C7A2 Excellent Ballistic Performance Canada Rifle

For the last three hundred years, the centrepiece of any infantryman was his rifle. B Coy employed three types of assault rifles during Op ATHENA. Predominately, the C7A2 Assault Rifle was the main rifle carried by most infantrymen in the company. Recently refurbished by Diamaco in London, Ontario, the C7A2 incorporated new green furniture (butt stock, pistol grip, and hand guards), a telescopic butt, a new cocking handle, an ambidextrous magazine release, a refurbished C79A2 optic, and a Triad mount. Overall, soldiers remained confident with the proven design of the rifle, its accuracy, and solid dependability. Nevertheless, four main gripes remain. The C79A2 sight has always been controversial within the infantry. Although an excellent optic, many soldiers lack confidence in its flimsy mount, and most have experienced sight failure during prolonged firing on both static ranges and challenging live-fire ranges. Although the refurbished A2 sight seems more robust, only time will tell if it will retain its “zero” during rugged infantry operations.

C7A2 Assault Rifle Standard

The second universal complaint is about the inferior Triad mount. With more items being attached to the modern rifle (which will be discussed below), most armies have adopted a rail interface system that replaces the traditional hand guards along the barrel. Items, such as flashlights, laser aiming systems, and pistol grips, can be added at different points on the rifle at the discretion of the soldier. The Triad mount reduces these options to two and forces soldiers to mount these devices only at the end of the barrel. This makes the rifle front heavy and reduces the freedom a soldier has to configure his weapon as he sees fit. The third complaint is about the extended cocking handle.

Not only does this accessory make readying the weapon more difficult (by inadvertently pulling the level to the right), but also, the extended level catches on all manners of equipment and clothing. The final complaint is about the continued use of the 20-inch barrel. From B Coy’s experience in Afghanistan, long barrels make operations in confined areas (e.g. either inside armoured vehicles or during urban operations) difficult. Although the long barrel offers excellent ballistic performance for the 5.56 mm SS109 round, the high performance of today’s ammunition allows for comparable performance from shorter and more manoeuvrable barrels.

C7A2 with C79A2 sight

Addressing the issue of the long barrel, B Coy became the first infantry company in Canada to be issued the new 16-inch heavy barrel. Arriving to the company as simply an upper receiver, it was married-up with the standard C7A2 Assault Rifle lower receiver and was well received by soldiers. The shorter weapon proved a huge asset when negotiating the tight corridors of Kabul’s streets and the ballistic performance equalled the 20-inch barrel on the range. Although 4 inches seems minor to laymen, it was greatly appreciated by the lucky infantrymen who carried them. The general consensus of the company was that all infantrymen should carry the 16-inch barrel (as in the United States Army).

W h e n s i t u a t i o n s d e m a n d e d more firepower than small arms could deliver, B Coy possessed a
number of fragmentation weapons. At the section level, the M203 (mounted on the C7A2) remained the most accessible and potent. Firing a 40 mm fragmentation grenade to 300 m, the M203 could quickly suppress an enemy advance with accurate fire. For longer-range fire, each platoon possessed the venerable 60 mm mortar. Old, heavy, and rudimentary, no other weapon system in the platoon could saturate an enemy position with fragmentation bombs at 2,000 m more than the dependable 60 mm mortar. Although the bipod mount, which allows for sustained and accurate fire, is old and growing increasingly unstable, the 60 mm mortar is still a critical weapon system in the platoon’s arsenal (especially given the fact it can also fire smoke and illumination rounds). For the close fight, each soldier carried the effective C13 fragmentation grenade, formally known as the M67.

Excellent for clearing bunkers or reinforced buildings, soldiers remained cautious of the deadly effects of the C13, especially if used improperly in open terrain. Nevertheless, no other system is guaranteed to neutralize a determined enemy held-up within a confined space than the simple lob of a grenade. For defensive positions, B Coy employed the extremely effective C19 Command-Detonated Defensive Weapon (Claymore). Siting the system along dangerous approaches, the C19 provided sections and platoons the additional firepower required to defeat any ground assault. Although carried by the company, their employment was restricted by the task force commander.