Heckler & Koch HK416
The HK416 is an assault rifle designed and manufactured by Heckler & Koch to be an improved version of the M4 Carbine pattern firearm. It is available as a complete firearm, or as an upper receiver kit that fits on any AR-15 type lower receiver.
The project was originally called the HKM4, but this was changed in response to a trademark infringement suit filed by Colt Defense. It is speculated that '416' is a reference to the M4 and M16 it's designed to compete with. So far the weapon has reportedly been tested by the United States military as well as some law enforcement agencies. It is only available to government and military organizations currently but there are plans for a semi-automatic civilian version to be released in 2008.
Design
The HK416 uses a proprietary gas system derived from the HK G36, replacing the direct impingement gas system used by the standard M16/M4. The HK system uses a short-stroke piston driving an operating rod to force the bolt carrier to retract. This design prevents propellant gases from entering the weapon’s interior as is the case with direct gas impingement systems. The reduction in heat and fouling of the bolt carrier group increases the reliability of the weapon and extends the interval between stoppages. It also reduces operator cleaning time, and stress on critical components.
The HK416 is equipped with a proprietary accessory rail forearm with MIL-STD-1913 rails on all four sides. This allows all current accessories, sights, lights, and aimers used on M4/M16-type weapons to be fitted to the HK416. The HK416 rail forearm can be installed and removed without tools, using a bolt locking lug as the screwdriver. The rail forearm is of the 'free-float' variety; it does not contact the barrel. This allows for improved accuracy potential.
The HK416's barrel is cold hammer-forged. This allows the barrel to maintain its accuracy for over 20,000 rounds, with minimal degradation of muzzle velocity. The cold hammer-forging process also allows for improved operator safety during obstructed bore occurrences or after extended firing sessions. This includes "OTB" (Over-the-beach) capability; the HK416 can be safely fired after being submerged in water and not completely drained.
The HK416 is currently available in four different barrel lengths:
- D10RS (10.4 inch / 264mm)
- D145RS (14.5 inch / 368mm)
- D165RS (16.5 inch / 419mm)
- D20RS (20 inch / 508mm)
Related Weapons
The HK417 is a larger version of the HK416 chambered for the 7.62x51mm NATO round. The HK417 is in prototype phase and is designed for military and law enforcement use. The HK417 and HK416 have a relationship similar to the AR-10 and AR-15.
Evaluation
In July 2007, the US Army announced a limited competition between the M4 carbine, FN SCAR, HK416, and the previously-shelved HK XM8. Ten examples of each of the four competitors were involved. Each weapon was fired for 6,000 rounds in an "extreme dust environment." The purpose of the shootoff was for assessing future needs, not to select a replacement for the M4. The XM8 scored the best, with only 127 stoppages in 60,000 total rounds , while the HK416 had 233 stoppages. The M4 carbine scored "significantly worse" than the rest of the field with 882.
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