Questions regarding M203 grenade launcher variants

[Nyles]

Originally Posted by Phoenixent

The American M203A1 grenade launcher is intended for use with the M4 and M4A1 Carbine. The 9" barrel and is able to quickly detach from the rifle, and be replaced by a Knight's Armament Company M4 RAS lower handguard. The Canada built M203A1 launchers a similar except it places the launcher lower to to accommodate the distinct barrel profile of CF C7/C8 series weapons


The M203A2 grenade launcher is intended for use with the M16A4 MWS (Modular weapon system). The M203A2 uses the standard 12" barrel, the grenade launcher has been modified to use with the Knight's Armament Company M5 RAS handguard and not the standard M203 handguard . It also can use range-finding optics for precision targeting. Yje receiver was modified to fit the Knight rail system with a standard M203 will not fit the M5 RAS handguard

There's nothing unique about the barrel profile on the C7, our 203s are designed that way so they don't snag on kit. When mounted on the new C8A2s they don't even use the lower handguard.