General Dynamics just bought Colt...XM-8 lives?

[Greg Bell]

Guys,

General dynamics just bought Colt. General dynamics is partners with HK on the late, great XM-8. A big part of the problem, as I understood it, was that Colt is required to be given consideration for some nutty reason and whined because there was no competiotion on the XM-8 project. Could GD be paying off Colt to clear the way? If they buy Colt-Defense, GD and HK might be able to bring the XM-8 back out. Hell, maybe they can manufacture it as a Colt?

[owen]

XM8 was killed by Congress. A little thing about spending money on the apples they were budgeted for, rather than oranges.

XM8 was an unfunded spinoff from OICW. OICW died. XM8 carried on until someone realized the Army was still spending money on a dead program.

In addition, I have been told that XM8 severely underperformed in the desert testing. Admittedly, that is hearsay on my part.

[Greg Bell]

In addition, I have been told that XM8 severely underperformed in the desert testing.

I heard the exact opposite. From what I gather, the soldiers involved in actual testing thought it was fantastic. There has been a lot of internet blah over supposed problems, but not much more than "my cousin's brother's roommate who works at the pawnshop and wants to join the army says that it sucks" type stuff.

I think the Army got in trouble because they skipped over the whole bidding process and just picked the gun they wanted. When other parties heard about it sleazy congressmen were called and the rest is history.

[owen]

Like I said, it's 3rd or 4th hand hearsay.

[PJ11B3VF7]

Well I didn't get to play with the 2nd gen version, but the one I did play with in 2004 was not impressed

[The British Soldier]

One would think that if HK are brought into the equation, they would want to sell their HK416 to the US military - it looks more attractive than the XM8, in terms of ease of introduction. Most soldiers would be able to convert to it with minimal additional training.

I like the G36 as a weapon design and I know it is incredibly reliable - I think that you might try to get HK to make a bad weapon, but they couldn't do it. It would be analogous to the advert where they asked Michael Jordan to deliberately miss the basket - apparently he had twenty attempts at missing and scored every time, only number 21 missed.

[Nicotine]

So who really holds the rights to the XM8? If generaldynamics tried to make one through colt, wouldn't HK be upset?

[Wildalaska]

General dyanmics didnt buy colt

WilwildrumourAlaska

[johnbt]

Who did? ;)

John

[Limeyfellow]

HK seems happier to work on the 416 and 417 right now which looks to be a better platform than the XM8 anyway. The XM8 isn't coming back.

There are rumours that GD bought out Colt but theres nothing confirmed at all. Also rumours that they will also try and buy out HK, but since no company has any information about it, its questionable if that has really happened.

[DimitriS]

Didnt General Dynamics atleast buy "part" of Colt ?? :confused:

http://www.savannahnow.com/exchange/stories/051400/PULdynamics.shtml

General Dynamics to buy Colt's Saco unit

By BridgeNews

New York -- Defense contractor General Dynamics Corp. announced Friday it has agreed to buy Saco Defense Corp., a manufacturer of machine guns, for an undisclosed amount of cash.

Saco Defense, a unit of New Colt Holding Corp., manufactures small- and medium-caliber machine guns, cannon barrels and grenade launchers that stock the arsenals of more than 40 nations. Based in Saco, Maine, the company employs 225 workers.

It is the sole producer of the MK-19 40mm automatic grenade launcher for the U.S. armed forces and is in the final stages of development of a next-generation automatic grenade launcher called Striker. Saco Defense products complement the high-rate-of-fire Gatling-type weapons produced by General Dynamics Armament Systems.

General Dynamics, which has annual sales of about $10 billion, said Saco Defense will be integrated into its armament systems division.

Shares of Church Falls, Va.-based General Dynamics ended the day down 6 cents per share to $56.44 in trading on the New York Stock Exchange.

General Dynamics is the parent company of Gulfstream Aerospace, which is Chatham County's largest manufacturing employer.

Saco's parent company New Colt manufactures the Colt brand of firearms and is headquartered in Hartford, Conn.

Dimitri

[Omaha-BeenGlockin]

I thought General Dynamics was no more after Lockheed bought them?????:confused:

[Bobarino]

the rumors on AR15.com are that Colt Defense Division was sold to GD, which is separate from Colt Manufacturing. i've seen no official sources or announcements though. guess we'll just have to wait and see.

Bobby

[BUSTER51]

XM-8 , just how dead doe's it have to get before it just goes away ?

[Bobarino]

DimitriS,

that story is from mid 2000. that one is old news.

Bobby

[DimitriS]

Bobarino,

I know its old news but its the ONLY news I could find about GD and Colt :cool:

Dimitri

[johnbt]

<shrug> I saw the following yesterday, but my question about it on another board was locked without comment. <doubleshrug>

www.theoutdoorwire.com/tow_final.php?date=2006-2-2

"Only days before the 2006 SHOT Show brings together virtually the entire outdoor industry in Las Vegas, the industry generally starts to go into a period of virtual hibernation with last-minute preparations.

Not this year. There's a whole lot of shakin' going on.

Here's a portion of what The Outdoor Wire has learned:

BUYING:
Venerable firearms brand Colt's defense division has been sold to General Dynamics. The purchase preempts a public offering for that portion of the Colt company. The consumer portion of the bifurcated company (consumer/defense), is also being sold, with sources telling The Outdoor Wire the deal is "all-but-done". A total of eleven potential suitors were said to have been kicking the tires on the venerable brand. The winner may shock most of the firearms industry - as well as the other bidders."