets (legitimate ones, anyway) are wearing body armour. Of course given recent US military history, they probably do need to start using hollowpoint.. civilians are usually not armoured. There is an interesting pistol (the Five-Seven) which uses a similar calibre and is designed specifically for military use - same company that gave us the P-90 smg.

John