To my knowledge, nobody has yet to collectively open a discussion for building a CANSOF C8 IUR clone so here it is.
A few things to note
- all the info I've collected has been done so via the internet and social media. Not much info exists out there regarding specifics of these rifles other than via photographs of the real rifles.
-I'm not a clone builder, and as such certain "operator specific" parts have been swapped for what I believe to be superior parts. My rifles are shooters, not collectors. True clone correct parts can be discussed in later posts.
-Not all parts required are truly attainable, which will be discussed below.
-certain "data" will likely be contested, but hey that's what this thread is for.
Rifle specs
A CANSOF IUR is made up of 3 critical components.
The upper itself, the barrel and the muzzle end.
The heart of a CANSOF IUR is based on the Colt Canada IUR upper receiver, as there's no other alternative for a clone build. The only commercially available "variant" close to what CANSOF issues is the 10" SAS IUR.
There are 2 clone incorrect points to be made regarding this upper:
First:
The grenade launcher recoil lug spec'd on the SAS IUR is not present on a CANSOF IUR. I think we can all agree that this is something we can overlook as I've only come across one person here that has taken the trouble to have it removed.
Second:
The barrel. This seems to be an area of great contest. Some say it's an 11.5" MRR barrel, and others (myself included) believe it to be a 10.5" (more on that later). For all intents and purposes, a 10.5" Colt Canada barrel does not exist on the commercial market so your choices are between making the 10" SAS barrel work or swapping to an MRR 11.5" barrel.
Now comes the most important piece to the CANSOF IUR clone puzzle and is what really sets it apart from any old SAS upper.
The muzzle end.
Every single CANSOF IUR or any other rifle for that matter that is suppressor capable in the CANSOF/CSOR inventory that I've come across sports a Smith Enterprise Ind. Vortex flash hider for use with their Ops INC suppressor.
Found here:
http://www.nordicmarksman.com/VORTEX-Flash-Eliminator-G6A2-SBV.html
Behind that, sits the next most contested part.
As far as I'm aware, all Ops INC suppressors sit back over top of the host barrel, and thus require the use of a collar.
Think MK12 mod 0/mod 1.
Now as far as I can tell, CANSOF issued rifles use an Allen Engineering collar adapter extender, over a regular collar. I've compared almost every photo I can find on the internet to all of AE's collars and not one of them has the same profile, while the barrel extender matches what I'd consider exact.
I admit, I could be wrong and it could be a collar but I believe the extender achieves the same end game with an easier solution, as noted below.
Instead of a collar being slid over the barrel, the collar adapter extender simply threads onto the muzzle and extends it to allow mounting of the OPS Inc suppressor.
The benefits of going the collar adapter extender route are noted below.
Here in lies the next problem. If using the factory SAS 10" barreled upper, the AE barrel extender will not work as the extender sits back onto the barrel 1/2", placing the extender inside the IUR rail.
This is where you're faced with a few choices.
-abandon the project
-swap out the CC barrel
-call a gunsmith and make you the parts you'll need.
At this point, I want to take a moment to thank MisterDonut. If it weren't for him and an obscure blog I happened to come across while googling for an AE extender I likely would have abandoned the project entirely. Without him and his one and only AE collar adapter extender this project would have been dead in the water as Ron Allen himself couldn't get me one without a hefty bill for a state department export application. So thank you again, this project couldn't have been completed without you.
Thanks in part to having the actual part needed, I was able to take it to Rick from ATRS and have him replicate the collar adapter with a 1/8" backset over the factory 1/2" backset allowing me to work with the factory 10" barrel. From the beginning, swapping the barrel was never an option. I wasn't about to buy an MRR just for a barrel that I felt wasn't 100% correct, and I definitely wasn't about to swap out a CC barrel for something else.
As far as I can tell, these are really the only important parts to a CANSOF/CSOR IUR clone as I've come across quite a few photos online, all sporting various optics and accessories. As most guys admit, specialized units are often allowed to outfit there rifles as the individual sees fit so as far as I'm personally concerned, the upper, barrel and muzzle end are the only pieces worth discussing.
As I mentioned above, I'm no clone builder, and I have no desire to build a 100% clone correct rifle as is evident in my finished product. My project was intended not to be 100% accurate, but more a "close enough" rifle that the average AR guy could build one almost as easily as a mk18 mod 1. With that consideration, I did this so there is only 1 truly difficult part to obtain, and that being the collar adapter extender which again, in my opinion is the utmost critical part aside from the upper itself.
As such, if anyone is interested in a custom collar adapter extender that allows you to complete the build, send me a PM and I can get in touch with ATRS who has said they'd be happy to make up a couple more for anyone interested.
Here's my finished project.
Parts I changed that I wouldn't call clone correct.
Iron sights: seems every issued rifle I've seen has ARMS sights. I'll take my KAC Micros thank you.
Charging handle: I'm certainly not going to use a standard or C7/C8 style charging handle, I went with a Geissele ACH.
Safety: KAC ambi, because it's what I use on all of my rifles.
Trigger: ALG ACT, couldn't find a reason not to.
Anyways, hopefully this helps out anyone interested. I have a lot more data on these rifles but I wanted to keep this thread to the basic, most critical info.
The only question left I have for you, should I paint it?
