Cnd Abn Regt C7A1 Photo

[Gordon Angus Mackinlay]

Ladies and Gentlemen,

some days ago I placed in the Military Literature file a short review of a new book :
Canadian Airborne Forces since 1942.

One of the photos in it has me intrigued, showing a C7A1 with not the normal "Canadian Rail" with the Elcan C79 " but :

"One photo is of interest in that it shows the experimental tan combat uniform used in Somalia.  It also shows a odd cheek extender fitted to the butt of the C7 rifle, with the equally odd "carry handle extender" for the battle scope, no one has been able to explain to me the reason for the 'dead end alley' modification, when the system currently used was already trialled and in production for commercial AR-15s in the US (any ideas as to the reason anyone???)."

Since there has been no response, I though I would spread the search, to see if anyone can help?

Yours,
G/.
G.A.MACKINLAY

 

[Big Red]

Scan?

 

[xavier]

Gordon:
Thanks for asking the question I had in mind. ;D

Big red:
here it is; I hope it's detailed enough to answer our question

xavier

 

[Spring_bok]

The carrying handle for the C7 was used as a rail system.  I never used it personally but I did use a EOTECH sight on a C8 on the old handle before the flat tops were used.  These just screwed into the handle.  The newer flat top with rail is a much sturdier mount.

 

[KevinB]

The soldier in question is Ben Klick.

IIRC He used a ARMS #2 to mount (what became) the C79
 Not sure where the cheekpiece came from

He has the sling wrapped on the delta ring so it cant be snagged, and so it does not give any POI/POA alterations ...
Damn he is skinny there  ;D

 

[GO!!!]

I have always been under the impression that the rail adaptor for the carrying handle (I'll post some pics tomorrow, I have one at work) was for fitting an iron - sighted M-16/AR variant with night vision, in such a manner that it will not cover the iron sights or change the zero, and could be removed in the daylight hours.

 

[KevinB]

J -- that too.

My ARMS #2 snapped the mounting screw last week you can see on the C8 upper where it would go thru the carry handle.

Intially in the VN war the carry handle mounts where designed to mount day and nigth optics (check out Son Tay raid photo's for the Armson OEG sights on CAR15's)


Dick Swan owner of ARMS (credit to the Nazi bastard where it is due) came up with some of the first M1913 Picatinny designs (The CF bought them off ARMS) then Picatinny perfected it into the M1913 rail - but I digress...

 

[xavier]

Spring_bok and Infidel 6:
Thanks very much for the info about the rifle variant. Always interesting to have the background info : ;D
Infidel:
I've always been curious about the origins of the Picatinny rail system. I'll have to run a search to see if the subject (i.e. the history of Picatinny rails) has been discussed here  Thanks for the tidbit

xavier

 

[KevinB]

For those interested in the rail (and more specifically the M16 - C7/C8 etc) s history the book "The Black Rifle" and "The Black Rifle II" by Collector Grade Publishing has it all.
TBRII has a copy of the contract between ARMS and the CF for the r il.

 

[xavier]

Infidel:
Thanks for the references. I've been want to buy those books for some time but very expensive ( I have the FN book as well as the AK one and I really appreciate them) Well I do have a paypal account so those that feel generous can always contribute to the buy small arm for xavier fund  : ;D

xavier

 

[KevinB]

LOL


BTW on the subject of the checkpiece riser -- Jay4th was over and (I dont know why he has not mentioned it here) he said that the stock riser was a spare C7 buttstock that was cut up - then drilled and attached to the buttstock on the C7.

One other point -- and I did not note it until it was mentioned to me.

Ben put a Harris Bipod on the handguard - as near to the Delta ring as he could - so as to minimise pressure exerted on the barrel (its not freefloat so a bipod on a C7 out by the front sight gas block can chnage the zero as much as 18" depending on how much poressure is exterted)