While there have been a number of threads on Canada's interesting AR15 variants, they have all been relegated to the archives and most were not comprehensive. Worse, most have broken links to external picture hosting sites. This thread is an effort to offer a solid reference for those seeking to copy/clone/emulate these weapons. I’m no expert, just a long time ARFCommer who has been on a multi-year quest to itch my own C7/C8 scratch. I was first exposed to C7-series weapons while stationed at Fort Drum, NY. I was an infantryman and we trained with Canadian Forces a few times and even had a JRTC rotation with a CF sister unit. My own AR15 experience includes a stint as a unit armorer, armorer for my agency when I was a police officer, ownership of AR15s since 1997, and two Colt LE Armorer certifications.

This is a resource info and image thread and hopefully it can be tacked. The info is accumulated from many sources, including the Black Rifle II, by Chris Bartocci, numerous online videos, Diemaco/Colt Canada marketing literature, Canadian Forces documents, and, of course, various online forums and sources, including AR15.com archived threads. Let me know if you have corrections, context, or images to add. I do not claim any of these images unless specified. Anyone wanting to see specific images attributed or removed should contact me.

This thread focuses on Canadian Forces weapons. The export weapons, like the L119 series are not going to be specifically covered.



Pictured above, C7A2, C7A1, C7

PART I - The C7 Series

I’ll save the detailed history lesson and offer a summary of the most common weapons in the family. Adopted in 1983 following the Canadian SARP (Small Arms Replacement Program) efforts, these are the C7 variants:

C7 - Colt Model 715. The OG, this is effectively an M16A2 COTS rifle, save for using the C7-type upper which has all the M16A2 features except for retaining the A1-style field sights. Safe/Semi/Auto FCG. Barrel is A2 profile, 1x7, chrome bore and chamber. Most references indicate the large button type forward assist, however there are some references to a shaved, D-style being used, as well. There is also a unique Diemaco forward assist that is basically a large button with the outer most ring removed and then the remaining/new outside ring beveled slightly. C7s are commonly stated to have used the Colt CS buttstock, however it appears there were actually three lengths available: short, A1 length (CS); mid, A2 length; and extended, A2 with 1” spacer. The A2 length stock was the most common issued (myth busted). Finally, the Canadian Forces experimented with front sight posts and apparently adopted a very unique style that uses a wide base tapering into a national match fine tip of 0.050" in diameter.

C7A1 - Canadian Forces were one of, if not the first, Western armies to adopt an optical sight across its formations. The Elcan C79 optic was selected and this required a flat top upper receiver be developed. The Canadians worked with Richard Swan of A.R.M.S. fame to create an upper that used a Weaver rail profile designed by Mr. Swan. This upper was different from the not yet developed 1913 “Picatinny” rail A3/A4 style in that it was slightly higher above bore (no need for a “F” front sight base), had the front-most slot slightly more forward than 1913, had an additional slot, and had a stepped cut at the rear, making a lower “shelf” above the charging handle. Rifles converted to or manufactured with this upper were considered C7A1 standard. The C7A1 was other wise similar to the C7 as far as I know. Canadian Forces took note of the US Army's A.C.R. program's Elcan optic and the C7A1 would be equipped with the C79 optic and a unique Diemaco designed back up sight that used A1 sights. The BUS was in front of the C7 optic for stowage. A removable carry handle sight was also available. It used A1 sights and had a skeletonized mounting clamp for weight savings.

C7A2 - This is the most identifiable of the series, as it is typically shown with unique green (Canadian Average Green) furniture and accessories. Introduced in response to issues identified during the GWOT, the C7A2 program was similar to efforts taken by the USMC to improve the M16A2. It culminated in 2003 with the Midlife Upgrade Program, which added a collapsable buttstock system to the lower, improved the C79 optical sight to the C79A2 standard with a more robust, Gen 4 mounting base, and included a host of “improvements” largely based around ambidextrous controls:

• Ambi safety/selector lever. Much like the Colt ambi unit, but there are subtle differences in the profile and screw for the ambi lever. The Diemaco one adds a shim as the length of the safety barrel is longer. There is a detailed thread covering this in the archives, IIRC, and I nabbed the comparison images from it.




• Ambi magazine catch. A licensed copy of the Norton AmbiCatch, the Diemaco ones are usually parked in a lighter, almost bronze-ish grey color and have a distinct “1” marking on the exterior.



• Ambi, extended latch charging handle. These are controversial and it’s easy to see why. They are bulky and tend to catch on gear. Many were modified by troops who cut the extended latch lever down. Some units reverted to the C7/C7A1 charging handles, which were essentially USGI type. The extended latch lever sometimes used a solid roll pin to reduce breakage.



• Elastrometric (Accuwedge-type rubber) insert. Intended to tighten upper to lower fitment to increase accuracy, these used a different profile than the commonly seen Colt Accuwedges. The Diemaco ones can be found in a dark red color or a charcoal gray color. I’m not sure which came first, but perhaps the red was introduced to help soldiers find them after they fell out during field maintenance. These tended to get discarded in actual service.



• Canadian Average Green furniture. Introduced to help camouflage the rifle by breaking up the outline. During development Canadian Forces allegedly used Armalite green furniture, while units often painted existing furniture green until they were able to get production green furniture. The collapsible stock is a Fiberlite profile carbine stock made of nylon/polymer, but unique in two ways; first, it has a pebbled texture on the upper portion of the stock encasing the receiver extension. The texture was intended to aid with cold weather use, allegedly to prevent frostbite or freezing of skin to the plastic. Some sources allege it was for NBC warfare decontamination purposes, but I find that unlikely. It is also possible that the texture was to help in gripping the stock when extending it. The second unique addition to the collapsible stock is a rubberized buttpad. Similar to ones seen on US carbines, it is heated and fitted to the stock. Some were apparently bonded using an adhesive. These are generally stated to be non removable. I’ve seen C7A2 stocks with and without these pads.



• TRI-AD Type 1 mounting system. This is the iconic, three-sided, clamp-on mounting block for the front sight post. Designed by a Canadian Forces NCO, it was a simple way to add modularity to the rifle. Intended to permit mounting of lasers and flashlights, as well as other accessories. These were provided with green rubber "ladder-style" covers - basically Ergo rail covers. There are a few variations of the TRIAD, which will be covered later, and it was developed before the C7A2 and used on C7A1 & C7FT rifles.



• Sling mounting plate. These are several versions of the sling plates but the original provided a straight or curved 30mm or so slot for a sling, similar to the Daniel Defense Burnsed Loop sling mounts seen in the early 2000s. This replaced the standard receiver end plate for the carbine stock system. Later styles of sling mount used on other variants were one with an ambi mounting interface that had triangular loops on both sides, and one with two bent back ears, each with a small hole for HK-type hooks. All are made of stamped steel and have a round dimple for indexing into the receiver's hollow area.



• 4-position receiver extension. Has a unique stepped profile near the threads. Original lock ring type nut, I believe with a single spanner pin hole. This is a carry over from the C8 Carbine stock kit.



• Handguard Accessory Rail. Bolts to underside of round pattern clamshell hand guards. Has a ramped profile to compensate for hand guard taper. Two lengths were available from Cadex Defence.



• Folding Front Accessory Grip. This is the Cadex Defence unit, with a removable battery storage core. Viking Tactics imported and sold these on their website for a few years.



• H2 Buffer. Likely marked HH versus H2 from available references.



• Grip kit. OTIS manufactured insert system for A2-type grips. Canadian Forces used it to store 2x AA batteries. OTIS offered the kit commercially with a mini cleaning kit included. These were unpopular and tended to have the inserts fall out or get lost. (I have two of these and the quality is pretty poor; its easy to see how they would fail in use.)

PART II - The C8 Series

Now, about those Carbines. This get muddy, as the C8 series rapidly changed as mission requirements evolved around the GWOT and special operations. Further, export/foreign military contracts helped evolve Diemaco/Colt Canada offerings and some of the changes were added to the C8 series. The most recognizable C8 variant is what is termed the C8SFW. What follows is my understanding of the differences of the various model designations, but there was a lot of mix and match stuff going on. I'm sure I've made some mistakes, excluded details, or mixed up things, but it is difficult to nail these down, so consider this general info.

C8 - Colt Model 725. Adopted in conjunction with the SARP program decisions that led to the C7 rifle, the C8 is almost identical to a Colt 723. It had all the common Colt carbine parts of the time but Diemaco eventually began manufacturing in house and made their own changes to the TDP. Generally, a 2-position receiver extension, round lock ring, full round face carbine (later an H weight) buffer, full auto BCG, "C7" upper receiver (forward assist, brass deflector bump, A1 field sights, no "M4" feed ramps), A2 pattern lower receiver with AUTO fire control group and A2 grip, and carbine hand guards. The stock was originally the vinyl acetate-coated aluminum stock then later the Fiberlite. The C8 barrel was a nominal 14.5" and used a "pencil" .560" profile forward of the A2 front sight post but was .750" diameter before that. At the muzzle, the diameter increase in a cone shape up to .625". This barrel was reportedly one of three used in the prototype stage of the American M4 project.



C8A1 / C8FT- The C8A1 mimicked the C7A1 changes, receiving a Canadian Weaver-spec flattop upper. For sighting units were issued a C79-series optical sight and BUS, or a DIS carry handle. The EOTech 512/552 began being commonly used with no BUS mounted as the C79 was heavy and less than ideal for some missions.

C8A2 - Heavy barrel version of C8A1.

C8FT - This appears to be another designation for the C8A1, includes 4-position receiver extension. Some of these had 14.5" M4 barrels if reference pics are to be believed.

C8SFW - This is the one most will recognize, the C8SFW designation seems to be more Colt Canada term for the British SAS L119A1 program that these weapons serviced, but likely some carbines with that designation are in CF service. Generally, a 15.7" heavy barrel with a unique profile and includes a "Simon Sleeve" forward of the FSB for use in mounting grenade launchers. These used carbine furniture but could also be seen with a special version of the Knights Armament RAS (Canadian/UK) that had a lower rail with its own tightening/locking clamp and screw. Many images show these with Lone Star Ordinance A2 grips, which have built-in a storage compartment, however these were never procured in CA green and it is likely that these grips were for foreign sales and Canadian Forces went with the OTIS grip kit instead. This was adopted by the British as the L119A1. Evidently these evolves to have a built in sling attachment point on the lower receiver, replacing the sling plate.



C8FTHB - This is where it gets muddy...The C8FTHB is basically a C8SFW as adopted by the Canadian Forces, before being standardized into a C8A3 designation for CF issue. Basically a C8FT evolved with a heavy barrel profile, with or without a Simon Sleeve.

From Wikipedia: Concerns that Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry had with the C8 led to the creation of the C8FTHB. The C8FTHB (Flat Top Heavy Barrel) features numerous improvements over the C8, including a heavy profile cold hammer-forged M4 profile barrel featuring a grenade launcher cut out for mounting of the Canadian Forces M203A1 and bayonet and Elcan C79 Optical Sight. Some of the earlier C8FTHB carbines used old refurbished C8 receivers. "FTHB" was stamped next to the C8 markings on the lower receivers. Colt Canada later manufactured new lower receivers with C8FTHB markings. Later, C8FTHB carbines that were upgraded to the C8A3 had "A3" stamped next to the markings, giving "C8FTHBA3" markings. Only 400 C8FTHBs were upgraded to C8FTHBA3s before Colt Canada started simply marking new receivers "C8A3".

C8A3 - Effectively the C8SFW as adopted by Canadian Forces, replacing the C8FTHB designation. A2 grip. The C8A3 quickly replaced the C8FTHB, and featured the same 400 mm (15.7 in) cold-hammer forged barrel and flat-top upper receiver as the C8FTHB as well as all the mid-life upgrades that appeared on the C7A2 such as the green furniture, ambidextrous charging-handle latch, magazine release and selector lever. It also includes the TRIAD I rail for C8, which has one slot less than the C7 TRIAD I, to accommodate the M203A1 sight.



C8CQB - Similar to the L119A1 shorties, a 10" (10.1"?) barreled C8SFW/C8A3. Some apparently had a 11.6" barrel. CF weapons used Smith Enterprise Vortex flashhiders as standard.

PDW - A super compact weapon with unique features, including a M203 barrel shroud used as a ribbed handguard, thumbhole cut in a shortened, modified Fiberlite stock, and a 42mm/1.65" shorter receiver extension. PDW has an overall length of 530 mm (20.7 in) with its stock fully retracted with a 145 mm (5.7 in) barrel.



Carbine Details:





PART III - Components and Accessories:

Flattop Upper Receiver Notes: C7A1/C8A1 used a Weaver rail flattop designed by Richard Swan of A.R.M.S fame. It sits higher than 1913 spec and differs in slot count and location relative to 1913. Eventually they would move to 1913 standard and Canadian flattops using the Picatinny Rail standard are marked 1913 above the gas tube pass through hole, similar to M4 markings on USGI receivers. C7 series rifles did NOT use M4 feed ramps, however, as they used rifle feed ramps on their barrel extensions. I am unclear on if their carbines use them, and if so, when they started. Diemaco C8 series carry handle uppers likely never used M4-type feed ramps, even if the barrel extensions had them.



TRI-AD Rail Notes: There at least four Triad rail types.
Triad I - The one most will recognize, this was made by Diemaco and later Colt Canada. The Diemaco ones are marked with a raised Devtek stylized “D” on the top of the clamp. The Colt Canada ones are marked with only a cage code number on the inside of one of the side rails. Triad I units have rail sections at 3, 6, and 9 o’clock. The 3 and 9 o’clock rails have 5 slots and the 6 o’clock rail has 2 slots. Triads will only fit with carbine or A2 rifle profile "skinny hand guards; they do not fit ovalized, double heatshield M4 hand guards (in the intended, rails to back orientation; some images show the Triad reversed with rails forward for accessory clearance or ergonomic reasons.)
Triad II - This is a rare accessory and complements the Triad I by adding three rails to the top of the flattop receiver. Similar to an A.R.M.S Swan Sleeve in concept. These were not commonly used in the field, as far as I can tell.
C8 Triad I - A modified Triad I design with a scallop or relief cut at the front of each side-facing rail for clearance of grenade launcher. One less cross slot per side.
Cadex Defence Tri-Rail - Modernized design, unsure of commonality or even official adoption. It mounts with its rails facing forward, fork-like, to work with newer railed hand guard systems.




Furniture Notes: Furniture varied over time and early on was identical to whatever Colt was using at the time. Eventually the Canadians went their own route and replicated the Colt designs with some modifications. There was also allegedly some use Lone Star Ordinance carbine hand guards, possibly for trials and filling in productions gaps. Once green furniture was introduced, some units began painting the black furniture. Many of the color variations can be attributed to this re-painting. Often grips did not get repainted, as it was a hassle to remove or mask a grip compared to a stock or hand guards. Diemaco C7 hand guards had improved interface tabes for mating the hand guards together. The C8 carbines used Vinyl Acetate-coated aluminum stocks at first, then Fiberlite nylon stocks, then the unique textured fiberlite-style stocks. It is not uncommon to see mixing of green and black furniture items in the field. When it comes to "Canadian Average Green" it seems there are a number of shades of it, from dark to verdant to almost bright green. A tan set of furniture was developed for Diemaco's Norwegian contract, but I can't say if it saw use with Canadian Forces. White furniture is also mentioned in catalogs, but unknown if ever adopted or issued to CF units.

The pistol grip screw is another odd detail. Certainly the USGI stainless 1/4x28, slotted screw was used early on with the C7/C8s, but I've seen a number of images that show a #3 Phillips head stainless screw. Also, the Otis grip insert kits shipped with a 5/32" hex screw and those might also be seen. Hard to say, but I like the #3 Phillips the most and it looks like this is what the Colt Canada Diemaco SA-series civvy guns used.







Forward Assist Notes: Originally the C7 had early Colt "large button" forward assists, which ended up not working with A2 profile lowers because the FA impacted the receiver's beefed-up area around the buffer tube threads, just like happened with US M16A2s. The first fix was to shave the side of the FA that faced the receiver, which created the "large D" shaped variant of the FA. It appears that Diemaco settled on a variation of the "large button" forward assist that is effectively a shaved down version of it. The Diemaco forward assist is about the size of a USGI small button round forward assist but lacks the taper on the back side and instead has a more pronounced "coin-like" edge. It is one ring smaller than a large button FA from what I can tell. I've seen credible images that suggest the original large button was used on many early C7 rifles, however the Diemaco unit is more common in pics once you know what to look for.



Iron Sights Notes: The C7 used the rear A1-type "field" sights as found on the M16A1. Initially the front sight was the tapered, square 4-sided A2 type. Soon after adoption, troops requested a front sight post that would not obstruct as much of the target at long ranges and a unique profile was developed that tapered to a fine point. Why this was designed versus using a "National Match" type post is not clear. This new design is the correct one for all C7 types. I'm not as clear on carbines, but I think it was standardized across Canadian Forces weapons. I don't know if it would be as a good choice for short barrel weapons meant for near distance engagements, but could see the benefits for allowing a less obstructed view through optics.




Removable Rear Sight Notes: With the C7A1 flattop program, both a removable carry handle with A1 sights and a stand-alone BUIS with A1 sights were developed by Diemaco. Called the DIS (Detachable Iron Sight), this A1 carry handle sight is significantly lighter than US M4 removable carry handles due to the rear sight configuration and the use of a skeletonized interface to the upper receivers Weaver rail. It was designed for non-front line units who might not be issued optics. It is important to note this sight is for the older Weaver rail spec, and will not fit a 1913 Picatinny rail properly; it is not the correct height for an F front sight base and does not match the receiver profile well, as it sits too far back. A more compact removable rear sight option was developed to be used in conjunction with the C79 Optic. Called the BUS (Back Up Sight), it's a simple unit with an ovalized wing nut and cross bolt to clamp it down. The body was initially metal alloy but changed to polymer which was produced in black and CA green. As noted previously, they are stored "backwards" in front of the C79 optics, and should be reversed in orientation and mounted to the rear-most rail slot when in use. I think these also are meant for the Weaver spec rails, and incorrect height for an F FSB. I'm sure both will work well enough, however. Lastly, a removable carry handle with "A2" target sights was developed. Called the ADIS (Adjustable Detachable Iron Sight) I think this was probably mostly meant for the LSW program and designed for 1913 Picatinney rail standard.





Bolt and Carrier Notes: Diemaco BCGs are full auto M16A1/A2 spec, with minor identifiable differences. The staking of the gas key screws is done differently, with a clockwise offset from center on each side. This would likely provide two benefits: reduce likelihood of the gas key cracking or splitting, as opposing stakes are a potential stress riser; the clockwise offset provides a better measure of security against counter-clockwise rotation. Other differences come from markings, with a Devtek stylized "D" stamped on the carrier in the same location as a Colt "C" would be stamped, MPD markings on the bolt, and a stylized "D" stamped on the underside of the extractor. Colt LE guns from the ban era often used Diemaco parts and these guns might mixed parts in the BCGs, including standard staked gas keys.



Charging Handle Notes: Originally the C7/C8 used a standard Colt pattern charging handle assembly. With the adoption of the A1 series and use of optics, an extended latch was developed and fully fielded as part of the A2 program. This has proven to be problematic and unpopular, as it catches on gear and increases risk of failure by the pin sheering or the charging handle breaking from excess leverage from the latch. Still, it is an iconic and interesting detail that rapidly identifies the type. Many troops or units modified these by cutting them down, especially the left-side extended tab, which often snagged and caused out-of-battery issues during patrol carry. An improved latch has been introduced that has a reduced profile, but likely still suffers from being a bit too "extra."




30-round Magazine Notes: The Canadian Forces adopted the C7 rifle with the Thermold Nylon magazine. These were marked with a raised Maple Leaf. The matching Thermold stripper clips and loader were also adopted. Thermold magazines did not hold up in use and were eventually replace with aluminum body, USGI-pattern mags. Some references indicate these were made by LaBelle (or D&H?) and had a black finish, not grey. I do not believe an anti-tilt follower was ever adopted. Personal note: When my 10th Mtn Div infantry unit trained with Canadian infantry units in the early 90's, CF troops were eager to trade Thermolds for USGI mags.



Bayonet Notes: Two versions of bayonets were issued. The first is the C7 Nella, which is a M7-type bayonet with a satin stainless steel blade, marked with C7 and NELLA on the blade-side of the hilt. This had a plastic scabbard that mounted in a nylon frog, allowing it to be attached to a belt. A tactical vest/MOLLE frog was available later. The second bayonet type is the Eickhorn CAN Bayonet 2000/2005. It has a similar scabbard and frog sheath design and also had wire cutter capability.



Sling Notes: Several versions of slings were issued. Additionally, numerous slings were privately purchased by soldiers and units during the GWOT, as needs/trends often changed faster than procurement could keep up. The most common C7 sling is the black Operational / Combat (or Patrol) Rifle sling, which is an interesting sling that can be rapidly extended by releasing a "lift the dot" snap on the front portion of the sling. This sling attaches to C7 rifle's sling loops using built-in soft nylon rope loops with plastic and rubber bars. The Operational sling could be used as a pseudo 3-point sling, similar to the H&K slings, or used like a standard over-the-shoulder sling.

The C7A2 program developed an updated version of the Combat Rifle Sling in a CADPAT camo, the CANPAT Patrol sling. This sling was slightly longer, used heavier weight material, had a larger front loop, and had a new rear attachment point design that used a removable spring sheet steel hook. There are very few pics of this in actual use and it turns out they never made it past development and were never adopted and issued. I suspect they were not worth the cost and units didn't see a need to spend funds on them, as the slings they already had would have sufficed or the troops preferred other options.

A simpler sling was introduced for carbines that was a 1" nylon strap with a captured tri-glide at one end and a second, moveable triglide for adjustment. This was a versatile solution that allowed troops to make single point slings and standard carry strap slings across the various mounting options on their C7/C8 fleet. HK hooks, QD swivels, MASH hooks, paracord loops, adaptor straps, etc., could all be used as might best suit a particular need.

A single point, bungee style sling was also apparently issued. I've seen references to it being intended for troops in Afghanistan, and that it was a COTS unit in MARPAT Desert Camo, which is similar to CADPAT Desert Camo. Finally, there is a white, "plastic" carry strap type sling that I'm unsure what exactly it was used for. It might be a parade sling or a cold weather sling.






Details on the newer 1" (or so) sling:



Sling Mounting Plate Notes: There have been a number of options procured, including straight slot, curved slot ambi, diamond or triangle ambi, and "folded ear" ambi. I'm sure troops modified these by cutting off ambi loops; the ambi plates were not liked as they tended to get in the way during handling.




Cleaning Kit Notes: There was an issued buttstock cleaning kit for the C7 fixed stocks which had a very unusually shaped nylon pouch and the typical array of cleaning items. Later, with the collapsible stocks lacking storage, a carry pouch for this buttstock cleaning kit was designed for the belt. This is a very nice pouch compared to USGI pouches, IMO.



Blank Firing Adapter (BFA) Notes: Canadian Forces were issued a round, yellow BFA. I have found no reference to different ones being used for C7 vs C8 weapons.



PART IV - C7A2 Midlife Upgrade Program







PART V - Catalog Pages (Various years)












PART VI: Notes for Cloners: There is both less and more variety across the C7/C8 series than what most resources indicate. Less because the C7/C8 fleet is small and the Canadians were able to field upgrades effectively across the smaller force. This means there was more standardization, so less model variety. However, the nature of being a relatively poor army meant that units often made frugal choices and might paint furniture vs buy new, or declined to upgrade slings, bayonets, etc. when serviceable older inventory was available, thus variety exists.  Because of these cost-saving decisions and you can see a lot of mixing of furniture, partial upgrades, mixed part types, and so on. You'll find very few C7A2s true to the modernization program literature, for example, and the C8 family carbines are wide-open as far as variety from what I can tell.

Be careful with photos as references. There are a LOT of airsoft and milsim fans cloning these guns. There are airsoft replica parts out there and many of the easy to find receiver marking images (think close-up glamour shots) are actually airsoft guns or repro/clone lower receivers. It's really hard to tell sometimes and I'm sure I've got some in my material above. Remember also, that troops modify things in the field...although CF NCOs are notoriously anti-mod...and a reference image might actually be showing a non-standard mod, part, or configuration. Combat zone pics are most likely to show field expedient fixes or accessories.

With the success Diemaco and later Colt Canada had with foreign sales, especially to European SF units, there is even more mud in the water about what is a Canadian Forces gun versus an export gun. Just because it has a Devtek "D" doesn't make it accurate for a C7/C8 series gun. Also, catalog shots represent the full Diemaco or Colt Canada portfolio and are not limited to officially-adopted CF items. For example, many of the accessories shown were never adopted at all and some were only adopted for limited issue. Many commercially-available items were simply offered for sale as options in the catalog and might not have been very popular or common.

Finding parts is tough, but not impossible. First, Gunbroker is the best location I've found, but it is not cheap. The EE here sometimes has some real gems pop up, but you have to be vigilant and act fast. There are a some commercial websites that can help, but it's hard or impossible to get real parts from up North. Nordic Marksman and S&J Hardware can be hit or miss. Ebay often has accessories and pricing is fair. These are sold as airsoft or military collectibles. I've gotten slings, TRI-ADs, sights, and more. For a base gone, a complete Colt LE "Made in Canada" gun is the way to go. Most of these were LE6721 series but there were some LE6720s and SBRs. Many are mixmaster parts, but the best will have a Diemaco upper, complete Diemaco BCG, a Diemaco receiver extension, and a Diemaco grip. Some had Diemaco marked barrels, also.

So enjoy the wiggle room and understand that if you make a perfectly correct spec/catalog gun, you might have the only one in existence, lol.

PART VII - The Colt Canada SA-15.7 and SA-20

Around 2014, Colt Canada released two semi-automatic AR15 variants to the Canadian civilian market, the Diemaco SA-15.7 and the SA20. These were very similar to the C8A3 and C7A2 respectively in appearance, especially furniture, upper receivers, and barrels. This was relaunch of the Deimaco brand, which is very interesting, with both guns offered as  limited editions and priced accordingly) and 100% made in Canada. Both had cold-hammer forged barrels identical in quality to the CF weapons and has some of the ambi features previously mentioned. These guns sold out to dealers and are now discontinued, which is a shame. Some of the Colt Canada Diemaco SA series parts did get out when dealers parted out some of the guns to meet demand for clone parts. If I had one wish, it would be that CZ/Colt would release these exact guns to the US market.



PART VIII - The BCM SFW

Bravo Company Manufacturing released a barrel upper receiver group with a 16.1" replica of the C8SFW 15.7" barrel. This was offered for several years but is now discontinued. In addition, BCM released their own copy of the TRI-AD 1, which was nearly identical with a black anodized finish and BCM logo.



From BCM's website: The Canadian C8 SFW is an upper group based on carbines widely used by NATO Special Operations Forces such as Canadian SOF, British SAS, Norwegian Special Operations, Dutch Military, and others. It gained widespread use in Europe at the same time the M4A1 was used in US SOF.
It includes a removable Simon Sleeve (on front of barrel) used to mount a variety of accessories fielded by these units. This is the first time a SFW type upper has been available in the US.

WARNING!!! There appears to be a fraudulent website, bravocompanyguns(dot)com that shows a full catalog of BCM stuff, including discontinued items like the SFW upper. They want payment by Zelle...

PART IX: Additional Reference Links:

Archived Thread: Diemaco - Colt Canada General
Archived Thread: Canadian C7 Thread
Archived Thread: Diemaco/Colt Canada Clone (C7, C8, L119, ETC) Picture and Discussion Thread
Archived Thread: Diemaco / Colt Canada C7A2
Archived Thread: Colt Canada C7 and C8 Clones
Archived Thread: CF C8
Archived Thread: Diemaco C8
Archived Thread: The British Mk18s the L119A1 and L119A2
Archived Thread: Elcan Spectre OS 3.4x/C79 tritium replacement procedure ($8.50 total cost)
The Firearm Blog: Differences Between Canadian C7 and US M16
Airsoft Canada: WIP: Diemaco/Colt Canada C7/C8 Reference Guide: Upgrades & Modifications A GREAT REFERENCE!
Military Factory: Colt Canada / Diemaco C7
Military Factory: Colt Canada / Diemaco C8
Colt Canada C7 Family of Weapons Operator Manual - 10047S
Dutch C7A1 Parts Manual
Small Arms Review: The Canadian M16
All4Shooters.com: Diemaco SA-15.7 and SA-20 semi-automatic rifles, new from Colt Canada!
OutdoorHub.com: Colt Canada Reintroduces Diemaco Rifle Name to Canadian Commercial Market
CalibreMag.com: COLT CANADA: WORTH THE WAIT?
YouTube: TFB TV - Colt Canada SA20 aka C7 Rifle Review
YouTube: Firearms Outlet Canada - Canada's Secret Weapon: The Best AR15 in the world? | Colt Canada SA15.7
YouTube: Small Arms Solutions - The Bravo Company Manufacturing SFW British SAS Rifle
YouTube: Small Arms Solutions - Diemaco/Colt Canada AR’s of the Great White North, Eh!
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Small Arms Solutions - Diemaco/Colt Canada C7 - The Canadian Connection, Eh! Part 1 CAUTION...Site might give your computer the HerpAids...
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Yes! Please tack this.  I miss the old one. This one is great!

Great resource. Please tack it mods

@Aimless

How about it?

Updated 4/6 with some added info and re-sized most images to a more manageable size. I will continue to add to the original post as time allows.

Updated 4/7 with bayonet, sling, cleaning kit, charging handle, sling mounts, and BCG details and images. Added cloner notes and external links.

Updated 4/8 with magazine, BFA notes. Added some links, improved readability, edited some entries.

Updated 4/10 by cleaning up some things, added links, added C8 Series information, added SA Series info, added BCM SFW info.

I'm calling this done for now. I'll revisit it as new info or better images come up. I do have some inbound parts that will add to the pics once they are here. Please let me know what other items are of interest. Also, all these pics are in my ARFCOM media, so they should be available as long as I am a member.

I think the A2 forum is the right place for this because it is an info thread, not just a picture thread, and the C7 was an M16A2 in all ways but the rear sight (receiver had all the other A2 improvements, and Colt even called several models using the "C7" upper an "A2") and using AUTO instead of BURST FCG.

PLACEHOLDER

Great resource, thanks so much!

I built a pseudo C8. Used an A1 grip just because I prefer it but that is a handy little carbine.

PLACEHOLDER for OP clone PICS...coming soon.

Great info, thanks!

Great thread, well done!

A few points:

-CS stock, you’re correct, A2 length was the default but anyone could request the shorter CS stock or the 1” spacer to increase length of pull.

-the detailed obsessed should note that the C7 upper did not have a R beside the rear site like US rifles did.  You can see that in your photo. This is because we’re bilingual to the point of obsession.

-Aluminum mags are all D&H with black Teflon finish.  No D&H markings but their cage code (Q4TQ4) is stamped on the mag body. And yes, they all use the original black “tilting” follower.

-the DIS backup sight is a Diemaco product, but it was never purchased or issued by the CF.  Only the plastic Diemaco BUIS is issued.  Early BUIS ones were aluminum apparently, but I’ve never come across one. I think they now make them in green.  Other countries have issued the DIS and ADIS

-C8FTHB came issued with the EoTech 552, was black and didn’t come with ambi controls or the extended Tac latch, this made little sense as they came out after the C7A2 and units wanted the same parts installed.

-C8A3 basically came with all of the C7A2 upgrades and green furniture. Handguards were painted on the first ones until they started making green ones.  The heavy barrel and Simon sleeve make it actually weigh more than the C7.

-CF weapons do not use M4 feedramps, including on the barrel extensions.

Thanks for the info, Leg!

Hopefully not too off-topic, but are these really discontinued?  They're still on the BCM website, although always out of stock--I was hoping they might make another batch someday.

AFAIK been at least 7 years since they made any. Maybe hit them with an email? I think they would sell them if they made a run...the parts for these build are not quite dried up yet and the interest is higher. Gunbroker listings are stupid...

Please beware there is apparently a fraudulent site that is mimicking BCM and accepts Zelle only...

@Leg

The black D&H mags...confirming NO markings even on floor plate and a black follower? I have the parts to replicate that and want to be sure.

Any other tidbits or images to offer? How about the tapered fine front sight post...was that ubiquitous or were the square ones also used?

Yeah, I didn't pay attention on a search a while back and found THAT site.  I was pretty psyched for a minute or so...  

No markings on the follower that I’ve ever noticed, and yes, it’s black. I’ll have to get back to you on the floorplate, it’s not marked D&H but I want to say that they’re stamped Canadian Forces Canadiens.  It’s been awhile and my memory isn’t what it used to be. We have some ranges coming up soon, I’ll try and grab some photos.

My info is only good back to mid 90s but the front sight has always been a tapered fine post during my service.