Canadian Modular Assault Rifle

[Big Bad]

Canadian Modular Assault Rifle https://apps.forces.gc.ca/en/defence-capabilities-blueprint/project-details.asp?id=1696

Does anyone know more about the CMAR?

If it goes ahead, this program will probably end up costing about as much as a nuclear aircraft carrier- and history suggests, also produce an inferior rifle. As already stated, there are better priorities than replacing the current and apparently excellent new rifle (see post #2), let's start with adequate cold weather sleeping bags for everyone.

 

[TechNeck]

7.62×51mm NATO = ~1,500 metres = ~3,600 J

.338 Norma Magnum = ~2,000+ metres = ~6,600 J

https://web.archive.org/web/2020012...leases/ussocom-purchases-mg-338-machine-guns/

Doesnt matter, c6 will smash soft targets at 2400m off a tripod regardless... you rarly shoot past 1200m off a bipod, most engagements are less then 600m (iron sights after all) and at that range it smashes through cinder blocks and other light fortifications.

All you are doing is humping more weight for less ammo going to the .338LM

The .338LM would be a replacment for the .50 and its a poor replacement for the .50 as you just dont have the projectile mass to have effective AP rounds
"Modern" aka 1990s and after armour can stop .338lm AP no issues... 3/8 cms19 is rated for that... (LAVs) its rated for .50 cal too... but there is minimuim distance required to block it which says a lot when compairing the rounds...

 

[TechNeck]

The CMR project was suposed to switch to caseless or semi caseless ammo.... i see the CAF has abandoned that after dumping a lot of money into it.
The plan was to have gyrojet style rounds so you could pack a #### ton and not have to wory about brass... the other option was semi cased.. so think shotgun style plastic hulls but no brass back and electronically fired.. so you are basically ejecting plastic straws not shell casings... significant cost and weight savings and potentially much higher mags capacity

 

[Yeandle31]

Is that the C8A4 ?

The C8A4 and CMAR are different programs.

The C8A4 is a "upgrade" program for the in-service C7A2s and C8A3s. It would essentially see all these systems stripped and have a monolithic upper added, then cerakoted. In concept, this would be a siiliar idea to the Mid-Life Upgrade Program that was done in the early/mid 2000s, which introcuded the C7A2 and C8A3. The photos shown with 1RCR on the range shows some of the 500 C8A4 conversions during user trials. In essence, this program would see the end of a C7 series Rifle and C8 series carbine and streamline them into a universial C8A4 rifle.

The CMAR program would be an entirely new procurement for DND. The photo above was a very early concept built on a Colt M5 lower. However, Colt Canada has entirely moved on from that design and has created their own. The CMAR program would, as of now, introduce a CMAR - General Service (GS) and CMAR - Sharp Shooter (SS). The GS would have a 14.5" barrel and the SS would have a longer (unchromed) barrel ultimately to replicate a C20 SASW in 5.56x45mm NATO. The end goal of the CMAR program would be to see them issued to the RegF infantry battalions, while everyone else gets the C8A4.

All this being said, the programs are all very fluid as there are many stakeholders. There is a lot of testing (technical and user) ongoing to validate configurations. Of course, there still the issue of funding. I would not be surprised to see all of this change before final procurement.

Cheers,
Kevin