DVD2026: Colt Canada Unveils New C25 to UK and Europe

Colt Canada, part of the Colt CZ Group, unveiled the new C25 rifle at DVD 2026, the UK's biennial defense industry exhibition. This is the first time the new C25 has been displayed outside of North America, following its announced adoption by the Canadian Armed Forces. Colt Canada are positioning the C25 as their entry into the British Army’s Project Grayburn, the program to replace the current SA80/L85 bullpup rifles in service.

Colt Canada proposes the C25 as a ‘different approach to the body armor challenge’ which was developed with the Canadian Armed Forces. With many NATO armed forces becoming increasingly concerned that 5.56x45mm can’t be relied upon to defeat Level IV body armour, the CAF and Colt Canada propose a focus on practical accuracy; “making the soldier dramatically more accurate against the smaller, harder targets that armour leaves exposed, under the fatigue and stress of sustained operations,” arguing that the “C25 is a precision and human-factors programme built around a defined Concept of Employment.”

Colt Canada explain the approach further in their press release:

“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:

• Greater consistency under stress - a two-stage trigger provides a more sensitive, positive break.
• Improved accuracy across the effective range - optimised barrel geometry reduces disturbance to the projectile, supporting higher practical accuracy.
• Reduced signature and recoil - controlled gas redirection at the muzzle decreases sound pressure at the firing position, suppresses flash, and reduces felt recoil.
• 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.”

Sean Congdon, President and CEO of Colt Canada, comments:

“We’re really excited to be at this year’s DVD. It marks the start of us telling our story, with C25 as our focus. C25 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 pair of rifles on display at Colt Canada’s DVD booth were equipped with the 3D-printed modular Millbrook Strategic Sciences Multi-Function Muzzle Device (MFMD) and Colt optics; a CQS-1 red dot optic and a Colt 1-6x LPVO.