Thread: The XM8
View Single Post
  #24  
Old 05-17-2016, 04:32 PM
commando552 commando552 is offline
IMFDB Admin
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: England
Posts: 547
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Excalibur View Post
The original G36 doesn't...I think. Actually when I think about it, the whole bolt release device seemed kinda of an American thing for a while unless you include the FAL.
Quite a few European guns have them, off of the top of my head for example, the SA80, SIG SG 550, Beretta AR-70, and I'm sure there are probably others. I believe that the G36 has a last round hold open and a manual bolt hold open, but as standard doesn't have a bolt release. The manual hold open is a nub inside the trigger guard which is pushed upwards to lock the bolt, however there is a H&K made replacement for this part which has an L shaped shelf attached which allows you to bull the catch downwards to release the bolt without running the charging handle.

This is basically the same as how the XM8 bolt hold open/release works. A lot of people have a problem with the bolt controls being inside the trigger guard, but it isn't as unsafe as some people say as the proper way to use the bolt release is with the thumb of your support hand after inserting the magazine.

As for the slightly odd rails on the XM8R stopping ahead of the receiver, my guess is that the reason for this is that there is a big trunion kind of thing coming out of the front of the receiver around the barrel which the handguard sheaths over, which wouldn't really work with an aluminium rail handguard (and if it did you would need to make the handguard larger to accommodate this). Doing it this way also means that you have a comfortable handguard without having to add extra accessories.
Reply With Quote