The World's Best Service Rifle That Never Was - The XM-8 From HK
In 2005 the US Army tested this rifle extensively and found its performance and reliability to be so outstanding, it was almost ready to place a major order. Yet the contract was inexplicably cancelled and the decision made to stay with the M-16/M-4.
Lighter, more reliable, more versatile and even CHEAPER then the M-4, the XM-8 offered significant improvements in reliability over the technology that had been unchanged since 1965.
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Added: Jul-22-2012 Occurred On: Jan-1-2005
By: Beinrich_Bimmler
In: Weapons
Tags: Xm-8, m-4, US army, small arms
Marked as: approved
Views: 3519 | Comments: 110 | Votes: 2 | Favorites: 2 | Shared: 4 | Updates: 0 | Times used in channels: 2
By: Beinrich_Bimmler
In: Weapons
Tags: Xm-8, m-4, US army, small arms
Marked as: approved
Views: 3519 | Comments: 110 | Votes: 2 | Favorites: 2 | Shared: 4 | Updates: 0 | Times used in channels: 2
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you have to remember there is a lot of politics involved with these huge contracts, the actual needs of the soldier come last
Posted Jul-22-2012 ByLostSomewhereInSpace (2447.50) 
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(5)
With gloves on you would drop the mag on accident a lot. That is horrible design placement.
Posted Jul-22-2012 ByMartyr_Machine (435.66) Martyr_Machine Send Message
(2)
Reminds me of the gun in the Fifth Element movie.
Posted Jul-22-2012 ByMAKMAK (2455.50) MAKMAK View Channel Send Message
(2)
@MAKMAK Whats that little yellow button on the side?
Posted Jul-22-2012 ByThe Grim (747.00) 
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@The Grim
Classic! That ZF1's awesome! (youtube v=l0Z0VK2lU4Q)
Posted Jul-22-2012 ByMAKMAK (2455.50) MAKMAK View Channel Send Message
(1)
@MAKMAK I love that movie, its funny because the first time I saw it I thought it was awful but then each time I watched it again I thought it was awesome. I even like the odd soundtrack.
Posted Jul-22-2012 ByThe Grim (747.00) 
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(1)
No picatinny rail system so no backup iron sights (or more powerful scope or night vision) so you are locked into the scope the gun comes equipped with from H&K, that's not very forward thinking.
The bolt hold open being inside the trigger guard would lead to accidents as well.
On the other hand, the FN-SCAR was also nearly picked when it competed against the XM-8 and other rifles during the competition to replace the M-16/M4 (they do use the SCAR-H and L) and has picatinny rails and famil More..
Posted Jul-22-2012 Bygrayokc (1793.76) 
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@grayokc
I went ahead and bought my own SCAR anyways. The Army ruins shooting. Going to an Army range is about as fun staring at a wall for 6 hours. Seriously.
Posted Jul-22-2012 ByMartyr_Machine (435.66) Martyr_Machine Send Message
(2)
@Martyr_Machine
Haha, I was in the army back in the late 80's, so I agree.
I also have a SCAR 17s (SCAR-H) and love it.
Posted Jul-23-2012 Bygrayokc (1793.76) 
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@grayokc
Even the ACH kevlar still falls down in your eyes when you are shotting prone. The new body armor doesn't help much either.
Posted Jul-24-2012 ByMartyr_Machine (435.66) Martyr_Machine Send Message
(0)
Sweet fucking weapon! I own an AR15, but I think the military sticking with the M4 and not upgrading to a better weapon/caliber platform is bullshit and reeks of the "good ol' boy" system.
Posted Jul-22-2012 Bymedainbramaged (518.90) 
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@medainbramaged
Is this weapon that much better that it warrants the spending of billions that it would cost in order to replace the M-16/M-4 as the standard? Nope, that would be just flushing $$$ down the shitter for what 'MAY' be a marginally more reliable product.
Posted Jul-22-2012 Bymikedelta12 (370.80) 
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@mikedelta12
Hell, I'm talking about moving away from the 5.56 altogether. It's just not a good round. Some spec. ops. units have been using the 6.8, which seems to be better. Hell, at least it's got some 'umph' behind it and some take down power. But they're still using the M4 platform. They've gotta find something better.
Posted Jul-22-2012 Bymedainbramaged (518.90) 
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@medainbramaged
Same principle applies in the question, is the improvement worth the cost, and it is quite a substantial cost.
Posted Jul-22-2012 Bymikedelta12 (370.80) 
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Greasy politicians had ties at the time to m16 that prevented H and K from having their much better rifle replace the overated M4/m16
Posted Jul-22-2012 ByItchy999 (458.80) 
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Quality MADE IN GERMANY
Posted Jul-23-2012 BySchwarzRotGold (24.20) 
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wow thats nice........does it come in blue
Posted Jul-22-2012 ByBONGOS (101.50) 
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@BONGOS If you have enough money, it does
Posted Jul-22-2012 Bylwkleijn (207.50) 
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Not going to pretend I have any combat experience whatsoever, but I'd still rather have AK reliability than fancy ambidextrous features.
Posted Jul-22-2012 Bysloppies (37.50) 
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@sloppies Maybe this gun is as reliable as the AK.
Posted Jul-22-2012 ByZerocyde (103.00) 
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@Zerocyde and more accurate.
Posted Jul-22-2012 ByThe Grim (747.00) 
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@sloppies Thats because you dont have any combat experience and AKs are for retards who hold down the trigger until they're shooting in the air and falling on their ass.
Posted Jul-22-2012 ByAdirondack13 (161.70) Adirondack13 View Channel Send Message
(0)
@sloppies
AK is a trade off. The reliability comes from loose tolerances.
Unfortunately, those loose tolerances also make the AK fairly inaccurate.
When you shoot a real AK, they feel like they're going to rattle apart in your hands.
Posted Jul-22-2012 Byjum_runky (1532.64) 
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@Adirondack13 From the videos I've seen on Syria I can picture that lol
Posted Jul-22-2012 Bysloppies (37.50) 
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HK made/make the following weapons in 5.56 x 45: XM8, HK53, G41, G36 & HK416 and they still haven't got it right!! Given the choice, if I really had to, I'd take the HK416, but that a lot of variations for the same calibre. The XM8 is awful and I'm not surprised everyone has lost interest in it. Put it in a collection or a museum, it's the best place for it!
Posted Jul-23-2012 BySuppressiveFire (32.90) 
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(1)
Not enough hands were greased.
Posted Jul-22-2012 ByLess1leg (345.06) Less1leg View Channel Send Message
(1)
It was canceled due to political bullshit. Colt apparently bought off some bureaucrats in the Pentagon resulting in a ridiculus agreement that requires it to be involved in certain arms deals. It sickens me to think that such practices take precidence over the performance capabilities of our troops not to mention the defense of our nation.
Posted Jul-22-2012 ByWolfBite120 (719.80) 
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@WolfBite120 WRONG! The U.S govt improperly released the blue prints and, colt was going to sue them. They had a special patent on the carbines inner guts, and how it worked. To nearly 2 dozen contractors.
Posted Jul-22-2012 Byxerodfx (314.20) 
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@xerodfx
Link?
Posted Jul-22-2012 ByWolfBite120 (719.80) 
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@WolfBite120 then why did the army just buy 50,000 rifles from Remington?
Posted Jul-22-2012 ByBeinrich_Bimmler (556.50) Beinrich_Bimmler View Channel Send Message
(0)
Governments have a great way of destroying all inventions that are superior to all others in their category. Read Ayn Rand's "Atlas Shrugged". It explains why the best tends to lose.
Posted Jul-22-2012 ByTheMule (1267.00) TheMule View Channel Send Message
(1)
Cannot give a technical evaluation, i don't have any idea about, but this rifle looks bad, absolut ugly. Just my opinion, of course.
Mayby the best rifle in the world, i don't know.
Posted Jul-22-2012 BySkyshorty (33.80) 
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@Skyshorty
lol
Posted Jul-22-2012 ByMartyr_Machine (435.66) Martyr_Machine Send Message
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