Thought you might enjoy something a little different...
 

Neither are my property, but I haven't been without one or the other for months.

http://i163.photobucket.com/albums/t...3/PICT0455.jpg

Ah... C7A2 rifle and Browning Hi-Power MK1. Good combination.

How well do those Elcan scopes retain zero?

NICE! I've never seen green furniture on a military issue M16 type rifle before

It's Canadian. Don't they all have that?

yes, its standard

--Very nice

The green furniture is standard on the A2, though my buddy got issued one with one black and one green handguard. The A2s are actually rebuilt A1s, not new production. They're not 100% identical - mine doesn't have a left handed selector switch, only half of them seem to. I don't care, I'm right handed. The one thing I don't like about it is the ridiculous extended charging handle. It catches on kit, and if you use the issue sling it digs into your back rather painfully.

It's also issued with a foregrip and a rubber butt pad. I found the pad slipped against my tac vest, the bare plastic grips better, so I took that off. And I shoot better without the foregrip, so that went too. I keep a plastic cap over the muzzle - I get some flak because it's not tactical, but it keeps the thing clean and shoots right off if I need to, so I don't give a shit about the look cool factor. The one point sling is not issued, but works MUCH better than the issued one. I see very few people using the issued POS - it worked great with the A1, but it is just not set up for a collapsing butt.

Alot of people knock the Elcan, and honestly I'm not it's biggest fan, but I've never had an issue with zero retention. Apparently the original C79 had some issues with it, but we were on the C79A1 by the time I joined and now the C79A2 (it's green, that's the only difference I've found). They're not soldier proof, in that if you over-tighten the mount the screws are easy to strip, but that's usually only an issue with new recruits.

I don't like the issue holster for the Hi Power - it's literally a US army Beretta M9 holster. The Hi Power fits alright, but you can't draw quickly and it's not all that comfortable - the stiff leg extender digs into your side when you sit. I bought a drop leg holster at the German PX for outside the wire, and I just wear a shoulder holster in KAF.

Are you allowed to buy your own gear and accessories for your rifle? And could you just buy your own holster?

One of the armorers on here (who is ex-CF) says that he regards the C7s as the best ARs anyone makes. I have little experience with ARs, so I can't say myself, but how do you feel about them, Nyles?

Also, I see that your gun has the older-style collapsible stock. Have you guys gone to the 6-position collapsible stocks yet? Colt Canada's web site seems to indicate that the CF hasn't done so yet, but then, it isn't updated that frequently.

I've never abused any other AR type system (used, sure, but never under service conditions), so I can't really comment. I've got no real complaints with them.

It's still a 4 position stock, which to me is plenty. I don't see any need for the extra two. I collapse it when I'm not using it, extend all the way when I'm wearing a shirt, and to the #2 position when I have my frag vest on.

I would say 3/4 people in our battlegroup with pistols are using non-issued holsters, espescially the infanteers. General rule of thumb with weapons is accessories are ok, mods aren't, and you pretty much stick with the issued sight. We also issue the EoTech 552 (almost exclusively with the C8 carbine), and if you didn't get one generally its ok to buy your own.