At IWA 2026 in Nuremburg, Germany there were understandably a large number of German firearms manufacturers represented. In the top-end of range of AR-style rifles from European manufacturers is this beautifully-manufactured Haenel CR 308, which is chambered in .308 Winchester. Produced by the German manufacturer C.G. Haenel in Suhl, this is the larger-caliber counterpart to Haenel’s popular CR 223 model.
AR manufacturers have been busy adding all sorts of new finger grooves and ambidextrous controls over the last 20 years or so, and Haenel is no exception. If you examine the close-up photo of the left side of the rifle there are a number of additional finger grooves as well as the fenced area around the bolt carrier release. There are actually times when I think the left-side bolt carrier release fencing may have come in handy for me.
Available with barrel lengths such as 16.5 inches or 20 inches (cold hammer forged with a 1:12 twist), the CR 308 is praised for its accuracy and performance at medium to long ranges, often excelling between 500 and 800 meters.
The rifle includes a tool-less removable handguard with M-Lok or KeyMod interfaces, a match-grade trigger option, and compatibility with standard AR accessories, though it is somewhat heavier due to its robust construction.
Priced at the monopoly-man tier, if you are looking for an extremely high-quality AR-10 style rifle, you should definitely consider the CR 308.
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