Testing the New C25

COLT CANADA, the Canadian small-arms manufacturer within the Colt CZ Group, today announces the launch of its new C25 carbine to customers in the UK and Europe. Selected by Canada's Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces as the successor to the C7/C8 platform, C25 is designed to make soldiers more accurate under the conditions they actually fight in. At an event in Copenhagen, Denmark, the new weapon was presented to a European audience of trade journalists—who were given the opportunity to test the C25 firsthand.

The C7/C8 platform that has served Canadian and Allied forces for more than 35 years. C25 builds on COLT CANADA’s decades of experience and responds to a changing operational environment in which body armour, longer engagement distances, and evolving battlefield conditions are placing new demands on the individual soldier.

A different approach to the body armour challenge

Level IV body armour is becoming more common, and the current 5.56mm cartridge cannot be relied upon alone to defeat it. With no settled view yet on a next-generation intermediate calibre, Colt Canada, in line with Canadian Department of National Defence operational doctrine and employment, has approached the gap from a different perspective: making the soldier dramatically more accurate against the smaller, harder targets that armour leaves exposed, under the fatigue and stress of sustained operations. C25 is a precision and human-factors programme built around a defined Concept of Employment.

Four key changes, one outcome

The C25 was developed under the Canadian Modular Assault Rifle (CMAR) project. It features a 13.7" chrome-lined, free-floating, cold hammer forged barrel optimized for durability and sustained performance. The C25 is chambered in 5.56 x 45mm NATO and its upper receiver, equipped with full length top rail, accommodates a wide array of attachments, such as the Colt Optics 1–6x Low Power Variable Optic.

C25 carries four meaningful upgrades, each engineered to make the first shot count and the follow-up shot faster:

o    Greater consistency under stress - a two-stage trigger provides a more sensitive, positive break.
o    Improved accuracy across the effective range - optimised barrel geometry reduces disturbance to the projectile, supporting higher practical accuracy.
o    Reduced signature and recoil - controlled gas redirection at the muzzle decreases sound pressure at the firing position, suppresses flash, and reduces felt recoil.
o    Faster target acquisition at distance - a low-power variable Colt optic extends the engagement window and reduces exposure time.

Together, these changes are engineered around a single outcome: accuracy under realistic operational conditions. It is a rifle shaped through service, with soldier needs at the heart.

Re-introducing COLT CANADA to the UK and Europe

COLT CANADA has supplied military customers across Europe, including the UK, since the 1990s. Today, approximately 3,000 COLT CANADA weapon systems are in service with the British Army, including the Special Forces, alongside established in-service fleets in the Netherlands, Norway, and Denmark.

“C25 marks an important new chapter for Colt Canada in the UK and Europe“, Sean Congdon, President and CEO of Colt Canada, comments: „It is not simply about introducing a new rifle. It is our response to how the operational environment is changing and what soldiers need from their weapon system today. It builds on decades of experience with the C7/C8 platform, combined with what our customers have told us about the challenges they are facing in the field. As we bring C25 to the UK and other European markets, we're taking the same approach that has always defined Colt Canada: listening closely to our customers and developing solutions around their operational requirements."

The rifle itself is impressive—that’s the verdict of our firing test in Copenhagen: a very pragmatic solution for the challenges of the future. The rifle remains an AR-15, but its accuracy has been fine-tuned. A monolithic upper receiver, an improved barrel, and a very crisp trigger group make the C25 a pleasure to shoot. The 1-6x LPVO scope allows for precision at range, and the exceptional MFMD suppressor—selected from 14 candidates—reduces noise and recoil, ensuring the rifle delivers a very stable shooting experience. By the way: every Canadian soldier will have the MFMD mounted on their C25. Logistically, the C25 is a practical solution, especially for users of other AR-15s from COLT CANADA. The main components of the rifle remain virtually the same, so soldiers trained on the AR-15 do not need to retrain.

COLT CANADA online