CAR 816

Feeding

The CAR 816 features a Draft STANAG 4179 compliant magazine well and is fed with STANAG magazines with a standard capacity of 30 rounds.

Other STANAG compatible box and drum magazines can be used.

Operation

The CAR 816 uses a proprietary bolt carrier and a special tungsten granules containing buffer to manage bolt carrier bounce and soften recoil.

The CAR 816's chamber is modified, so the rifle is over-the-beach capable to let the rifle fire safely as quickly as possible after being submerged in water.

With the help of the three position regulator (normal, adverse conditions and suppressor/silencer settings), the gas system can be adjusted to function reliably with various propellant, projectile, fouling, operating environment and configuration specific pressure behavior.

The CAR 816 uses a mil-spec direct trigger. The selector settings are: safe, semi-automatic fire and automatic fire.

Ergonomics

The CAR 816 handguard features four Picatinny rails, allowing direct accessory attachment onto the mounting points, and can be removed without tools.

The CAR 816 basic version features rail mounted flip up rear and front iron sights. The integrated rail on the upper receiver and its continuation on the handguard at the 12 o'clock position allows for the adaptation of various aiming optics.

The shoulder stock is a telescoping 6 position type stock which is adjustable for length of pull.

Interoperability with M4

The CAR 816 shares most components with the M4 arms family, with a few exceptions.

The M4 carbine profile hammer forged chrome lined barrel has a 178 mm (7.0 in) twist rate and features a standard A2-style flash suppressor at its muzzle end. All lower receiver components are interchangeable with the M4 arms family.

The amount of movement between the upper and lower receiver is minimized by a tension tube.

Due to their complete manufacture in the United Arab Emirates, the arms are not subject to United States’ imposed International Traffic in Arms Regulations, whilst sharing most components with the M4 arms family extensively used by the US Armed Forces.

Current users

• Ethiopia - carbine variant used by the Republican Guard.
• Indonesia - PC 816 V1 in used with Kopassus, Kostrad and the Indonesian Marine Corps.
• United Arab Emirates - 80,000 assault rifles for the United Arab Emirates Armed Forces.

Non-state users

• Free Papua Movement - Captured from the Indonesian military.

Failed bids

• India: 93,895 carbines ordered in September 2018. The order was cancelled in September 2020 in favour of domestically developed carbines under the Atmanirbhar Bharat initiative. Later that month Caracal offered to manufacture the weapons in India. In 2022, Caracal responded to a tender for procurement of 4.25 lakh carbines for Indian Armed Forces.
• South Korea - Considered by Dasan Machineries as a candidate to replace the Daewoo Precision Industries K1 used by the Republic of Korea Army Special Warfare Command. Instead, Dasan Machineries submitted the DSAR-15PC as a domestic design became a tender requirement.