CAR 817 AR
- Category
- Battle Rifle
- Barrel
- 406 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.30 kg
- Introduced
- 2017
About
What it is, and why it matters
The Caracal CAR 817 AR is a 7.62x51mm NATO battle rifle developed by Caracal International LLC for elite military and law enforcement units. Built on the AR platform with a short-stroke gas piston system, the CAR 817 shares the proven operating system of the CAR 816 but scaled up for the larger 7.62 NATO cartridge. The rifle features a user-adjustable gas regulator for normal, adverse conditions, and suppressed fire, a cold hammer-forged chrome-lined barrel, and full ambidextrous controls. At 3.3 kg empty, it is remarkably lightweight for a 7.62 NATO platform.
The CAR 817 AR has been described as 'the first true Arab battle rifle,' representing a significant milestone for the UAE's domestic defense industry. Caracal signed an MoU with India's defense sector to explore local manufacturing of the CAR 817 platform, highlighting the rifle's export potential beyond the Gulf region.
The CAR 817 AR was designed to provide UAE forces with a heavier-caliber companion to the 5.56mm CAR 816. Available in 12.5" and 16" barrel configurations. Accepts standard SR-25 pattern magazines in 10, 20, and 25-round capacities. Practical rate of fire is 30-90 rounds per minute.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Caracal International LLC
- Category
- Battle Rifle
- Country
- United Arab Emirates
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 2017
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 406 mm
- Overall length
- 884 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.30 kg
ActionHow it cycles, what trips it, and what feeds it.
- Action
- Gas operated short stroke piston
- Firing mechanism
- Hammer fired
- Trigger
- Single stage
- Capacity
- 20
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Aluminum alloy
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Polymer
- Finish
- Hard anodized
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 750 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 2625 J
- Effective range
- 600 m
- Maximum range
- 3700 m
- Rate of fire
- 700 rpm
Trajectory
What the round does downrange
Solved from the muzzle figures and the bullet. The dashed rule is the effective range on the record, and the crosses are the steps the solver returned.
Features
What it has
What the record lists as fitted, drawn from the catalogue.
Short stroke gas piston
Adjustable gas regulator
Chrome lined barrel
Picatinny rail top
M lok handguard
Ambidextrous controls
Collapsible stock
Cold hammer forged barrel
Select fire- Nato stanag compatible
Standing
How it compares
Each figure against the firearms of the same type and cartridge that record it, or of the same type where that cartridge has too few. Positions are read to the nearest tenth.
| Measurement | This firearm | Median | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| Empty weightAmong 86 7.62x51mm NATO battle rifles | 3.30 kg | 4.30 kg | Among the lightest tenth |
| Overall lengthAmong 85 7.62x51mm NATO battle rifles | 884 mm | 1025 mm | Shorter than about 90% |
| Barrel lengthAmong 87 7.62x51mm NATO battle rifles | 406 mm | 458 mm | Shorter than about 90% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 87 7.62x51mm NATO battle rifles | 20 | 20 | Near the median |
Answers
Questions about the CAR 817 AR
How much does the CAR 817 AR weigh?
The CAR 817 AR weighs 3.30 kg (7.28 lb) empty. It is the 3rd lightest of 86 7.62x51mm NATO battle rifles in the catalogue.
What caliber is the CAR 817 AR?
The CAR 817 AR is chambered in 7.62x51mm NATO.
How many rounds does the CAR 817 AR hold?
The CAR 817 AR holds 20 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the CAR 817 AR?
The CAR 817 AR is 884 mm (34.8 in) long overall, with a 406 mm (16.0 in) barrel.
Who makes the CAR 817 AR?
The CAR 817 AR is made by Caracal International LLC (United Arab Emirates).
When was the CAR 817 AR introduced?
The CAR 817 AR was introduced in 2017.
How does the CAR 817 AR operate?
The CAR 817 AR uses a gas operated short stroke piston action, and its firing mechanism is hammer fired.
Compatibility
Which parts fit this firearm
Studio
Every part that mounts on this, resolved
Not a list the maker typed out: the answer comes from the mounts this firearm exposes and the interface each part needs, so it stays right when either one changes.
- Every part that mounts on any firearm in the catalogue
- Interface standards, platforms and fit overrides
- The same answers through the API and the MCP server
Requires a signed-in GunSpec account on the Studio plan. The answer is computed per part, so it is not part of the public record.
Provenance
What the record holds
Every figure above was taken from one of these pages. The confidence reflects how much of the record came from a page a claim can be checked against.
In service
- United Arab Emirates Armed Forces
- United Arab Emirates
Provenance
Confidence in this record
78%
Stockists
Where to buy
Offers link straight to the shop. GunSpec never takes the order.
No shop has listed this firearm yet
Stock and prices come from the shops themselves. If you sell this firearm, you can list it and it appears here.
List a firearmMCP
Ask an assistant about it
The same record, reached the way a person asks for it rather than the way a program does.
Ask GunSpec
Works with
Point an MCP client at GunSpec and it answers from the catalogue rather than from memory. A free key covers the read tools.
API
The call that returns this record
The same fields, in the same units, from the same endpoint the page reads.
curl --request GET \ --url 'https://api.gunspec.io/v1/firearms/caracal-car-817-ar' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "caracal-car-817-ar", "name": "CAR 817 AR", "manufacturer": { "id": "caracal", "name": "Caracal International LLC", "countryCode": "AE", "foundedYear": 2006, "website": "https://www.caracal.ae", "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-11 23:44:38", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:43:43", "version": "e964e1444e27ed5ed66a0a57da9429679f3da3bb42f063c0c5b775eafe4a944a" }, "category": { "id": "battle-rifle", "name": "Battle Rifle", "description": "Selective-fire rifles chambered in full-power cartridges" }, "country_of_origin": "AE", "year_introduced": 2017, "barrel_length_mm": 406, "weight_empty_g": 3300, "action_type": "gas_operated_short_stroke_piston"}