Yes, its based on the XM8 that is a possible replacement for the M16 - I just found a couple pictures of it last night and I felt right away that this was the gun! I am not trying to be exact because for one thing, I don't have enough reference pictures to draw infomation from. And the other thing I am not trying to make this a $20 gun. I will put up some more pictures as the gun developes. I like this gun becaue it reminds me of a gunship helocopter with out the rotors or the cockpit of a fighter jet. marty