XM8

[Shadow Shock]

Does anyone know if there is a civilian leagal variant of the Heckler & Koch XM8 assault rifle? I would love one of these as the XM8 is my favorite firearm of all time.

 

[Outlaws]

You favorite of all time? It never made it out of testing.

 

[pdowg881]

It's my favorite doorstop of all time.

 

[Thefabulousfink]

Considering how we can't buy a civie version of the G-36, and the SL8 is next to impossible to find, I don't think we'll ever see a XM-8 for sale....


...at least not while H&K owns the rights.

 

[Lucky]

Outlaws, to be realistic something not faring well in the US procurement process is in no way a condemnation.

It's probably a nice little rifle, and when the patent expires you can fully expect Norinco to produce and sell them to willing customers

 

[Outlaws]

Outlaws, to be realistic something not faring well in the US procurement process is in no way a condemnation.

Ya, but wasn't the plastic melting?

 

[Shadow Shock]

I love the look, and have owned several very close airsoft replicas of it and love the feel. I pretty much have an obsession with this gun, I have been finding every bit of info I can about it for the last four years. However I figured there wouldn't be a civilian version, I was just checking

 

[HorseSoldier]

The closest you can get is the SL-8, but it lacks the external look and ergonomics of the XM8. Some people rebuild SL-8s into G36 format, but I don't know if anyone has tried turning one into an XM8.

Odds are there will never be a civilian version of the XM8 if there is not a military version, and that likewise seems extremely unlikely at this point.

 

[doubleg]

Held one at the NRA convetions in Pittsburgh a while back, it felt a little bit to much like holding a super soaker with a weight in the front.

 

[Quiet]

The US Army cancelled the XM-8 rifle program. So, chances are you won't see it in the USA. Unless, it's a custom modification of a SL-8 (there were some people trying to come up with this mod).

With so much interest (ie. actually military/LE contracts) in the HK-416 & HK-417, H&K has pretty much placed the XM-8 on the back burner.

Supposedly, they've renamed it the GVM-8 and were last seen demoing it to the Malaysian military earlier this year.
However, if it continues on it's present course, it'll probably be discontinued and share the same fate as the G-11K3.

 

[hrgrisso]

Xotchital

Of course we can wait until the NAU becomes reality barf and then we can expect wonderful reciprocity of the American constitution and then Mexico will freely import/export these to our no longer country.

I don't mind the looks and wouldn't mind either a G/36 or the XM8 (or a remodeled 556 from sig) but we've been left off dreaming for now...

 

[Lucky]

Outlaws I think that's common to all g36, or was. Remember we've seen videos of AK handguards combusting, so enough rounds through anything could ruin handguards.

Quiet that's a strange place to look for sales, since Malaysia is the country that is producing all Steyr AUGs now! Maybe they were looking for Malaysia to produce and sell them?

 

[kcmarine]

Civilian XM8? Sure.

 

[SaMx]

on rimfire central there was a guy who put a 10/22 action inside the body of an airsoft AUG. So maybe you could try to do that. It would be pretty cool.

http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=158091&page=5
http://www.athomepc.net/test/Steyr Aug 10222 conversion/final-1.jpg
http://www.athomepc.net/test/Steyr Aug 10222 conversion/2.jpg

 

[Langenator]

My understanding is that the melting took place when the Rangers were given some XM8s to 'play' with.

Given that an outsize percentage of the Army's senior Infantry officers, (and Infantry officers form the largest percentage of the Army's general officers) do time in the Ranger Regiment, if the Rangers don't like the weapon, then the likelihood of the Army buying it is very low.

 

[PercyShelley]

To get a repilca XM8, I think the route would be:

1) Take an SLR8. ($2,500)

2) Get a new body for the SLR8; commandeering a Tokyo Mairu airsoft body would probably be easiest. ($600)

3) Change the firing controls on the SLR8. The XM8 had a different magazine release than the SLR8 and a different charging handle. ($no idea)

4) Change the magazine well on the SLR8. The XM8 took M-16 magazines. ($no idea)

5) SBR the SLR8. The XM8 had a 12.5 inch barrel. ($200 for the tax stamp, $50 for bleach and holy water to purify self after dealing with BATFE)

 

[RockyMtnTactical]

Shadow Shock,

How much time have you spent with the XM8?