SRC Generation III XM-8

[eltee]

For a special photo/film project, I acquired a new Gen III version of the SRC XM-8. Here is a pic of the packaging:

 

 

Here's a pic of the gun:

 

 

One of the nice things about this gun is that the optic is easily removeable, revealing a nice Picatinny rail:

 

 

The pop-up BUIS's are a nice feature:

 

 

SRC describes this version as being constructed of a fiberglass reinforced synthetic. The stock latched up in the various positions solidly, and there is a rubber coating on some of the black portions of this rifle (stock, forend, base of pistol grip, optic housing). With the optic removed, there was a little loss of stability where the back of the carry handle is attached, as the optic's aluminum body served to help "pinch" everything together where the handle was inserted. If I were to use this in the field without the optic, I would look to using Chigago screws or something similar to hold the body halves tight in that area. Overall the gun seems fairly sturdy, but the mag well had thinner walls than my real steel G36:

 

 

The magazines are close dimensionally and the lugs mate with both a Tokyo Marui mag and a real H&K mag:

 

 

 

Hopefully I can do a performance test in the near future. The optic was surprisingly bright, the crosshairs sharp and the magnification was accurate and undistorted. The optic was metal (aluminum) covered in a black rubber coating. I was fairly impressed overall with the optic.

 

The three position lever (safe/single/auto) felt flimsy (as do many) and if I were to use this for skirmishing, I would look inside to see if it IS flimsy or simply feels that way. If it IS flimsy, I would look to improve it by upgrading or reinforcing. All in all, short of shooting it, I was impressed with the looks, build and heft of this gun and I REALLY like the optic.

 

The nickname for this gun is "the Fish" and the US military dropped development of it a few years ago. The pics I have of the military test rifles do not always show the sideways eights (8) on the forend.

 

 

The photos I have that do show the "8's" aren't clear enough so I don't know if they are supposed to be open in the center, like vents, or just a surface detail.

 

 

Any info appreciated. This particular SRC XM-8 is due to be modified and I want to make it as close to the real steel version as possible. Any info on the sideways eights is appreciated.

[BlackHawkHarlequin]

I think the sideways eights are for modular accessories.

 

 

[Moody]

Still ugly.

[Unit 318]

Picatinny rail! fapfapfapfap do want!

[Fin]

First gun i'll be buying once im registered

 

By the way for the anti-XM8 people complaining about the lack of rails those 4 holes on the front handguard are actually PCAP points which is like a newer quicker version of rails. Ok currently nobody has any accessories that attach that way but if your that bothered it wont take you 2 seconds to stick the standard 1913 rails on (making a XM8-R)

 

Ugly, but still the best next gen weapon out there

[Weirdguy]

Actually, the nickname for this gun is "tactical salmon"

 

I've already gone through 3 BE XM8 POS's trying to get a good working one. This is on my to-buy list.

[Fin]

I've already gone through 3 BE XM8 POS's trying to get a good working one. This is on my to-buy list.

 

I had the Both elephant one, tried my hardest to make it skirmishable with its plastic gearbox...i failed

I tryed to upgrade to a usable scope....failed again

Finally just generally tried to improve everything i could.....failed

 

I ended up breaking the thing in the end due to getting to ###### of with it, and since then i've been praying for a decent version (I would of bought the GWS model if it hadnt sucked epicly). Now, dreams are coming true

 

 

 

 

Can we also has compact model please SRC?

[Mr Foxhound]

Why the bad paintjob? I dont get why SRC paints them like that. Makes it look toyish.

[Mig1]

That last picture there of the Marine Officer holding it, that is one of the final versions they made of it. You'll notice the integrated sight module looks different from the SRC one, and the front of the weapon has a cut out on the bottom to allow for a bayonet mount. Also the flash hider is a standard HK33 flash hider as far as I know.

 

Also the rear BUIS is much more robust and has those large drum knobs to adjust it horizontally.

 

So, sadly, there is still no good accurate airsoft replica of the XM8.

[Unit 318]

That last picture there of the Marine Officer holding it, that is one of the final versions they made of it. You'll notice the integrated sight module looks different from the SRC one, and the front of the weapon has a cut out on the bottom to allow for a bayonet mount. Also the flash hider is a standard HK33 flash hider as far as I know.

 

Also the rear BUIS is much more robust and has those large drum knobs to adjust it horizontally.

 

So, sadly, there is still no good accurate airsoft replica of the XM8.

 

They can't copy the optic because it's [this] one. The cut away part is part of the battery compartment, and as for the flash hider, the new(est) version of the XM8 had a standard M16 birdcage one.

[The Crunchy Bunny]

Why can't they just let the fish die?

[Victory]

Forget the damn rail, I'm more interested in the optic!

 

Can you test and see whether or not the optic will mount to a standard rail? (Like on a M4.)

 

If it does, that's more than enough reason for me to pick up one of these.

 

Excellent pics, by the way.

 

-Vic

 

P.S. A photo/film project, aye? Knowing your past, that makes me ever so curious.

[dannyboy]

Why can't they just let the fish die?

 

Go away.

 

How's the stock, any wobble when it's fully extended?

 

[Victory]

Good question. Also, how hard is it to adjust the stock?

 

-Vic

[Mig1]

They can't copy the optic because it's [this] one. The cut away part is part of the battery compartment, and as for the flash hider, the new(est) version of the XM8 had a standard M16 birdcage one.

 

I'm at a loss as to why you would say that. Why could they not copy that optic? They can copy any thing else you can imagine.

 

This page has pics of very late versions of the XM8R compact: http://swat.tistory.com/tag/XM-8

 

That looks like an HK33 style flash hider to me, just as the one in the opening post.

 

Also, this is another late version of the compact, with a railed upper bridge: http://www.gun-world.net/usa/r/xm8/malaysiaex1.jpg (copy and paste link into new window).

 

Also, showing an HK33 style flash hider.

[Weirdguy]

The flashhider is an interesting topic.

 

Here is a picture of an XM8 in Iraq that clearly shows the G36-style flashider

http://img170.imageshack.us/img170/1589/chrisxm8ow9.jpg

 

 

In contrast, here is the exact XM8 that was used in the recent dust tests

http://img232.imageshack.us/img232/3085/xm8yg2zo7.jpg

In Use

[dannyboy]

Good question. Also, how hard is it to adjust the stock?

 

-Vic

 

Hopefully they've improved that, I had one of the older models and it was a pig to adjust.

 

Also, this is hideous.

 

[kodiak22]

Anyone know where to get the GenIII's at? i can only Find the genII. or has it not been "released" yet

[Burke]

I used to love XM8's. Till I saw the Masada.

[Fin]

I'd have to agree looking at SRC's website the grey paint job looks horrible, the green dosent look great either but the black looks good.

 

Accurately wise the src dosent look it but i think you could easily modify the front end to its most updated form (pic is of the most recent version last time i looked), i probably will

 

Personally i think this collapsible stock should of been used on the other models as well

 

I would love to see how the massada favors against the XM8, i loved the results of what happened when the HK416, SCAR and M4 went up against it

[GuzziHero]

Go away.

 

You should know by now that TCB is just a pathetic troll with nothing to say

 

---

Anyway, Id like to know how good the original SRC optic is, too. I think it'd look pants with any other sight to be honest.

[Mig1]

Wierdguy, the one shown in Iraq was one of the interim designs.

 

On my XM8, I've painted the PCAPs and made the bayonet cut out as well as installing an HK33 flash hider. That's about it. Well, other than modding the sight.

 

 

[Bada Bing]

Anyway, Id like to know how good the original SRC optic is, too. I think it'd look pants with any other sight to be honest.

 

 

It was useless, the actual hairs on the scope would aim too high for the BB.

[eltee]

"Anyway, Id like to know how good the original SRC optic is, too. I think it'd look pants with any other sight to be honest."

 

 

When you say "original" do you mean the one on the SRC Gen I and II? I don't have any experience with those, and I don't believe they were removeable.

 

The optic on this one (Gen III) is pretty nice. I'll take some pics later if I mount it on some other rails. Like most airsoft optics, the eye relief is not as forgiving as real steel versions, but the image is very bright, the magnification is distortion free, the cross hairs are sharp and the mounting system seems to hold it securely on the XM-8. Of course, YMMV but of all the a/s optics I've played with, this one seems to be one of the better ones.

 

I agree with the comments on the color, but for photo/film purposes sometimes a wierd "real world" color is needed to obtain the "on-film" color and contrast needed. A classic example is from the movie "Aliens" and the M41A pulse rifle. It looks as if it has a green/OD shroud but in reality it was painted a color referred to as "Bess Brown." When you see a pulse rifle in Bess Brown it looks strange, but on the film they used in the movie, it came out a military looking green/OD. I could have bought a black one, but I wanted to try the grey for contrast. I can always use AlumaHydeII or Fusion on it later.

[Hedganian]

The sight on my earlier gen SRC XM-8 is a 3x optical sight. It's not removable from the rifle (which is annoying) but it seems perfectly adequate for airsoft use.

 

I'm interested in getting one of these newer XM8s. I like the sight being removable. I don't like that the rail is lower than the handgrip rail in front of it, as it would make mounting other sights a bit more tricky, probably needing a riser. Plus it looks a bit off.

 

Also, one of the ambidextrous safety-catches on my XM8 fell off. Wasn't best pleased about that. Anyone know where I can get a replacement?

 

And when are these new versions being released for general sale?