New Assault Rifles - any calibre [Archive]

buglerbilly

11-01-10, 02:52 PM

More detail..........

DefenseReview has been told by several tactical firearm industry insiders that Remington or Bushmaster, or whomever, has had multiple engineers–as many eight (8) of them–working together to solve the ACR’s (large-scale) production/manufacturability problem. This is just rumor-mill / inside-the-beltway-type gossip / unconfirmed/unverified reports, but it/they came to us by some pretty knowledgeable people. If true, that would not be good. You never want to put eight engineers / designers / developers on ANYTHING. As a general rule, the best gun designs have, at most, two designers / engineers / developers.

Anyway, assuming that the Remington or Bushmaster (or both) design/engineering team has completely worked out all the manufacurability kinks and they can get the ACR tactical rifle/carbine to market right after SHOT Show, or at least relatively soon thereafter, the weapon works as advertised in the video (i.e. reliably, accurately, and with good durability in all combat, environmental, and weather conditions), and Remington can introduce it at a price point that’s not too high AND maintain good QC (Quality Control), the ACR should do reasonably well out there. From a sheer ergonomics and features standpoint, there’s a lot to like about it, and DefenseReview likes having another gas piston/op-rod rifle/carbine choice out there. From a consumer’s standpoint, the more choices, the better. When DefenseReview first wrote about the ACR, then known as the aforementioned MagPul Masada ACWS, right after SHOT Show 2007–three years ago, now!–we liked what we saw and handled, overall. But manufacturing/producing a gun in large numbers is very different from hand-building a small number of prototypes.

Anyway, it’s about time. Let’s just hope the Remington ACR lives up to the hype. We’ll be sold on it when one of our evaluators or Special Forces (SF)/Special Operations Forces (SOF) contacts signs off on it. Until then, our money either stays in our wallets or gets spent on other weapons.

DefenseReview is curious as to whether or not Remington will purchase or has purchased the right to manufacture the MagPul Massoud 7.62×51mm NATO (7.62mm NATO)/.308 Win. rifle/carbine. Considering the trouble they’ve experienced getting the ACR into full-scale production, it would be understandable if Remington were hestitant. That said, they could most-likely apply at least some of the lessons learned from the ACR program to the Massoud.

Editor’s Note: The Remington ACR is formerly known as the Bushmaster ACR, which was formely known as the MagPul Masada ACWS (Adaptive Combat Weapon System). The “ACR” acronym is not short for “Advanced Combat Rifle”.

buglerbilly

13-01-10, 10:52 PM

Heckler & Koch to make new rifles in U.S. facility

7.62×51mm MR 762

18:00 GMT, January 12, 2010 Columbus, Georgia | Firearms maker Heckler & Koch announced today that it will manufacture two new rifle designs in a newly opened U.S. factory in 2009. The new rifles, the HK MR556 and HK MR762, are inspired and influenced by the HK416 and HK417, two highly acclaimed models designed and produced by Heckler & Koch’s Oberndorf, Germany plant.

The rifles will be produced at a new HK manufacturing facility in Newington, New Hampshire. The facility is collocated within an existing 70,000 square foot facility. HK began manufacturing pistols in the U.S. in late 2008.

“We’ve reached a major milestone in our objective to establish a production presence in the U.S.,” said Wayne Weber, executive vice president of the U.S. business unit of Heckler & Koch. “The new HK45 pistol is the first HK product officially ‘Made in the USA’. It is our goal to strategically transfer production of select HK products to the U.S., with the HK45 Compact being the next product to come off the U.S. production line and shortly thereafter, the HK MR series rifles.”

“It is our intention for all U.S. made HK products to equal the quality and reliability of the products made in Germany,” Weber added. “By establishing American-based manufacturing, we can compliment our German production and ensure that HK can be more competitive in the U.S. and comply with government contracts requiring U.S. manufacturing. HK products made in the USA will be fully compliant with federal solicitations giving preference to domestically produced products. Additionally, it will provide a boost to the U.S. economy by creating more opportunities and business for many of our U.S. subcontractors and suppliers.”

The HK MR556 and HK MR762 models, caliber 5.56 x 45 mm and 7.62 x 51 mm rifles respectively, will be produced at the Newington facility from American and German made components. To comply with German government regulations, certain design changes were made in the rifles to make them adaptable to the commercial sporting market.

The semi-automatic HK MR series rifles use an HK-proprietary gas piston operating system recognized for ultra reliability and will have German-made cold hammer forged barrels. These are some of the same key features critical to the success of the HK416 carbines used by leading U.S. and foreign law enforcement and military customers. The HK416 is widely viewed as a leading candidate in a possible competition to replace the U.S. military’s current M4 carbine.

buglerbilly

26-01-10, 10:45 PM

Standardized rifle marksmanship program could go Armywide

07:36 GMT, January 26, 2010 FORT BENNING, Ga. | An advanced rifle marksmanship concept developed at Fort Benning based on "lessons learned" in Iraq and Afghanistan might be instituted across all Army training centers later this year, officials said.

Col. Terry Sellers, operations officer for the Maneuver Center of Excellence, said Combat Familiarization Fire, or ARM 6, has not been formally added to the Army program of instruction, but that could happen around May as part of an overall POI review. New lesson plans are being drafted for the marksmanship field manual to include the CFF version standardized here.

"Some leaders have been taking different variations of this initiative and philosophy to operational units elsewhere for the past year-and-a-half," he said. "The goal is to make it one standard for all the training centers ... A lot of people want to help make the strategy better, but we're making sure the formal lesson plans match what's being done."

CFF is the culmination of a Soldier's marksmanship training from basic to advanced, said Capt. Ron Reed, the 198th Infantry Brigade's operations officer. For about a year, it's been taught to infantry Soldiers in one-station unit training and basic training with the 198th and 192nd Infantry brigades.

"It was implemented in response to lessons learned in theater," Reed said. "It's intended to give a realistic experience for a Soldier deploying to Iraq or Afghanistan ... (Soldiers) learn the fundamentals and apply them. They are thinking about their next firing position, how many rounds they have to fire and time management under the stress factor of a full-combat load. Plus, the training factors in the weapon malfunction."

Within the program, Soldiers fire from behind barriers at pop-up targets 50 to 300 meters away, Reed said. They have 30 rounds, and a dummy round is inserted into each of the three magazines to simulate a malfunction. Shooters must hit 16 of 26 targets.

In normal rifle qualification, Soldiers fire from a known distance in various predetermined positions. During CFF, they qualify in full combat gear using the barriers to move to and from different points. The Soldiers also choose the position - prone, kneeling, sitting or standing - they want to fire from based on where the target appears.

Before CFF's inception, basic trainees and infantry OSUT Soldiers were not exposed to advanced rifle marksmanship, said Staff Sgt. Adolfo Adame, a drill sergeant with D Company, 1st Battalion, 50th Infantry Regiment, which recently completed the training. They only had to go through M-4 qualifications.

"This style is much better because it's what they'll see in an urban environment like Afghanistan or Iraq," Adame said. "It's going to take more than one round to take down an individual that's coming at them or shooting at them ... Now, you got a thinking Soldier on the ground who understands, 'I need some kind of cover to engage the enemy and not just stand out in the open and get hit.'"

Pvt. Brian Jackson of D Company said CFF was beneficial as he learned about the firing tactics used in combat.

"The drill sergeants are giving us a lot of knowledge about their experiences overseas. What we're doing here is what it's like ... so I feel I'll be prepared when I leave," he said.

"The other firing experiences we had were getting us used to the weapons. Here, you're actually having to take cover and pop up, with targets coming back up after firing."

Sellers said CFF emphasizes improvisation while building agile, adaptable, flexible Soldiers. The strategy speeds their development ahead of a combat deployment by mixing complexities with existing standards, he said.

"We got feedback from the field in Iraq and Afghanistan that the training centers needed to do a better job training Soldiers so they can integrate immediately upon arrival and have some idea of what they'll see in a combat environment," Sellers said. "We're now getting benefits from the confidence and competence of these kids being able to use their weapons more effectively."

----
Vince Little

buglerbilly

01-02-10, 12:14 AM

REMOV and his shots of the Remington ACR...........from Shot Show 2010 of course.........

buglerbilly

27-04-10, 01:21 AM

Ares

A Defense Technology Blog

Female IDF Combat Soldiers First Equipped with Tavor Assault Rifles

Posted by Noam Eshel at 4/26/2010 10:51 AM CDT

Soldiers of the IDF "Caracal Cat" Battalion have recently been equipped with the advanced Israel Weapons Industry (IWI) T.A.R. 21 (Tavor) rifle, a new Israeli assault rifle. The Caracal Battalion is an infantry combat battalion composed of male and female soldiers. Although the use of the Tavor has been expanding in the IDF, this will be the first time that female soldiers will be given this weapon. The first IDF combat formation to be equipped with the Tavor was the Givati Infantry Brigade.

The T.A.R. 21 is an Israeli bullpup assault rifle chambered for 5.56x45mm NATO ammunition with a selective fire system, selecting between semi-automatic mode, burst mode, and full automatic fire mode. An integrated grenade-launcher is available.

Meanwhile IDF elite Special Forces have also received a new weapon, the IWI M.T.A.R. 21 (Micro-Tavor), also designated X-95. A very user-friendly weapon, the Micro-Tavor, can be quickly reconverted by a simple kit from 5.56mm assault rifle to a 9mm submachine gun, loaded with 20, 25 and 32 round magazines. It was designed with special attention to the needs of SOF operating in close encounters and urban environment. Using maximum optimization in miniaturization and human engineering, the weapon enables day and night fighting, without pre-mission preparation and zeroing. Special accessory rails for various sights are also provided.

Deks

28-04-10, 02:39 AM

From all accounts a fairly decent assault rifle. I especially like the magazine release being above the trigger guard. Is this unique for bullpup rifles ?

buglerbilly

28-04-10, 06:07 AM

They all differ, the AUG's is behind the magazine port is it not?

The FN2000 has the latch under the pistol grip, not sure where it is for the Brit SA80?

dan891

28-04-10, 09:16 AM

Magazine housing - left hand side for the SA80

Gubler, A.

28-04-10, 10:14 AM

They all differ, the AUG's is behind the magazine port is it not?

Which is probably the worst place to put it on a bullpup as its so hard to reach. You have to do some pretty good thumb work to release the magazine while keeping the rifle pointed at the bad guys.

The Magpul PDR design has a similar to the Tavor magazine release at the trigger guard. Both are in the same place it is for the AR-15 (aka M16, M4). Though very ergonomic it does raise the risk of being damaged. M16 STANAG type magazine chatches are notorious for being broken by wear and adding a long transfer arm from the pistol grip will increase the liklihood or malfunction. Still worth it for easier reloading.

buglerbilly

08-05-10, 06:09 AM

The FN SCAR For U.S. Military Reaches FINAL Milestone

18:55 GMT, May 6, 2010

FN Herstal, S.A. (FN) received notification from the USSOCOM Program Executive Office—SOF Warrior (PEO—SW) that the SCAR Acquisition Decision Memorandum (ADM) was approved and signed on April 14, 2010, moving this FN program into the Milestone C phase. This decision authorizes the production and deployment of the Special Operations Forces (SOF) Combat Assault Rifle (SCAR) MK 16 and MK 17, as well as the Enhanced Grenade Launcher Module (EGLM) MK 13.

Following a worldwide solicitation to the military firearms industry, nine vendors submitted a dozen different designs for a new modular, multi-caliber weapons system. The FN SCAR submission was the only weapons system to pass all of the Go/No-Go criteria and was unanimously chosen in November 2004 by the selection board composed of senior operators from every SOF component.

The SCAR is the first new assault rifle procured by the U.S. Military through a full and open competition since the M16 trials were held in the mid-1960s. Tests in reliability, accuracy, safety and ergonomics were administered from August 2005 to September 2008 and were conducted in a variety of environments including urban, maritime, jungle and winter/mountain operational test scenarios. The SCAR weapons system successfully endured more than two million rounds of ammunition during these trials, therein making it one of the most heavily tested weapons in the history of small arms.

The FN SCAR system consists of two highly adaptable modular rifle platforms and a grenade launcher. Type-designated as the MK 16 MOD 0 5.56mm Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle and the MK 17 MOD 0 7.62mm Special Operations Forces Combat Assault Rifle, both weapons are available with three different barrel lengths optimized for conducting operations in close-quarters combat, standard infantry and longer-range precision fire roles. All SCAR barrels can be easily interchanged by the operator in just minutes to instantly meet the requirements of virtually any mission. The MK 13 MOD 0 40mm Enhanced Grenade Launcher Module (EGLM) quickly mounts under the barrel of either SCAR platform, providing additional capability to the individual warfighter’s firepower, and can be easily configured for use as a stand-alone weapon as well. Because of the SCAR system’s modular design, ergonomic commonality (100%) and parts commonality (greater than 80%), it represents a significant reduction in training costs and life-cycle support. The weapon system’s open architecture is designed to support future advancements in operational requirements including ammunition, aiming devices, sighting systems and other mission critical equipment.

buglerbilly

08-05-10, 07:37 PM

Discuss: Does the Army Need a Better Battle Rifle?

By Nathan Hodge May 7, 2010 | 12:40 pm

For soldiers, small arms are an understandably emotional subject: On embeds, I’ve heard plenty of griping about the military’s standard-issue 9mm M9 pistol. The Army’s M4 carbine has come in for plenty of criticism as well. And back in 2006, the Center for Naval Analyses conducted an important survey of soldiers who had fired their weapons in combat, and found that the M9 and the M249 light machine gun got the lowest marks from troops.

The Army’s response, for the most part, has been to tweak the weapons it has in service, rather than start over from scratch. Take the 5.56mm M4 carbine: It’s seen dozens of refinements, from a better magazines to new optics. But that hasn’t ended the criticism. Back in 2007, critics note, the M4 fared worse than three other weapons — the Heckler & Koch HK416, the FN Herstal Mk16 Special Operations Combat Assault Rifle and the HK XM8 — in a reliability test.

I’m not about to wade into a debate about cartridges, barrel lengths and wound ballistics. But during an open house for reporters at Aberdeen Proving Ground, the Army did show off the M14 Enhanced Battle Rifle, shown here, an upgraded version of the old M14 rifle with a new stock, tactical scope and cantilever mount. It’s chambered for NATO 7.62 x 51mm, a full-power rifle round that has a longer range than the M4 or M16. Select units have received it for service in Afghanistan, but Army officials made it clear this was a one-time deal: Once the operational need is over, there won’t be any move to adopt that kind of heavy rifle.

This is Wired, not Guns & Ammo. But we’d be interested to hear from readers: Does the Army need a better rifle, or more options than pure-fleeting the M4/M16? Our pal Tim Lynch seems to think so. Readers can weigh in in the comments.

We’d also like to hear about your thoughts on the M4/M16. Is it reliable? Does it require too much cleaning? When I seated a magazine in an M4, for instance, the bolt slid forward before I hit the bolt catch. Prompted by the instructor, I pulled the charging handle back slightly to see that a round was properly chambered, then tapped the forward assist to ensure that the bolt assembly was fully closed. Normal operation? Frustrating design flaw? Or a simple matter of training?

[VIDEO: Nathan Hodge]

Read More http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/05/discuss-does-the-army-need-a-better-battle-rifle/#more-24519#ixzz0nMPwseii

buglerbilly

08-05-10, 07:38 PM

Posted by: Federale | 05/7/10 | 1:25 pm

Absolutely, but not a 7.62 cartridge, nor a variant of the M16 family of weapons and definately not the 5.56 cartridge. What the Army and all our forces need is a new family of rifles chambered in an intermediate cartridge such as the British .280 cartridge origionally developed for the FN FAL/L1 series of rifles. The new rifle should be a bull-pup design with readily changable barrel lengths for different missions. The best cartridge to date is the 6.5mm Grendel (a variant of the .280). It has superior ballistics to the 6.5 SPC Remington cartridge. There have been both successful and failures in the bull-pup design, but I am confident that a new weapons family could be developed that could provide a standard rifle, sniper/marksman rifle, standard carbine and CBQ carbine based on a single receiver with quick detachable barrels. The AUG is an example of a successful bullpup, as well as the Isreali Tavor. There are, of course, failures, like the SA80 and variants. Note that much of their failure is also the 5.56mm cartridge.

The M4 is sensative to heat build up, lubrication, and fouling. It must be continuously cleaned, unlike the Kalashnikov series of rifles. While it is important for soldiers to care for his rifle, an overly sensitive series of weapons is dangerous in combat, as seen in the recent outpost battles in Afghanistan where early in the battle M4s were repeatedly failing after only a few hundred rounds of ammunition. And that was not even because of debris such as sand, but because of overheating and fouling caused by the direct gas impingment operating system.

The other problem with the M16 series of weapons is the 5.56mm cartridge. It is effective at close quarters combat with a full length barrel, as it was in Vietnam, but close range jungle fighting is not the only place where combat occurs. In Afghanistan ranges are much longer and often occur outside of 300 meters. That is the effective range of the M4 carbine and near the effective range of the M16A2 rifle.

Obviously the M249 needs to be replaced as well based on its reliability. Same with the M9 which sufferes from low quality magazines from after-market suppliers and an ineffecive 9mm cartridge. The M9 should be replaced with a striker fired polymer based .45 caliber cartridge.

Let us hope that the army does not make the mistake they made in the late 30s when the Garand rifle was to replace the Springfield rifle. The Army balked on replacing the .30 cartridge with a .270 cartridge for which the Garand was origionally designed. The Garand would have been a better rifle with a smaller cartridge, but the Army wanted to save money on ammunition.

A 6.5mm cartridge would be a good round for both a assault weapon family and a light machinegun like the M249. It could even serve as a replacement for the current family of 7.62mm machineguns, although that would not be necessary as the services have adapted to having different ammunition in the rifle family and the machinegun family, one of the bugaboos of the Army before WWII.

Read More http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/05/discuss-does-the-army-need-a-better-battle-rifle/#more-24519#ixzz0nMQVeNkQ

buglerbilly

08-05-10, 07:40 PM

buglerbilly

09-05-10, 06:31 AM

IMINT: SCAR Sighting with SEALs in Afghanistan

by christian on May 5, 2010

The tips just keep rolling in thanks to our active readers and experts. Keep ‘em coming.

“Dorin” sent us a note showing us some pics of dudes using the Socom Combat Assault Rifle in The Zone. The pics come from a pretty gouge Flikr page set up by a person dubbed McNasty09 and show some spec ops bubbas donning some pretty sweet kit.

What I always find interesting is the occasional sighting of a SCAR in the hands of a deployed operator. My sources at FN have gone dark but I heard from one of the boys over there off the record that he’d gotten some shots of SEALs using them in The Stan. Well, McNasty09 delivered with the above shot of a SEAL sighting down none other than the Mk-17 SCAR Heavy.

Now, I hear through the grapevine — but have not confirmed — that the spec ops bubbas like the Mk-17 a lot more than the Mk-16. That’s not to say they don’t like the SCAR Light (5.56) but it’s just that they really like the SCAR Heavy (7.62). I’ve been trying to confirm rumors of a flip-flop on the overall buy numbers in favor of Mk-17s, but have not been able to get the straight up scoop…anybody?

Be sure to flip through McNasty09’s photo albums…pretty sweet shots. And thanks to Dorin for the tip. Again, keep ‘em coming…

The Socom Combat Assault Rifle is intended to replace the M4, M16 and HK-416 in the special operations forces. It comes in two variations: the Mk-16 SCAR Light in 5.56mm and the Mk-17 SCAR Heavy in 7.62mm.

McNasty's photostream here............

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcnasty09/

buglerbilly

26-05-10, 02:27 AM

Venezuela plant to make 50 million Kalashnikov rounds annually

© RIA Novosti. Vladimir Vyatkin | Buy this imageRelated News

An ammunition plant being built by Russia in Venezuela will have the capacity to produce over 50 million rounds for Kalashnikov assault rifles per year, a Russian defense industry official said on Tuesday.

The Urals-based Izhevsk Mechanical Plant (IMP) supplied 100,000 AK-103 assault rifles to Venezuela, and signed a new contract in 2007 licensing production of Kalashnikov rifles in the Latin American country.

Under the contract, Russia is building an assembly line for AK-103 assault rifles and an ammunition plant to produce 7.62-mm ammunition for the rifle.

"The ammunition plant will be capable of producing over 50 million rounds annually," said Nikolai Maslyaev, general director of the Izhevsk-based design bureau for automated assembly lines.

The ammunition plant, which is being constructed near the Kalashnikov rifle assembly plant in Venezuela's Aragua State, is expected to be ready for production by the end of 2010.

Oil-rich Venezuela is a major purchaser of Russian weapons and hardware. Since 2005, Venezuela has bought $4-billion worth of Russian weapons, including warplanes, helicopters, and Kalashnikov assault rifles.

Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin said in April after an official visit to Venezuela that the Latin American country could sign more than $5-billion worth of new contracts for Russian arms and military equipment in the near future.

IZHEVSK (Urals), May 25 (RIA Novosti)

buglerbilly

26-05-10, 02:29 AM

Russia to test new model of Kalashnikov assault rifle in 2011

© RIA Novosti. Vladimir Vyatkin

State tests of the new model of Kalashnikov automatic rifles will be held in Russia next year, Izhmash Director General Vladimir Grodetsky said on Tuesday.

The new model of the legendary assault rifle, the AK-200, is based on the AK-74M and differs in weight (3.8 kilograms/8.4 lbs vs. 3.3 kilograms/7.3 lbs) and the magazine capacity (30, 50, 60 rounds vs. 30).

The AK-74, a developed version of the Kalashnikov rifle's first model, the AK-47, was introduced in 1974 and used by the Soviet forces during the Afghanistan conflict.

The AK-47 was originally created by Mikhail Kalashnikov, who as a WWII soldier was inspired to design the weapon after being wounded in 1941. While his first attempts were unsuccessful, he was given a position in weapons development, and by 1947 he had perfected his masterpiece.

Since then, the AK-47 has become the most widespread and famous assault rifle. Used by some 50 armies around the world, as well as countless urban guerrilla movements, it is also featured on the flag of Mozambique.

Kalashnikov received Russia's highest honorary title on his 90th birthday last November. Accepting the award, Kalashnikov voiced regret that his creation, the world's most widely used rifle, has been often misused.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev described the AK-47 at the ceremony as "an excellent model of Russian weaponry" and "a national brand that makes each citizen proud."

MOSCOW, May 25 (RIA Novosti)

Gubler, A.

26-05-10, 03:11 AM

The new model of the legendary assault rifle, the AK-200, is based on the AK-74M and differs in weight (3.8 kilograms/8.4 lbs vs. 3.3 kilograms/7.3 lbs) and the magazine capacity (30, 50, 60 rounds vs. 30).

They've managed to make it heavier? And discovered that magazines can come in different sizes? Or the Russian news agency just doesn't know what they are talking about...

Gubler, A.

26-05-10, 08:32 AM

Doesn't look very new...

buglerbilly

26-05-10, 12:55 PM

...........or very pretty!

Weasel

26-05-10, 02:34 PM

Posted by: Eagles301256 | 05/7/10 | 1:39 pm

Nathan,

Sounds like the weapon you were using has not been cleaned properly or has a bolt catch issue. When locking the bolt to the rear, sometimes the bolt catch does fully raise. This causes the catch to hold less of the bolt teeth. As a result, a sudden impact (like slamming home a magazine) may release the bolt. I’ve had an M4 for about four years now and I’ve only ever experienced the problem once. It was in training, with a weapon that was not my own. It also should not ever cause a ND, as the firing pin is secured inside the bolt.

That being said, the M4 is a fine weapon. When properly maintained, it will not malfunction. It was designed for a battlefield similar to Iraq (highly urban) and will continue to serve adequately in that role. Problems occur when units fail to maintain their weapons. As an Infantryman, the most bitching I’ve ever heard about the M4 is from non-combat MOS’ that probably never stuck a cleaning rod down their barrel.

In Afghanistan, most units rely on their 240Bs and .50 cals at ranges greater than 300m. The boost in range provided by the M14EBR really doesn’t warrant its fielding on a mass level. In terms of stopping power, if I can put one round through dude then chances are I can put four or five through him. If he’s charging at me from around a corner, the M4’s smaller size and bulk allow me to more quickly level and fire. I’ve never had the opportunity to handle the M14EBR, but I’ll bet the weight increase is significant. Factor in the increase in ammo weight and I’d much rather be humping around an M4.

If the Army wants to field a new rifle, they need to drop the 5.56 and and go with 6.8 like someone mentioned above. The weapon should have an integrated sight, laser designator, and less-than-lethal option. It should have rails for flashlight and grenade launcher attachments. Finally, it needs to be able to transition from a close-quarters to a long-range rifle quickly. I’ve yet to see a proposed design that accomplishes these goals. Until then, the Army should stick with the M4.

Read More http://www.wired.com/dangerroom/2010/05/discuss-does-the-army-need-a-better-battle-rifle/#more-24519#ixzz0nMQoKXzH

Using materials knowledge known, tested and available to the US Army Arsenals from 2003 onwards (that is 7 years now) there is absolutely no reason...none... for getting rid of or redesigning the M4 rifle and that includes the HK mods.

Quick, cheap and easy fixes to the jamming problems, dust, overheating, hitting power and lost time in maintenance have been found but (for whatever reason) are not being used.

I would put forward that the reason for this is largely a question of culture that is being fed by the SOCOM procurement policy in the USA. Normally the SOCOM procurement works, but in this case (at best) it is feeding rumor and a perception that the US Army is not fielding the best kit and at worst this type of acquisition methodology (in this case with the USMC) creates program fiascos like the V-22.

If SOCOM want to purchase a new rifle than do so. But don't bitch and moan about how bad the M4 is when effective fixes to the M4 problems have been created and you are either ignorant of them or just refuse to implement them. In other words stop using a perceived lack of performance of the M4 as the reason for making your procurement, when it is simply not true.

cheers

w

buglerbilly

11-06-10, 02:54 AM

New Army Carbine Specs Revealed

by christian on June 10, 2010

I know I was in Afghanistan during the NDIA Small Arms Symposium back in May, but I got my hands on some of the briefing materials and I saw something of not that I thought Kit Up! readers would be into. Maybe some of you have already seen this, but here’s our take.

During the brief delivered by Col. Doug Tamilio, the Army’s top gun buyer, he mentioned some requirements for what the Army is now calling the “individual carbine” (as opposed to the “improved carbine” of last year). This would be a potential replacement of the M4, which, if you’d asked me a year ago I’d have told you would never happen but now is looking exceedingly likely.

Buried in his brief, Tamilio reveals that the IC will have ambidextrous controls and be capable of providing semi-auto and full-auto fire.

Those are two big changes from the current system, particularly with the full-auto fire capability. I recognize that battles like those at COP Keating and Wanat demonstrated the need for full auto and that the service is in the midst of a “dual track” improvement plan for the M4, which includes the incorporation of a heavier barrel and full-auto firing. But the idea that the Army will institutionalize full-auto for all Joes is a pretty significant change.

One of the things it brings up, of course, is training. I spoke with a former tier one operator who stressed the need to really work on how to employ full-auto fire from a carbine so that you avoid that Afghan-style “spray and pray” technique. It’s going to take some serious discipline and skill to know when and how to employ full auto so you don’t just burn through ammo like a Somali militiaman.

One other note, the individual carbine also must be “the most accurate, reliable, durable, maintainable, and modular” system possible for the money (emphasis added). Maintainable and modular, huh? Gas piston and changeable barrels — or better yet, calibers? The SCAR vs the ACR, anyone?

Read more: http://kitup.military.com/2010/06/new-army-carbine-specs-revealed.html#comments#ixzz0qV9EluDK

buglerbilly

07-07-10, 03:48 AM

Some New ARs on the Shelves

by christian on July 6, 2010

A couple blogs that are Kit Up! friends posted some news on two new rifles that have hit the market recently.

First, the Tactical Wire writes that Larue Tactical has rolled out its new OBR 5.56. Some think that LaRue makes one of the most accurate battle rifles out there and the company isn’t shy about touting their guns’ capabilities.

A few days ago, one of the 16″ rifles shot 12 consecutive 5-shot groups with Federal Gold metal match 77 grainers – the grand aggregate was 0.642″ with smallest group being .xxx”, largest of the 12 being 0.875″.

It’s still a direct gas system, so some piston advocates might shy away, but it seems worth giving a look. And, it’s pretty pricey with the 16″ barrel version coming in at just under $2K.

Also, our friends at Strike Hold passed along to their readers an announcement that the civilian version of the Adaptive Combat Rifle (which used to be the Magpul Masada) is now shipping from Bushmaster.

Some Kit Up! readers might remember that we had the opportunity to learn about both versions of the ACR (civ and mil) at this year’s SHOT show. It’s an impressive piece of gear that a lot of people are talking about it — particularly its purported ability to change from a 5.56 to a 7.62 6.8 or 6.5…and with news that FNH is touting the Mk-17 conversion kit for it’s SCAR program, the era of “adaptable” rifles may truly be upon us.

Read more: http://kitup.military.com/#ixzz0sxMJI7Mr

LaRue Tactical.........

http://larueosr.com/lt556-16.aspx

Bushmaster ACR............

http://bushmaster.com/acr/#/ConfigurationsTab

buglerbilly

24-08-10, 03:03 PM

Via the FireArms blog...........

Galil Ace Rifle

Israel Weapon industries (IWI) has introduced a new line of Galil rifles and carbines. The Ace rifle comes in three flavors. The 2x series (21,22 and 23 - the model number differentiate between barrel lengths) are chambered in 5.56mm NATO, the 3x (31 and 32) series is chambered in 7.62x39mm and the 3x series (52 and 53) is chambered in 7.62mm NATO)

Galil Ace 31

Galil Ace 31

The Ace line improves upon three areas of the original Galil: ergonomics, optics and accuracy. Ergonomics is improved with a modern-style pistol grip and adjustable M4-style stock. Accuracy is improved by using the Galil Sniper trigger instead of the standard rifle/carbine trigger. Multiple picatinny rails have been included to make the system optics ready.

Galil Ace 52

The rifles use the standard Galil magazines. The 7.62x39mm and 5.56mm NATO have 35 round capacity and the 7.62mm NATO has 25 round capacity.

This video shows a variety of Ace rifles being stress tested ...

I do not think that a civilian version of this rifle will ever be made but in time the consumer AK accessory industry is sure to start producing handguards, pistol grips and stocks for dressing up a AK-clone as an Galil Ace.

buglerbilly

26-08-10, 03:50 PM

Ruger SR-556/6.8

Ruger AR-15, the SR-556, is now available chambered in 6.8mm SPC. The SR-556/6.8 has .850 heavy contour barrel with a 1:10 twist. It comes packaged with a 5 round and a 25 round magazine.

The MSRP is $1995.00.

buglerbilly

27-08-10, 12:03 PM

Cute video especially trying to work out what's what in the way of guns and gear....via The Firearm blog...........better than watching Bimbo's trying to shoot.........I like women and am fond of a boob or three but not wielding a knife, shooting a gun or draped over a Harley............:doh

Best Gun Video Ever (Hardly, but it is better than most......)

This video is simply awesome. The video is embedded below but I recommend watching it on YouTube.com in 720p HD.

Rifles: BCM, CMMG, Colt, LMT, LWRC, Noveske, Springfield

Handguns: Beretta, Glock, H&K, Para Ordnance, Sig Sauer, S&W

Gear: ATS, Blackhawk, Bladetech, Diamondback Tactical, Eagle, Emdom, ESSTAC, HSGI, Magpul, MSA, Norotos, Ops-Core, Peltor, Raven Concealment, Safariland

Shot with a Canon 5DMKII + 70-200 f/2.8 IS L

Tim

27-08-10, 02:08 PM

Some nice 1911s in there... bugger me I wish the Government hadn't made it so difficult to own handguns in this neck of the woods.

buglerbilly

28-08-10, 02:24 AM

A U.S. Army Sgt. with Apache Troop, 1st Squadron, 40th Cavalry Regiment conducts a dismounted patrol with his platoon near Combat Outpost Herrera, Paktiya province, Afghanistan. The Soldiers were searching for sites from which the Taliban has been using to fire rockets at the outpost.

Anyone know what the rifle is?

Tim

28-08-10, 02:30 AM

Mk 14 Mod 0 Enhanced Battle Rifle, isn't it?

http://www.americanspecialops.com/special-ops-weapons/mk-14-mod-0.php

buglerbilly

28-08-10, 03:38 AM

Yup, that looks like the one..........grassy ass!

Exsandgroper

28-08-10, 08:11 AM

Yup, that looks like the one..........grassy ass!

M14EBR-RI (Enhanced battle rifle - Rock island)

As issued to our Commando Company Group operators in Afghanistan ( via Australian & NZ Defender mag. No.74)

Cheers

buglerbilly

28-08-10, 11:04 AM

Mercy buckups...........again.........LOL

buglerbilly

07-09-10, 05:27 PM

Via the Firearm blog...........

China’s new service rifle: QBZ-95G

These are the first photos I have seen of the updated QBZ-95 rifle, which is speculated to enter front-line service later this year.

The changes are (From Wikipedia) ....

QBZ-95 variant titled "G" fires the heavier 5.8x42mm round, with a heavier longer barrel and a redesigned muzzle break. The "G" variant has an altered butt stock, trigger guard, and a repositioned thumb fire selector switch above the pistol grip. The carrying handle has retained the Chinese quick release mount rail, but also has added the Picatinny rail as a supplement. It has been seen in service in small numbers for testing and evaluation in first quarter of 2010. It has been speculated that this variant will enter full service in late 2010, replacing the original QBZ-95 assault rifle introduced into service in 1995. The original QBZ-95 rifles will be handed down to second line and reserve troops, while front line troops receive this variant.

Overall a decent upgrade, although I like the trigger guard/foregrip concept of the original. It looks like China's Type 56 (AK-47 variant) may be phased out.

buglerbilly

09-09-10, 01:28 AM

IMINT: Super Short CQB Combat Rifle

by christian on September 8, 2010

We all know they’re out there, but it’s sometimes hard to see an operator carrying one — especially in a field environment.

But I ran across a pic from USASOC of some 10 SFG bubbas doing some training out at Fort Carson. The dude closest to the frame is carrying an unusually short M4 variant. My guess is an H&K 416 with a 10″ barrel, but I’ll defer to the experts on this blog to set me straight.

Now, for certain missions, the super short carbine is the way to go, but for field work, you’d think even snake eaters would go with a barrel length that can reach out and touch someone.

So tell us folks, what’s the deal with this gun?

Read more: http://kitup.military.com/2010/09/imint-super-short-cqb-combat-rifle.html#comments#ixzz0yz28OXYe

The most relevant comments.............

Jay · 9 hours ago

This looks like a mk18 w/ the RIS II on it. The MK18 RIS II is from Daniel Defense. It is different than the MK18 you are used to because it uses a low profile gas block.

Take a peak http://www.danieldefense.com/img/product/348d76104044ce3e61df1dd13faaabc7.jpg

Jon · 7 hours ago

+1 to the first commenter. SOCOM is fielding the Block 2 SOPMOD for the M4 carbine, as seen with some recent Ranger images downrange, you can tell by the

justin · 3 hours ago

First two posters have it. They took the Mk18 CQBR with the 10.5" barrel..took off the FSB and put on a DD MK18 RIS and a low pro gas block. The PEQ15 and the Insight M3X (SU223), and the Eotech 553 are all part of the block II kit at least as far as the pictures we have all seen would suggest.

buglerbilly

15-09-10, 02:49 AM

Bushmaster ACR Making Push in Carbine Vacuum

by christian on September 14, 2010

As the Army debates internally its strategy for either improving or replacing the M4/M16, there’s been some bottom up innovation going in with weapons makers posturing themselves as the best alternative.

Clearly the debate his shifted well beyond direct gas impingement vs. gas-piston OR caliber OR barrel length and furniture.

Now, it’s about having ALL of them…and it’s pretty darned exciting what’s going on.

We all know that FNH-USA is repositioning its SCAR family as a modular weapon system — with the added feature of being able to convert calibers. And recently, our friends at The Firearms Blog have been posting some news on the Bushmaster ACR (formerly the Magpul Masada) which seems to be carving out a niche at the head of the pack with its weapons already being made available to both the civilian and LE community.

The ACR conglomerate has launched a new YouTube channel, and I’d encourage you to visit there and see this pretty sweet weapon spit out lead with aplomb. I had the good fortune to meet the folks flacking the Bushmaster ACR at last year’s SHOT Show and really was impressed with the weapon.

Both the FNH-USA family and the ACR weapon demonstrate that it’s high time the Army adopt a new carbine given the leaps in technology now available to shooters in even the civilian marketplace.

Read more: http://kitup.military.com/#ixzz0zYSGaa3L

buglerbilly

17-09-10, 12:14 PM

From the Soldier Systems..............

Colt 7.62 Rifle?

September 16th, 2010 We have received a couple of tips that Colt has a new rifle in 7.62, model number CM901. Apparently, it will also be backward compatible with 5.56 uppers and has already been demonstrated for potential US Government customers. Sounds like we have a new contender in the “SCAR WARS”. We expect to see it unveiled at AUSA in October.

Remember, you heard it here first.

buglerbilly

19-09-10, 07:21 AM

LWRCi M6A2 14.7 5.56 FDE Trident Concepts

SGC ID: 123456011885
M6A2 5.56mm 14.7 Inch Spiral Fluted Barrel 1 In 7 Twist LMT SOPMOD Stock Flat Dark Earth MagPul Grip 30 Rounds With Tricon Accessories

Never seen a fluted barrel like this before.............:shakehead

M6A2 with a 14.7 inch barrel with a 1:7 inch twist. Barrel is spiral fluted prior to NiCorr . LWRCI BUIS front and rear sights. LMT SOPMOD FDE stock. Magpul MIAD FDE grip. Bravo Company Gen4 charging handle. TangoDown VFG K model. TRICON tactical sling. TRICON rifle bag/TRICON discreet rifle bag. FDE Camo-Coat. Teflon coated rail system, upper and lower receiver. Enhanced Mil-Spec trigger (EXO coating). Advanced Combat Bolt (EXO Coating). FDE Magpul Polymer Winter Trigger Guard. Trident Concepts Logo laser engraved on the magwell.

buglerbilly

29-09-10, 07:40 AM

Denel showcases a 21st Century R4 assault rifle at AAD

Written by Leon Engelbrecht, Defence Web

Friday, 24 September 2010 10:19

Denel Land Systems (DLS) is showcasing the R4 assault rifle in four configurations appropriate for the 21st Century: all fitted with Picatinny rails and a variety of optics and accessories at Africa Aerospace & Defence at AFB Ysterplaat in Cape Town.

Included in the range is the designated marksman rifle first showed at defenceWeb's Border Control conference in March. Fleshing out the quad are configurations for a rifleman, grenadier and section leader. The upgrades relate to the SA Army's soldier modernisation programme, known as Project African Warrior.

DLS says the designs reflect a recent trend towards greater emphasis on integrated defence solutions and systems. “With the new Denel Land Systems’ Integrated Soldier System (ISS), the future of the R4 assault rifle in 21st century combat has certainly been guaranteed.”

According to Steve Matthews, one of the systems engineer at DLS, ISS is basically an upgrade and development project on the current R4 assault rifle utilised by the South African National Defence Force.

Matthews adds that “the selection of various attachments to achieve each variant type has been selected on the basis of functionality, volumetric definition, availability, proven in-service usage and performance in meeting and enhancing the fire-power capabilities of the modern Infantry Soldier as required for the modern day battlefield and Close-Quarter-Battle (CQB) operational environment.”

About 420 000 of the 5.56x45mm-calibre rifles were manufactured under licence from Israel in the 1980s to replace the older Belgian 7.62x51mm FAL battle rifles used in SA since the 1960s and called the R1 R2 and R3, depending on version.

DLS was in February awarded a R1.74 million contract to create a “dedicated marksman (DM) rifle system” from the R4. DM and DM rifles became popular in the US and other militaries after the invasion of Iraq in 2003. The DM's role is to supply rapid accurate fire on enemy targets with a highly-accurate semi-automatic rifle equipped with a telescopic sight. Like snipers, DM's are trained in quick and precise shooting, but unlike the more specialised "true" sniper, they are also intended to lay down accurate rapid fire, the wikipedia says.

Designated marksmen are integral members of regular infantry sections or platoons, much like machine-gunners; whereas a sniper will generally work individually or as part of a two-man team independent of a small unit.

Snipers are ordinarily equipped with purpose-built bolt-action or semi-automatic sniper rifles while DMs are most often equipped with accurised battle rifles or assault rifles. The R4 modification falls into this category. For the DM rifle gunmiths removed the rifle's forward handgrip and replaced it with a new assembly that includes four Picatinny rails. As this assembly does not allow for the bipod currently fitted to the rifle, this, too, was removed. The top Picatinny rail runs back over the R4's hull cover, and at defenceWeb's recent Border Control conference carried an Aimpoint sighting telescope. The other Picatinny rails were covered with synthetic pads to create a rounded handgrip. A vertical handgrip can be fitted to the bottom rail and several, with integral bipods , are available. A new adjustable buttstock, similar to that fitted to the US M4 carbine, is also part of the upgrade.

102 rifles were delivered and issued to DM assigned to FIFA World Cup soccer security. At least 2000 were to be modified as part of the scheme.

All four versions on display at AAD carried the CRAR-32 reflex sight. The grenadier variant added a Beretta or Milkor under-barrel grenade launcher, creating a weapon similar to the US M103. The rifleman's version notably carries an Eickhorn bayonet or RED-1 100,000 volt prodder for crowd control. The section leader's weapon has an Aimpoint 3xMag magnifier, laser pointer and tactical light attached. The DM weapon adds a Versapod bipod, Insight weapon mounted thermal monocular, Insight night vision monocular or Aimpoint 3xMag magnifier.

buglerbilly

30-09-10, 12:45 PM

300 AAC BLACKOUT – New caliber brings 7.62 punch to AR platform

September 29th, 2010 | Photo Recon Product Announcement | Posted by Stickman

Calibers come and go, but not usually from companies that are tied into military contracts. With the M4 replacement testing coming up in the near future, we weren’t surprised when we got a call from AAC/ Remington telling us about a new project. What we didn’t see coming was that sneak peaks would be done at Modern Day Marine. Luckily, we were on hand as Marines in the know petted and panted over the pumped up SBR.

As interesting as a new caliber is to some of us, it gets better. Start thinking about a M4 with a 9″ barrel that matches the energy of 5.56mm M855 from a 16″ barrel (the standard M4 is a 14.5″). The 300 AAC BLACKOUT 123 grain ammunition matches the ballistics of the 7.62x39mm AK and has 37% more energy than 5.56mm M855 when either are fired through a short barrel. Clearing buildings, crawl spaces, vehicle work, going up ladders and seizing ships or aircraft are all tasks that have us wanting a short barrel, but getting shot at has us wanting a round that ends threats quickly. It looks like the new 300 AAC Blackout from Remington/ AAC ammunition and upper receiver is at the right place at the right time.

See below for loads more information, and of course, lots more pictures.

http://militarytimes.com/blogs/gearscout/2010/09/29/300-aac-blackout-new-caliber-new-mission/

buglerbilly

11-10-10, 02:16 AM

The new Colt CM901 assault rifle changeable from 5.56mm to 7.62mm and back............David Crane review here.........

http://www.defensereview.com/dr-exclusive-scar-who-meet-the-colt-cm901-modular-multi-caliber-7-62mm-nato5-56mm-nato-battle-carbinesbrrifle-for-u-s-military-special-operations-forces-sof-and-general-infantry-forces-gif/

Comment from SMG Lee identifies differences with H&K 416/417 combo...............

Scar runs a common receiver, which is a Mk17 receiver with a 5.56 lower trigger housing.

you would need to do the following...

1. remove six torque screws to remove the Mk17 barrel assembly and install the 5.56 barrel assembly.

2. remove the case buffer and install the 5.56 case buffer

3. new bolt carrier assembly

4. the common receiver lower trigger housing....

Then you would have to confirm zero.

With the Colt, you can simply switch the upper group and buffer assembly. your optic is already zeroed to the particular upper.

Now I can see that it might be nice to be able to easily change from one calibre to another on some occasions in civvie life especially for Police SWAT-type teams, but what is the advantage IF ANY to do the same for a Tactical scenario? :dunno

You go out on patrol, you don't really want to carry extra weight in either ammo or inter-changeable rifle uppers................solution looking for a problem?

buglerbilly

19-10-10, 01:53 AM

I've included these two new assault/marksman rifles here as they are so heavily modified as to be NEW designs............from Defense Update............

Silver Shadow’s AK-47 Kalashnikov Makeover

October 18, 2010

tamir_eshel

Silver Shadow displayed two Israeli modifications of Russian weapons, including the new Timna sniper rifle, based on a modified M76 and the AK-47 conversion kit, turning any Kalashnikov assault rifle into a weapon fitted to operate standard western accessories and optics. Photo: Noam Eshel, Defense Update

Silver Shadow, an Israeli weapon modification and customization expert unveiled two of its latest weapons the Gilboa 5.56mm compact assault rifle and Silenced Timna high precision sniper rifle at ISDEF 2010.

Silver Shadow firearms lab expert demonstrates the unique full-length silencer of the new Timna silenced sniper rifle. Photo: Noam Eshel, Defense Update

Modifying the latest Russian M76 sniper rifle into the new Timna Silenced sniper rifle, Silver Shadow took this proven Russian design further, modified it into a western 7.62/51 designed for heavy, high velocity ammunition, enabling military and law enforcement snipers to operate with maximum stealth, even at close range as well as at maximum distance. The rifle is matched with a barrel made by Shilen Rifles, and a modern, full barrel length silencer developed by Silver Shadow which leaves almost no acoustic signature.

Silver Shadow is also offering an upgrade package for the AK-47-74 and X9R, converting any standard Kalashnikov into a modern, modular weapon, that can cerry a wide variety of optics and accessories on standard rail systems. The kit includes replacement tactical adapter or an improved, modular frame replacing the original weapon’s handguard. Once installed, the tactical adaptor or X9-R handguard provides four Picatinny rails for the mounting of different accessories. The kit also accommodates a forgrip with peripheral Picatinny rail mounting telescopic sights, telescopic (M16) or folding stock, ergonomic vertical grip, and more. An improved flash and recoil suppressor can also be added. Accessories include detachable assault bipod, This device actively reduces recoil by 25% and muzzle flash by 29%. It also enables the mounting of grenade launchers, which further reduces recoil.

© 2010 defense-update.com

buglerbilly

19-10-10, 01:59 AM

Gilboa – Debut of a new Israeli Assault Rifle

October 18, 2010

tamir_eshel

The APR measures 51 centimeters in length, fitted with a 7" barrel as standard, but for special uses it can be configured with a 4.5" barrel. Photo: Noam Eshel, Defense-Update

Silver Shadow, an Israeli weapon modification and customization expert unveiled two of its latest weapons the Gilboa 5.56mm compact assault rifle and Silenced Timna high precision sniper rifle at ISDEF 2010.

Part of the Gilboa family of assault rifles, showing the standard, piston driven model on top, the DMR in the middle and the 'Shorty' at the bottom. Photo: Noam Eshel, Defense Update

The Gilboa employs the proven lower receiver of the M-16/M4 design, coupled with a new upper receiver designed by Silver Shadow. The weapon is design to enable operators to employ the weapon effectively at all combat ranges, from zero to 300 mm. The mechanism developed by Silver Shadow uses a proprietary gas operated piston driven system, enabling cleaner and cooler running of the rifle under extreme conditions. The new weapon is configured as a flat-top platform, fitted with multiple rails for mounting optics, lasers and other accessories. Gilboa comes in various sizes and configurations, from the smallest 2.25 kg Automatic Pistol Rifle (APR), the short and standard versions, to the long-barrel 3.55 kg Designated Marksman Rifle (DMR).

The APR measures 51 centimeters in length, fitted with a 7″ barrel as standard, but for special uses it can be configured with a 4.5″ barrel. The ‘DMR’ is a heavily modified Gilboa series automatic rifle designed to provide military and law enforcement operators greater firepower at combat ranges. It is fitted with a heavy match 18″ barrel for better harmonics and has a 7:1 twist rate to permit using heavier projectiles.

© 2010 defense-update.com

buglerbilly

26-10-10, 03:37 PM

From Soldier Systems...........shots of the Colt CM901...........

Colt CM901 Photos

October 26th, 2010 At AUSA we were able to take a few snaps of the Colt Defense Multi-Caliber CM901 Modular Carbine.

buglerbilly

12-11-10, 02:21 PM

This is a purported pic of the new SIG556 in (Russian) calibre 7.62x39mm..........all images from the Firearm Blog and correspondents Troubleshooter and Nooky............

The question I have is AHY would anyone develop a new version of a rifle to suit this calibre? SIG has zip chance of ever selling any to NATO forces and Switzerland doesn't have any people serving in Afghanistan so..............:shrug

This is a far earlier version they developed in the late 70's or early 80's (if memory serves me right?) based on their SIG510, a lovely rifle when in NATO 7.62mm calibre................

Deks

12-11-10, 10:32 PM

4.5" barrel firing 5.56 - are they serious? Vaguely interseted to see what MV they can get out of something that short

Gubler, A.

13-11-10, 01:25 AM

The APR measures 51 centimeters in length, fitted with a 7" barrel as standard, but for special uses it can be configured with a 4.5" barrel. Photo: Noam Eshel, Defense-Update

This is probably for a very specific concealed carry close range weapon requirement for Israeli undercover special intelligence operations. At 10-20m range a 5.56mm from a 4.5” barrel is going to be far more lethal and accurate than a 9mm pistol. Also even if firing SF shot barrel (~10") customized 5.56mm rounds will spit a lot of fire and noise so be very effective at shocking the enemy at close range.

buglerbilly

13-11-10, 08:49 AM

There is anecdotal evidence that Israeli Special Forces got into difficulties in one raid (at least) because the Mini or Micro Uzi's they were carrying did not have sufficient range, and we're talking 75+ feet here, to be either accurate or effective. Just another reason why you'd go for an ultra-short 5.56mm rifle.

The reduced charge rounds are also VERY effective when matched to a Silencer OR Suppressor............

ADMk2

13-11-10, 01:20 PM

This is probably for a very specific concealed carry close range weapon requirement for Israeli undercover special intelligence operations. At 10-20m range a 5.56mm from a 4.5” barrel is going to be far more lethal and accurate than a 9mm pistol. Also even if firing SF shot barrel (~10") customized 5.56mm rounds will spit a lot of fire and noise so be very effective at shocking the enemy at close range.

Or Close Personal Protection...

buglerbilly

18-01-11, 02:35 PM

Colt’s CM901 and SP901 get a new finish

January 17th, 2011 | Product Announcement | Posted by Rob Curtis

Colt gave us a look and some trigger time behind the 13” version of the CM901. The lower has fully ambidextrous controls and a new finish. Colt is able to anodize a camo pattern into the finish as opposed to painting or dipping the rifle. The result is a very durable finish that won’t rub off. On the downside, it’s also a little shiny. It looks to be between a satin and matte finish you’d find on the household paint scale.

The version of the CM901 we were shooting was the 7.62×51. It’s a huge round that the little 13” CM managed to control well (for a 13” barrel). Colt is releasing civilian versions of the CM called the SP901 (sport?) that should be out in the spring. They haven’t set a price, yet.

buglerbilly

24-01-11, 07:55 AM

The following images are from the SHOT Show 2011 via Ken Lunde..............this is semi-auto only for the civvie market in the USA............Still interesting tho................

Century Int'l Arms

The bullpup AK-47 was very interesting:

The sights are rubbish in my opinion so you'd go this route more or less immediately..........................

Here is the front of another one with a top accessory rail:

buglerbilly

29-01-11, 02:26 AM

Robinson Armament XCR-M 7.62x51 NATO Rifle

Sneak Preview of the Robinson Armament XCR-M 7.62x51 NATO caliber rifle

buglerbilly

04-02-11, 03:27 PM

New Weapon for Czech Soldiers: CZ 805 BREN A1/A2

(Source: Ministry of Defence of the Czech Republic; issued Feb. 3, 2011)

The Czech military will be equipped with a new type of assault rifle CZ 805 BREN A1/A2 made by the Ceska zbrojovka, a Czech joint stock company based at Uhersky Brod, which has won an open tender for delivery.

The delivery of new small weapons designed as personal weapons for individuals at all branches of the Czech military will start this July while their first operational use is planned for this autumn.

The new assault rifle CZ 805 BREN A1 (and type A2 with a short barrel) is part of the Soldier of 21st Century Project, which will integrate all elements of personal equipment, gear, communication, navigation, optoelectronics and identification features of a soldier.

The weapon replaces outdated Czechoslovak assault rifle 76,2 mm vz. 58, that was in successful use by Czechoslovak and Czech military for more than 50 years. The modern CZ 805 BREN rifle represents a unified modular weapon system enabling accommodation of additional devices with the prospective of further improvements. Both 7,62x39 mm, and NATO standard 5,56x45 mm cartridge calibers can be employed with the CZ 805 BREN.

The cost of the whole contract is 1,102,710,857.68 Czech Crowns (CZK) including VAT. (1 US$ = 17.481 CZK; 1 EUR = 24.125 CZK; the Czech National Bank set for 2nd February 2011).

This information was made public at the press conference presided by the First Deputy Defence Minister Jiri Sedivy at the Defence Ministry on the 2nd February 2011. The press conference was also attended by Director of the Operations Division of Czech MoD Brigadier General Bohuslav Dvorak, General Manager of weapon´s manufacturer - the Ceska zbrojovka company - Lubomir Kovarik, and Technical Manager of the same company Radek Haverland.

-ends-

YouTube video here...........in Czech........

buglerbilly

10-03-11, 02:01 PM

Watch the 300 Blackout SBR full-auto rock with no roll

March 9th, 2011 | Product Announcement video | Posted by Rob Curtis

Untitled from Jason AAC on Vimeo.

Check out AAC’s John Holister winding up a .300 Blackout 9″ PDW upper on an HK416 lower. He’s shooting 220gr subsonic ammo through one of their 762SDN6 cans. Sure, it’s quiet. But look at the absence of muzzle rise. I’d have expected a little muzzle flip with a round that heavy. But it’s pushing straight back as evidenced by our hero giving and then pushing back on the recoil, all without a trace of lift.

We can either say John Holister has the grip of an octopus and the strength of an ox, or someone carefully considered Newton’s Third Law when putting together this ballistic package. To get the answer, I talked to Stickman, who is running the .300 Blackout T&E for us. He confirmed that the setup is a soft-shooter, so we’ll go with the latter (though I still think Hollister could crush a man with his beard-fu.)

buglerbilly

11-03-11, 12:07 PM

From the Firearm Blog...............

Hands-On with the Beretta ARX-160

While touring the Beretta factory in northern Italy, I was able to handle a Beretta ARX-160, their newest 5.56mm carbine, and a weapon that could be considered comparable to the FNH SCAR-L. I was impressed with a number of its features, including a toolless quick-change barrel and the ability to switch both the charging handle and the ejection pattern from side to side in seconds, again, without tools - or even breaking the weapon down at all.

It was fairly light (3.2 kilos) and very well balanced. The ambidextrous magazine release was easy to use, but that's not really a very unique feature in this day and age. What I did find unique was the centrally located (in the bottom of the trigger guard) bolt catch, which also doubled as a magazine release.

This was intended for use with gloves and seems quite easy to use, but I don't think accidental activation would be a problem, as it required a bit of force to activate the magazine release. I'm not completely sold on pressing down on the center of the trigger guard to release the bolt - this is a bit different than other rifles which feature a bolt release near or on the trigger guard. However, it did seem easy to use after I worked with the weapon for a few minutes.

The charging handle placement was quite good. It wasn't so far forward that it might interfere with the support hand while reciprocating, but it was forward enough to allow for easy manipulation. The side picatinny rails are removable, but I didn't really like their location.

Barrel removal is dead simple. Lock the bolt to the rear, then pull small levers on either side of the weapon down - think Glock disassembly - while pulling the barrel forward. Installation requires only that you put the barrel in place and then press down firmly. Whether this is needed at the end user level is a topic for discussion, but the simplicity of this design is very impressive.

This overview of the Beretta ARX-160 was conducted on the assembly line at the Beretta factory in Lecco, Italy.

Beretta has conducted extensive environmental testing of the ARX-160, and it's been in use with Italy's armed forces since 2008. We'll have more information about the ARX-160 and other Beretta products, including videos and photos of these items being manufactured and assembled, over the next few days.

buglerbilly

13-03-11, 02:01 PM

Via the Firearm Blog................NOT a military weapon but of obvious LEO potential

SG553-US at IWA

While at IWA, I had a chance to look at some Swiss Arms rifles. They were all interesting, but the SG553 which takes AR mags definitely caught my eye. Of course, the aluminum receiver stood out also. Older Sig 55X pattern weapons had steel receivers, but they’ve tested these aluminum prototypes to 18000 rounds of full auto – and that was the 7.62×51 version.

Other different features include a 4 position adjustable gas system and an ambi mag release. It’s not something that’ll be available to civilians in the US any time soon, but that doesn’t make it any less cool.

buglerbilly

23-03-11, 10:47 PM

A bit more on the new Berretta ARX 160 Assault Rifle....................from Kit Up!

Beretta ARX 160 Test Shoot

by christian on March 23, 2011

Our friends at Tactical-Life sent us a tipper on a first-person evaluation of Beretta’s new assault rifle.

We posted a story back in July about the Italian army fielding the modular ARX-160 rifle in Afghanistan. But it now seems that Beretta is flacking the rifle for potential entry into the Army’s improved carbine competition.

From the looks of TL’s test shoot, the rifle fires smoothly and controllably and comes in a futuristic package without being too Starship Troopers.

One of the features that sounded really interesting was the ability to switch which side the shells eject from with nothing more than a bullet tip. Many have done this but it has always been awkward and anything but easy in the field.

There are a ton of innovations in this system, too include taking it down to the bare parts with zero tools. The attachment of a 40mm grenade launcher with one pin, other ambidextrous controls and many more.

Be sure to read the entire post in the next issue of Special Weapons for Military and Police.

buglerbilly

01-04-11, 01:13 PM

Via the Firearm Blog.............there is getting to be more calibres than there are AR-15 style rfiles!

Introducing the 7.62×40 WT (Wilson Tactical)

Despite coming out strongly for the .300 AAC BLK cartridge, Wilson Combat has developed their own 7.62x39mm-equivalent for the AR-15. The 7.62x40mm WT is a 5.56mm NATO cartridge necked up to .30 caliber. To convert an AR-15 to use the 7.62x40 WT a barrel change is (obviously) required and a special Wilson-modified version of Lancer's L5 AWM polymer magazine.

The cartridge is designed with tactical/self-defense and hunting use with soft-point or hollow point projectiles. The company published this comparison with the 5.56mm NATO, 6.8mm SPC, 7.62x39mm & .300 BLK:

5.56 Nato (16” Barrel)
55 gr: 3150 FPS Muzzle Velocity and 1212 Foot Pounds of Energy
62 gr: 3000 FPS Muzzle Velocity and 1239 Foot Pounds of Energy
77 gr: 2750 FPS Muzzle Velocity and 1293 Foot Pounds of Energy

 7.62x39 (16” Barrel)
 123 gr: 2320 FPS Muzzle Velocity and 1470 Foot Pounds of Energy  

6.8 SPC (16” Barrel)
 110 gr: 2550 FPS Muzzle Velocity and 1594 Foot Pounds of Energy  

300 BLACKOUT (16” Barrel)
 125 gr: 2275 FPS Muzzle Velocity and 1436 Foot Pounds of Energy

Unlike the .300 BLK, the 7.62x40 WT has not been designed for suppressor use (ie. it is a supersonic cartridge). Remington will be manufacturing supersonic and subsonic BLK loads.

Wilson Combat 7.62x40 WT loaded with 110 gr. Sierra HP is on sale right now at a cost of $18 for 20 rounds at the Wilson Combat store.

buglerbilly

07-04-11, 11:29 AM

Not really new but new-ish...........via the Firearm Blog.............

HS Produkt VHS assault rifle

HS Produkt, the Croatian firm most famous for creating and manufacturing the Springfield XD pistols, are expected to deliver an additional 3,000 VHS rifles to the Croatian Ministry of Defense this year. Pavao look photos of the latest rifles in the VHS line which were on display at the ASDA fair in Split, Croatia.

The VHS-K compact model

The rifle comes in two main configurations. THe VHS-K is the compact model and has a 16.1" barrel. The VHS-D is the standard rifle model and has a 19.7" barrel.

The VHS-D with integrated carry handle red dot sight (not unlike the G36).

VHS-K with Aimpoint & Magnifier

The company is also working on a nifty wireless video link system. The below photo shows the prototype. It allows a central operator to monitor and record video from every combatant. The final product will be more compact and sit the camera alongside the Trijicon scope.

Wireless video link system

VHS-K

Now I know many of you are going to like the next photo: the VHS-D with grenade launcher AND bayonet

VHS-D with grenade launcher & bayonet

VHS-K (middle). VHS-D with red dot (front).

Does it float?

The new HS Produkt grenade launcher also can be used in a standalone configuration.

The grenade launcher in standalone configuration

[ Many thanks to Pavao for the excellent photos. ]

buglerbilly

18-04-11, 04:24 PM

Via the Firearm blog...........

IMBEL IA2 Rifle Video

The IMBEL IA2, potentially the next service rifle for the Brazilian Army, can be seen going through dust, ice and over-the-beach (or in this case river) tests in the below video. Skip to 3:50 minutes.

The IMBEL IA2 comes in 5.56mm and 7.62mm versions.

[ Many thanks to Marcelo for emailing me the link. ]

buglerbilly

22-04-11, 04:05 AM

Not new but a modified and upgraded assault rifle...............via the Firearm Blog......

Bofors Ak 5C assault rifle

I spotted these photos of Swedish recruits undergoing basic training with their Bofors Ak 5C assault rifles.

The AK5C is the modernized version of the original AK5, a derivative of the FNC carbine. It became the standard Swedish service weapon a few years ago.

The improvements over the original AK5 include the addition of a quad rail, a picatinny rail, red dot sight (Aimpoint, I think), foregrip, improved adjustable butt stock and transparent waffle magazines. It is a nice looking rifle.

[Hat Tip: Leaper @ MP.net]

buglerbilly

12-05-11, 01:54 PM

Via the Firearm blog...............

Taurus ART556 assault rifle and CT556 rifle

At LAAD '11 Taurus introduced a new assault rifle called the ART556. The rifle, as its name suggests, is chambered in 5.56x45mm NATO.

Externally, the rifle appears to have borrowed features from the FN SCAR and the Bushmaster ACR. It has a forward charging handle that looks like it is able to be switched to either the left or right side. The upper is aluminum and the lower is polymer with an integrated magwell grip. The gun appears to use an AR-15 compatible pistol grip. It has a safe/semi/3 round burst/full selector switch.

If Google Translate is doing its job correctly, I believe that the above gun has a 10" barrel and weighs 7.9 lbs.

A civilian legal version of the rifle is named the CT556. It is only capable of semi-automatic fire.

[Hat Tip: mexicoarmado.com ]

buglerbilly

12-05-11, 01:58 PM

Via the Firearm blog...............

HS VHS-K bullpup rifle stripped photos

aquatrax has posted a detailed review of the HS VHS-K rifle at MP.net with lots of photos of the rifle field stripped ...

http://www.militaryphotos.net/forums/showthread.php?197776-HS-VHS-K-bullpup-assault-rifle

Build quality looks superb. Very few machining marks on the internals. Polymer parts looks well built and tough. There are steel reinforcements inside the housing where the Bolt group rides.

The BCG group is hefty with its massive carrier tube. It serves as the housing/guide for the recoil spring and also vents air to cool the internal chamber that house the barrel.

The VHS uses some sort of a combination of both short and long stroke piston system. Gas vented thru the barrel port goes thru a small chamber that houses a tappet piston. This tappet hits the massive carrier tube which is fixed to the bolt carrier group to drive it back to cycle the eject/feed operation. BOth tappet and tappet chamber are removable for easy cleaning. The tappet piston looks similar in design with the G36 piston. It also has the 3-piece piston ring. The difference is that the VHS' piston and push rod is one piece. WHile the G36 employ 2 separate pieces.

The tube that the large piston rides in is very big. It will suck in and blow out a lot of air as the gun cycles. They also seem to have shifted mass from the bolt carrier to the piston, which could, please correct me if I am wrong, help reducing felt recoil and/or muzzle rise.

[ Many thanks to Alex for posting the link on Facebook. ]

buglerbilly

13-05-11, 11:25 AM

Via the Firearm blog..........

Century AK74 Bullpup Rifle

Century International Arms is now selling a AK74 rifle in a bullpup configuration.

Unlike their 7.62x39 bullpup AK, this gun does not have iron sights, but instead includes a forward picatinny rail for mounting red dot or other optics.

Specifications

Caliber - 5.45x39mm

Capacity - 30

Finish - Black

Barrel - 16.25"

Twist - 1:8

Overall Length - 28.5"

Weight - 7.35 lbs

Front Sight - None

Other Features - Picatinny rail

MSRP (Price) Not yet announced.

Century has not announced pricing, but if you are a dealer who has access to the MSRP price, please post it below in the comments.

Shooting Illustrated produced a video about the new bullpup at the NRA Show ...

Uploaded by shootingillustrated on Apr 30, 2011

If you want a gun chambered in 5.45x39 mm, you want an AK-74, but don't settle for a plain-Jane model when Century International Arms has an affordable bullpup version for close-quarters combat.

[ Many thanks to Thaddeus for emailing me the link. ]

buglerbilly

31-05-11, 01:07 PM

Via the Firearm Blog.............

India to develop new carbine

The Indian state run Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and state owned Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) have developed a new carbine for the Army which The Times of India reports will soon be adopted by the India Army. The Milap carbine, as it currently called, is expected to cost Rs 50,000 ($1,110).

The weapon was supposed to be developed in association with Singapore Technologies Kinetics, makers of the SAR-21 assault rifle, but STK was blacklisted by the Indian government after a corruption scandal.

Singapore Technologies Kinetics SAR-21 Assault Rifle

The Milap will be part of the Army's Futuristic Infantry Soldier As a System (F-INSAS) upgrade. According to Soldier Systems, the weapon willk be modular and be able to use 5.56mm, 7.62mm and purportedly 6.8mm ammunition.

buglerbilly

01-06-11, 04:33 PM

New-ish Russian A91 Assault rifle, available in 5.56mm NATO and Russian calibres............pic taken at the Belarus Mil Expo currently on...........the Integral Grenade Launcher is quite unusual in that they have a double trigger set-up more akin to older rifle and shottie double barrel designs..............

ADMk2

02-06-11, 04:18 AM

Via the Firearm Blog.............
The weapon was supposed to be developed in association with Singapore Technologies Kinetics, makers of the SAR-21 assault rifle, but STK was blacklisted by the Indian government after a corruption scandal.

Too funny. ST Kinetics has been blacklisted for corruption by India???

They'd have to blacklist their entire DoD and Government...

buglerbilly

02-06-11, 08:01 AM

A little Birdie from the Island said to me they'd bribed the wrong one or ones, but I couldn't possibly repeat that in public.

buglerbilly

04-07-11, 11:52 AM

Via the Firearm blog..............

AK (Arsenal 106UR) Short Barreled Rifle in .300 AAC BLK

At least for me there is something oddly poetic about a modern AK-47 derivative converted to use modern version of the original AK-47 round, the .300 AAC BLK. This Arsenal SLR-106U was rechambered by Troy Sellars, the owner of In Range C2 Inc. of Kodak, TN. With the AAC 762-SDN-6 suppressor it functions perfectly with supersonic or subsonic ammunition.

Photos from John Hollister at AAC Blog.

buglerbilly

12-07-11, 10:22 AM

Via the Firearm Blog..............

New SIG SIG551A1

SIG Sauer will soon be shipping the SIG 551-A1. This rifle is essentially a SIG556 upper receiver, with Swiss-style furniture, combined with an aluminum SIG 551-style lower receiver. The biggest difference between the SIG 551A1 and the SIG 556 is that the latter uses Swiss transparent polymer magazines instead of AR-15 magazines.

TACTICAL PRECISION, For 2011, SIG SAUER® is offering several variants to its tactical platforms. NEW to this lineup is our new SIG551-A1, chambered for the widely used 5.56 x 45mm NATO caliber using Swiss Polymer magazines. The SIG551-A1 features a distinctive swiss folding stock, and an M1913 rail for accessory attachment. The 16” barrel features four-groove rifling and a twist rate of 1:7”. The SIG551-A1 measures 36.1” but can fold to 26”, making it ideal for situations where maximum maneuverability is required. For Special Forces requiring an accurate, more potent rifle, chambered in 5.56 x 45mm NATO, the SIG551-A1 sets a new standard for dependable operation and function.

This rifle will mainly appeal to law enforcement or consumers, who would rather use the Swiss transparent polymer magazines instead of standard AR-15 magazines, and collectors.

Specifications

Caliber - 5.56X45mm NATO

Overall Length - 36.1”

Length with Stock Collapsed - 34.6”

Length with Stock Folded - 26.0”

Barrel Length Without Flash Suppressor - 16”

Operating System - Gas piston, rotating bolt

Rifling - Lead 1 in 7”

Number of Grooves - 4

Muzzle Brake - Fluted

Sight Radius - 18.0”

Weight without Magazine - 7.0 lbs

Magazine Type - Swiss Polymer

Magazine Capacity - 20/30

Trigger - 2-Stage

Trigger Pull - 7.5 lbs

NRA's American Rifleman staff took the SIG 551A1 out to the range ...

Uploaded by NRAEMedia on Jul 11, 2011

Dave Grimshaw of SIG Sauer talks a little bit about the much-anticipated release of the SIG551A1, based on the SIG556 platform, but featuring the more popular furniture of the original 550 series, including Swiss-style folding buttstock and the ability to take translucent Swiss-style magazines.

For additional information on the new SIG551A1, please visit http://www.sigsauer.com
For more firearms news and exclusive coverage of products as they release, visit http://www.AmericanRifleman.org

buglerbilly

11-08-11, 03:28 AM

Not really new per se, but recent (the last 12 months)...........the magazine is missing from the rifle in these shots, see the bottom for mag included..............via the Firearm blog........

IWI Galil ACE in the wild

A reader emailed in photos of the IWI Galil ACE being carried by soldiers at Cavalry Day at the Colombian Army's Cavalry Military School. These short barreled Galil ACE are incredible sexy!

Along with Columbia, the ACE has also been adopted by Peru and Guatemala.

[ Many thanks to Thaddeus for emailing me the link. ]

buglerbilly

11-08-11, 03:53 PM

Czech soldiers receive a new assault rifle

A Czech soldier with the new CZ 805 BREN assault rifle. (Photo: Czech Army)

08:26 GMT, August 10, 2011 Soldiers of the 42nd and the 72nd Mechanised Battalions will be the first ones in the Czech military to use new Czech-made CZ 805 BREN assault rifles.

The first 505 automatic rifles CZ 805 BREN A1/A2, out of almost eight thousand of the whole contract, will be used by solders of five units. The major part of 349 pieces receive soldiers of 42nd Mechanised Battalion based at Tabor and 100 pieces go to soldiers of the 72nd Mechanised Battalion at Praslavice.

Following necessary training, both units will take them to Afghanistan to serve on ISAF operation, namely to the Wardak Province (OMLT unit) and the Logar Province (PRT unit).

The new rifle replaces the current rifle, widely used small arm called "sub-machine gun" Sa vz. 58, which has been used by Czechoslovak and the Czech military since the 1960s.

Compared to the Sa vz. 58, the new CZ 805 BREN rifle can not only use NATO-standard caliber of 5,56 mm but also optical and opto-electronic devices including additional instruments can be easily attached to the rifle.

"All rifles will be used for preparation for (ISAF) mission, the training itself we start immediately after the take-over of rifles," reveals Lieutenant Colonel Martin Botik, new commander of the 72nd Mechanised Battalion. Soldiers of the 4th unit of OMLT will be trained by their colleagues who participated in military tests of new rifles.

The Czech manufacturer Ceska zbrojovka, a.s., won the international open tender for delivery of the small arm for the Czech military. The next delivery of some three thousand assault rifles is due this November. The Ministry of Defence expects cooperation with the Ceska zbrojovka also in the future.

buglerbilly

19-08-11, 04:06 AM

Via the Firearm blog..............

Taiwan XT100 6.8 SPC Assault Rifle

JL visited Taipei Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition (TADTE) and spotted the new XT100 AR-15-style Assault Rifle chambered in 6.8mm SPC. The rifle has been developed by the Taiwanese Military Combined Logistics Command, Arsenal 205. It utilizes a short-stroke piston, has a 16" barrel and a forward quad rail. The 'XT' stands for Experimental Type.

6.8 SPC is slowly gaining acceptance outside of the United States, where sadly it has not been adopted by the special or conventional forces.

[ Many thanks to JL for emailing me the photos. ]

buglerbilly

23-08-11, 02:59 AM

Via the Firearm blog...........

XT98 Semi-Automatic Sniper Rifle (M14 style rifle) and XT97 Pistol

Last week I blogged about the Taiwanese AR-15 on display at Taipei Aerospace & Defense Technology Exhibition (TADTE). Two other prototype weapons made by Taiwanese Military Combined Logistics Command, Arsenal 205 were on display, the XT98 rifle and XT97 pistol.

The XT98 is a sniper rifle conversion of the Taiwanese Type 57, a licensed M14 clone. The new XT98 replaces the standard M14 stock with a more modern chassis capable of mounting optics and accessories. It is similar in concept to the M14's Mk 14 Enhanced Battle Rifle chassis system in use by the US military.

Judging by the serial number (-0001) and the quality of the welding, I think this is definitely a prototype.

The other new gun is the XT97 pistol. This 9mm pistol looks like it is heavily inspired by the Glock design. The major difference from commercially offered Glocks' is the addition of a slide safety. Glock has been known to supply pistols with external safeties to police or militaries who require it.

[ Many thanks to JL for sending me the photos. ]

buglerbilly

31-08-11, 01:24 PM

Via the Firearm Blog.............

Rumor Mill: Magpul to debut a new ACR, Masada or Massoud?

The ARFCOM rumor mill is reporting that Magpul, and/or Bushmaster, will soon be launching a new version of the Remington/Bushmaster ACR.

I am not putting a lot of faith in these rumors but I am hoping for the eventual release of the long-awaited Magpul Massoud, the 7.62x51mm version of the Magpul Masada.

REMOV holding the Magpul Massoud

[ Many thanks to jdun1911 for emailing me the link. ]

buglerbilly

08-09-11, 03:57 AM

More on the new BREN assault rifle...............

Czech Troops Get New Carbine for Combat

by Christian on September 7, 2011 · Comments (15)

Czech out the new rifle going to the Sandbox with our friends from Prague (har har).

The CZ 805 BREN is a gas piston carbine that shoots NATO standard 5.56×45 ammo. It’s got rails, grips, a folding stock and modern optics. Be sure to check out the video after the jump.

The Ministry of Defense said the 42nd and the 72nd Mechanized Battalions will be the first to use the CZ 805 BREN A1/A2 assault rifles, which replace the currently issued Sa vz. 58 submachine gun.

The new CZ 805 BREN rifle can be used with NATO-standard 5.56mm rounds and can accommodate optical and opto-electronic devices.

About 505 rifles are being delivered to the units, the ministry said. The Czech military expects to receive an additional 3,000 units by November.

It sort of looks like a mix between an H&K 416 and a SCAR Mk-16. It’s got a charging handle and that broad upper that has FN looks with a standard looking Stoner lower. From the videos I’ve seen around the web, the BREN is light and accurate.

Uploaded by tvarmycz on Feb 2, 2011

Anyone else out there fired or know someone who’s fired it?

(Hat tip to “swilliams” for the gouge)

Read more: http://kitup.military.com/2011/09/czech-troops-get-new-carbine-for-combat.html#ixzz1XK0ghyfE
Kit Up!

buglerbilly

10-09-11, 04:13 AM

UGC: The Czech BREN

by Christian on September 9, 2011

We got a lot of traffic on the CZ805 post the other day and a lot of good comments.

This one from Konrado Witalec was good enough to be elevated as a post of its own. A good insider’s view of the new rifle.

I’ve seen one yesterday (on MSPO 2011 as well). I’ve handled it for a while so a few thoughts: The weight is almost the same as SCAR with EGLM, so nothing to complain here. Ergonomics and handling – you could say it’s a mix of SCAR and G36. Magazine realase (and the mag itself) is like in G36 (you can push the lever and the mag will drop free). The only way to realase the bolt is to pull the charging handle (which would be in back position, when the bolt locks). You cannot manualy lock the bolt in the back position, it is only possible with an empty magazine inserted (of course when not shooting). Regardless, the procedure is quick and efficient (I would say it’s as quick as in SCAR or M4/M16). The stock is comfortable, as is the pistol grip. Fire mode selector could be a bit better placed.

Part of the strength of this blog is its insightful readers and relevant discussion. I think everyone appreciates this kind of view and when it’s appropriate, I’ll bring it up as a post of its own.

Thanks Konrado! (and that’s his pic too)…

Read more: http://kitup.military.com/#ixzz1XVmgMxKN
Kit Up!

buglerbilly

28-09-11, 03:42 AM

Croatia continues testing of rifle system

September 27, 2011

Evaluation of Croatia's under-slung 40x46mm grenade launcher for its VHS rifle is planned for November as the country furthers its efforts to develop NATO-supported weaponry.

Following the arms embargo during the conflict in former Yugoslavia, the country is continuing to develop the new rifle, which is expected to be fully operational by 2015, Brig Gen Milan Knezevic, Head of Material Resources Directorate for the Croatian MoD Corps told the Future Mortar Systems conference in London on 27 September.

The 5.56x46 Assault Rifle VHS bullpup system, manufactured by HS Produkt, was chosen as the replacement for the AK-47 assault rifle in 2007, which was mainly used during the conflict.

During the war, which occurred between 1991 and 1995, 'an inventory of weapons of different calibres' remained, but the AK-47 remained in some 30 variants.

The VHS was picked because it is compact and keeps within the weight and size restrictions of a dismounted soldier, yet has a long barrel for 'high muzzle velocity and projectile energy'.

In 2009, the system was tested in a variety of environments, including extreme temperatures, salt water, sandy and dusty environments as well as artificial rain and fall tests, with the testing finishing around the same time the country joined NATO.

The testing showed the rifle to be 'safe, functioning, reliable, durable, accurate and precise', Knezevic explained. 'That may sound like an advert from me', he continued, going on to describe that testing 'was very hard' and that it is imperative that the rifle is safe and reliable.

The rifle is gas-operated and comes in a 3.5kg long-barrel version called the VHS-D, as well as a 3.4kg short-barrel variant, the VHS-K.

Some 1,000 systems were fielded with the Croatian Army during 2010, he continued. However, although the system met all the tactical and technical requirements set out by the MoD, feedback from the users showed the gun to be unsuitable for left-hand users.

This is a problem that the MoD is looking to fix, and a redesign has been initiated so that it will be 'very easy' to change a rifle over from one orientation to the other, Knezevic described. He said this could be done in the field in less than 15 minutes. Having this option is considered to make it more appealing to foreign militaries which may wish to purchase the rifle, Knezevic pointed out while describing how the Croatian Army comprised only 20,000 soldiers.

Others areas being worked on include the integration of the optical sighting system, which is currently in the final phase of development and is scheduled for testing next month

Beth Stevenson, London

buglerbilly

11-10-11, 03:03 AM

Via Soldier Systems blog.............

AUSA – Remington Defense

October 10th, 2011

Remington Defense showed their new version of the ACR which they plan to submit as part of the Army’s Individual Carbine solicitation.

They’ve trimmed 1.8 lbs from the ACR. They’ve improved the hand guard and removed the large fork used to change barrels. Instead, a barrel spanner is supplied. Additionally, the stock no longer folds but still collapses. Finally, it will accept any mil-spec AR pistol grip.

www.Remington-defense.com

buglerbilly

12-10-11, 01:48 AM

Via Soldier Systems blog...........more to follow

AUSA – Smith & Wesson

October 11th, 2011

The M&P4

buglerbilly

12-10-11, 01:52 AM

Via Soldier Systems blog..........

AUSA – AAC

October 11th, 2011

This is the Advanced Armament Corp MG-SD suppressor recently adopted by USSOCOM. As we stated in our article, a specific 7.62 can wasn’t purchased. That’s because the MG-SD works with both 5.56 as well as 7.62. To make this work it uses a standard flashider that is available in different calibers.

Honey Badger

Code named Honey Badger, AAC’s new .300 Blackout Personal Defense Weapon features a 6″ barrel with an optional, threaded suppressor.

They also developed a user-swappable hand guard complete with handstop that completely protects the suppressor.

www.advanced-armament.com

buglerbilly

12-10-11, 10:47 AM

More on this new gun with much better pics from GearScout.............

Smith & Wesson’s M&P4 is out, but not down

Smith & Wesson M&P4 shown at AUSA 2011

I caught sight of the new Smith & Wesson carbine on display Monday at AUSA. The flat dark earth-ish M&P4 stood out from S&W’s standard black rifles, the M&P15. I talked to David Holt, S&W’s VP of Military Programs who confirmed it was S&W’s entry into the U.S. Army’s individual carbine competition. He explained the company’s decision not to compete in the Army’s search for a new carbine, “the Army’s strategy moving forward makes it tough for us to commit.” He cited the program’s long acquisition timeline as one of the factors that made it difficult for Smith and Wesson to assume the risk of joining the carbine fray.

But, that doesn’t mean the M&P4 will be abandoned. They’ve put a lot of hours into the project and are very proud of the reliability improvement’s they’ve made over the M4 design. So, the carbine will likely end up for sale on the commercial LE/Gov market, though they’ve offered no timeline for its availability.

S&W has made some improvements to their M4 platform, namely adding a tougher surface finish, an improved bolt lug design, tougher bolt and bolt carrier group finish, a newly designed muzzle, as well as a few other upgrades that they aren’t ready to talk about, yet.

Of note, though, is the bolt carrier assembly. Smith & Wesson is competing it in the Army’s contract for an improved bolt carrier assembly kit.

buglerbilly

16-10-11, 03:18 PM

AAC’s MPW “Honey Badger” don’t care…

AAC MPW Honey Badger, seen at AUSA Expo in Washington, DC Wednesday, October 12, 2011.

Advanced Armament Corp. debuted this little honey at AUSA. It’s a low vis carbine designed to bring the potency and range of the 300 BLK round into the workspace of the 9mm H&K MP5 and MP7. Those sub-machine guns run pretty quiet, but using a can AAC optimized for this platform, the Honey Badger (AACs internal nickname for the nasty little thing), hits 125db, dry. Not bad for a full power cartridge in a gun that has more can than barrel. There is a second version of the Multi-Purpose Weapon with a longer handguard that covers the can. A fine assaulter’s weapon, the longer handguard offers more real estate up front for lights, lasers and the like.

The MPW runs an AR style lower and takes all standard AR mags. The buffer system was shortened and the lower modified to accept the custom, adjustable stock. At the moment there are only six of these guns in existence and judging from the appearance of #000006 they are all running hard to prove their place on the battlefield.

buglerbilly

19-10-11, 01:17 PM

Via the Firearm blog............

Izhmash subsidiary Molot to manufacturer Russian AR-15 rifle!

In a Russian AK manufacturer Molot, who are a subsidiary of AK-74/AK-1xx maker Izhmash and who make the VEPR AK-style rifles, announced at the Moscow ARMS & Hunting '11 expo that they would be producing an AR-15 style rifle called the HPE-140 (впо-140). The rifle is in a M4 configuration and includes a quad rail, ergonomic pistol grip and muzzle brake. It weighs ~7 lbs.

I never thought I would see the day that a subsidiary of Izhmash would produce an AR-15. It is a pity Eugene Stoner did not live to the worldwide popularity of his invention.

[ Many thanks to Russian Surt for emailing me the photos. ]

buglerbilly

26-10-11, 12:26 PM

Via the Firearm blog............

Beretta ARX160 in Desert Tan

The Beretta is now producing ARX160 carbines in a Tan / Flat Dark Earth color. The light-brown colored rails and backup iron sights are a very nice touch.

Photo © Starik

[ Many thanks to Starik for the photos. ]

buglerbilly

01-11-11, 01:29 AM

This is what used to be/still is called a PDW, Personal Defence Weapon, now called an Assault Pistol Rifle! I'll stick with PDW thanx..............:thebird

You could always call it an NFP, Nasty Fuckin Pistol, I suppose.........:eek3

Silver Shadow Unveils a Production Ready Version of Gilboa Assault Pistol Rifle (APR)

tamir_eshelOctober 31, 2011 20:520

In our coverage of last year’s event we unveiled the new Gilboa Assault Pistol Rifle (APR). This year, Silver Shadow is displaying a Production ready model APR, an ultra compact weapon designed specifically for close quarter combat, VIP protection and special forces and commanders; the APR will also offer an excellent survival weapon for helicopter aircrews, offering improved range, accuracy and lethality, compared to pistols.

Amos Golan, Silver Shadow CEO demonstrate the lightweight and compact Gilboa APR. Photo: Tamir Eshel, Defense Update

The overall length of the Gilboa APR is 398mm, (15.6″) and its loaded weight is 2.820 kg (including a full 30 round magazine). The chrome lined barrel is 165mm (6.5″) in length, firing 5.56×45 (M-855/SS-109) rounds. The handgun comes with four Mil-STD 1913 Accessory Rails (Picatiny) providing attachment options for a wide range of accessories.

The new patented design incorporates a combined gas and recoil spring actuating system integrated in the weapon’s body, a feature enabling the designers to optimize the foldable stock in terms of weight and ergonomics, allowing the shooter to employ the weapon in shoulder firing position. In fact, the APR remains fully operational with the stock completely detached. Compared to Bullpup designs the APR is claimed to offer lighter, smaller and safer performance, as the chamber position is maintained as far as possible from the shooter, contributing to safer operation. Other ergonomic elements include a pistol grip that comes with built-in storage compartment.

The overall length of the Gilboa APR is 398 mm (15.6") with 165mm (6.5") barrel. The loaded weight is 2.82 kg (including a full 30 round magazine). The Gilboa APR comes with four Mil-STD 1913 Accessory Rails (Picatiny) providing attachment options for a wide range of accessories. Photo: Tamir Eshel, Defense-Update

buglerbilly

01-11-11, 10:19 AM

Via the Firearm blog.................

Photos of the new Remington ACR

I first wrote about the magnesium Remington ACR way back in March 2010, but only last month did I see a photo of it. Thomas emailed in photos he took of it at Milipol. It is, in my opinion, a beautiful gun.

[ Many thanks to Thomas for emailing in the photos. Photos © Thomas ]

buglerbilly

02-11-11, 05:16 PM

Smith & Wesson Introduces the M&P15 300 Whisper

07:28 GMT, November 2, 2011 SPRINGFIELD, Mass. | Smith & Wesson Corp. announced that the Company has added a new extension to its Military & Police (M&P) Rifle Series with the introduction of the M&P15 chambered in .300 Whisper. As the first production rifle in the AR platform to be chambered in .300 Whisper (also chambers .300 AAC Blackout), the new rifle offers sub-sonic and supersonic capabilities while delivering consistent performance and accuracy.

Manufactured on the M&P15 platform, the semi-automatic rifle features a 16” barrel constructed from 4140 chrome-moly steel. Both the forged 7075 aluminum upper and lower receivers have been coated with a Realtree APG finish for optimal concealment during hunting applications. To aide in precise shot placement, the gas-operated rifle benefits from a 1 in 7.5” twist, 5R rifling and a crisp single-stage trigger. Other standard features include a 10-round magazine, integral one-piece trigger guard, dust cover, forward assist and a six-position, collapsible CAR stock.

“As the popularity of the modern sporting rifle continues to grow, more hunters are seeing the advantages of taking these firearms into the field,” said Mario Pasantes, Senior Vice President of Marketing and Global Professional Sales. “The M&P15 300 Whisper gives consumers the ability to use either lightweight or heavy cartridges during hunting or recreational applications without changing rifles or barrels.”

Designed to operate with or without a sound suppressor, the M&P15 300 Whisper is equipped with a 5/8-24 threaded barrel along with an A2-style flash hider. The feed ramps and gas system have been optimized to run effectively with a full-range of factory loaded sub-sonic and supersonic ammunition, both suppressed and unsuppressed. The barrel’s twist rate is compatible with a wide variety of bullet weights from 110 to 220+ grains.

For enhanced reliability, the M&P15 300 Whisper features a chrome-lined gas key and bolt carrier along with a Melonite® barrel. The optics ready platform is compatible with most sighting systems through the use of the picatinny-style equipment rail located on top of the upper receiver.

Pasantes continued, “With the introduction of the M&P15 300 Whisper, Smith & Wesson now offers over 18 different configurations of the modern sporting rifle. Each of these rifles has been engineered from the ground up to meet not only our expectations but those set by our customers. Offering exceptional accuracy, limited recoil and the ability to customize the rifle to meet individual preferences, firearms such as the M&P Rifle Series have earned a high level of trust within the hunting and shooting sports community.”

The M&P15 300 Whisper will also be available with a black tactical upper featuring a 10” free-float quad rail and a Yankee Hill Phantom flash hider. The upper is compatible with any mil-spec AR lower.

buglerbilly

04-11-11, 12:26 PM

Via Soldier Systems blog............

ARES-16 from ARES Defense

November 4th, 2011

ARES Defense walked us through their ARES-16 family of small arms. It is 5.56mm and incorporates a Gas-Piston, Short Stroke Tappet operating system. Actually, to configure the various weapons, the ARES-16 relies on different upper and lower receivers. These combinations allow the user to configure the weapon as:

-Sub-Carbine
-Carbine
-Assault Rifle
-Designated Marksman Rifle
-Magazine-Fed Assault Machine Gun
-Belt-Fed Assault Machine Gun
-Dual-Feed Assault Machine Gun
-Belt-Fed Mounted Light Machine Gun

For me, the most interesting configuration was the Dual-Feed (AMG-3). It allows the weapon to be fed by a SAW drum or a magazine. Notice in the photo below that the soft ammo pack sits lower than on the dedicated Belt-Fed gun (AMG-2). Interestingly, the machine gun configurations utilize an upper with non-reciprocating left side charging handle that lies along the top left edge of the upper. You can also see that this upper has a feed tray cover like a traditional belt-fed design.

Available as full weapons or upgrade kits for existing M16/M4 weapons.

www.aresdefense.com

buglerbilly

07-11-11, 02:45 PM

Via the Firearm blog.................

Brazilian IMBEL IA2 Photo

There are not a lot of photos of Brazil's new service on the internet, so I was pleased when a reader emailed me a photo in a photo of the IMBEL IA2. The rifle is based on the FN FAL, but uses a rotating bolt rather than a tilting bolt. It looks like they have modified the stock slightly since I last blogged about the gun.

[ Many thanks to Marcelo for emailing me the link. ]

buglerbilly

09-11-11, 02:13 AM

New images of the Gilbao PDW..............I'll still call them PDW's and not APR's, Assault Pistol Rifles...........

buglerbilly

14-11-11, 10:27 AM

One last bit on the GILBAO...........via the Firearm blog................

Silver Shadow Gilboa APR (Assault Pistol Rifle)

DoubleTapper has reviewed a very nifty Israeli-made PDW-style AR-15 called the Silver Shadow Gilboa APR (Assault Pistol Rifle). This small gun has a forward bolt return spring, eliminating the need for a buffer tube and thus reducing its size.

Uploaded by yoavdotan22 on Nov 13, 2011

More info at: http://www.zahal.org/
The Gilboa™ line was specifically developed to provide a superior modern assault rifle. The Gilboa upper and lower receivers are fully machined from aircraft grade aluminum (7075) and hard anodized, resulting in a stronger weapon with no dimensional inconsistencies. Both structural strength and reliability have been improved by the redesigning of the proven platform. The Gilboa™ is manufactured using state of the art processes ensuring quality and dependability under the most extreme conditions. All Gilboa rifles are supplied with a military grade 1:7 chrome lined barrel unless otherwise requested. Gilboa rifles are typically manufactured in 5.56 NATO. Additional available calibers: 7.62x51, 7.62x39 and 9mm.

Silver Shadow Gilboa APR: Small enough for a briefcase

buglerbilly

18-11-11, 10:04 AM

Via the Firearm blog................

SIG 516 in .300 BLK Coming 2012

An industry insider has confirmed that next year SIG will begin manufacturing SIG516 rifles chambered in .300 AAC BLK.

These rifles will probably be introduced at SHOT Show. The more rifles running this cartridge the better

buglerbilly

22-11-11, 09:18 AM

Via the Firearm blog................

Del-Ton DTI TRX16 Rifle

The new Del-Ton DTI TRX16 packs a lot of features into a package with an MSRP of $1250.

- 7075 T6 Aluminum hard coat, anodized MIL-SPEC upper and lower receivers
- Troy Battle Ax buttstock of reinforced fiber and Troy 13” Extreme Hand Guard
- 1X9 twist chrome-moly vanadium barrel has a threaded muzzle and mid-length gas system
- Chambered in 5.56 X 45 mm with a chrome-lined chamber and bore
- Troy Industries low profile gas block and A2 flash hider
- Troy DOA/STD rear folding and M4/HK front folding sights
- Phosphated 8620 steel carrier assembly with HPT/MPI tested Carpenter 158 bolt
- Chrome lined carrier interior

It is available with a black or Flat Dark Earth finish.

buglerbilly

25-11-11, 11:18 AM

Via the Firearm blog...........

The Future of the Bushmaster / Remington ACR

There has been a lot of speculation about the future of the Bushmaster / Remington ACR. The rifle has not been selling well, but neither have any other non-AR-15 semi-automatic rifles. A company that supplies parts to many rifle manufactures told me today that about 70% of their business is now supplying AR-15 components. Non-AR-15 rifles are simply not selling.

Some have suggested Magpul now has the capital to start manufacturing their owns firearms.

The rights to the ACR design revert back to Magpul only if Rem/Bushmaster do not meet a minimum sales requirement. The minimum number of rifles they are required to sell is low and, I am told, they will easily meet the target. In the unlikely event Remington thought they could not meet the target, they would simply lower the price in order to increase sales.

Remington has invested a lot into the ACR. They took Magpul's prototype and turned it into a production gun. Their latest military model will be entered into the Army's carbine competition. If the ACR wins and becomes the next Army carbine the company will have a guaranteed revenue stream for the next 20 years. Consumers, LEO enforcement and foreign-militaries would all want to own the same gun used by the troops. I suspect the Freedom Group would then resume efforts to go public.

Magpul has designed a few firearms and has a powerful brand. If they wanted to, they could easily sell firearms. On the other hand, why would they produce low-margin firearms when they are selling high-margin accessories. My prediction is that they will instead start producing more and more high-end aluminum and steel rails, mounts and accessories.

ADMk2

26-11-11, 06:23 PM

Funnily enough I was looking at one of these just the other day. Our Tactical Drug crop teams use Bushmaster ACR's in 5.56mm and they are thinking about replacing our some our special unit's M4's and the traditional "station rifle" Mini-14's with these...

From all reports they are a nice weapon to shoot, very accurate, reliable and low maintenance (important for police)...

buglerbilly

27-11-11, 12:55 AM

It was HUGE ask to think they were going to make major in-roads into the M-4/M-16 market without succeeding in getting one of the Military and SpecFor, in particular, programmes just ask H&K. They thought they'd won the replacement of ALL U.S.Army and potentially all USMC rifles with the G36 but that quickly got suppressed and rifle system roundly trashed but morons most of whom had never even fired the damn thing!

The interesting thing is what Bushmaster does from now? Remington is easily selling the agreed-upon minimum amounts to meet their deal and agreement with Bushmaster so there is no default of contract to consider, and I suspect Remington are happy to sell to the Civvie/LEO market and occasionally punt at one or two Military programmes to maintain their/the rifle's "visibility".......

S&W appear to have decided the same with their new 5.56mm assault rifle if recent reports are to be believed.

Mind you there are some brilliant assualt rifles around at the moment for both Mil and Civ use, you could almost get spoilt for choice. Personally, I still prefer bullpups and think the Israeli TAVOR is the shits............for LEO use, bulllpups are almost ideal but a short-barreled, standard rifle as much use as ranges tend to be short I would have thought?

Weasel

27-11-11, 06:18 AM

...and low maintenance (important for police)...

Yeh, only because you bring it out once every 6 months to keep your certification and then forget to clean it when you're finished for the day, :P

:rofl I kill me

cheers

w

ADMk2

27-11-11, 07:52 AM

Yeh, only because you bring it out once every 6 months to keep your certification and then forget to clean it when you're finished for the day, :P

:rofl I kill me

cheers

w

Don't laugh... The rifles are a bit different as only a handful are trained to use them in Qld anyway and as most of those are firearms instructors or attached to specialist units the attention needed for weapons is usually given them. The wider issue of pistols however is a completely different matter.

Most race home after their yearly live fire re-quals and more than likely haven't cleaned their weapon properly for years...

ADMk2

27-11-11, 07:59 AM

Mind you there are some brilliant assualt rifles around at the moment for both Mil and Civ use, you could almost get spoilt for choice. Personally, I still prefer bullpups and think the Israeli TAVOR is the shits............for LEO use, bulllpups are almost ideal but a short-barreled, standard rifle as much use as ranges tend to be short I would have thought?

I tend to agree, but I think Bullpups suffer a bit of an image issue. They are seen generally as less easy to accessorise and if you need a short weapon the MP5K is generally preferred anyway, so where is the real benefit I guess the argument goes?

In Australia the NCTC set the standards for which Tactical Teams must be equipped and as they also fund the teams, they generally get their way...

Hence the M4 and variants popularity and dominance in Australia amongst the tactical teams.

buglerbilly

28-11-11, 11:44 AM

Via the Firearm blog...........

Longziz #1: An Interesting Homemade Bullpup with AR-15 Lower Receiver

Longziz purchased his first AR-15 when he was studying in the USA and it inspired him to design his own rifle. A few years later, now studying in Germany, he has unveiled his patent-pending design which he named the Longziz #1.

The rifle is fully ambidextrous. It uses AR-15 lower receiver and trigger group internally. The AR-15 trigger group is connected by a trigger linkage to the forward bullpup trigger (he admits the trigger, like most bullpups, has an awful feel to it).

Uploaded by aerostar4566630 on Nov 25, 2011
Realizing the dream, paving the way for the future

The triangular Longziz #1 bolt carrier next to an AR-15 carrier.

The AR-15 lower inside the Longziz lower.

Using an AR-15 lower receiver internally is genius. It means he could sell the rifle as a kit (minus the AR-15 lower) without having to be licensed with the BATFE.

[ Many thanks to Jonathan for emailing me the link. ]

buglerbilly

29-11-11, 12:41 PM

Via the Firearm blog..............

Kel-Tec SU-16 may soon be available in .300 BLK

Sells for $500-600 for the basic model which is 1/2 - 1/4 of the price of high end rifles. Semi-auto only BUT collapses down in some models to a very small package........has the potential for a good/great survival rifle?

An industry insider told me that Kel-Tec has a working SU-16 prototype in .300 AAC BLK and they are likely to bring it into production. The first models will likely be the SU-16C and SU-16CA and will cost $50 - $70 more than the current 5.56mm variants.

SU-16C (5.56mm model)

The first non-AR-15 production firearm to be chambered in .300 BLK was the Remington Seven. This may be the second.

buglerbilly

29-11-11, 04:10 PM

Via the Firearm blog...........

AK-12 : The 5th Generation AK 7.62mm, 5.56mm and 5.45mm Rifle

The next-generation AK rifle, formally referred to as the AK-200, has been named the AK-12. Its name refers to 2012, the year it will go into production. Izhmash is referring to it as the fifth generation Kalashnikov rifle1 .

President Dmitry Medvedev with an early AK-12 prototype

The controls have been modified so that they are more ergonomic and can be operated by an injured solider with only one available hand. Rails have been added to make the gun compatible with modern accessories.

The AK-12 will be made available chambered in 5.45mm, 5.56mm NATO, 7.62x39mm and a new not yet named caliber. It is possible that this new caliber is the 6.5mm Grendel. Wolf Ammunition recently said they were in talks with Izhmash to produce Saiga rifles chambered in 6.5mm.

The company had said that the gas and piston system remains unchanged from the earlier AK models, but it is not clear if they are going to use the older AK-74 gas system or the newer improved AK-108 "balanced recoil" system. The AK-12 will be available in a range of sizes, including a short barreled model for Special Forces.

AK-12 Prototype.

The AK-12 will be officially unveiled in the near future.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1.
The first generation being the AK-47 followed by the AK-74, AK-74M, AK-1xx and now the AK-12

buglerbilly

05-12-11, 10:40 AM

Via the Firearm blog.............

New Russian TsKIB ASh-12 .50 Cal (12.7x55mm) Bullpup Rifle

TsKIB SOO, a subsidiary of KBP (Instrument Design Bureau), have developed a new bullpup rifle called the ASh-12. It is chambered in a new family of 12.7x55mm cartridges they developed for the rifle.

The ASh-12 Rifle

The 12.7x55mm is a thumper of a cartridge. It is similar in size, and probably power, to the .50 Beowulf. To help mitigate recoil, the ASh-12 is fitted with a large two-baffle muzzle brake. The 12.7x55mm assault rifle cartridge is based on the 12.7x55mm subsonic rifle cartridge (similar to the .500 Whisper). I do not believe an assault rifle chambered in 12.7x55mm would be able to chamber the much longer 12.7x55mm suppressed rifle cartridge. TsKIB SOO have developed a FMJ, soft-point, lead and armour piercing loads for the 12.7x55mm assault rifle cartridge.

12.7x55mm assault rifle (left), 12.7x55mm sniper (middle)

The ASh-12 Rifle with suppressor and grenade launcher (background), interesting tacti-cool revolver (foreground)

The ASh-12 is not the first bullpup from TsKIB SOO. In the mid-90s they developed the A91 assault rifle and in the early 00s, the A91M.

[ Many thanks to T.G. for emailing us the link. ]

buglerbilly

14-12-11, 12:39 PM

Via the Firearm blog..............

Colt Modular Convertible Carbine SP901 Pricing

From the looks of it you'd have to say it has the makings of a Designated Marksman Rifle, at least, potentially......

Pricing for the new Colt SP901 Modular Convertible Carbine has been reported in forums. The MSRP will be $2,129.00, which is not a bad price for a high-end .308 AR-style carbine. The SP901's distinguishing feature is that it's fully ambidextrous lower receiver can be used with standard AR-15 mil-spec upper relievers.

The naming of this rifle is confusing. Stamped on the rifle is "Colt Convertible Carbine", but the marketing folk have been referring to it as the "Colt Modular Carbine".

Specifications

Caliber - .308 Win (7.62x51 NATO)

Capacity - 20 rounds

Finish - Matte Black

Barrel - 16.1" Heavy Full Floated

Twist - 4 Grooves, 1-12" RH Twist

Overall Length - 34.24" - 37.5"

Weight - 9.4 lbs

Sights - Flip-Up Adjustable

Other Features - Ambidextrous Controls

MSRP (Price) - Not yet announced, reported as $2,129.00.

Availability - 2012

buglerbilly

19-01-12, 07:46 AM

This is not a serious Assault Rifle but a very nice replica in a very cheap round/calibre.........I know a number of Reenactors in the USA and Canada that are waiting for this with eagerness......looks pretty good too! What the Amish are doing making crates for it is another wholely different question?!! Via the Fierarm blog............

GSG Stg44 rifle

Last year American Tactical Imports announced they were importing the German Sport Guns Stg 44 patterned .22 rifle. ATI now has ATF approval and it will go on sale shortly.

The rifle will be shipped in a wooden crate. The crate is handmade by a Amish community in New York state.

Its MSRP is $599.

buglerbilly

25-01-12, 03:24 AM

Via the Firearm blog......

AAC now offering complete 300BLK rifles

Advanced Armament Corp is now offering complete 300BLK factory SBRs (along with 16″ non-NFA configurations as well). This includes the popular 9″ model using the 8″ URXIII from Knights Armament. The 9″ 300BLK gun will retail for 1599.00, and includes a Magpul MOE+ grip, CTR, and Geissele SSA trigger. These are factory registered SBRs (requiring a 200 dollar tax stamp), avoiding the need to SBR another AR15 lower. Add the matching SDN-6 suppressor and you have one of the smallest PDW style platforms out there.

A .300 BLK round did serious damage to a block of ballistic gel at the Big Bang shoot.

buglerbilly

26-01-12, 02:19 AM

Via the Firearm blog.........

Kalashnikov AK-12 Unveiled

Izhmash has officially unveiled the final production model of the AK-12 Assault Rifle. According to Max Popenker there will be two models, a Light model (5.45x39mm, 5.56x45mm and 7.62x39mm) that accepts all magazines that work with existing AK rifles, as well as a new 60 round quad stack magazine, and a Heavy (7.62x51mm) model that will use a new magazine.

The rifle's major new features are ...

Ambidextrous forward charging handle.
Smaller ejection port.
New safety switch.
New fire control switch with three modes of fire (single shot, 3 round burst and full auto).
New hinged top cover. The cover is a lot more rigid that the previous AK rifles.
Quad picatinny rails.
Folding and length adjustable stock.
Ergonomic pistol grip (with a decent radius between trigger guard and grip).
New muzzle brake that attaches to standard NATO 22mm threading.
Improved barrel rifling.

Whilst it is not pretty, ion fact it is downright ugly, it possess all the features of the latest western assault rifles.

Uploaded by FirearmBlog on Jan 25, 2012
General Mikhail Kalashnikov is shown the latest version of the AK rifle.
http://tvzvezda.ru/news/forces/content/201201241639-hebd.htm

[ Many thanks to Russian Surt & Max Popenker for providing information. ]