FX-05 Xiuhcoatl
- Category
- Assault Rifle
- Barrel
- 480 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.89 kg
- Introduced
- 2008
About
What it is, and why it matters
The FX-05 Xiuhcoatl is a select-fire assault rifle chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO, produced by Dirección General de Industria Militar since 2008. Featuring a 30-round magazine capacity, this assault rifle offers generous firepower for duty use and home defense. The 18.9-inch barrel maximizes accuracy potential and ballistic performance, making this an excellent choice for target shooting, competition, or field use. At 3890g (137.2 oz), this is a substantial firearm whose weight contributes to reduced felt recoil and enhanced stability during precision shooting. The polymer frame construction reduces weight while providing a textured, ergonomic grip surface designed for secure handling in all conditions. Safety features include manual safety selector, fire selector, reflecting modern design standards that prioritize safe handling and operation. This firearm represents its manufacturer's commitment to delivering a well-engineered, reliable product that serves the needs of discerning shooters seeking quality, accuracy, and dependable performance from a proven platform. With over 108 years of firearms manufacturing experience, Dirección General de Industria Militar brings established expertise in metallurgy, machining, and quality control to every product in their lineup, ensuring each firearm meets the standards expected by today's demanding market of knowledgeable shooters and professionals.
Named after the Xiuhcoatl, the fire serpent of Aztec mythology that was wielded by the war god Huitzilopochtli. The rifle represents Mexico's first domestically designed and manufactured modern assault rifle, a point of national pride. The G36 lawsuit controversy actually helped establish the weapon's legitimacy when Mexico successfully proved the design's originality.
The FX-05 was developed in secrecy over approximately 10 years before its public debut in 2006. The initial version had a three-position selector (safe, semi, full-auto), while newer production models added a three-round burst mode and feature a redesigned, smaller receiver. The rifle is available in three barrel lengths for rifle, carbine, and short carbine configurations, as well as LMG and sniper variants. A 100-round drum magazine is available in addition to the standard 30-round box. The weapon was designed with the typical Mexican soldier's arm reach in mind, resulting in slightly shorter ergonomics compared to NATO-standard rifles.
Specification
Everything measured
IdentityWhat it is, who built it and when.
- Manufacturer
- Dirección General de Industria Militar
- Category
- Assault Rifle
- Country
- Mexico
- Status
- In production
- Produced
- 2008
DimensionsAs issued, without a magazine or an optic.
- Barrel
- 480 mm
- Overall length
- 1087 mm
- Weight, empty
- 3.89 kg
- Weight, loaded
- 4.25 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
- 30
- Magazine
- Detachable box
MaterialsEach swatch is the material itself, not a colour chosen to stand for it.
- Frame
- Polymer
- Barrel
- Steel
- Stock
- Polymer
- Finish
- Matte black
BallisticsFrom the service cartridge, not a handload.
- Muzzle velocity
- 956 m/s
- Muzzle energy
- 1828 J
- Effective range
- 400 m
- Maximum range
- 800 m
- Rate of fire
- 750 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.
Cold forged barrel
Folding stock
Adjustable stock
Select fire
Three round burst
Picatinny rail
Bayonet mount
Telescopic sight compatible- Red dot 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 158 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifles | 3.89 kg | 3.60 kg | Heavier than about 80% |
| Overall lengthAmong 156 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifles | 1087 mm | 920 mm | Among the longest tenth |
| Barrel lengthAmong 157 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifles | 480 mm | 449 mm | Longer than about 80% |
| Magazine capacityAmong 158 5.56x45mm NATO assault rifles | 30 | 30 | Near the median |
Answers
Questions about the FX-05 Xiuhcoatl
How much does the FX-05 Xiuhcoatl weigh?
The FX-05 Xiuhcoatl weighs 3.89 kg (8.58 lb) empty and 4.25 kg (9.37 lb) loaded.
What caliber is the FX-05 Xiuhcoatl?
The FX-05 Xiuhcoatl is chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO.
How many rounds does the FX-05 Xiuhcoatl hold?
The FX-05 Xiuhcoatl holds 30 rounds, fed from a detachable box magazine.
How long is the FX-05 Xiuhcoatl?
The FX-05 Xiuhcoatl is 1087 mm (42.8 in) long overall, with a 480 mm (18.9 in) barrel.
Who makes the FX-05 Xiuhcoatl?
The FX-05 Xiuhcoatl is made by Dirección General de Industria Militar (Mexico).
When was the FX-05 Xiuhcoatl introduced?
The FX-05 Xiuhcoatl was introduced in 2008.
How does the FX-05 Xiuhcoatl operate?
The FX-05 Xiuhcoatl 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
- Mexican Army
- 2008
- Mexican Navy (Armada de México)
- 2010
- Mexican Federal Police
- 2012
- Mexican National Guard
- 2019
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/fx-05-xiuhcoatl' \ --header 'X-API-Key: your_key'{ "id": "fx-05-xiuhcoatl", "name": "FX-05 Xiuhcoatl", "manufacturer": { "id": "sedena-dgi", "name": "Dirección General de Industria Militar", "countryCode": "MX", "foundedYear": 1917, "website": null, "logoUrl": null, "description": null, "status": null, "defunctYear": null, "stateOwned": null, "makesFirearms": null, "parentId": null, "predecessorId": null, "createdAt": "2026-02-18 03:40:45", "updatedAt": "2026-02-18 03:43:49", "version": "9e785dfbc7a1d733d4331e008ef05e183ae3710b02f5e020d690c89d16936b39" }, "category": { "id": "assault-rifle", "name": "Assault Rifle", "description": "Selective-fire rifles chambered in intermediate cartridges" }, "country_of_origin": "MX", "year_introduced": 2008, "barrel_length_mm": 480, "weight_empty_g": 3890, "action_type": "gas_operated_short_stroke_piston"}