Re: Difference between Cheytac M200/EDM XM?
WW, What follows is one man's opinion on your questions, nothing more, nothing less.
Lets start with your second question first. You asked "Does EDM mfg the M200?" and the answer is no they do not. EDM Arms produces the .408XM. Cheytac produces the M2000.
Having said that we are left with your first question.
"Whats the difference between these two platforms?"
Great question and a remarkable and very interesting answer. Now, IMO, it is tough to broach this subject without asking two more questions.
Those questions would be:
"Who first designed this rifle/receiver concept?"
"Who built the first receivers and who built the first .408s in this style?"
Its a heck of an interesting story and most people kicking around these rifles long enough, well, they ask the very same questions you do.
My opinion of the answers:
"Who designed this rifle/receiver concept?"
The answer is Bill Ritchie, President of EDM, its first manifestation in 1992. By 1996, Bill had created and produced the model 99, the remarkable .50 caliber break down variant for the services that we have come to hear so much about. With the 99 came the vast majority of design efforts that led to the collapsable stock system, the wire cut receiver, bolt and barrel system. Single shot led to magazine fed, led to semi-auto magazine fed. Great piece of American weapon engineering history. "URWP" Unpack, rack, whack, pack was born.
"Who built the first receivers and who built the first .408s in this style?"
The answer is Bill Ritchie, President of EDM. The .408 M2000 that came into creation was first developed by taking the EDM .50 Caliber and addressing an interesting opportunity that came about between EDM and Cheytac. The first, Cheytac had developed the remarkable .408 cartridge and the second, they approached Bill Ritchie to have Cheytac's .408 catridge in Bill's Windrunner platform. It is my understanding that Bill was contracted to build the first .408 rifles in this style for Cheytac. It is also my understanding that all of the first fifty or so rifles were produced by EDM and sold through Cheytac. Those were the first .408 Cheytacs. Some of the most valuable and earliest pieces are the Israeli variant with the very thick camo paint on the EDM side and the engraved Cheytac banner on the other.
Your last question "what is the difference between these two platforms?"
If what I have told you thus far is correct, we can see why there is such a simularity between the two rifles.
I can see some important differences as well. Cheytac appears to have come to the conclusion that the EDM rifle design was better served by applying a free floating handguard. The handguard's attachement point appears to be Ritchie's orignal barrel nut. Two more interesting developments appear to be found here as well, a handle and bipod placement. A free floating handle is timed by the operator on the handguard, and when properly timed, is "locked down" with a "pin" on the receiver. The Cheytac handle allows the rifle to be carried upside down (making the top scope turret the lowest point of impact.) EDM has no handguard, EDM has no handle (operator would carry his 26 lbs rifle upright.) Whereas the EDM rifle uses a lower support pin for its bipod, the Cheytac places the bipod on top of their free floating handguard quite a bit more forward in a style that first appeared earlier in weapons like the Walther 2000.
Well, hope that helped.