anybody familiar with the original C8?
 

one detailed picture i found on line shows that the original C8 has the same upper handle structure as an M16A2.

but the C8A1 seems to adpot the railed top for the lower receiver.

is it true?

http://www.gun-world.net/usa/m16/diemaco/c8table.jpg

http://www.gun-world.net/usa/m16/diemaco/d_cdn15.jpg

Yes, the original C8 and C7s had integrated carry handles.

actually the C7/8 (original not the A1) has the same upper as the m16a1 and not the A2 but yes as boris said they have the integrated carry handles. A1's and A2's have the rails for the elcan.

should be the M16A2,notice that there is a ledged nib on the right side of the frame,but M16A1 doesnt have!

see the detail below:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...pper_right.jpg

its m16a2.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...m4m16a45wi.jpg

the one on the top is m16a1,and next is m16a2.

http://www.gun-world.net/usa/m16/diemaco/d_cdn15.jpg

http://www.gun-world.net/usa/m16/diemaco/jtf-2.jpg

both are C8 from the right hand side.

hahaha nice catch on the shell deflector(the nib thing you are referring to). that is indeed one of the "improvements" they made one the C7 when they designed (ermmm redesigned I should say) the rifle. notice however that the m16a2's iron sights have a windage adjustment wheel that both the M16a1 and the C7 do not have. They retained the m16a1's rear sights instead of adopting the A2's rear sights. So both in retrospect the three rifles vary in small details but hey we are just discussing details right. On my defense though I was talking about the carry handle so it was probably wrong of me to say the whole upper receiver.