Heckler & Koch Reboots the SL8 Rifle

After a more than 10 year absence, the Heckler & Koch’s G36 civil variant, the SL8, has made a comeback. Although it’s been a while since the Heckler & Koch SL8 was on gun store shelves, expect to see it again soon. The civilian version H&K’s famous G36 select-fire infantry gun is back in the company’s catalog. A video has been released by the German gunmaker announcing its return. Later, the SL8-6 was introduced. This version swapped the gun’s original grey stock for all black and added a Picatinny rail/carrying hand handle and vented guard. It’s a nice update that brings it closer to G36. However, it only made it to the U.S. for one year before H&K decided to end it. The original’s modern lines are still appealing, but this is not the gunmaker’s reissue. SL8 RebornThe newly unveiled SL8 fits the SL8-6 pattern to an extent, which may prove disappointing to throwback lovers. It is still a solid setup, even if there are some nostalgic issues. The SL8-chambered 5.56 NATO/.223 Remington has a 20.8 inch cold-hammer-forged barrel with a recessed Crown. The barrel is free-floating and bored with 6 groves, a 1:7 RH twist, and is made from H&K’s famous cannon-grade steel. The bore is chrome-lined to improve corrosion resistance and prolong its life. The rifle still uses a reliable short stroke gas piston. This has made it more popular with shooters. The trigger is match-grade and weighs in at 4.5 pounds. It can feed from 10-round SL8-specific magazines, and ships with two mags. Heckler & Koch also included a match-grade trigger with a quick 4.5-pound pull.
Barrel Length: 20.8 inches
Overall Length 38.6 inches
Weight: 8.6 pounds
Magazine: 10 round
MSRP: $1699 Target grids and bullseye sizes can be found in MOA. Perfect for long-range shooting! Get free targets