Canadian Small Arms

[Apophenia]

I wasn't sure if this should go here or in Military ...

Canadian Small Arms 'C' Designations

I've had a go at listing Canadian Army/Canadian Forces small arms designations. There are still a few gaps ... which I'm hoping other members might be able to fill in (or explain).

When first applied in the early/mid 1950s, the Canadian Army 'C' designations were applied by type. As a result, you see C1 applied to a submachine gun, the FN FAL semi-automatic rifle, and to the first Canadian Army .30-calibre Browning M1919A4s modified to fire the 7.62 x 51 mm NATO round. This approach was soon recognized as unwieldy and the 'C' designations were, thereafter, applied sequentially (and roughly chronologically).

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C1 = Submachine Gun; 9 mm NATO; British L2A1 Sterling

C1 = Self-Loading Rifle; 7.62mm NATO; FN FAL variant
- EX1 : CA experimental FN FAL fitted with iron sights
- EX2 : CAL experimental FN FAL with optical sights
- C1 : 20 x tool room pattern; single-aperture rear sight
- C1 : CAL-made, Imperial measure production model
- C1D: RCN version C1; full-auto selector switch; x 8,242
- C1A1: 2-piece firing pin; larger plastic carrying handle
-- Sub-calibre .22 conversion kit avail. for both variants

C1 = GPMG; 7.62mm NATO; Browning M1919A4 variant
- C1 : GPMG for fixed vehicle applications; eg: coaxial
- C1A1 : C1 variant for flexibly-mounted applications

C2 = Light Machine Gun; FN C1 variant; 7.62mm NATO
- C2 : CAL-built, heavy-barrelled, select-fire automatic
-- Wooden foregrips split between either bipod leg
- C2 : 30-rd magazine; acted as Bren Gun replacement
- C2 : CAL-built, heavy-barrelled, select-fire automatic
- C2A1: 2-piece firing pin; large plastic carrying handle

C3 = Medium Range Sniper Weapon; 7.62mm NATO
- C3 : Bolt-action Parker Hale Model 82;* C2 scope
-- * Differed in 6-rd magazine vs internal magazine
-- DND: Rifle, Sniper, 7.62mm, C3
- C3A1: Late '90s upgrade (actually, nearly all-new)**
-- ** Orig. bolt; new barrel; McMillan A2 composite stock
-- DND: Rifle, Sniper, 7.62mm, C3A1

C4 = GPMG; 7.62mm NATO; Browning M1919A4 variant
- C4 : Pintle-mounted vehicle GPMG, eg: on M113 Lynx
-- Unclear what distinctions between the C4 and C1A1

C5 = GPMG; 7.62mm NATO; impr. C1 for fixed applications
- C5A1 : Improved C1A1 for flexible-mount applications

C6 = GPMG; 7.62mm NATO; license-built FN MAG 58
- C6 : GPMG; no designation change for pintle/coaxial
-- DND: Machine-Gun, GPMG, 7.62mm, C6
-- Sometimes referred to as a "Medium Machine Gun"
-- DND: Machine-Gun, Coaxial; vehicle-mounted GPMG
-- DND: Machine-Gun, Pintle; vehicle-mounted GPMG
- C6A1 : Improved, Colt Canada-built C6, M1913 rail*
-- * aka Weapon Mounted Accessory Rail (WMAR)
- C6A1 : aka C6A1 FLEX; polymer stock; adjustable RoF

C7 - Automatic rifle; 5.56mm NATO; Diemaco-built AR15
- C7 : Iron sights; integral carrying handle; fixed buttstock
-- DND: Rifle, Automatic, 5.56mm, C7
- C7A1: Diemaco C7FT ('Flat Top'); Elcan C79 optical sight
-- DND: Rifle, Automatic, 5.56mm, C7A1
- C7A2: C7/C7A1 mid-life; 50 cm barrel C8-style buttstock
-- DND: Rifle, Automatic, 5.56mm, C7A2
- C7CT: Not a DND designation; Diemaco 'Custom Tactical'
-- DND: None; but 'C7CT' was widely, if unofficially, used

C8 = Automatic Carbine; 5.56mm NATO; Diemaco's M4
- C8 : Colt Commando derivative; shorter, 36 cm barrel
- C8 : Short foregrip; aft foresights; telescoping buttstock
-- DND: Carbine, Automatic, 5.56mm, C8
- C8A1: Not full CF issue; interim use in Afghanistan
- C8A1: aka Diemaco (Colt Canada) C8FT ('Flat Top')
-- DND: Carbine, Automatic, 5.56mm, C8A1
- C8A2: Mid-life; C7A2 features incl. green 'furniture'
-- DND: Carbine, Automatic, 5.56mm, C8A2
- C8CQB: Trials only; Personal Defense Weapon (PDW)
-- DND: None but C8CQB & C8 PDW used unofficially
- C8FTHB: Not full CF issue; interim Afghanistan use
- C8FTHB: Diemaco C8FTHB ('Flat Top, Heavy Barrel')
-- DND: None but 'C8FTHB' widely used unofficially
- C8FTHBA3: 400 x remarked C8FTHB to C8A3 stds
- C8A3 : Improved C8A2 as a new-build C8FTHBA3
-- DND: Carbine, Automatic, 5.56mm, C8A3
- C8SFW : JTF-2; SFW = 'Special Forces Weapon'
- C8SFW : Very heavy profile, 410 mm barrel; RAS

C9 = Light Machine Gun; 5.56mm NATO; CF FN Minimi
- C9 : Initial production; fixed FN leaf-style 'iron sights'
-- DND: Machine-Gun, Light, 5.56mm, C9A2
- C9A1: C9 with rail to mount Elcan C79 optical sight
-- DND: Machine-Gun, Light, 5.56mm, C9A1
- C9A2: Modernized C9 and C9A1; C8-style buttstock
- C9A2: Longer rail; long or short barrel; soft pouch
-- DND: Machine-Gun, Light, 5.56mm, C9A2

C10 = Semi-automatic training rifle; .22" Long Rifle
- C10 : Designed to match weight/feel of C7 series
- C10 : Unclear; DND designation or Diemaco brand?

C11 = Canadian Cadet Target Rifle; 5.56 mm NATO
- C11 : Diemaco; based on the Anschütz Model 6522
- C11 : Single-shot, hand-fed target/competition rifle
- C11 : Royal Canadian Army Cadets training/target

C12 = Canadian Cadet Target Rifle; 7,62 mm NATO
- C12 : RPA Quadlock single-shot bolt-action rifle
- C12A1: Royal Canadian Army Cadets training/target
-- C12A1 is most commonly-seen RCAC designation
-- Rangemaster Precision Arms / RPA International
-- Unclear if any distinction between C12 & C12A1

C13 = (??) hypothetical small arms designation
- C13: Possibly not applied to avoid confusion*
-- * eg: with standard C13 fragmentation grenade

C14 = Medium Range Sniper Weapon System; 8.6 mm NATO
- C14 : Timberwolf MRSWS; bolt-action; .338 Lapua Magnum
- C14 : aka Timberwolf SWS; USO SN-3 EREK sight
- C14 : By PGW Defense Technologies (Prairie Gun Works)
-- DND: Rifle, Sniper, 7.62mm, C14
- C14A1: Minor upgrades under Sniper System Project (SSP)
-- DND: Rifle, Sniper, 7.62mm, C14A1

C15 = Long Range Sniper Weapon (LRSW); 12.7mm NATO
- C15 : McMillan 'Tac-50'; Leupold sight; fibreglass stock
- C15 : Intended to be a specialist's anti-matériel weapon
-- DND: Rifle, Sniper, 12.7mm, C15; aka 'Big Mac'
- C15A1: C15 fitted with McMillan Bros. A2 composite stock
-- DND: Rifle, Sniper, 12.7mm, C15A1; x 71
- C15A2: Upgrades +25 new; Schmidt & Bender SSDO sights
-- DND: Rifle, Sniper, 12.7mm, C15A2

C16 = C16 Close Area Suppression System; 40×53 mm HV
- C16: Heckler & Koch GMG automatic grenade launcher
- C16: Rheinmetall Defence Canada license-built; x 304
-- CASW originally 'Company Area Suppression System'

C17 = (??) hypothetical small arms designation
- C17: Possibly not applied to avoid confusion*
-- * eg: C17 CRV7 variant; C-17 (CC177) airlifter

C18 = (??) hypothetical small arms designation
- C18: Possibly not applied to avoid confusion*
-- * eg: 'C18' as applied to neo-Nazi 'Combat 18'

C19 = New Canadian Ranger Rifle (NCRR); 7.62mm NATO
- C19 : Colt Canada-built bolt-action Sako Tikka T3 CTR
- C19 : Tikka T3 CTR is the No.4 Lee-Enfield replacement

C20 = Semi-Automatic Sniper Weapon; 7.62 mm NATO
- C20 : ArmaLite AR-10T; originally interim kit; x 272
- C20 : aka Marksman Rifle System (MRS); day scope

C21 = (Project) Multi-Caliber Sniper Weapon; 7.62/8.6 mm
- C21 : Future MCSW to produce common sniper rifle base

C22 = Full Frame Modular Pistol (FFMP); 9 mm NATO
- C22 : 'Winterized' SIG Sauer P320 automatic pistol

C23 = New SAR Tech Rifle; bolt-action; 7.62 mm NATO
- C23 : Shortened C19 barrel; Cadex Defense chassis
- C23: Replacement for old Ruger M77 SAR Tech Rifle

C24 = (??) hypothetical small arms designation

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Canadian Forces Small Arms Lacking 'C' Designation

Older service weapons tended not to receive 'C' designations. That helps to explain such designations not being applied to the FN-Browning High Power pistol and M2HB heavy machine gun (as well as recently retired weapons such as the No.4 Lee Enfield rifles). Others - such as the SIG-Sauer pistols and HK MP-5 submachine guns - may have been regarded as purely interim equipments. The absence of 'C' designations for weapons like tactical shotguns is a little harder to explain.

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Pistols

High Power = FN-Browning No2 Mk1* pistol
- High Power: aka GP35 (original FN designation)
- Formerly standard CA/CF 9 mm NATO auto pistol
-- DND: Pistol, 9mm, Browning FN, HP, No 2 Mk 1*

SIG-Sauer = Model P-225 & related SIG pistols
- SIG-Sauer: Interim High Power replacements
-- SIG-Sauer P-225: aka 'P225' (DND); 9 mm NATO
-- DND: Pistol, 9mm, SIG-Sauer, P225
-- SIG-Sauer P-226: JTF-2; long-barreled P-225
-- SIG-Sauer P-228: JTF-2; 'wide-bodied' P-225
-- SIG-Sauer P-229: JTF-2; .40" S&W rounds

Submachine Gun

MP-5N = Heckler und Koch MP-5N SMG; 9mm NATO
- MP-5N: Naval boarding party submachine gun
-- Presumably considered interim issue by DND
-- DND: Gun, Sub-Machine, 9mm, H&K;, MP5N
- MP-5N: aka MP5N (DND); MP-5A5N (H&K)
-- NB: MP-5N originally created for US Navy

Rifles

SAR Tech Rifle = Diemaco-made Ruger M77*
-- Interim SAR Tech rifle; .30-06" Ruger M77
-- Bolt-action; 5-rd fixed magazine (+1-rd)
-- * aka 7.62-63mm Ruger Model 77 MkII
-- 37 cm barrel; McMillan fibreglass stock
-- Orange stock folded to compact 65 cm
-- Ruger M77 to be replaced by new C23

Tactical Shotguns

870/870P = Remington tactical shotgun; 18.5 x 70 mm
- Model 870 : Pump-action Remington; 12 gauge
- Model 870 : Fixed shoulder stock (CF distinction)
-- DND: Shotgun, Pump, 12-gauge, Remington, Model 870
- Model 870P: Folding stock; Remington designation
-- DND: Shotgun, Pump, 12-gauge, Remington, Model 870P

M4 Super 90 = Benelli tactical shotgun; 18.5 x 70 mm
- M4 Super 90: Benelli gas-operated semi-automatic
- M4 Super 90: JTF-2; telescoping buttstock; rail
-- DND: Shotgun, Pump, 12-gauge, Benelli, Model M3 Super 90

Machine Gun

M2HB-QCB = FN Heavy Machine Gun; 12.7 x 99 mm NATO
- M2HB-QCB: FN Herstal-built version of Browning M2HB
- M2HB-QCB: 'Crew-Served Weapon'; heavy machine gun
- M2HB-QCB: aka .50 calibre; .50-Cal. heavy machine gun

 

[Apophenia]

I few minor edits made - correcting typos and (hopefully) improving readability.