XCRs are an amazing platform, i have owned 3
Personal observations... heavy barrel is a waste, for rhe extra 5 rounds uou get "tight" its a lot of forward weight... a hot "light barrel" shoots as well as a heavy barrel.. it cools much faster too.
Dont get a .243 version of a M... it shoots like poop.
These guns with decent ammo are 500m guns... for some reason past that they just dont preform, doesnt matter the cartridge, or how much money you dump into it in quility ammo.
I trully regret selling my M, i had it hydro dipped in muilti cam, 1 of 2 in canada, the only guy willing to do it (and do it well with automotive grade finsh so it was durable) decide to never do it again as it was to much work lol.. the famea 542 i replaced it with was uh... not so good.
The L versions were ok, but as other pointed out, there is much cheaper lighter and more accurate guns out there in the 7.62x39/.223 platforms. Although the reliability of the gen2s was amazing...
Last time i saw it it was in a vice media article about "right wing extremisim in Canada"... had choice words for the person i sold it too lol