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  • Rijoenpial

    Having seen the recoil of the HK 417 and SCAR 17S, I wonder if the Colt CM901 will also have a lot of recoil!

    Now, I assume it’s the NATO 7.62×51 that we’re talking here, but I need some clarification on this when the time comes…

    I am curious about the design (hopefully, not just an AR-15 design with a fatty mag and mag receiver… That would be, huh, an HK 417! LOL

    I am too very curious to see it, see it perform and see if COLT has a winner or not!

    Cheers!

  • Jordan Bowles

    I bet this is a 7.62×39 rifle not a 7.62×51.
    Based on the earlier post about it being backwards compatible with 5.56 lowers and the fact that it seems no one has actually said it is a 7.62×51 rifle.

  • JS

    In the other tfb post about this gun, I pasted the link to the Defense Review article before David commented :)

    Jordan – I think it was a typo supposed to say compatible with 5.56 uppers.

  • Other Steve

    Jordan, no, I think you are very mistaken. Americans care nothing for the x39.

    Look at the original specs for the SCAR program, a single rifle that was modular enough to be configured for 7.62 and 5.56. This colt is most likely a new lower that has interchangeable mag wells but still accepts ar uppers (somehow). My guess is if it out of the box accepts 5.56 uppers it will take a completely new proprietary 7.62×51 upper (not an ar-10, or etc).

    Personally I would have a scar17 by now if they made a barrel, bolt, and lower for 5.56. So I would think there is a civilian market for this.

  • 7.62 mm Soldier

    Rjoenpial,

    The HK417 has more felt recoil than the HK416 in 5.56 mm. But it is nothing compared to the recoil of the old FN FAL or new FN SCAR(H). If Colt has developed a well damped buffer, then the recoil should be perfectly acceptable. The crucial difference between the HK417 and SCAR(H) is that the FN weapon’s recoil disturbs the point of aim, requiring you to re-acquire a target.

    Jordan Bowles,

    Interesting comment. With many NATO armies re-issuing 7.62 mm x 51 weapons in Afghanistan, it would be a missed opportunity for Colt not to offer its own 7.62 mm x 51 weapon. As things stand, the UK and Germany are buying LM7s and HK417s while the US Army has raided museums throughout the USA to re-issue the M14.

    I am not sure what a 7.62 mm x 39 AR15 model would do that an m16A4/ m4A4 doesn’t do already.

    It’ll be interesting to see whether Colt goes for a piston operated mechanism or direct gas impingement.

  • scurvy

    I doubt it’s 7.62×51. They say that the design is modular and that they’re making a SBR version. Who in their right mind would make a .308 SBR??

  • John C.

    “Battle Rifle” would denote that it is a 7.62×51 rifle. However, I have heard some talk of a 7.62×39 rifle so they can use enemies ammo.

  • Tuulos

    They say it’s 7.62 NATO in the first paragraph of that article. In matter of fact, it’s even in the title of that article.

  • Lance

    I bet it can be compatible with all 3 calibers. Id stay with my M-14 over this tough.

  • http://www.remov.pl REMOV

    I hope that the new battle rifle will be shown at the AUSA next month.

  • http://DefenseReview.com David Crane

    The CM901 is 7.62x51mm NATO. That’s what “7.62mm NATO” means. 7.62x39mm would be “7.62mm Russian”.

  • El Duderino

    Hey and maybe it’s 7.62x99mm necked-down .50BMG…

    C’mon this is 100% a 7.62x51mm rifle. Who is seriously designing 7.62x39mm rifles for military service anymore?

    • http://www.thefirearmblog.com Steve

      El, Russia still designs them for export. Recently Venezuela purchased equipment to produce AK-1xx rifles. But your point it taken ;)

  • http://DefenseReview.com David Crane

    “Who in their right mind would make a .308 SBR??”

    FNH would, and did, with the MK17 SCAR-H CQC 13″ barrel config.

  • http://DefenseReview.com David Crane

    That’s true. I’ve run that gun (DSA SA58 OSW). Fun little gun.

  • charles222

    The SCAR-H doesn’t have an awful lot of recoil; our 105-pound girl medic handled one fine at the range a few weeks ago.

    I’m guessing this will be DI, given that Colt doesn’t pander to the tacticool crowd as a general rule.

  • Lance

    Steve Chavez is make ony AK-103s in 7.62×39.

    Ethiopia is makeing Ak-103s also to be in service with AKM-47 already in service.

    • http://www.thefirearmblog.com Steve

      Lance, yes, that is what I meant (they are 7,62×39). I did not know about Ethiopia, thanks.

  • http://www.milgeek.co.uk Milgeek

    Sorry to be a party pooper (I am quite excited about this really!)…

    But from a logistical and tactical point of view this new battle rifle actually worries me…It’s like saying ’6.5/6.8mm is dead – 5.56/7.62mm will be here forever’!

    What I mean is that instead of grasping the nettle and adopting a new universal infantry calibre (which experience in Iraq and Afghanistan shows we – USA & UK – need) the bean counters have decided that they will continue to bolster 5.56mm rifles with a smattering of 7.62mm ‘DMR’s instead to save money.

    :(

    I also think that this is Colt’s strategy to compete with FN’s SCAR series on the commercial front.

    Paint me Mr. Sceptical! ;)

  • charles222

    6.8 was dead militarily a long time ago, when SOCOM had the option of asking for it in the SCAR. It doesn’t fill anything that a heavy 5.56mm or light 7.62mm round won’t do.

  • Stella

    The military seems committed to improving 5.56, which does not portent of a replacement any time soon. The M80 round should be updated as well, if not supplanted.

  • http://www.quarry.nildram.co.uk/ Tony Williams

    A couple of comments:

    @7.62 mm Soldier: I recently fired several different 7.62mm military rifles in quick succession. I found that the FN FAL and HK417 felt much the same, both are fairly heavy guns with moderate recoil (although too much for controllability in auto fire). I do agree that the SCAR-H has a noticeably sharper kick, not surprising as it is significantly lighter. Worst of all was the G3K carbine with the telescoping steel stock; this has a small steel butt (dubbed the “meat tenderiser”) which really digs in. I was only wearing a thin shirt and the bruise took a few days to fade… Incidentally, I also fired an SVD while I was at it. A horrible gun to shoot, but doubtless effective.

    On the subject of calibres: I believe that if we were starting with a clean sheet (as we may be if LSAT is ever accepted) then one medium-power (c. 1,800-1,900 ft lbs) cartridge in the 6.5-7mm range, loaded with a low-drag bullet for good long-range ballistics, could be more effective than the 5.56mm at any range, while matching the long-range performance of the 7.62mm with less ammo weight and recoil. It would also save on acquisition, training and support in the long run, as we’d need only half the number of different guns. However, it would be an enormous task to make the changeover, there is so much invested in the existing calibres. Incidentally, the 6.8mm Rem SPC could not do this job; the need to keep it short enough for use in converted 5.56mm guns means that the bullet is too short and light to have good long-range ballistics.

  • Vitor

    Stella, The 7.62×51 received an upgrade as the MK317, but has only be used by SoCom.

  • BaddFrogg

    COLT HAS ALWAYS MADE GREAT FIREARMS. THIS COLT CM901 WILL BE A WINNER. MADE IN THE USA. WHICH MEANS JOBS FOR THE PEOPLE.
    IT WILL BE 7.62. SO WE WILL NEED TO PRE-ORDER THIS IN MID 2011. MY COLT SPORTER HEAVY BARREL WAS SUPER ACCURATE. THIS WILL BE PISTON OPERATED WITH INTER-CHANGEABLE BARRELS. IT WILL BE A FANTASTIC RIFLE. PLUS IN WORLD WIDE SALES COLT WILL MAKE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS. GREAT FORWARD THINKING ON THE BEHALF OF COLT AND IT WILL PAY OFF IN 3-5 YEARS.GIL.

  • Matixon