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Heckler & Koch HK XM8


Assault Rifle Prototype


Germany | 2003



"The promising HK XM8 was born out of the ultimately aborted OICW program sponsored by the United States Army."

Performance
Performance specifications presented assume optimal operating conditions for the Heckler & Koch HK XM8. Information presented is strictly for general reference and should not be misconstrued as useful for hardware restoration or operation.
750
Rounds-Per-Minute
Rate-of-Fire
2,952 ft/sec
900 m/sec
Muzzle Velocity
Physical
The physical qualities of the Heckler & Koch HK XM8. Information presented is strictly for general reference and should not be misconstrued as useful for hardware restoration or operation.
838 mm
32.99 in
O/A Length
318 mm
12.52 in
Barrel Length
7.50 lb
3.40 kg
Weight
Gas-Operated; Rotary Locking Bolt
Action
5.56x45mm NATO
Caliber(s)
30-round detachable box magazine
Feed
Reflex Sight
Sights
Variants
Notable series variants as part of the Heckler & Koch HK XM8 Assault Rifle Prototype family line.
XM8 - Base Series Designation.
XM8 - Basic Assault Rifle/Designated Marksman automatic weapon; 508mm barrel length; optional folding bipod; standard 4x magnification sight; optional 100-round drum support.
XM8 Carbine - Shortened Assault Rifle; 318mm barrle length; support for XM320 grenade launcher.
XM8 Compact Carbine - Compact carbine form; 229mm barrle length; optional folding shoulder stock.
Authored By: Staff Writer | Last Edited: 08/16/2023 | Content ©www.MilitaryFactory.com | The following text is exclusive to this site; No A.I. was used in the generation of this content.

The Heckler & Koch HK XM8 was an experimental modular assault rifle system that underwent trials with the US Army in an effort to become its next standard-issue assault weapon system. The firearm was to replace the long-running Colt M16 rifle and M4 carbine forms. As such, the XM8 was to become its own family of automatic weapons to include the basic assault rifle (that could also double as a designated marksman rifle), a shortened carbine (with support for the experimental XM320 grenade launcher), a dedicated sharpshooter's version and a compact carbine with optional collapsing stock. Despite the program's promising results, the XM8 was suspended in April of 2005 before seeing official cancellation in October of that year.

The XM8 family would have comprised of a 9-inch compact, 12.5-inch carbine and a 20-inch sharpshooter and automatic rifle forms. The 12.5-inch carbine was 6.4 pounds with an objective of 5.7 pounds and fielded a running length of 33 inches with its adjustable stock fully extended. In comparison, the M16A2 was 39.63 inches long with a 8.79lb weight and full 30-round magazine in place. Internally, the XM8 utilized a gas-operated, rotary locking bolt action hat functioned and fieldstripped similarly to the M16 rifle and M4 carbine to was meant to replace. The bolt was powered by a unique gas operating system with a user-removable gas piston and pusher rod used to operate the mechanism (the system derived from the HK G36). Unlike the current M4 and M16 direct gas system with gas tube, the XM8 gas system did not introduce propellant gases and carbon back into the weapon's receiver during firing which would have cut down on fouling. The XM8 was chambered for the 5.56x45mm NATO standard cartridge and fed from a 30-round curved detachable box magazine. There was further support for the 100-round Beta C-Mag drum magazine as well.

Design work on the XM8 stemmed from 2002 to which prototypes were completed throughout 2003 and 2004. The XM8 returned to life once more for evaluations concerning the SCAR competition to which the XM8 lost out.

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Operators
Global customers who have evaluated and/or operated the Heckler & Koch HK XM8. Nations are displayed by flag, each linked to their respective national small arms listing.

Contractor(s): Heckler & Koch GmbH - Germany
National flag of Malaysia National flag of the United States

[ Malaysia; United States (evaluated) ]
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