S&T Daewoo XK8
S&T Daewoo XK8, also known as DAR-21 (Daewoo Assault Rifle-21st Century),[1] is a 5.56×45mm NATO bullpup assault rifle developed and manufactured by S&T Daewoo intended to replace Daewoo Precision Industries K2 assault rifle for the Republic of Korea Armed Forces.
| Daewoo XK8/ DAR-21 | |
|---|---|
 XK8 rifle on display. A riflescope is mounted on the picatinny rail. | |
| Type | Bullpup assault rifle |
| Place of origin | Republic of Korea |
| Production history | |
| Designer | S&T Motiv |
| Manufacturer | S&T Motiv |
| No. built | Preproduction prototypes only |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 3.50 kg (7.7 lb) (w/o magazine) |
| Length | 780 mm |
| Barrel length | 508 mm |
| Cartridge | 5.56×45mm NATO |
| Caliber | 5.56mm |
| Action | Gas-operated, Tappet type |
| Rate of fire | 850 rounds/min |
| Muzzle velocity | 940 m/s |
| Effective firing range | 600m (point target) |
| Feed system | Various STANAG magazines. |
| Sights | Various scopes via picatinny rail |
XK8 was the first firearm developed solely by the Korean defense company without the request from the military. However, after the field tests by Republic of Korea Army Special Warfare Command, it was rejected and was not mass-produced.[2]
History
The prototype was first developed in 2003.[3]
Development
The XK8 was made out of high-strength plastic and polymer materials with the ejection port on the right side and the cocking lever on the left side.[3][4] The fire selector consists of semi-auto, three round burst and full auto.[3]
References
- "SALW Guide" (PDF). salw-guide.bicc.de. Retrieved 2021-04-07.
- "Guest Post: Korean K2 Rifle Upgrade History (2005-2017) -". January 9, 2018.
- "Daewoo XK8 Assault Rifle | Military-Today.com". www.military-today.com.
- "S&T Motiv Ready for Global Stage Small Arms Featured at DX Korea – Small Arms Defense Journal".
External links
