Some basic C8 questions / C8 build thread (BUILD COMPLETED & PICS)

Leg said:
Looks good Claven2. Are you going to reprofile under the handguards as well? It may just be my eyes but that looks a lot thicker than government profile, closer to .750" or so.
Click to expand...

If I'm not mistaken, gov't profile barrels are .750 aft of the flange for the front sight block...?

Edit:

See this link:

http://ar15barrels.com/prod/govt.shtml

So it looks like the bbl should have a long taper from 0.675" to 0.625" under the hand guards.

Not sure if I'll bother with that - I don't have a long enough taper attachment for my lathe to bring it down that much and maintain a taper...?

I suppose I could just make it a straight .675...?
 
Yeah, I'd just pick a straight dimension and go with it. Think Bushmaster doesn't bother with the taper on their superlights, just go with a straight .625", or even .600". I have measurements of Colt lightweights (.625" FSB) that taper down to .600". It might only knock off a few ounces but I think you'd notice a difference, that's what I love about the C8, how light it is, must be around 6lbs or so.

Or maybe Craftsman441 took measurements under the handguards as well? I'm assuming that's what you based the profile off of.
 
koldt said:
They also use(d) the plastic Diemaco, D marked butt. Not all that common, but they're around.
c8 butt.jpg
Click to expand...

That is cool. It would seem that not all Diemaco stocks came with that stamped D in the plastic. The ones I have access to don't.
 
OK, I just got done turning the rear section of the barrel down to government profile :) Looks much better IMHO and it's a lot lighter.

DSCN3429.jpg
 
OK, well I decided to go a little further and turn the under-HG profile into a true Colt Lightweight profile and shaved off a few more ounces :) Looks identical to an XM4 barrel now.

DSCN3551.jpg


I still have seen no real C8 barrel pics of the profile under the handguard, but I suspect this is really close. I suspect the C8 is closer to XM4 profile than government M4.

dsc00733zt0.jpg
 
Last edited:
Well here she is, all completed - my interpretation of the early C8 (except with a semi-auto Armalite receiver instead of a real C8 receiver or Dlask copy).

Attention to detail:
-Proper C8 receiver extension nut.
-Colt Fiberite butt
-Colt Canada handguards
-Colt M16 grip
-Diemaco front sight post
-F/A BGC (Stag)
-Upper is, I think, Bushmaster (?) I got it used, but it's identical to the Diemaco upper (I swapped in an A2 fwd assist - it came with a teardrop assist.
-Charging handle is Colt
-Upper door is Colt
-Flash hider is Colt
-Selector and trigger Colt F/A, it rotates to the naughty position, but is semi-only.
-Hammer and disconnector are Armalite.
-Grip, and rail are issue Cadex.

Compromise:
-The extension is a mil spec Stag 6-position instead of a Colt 2-position because the 2-posiiton didn't fit me well.
-The bbl, although proper profile, mil spec parked (thanks Armacoat/Barrett!), and chrome lined, it's 1:9 - not 1:7. I couldn't find an M4 profile 1:7 CL bbl in Canada to modify - oh well.

DSCN3720.jpg

DSCN3721.jpg

DSCN3722.jpg

DSCN3723.jpg

DSCN3724.jpg

DSCN3725.jpg

DSCN3727.jpg


And lightened up for high-speed, lo-drag :)
DSCN3728.jpg
 
Last edited:
I just tossed on the Cadex stuff for a pic because I have it. Despite it's less-than-awesomeness, it is CF issued for the C8 series and is actually somewhat comfortable in-hand, but this carbine is supposed to be LIGHT, so I took it off again.

I do have a CF Thermold, but for some reason they don't fit Armalite (and several other makers') magwells. I need to get some "export only" mags - no arguement here.

Ref the Thermolds, they fit my Colt and CMMG lowers and don't fit many of the other lowers I've tried, to include:
-Aero Precision
-Dlask
-Armalite
-RRA
-LMT
-Noveske
-NEA

Aparently you need a mag well bevel that is precisely to the TDP drawing as the Thermold's flange at the magwell joint is designed to have a perfect fit to the bevel to act as a dirt-seal. Something all other mag manufacturers didn't bother with (solution to a problem nobody had?)
 
Claven2 said:
Aparently you need a mag well bevel that is precisely to the TDP drawing as the Thermold's flange at the magwell joint is designed to have a perfect fit to the bevel to act as a dirt-seal. Something all other mag manufacturers didn't bother with (solution to a problem nobody had?)
Click to expand...

Really?....did not know that

gonna go try mine now...
 
As an update, I weighed the rifle after today's range session - she came in at 5.6 pounds. By comparison, a basic Colt M4 with standard furniture weights in at 6.36 pounds, so the lightweight barrel and earlier CAR stock shave almost a pound off the rifle's weight.

Using irons and crappy MFS 62gn, I kept all the rounds in the black at 100m on a standard 50 yard pistol target. VERY pleased with the build.

I honestly wish I had built one of these YEARS ago - my new favourite all-purpose AR :)
 
As a heads up for those who might care, the A1 upper I had on order with Wolverine (I had cancelled the order) ended up showing up this week and I turned it down as I had already found this one.

So if anyone is building an old-school C7 or C8, act quickly - they only have one ;) They are not easy to find - took about 6 or 7 months for Wolverine to get one.
 
Definitely go for it! With all the gucci-AR's I've had since the 80's, I had forgotten how pleasurable simple, fast-pointing, light and accurate a basic C8 with irons can be. As I said, my new favourite AR in the stable.
 
So what exactly makes a "C8 clone"? I am assuming that by C8 you are referring to a Canadian military rifle as of a specific time period. Even though I know a fair bit about AR's in general I have never been in the military, and am not really up on the differences between military AR's in different time periods. Claven2, you mentioned some things that you compromised on and that is cool with me, not looking for an EXACT copy of something, more a general "look". What particular things are necessary for a build to be a C8? Any input is helpful.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom