Hi Acorn, in an effort to avoid shooting out of my arcs, I will attempt to give a "coal face" viewpoint on the C7 rifle and C79 sight. I'm not a gun nut, I don't shoot regularly in my spare civy time, the C7 is the only rifle that I have any real worthwhile experience with, and with a little ammo and few hours of practice I can be a fairly good shot. I understand KevinB is currently out on the range breaking in his $2300 Schmidt & Bender scope, so if you want a "professional" opinion, I'm sure he'll give you more than you need when he returns. In the mean time, here's what I got.
It seems to me that the C7 is quite reliable, and that most stoppages are due to user error and not any mechanical deficiency. The biggest single issue I've seen is an improperly seated mag, since it is possible for a fully loaded magazine to stay attached to the weapon but not properly seated, causing a FTF(is that the right word?). I understand this is not an issue with either the Kalashnikov or the C1. It's a fairly simple mistake to remedy with training, but the weapon isn't idiot proof. Haven't seen any explosions or other spectacular results. The fit and finish of the rifles, compared to the other weapons I've handled (Both versions of the SA-80, Berretta AR-70, US M16A2, Various Kalashnikov types) is very good.
As far as accuracy goes, it seems to be accurate enough to "outperform" most of its users, including myself at times. Experienced shooters who take the marksmanship principles to heart don't seem to have any trouble with it.
The C79 sight, however, is more problematic. I like to think that a faulty/NS C79 sight is probably the leading cause of troops failing their PWT3. While the optics are good(as far as I can tell), the mount is simply not robust enough. Also, the sight it self is heavy and bulky. A C7 equiped with the C79 sight weighs almost exactly the same as a C1, both loaded (also, a loaded C9 weights quite a bit more than a loaded C2. Ain't progress great?). It seems to be another case of "buy Canadian even if it sucks". At the night the sights are better than nothing. There are far superior optical sights on the market.
Ah hell, you've spent more time standing properly at ease than I've spent time in the army, so I'm probably just making a fool of myself.....