Colt Canada C7A2
Colt Canada Corporation · Assault Rifle · In Production · 2000
Also known as: Diemaco C7A2, C7A2 IUR
Overview
The Colt Canada C7A2 is a Canadian-made select-fire assault rifle chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO, an upgraded development of the C7 family derived from the Diemaco-built AR-15/M16 pattern. It pairs a flat-top Picatinny-railed upper, a 20-inch cold hammer-forged barrel, a four-position collapsible TeleStock, and ambidextrous fire-control and magazine-release furniture, and serves as the standard infantry rifle of the Canadian Armed Forces alongside the C8 carbine.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3900 g (137.6 oz) |
| Weight (loaded) | 4300 g (151.7 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1020 mm (40.16") |
| Barrel Length | 508 mm (20.00") |
| Action Type | Gas Operated Direct Impingement |
| Firing Mechanism | Hammer Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 30 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Detachable Box |
| Muzzle Velocity | 945 m/s (3100 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 1786 J (1317 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 500 m (547 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 2700 m (2953 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 750 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | 6 Grooves, Right-Hand Twist |
| Rifling Twist | 178 mm (7.01") |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Aluminum Alloy |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Polymer |
| Finish | Phosphate |
Calibers
- 5.56x45mm NATO · primary · 5.56x45mm NATO — also known as 5.56mm NATO, 5.56x45mm, .223 Remington
Features
- Firing modes: Semi Automatic, Full Automatic
- Feed systems: Detachable Box Magazine
- Safety mechanisms: Manual Safety, Selector Switch
- Features: Flat Top Picatinny Rail, Collapsible Stock, Ambidextrous Controls, Cold Hammer Forged Barrel, Carrying Handle Optic Mount
Base model
Production
Production years: 2000-present
Standard service rifle of the Canadian Armed Forces; also fielded by Denmark, the Netherlands and Norway.
Origin
Country of origin: Canada
Designer: Diemaco (Colt Canada)
Notes
The C7A2 introduced a collapsible buttstock, ambidextrous controls, and green or coyote-tan furniture over the earlier fixed-stock C7A1. It feeds from STANAG magazines and is typically issued with an optical sight on its flat-top rail.
Background
The C7 lineage began when Diemaco of Kitchener, Ontario, won the contract to produce a Canadianised M16A2 for the Canadian Forces in the 1980s. The A2 upgrade, fielded from around 2000, added a collapsible stock and ambidextrous controls so that the rifle could be tailored to body armour, optics and individual shooters, lessons sharpened by Canadian deployments to Afghanistan. Diemaco's small-arms division was acquired by Colt's Manufacturing in 2005 and renamed Colt Canada.