C7, is it and outdated design?

[Hermes]

The C7, is by no means a bad weapon, I've used it, I love it.  This thread is not meant to flame the rifle. This thread is meant to question whether the weapon system can be considered "outdated" compared to the newer weapons becoming available on the market, such as the XM8.

The other day, I was reading an article about how the American Army is realizing that the M4 isn't all they thought it was, and that they thought it was time to introduce a new weapon thats up to the challenges faced in the Middle East. But I thought to myself "Isn't our C7 modeled after the M4? Superior (due to modifications) but similar none-the-less."

I was just wondering if other people with experience with the weapon feel its time for a change.

Note: I have never been in a Combat Zone and I am not a Reg. Force soldier; any mistakes I may have made is merely accidental

~Hermes

 

[Nfld Sapper]

The development of the C7 paralleled that of the M16A2 by Colt. The C7 for all intents and purposes is much like earlier M16A1E1s, rather than final product M16A2s. The earliest C7s were actually manufactured by Colt for Canadian Forces as the Colt Model 715. The C7 series of firearms is driven by the same direct impingement gas system of the M16 series, and like earlier M16s, it can be fired in either semi-automatic or automatic mode, instead of the burst function selected for the M16A2. The C7 also features the structural strengthening, improved handguards, and longer stock developed for the M16A2. Diemaco changed the trapdoor in the buttstock to make it easier to access and a half-inch spacer is available to adjust stock length to user preference. The most easily noticeable external difference between American M16A2s and Diemaco C7s is the retention of the A1 style rear sights