SADW is a monthly electronic publication from Nick Steadman Features. Nick, intrepid world traveling reporter for much of the arms industry, files this 40,000 to 50,000 word report once a month to his loyal subscribers. Those lucky ones pay a mere $50 (US) £32.50 (UK) per year for the privilege of getting the hot tips and insights from one of the industry’s insiders. Nick’s unique perspective is globally based, as is his wit. Each issue is full of insight and information for those with an interest in Small Arms, as well as his observations on world travel.

NEW WEAPONS & EQUIPMENT

DENEL BOLT-ACTION RIFLES

Now that the US/South African arms import/export spat is finally resolved, expect to see initial batches of Denel-manufactured Musgrave-style bolt-action sporting rifles appearing in the U.S.A. We’re told the barrels are particularly good.

H-S PRECISION M700 REM DETACHABLE MAGAZINES & NEW PISTOLS:

H-S Precision in South Dakota has finally introduced its long-awaited detachable magazine and trigger guard housing for Remington M700 rifles. The units are all-stainless and come in four-round short-action (.308” etc) and three-round long-action (Magnum case) versions. Retail price is $145. The company has also launched two Pro-Series 2000P single-shot bolt-action pistols, in Varmint (wide forearm) and Silhouette variants, both based on an H-S Precision stainless receiver, 15” fluted stainless H-S barrel, titanium firing pin and a composite H-S stock (also available separately) which retains the company’s integral bedding bar system employed in the US army’s M24 sniper rifle and Remington M700 Police & Varmint Synthetic rifles. Barrels & receivers are both Teflon coated.

Calibres are .17 Rem, 6mm PPC, .223, .35 Rem, .308, 7mm-08 and 7mm BR. Pistol price is $1,250 (stocks only $245). Tel +1(605) 341-3006, Fax +1(605) 342-8964)

FEDERAL AMMO INTRODUCTIONS

New 1998 ammunition lines from Federal Cartridge include:-
— reduced-recoil 12g & 20g Personal Defense shotgun cartridges (2.75”) with No 2 pellet load.
— reduced-recoil 12g (2.75”) Tactical 000 eight-ball copper-plated buckshot (1,140fps)
— reduced-recoil Tactical 12g (2.75”) Hydra-Shok one-ounce Slug (1,300fps) (also offered on civil market as the Premium low-recoil slug load)
— Premium Tungsten Iron No 4 shot 12g turkey loading (3”) (1,300fps). 1 3/8 ounce
— new Premium Barnes Expander Sabot Slug loads in 12g (2.75”) – slug is copper-plated HP, one ounce. Designed for rifled tubes. MV 1,450fps. Groups to 2.5” at 100 yds
— .223/5.56mm BallistiClean loads with non-toxic priming & lead-free zinc-core bullets. 40gr soft-point & stranded core versions offered, both suitable for police (& military!) training

.22RF KIT for SIG-SAUER P226

Deutsches Waffen-Journal (DWJ) profiled a prototype model of a new .22 rimfire training conversion kit for the 9mm SIG-Sauer P226 pistol and its German police P6 variant, developed by Schuetzenbedarf & Waffen in Offenbach, Germany. Projected price is DM 1,165. The kit comprises a new blowback Lothar Walther barrel, slide, recoil spring and 10-shot magazine, though our German sources said (at mid-Jan 98) the magazines were not yet available in production quantities. The front underlug of the slide forms part of the barrel in this kit, clearly a measure to boost felt recoil effects. IWM’s tester reported malfunction-free performance in all circumstances, except with some very weakly-loaded indoor practice cartridges (Zimmerpatronen), and recoil with high-velocity .22LR ammunition was not dissimilar to that of 9x19mm. 25 metre rested groups were under 50mm.

(Schuetzenbedarf & Waffen (Oliver Pfeiffer), Siemensstrasse 9, 63071 Offenbach, Germany)

.222 SSS RIMFIRE SYSTEM (MEXICO)

Industrias Tecnos in Mexico, producers of Aguila ammunition, have developed a new .222 SSS rimfire cartridge. One application (there may well be more) is for sniping out to 200 metres. The cartridge comprises a .22 Short case loaded with a long 60gr unplated solid lead roundnose bullet (not hollow-pointed) which brings the overall length of the round to that of the .22 Long Rifle. For sniping, the new round is intended for use in a suppressed .22 precision rifle with 30mm diameter 8x56mm scope. The .22 SSS will apparently penetrate 10-12” of pine wood at 200 metres.

This is not the first time we have seen suppressed .22 rimfire rifles proposed for short-range sniping, though they would not be most people’s first choice. Selection of a 60gr bullet is presumably a device to gain the maximum downrange energy within the limitations of subsonic operation. We guess a high-energy propellant is used to get the necessary results from the diminutive .22 Short case.

BARRETT LIGHTWEIGHT .50 MACHINE GUN

Having toyed with this idea for some years, Ronnie Barrett of Barrett Firearms has finally confirmed it is his aim to start cutting metal on a new lightweight, belt-fed .50 machine gun design of his own, weighing about 35 pounds, by Christmas 1998.

CZECH-MADE M6 SCOUT RIFLE

In West Virginia we briefly examined one of the Springfield Armory M6 Scout rifles nowadays made for the US supplier by CZ Strakonice in the Czech Republic. These are reportedly rather hard to come by just now. The M6 is a rather agricultural-looking weapon, a break-barrel, over & under design with (in our case) the upper barrel in .22 Hornet calibre and the lower in .410 shot. A .22LR/.410 version also exists. Upper or lower barrels are selected by respectively pulling out or retracting a round-headed catch above the external hammer. Spare ammunition is stored under a soft plastic cover in the buttstock. Sights comprise a rear aperture and a blade foresight. The trigger is a horizontal bar underneath the small of the butt, and trigger pull is pretty bad, but recoil is modest, bearing in mind the minimal weight of the gun. The M6 was not tested for accuracy, mainly since it was pitch black outside at the time!

Overall, despite its appearance, the M6 is clearly a useful tool for its intended purpose, and works well. It would be a valuable item to have in the emergency kit of any vehicle, boat or plane. Our hosts had removed the trigger guard on this Scout to allow the gun to be folded to a more compact package, as earlier versions could be. However, the long trigger bar is then in such an exposed position that should the external hammer be cocked before closing the gun there is a chance it could be fired when gripping the butt to close the action. We therefore caution at all times against cocking this weapon until the breech is firmly closed.

CHINESE LIGHTWEIGHT 12.7mm MACHINE GUN

Details have been received regarding the Chinese QJZ89 12.7mm machine gun, which is the result of a lightening exercise apparently earlier applied also to the Chinese Type 77 & Type 85 guns in the same calibre. This QJZ89, a short recoil design, is equipped as standard with day and low light (night vision) optical sights and customarily fires AP and APIT ammunition. New ammunition natures include AP-Fragmentation and saboted AP. Total weight of the system is 26.5kg, which is claimed to be 47% lighter than the Type 77 gun and 27% lighter than the Type 85. It is primarily a ground-to-ground weapon but is also intended for use against helicopters.

SILVA’s FIGHTING KITE

Soldier magazine reveals that military compass suppliers Silva (UK) Ltd have come up with a new survival gizmo – the 2 square metre Skystreme inflatable kite, made from metallised fabric which is radar-reflective. It can also be illuminated using a Cyalume Light Stick, and comes with a 50m cord. When not required in its primary role, the kite can be worn as a thermal vest or inflated to act as a splint. It compresses into a pocket-sized package when not in use. All in all, it sounds as if Silva has come up with a winner here. But perhaps they should have made it edible too? Silva (UK) Ltd, Tel (01784) 471721. US Distributor is BE Meyers (1-800-327-5648). Manufacturer is Skystreme – http://www/skystreme.uk.net/

INDUSTRY & FOREIGN NEWS

UK LARGE-CALIBRE RIFLE TRIALS MOVE TO AUSTRALIA

Soldier magazine in the UK carried an item about the British army trials of .338 and .50 Browning weapons in pursuance of the UK’s Long-Range Large Calibre Rifle (LRLCR) programme. It showed the .338 and (for the first time) .50 rifles from Accuracy International, the .50 PGM Hecate II from France and the .50 Barrett M82A1 semi-automatic, all in snow and temperatures of -30 degs Celsius during Alaskan trials, courtesy of the US army’s Cold Region Test Center.

The report said the weapons (which strike us as a very limited selection) had already been tested in Kuwait, Brunei and the UK; they would now be going to Australia for final trials. We assume these are all locations to which RAF transports already fly at no extra cost. Likely role for the LRLCR, destined to equip the UK’s Joint Rapid Deployment Force, was described as ‘defensive’ – it was most likely to be used in circumstances where indiscriminate fire was out of the question……which sounds like a roundabout definition of a long-range countersniper weapon.

Clearly, since the army already uses smaller-calibre Accuracy International sniper rifles, there will be a product-loyalty thing going in respect of that producer’s new .50, though if rapid repeat-fire capability is required, the Barrett semi-auto would seem the only answer. But for pure portability the Barrett M95 bullpup would be even better.

BOZ .224 UPDATE

Further to our initial report on Civil Defence Supply’s BOZ .224 cartridge, based on a 10mm case necked down to 5.56mm, we understand that the company’s supply of Carl Gustaf 5.56mm AP bullets is now assured, so CDS will not need to produce its own. The Glock pistol is no longer being pursued as a host for this cartridge, because of difficulties ensuring satisfactory functioning, even with a light alloy slide. The recoil spring also has to be weakened, plus the striker spring, and this produces unreliable ignition. Instead, CDS is going for what it describes as a wide-frame M1911-style pistol frame allied with a linkless camming barrel and SIG-style lockup at the ejection cutout. Jungle wisdom actually suggests the name Tanfoglio. This pistol will be hammer-fired, with DA/SA trigger and decocker. Prototypes are now being made.

Fast rifle powder is still being used in the BOZ round; this provides the precise firing characteristics CDS is after, and faster-burning (pistol) powders would generate excessive backthrust. As at end-Jan 98, Heckler & Koch had yet to provide MP5/10 SMGs for BOZ conversion, but Bar-Sto in the USA will be making the .224 barrels. The testbed weapon for the BOZ conversion of the Colt Commando/SMG has already been seen – it has a gas block relocated nearer the breech plus a new magazine. Both the new pistols and the SMGs are also still to be chambered for .40 S&W. And CDS is still tinkering with a .40-based BOZ cartridge which would have wide applicability, but this is clearly a second priority.

DUAL STANDARDS

UK Prime Minister Blair is convinced of the efficacy of the UK handgun ban in making the nation a safer place. Or is he? An item in the Police Guardian reportedly states that a special team of 28 armed police bodyguards, issued with all the latest weaponry and day/night sighting systems, has been formed to protect Blair plus his home back in his Durham constituency 24 hours a day. By our reckoning that’s a whole platoon in army terms. The guy must be really popular.

BROLIN ACQUIRES MITCHELL ARMS ASSETS

In answer to the frequent question at the 1988 SHOT Show “Where is Mitchell Arms?”, New Gun Week says that Brolin Arms acquired the Mitchell Arms assets and is to offer Mitchell products itself, with Don Mitchell acting as a consultant.

UK MINE DISPOSAL TO BE ACCELERATED

At the end of Jan 98 the UK Defence Secretary announced an accelerated programme to destroy British stocks of one million anti-personnel mines, which will leave the UK forces with just 4,000 samples, to be used in EOD training. The minister, George Robertson said (and note our italics):

“Getting rid of these evil weapons is one of our main priorities. The Convention allows us four years to destroy them, but I am determined to show our commitment by reaching the target in less than half that time; two years from now. Our action today demonstrates how the UK has set its face against the use of these evil weapons which continue to cause suffering and distress to thousands of people around the world.”

Funny how what were formerly regarded as essential components of the army inventory are suddenly, in politico-speak ‘these evil weapons’, once there’s an international ban in place. Could it be a ‘holier than thou’ contest is upon us?

WHITE BOX 9MM MISFIRES

A professional trainer running shooting courses out West in the USA reports an unexpectedly high misfire quotient with current Federal ‘white box’ 9mm military ball ammunition used in Glock pistols, both new and well-used weapons.

UK SUPPORT WEAPON REQUIREMENT ANNOUNCED

The UK MOD has formally announced its requirement for replacement or enhancement of its 7.62mm NATO GPMG inventory in the Sustained Fire (SF) role, and is now seeking expressions of interest’ from industry by no later than 11 Mar 98. As we have reported before, the MOD is presently looking at MMGs, HMGs, lightweight cannon and automatic grenade launchers, but also welcomes additional ideas. It will require mounts, sights, ammunition and tools with any purchase. Something like 1,000 weapons are planned, to be in service by 2004.

(Contact Contracts Branch CB/ELWS2c, Tel (0117) 913-1375)

AUSTRIAN ARMY TO SHRINK BY 50%

Jane’s News Briefs noted that the coalition partners in the Austrian government had agreed that by the year 2000 the size of the Austrian army would be halved. Presumably this will throw up sizeable surpluses of AUGs.

THE FULL ULSTER TOLL

Gleaned from the Royal Ulster Constabulary statistics for deaths & injuries stemming from ‘The Troubles’, 1969-97

Killed – 3,234 (including 654 Army/UDR/RIR* and 2,279 civilians)
Injured – 40,652 (including 5,983 Army/UDR/RIR* and 26,144 civilians) (from 1968)
Shootings – 35,458
Bombs exploded or defuzed – 15,003
Armed robberies – 20,199 (from 1971 only)
Persons charged with terrorist offences – 17,802 (from mid-1972 only)
Firearms recovered – 11,395
Explosives recovered (kg) – 114,544
(Road deaths 1969-97) – 6,658
(Road injuries 1969-97) – 263,153

*(nb: UDR/RIR – Ulster Defence Regiment/Royal Irish Regiment)

The figures may help demonstrate to non-UK readers why Britain tends to look at the terrorist question in a rather different light from the rest of Europe – and particularly the USA – where those few domestic attacks that do occur are taken as a national affront and generate major public panic. However, the Ulster traffic accident data does help put even The Troubles in perspective.

30mm AGS-17 BARRETT ADAPTATION

Ronnie Barrett mentioned recently that he had in the past considered adapting his .50 M82A1 semi-automatic rifle, or something very similar, to fire the Russian 30mm AGS-17 grenade-launcher cartridge, but had not proceeded with the idea.

INDONESIAN INSTABILITY THREATENS AUSTRALIA

Asian Age ran an AFP report which said that Australian defence chiefs were considering changes to their regional strategy to take into account the possibility of Indonesia’s President Suharto being deposed in a popular uprising. Hitherto Indonesia had been seen by Australia, its closest neighbour, as a bastion of regional security, but the growing political unrest, levels of violence and the ongoing effects of the Asian financial crisis on the economy there could not be ignored.

EURO ARMS CURBS ATTACKED

Radio & press reports, including an AFP item run by The Asian Age, cited reactions to initial European Union discussions on the Anglo-French draft uniform code for approving arms exports. A key provision is the clause seeking to ensure that no EU country approves exports to a destination declined by another without first consulting the other state, but this is diluted by other terms which allow countries to do pretty much what they like in their own political or economic interests. Also, though the code seeks to deny arms exports to recipients who might use them for ‘internal repression’, there is another letout allowing sales of kit to protect security forces – a pretty wide definition.

Some human rights organisations would prefer there to be a presumption that goods will not be exported, with sellers having to make a persuasive case to prove why this presumption should be overridden, however this seems unlikely ever to fly. Press reports noted that the USA, unlike the UK, has since 1994 denied supplies of small arms and riot control equipment to Indonesia, and that loose European policies were at odds with US efforts to bolster controls.

M16s KILLED TURKISH GALIL DEAL?

Jane’s Foreign Report said that Israel lost the chance of selling the IMI Galil rifle to re-equip Turkish forces when visiting military staff from Turkey spotted that Israeli troops they met all still had US-made 5.56mm M16s.

THANKS FOR THE GUNS, BOSS

An AP item run by The Asian Age said that 243 prisoners at a jail in Honduras escaped, armed with stolen Kalashnikovs, after rioting and overpowering their guards. Sounds like a very good argument for not storing large quantities of firearms in prisons.

SINGLE 30mm GUN MOUNTING REPAIR CONTRACT

The UK MOD is to invite tenders for the repair of spares & sub-assemblies for the Single 30mm Gun Mounting. Dates still to be advised. Contact phone number (UK) is (0117) 913-9611.

FMS ON THE WANE

Defense News produced statistics to show that the US DoD’s Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme was shrinking steadily as more and more countries were resorting to direct purchasing instead.

CALCUTTA – POLICE WEAPONS UNSERVICEABLE

The Asian Age said that police in Calcutta have such a poor choice of weapons that they are vulnerable to terrorists active in this Indian city. The police were described as equipped largely with WW2 ‘muskets’, most of which are ‘beyond repair’ and a danger to the users. There are also a few rifles in each police station, plus Webley and S&W revolvers. Officers visit the range just once a year.

COLOMBIAN BODY ARMOUR BOOM

In a previous issue we highlighted the £8.6m set aside by Colombian politicos for 1998 to provide themselves with ballistic vests, armoured vehicles & bodyguards. Business Week has since profiled the ballistic protection business in Colombia, where violent deaths are running at 30,000 a year and there are thousands of kidnappings. One firm, Miguel Caballero Ltd, specialises in stylish armoured fashion clothing with concealed ballistic panels. It designs and armours all its own garments, which come complete with holsters, if required.

Caballero’s products are composite-armoured, using Kevlar & Twaron combined with Spectra to achieve weight savings of up to 50%. Prices range up to $1,000 for rifle-level protection. They also do minefield boots and apparently even had a query concerning armour to wear under a monk’s habit (is nothing sacred?). The company’s sales reportedly rose from $90,000 four years ago to $440,000 in 1996, and could hit $1m in 1997. Exports have boomed, with garments going to the USA, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Russia & South Korea.

FIRE FROM COVER WITH CLAWS

Jane’s Defence Weekly spotlighted the Compact Lightweight Armoured Weapon Station (CLAWS) developed by Kollmorgen and ordered by Turkey for trials on amphibious APCs. The system allows top-mounted weapons to be fired remotely via a CCTV monitor, with the operator remaining under cover. The report says CLAWS can be used to mount the .50 M2HB HMG, the 7.62mm NATO M60 GPMG, the 40mm Mk19 automatic grenade launcher and other weapons, including cannon. A photo was shown of a 40mm Mk19 with CLAWS on a Turkish APC. If required, the mount can also be stabilised independently of vehicle movement.

BULGARIANS MAKING DRAGUNOV

Our east bloc advisers tell us that Kazanlac Arsenal in Bulgaria is now making the Dragunov SVD sniper rifle, only in the original 7.62x54mm calibre.

NAGAS HAVE CATHOLIC SELECTION OF ARMS

A photo from India run by The Asian Age showed members of the Khaplang faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) forces toting an RPG, an AK, M16A1s, an M1 Carbine, an unidentified belt-fed GPMG plus an SMG bearing quite a close resemblance to the 9mm Uzi.

NO PISTOL TRAINING FOR MARINES

A letter in the US Navy Times from a USMC captain complained that Marines are not taught anything about the 9mm pistol either in boot camp or during combat training. He guesses this might have some bearing on the high incidence of negligent discharges, wounding and deaths from mishandling of pistols. We guess he’s probably right.

ASIAN SLUMP WILL HIT ARMS SUPPLIERS

The Observer reported that Western arms manufacturers were getting worried at the implications of the widespread Asian slump, which was already reflecting in cuts to defense budgets in Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines & Thailand. Clearly this is a major potential blow to those arms-producing countries who have been relentlessly pursuing Asian customers to make up for the Cold War ‘peace dividend’ and the reduction in Middle East business. Maybe they should have been equally attentive to their clients’ long-term ability to pay?

SOUTH AFRICAN NTW-20 FIRES 40mm GRENADES TOO

A simple single-shot conversion now allows the South African NTW-20 anti-materiel rifle to fire the 40x53mm high-velocity grenades used in the Mk19 automatic grenade launcher. Recoil is said to be similar to that of the 20x82mm cartridge round which the rifle was designed. The full list of calibres the NTW-20 can fire is now 20x82mm, 14.5x114mm, 12.7x99mm, 12.7x108mm and 40x53mm. The conversions reportedly take less than 30 seconds to effect.

NANKOU (CHINA) SHOOTING RANGE COMPLEX

Foreign press reports focussed on the various delights offered by the China North International Shooting Range, an ex-army facility an hour outside Peking. Here, during the last ten years, 80,000+ visitors – both Chinese and foreign – have been able to hire and fire weapons in all calibres from pistols, rifles (they have M16s too, as well as AKs) & SMGs through to GPMGs & heavy machine guns. Prices for using all but the ‘exotics’ are said to be very modest. Additional attractions include anti-aircraft and anti-armour launchers. The reports said there are plans to open a laser combat range and to allow visitors to fire weapons from armoured vehicles and aircraft. Whatever the Putonghua expression is for “Take Cover!”, we guess it’d be an idea to memorise it before going, once those trigger-happy turistas get airborne. You can just see the headlines now – ‘Salt Lake senior Wilbur (78) levels Forbidden City’.

USMC OFFICER ARGUES FOR RIFLE CHANGES

Writing in the Marine Corps Gazette, one Capt. Robert Gibbs argues that the time has come to consider some changes to the design of the combat rifle. Using the M16A2 as his case study, he singles out for criticism its iron aperture sights, mechanical trigger mechanism and overall dimensions.

Gibbs, listed as a competitive shooter and match coach, describes the aperture & post aiming procedure as ‘contrary to human nature’ and suggests optical devices such as the Aimpoint, Ultradot and the screen-based Bushnell Holosight would be preferable, the last having the added benefit of eliminating the tunnel vision aspect of squinting down a scope tube. As to triggers, Gibbs suggests an electronic triggering mechanism might be a way round the problem of poor trigger control, which he says is responsible for missed shots. To overcome potential electrical problems he considers there might still be a backup mechanical trigger.

Talking about weapon size, Gibbs says the M16 is excessively long, and points to the Steyr AUG bullpup as a better all-round solution. This apart, he suggests that novel rifling profiles and faster-burning powders could give better performance from shorter barrels even in conventionally configured rifles. Gibbs highlights the acceptance of a need for change already embodied in the ongoing CQB (compact) Weapon and Modular Weapon projects in the Marine Corps, both involving the addition of extra facilities for ‘bolt-on goodies’. He suggests that the simplest solution is for improved triggers and provision for optics to be absorbed into existing programmes such as these.

In fact, it would appear that most of Capt. Gibbs’ points are already being addressed. Flat-topped, short M4A1 carbines already exist with US SOCOM, designed specifically for use with scopes & reflex sights. As to triggers, we are not persuaded that electronics would make very much difference in combat shooting, where shots will inevitably be snatched anyway, and much firing is in short bursts, with ‘accuracy’ in bullseye-shooting terms a consideration well secondary to just hitting the target – with something.

M240Bs to 82nd AIRBORNE

Army magazine in the USA reported that the 7.62mm NATO M240B (a locally-made variant of the FN MAG 58 GPMG), which is the US army’s official replacement for the Saco M60, had been issued to infantry battalions (on a scale of 18 guns each) of the 82nd Airborne Div at Ft Bragg. The item said that whilst the complete M240B equipment with tripod weighed ten pounds more than the M60 with similar accessories, the M240B tripod has a recoil-absorbing gun mount and a universal sight rail. Barrel changes are also claimed to be easier.

As will be evident from the limited scale per battalion, the M240B is intended to be employed in what the UK calls the Sustained Fire role (US – Medium Machine Gun), i.e. as a true machine gun. US infantry squad automatic fire support requirements are the role of the 5.56mm Minimi (M249 SAW). The same source said that the 30mm M230 cannon already mounted on the Apache is to be fitted to some of the US army’s 160 Special Ops Aviation Regiment MH-60 Black Hawk helicopters. A new Black Hawk M230 mount has been developed by Picatinny Arsenal’s ARDEC research centre.

SADW is a monthly electronic publication from Nick Steadman Features. Nick, intrepid world traveling reporter for much of the arms industry, files this 40,000 to 50,000 word report once a month to his loyal subscribers. Those lucky ones pay a mere $50 (US) £32.50 (UK) per year for the privilege of getting the hot tips and insights from one of the industry’s insiders. Nick’s unique perspective is globally based, as is his wit. Each issue is full of insight and information for those with an interest in Small Arms, as well as his observations on world travel.

1. WEAPONS, EQUIPMENT, FUTURE SYSTEMS, TRAINING & RELATED NEWS

LEI OFFERS SUPPRESSORS FOR SPORTING RIFLES: Law Enforcement International (LEI) in the UK cut its teeth on making laser aiming pointers, suppressors and suppressed weapons for military & law enforcement users. Now it’s offering its muzzle suppressors on the sporting market. Eight basic sizes are available, comprising standard (32.5cm long) and compact (25cm) models in each of four calibre ranges; the .223 suppressor is suitable for .17 to .223 calibres, the .30 model for .243 to .308, the 9mm variant for 8-9.3mm and the .45 suppressor for .375 to .458 calibres. The compact .223 model is also suitable for .22 rimfire and air rifles. Weights are approx 730g for standard and 570g for the compact suppressors. All models incorporate stainless baffles with a claimed life of over 10,000 rounds.

LEI is selling these suppressors under the title of ‘sound moderators’, which is the traditional term used in the UK. Their main benefit when used with standard-velocity (ie supersonic) ammunition is in suppressing muzzle blast, flash and recoil, as well as helping preserve the eardrums of firers and observers. .22 rimfire ‘sound moderators’, mostly from Parker-Hale, have been used in Britain for many years, but now UK police forces are gradually waking up to the fact that muzzle suppressors also make good sense on centrefire hunting weapons. And, unlike in the USA, the UK imposes no additional restrictions on their purchase (though police must enter them on firearm certificates). You’ll also need to have the rifle muzzle threaded, of course.

While there will always be some police agencies who persist in looking askance at any such innovations, the fact remains that quite a lot of suppressed weapons are now appearing on UK ranges, so the message is getting around. There can also be other bonuses – some users of suppressors actually report improved accuracy, though there may be a change of zero.

LEI Ltd, UK Tel (020) 8903-8305, Fax (020) 8903-8302, E-mail: lei@lei.co.uk

SMART GUNS NOW A CLINTON ‘BIG ISSUE’: Whatever the fate of Colt’s Smart Gun, AP noted in early Jan 2000 that Bill Clinton was to press Congress for a $10m National Institute of Justice FY 2001 budget allocation for further development of weapons of this type, a substantial increase on the $4m he earlier failed to secure in 1999. The agency said Clinton appeared to want to make Smart Guns an issue in the coming presidential election, though one could also read this as a sign that he doesn’t expect any great movement on more conventional ‘meat & potatoes’ gun control. Whilst this new fascination with Smart Guns is fully consistent with the ‘modern’ trend to throw technology at any & every problem, regardless of relevance, Clinton may nevertheless still be over-estimating the potential of firearm issues as a vote-winner for the Democrats.

The bottom line is that – while the gun control camp remains highly vocal – there seems to be no real appetite amongst voters for any truly draconian changes which would seriously limit the ability of the Ordinary Joe to own an effective weapon for home defence or hunting. We are sure Smart Guns are being used as a ploy to try to kid voters there is a new and magical non-prohibitionist alternative to limiting supply, and that there is a sanitary, all-electronic solution to firearm accidents in the home.

But, as we all know, this is illusory, since all Smart technologies so far seen – quite apart from restricting availability by price, would also tend to impose limitations on lawful use in the domestic environment for which most pistols are purchased. And – like the military – no home-owner is yet ready to gamble his survival on the reliability of a three-dollar button battery. Would you?

CHINESE 5.8MM BULLPUPS POPPING UP EVERYWHERE: we noted that Dec 99 press photos of the arrival of the PLA in Macau showed all troops carrying the new AUG-inspired 5.8mm Type 95 bullpup rifles first seen when China ‘recaptured’ Hong Kong in 1997. At that time – bearing in mind the press attention devoted to Hong Kong’s new PLA garrison – there was no doubt the subtext was to wow us with the Chinese army’s technical prowess, and the same is probably true in respect of the Macau handover. However, sources tell us that, during the 1999 celebrations in Peking of the 50th anniversary of the Revolution, substantial formations of troops were also seen there carrying the new bullpups.

This tends to suggest China does indeed plan, as earlier claimed, to move towards general replacement of its 7.62x39mm weapons, though – if so – we can expect this to be a lengthy & expensive process, and we’re still not quite sure why they’re doing it. During the prolonged period when China & Russia weren’t on talking terms, the Chinese went off down their own R&D path, developing a wide range of indigenous small arms designs, of which the 5.8mm family is just one. Ironically, now the leadership in Moscow, convinced that everyone else is gunning for Mother Russia, has patched things up with Peking, hoping to bolster its position in relation to Washington, suggesting that we can expect Sino/Russian technical co-operation to resume in the future.

NEW VEKTOR SMALL ARMS BOSS: we’re advised that the new Managing Director of Denel’s Vektor small arms division in South Africa is Leon Joffe (replacing Brian Tucker), Tel(+27)12-620-2616, Fax(+27)12-664-1905, E-mail: leonj@vektor.co.za.

EXPLOSIVE FUN & GAMES IN WW2: casting your mind back to Arms Tech’s incendiary paste (see previous issues), which can be also provided in toothpaste tubes, we noted from Daily Telegraph & other reports on British Special Operations Executive sabotage devices in WW2 that incendiary shaving brushes and soap were developed, both containing sodium which would combust when it came into contact with water.

Other novel ideas from the SOE’s Station IX gadget factory in Welwyn Garden City included exploding bicycle pumps, high-explosive dog turds and horse droppings (to burst the tyres of enemy trucks), chianti wine-bottle bombs, exploding coal, itchy powder, incendiary fruit & vegetables and ‘suntan’ cream designed to damage glass optics. Another significant invention was the acid-actuated time-pencil detonator, and the SOE section in Barnet even came up with explosive-filled dead boiler-room rats, which they hoped the enemy would toss on a fire. Many of these gizmos have only recently been revealed following the declassification of British WW2 government papers.

By the way, the prefix ‘wel’ was used for a number of devices (as in the ‘welmine’) to indicate they were developed at Welwyn, so you can deduce for yourself why the SOE’s integrally-suppressed .32 pistol, reportedly still in use today by British special forces, is known as the Welrod.

40MM HIGH-VELOCITY AMMUNITION WITH MECHANICAL SD FUZING: Chartered Industries (CIS) in Singapore is advertising a new 40mm S413 HEDP-SD grenade cartridge for automatic grenade-launchers like the Mk19 or Singapore’s own CIS 40 AGL. It is fairly unusual in incorporating a mechanical self-destruct fuze, something which has been sorely lacking in most previous 40mm HV designs (but not the 30mm Russian AGS-17). CIS claims the S413 meets US and NATO standards.

The actual mechanism of the S413 is not described, but in common with other self-destruct concepts it is presumably timed to explode the grenade after a pause simulating the flight time to at least the maximum range. Based on US 40mm HV performance, we deduce this will be at least 17 seconds.

Self-destruct fuzing caters for those soft impacts which might otherwise result in ‘blinds’ requiring EOD attention. It is much preferable for range safety & cleanup during training, and of course when operating in urban areas where unexploded grenades would risk harming uninvolved civilians.

Chartered Industries products are marketed by Unicorn International, e-mail: uintl@cyberway.com.sg

NO FRENCH HEAVY COUNTER-SNIPER DOCTRINE, DESPITE BOSNIA SUCCESSES: TTU Europe said in Nov 99 that, despite having received a general issue of the .50 Hecate 2 rifle, the French army had yet to establish any consistent doctrine for the use of .50 calibre rifles in the countersniper role.

However, it was not always so. In 1993/94, when based in Sarajevo, and acting on the initiative of a lieutenant, one of the French regiments there (the 21st Marines) formed a special anti-sniping unit comprising one 20mm VAB cannon, six 7.62mm FR-F2 sniper teams and two teams with the .50 McMillan. Though, prior to demanding the issue of the .50 McMillans, French forces had suffered 17 wounded from Serbian sniper fire, the new counter-sniping structure incorporating the 20mm and .50 weapons eventually reduced the threat. Operations were assisted by Mira cameras and Cilas sniper detection equipment. Reportedly, large-scale operations in urban areas, as were conducted in Bosnia, are no longer considered a priority by the French military – which suggests to us it may be harder in future to rope in French assistance in the event of a re-run of anything similar to the Bosnian capers.

OZ COMPETITOR FOR .50 TRIALS: Jane’s IDR gave details of the bolt-action .50 ATAS rifle from Precision Rifle Systems which is the home-grown competitor for the Australian heavy sniper/anti-materiel rifle requirement. It has a magazine capacity of six rounds and weighs a hefty 15.3kg (33.7 pounds) empty (or 13.5 kg with aluminium stock). Unusually, it also has a rear-locking bolt mechanism, which is claimed to do less damage to match cartridges. Apparently it can be set up for right or left-handers, and can also be adapted to side-feed. The sample shown had a steel ‘stock’ (stainless steel components are offered as an option) with skeletonized butt, adjustable cheekpiece and buttpad, a bipod, scope dovetails and a substantial muzzle brake. Rifling is the standard 15” twist, in an 80cm (31.5”) tube.

Reportedly the wooden stock components are simply plugged into the steel support structure, so one might say there is something of a ‘chassis’ system about this rifle, though the concept actually bears a closer resemblance to that of an unusual Namibian suppressed sniper rifle we tested some years ago.

A smaller-calibre Australian weapon of not dissimilar design to the .50 rifle was also shown, from which we deduce the company also offers sniper weapons in 7.62mm NATO.

SEATTLE PAINTBALL MYSTERY SOLVED: in a previous issue we noted that the Seattle Police had been spotted with conventional paintball guns during the riots which accompanied the World Trade Organisation summit meeting. However, no details were readily available. We are indebted therefore to a reader who raised the matter directly with the Seattle Police and was told that the guns were used with standard paintballs for marking, plus other balls filled with pepper dust or water. The idea behind the pepper was that rioters already sprayed with CS gas would rub their eyes, whereupon the pepper dust on their hands would make things worse.

US MANPOWER/CASH SAVINGS SINCE ‘THE WALL’ CAME DOWN: AP ran some statistics for the US military before & after the Berlin Wall came down a decade ago; these make quite interesting reading:-
a. Total active-duty forces: then 2.1m, now below 1.4m, of which:-

– US Army: then 760k, now 480k – US Navy: then 580k, now 373k – USMC: then 194k, now 172k – US Air Force: then 575k, now 360k

b. Defence budget: then approx $300Bn, now $270Bn, of which:

– US Army: then $80Bn, now $65bn – US Navy/USMC: then $100Bn, now $82Bn – USAF: then $100Bn, now $78Bn

(nb: total budgets also include costs for other defence agencies)

IRANIAN GUN EXCHANGE SCHEME: Reuters Tehran reported in Nov 99 that the authorities in Iran were trying to recover military assault rifles from nomadic peoples in the Iranian provinces, as part of national gun control efforts, but this is not a firearms ban – the government is actually providing hunting rifles in exchange. To date about 30,000 weapons have reportedly been exchanged. We assume the motives behind the scheme are not entirely altruistic, since the nomads presumably represent less of a threat to the established order if they have bolt-action guns rather than Kalashnikovs, M16s or G3s.

FBI’s WACO GUNS TO BE EXAMINED: the FBI, AP said in mid-Nov 99, is to hand over for testing ‘hundreds’ of firearms it carried at the Waco siege, so that investigators can finally establish whether any of them were actually fired there, which the Bureau denies. The testing is at the request of special counsel John Danforth, who was appointed by the US Justice Department to look into new accusations arising from the Waco sago. Presumably forensic staff hope to match or rule out empty cases or bullets found at the scene – Danforth is set to receive ‘a dozen’ recovered cartridge cases for examination.

REAL IRA GETTING KIT FROM SERBS?: in Nov 99 the Sunday People in the UK claimed that the Serbs were arming the republican breakaway group the Real IRA with ‘tons’ of free weapons & explosives; the paper added that Slobodan Milosevic had recently OK’d the supply of even more arms. Reportedly the paper was told by officials that Real IRA weapons captured in Eire had been traced to the Balkans. Republican sources confirmed Serbia was the donor, and that the Real IRA had gone over there in 1997 to set up the deal, though the flow of weapons only started after NATO attacked the Serbs in Kosovo.

WHITE HOUSE – WE KNOW WHAT’S GOOD FOR YOU, FORGET CONGRESS: when you’ve read the following extract (released on 15 Dec 99) from a recent White House press briefing on gun control, you might well feel – as we have done for some years – that the time has come to review the need for the President to have any ‘executive powers’ at all. We say this since he seems quite prepared to use them to override the will of Congress in pursuit of his own interpretation of what ‘the American public’ wants:

‘PRESS BRIEFING BY JOE LOCKHART (extract)

Q: Joe, can you talk at all about what the President is prepared to do next year to improve gun safety?

MR. LOCKHART: I think that we believe that Congress has frustrated the American public on the issue of gun safety, that we have more than enough evidence, that we need to take steps. So we’re going to move aggressively to work with Congress on issues that we’ve put before them, but we’re not going to rely on Congress. We’re going to find other avenues.

We’re exploring using both our executive authority invested in the President that we have discussed potential litigation against the gun industry, and I think it’s our overall sense that this is something the American public is demanding. And we’re doing a lot of work now to be ready next year to come out and move aggressively to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to make our streets safe, make our schools safe, and fight the problem we have with gun safety in this country.

Q: What type of actions can be taken by executive authority?

MR. LOCKHART: It’s something that we’re looking at now. I think as you know, we’ve had a series of meetings over the last few weeks here at the White House and we’re looking at things we can do, and I think you’ll hear more about this next year.’

SADW is a monthly electronic publication from Nick Steadman Features. Nick, intrepid world traveling reporter for much of the arms industry, files this 40,000 to 50,000 word report once a month to his loyal subscribers. Those lucky ones pay a mere $50 (US) £32.50 (UK) per year for the privilege of getting the hot tips and insights from one of the industry’s insiders. Nick’s unique perspective is globally based, as is his wit. Each issue is full of insight and information for those with an interest in Small Arms, as well as his observations on world travel.

1. WEAPONS, EQUIPMENT, FUTURE SYSTEMS, TRAINING & RELATED NEWS

PARKER-HALE 9mm IDW DEBUTS IN UK SUNDAY PRESS: under the lurid headline ‘No escape from the Eliminator’, the Mail on Sunday tabloid profiled the 9mm IDW (formerly Bushman) machine pistol, now being promoted by its UK licensee as the Parker-Hale Personal Defence Weapon (PDW). The report claimed the weapon ‘has been put through its paces by both the Ministry of Defence and the police, and is seen as the replacement for the German-made Heckler & Koch MP5 sub-machine gun’. It added that sources maintained ‘orders for the PDW are being prepared for SAS counter-terrorist teams and for the anti-piracy and drug-enforcement squads of the Special Boat Service’.

However, we’re at a loss to know on what the paper bases its strange comment claiming the weapon ‘has a barely audible firing action’ – last time we fired the IDW in Florida it went ‘bang’ like any other 9mm. Maybe they’d picked up on the fact it can be fitted with a muzzle suppressor? We assume the press coverage resulted from Parker-Hale’s recent presence with these guns at the Esher COPEX security show in the UK. What the 400 rpm rate-controlled IDW does have very much in its favour is its minimal burstfire dispersion, which makes it potentially able to defeat – with closely-placed multiple hits of ordinary ball ammunition – Kevlar body armour which would normally resist single shots.

But there are many other factors which will influence the IDW’s popularity. For example, loyalty to the 9mm MP5 family is still strongly entrenched amongst UK special forces, and British police would not be permitted to use automatic fire even if they adopted the IDW. Our prediction is that the real market for this gun still lies abroad. Unless, that is, the UK MOD eventually gets its thinking together on PDW requirements and decides it is better to go with a 9mm weapon than continuing to examine the various small-calibre PDWs now in development.

It’s thought that a major factor driving UK military interest in PDWs is the likely cost of having to modify the 340,000-weapon inventory of 5.56mm SA80s to meet NATO reliability criteria. Because of its poor functioning, SA80 has currently been struck off the NATO list of approved weapons (see footnote).
The MOD’s position at 10 Nov 99, as stated in a minister’s Parliamentary Answer, goes:

‘It is our practice to keep the effectiveness of weapon systems under continual review. SA80 is an effective weapon system and is planned to remain in service well into the next century. We are, however, currently investigating potential improvements to the SA80 and I expect to receive recommendations in due course.’

Sources close to the problem believe the MOD still plans to retain SA80, suitably modified, for non-critical applications, but to procure another 5.56mm weapon for harsh operating conditions, equipping everyone else (about 15,000 personnel) with a PDW of some description.

If this is the case, whoever wins the PDW contract stands to make quite a lot of money.

The jury is still out on what any additional 5.56mm weapon might be – logic suggests the H&K G36, since Heckler & Koch is currently still owned by Royal Ordnance (maybe not for long?), though based (inter alia) on comments from Northern Ireland, we would imagine the M16 series would be the troops’ preferred option. Either way, SA80 must stand as one of the poorest-conceived & executed small arms systems of all time.

As to the Parker-Hale gun, about a dozen examples currently exist, representing various stages of refinement, incorporating modifications which have been suggested by the UK MOD and others. The company could well have orders for as many as 1,000 pieces by the end of the year. Weight is down to 4.75 pounds and is likely to drop to 4 pounds in its final form, the buttstock has been improved and Parker-Hale has even developed a test rig to allow experimentation with other calibres as required. It has also developed an alternative (and much cheaper) method of rate control which is now being patented, and is currently seeking renegotiation of the expensive licencing deal with DTL, the US end of Bushman.

Footnote: it’s worth reiterating details from the letter about SA80’s shortcomings (as below) of 2 Jun 97 from the Minister of State for Defence Procurement. As far as we’re aware the situation now (two and a half years on) is still largely unchanged and, in any event, a rectification programme for all SA80s in service would take forever.

‘John Reid wrote to you, on my behalf, on 10 September last (nb: 1996) to inform you that the SA80 weapon system had been suspended from the NATO Nominated Weapons List as the result of difficulties when firing ammunition natures in service with our NATO Allies. He undertook to write again once we had decided a way ahead.

John also mentioned our own national trials, from which a number of reliability issues have emerged. A review this February of the results of trials over the period from 1995 to 1997 has raised the possibility that there may be underlying problems with the reliability of the system, including its use with UK ammunition, and particularly in the hottest and dryest conditions. The evidence remains inconclusive, and the work we are planning with Heckler and Koch will be important in determining a clear understanding of the current performance, along with the options for improvement.

Heckler and Koch have now presented their proposals to us for modifications to the breech block and chamber magazines, gas plug and barrel geometry. We have decided to place a contract with them, through Royal Ordnance, to incorporate the proposed modifications on a statistically viable batch of 200 weapons, including different combinations of modifications, to allow full visibility and confirmation of quantifiable increases in reliability. This work and subsequent detailed assessment are not expected to be complete until around the end of the year. We will then consider what, if any, wider modification programme to implement.

In the meantime, the NATO panel, with our agreement, decided in March to continue the temporary suspension of SA80 from the NATO Nominated Weapons List, pending the results of our programme of action to rectify the problems.’

CANADIAN .50 TP-S & API MATCH CARTRIDGES: another new line from SNC Technologies in Canada, touched on before in these pages, is .50 calibre match-grade ammunition in two natures never before available – Target Practice Spotter (TP-S) and Armour-Piercing Incendiary (API). We assume the latter is intended to compete with the Raufoss .50 MP. The projectiles for the two match-grade rounds are similar, with jacketed steel cores and an airgap in the bullet nose. But while the penetrator of the API bullet is hardened steel and the airgap is filled with incendiary composition, the TP-S core is mild steel and the nose contains a spotting charge.

SNC has been assiduous in optimising the production quality of its match-grade .50 bullets and cartridge cases, as well as the assembled ammunition. Particular attention has been paid to case-neck concentricity, head-to-shoulder dimensions and the angle of the head to the axis of the case. The current bullet designs are two of five options originally studied. Propellants are spherical with low muzzle flash, and primers the standard SNC variety. SNC also confirms the new ammunition complies with all standard NATO requirements for pressure, velocity, action time, waterproofing and weapon functioning.

All this attention to detail has resulted in .50 ammunition claimed to achieve accuracy of 7.5” (19cm) mean radius (0.65 MOA) at 1,000 metres, averaged over 20 strings each of five shots, all from a ‘short’ (29”) sniper rifle barrel. By comparison, the .50 M33 ball round is said to deliver 1.13 MOA (which sounds too good to be correct) in longer M2 machine gun barrels. Both the API and TP-S rounds are ballistically matched and deliver recoil energy from muzzle-braked rifles of 20-25 Joules. The API bullet is claimed to defeat 22mm armour plate at 100 metres. We don’t know how the Canadian API Match compares pricewise with Raufoss MP (which we recall is about $8 a round), but it should prove popular with those requiring an accurate anti-materiel round with visual hit confirmation for taking on small targets. These could include visors of armoured vehicles, IR detectors, radar antennae, claymores and anti-personnel landmines. The TP-S provides the same hit confirmation for range practice.

SADW is a monthly electronic publication from Nick Steadman Features. Nick, intrepid world traveling reporter for much of the arms industry, files this 40,000 to 50,000 word report once a month to his loyal subscribers. Those lucky ones pay a mere $50 (US) £32.50 (UK) per year for the privilege of getting the hot tips and insights from one of the industry’s insiders. Nick’s unique perspective is globally based, as is his wit. Each issue is full of insight and information for those with an interest in Small Arms, as well as his observations on world travel.

GREEK ARMY RE-EQUIPMENT: according to Jane’s IDR, Hellenic Defence Industries (EBO) is to start licensed production of the 5.56mm FN Minimi LMG; Greece reportedly has ten sample guns already (presumably from FN), but Greek special forces are said to want about 740 in all. Separately, the magazine said that EBO was to deliver the first 1,050 of 7,500 Colt M16s required by the Greek MOD (also for special forces, we believe), but we assume these are coming from the USA rather than being made locally. In addition, local part-production of the Barrett M82A1 rifle is still in the mill.

We are not sure that local production is justified by the size of the domestic orders for any of these weapons, though one assumes EBO also has third party sales in mind. If so, they will of course have just as tough a time finding new customers as existing suppliers. Some years ago, EBO took a licence for the 5.56mm HK33 – apparently, in part at least, to meet the same requirement now being filled by M16s, but it doesn’t seem to have done much with it; the only guns we saw on past Greek visits were from Germany. EBO has already made H&K G3s, MP5s, MG3s and P7 pistols fully or partly in Greece.

BARRETT US ARMY ORDER: National Defense also said that Barrett Firearms had secured a US army order for up to 1,600 of its bullpup M95 bolt-action .50 rifles, to be known as the XM107; they reportedly incorporate some extra bells & whistles such as adjustable triggers not offered on the commercial version.

Barrett’s official release on this deal says:

‘The United States Army has recently selected a new long range .50 caliber sniper rifle designated XM107. After a competitive evaluation, a variant of the Barrett Model 95 bolt action rifle was chosen as the candidate offering the “best value” to the government. The criterion for the evaluation was based on reliability, accuracy, user friendliness and supportability.

The new XM107 rifle will feature an adjustable trigger, Mil-Std-1913 optical rail, detachable 5-shot magazine, and has the capability of cycling a minimum of 6 rounds in less than one minute. The Army requirement for the weapon system includes a hard carrying case, soft case, and powered optic.

Producer of the winning candidate, Barrett Firearms Manufacturing, Inc. of Murfreesboro, TN, is already well-known in military circles around the world as a producer of .50 caliber rifles as more than 35 countries have adopted either the semi-automatic Model 82A1 or the bolt-action Model 95. In the U.S. the Model 82A1 is presently in use as a combat weapon by the U.S. Marine Corps and as an Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) tool by U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army units.

A multi-year contract will follow pending the evaluation of the first production weapons slated for delivery later this year.’

Currently pre-production XM107s are being tested in extreme conditions, while the US army continues to work with Barrett on additional refinements to ergonomics and other aspects, including harsh environment performance. The scope mounting rail has also been extended, to 11”. We understand users are enthusiastic about the rifle, particularly its accuracy, described as ‘excellent’, and its take-down capability – it easily breaks down into two main assemblies just 34” long, dimensions which happen to meet long-standing parachuting requirements. At this time we are unsure exactly who the users are to be, but we assume – from the purpose to which earlier Barrett purchases have already been put – that the army will utilise the XM107 as a general anti-materiel/anti-personnel weapon. But due to its small size and big capabilities, it would clearly also be ideal for special forces.

CANADIANS OUTDO SS109 WITH STEEL-CORED AMMO: SNC Technologies in Canada is probably the most active small-calibre military ammunition developer in the West just now. In the past few years it has already come up with a considerable number of new natures and also acquired Simunition’s paint-marking, rubber bullet and frangible training ammunition. SNC is a leading player in the US army’s requirements both for ‘Green’ (non-toxic), reduced-range and limited-penetration ammunition. SNC’s new family of improved 5.56mm ammunition, to whit the IP (Improved Penetration) and matched TP (Training Practice) cartridge, is a contender for the US Green ammo programme, though – as yet – there is no official Canadian forces requirement.

Both of these designs employ one-piece, copper-jacketed, steel bullet cores and (apart from the fact that the IP core is hardened) the two cartridges are identical. The 5.56mm ‘soft-core’ TP costs less than the IP round, and should do less damage to targetry on firing ranges. Since neither of the new bullets contains any lead, the environmentalists and the health & safety boys should all be happy too.

Initially the Canadian Defence Research Establishment Valcartier tested a tungsten-based metal matrix composite (MMC) bullet core, made using powder injection moulding techniques, but this approach was found to be unsuitable. It was determined that a compacted, sintered core would have done the job, but it was more cost effective to go for steel; tungsten is pricey, and the cost fluctuates conspicuously. When steel was adopted, it was found that, when compared to the Canadian NATO-pattern C77 bullet (with steel penetrator tip & rear lead filler), the new IP bullet with one-piece steel core achieved the same (43%) increase in aluminium penetration as an MMC-cored projectile, but penetrated nearly three times as far (291%) in mild steel.

The 5.56mm IP is also virtually a perfect ballistic match to the C77; however, in order to compensate for the absence of lead filler, the steel-cored bullet is the same length as the current NATO tracer projectile.

In 20% gelatine testing, at simulated ranges of 25 and 100 metres (achieved by downloading) almost half the 5.56mm IP bullets passed right through the gelatine target block, which was 46cm (18”) deep, whereas at both simulated ranges all the Belgian SS109 bullets used for comparison broke up into many pieces in the target. None of the IP projectiles fragmented. Further IP bullet integrity tests were performed at simulated ranges of 0.1, 2.5 and 25 metres. All bullets destabilised and began tumbling 10-15cm into the gelatine target blocks, and all rotated 180 degrees during travel through the target material.

There was no fragmentation, except that – at 0.1 metres, small amounts of material sheared off some of the bullet tips, due to the yaw angle at the muzzle. But photos show one of the recovered bullets fired at 0.1m with no obvious evidence of deformation at all. This is a great improvement over the excessively frangible NATO bullet, and will probably attract the interest of other countries who are privately less than happy with the gratuitously vicious wound ballistics of the existing design (which ape those of the 5.56mm M193, we might add).

In barrel wear tests of the SNC IP round, excessive bullet yaw initially developed after 4,400 shots, but following some minor redesign this was increased to 5,000 rounds, with an overall velocity drop of just 2% (19.6m/s), with only six shots showing slight yaw. This is considered satisfactory.

Overall, by comparison with the Canadian C77 (SS109) round, the 5.56m IP cartridge has the same external shape & weight, the same interior & external ballistics, the same penetrator hardness, uses the same propellant and meets all the standard NATO proof criteria. However, the Mean Point of Impact (MPI) for the IP at 550 metres is 10cm lower. The maximum 50% penetration range (where half of all bullets penetrate) for 6.4mm Rolled Homogenous Armour (RHA) is 190 metres for IP but just 16 metres for the C77. The penetration ratio (compared to 7.62mm M80 ball) in 6061-T6 Aluminium of semi-infinite depth is 1.92 for IP and 1.24 for C77. IP velocity at 24 metres is 908m/s, muzzle energy 1,653 Joules, chamber pressure 312 MPa, port pressure 97 MPa and dispersion 14.9cm x 15.2cm at 550 metres.

As at end-Aug 99, SNC was making 100,000 rounds of 5.56mm IP plus 200,000 rounds of the softer-cored TP ammunition for testing by interested customers, including the Canadian forces, the USA and Scandinavian states. At present the new cartridges are still being loaded with standard SNC primers, but from next year they will also be available with the SNC TOXFREE non-toxic primer.

SADW is a monthly electronic publication from Nick Steadman Features. Nick, intrepid world traveling reporter for much of the arms industry, files this 40,000 to 50,000 word report once a month to his loyal subscribers. Those lucky ones pay a mere $50 (US) £32.50 (UK) per year for the privilege of getting the hot tips and insights from one of the industry’s insiders. Nick’s unique perspective is globally based, as is his wit. Each issue is full of insight and information for those with an interest in Small Arms, as well as his observations on world travel.

1. WEAPONS, EQUIPMENT, TRAINING & RELATED NEWS

SINGAPORE CLONES THE AUG: as Helen of Troy’s face reputedly launched a thousand ships, so Steyr-Mannlicher’s AUG seems set to spawn a truckload of imitators. Latest example, following earlier attempts by Taiwan, Israel and South Africa (and probably others, including China), is from Singapore, in the form of the 5.56mm SAR-21, recently publicised in the DSEI Show Daily. Visually the SAR21 is the closest to the AUG of all the other weapons inspired by the Austrian rifle; however we assume that internally it is yet another SAR80 (aka AR18) derivative simply re-packaged as a bullpup.

By definition, all imitators get a handy opportunity to add a few bells & whistles the original designer left off. The SAR21, which is said to be gas-operated, incorporates a pressure switch on the left side of the polymer handguard, activating a visible or IR laser aiming pointer obviously concealed beneath the barrel, within the handguard itself. The cocking handle has also been placed centrally above the receiver, directly beneath the AUG-style optical sight, theoretically making the SAR21 ‘ambidextrous’, though since the sole ejection port appears to be on the right side of the buttstock, it is probably not possible to fire from the left shoulder, unless an effective case deflector has been incorporated.

Magazines for the SAR21, holding 30 rounds, also resemble the Austrian ones, and the juxtaposition of metal to polymer components also suggests CIS has used the same system of plugging the barrel into the front – and the bolt into the rear – of a central stress-bearing cast or forged receiver. It’s not yet known whether SAR21 barrels are interchangeable.

Also like the Austrian rifle, the high-mounted optics are reportedly offered in 1.5x magnification (or 3x), with rudimentary open sights fashioned in the top of the scope housing. Empty weight is said to be 3.82kg (8.4 pounds) and overall length 80.5cm (31.7”). Barrel length appears standard and cyclic rate is listed as 450-650 rpm.

It’s claimed that the SAR21 will be adopted by the Singaporean forces after the millennium, though we recall similar local aspirations for the various earlier derivatives of the SAR80 (originally sold to CIS by the UK’s SMG manufacturer Sterling Engineering) were not, in the event, fulfilled.

Imitation being the sincerest form of flattery, we doubt Steyr-Mannlicher will be unduly fazed by this newest, very competent-looking clone of its own highly-successful AUG. But – unless the SAR21 can be made at an exceedingly competitive price – we guess most export buyers may still prefer to go with the Austrian original, or rather to take a Steyr manufacturing licence, which is the way many purchasers nowadays like to buy.

NEW 1000-YARD .50 BMG RECORD: on 3 Jul 99, Paula Diercks in the USA set a new 1000-yard world record for the .50 BMG cartridge with a five-round benchrested group measuring just 3.064”.

The location was the NRA’s Whittington Centre near Raton (New Mexico), and the occasion the 3-4 Jul 99 Fifty Caliber Shooting Association (FCSA) annual World Championships. Paula, shooting in the first relay of the day, was using a 125-pound FCSA Unlimited Class bolt-action rifle belonging to Skip Talbot. This result is something to idly throw into the debate the next time conversation turns to how ‘inaccurate’ the .50 can be. In fact, with good quality components and the right weapon, the .50 appears to be potentially among the most accurate of all long-range systems.

HECKLER & KOCH 4.6x30mm PDW: ever since Royal Ordnance (RO) acquired Heckler & Koch, the two companies have been working on a Personal Defence Weapon (PDW), not to be confused with the small, caseless PDW which H&K earlier developed as a companion to the ill-fated 4.7mm G11 rifle. Oberndorf has developed the latest weapon, and Royal Ordnance Radway Green its 4.6x30mm ammunition. Over the years the ammunition concept has undergone some changes, not least to take into account NATO’s revised penetration requirements which today include titanium sheet as well as Kevlar.

The cartridge is conventional and boxer-primed, with a rimless brass, bottle-necked case 30mm long. Base diameter is 8mm, and the shoulder length is similar to that of the 5.56mm cartridge. Weight of the 4.6mm case is 3.8g (58.64 grs). The bullet, 15.3mm long and weighing 1.7g (26.23 grs), is a solid 4.65mm diameter plug of hardened steel with copper plated finish – we wonder what the barrel wear implications of this design might be. Loaded rounds have an overall length of 38mm and weigh 6.3g (97.22 grs). On the ballistics front, notional MV is 2,378 fps (725m/s) and muzzle energy 330 ft lbs (447J). The weapon itself is 34cm (13.4”) long, 4.2cm (1.7”) wide and 17.2cm (6.8”) high, with an 18cm (7”) chrome-plated barrel and a flip-down forward grip, making it look rather like a truncated version of the Polish Wz63 machine pistol.

Though not specifically documented, there also appears to be an MP5-style telescoping buttstock (not included in the dimensions above); we note the PDW is described as ‘for shoulder supported and hand-held applications’. In essence it is a machine pistol with shoulder-fired capability.

Both optical (red dot-style) & iron sights are available, for use out to 200 metres, and capacity of the twin-stack magazines (which are inserted into the pistol grip) is 20 or 40 rounds. The mechanism, which offers both semi-auto and burstfire modes, is gas-operated with a rotating bolt locking the breech. Rate of fire is around 950 rpm and system weight is 1.6kg (3.5 pounds) empty. Like all its conceptual predecessors, the H&K PDW is designed for use by ‘personnel whose primary task does not involve an assault against the enemy, but who require a close-range self defence capability’. The European Staff Target for PDWs reportedly also requires such weapons to be ambidextrous and suitable for use while troops are wearing goggles, respirators, body armour, NBC suits or heavy winter clothing.

It also says that hand-held PDWs shall be effective against protected human targets to 30 metres (50m desirable). Fired from the shoulder these specified ranges increase to 100m and 200m respectively. Weight limits (loaded) for the hand-held gun are 1kg (700g desirable) and 3kg for a shoulder-fired PDW. H&K’s test data shows the 4.6mm round penetrating to a depth of 28cm in an ‘unprotected’ 20% gelatine block 30cm deep when fired at a range of 50 metres. The ‘comparative system’ shown in side-by-side data is not named, but we assume it to be the FN 5.7x28mm. Either way, the rival system achieves 23cm penetration, though with a rather larger temporary wound cavity.

In terms of ‘energy transfer’, the 4.6mm, fired at 50 metres into 20% gelatine through 20 layers of Kevlar and a 1.6mm titanium sheet dumps 220 Joules in the target, as opposed to 180J for the comparison system. At 100 metres, fired against an ‘unprotected’ 20% gelatine block 15cm deep, ‘energy transfer’ for the 4.6mm is 170J, and 200J for the rival weapon, with full penetration in both cases. And, at the same range, but with the Kevlar and titanium protection described above, the respective ‘energy transfer’ figures are 115J and 65J, though the steel-tipped bullet from the comparison system makes it only halfway through the 15cm gelatine block.

Maximum range for defeat of the Kevlar (20 layers) and titanium sheet (1.6mm) is claimed to be in excess of 200 metres for the 4.6mm but only about 140 metres for the comparison system.

Fired at 18 metres against a 30cm deep block of 20% gelatine protected by a laminated car windshield at 45 degrees (and 45cm from the block), the 4.6mm achieves 18cm penetration, but the the bullet from the rival system, breaks up, with the deepest penetration achieved by the most energetic fragment just 14cm.

All quite impressive from such a small weapon as the H&K gun, however we can’t help concluding that (as with the FN P-90), what H&K has actually developed is – based on its performance – more of a limited-range individual combat weapon than a substitute for a pistol. ‘Close-range self defence’ does not mean 200 metres, nor even 100 metres. Twenty-five to fifty metres would be more like it. That said, based on H&K own claims, the 4.6mm appears to offer conspicuous performance improvements over its rivals in this category. Yet we must again question the real need for burstfire.

The PDW is still in development, but shootable weapons & ammunition already exist, and finalisation of the project is expected within a few months. Primary target of the new PDW is currently still the UK MOD’s written requirement, though the mere existence of such a document is no guarantee of adoption – of H&K’s or any other design. Most significantly, of course, H&K’s choice of an entirely new cartridge around which to develop its PDW will – by any standards – make the progress of this weapon an uphill struggle. The FN 5.7mm contenders (both the P-90 SMG and the FiveSeven pistol) are still going the rounds, and are now likely to be joined by the 4.6mm.

It will take a great deal to persuade any army to adopt – and tool up for – a brand-new calibre, though, against all odds, and contrary to all predictions, the .338 Lapua sniping round finally made it.

On the other hand, if any company can pull it off, it’s probably H&K, which has already notched up a string of resounding successes, particularly with its G3 & HK33 rifles, the MP5 SMG family, the USP pistols and most recently the 5.56mm G36 system. Innovative but rather less successful designs include the P9S and P7-series handguns. The only two ‘lemons’ were the 5.56mm G41 and the caseless G11, though in the later case German politics were the problem, not weapon design. And we suspect the G41 crashed simply because the HK33 was already quite satisfactory.

SADW is a monthly electronic publication from Nick Steadman Features. Nick, intrepid world traveling reporter for much of the arms industry, files this 40,000 to 50,000 word report once a month to his loyal subscribers. Those lucky ones pay a mere $50 (US) £32.50 (UK) per year for the privilege of getting the hot tips and insights from one of the industry’s insiders. Nick’s unique perspective is globally based, as is his wit. Each issue is full of insight and information for those with an interest in Small Arms, as well as his observations on world travel.

1. WEAPONS, EQUIPMENT, TRAINING & RELATED NEWS

OCSW VERSUS THE SACO 40MM STRIKER: a (presumably partisan) letter in Armed Forces Journal International (AFJI) from the Objective Crew-Served Weapon (OCSW) Program Manager at Primex Technologies queried the value of the new lightweight Saco Defense 40mm Striker automatic grenade launcher over the existing Mk19 launcher. It said that whilst it was an achievement to get the weight of the Striker down to 38.6 pounds – as opposed to 75.6 pounds for the Mk19 – when (in each case) one added back the tripod, sighting equipment, cradle & 48 rounds of ammunition the figures rose to 153 pounds for Striker, by comparison with 201 pounds for the Mk19.

On this basis, it asked how even the Striker could properly be called a crew-served weapon, since it couldn’t realistically be carried by only two men (but since when has ‘crew’ meant only two soldiers?). And it added that another 235 pounds of sandbags would be needed to bed the Striker down for firing.

By comparison, it said the OCSW weighed just 64 pounds complete with mount, tripod and 60 rounds (the bare gun is 32 pounds), it requires no sandbags for stability and its 25mm airburst ammunition offers ‘overwhelming lethality’ by comparison with 40mm grenades, with 50% of the flight time, allowing rapid target switching.

We guess we know what Primex is saying, but the point on ammunition is a little unfair, since Saco plans to incorporate the sophisticated Bofors ‘3P’ programmable airburst fuzing in the 40mm grenades for the Striker. Indeed, this is probably its biggest advantage. 40mm ammunition may well be slow to arrive, but some impressive burst patterns can nevertheless be achieved with the 3P fuze, and this approach is hugely more effective than today’s ‘dumb’ 40mm HV grenades which have neither airburst nor even self-destruct fuzing.

The question is more likely will the military – any military – want to shell out for the much more expensive ammunition on which both the Striker and OCSW concepts depend. For all its obvious shortcomings, the Mk19 launcher, though a pretty blunt instrument, was considered one of the most effective and valuable weapons in Desert Storm, and more 40mm ammunition was fired in that contretemps than 7.62mm NATO.

BUFFERED MOUNT FOR UK BIG FIFTIES: the UK Defence Procurement Agency journal ‘Preview’ noted that the .50 L1A2 (M2HB) machine gun in limited service with British forces had been upgraded with a buffered softmount for the Kosovo deployment of airborne forces. This would allow it to be fitted with optical day or night sights that might otherwise be damaged by firing stresses.

UK POLICE BUYING SIG CARBINES: following our earlier notes about British police forces buying the 5.56mm polymer-receiver H&K G36 rifle, we’re advised that twelve UK forces (about a quarter of the total) have now purchased the short-barrelled 5.56mm SIG SG551 SWAT or SG552 Commando carbines, with more still evaluating these variants. This is pretty good going when one appreciates the extent to which British police have been wedded to the 9mm H&K MP5 semi-auto carbine for so many years.

The SIG SWAT model (14.3” barrel) is now available with a mounting spigot beneath the handguard for attachment of the new, value-engineered version of the Parker-Hale bipod. Flashlights or laser aiming pointers can also be attached to a mounting plate on the right side of the handguard.

Both models have side-folding buttstocks and accept the stackable SIG translucent magazines in 20-30 round sizes, though – because side-stacking magazines can interfere with folding the stock – users may find a single 30-round version more versatile. Five-shot magazines also exist.

Any kind of optical sights can be fitted to either model, and an optional detachable cheekpiece compensates for the higher sighting plane. 10” or 7” rifling twist (SG552: 7” only) is offered, to cater for the whole range of 5.56mm ammunition (the special Swiss military 5.56mm (aka 5.6mm Swiss) loading is designed for use with a 10” twist).

Notional muzzle energy (nb: ammunition-dependant) with the SWAT carbine is 1,460J (1,076 foot pounds), which by our calculations equates to an MV of 2,800 fps with a 62gr NATO bullet (or 2,975 fps with the 55gr M193). If so, this combination displays remarkably little velocity loss over a full-length barrel, which should achieve around 3,050fps with the NATO/SS109 bullet (or about 3,200 with the M193).

The stubby Commando (with 8.9” barrel) has a three-prong flash hider not seen on earlier SIG rifles; 5.56mm weapons of these dimensions require a novel approach to flash suppression, as anyone who’s ever fired the subgun-sized HK53 without its muzzle attachment will know……a two-metre jet of flame is typical on a dull day. Our personal preference would usually be for a longer barrel.

CROSSBOWS WITH PERU SF: The Asian Age ran an AFP photo at the end of Jul 99 showing Peruvian Navy special forces on parade during Peru’s independence celebrations. We spotted 7.62mm Galils (apparently with unusually long magazines), 9mm Uzis (presumably from FN, the original source) and – interestingly – a crossbow, brand unknown. We’d love to know what type of projectiles the increasing number of special forces crossbow aficionados are firing from these weapons.

HIGH-TECH PEASHOOTERS – STRANGE BUT TRUE: a ruckus has broken out in the peashooting community over the use of laser aiming pointers, the Sunday Telegraph reported. Standard foot-long peashooters, as still used by many competitors at the World Peashooting Championships, last held in Witcham (UK) in Jul 99, are outgunned by laser-equipped models with front & rear pistol grips in the annual village contest, which takes place at a range of four yards, firing at sticky targets made of putty.

Apparently it started with rudimentary iron sights, and things went progressively high-tech from there on in. Peashooters with laser sights won both last year’s championships and this year’s event, though basic models are still said to be best in windy conditions. However, the ammunition has not changed – Mk 1 dried peas are still the order of the day.

But lest British readers laugh too loud, this is probably what the Home Office has in mind as a suitable pastime for you after they finally take the rifles away, though doubtless the lasers would have to go, on ‘Save the Children’ grounds.

HOME-MADE ASSAULT RIFLES IN INDIA: a photo, from the Asian Age, of National Liberation Front of Tripura ‘militants’ about to surrender to Indian forces in Udaipur, showed a number of obviously home-made rifles. External appearance approximates that of the AK47, but workmanship looks very crude. Even the curved, smooth-walled magazines have clearly been locally produced. Whether these weapon are capable of semi-automatic or even selective fire is unknown. We assume they are chambered for the widely-available 7.62x39mm cartridge.

SADW is a monthly electronic publication from Nick Steadman Features. Nick, intrepid world traveling reporter for much of the arms industry, files this 40,000 to 50,000 word report once a month to his loyal subscribers. Those lucky ones pay a mere $50 (US) £32.50 (UK) per year for the privilege of getting the hot tips and insights from one of the industry’s insiders. Nick’s unique perspective is globally based, as is his wit. Each issue is full of insight and information for those with an interest in Small Arms, as well as his observations on world travel.

EVEN MORE STEYR SCOUTS WITH KLA: in his recent jottings, Col Jeff Cooper reports that he was told in Austria that there are 35-50 Steyr Scout Rifles in Kosovo. Since we understand the KLA is allowed to keep its commercial bolt-action rifles and any shotguns, we guess they’ll be staying there. We’d be very interested to know where the Scouts actually came from, however.

NATO BOMBING CAMPAIGN HAD NEGLIGIBLE MILITARY IMPACT: a Daily Telegraph item said a NATO review of the Serbia bombing campaign had concluded this had virtually no military impact on Milosevic, who only rolled over after losing Russian support. It found that the Serbian forces in Kosovo had remained essentially unscathed, and that bombing of strategic targets was badly planned & executed. If starting out again, NATO would probably opt to go after targets such as public utilities more fiercely and earlier in any hostilities, and most likely also scrap the policy of ‘phasing’ the bombing of Serb military targets which allowed Milosevic time to regain the propaganda initiative.

The alliance also believes it needs to acquire more remotely controlled, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for detailed low-level reconnaissance and target identification. However, whilst this soul-searching analysis is all fine and dandy, we hope NATO will not find it necessary to re-test its tactics anytime soon, which would reinforce growing hostility outside the ambit of the alliance to the power projection – as opposed to defensive role that NATO has newly created for itself.

PERSUADE US THAT KOSOVO WILL NOT GO PEAR-SHAPED: we’re still convinced none of the outsiders, starting with NATO, who have been pulling the strings in Kosovo have the foggiest idea what dangerous stuff they’re playing with. We quote:

‘The rebel-led provisional government of Kosovo refuses to acknowledge unconditionally the legal authority of the United Nations civilian administration in the region, and warns that it could revert to armed struggle if the UN administration fails to lead Kosovo toward independence’ (Wall Street Journal Europe, 5 Jul 99)

Kosovan independence, you’ll recall, was never on the cards as far as anyone other than the KLA was concerned, but NATO sought & accepted the KLA’s help during the expulsion of Serb forces from Kosovo; now it’s insisting on the Kosovan resistance being disarmed. No-one heeded the old admonition that one never messed with the Balkans except at one’s own peril. We can now see another Northern Ireland already in the making.

COLT ‘BETTING THE COMPANY’ ON SMART GUN: there was another minor publicity blip for the Colt Smart Gun in late Jul 99 when Newsweek ran a piece reporting that a patent had been applied for. It said that Colt president Steve Sliwa, whose mission was get the Smart Gun up & running, was not a gun-owner when he joined the Hartford firm and quoted him as saying “We’re essentially a 1950s company with old equipment”. As to the implications of the Smart Gun, Sliwa reportedly said “We’re betting the company on this”.

$2.95 A MINUTE FAX ‘POLL’ CREATES WAVES: in late May 99, a warning was issued by Better Business Bureaus (BBB) about a so-called ‘National Gun Control Poll’, voting papers for which were faxed unsolicited to ‘over 4 million’ recipients in the USA by a firm calling itself 21st Century Fax Ltd in New York, though this was reportedly only a ‘mail drop’. BBB said that the ‘poll’ actually originated from 21st Century Fax Ltd in London, which has a Website http://www.pollresults.co.uk/ showing that it also sells such exciting stuff as exercise and weight loss tips by fax and Internet.

Significantly, the poll (a copy of which is on our files) notes that replying by fax will take around 1-2 minutes, and calls to either of the two 1-900 numbers shown would cost $2.95 a minute. Ermmm – over four million forms at $2.95 to $5.90 a whack? That’s an awful lot of premium phone-rate income.

Complaints were made to the FCC http://www.fcc.gov/ and FTC http://www.ftc.gov/ about this fax poll, and an investigation was under way – FCC rules prohibit unsolicited commercial faxes.

BBB went on to say that, according to a Washington Post report, a temporary injunction was obtained earlier this year by regulators in the UK against the director & other officers of a sister company, 20th Century Fax Ltd, alleging it sent deceptive & misleading information in faxes offering a ‘Yummy Yum Yum Diet’. However, anyone taking seriously any communication about something with such a daft name as this probably deserves all he gets.

STINGERS STILL CIRCULATING: those Stinger SAMs the CIA originally supplied to the Mujahideen in Afghanistan keep popping up unexpectedly – The Asian Age recently showed an Indian army NCO inspecting a sample recovered from Pakistani troops, along with a number of 7.62mm MG3 GPMGs, a GPMG sustained-fire kit and a 30mm AGS-17 grenade launcher.

HIRED GUNS: an Independent on Sunday story in May 99 said that, in an attempt to persuade Hollywood moviemakers to come to the UK, the British government was offering to hire out regular & reserve military personnel and equipment, to which end a new MOD liaison post had been created. The MOD will charge ‘commercial’ daily rates of £60 per head for troops used in movies, but the servicemen themselves will get nothing extra. Ministers are thought to be miffed because Steven Spielberg borrowed 1,000 troops from the Irish army to make ‘Saving Private Ryan’.

GLOCK INC ON SMART GUNS: The New York Times quoted Glock’s general counsel, Paul Januzzo in Jun 99 on the controversial subject of ‘smart guns’: “The first guy to invent an affordable and reliable smart gun will be a Trillionaire. It’s absurd to say we’re hiding this technology. Why would someone be hiding it? They’d be a wealthy person.” We guess we can take this as a heavy hint as to what Glock itself may be up to.

IANSA GUN-BURNING STUNT: we’ve mentioned before the ‘bonfire of guns’ (aka Flame of Peace) event orchestrated to mark the launch of the International Action Network on Small Arms (IANSA) in the Hague on 11 May 99). Saferworld’s Summer 99 Update newsletter carried a photo of this immortal event, with a Kenyan dignitary lighting a tripod of wooden poles, towards the apex of which were tied, Christmas tree-style, a number of distinctly non-flammable MAC-10 lookalikes, as symbols of evil incarnate.

The whole thing had the bizarre appearance of one of those old Salem witch-burnings. If this cheap stunt is any indication of the quality of debate we can expect from IANSA in the future, we shouldn’t worry too much. What subsequently happened to the slightly-scorched MAC-10s was not disclosed, though the whole thing might have had rather more impact if they’d tied some of the convicted triggermen to the stake rather than trying to cremate a few innocent Ingram clones.

AERIAL GUNFIRE A PROBLEM IN ARIZONA: A Jun 99 report in the Arizona Republic claimed that bullets randomly fired into the air in Phoenix were an increasing public safety hazard. It cited a recent case in which a 14-year-old girl was killed by a stray bullet while standing in her own back yard which had an eight-foot wall around it. Phoenix police say they get at least 50 ‘shots fired’ calls a night, and other cities nearby report similar trends.

In reality of course, it is not usually ‘spent’ bullets fired into the air and plunging to earth under the sole influence of gravity that cause the deaths, but bullets which are still ‘under power’, albeit often at the outer extent of their ballistic trajectory.

UK MOD Y2K PREPARATIONS: it’s been confirmed by the UK MOD that it’s now thoroughly checked its ‘nuclear deterrent’ and the ministry claims there’s ‘no risk of it being fired accidentally through any computer failure’. Nice to know, now we’ve had the house re-painted.

Royal Navy ships should be cleared by Aug 99 and army ‘mission critical’ systems, including weaponry, by Sep 99. All RAF aircraft have already been certified safe to fly after 31 Dec 99.

BRAZIL GUN BAN – OPPOSITION GETS ORGANISED: the National Association of Firearms Owners and Retailers (ANPCA), formed in Brazil to fight government proposals for an outright gun ban, says it has already managed to get the ‘urgent’ classification of the legislation dropped and also secured a decision from the courts that the Rio de Janeiro state ban, which the federal ban would resemble, is unconstitutional. It furthermore claims that public support for the federal legislation is waning.

SADW is a monthly electronic publication from Nick Steadman Features. Nick, intrepid world traveling reporter for much of the arms industry, files this 40,000 to 50,000 word report once a month to his loyal subscribers. Those lucky ones pay a mere $50 (US) £32.50 (UK) per year for the privilege of getting the hot tips and insights from one of the industry’s insiders. Nick’s unique perspective is globally based, as is his wit. Each issue is full of insight and information for those with an interest in Small Arms, as well as his observations on world travel.

1. WEAPONS, EQUIPMENT, TRAINING & ORGANISATIONAL NEWS

BM59s FROM COLLECTORS’ ARMORY: newest venture from Collectors’ Armory in the USA is its 7.62mm NATO BM59/62-99 rifle. The BM59 is the Italian 7.62mm conversion of the M1 Garand, and the components (less the unimportable receivers) of the rifles now to be offered in the US are coming from a batch of some 5,000 weapons in Argentina which had been converted over there to BM59E (full auto) standard. Collectors’ Armory has now found a manufacturer (Ramo) for the new (semi-auto) receivers who may also be prepared to take over the whole BM59/62-99 programme on its behalf.

5.56mm BOLTHEADS FOR No 4 ENFIELDS: Graig M Whitsey (Gunmakers) Ltd, a firm in Arundel (UK) is offering replacement 5.56mm/.223 Rem boltheads for No 4 Lee-Enfield rifles, with integral extractor & ejector, obviating the need for any modification to the receiver. Target shooting with 5.56mm is still in its relative infancy in the UK, but can be expected to develop steadily as better weapon designs and more accurate ammunition appear. Apart from anything else, if you’re a reloader, the powder charge is half the price of that required for 7.62mm NATO (UK contact Tel (01903) 883102, Fax (01243) 820673).

CROSSBOWS WITH YUGOSLAV SPECIAL FORCES: a very clear Reuters photo in the Independent at the end of Jan 99 showed a couple of members of the Yugoslav (Serbian) army special forces, riding in a vehicle. They were armed with 9mm MP5s, wearing Kalashnikov magazine pouches, and one was also holding a crossbow equipped with a telescopic sight. We’re aware the South Korean special forces use crossbows, and the UK has reportedly also done so in the past, though they seem an odd alternative to a suppressed firearm.

SUPPRESSED WEAPONS FOR EUROGUARDS: a Cybershooters item, quoting from the European Voice, said that suppressed sniper rifles with telescopic sights had been purchased by the European Commission in Brussels for use by its ‘security guards’. The writer suggested the disclosures raised some interesting questions regarding the legal relationship between these armed guards (who are presumably private citizens from a legal standpoint) and the Belgian police. In fact, the whole question of EU security is currently a closed book to all voters in member countries.

INDONESIANS JUMPY ABOUT CATAPULTS: Reuters said in early Jan 99 that police in Indonesia had discovered a training centre at a university near Jakarta where students were being taught how to use catapults (US – slingshots) against the security forces. Police said they had uncovered a plan to import large quantities of catapults for this purpose from the USA and Canada, including US ‘wrist rockets’, which the authorities claimed were almost as effective as a .45 pistol, though we can guess which the police would prefer to have in their holsters.

SOUTH AFRICAN SMART GUN: the Pretoria News said that the South African Department of Arts, Culture, Science & Technology’s National Innovation Fund was supporting 19 new projects over the next three years to the tune of nearly Rand 97m. Among these projects, which are aimed at improving crime, health & the environmental situation in South Africa, is an ‘intelligent firearm’ (aka Smart Gun), designed to respond only to a personalised signal, which could be a code, voice, fingerprint or retinal scan, and maybe only for a prescribed period, such as the shift worked by a security guard. It might also be capable of recording the time & date it is fired and the exact location of the weapon at that instant. We suspect the developers have been reading about similar ideas from Colt & Metal Storm. The story surprised our South African sources, who didn’t think the government had any spare money for projects like this.

STONER SR-50 SITREP: Knight’s Manufacturing was hoping to ship the first 100 production units of its .50 semi-automatic SR-50 rifle by May 99. This Gene Stoner design is best described as an upscaled M16 derivative, using a similar gas impingement mechanism working against the bolt carrier.

Refinements now include a one-piece tubular receiver with stiffening rails top & bottom, a straight-line gas tube system, two large securing lugs for the quick-detach barrel and a bolt hold-open setting on the change lever. The SR-50’s buttstock is also to be encased in a sorbothane tube for firer comfort. The side-mounted magazines will come in five and eight-round sizes and the two-stage trigger can be factory or user set. At the time we last spoke with the company, .50 rifle designer Charles Poff (best known under the American Arms & Ordnance Inc (AAO) name) had been working on the SR-50 with Knight’s Manufacturing for the best part of a year. Poff is still able to pursue his own bolt-action .50 AAO repeaters.

BLACK HILLS AMMUNITION ACTIVITY: Black Hills Ammunition in Rapid City (South Dakota) reports that it has secured the three-year contract to supply custom-loaded 5.56mm match ammunition to the USMC. It is produced to an overall length which permits magazine feeding in the M16A2 and loaded with a moly-coated 73gr Berger hollow-point bullet. The Marine Corps specified that the chosen load must deliver an average group of 2” or less with five consecutive ten-shot strings at 300 yards. It is used in competitive events out to 600 yards. Black Hills first supplied this ammunition in 1998 on a non-contract basis, and the Marines have used it to win several team and individual matches.

Separately, the US Army Marksmanship Unit (AMU) has renewed its contract with Black Hills for the supply of 5.56mm long-range target ammunition loaded with the 80gr Sierra MatchKing. The ten-shot grouping requirement is below 0.6 MOA at 300 metres. Because of the overall length of the loaded cartridge, it must be manually loaded in the M16A2. Reportedly this 5.56mm load in the M16A2 will repeatedly outshoot the 7.62mm NATO M14. Black Hills first supplied the AMU with the 80gr loading in 1997; prior to that the army handloaded its own supplies.

Separately, there’s a new commercial 5.56mm Black Hills load with 62gr FMJ bullet, intended for faster-twist barrels. It can be supplied built from all-new components or in reloaded cases. MV is 3,150fps. There are now a dozen Black Hills factory loads developed for ‘cowboy action shooting’ events. The latest are the .44 Colt and .45-70 Government. The .44 Colt ($24.45 per 50 retail) is loaded in Starline cases with a 230gr RN flatpoint bullet at 730fps, and can also be fired in SA revolvers chambered for .44 Spl or .44 Magnum.

The .45-70 round ($21.95 per 20 retail), has a 405gr cast lead bullet with an MV of 1,250fps. Cases are a special heavy-duty Starline variety, 20grs heavier than other brands. It’s suitable for any modern weapons designed for smokeless powders, including replica Trap Door rifles.

Other Black Hills ‘cowboy’ calibres, all with plain lead bullets and packaged in period-look boxes, are .357, .38-40, .44-40, .45 Long Colt, .32-20, .44 Spl, .45 Schofield, .38 Spl, .38 Long Colt & .44 Russian. Black Hills also makes a range of military & law enforcement ‘specials’ in .308 calibre, not all of which appear in its commercial catalogues. They include .308 Subsonic for suppressed weapons, a .308 Minimal Penetration round which penetrates less than 12” of ballistic gelatine, plus a ‘superior’ .308 Match round using the Hornady 168gr BT Match bullet. A .308 Glass Penetration round is in development. The company now even has its own BHA headstamp (Contact e-mail: bha@black-hills.com, http://www.black-hills.com/)

B&T SUPPRESSORS FOR RECOIL-OPERATED PISTOLS: Bruegger & Thomet in Switzerland has become a significant player in the suppressed weapons market in recent years. It also supplies Heckler & Koch. One of its lines is the Impuls family of detachable muzzle suppressors for pistols, solving the functioning problems traditionally encountered with silencing of short-recoil handguns.

The Impuls design incorporates a special spring-mounted chamber at the rear of the suppressor which helps generate sufficient rearward impulse to operate the slide. There is a choice of the Impuls I, a basic model good for 100 rounds before cleaning, the Impuls II, which has a separate recoil chamber and rotating lock allowing the user to select quieter locked-breech operation if desired, plus the Impuls III, basically an Impuls II with an additional rubber wipe near the muzzle to augment suppression.
(http://www.bruegger-thomet.com/, E-mail: bruto@ibm.net)

SIMPLE SIMON’S KNOCKING AT THE DOOR: Jane’s IDR reported that, following a recent US army/USMC MOUT (urban warfare, or FIBUA in UK parlance) technology demonstration, a number of new equipments and stores would be purchased, most significantly Rafael’s ‘Simon’, a ‘breaching system’ from Israel, muzzle-launched from the M16 rifle. Simon is a hollow-charge munition offered in several ‘strengths’; Simon 50 blows windows, Simon 150 does for doors and Simon 300 makes holes in walls. Maximum stand-off range for firing is stated as 40 metres. Round dimensions were given as 357mm long by 100mm in diameter, with a one-off cost of $1,600, but half that sum in quantity. General stores being adopted include Tuff Cuffs and slash-resistant gloves and ‘sleeves’.

From the illustration accompanying the IDR report, it would appear that Simon can be used from quite close to the target, so we assume the vast majority of its target effects are focused forwards. But we’re not sure why something like this should be needed to blow out windows. Against doors & walls we assume it is an alternative to linear cutting charges.

SADW is a monthly electronic publication from Nick Steadman Features. Nick, intrepid world traveling reporter for much of the arms industry, files this 40,000 to 50,000 word report once a month to his loyal subscribers. Those lucky ones pay a mere $50 (US) £32.50 (UK) per year for the privilege of getting the hot tips and insights from one of the industry’s insiders. Nick’s unique perspective is globally based, as is his wit. Each issue is full of insight and information for those with an interest in Small Arms, as well as his observations on world travel.

1. NEW WEAPONS & EQUIPMENT

H&K SL8 – CIVILIAN VARIANT OF G36: Heckler & Koch is introducing for civilian sales a rather curious-looking semi-automatic SL8 derivative of the Bundeswehr’s new 5.56mm gas-operated G36 assault rifle from the same stable. Like the G36, it has a polymer receiver. We received the H&K data on the SL8, which was also recently reviewed by Visier magazine in Germany.

It has a heavy target barrel plus all the usual curious ‘politically correct’ bells & whistles prompted by German firearms legislation, such as a thumbhole stock with cheekrest, no bayonet or flash-hider fittings and a ten-round translucent polymer magazine which does not protrude conspicuously from the (detachable) magazine well. It is not interchangeable with the G36 magazine. Our sources consider that, since the magazine housing is a separate component, there may possibly be provision somewhere down the line for changing the housing to accommodate other magazine types.

Oddest aspect, other than the plastic-cased, steel-faced hammer and the ruler-straight front edge of the open-based pistol grip, is the sighting rib, incorporating the ‘iron sights’ and a full-length scope mounting rail which will also accommodate the polymer-bodied 3x G36 day scope, offered as an optional accessory. Sighting radius for the iron sights is 51cm. The detachable rib is essentially displaced about 1.5” above the four-part polymer stock/receiver (and maybe three inches above the barrel), and attached only at two points, rear and centre. It floats entirely free for the full length of the handguard. Presumably this is a device to reduce mirage from barrel heating.

Stock colour is a very light grey, almost dirty white, in our view a totally inappropriate colour scheme for a rifle – unless maybe you’re going to become a permanent resident at the North Pole – since it will show every speck of dirt it collects. We’re told none of this is any fault of H&K – apparently the final colour was actually stipulated by the police in Bavaria in order to make the SL8 look less ‘threatening’ – originally it was to be a charcoal grey.

We would love to spend a beery evening around the Stammtisch with the Bayern Kripo vigorously demolishing their ‘gun colour/threat theory’, but life’s too short, so just thank God the SL8’s not shocking pink.

A traditional-style ring-hooded front sight blade is mated with a fully-adjustable & detachable black plastic rearsight with 100m and 300m flipover aperture leaves. The ambidextrous cocking handle is situated between the receiver and the sighting rib. The SL8 has a last-round hold-open catch, unlike the G3 and HK33 designs, and a conventional, thumb-operated H&K two-position fire selector/safety catch each side of the weapon.

Though ejection is clearly non-reversible, from a right-hand port in the polymer receiver, we note there is an integral case deflector nub like that on the M16A2, and the literature confirms the rifle is also suitable for left-handers. We know from personal experience that the M16A2 deflector works very well when firing from the left shoulder.

The stock is equipped with sling attachment points. Length of pull can be adjusted by 5cm in total, by dint of a separate padded butt-plate which can be pulled out of the butt housing and secured in one of five positions by a crossbolt through the butt. And there are also adjustment shims to alter the height of the cheekpiece. The tool set, another accessory, looks suspiciously like the M16A2 kit, though packaged in a black wallet with H&K logo. There’s also a soft black gun bag. Both of these are apparently to follow the rifle onto the market.

Empty weight of the SL8 without magazine is 4.2kg and overall length 98-103cm, with a 51cm barrel. Trigger pull is approx 20 Newtons (Visier said it weighed in at just over 1800g) and reportedly pretty crisp.

When Visier tested an SL8 prototype at 100 metres, best five-shot groups were pretty good, just 15mm with Federal’s 55gr American Eagle .223 FMJ budget ammunition (not normally, in our experience, a particularly accurate loading) and 18mm with Federal 69gr Gold Medal Match, though most groups shot were in the 22-35mm bracket – several other brands were tested, with similar results.

No malfunctions were experienced, though the testers were not very keen on the ergonomics of the pistol grip, which follows a strict design apparently also determined by the German authorities. They also said it was essential to keep the SL8 very firmly in the shoulder or shots would string vertically upwards. It’s hard to precisely classify the SL8 – it’s clearly not a hunting weapon, nor we guess what would in the UK ever be properly termed a target rifle. The German designation of ‘Sportgewehr’ is, in any event, a delightfully vague expression.

In the UK, if semi-auto centrefires had not already been banned many moons ago, it would probably be considered primarily a ‘practical rifle’ or maybe just a knockabout ‘fun gun’, which is how we imagine it would also be categorised in the USA. We expect it will probably appear on the H&K Inc SHOT Show 99 booth, though we would not anticipate any huge market for the SL8 outside Europe. However, Visier said a .222 Rem version was already being considered for French & Italian customers. Price is listed at DM 2,898.

GERMAN DEPLOYMENT OF G22 SNIPER RIFLE: Soldat und Technik (the Bundeswehr magazine) reported that equipping of the quite recently constituted German KSK special forces with the Accuracy International AW sniper rifle in .300 Win Mag (metric 7.62x67mm), aka the G22, has now begun. The KSK are also receiving the 5.56mm G36 and H&K P8 (USP) pistol. Issues of all three new weapons to the German Rapid Reaction Forces are also under way. German four-wheeled recce vehicles are planned to be mounted with a 40mm automatic grenade launcher (obviously the new Heckler & Koch launcher) starting in 2001.

CHINESE ‘ITHACA’ SHOTGUN FROM BROLIN: a Firearms Business (FB) report from the 1998 NASGW wholesalers’ exhibition in Florida said that Brolin Arms is introducing a ‘redesigned’ Chinese copy of the Ithaca pump gun at a dealer price as low as $149. What the impact will be on the recently-reconstituted Ithaca Gun company’s products remains to be seen. Cheap guns like the Mavericks and Chinese clones were a major factor in Ithaca’s earlier demise.

NORINCO OFFERING 5.56MM BULLPUP: presumably citing datasheet information, JDW reported in Oct 98 that NORINCO in China now had a 5.56x45mm export version of the 5.8mm bullpup rifle that’s been deployed with PLA units in Hong Kong since mid-1997 (see previous issues).

A later JDW report said that the 5.8mm system, which has since been wheeled out for PLA open days in Hong Kong, is now designated the QBZ (Qing Buqiang Zu or ‘light rifle family’) Type 95, but mass production is still awaited. The export version, which we understand is designated Type 97, would be offered with 1:7” or 1:12” rifling twist, according to which type of 5.56mm ammunition purchasers wished to use, though we have to say it would be much easier for all 5.56mm rifle producers simply to go with 1:9”, which will handle pretty much everything. The squad automatic/LSW version of the 5.8mm rifle with 75-round drum magazine will apparently also be available in the NATO calibre. The NORINCO photo accompanying the report suggests that to effect the calibre change the manufacturer has simply used an insert on the 5.8mm weapon to adapt the magazine well for what appears to be an M16-pattern magazine.

A JDW source was also quoted as saying that the change lever (fire selector) was right at the back end of the butt on the left side, a location we guess has been copied from the British SA80, with all the same implications, namely that this is ergonomically so awkward, requiring the rifle to be thrust forward well out of the shoulder & rotated, that once automatic fire has been selected the weapon is likely to be left on this setting.

JDW said that the export weapons were still being tested but will probably sell for between $362 and $483, which it said was in excess of twice what they cost NORINCO to make. Also, a ‘sniper version’ was still in the works.

At the end of the day, one still has to question why (apart from reasons of national pride) China has gone to all the trouble of developing a new 5.8mm cartridge when it could more easily have used the 5.45x39mm case or even 5.56mm NATO. The differences between 5.8mm and 5.56mm performance are not great.

Immediate reaction of a dealer colleague, when we told him about this development, was that even if the NORINCO bullpup does look rather snappier and more modern than China’s earlier offerings, it was probably only adding to the present world glut of new & used assault rifles. He may well be right. On the other hand, the price is very competitive.

We also remain dubious about China’s alleged intention to re-equip the entire PLA with the 5.8mm bulllpup, since even at (say) $150 a pop this would be a horrendously expensive move, with minimal operational payback for the massive Chinese force structure. Incidentally, anyone jetting over to Peking should look out for data on the new Chinese small arms at the nearest corner bookstall – Asian Age ran an AFP photo showing a magazine poster of the 5.8mm LSW on a Peking street.

And the Liberation Army Daily in China has confirmed that other weapons with the PLA forces in Hong Kong include the 35mm QLZ87 automatic grenade launcher (not be confused with the Type W87 launcher in the same calibre) and the 12.7mm QJZ89 heavy machine gun, a lighter version of the Type 85, weighing 26.5kg.

The grenade launcher, a uniquely Chinese design, is produced in two versions, heavy (20kg) & light (12kg); the difference is merely the tripod used in the heavy configuration in place of the bipod. Both have six and 15-round drum magazine options. Rate of fire is 500 rpm and maximum range 1,750 metres.

Both HE and HE Armour-Piercing grenades are fired; each type has an MV of 200m/s and incorporates a self-destruct fuze. Iron sights cater only for ranges to 600m, so optics are the order of the day – and night, using ‘luminescent diodes’ for illumination. Mechanism appears to be blowback, with an unspecified self-regulating capability to cope with adverse operating conditions.

Personally, we’ve never been able to see the point in six-round drums on this type of weapon – while there are technical advantages over belt-feed in being able to simply top up a magazine, six rounds are quite inadequate for any likely role, particularly at 500rpm. So is any drum, most likely.

Note also that the drum on the QLZ87 is underneath the receiver, whereas on the W87 it is located on the right-hand side.

However, we know the designers of the QLZ87 took the R&D task very seriously, ‘cos they’ve told us so – take this verbatim quote for example: ‘Scientific research personnel developed the spirit of a hard and united struggle in order to widen their trains of thought and boldly blaze new trails’. No doubt about it.

30MM AGS-17 UPGRADE: an updated version of the 30mm Russian AGS-17 automatic grenade launcher has been shown by Asian Military Review. The upgrade has reportedly been effected primarily to suit the AGS-17 (or Plamya) for vehicle mounting. It is fitted with an eyesafe laser rangefinder/ballistic computer designated EG-LFR and has two ammunition feed systems, 145 rounds for pintle-mounted launchers and 290 rounds when installed on a ring mount. Drum magazines or what appear to be free-hanging belts can be used. We imagine the upgrade may be a response to similar improvements in sighting and fire control capabilities on Western 40mm AGLs such as the Mk19 and the new Saco Striker.

DTL 9MM IDW ARRIVES IN UK: we received information confirming that prototypes of the DTL (formerly Bushman) 9mm Individual Defence Weapon (IDW) have finally arrived with Parker-Hale in the UK, where the IDW is to be produced under licence. We understand the design software has also arrived and that (at early Jan 99) some frames were already being cut. The IDW, you’ll remember, is an exceedingly compact mini-SMG with hydraulic cyclic rate controller, offering a very high degree of control in automatic fire.

This is a very important project from a UK viewpoint, since it represents a rare increase in the ambit of military small arms manufacturing in Britain, reversing the rapid downward trend of recent years, so it’s kind of vital for the industry that it succeeds. The Bushman (as was) started out a decade or so ago as a British project and at one time was to be produced under licence by BMARC, later absorbed by Royal Ordnance. That didn’t happen, and a further plan, to have it manufactured by Saco Defense, also foundered for lack of finance. After some time in the doldrums the project was taken in hand again by DTL in the USA. However, they didn’t get it into production either, and now it’s licensed back to Parker-Hale.

Whilst at first reading this sounds a bit like a catalogue of failures, it is not by any means untypical of many new, inventor-launched small arms projects, which often require re-financing several times during their extended development cycles. And funding the expensive final step from pre-production prototyping to series production often proves an insuperable hurdle for small companies, at which point projects are often sold on, with someone else assuming the costs.

At the last count, the plan was to make a first UK batch of 200 IDWs, and Parker-Hale was also interested in doing some in .224 BOZ calibre (a 10mm Auto pistol case necked down to fire 5.56mm rifle bullets – see previous issues). Other variants were also envisaged, with different barrel lengths and maybe additional calibres too.

2. INDUSTRY & INTERNATIONAL NEWS

ROYAL AIR FORCE PILOT KIT: the Times helpfully listed the contents of the survival vests worn by RAF Tornado pilots & navigators on the recent raids on Iraq. They reportedly include ten gold krugerrands valued at £180 each (for bribes), notes requesting help & offering rewards in 12 languages, a radio, a strobe light, a GPS and a Walther PPK pistol with two full magazines. UK special forces are also known to carry gold coins when on operations behind the lines. We kind of feel a 9mm mini subgun might be more useful than the Walther pistol – the DTL 9mm IDW (nee Bushman) for example (see Section 1 above).

MORE NEGEVS FOR IDF: Defense News said that the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) were to procure another ‘several hundred’ 5.56mm Negev LMGs from IMI. The report also said that a number of modifications were in train, including the replacement of the bipod by a forward grip. Reportedly the gun is also being tested by IDF special forces. It is set to replace the 7.62mm NATO MAG 58 – which is considered too heavy for extended IDF foot patrols – as the standard infantry LMG, though we assume the 7.62mm guns will be retained, as in other armies, for sustained MG fire support and on vehicles.

The Israelis have a long history of selecting dual-purpose small arms, and the Negev is designed to be configured as anything from a heavy-duty assault rifle up to a full-spec LMG using different barrels and feed systems. However, the choice of a forward grip in lieu of the bipod suggests primary employment in the ‘machine rifle’ role (comparable to the old Browning BAR) which has been seen before with the 5.56mm Minimi SAW used by US forces in certain operations such as Panama, where the proportion of Minimis to rifles appeared much higher than normal. Likewise for SAS operations in Desert Storm. It’s a ‘weight of fire thing’!

EUROPEAN SMALL ARMS AMMUNITION MARKET: we’re advised by a major military ammunition producer that the annual market in Europe for military SAA is approx 650m rounds. The collective French, German, Italian & British share (consumption) is about half the total. Collective consumption by Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Greece, Portugal, Sweden & Finland account for the rest. If Austria & Switzerland are also included, we’re advised the annual European market should probably be increased by about 70m making a total of 720 million rounds. The UK MOD market alone is about 100m rounds.

FLAT-PACK ARMS FACTORY FOR BURMA: JDW reported that Burma has recommenced small arms production in a new modular facility supplied back in Feb 98 in pre-fabricated form by Chartered Industries of Singapore (CIS) with the help of Israelis linked to IMI. The report says the intended product range will extend up to 37mm, and the design of the new plant, which is under MOD control, will allow for expansion as required. Initial output is thought to be the indigenous 5.56mm EMER K-1 bullpup, numbers of which have reportedly appeared already with the Burmese military. This design, with pressed-metal receiver and M16-pattern magazine, in both rifle & LSW variants, is conceivably inspired by the new 5.8mm Chinese bullpup currently fielded by the PLA solely in Hong Kong (see previous issues).

Burma hasn’t officially confirmed it has a new plant, but JDW appears to have gleaned details from shipping papers. About seven years ago it looked as if the Burmese were planning to produce domestic variants of Chinese 7.62x39mm Kalashnikov derivatives, but this venture evidently never took off.

More recently it emerged that Burma was keen to make Kalashnikov weapons in 5.56mm instead, and it is thought to have tried to make or assemble these with Chinese help, but the K-1 bullpup design, originally prototoyped some years ago, is a new direction for manufacturers there. In all probability however it is merely a Kalashnikov mechanism repackaged in bullpup configuration, like some comparable designs. Past reports suggest that China, Israel and Singapore have all provided assistance to the Burmese small arms industry over the last decade.

In the past Germany was the main source of assistance, with Fritz Werner (then owned by the German government) having been responsible for the establishment of several Burmese arms plants, including the facility built with Heckler & Koch in 1957 for G3 rifle production, plus a small arms ammunition factory. The range of outside sources which have successively become involved in the Burmese arsenal-building plans suggests a typical Third World pattern of neglected facilities which ultimately cannot do the job, necessitating another new start with more outside help.

As far as we know, Burma still manufactures solely for its domestic forces and has not so far planned to export any of its small arms. Since it is now making 5.56mm weapons, we must assume the necessary ammunition is also being made. Also that the K-1 is now the official Burmese replacement for the 7.62x51mm G3, which is a bit on the large side for Asian troops. Reportedly Burma has been working towards its supersession for a decade or more.

Ever since Western supplies began to dry up in the late-80s, following criticism of the ruling SLORC regime’s rather quaint ideas on human rights, it’s clear Burma has been working towards complete self-sufficiency in light weapons, first with licenced production, now with some indigenous designs.

We would not expect the Chinese to have any qualms about equipping Burma, but the reported involvement by Singapore & Israel reflects badly on both suppliers and suggest a classic pattern of dwindling defence export opportunities progressively lowering resistance to outfitting regimes that most countries have now boycotted.

NATO IGNORING NGOs ON LIGHT WEAPONS: according to Defense News, NATO is resisting pressure from non-governmental organisations (NGOs) to support their moves to enhance ‘transparency’ and controls in respect of transfers of light weapons (aka small arms). Human Rights Watch in the USA wrote to NATO urging the alliance to adopt appropriate policies, but there are apparently no plans to introduce any new NATO rules.

Could it be that the NGOs – which have so far rather had it their own way with the UN and certain national governments (such as New Labour in the UK) – have finally overestimated their importance in the wider order of things?

Reportedly Human Rights Watch is keen that NATO should do something in connection with its peacekeeping missions to prevent weapons proliferation, though it’s not easy to see exactly what this might be. Sources have suggested the NGOs’ concerns are not a priority at NATO Headquarters. Presumably the NGOs would like peacekeepers to be sure to collect up any bootleg weapons they find, though most combatants nowadays seem to have little problem replenishing their stocks, and if necessary (as in Croatia) may even manufacture their own. But with all the other international, regional (eg EU) and national moves on small arms controls, external supplies will of course completely dry up any time now. Well, won’t they?

FLINTLOCK MUSKET HP: we were talking to an apparently very knowledgeable re-enactor in Canada recently about practical hit probability (HP), (ie in combat conditions) with the smoothbored flintlock musket of circa 1810. He reckoned the practical HP at 100 yards in those days was about 4%, the vast amount of smoke from black powder fusillades being a major hindrance factor.

Whilst this sounds very low, try computing the average 100 metre HP of all rounds from any of the current range of 5.56mm personal weapons fired in combat conditions, and we’d bet it isn’t that huge, not least because of the indiscriminate use of burstfire, producing a high percentage of ‘sky hits’ and not much else.

We remember reading somewhere that the British shot/kill ratio (with .450 Martinis, we recall) at the siege of Rorke’s Drift in South Africa was around 60:1, based on Zulu bodies versus cartridge cases retrieved, so things obviously hadn’t improved much since 1810.

AUSTRALIAN GUN TRADE HIT HARD: press reports from Australia in Oct 98 suggested that the gun trade over there had been seriously damaged by the ban on semi-automatic long guns. In Queensland, the Brisbane Courier mail reported that at least a third of all gunshops had either closed or were considering it, and turnover was said to be off by a half, with new gun sales down a whopping 80%. Illicit trade prompted by the new laws was claimed to be largely to blame. The same paper said that armed robbery in Australia had risen last year by 39% and armed assault by 28%.

SADW is a monthly electronic publication from Nick Steadman Features. Nick, intrepid world traveling reporter for much of the arms industry, files this 40,000 to 50,000 word report once a month to his loyal subscribers. Those lucky ones pay a mere $50 (US) £32.50 (UK) per year for the privilege of getting the hot tips and insights from one of the industry’s insiders. Nick’s unique perspective is globally based, as is his wit. Each issue is full of insight and information for those with an interest in Small Arms, as well as his observations on world travel.

1. NEW WEAPONS & EQUIPMENT

IMI SHOWS NEW 5.56MM BULLPUP: JDW has published details of the IMI Israel 5.56mm bullpup rifle, which is reportedly now called the Tavor. The accompanying photo showed a much neater design than the earlier prototypes, which, as we recall, resembled the Steyr AUG rather more closely. Though not stated, we assume the innards of the Tavor are Galil-based. The one-piece stock/receiver is made from synthetics and the pistol grip has a large AUG-style ‘trigger guard’, more correctly a hand protector.

A bipod and 40mm grenade launcher are reportedly also available, and the flash hider appears to incorporate an angled slot and holes for muzzle stabilisation. An International Technologies red dot sight is fitted, mounted directly on the barrel, and there is also an integrated laser aiming pointer. Mini-night sights are also available. Magazines are M16-pattern and the sample shown was right-ejecting, though – since JDW says the left-mounted cocking handle (which also seems to be inspired by the AUG) is reversible – we assume the same also applies to ejection. Weapon weight is stated as 3.5kg loaded, and length overall is 72cm.

The Israelis have been cagey in the past as to exactly what was the purpose of this project; however it would appear it has been developed as a potential replacement for the IDF’s Galils and M16s. Whether there will be other competitors (as there were when the Galil itself was adopted) remains to be seen. But if imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, Steyr must be feeling pretty smug.

MARINES M40A2 BECOMES M40A1 IMPROVED: just to confuse you, now that the US Marine Corps has finally unveiled its long-awaited M40A2 sniper rifle it’s actually calling it the M40A1 Improved. Like the M40A1, the new rifles are built on Remington actions, and they have custom stocks from McMillan, with adjustable ambidextrous cheekrests and hooked butts to offer a good purchase for the non-firing hand. We’re told the scopes are 4-14x Leupolds, and we note the scope rings are mounted on a Picatinny rail that extends a couple of inches beyond the breech ring. Also, the butt pad appears to incorporate a spacer system. The heavyweight barrels are threaded for muzzle suppressors, but a very finely-fitted thread protector is added for normal use. As we recall, the USMC small arms shop at Quantico made only about 1,000 M40A1 rifles; we don’t yet know whether the existing rifles will simply be taken in for upgrading or if all-new weapons will be built.

NEOSTEAD SHOTGUN UPDATE (1 NOV 98): Neostead in South Africa has provided another update on the status of its 12-shot ‘pump-forward’ bullpup shotgun, as (lightly edited) below:

‘Firstly we would like to explain that the Pre-production Models (PPM) that we are presently building are for testing and evaluation purposes, and are not for sale. To evaluate the PPMs all the major and critical components have been manufactured using permanent production tooling such as injection moulds for the polymer parts, metal stampings etc. To go into production and still be able to achieve a retail selling price of $1000.00, further industrialisation and permanent tooling is required. The planning for this stage will be finalised after the PPMs have been fully tested and evaluated.

Exciting improvements and enhancements incorporated in the PPMs are :-

– Completely new barrel guides – giving greater barrel stability resulting in greater accuracy.

– Positive sear link lock – thus preventing drop-test discharge.

– No tools are required for field stripping. Merely depress a spring loaded button and the butt/grip slides off.

The frustration is that we have not yet received the necessary permits to allow us to complete final assembly and start test firing. These permits are now 11 months overdue. It is our intention to manufacture the Neostead gun in the USA for the US market. A further update will be issued when we have completed test firing.’

STEYR 5.56MM USR – AMPLIFICATION: one of the managers of the Cybershooters mailing list in the UK wired us some comments regarding our earlier report on the Steyr 5.56mm USR, the commercial, ‘less-warlike’ (aka politically correct) AUG rifle variant, a batch of which was exported to the USA just in time to escape current import restrictions. He points out that the magazine capacity is actually nine rounds rather than ten, and that the gas system is adjustable. Though the rifle comes with no barrel release catch, he says you can simply buy one from GSI for $6 and Loctite it in place. He further notes that the more ergonomic design of the USR cocking handle is offset by the lack of a hold-open slot in the receiver, so that you can only lock the breech open with an empty magazine in place. Finally, he considers the muzzle flash is a bit excessive without the military flash hider.

SWISS SUPPRESSOR YARD SALE: the European distributor of SS-Super-Sonic-International in Niederbipp (Switzerland) is having a yard sale of suppressors, many at half price, since all must go by 31 Dec 98, after which new Swiss firearms laws forbidding their sale come into force. On offer are suppressors to fit almost every kind of pistol, carbine, SMG and military rifle (both East & West-bloc), including Impuls models for recoil-operated pistols, plus multicalibre versions. The suppliers claim up to 30% better suppression than rival products and offer a 10-year guarantee. (S Frauchiger, European distributor, Tel (+41) 32-633-2418 or 79-319-4973)

FN 5.7x28mm P-90 AMMUNITION – CORRECTION: in our item ‘5.7mm P-90 Ballistics Improved’, carried in a recent issue, the following paragraph appeared:
‘And he further notes that, at the bottom line, the P-90 projectile has just 60% the momentum of the commercial .22 Hornet, with around 52% of its energy. A closer analogue, Fackler says, would be the 1922fps .22 rimfire Remington Viper round, with momentum within 5% of that achieved by the P-90.’

We’ve recently received a wire saying that the author of the original article (in Wound Ballistics Review) misread the Remington brochure – which is apparently easy to do, given the way it’s printed – and that the figure of 1,922 isn’t the muzzle velocity of the Viper round, but the order number!

Viper MV is actually published as 1,410 fps, giving it a momentum 43% less than that of the SS190 round for the P-90, not 5% less. However, the message also said that .22 WMR is a different story, with momentum for the Winchester 34 gr Supreme is within 1% of that of the SS109 round.

NEW METAL STORM US DEAL: a report in The Courier Mail (Brisbane) said that the Charter Pacific Corporation, which has invested A$3m in a 30% stake in Mike O’Dwyers Metal Storm high-rate gun development company (see earlier issues) had negotiated a deal allowing Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) in the USA, a firm specialising in US government-funded R&D projects, to utilise Metal Storm technology. No cash value was mentioned. Under the terms of the SAIC agreement, Metal Storm will reportedly receive a percentage of the income from any commercial exploitation of the gun technology. However, Metal Storm will continue working itself on aspects not covered by the linkup with SAIC, such as projects specific to local Australian defence needs. The paper said that Lockheed Martin also entered into an ‘evaluation alliance’ with Metal Storm in 1996 to study possible applications of the invention, which readers will recall relates to electronically-fired, programmed volley gun systems with a number of projectiles loaded base to tip in each barrel, offering phenomenally high theoretical cyclic rates.

SELLIER & BELLOT STEEL-CASED 5.56MM: FAMAS users and others who (Lord knows why) prefer steel cartridge cases might wish to know that Sellier & Bellot from the Czech Republic is now selling steel-cased M193-style 5.56mm ammunition in the USA. Primers are Boxer, and made from brass. Headstamp wording is S&B 223 REM. Case colour is grey, resembling East German ammunition. It’s loaded with a lead-cored, copper-jacketed ball bullet and retails for around $25 for a box of 140 rounds.

Steel-cased ammunition is still the standard in the East, and GIAT in France also uses steel for its military 5.56mm, but most Western buyers inevitably tend to think ‘cheap & cheerful’ whenever they see steel. We think – as a straight marketing point – that Sellier & Bellot would be well-advised to use brass cases when selling into the US & Western European markets. There’s also a chance that shooters might then pick up the fired cases too – many ranges are now littered with steel East-bloc empties that no-one bothers to collect since they have no obvious value even as scrap.

2. INDUSTRY & INTERNATIONAL NEWS

A THOUGHT FOR ARMISTICE DAY: we were chatting to a neighbour about Armistice Day in November, and he related how, back in the 1970s, he went on a battlefield tour in Europe with a military guide. It was the quiet season at the war cemetery, and there was nobody else to be seen among the serried rows of headstones, but a short while later a bus turned up and promptly disgorged a bunch of children, who leapt off into the cemetery engaged in the kind of noisy stuff that kids tend to do. The tour guide was apparently outraged by this noisy ‘intrusion’ and stomped over to the bus to ask the woman in charge of the kids what she thought she was doing.

But her reply literally stopped him in his tracks. She said “We bring them here from time to time, so the men can hear the children”. He just hadn’t thought of it that way, and was duly humbled.

We can tell you from our own experience that the local school kids also take their lunch amongst the headstones at the war cemetery for the allied Burma Railway dead at Kanchanaburi in Thailand, close by the River Kwai, but we see no contradiction there either. The Week asked if we could ever tolerate something as harrowing as the Great War today, and quoted the following from Wilfred Wilson Gibson:

‘We who are left, how shall we look again
Happily on the sun or feel the rain
Without remembering how they who went
Ungrudgingly and spent
Their lives for us loved, too, the sun and rain?’

COLT PILES UP SEVERAL CONTRACTS: National Defense said that Colt had recently secured an initial $2.5m deal, with further options worth $5m, to produce ‘M16A4’ rifles for the US army. We understand this model is a ‘flat-top’ M16A2 with Picatinny scope rail and the four-rail Modular Weapon System around the barrel for improving the potential for mounting additional sighting devices and other accessories. The A4 designation is mighty confusing, since there has never been an official M16A3 model, though that’s what Picatinny Arsenal in the past took to calling the flat-topped M16A2 with scope rail to distinguish it from the A2 with integral carrying handle.

Some 20,000 A4s are eventually expected to be made, at a price of $375 each, presumably by modification from A2 flat top standard, with initial deliveries early in 1999. The same source also said that in Jan 98 Colt won a three-year US army deal, a partnering arrangement with Anniston Army Depot, to upgrade USAF M16 rifles to M16A2 standard, initially 50,000 weapons for $18m, with the possibility of further options up to more than 120,000 riffles.

The magazine said the Air Force currently had around 220,000 M16s; as we understand it, the USAF still has basic early models (not M16A1s) without forward bolt assists, though we recall seeing M16A2s with Air Force Security units from Nellis AFB some years ago.

Additionally, the magazine pointed out that back in Oct 97 Colt was awarded another $12.5m deal to provide in excess of 24,000 5.56mm M4 Carbines to the US army. Clearly this steady injection of new army & air force business will help keep Colt’s military production ticking over for a few years, but none of it changes the longer-term prognosis of very lean times ahead for all US small arms suppliers.

ANGOLA RAID LEAVES SIX DEAD: early in Nov 98 the Telegraph and others reported that the Canadian-owned Yetwene diamond mine in Angola was raided by a 50-strong unit of what are thought to have been members of the Unita rebel forces, who killed six staff, including two from the UK, and kidnapped four others. Eighteen more were wounded.

GLOBAL SCENE HITS ISRAELI DEFENCE: an item in Jane’s News Briefs said that, due to financial crises around the world, Israeli defence manufacturers could be looking at 1998 revenues as low as $1.5Bn, down from $2.5Bn in 1997, suggesting an urgent need for ‘reform’. Restructuring, downscaling & diversification are probably the words they should really be grasping for.

INTERARMS USA REORGANISATION: Firearms Business (FB) reported in Oct 98 that most of the management at Interarms in the USA had been let go and the company’s former controller, David MacGillivray, had been promoted to president & CEO. There was still no definitive word on the Umarex (Germany) purchase of Interarms which had been in negotiation for some considerable time, though Interarms confirmed it would still need to work closely with Walther, which is a Umarex subsidiary.

ARMED POLICE EVERYWHERE: it seems that the new UK government’s fears of terrorist attack extend rather further than the modest little squad of 28 armed police protecting British PM Blair around the clock. The Mail on Sunday highlighted the inauguration of a new MOD Police (MDP) control room in the bowels of the Whitehall defence headquarters in London, complete with an armoury and a team of MDP ‘marksmen’ reportedly tasked with protecting the defence secretary and military Chiefs of Staff.

One of the MOD Police staff, a female firearms instructor, was pictured with her ‘sub-machine gun’, which the rest of us would more readily have recognised as an SA80 rifle. We don’t somehow expect a platoon of armed crazies to storm the MOD HQ anytime soon, but hey – that would spoil a good bit of free ministry PR. Yet knowing how un-cordial relations between senior military staff and politicians (particularly of a Labour hue) usually are, we guess the biggest risk to the defence secretary’s health is probably from the Chiefs of Staff themselves!

DENEL LOSSES: Flight International reported that Denel in South Africa is expected to record current FY losses of up to Rand 400m ($70.5m). The group is now to be reorganised from 18 divisions to four (heavy ordnance, light ordnance, commercial & aerospace). The public enterprises minister has apparently confirmed that British Aerospace will be the first company to be approached by the South African government regarding an equity partnership with Denel’s aerospace division (Denel Aviation & Kentron).

SWITZERLAND WITHOUT AN ARMY?: in Oct 98 The Economist reported that one Tobias Schnebli from the “Group for a Switzerland Without an Army” was out collecting signatures for a petition to present to the Swiss government seeking to abolish the army. If petitioners can collect 50,000 names, a nationwide referendum can be held on an issue. With 100,000 signatures you can force an entirely new legislative initiative to be voted on. Back in 1989 Herr Schnebli’s group first forced a vote on the future of the army and 36% of the electorate reportedly agreed the army should go. However, the government is getting wise to all this and now wants to increase the number of names required on petitions for new initiatives to 150,000.

RADWAY GREEN SAA PLANT UNDER SERIOUS THREAT: Royal Ordnance sources confirm that the company has already submitted an unsolicited bid to the UK MOD for the upcoming multi-year British armed forces buy of small arms ammunition (see Section 1). In so doing, the company has stressed to the ministry the need to encourage partnership with the defence industry, as recommended in the UK Strategic Defence Review, a process intended to produce ongoing cost & efficiency savings.

However, if the MOD nevertheless simply opts for a cheap overseas bid, regardless of from whence the ammunition is sourced, Royal Ordnance has unequivocally stated that it will ‘exit the business’. This would be a major blow to the UK, leaving it with no indigenous military SAA manufacturer.

We’re conscious the UK MOD has provoked this kind of thing before, some years ago, by dint of buying successive orders of cheap Greek .50 BMG ammunition from Pyrkal and forcing Eley Ltd in Birmingham (the UK’s sole domestic source at the time) to quit the .50 business altogether. In our view, it would be grossy irresponsible of the MOD to allow yet another significant component of the UK strategic industry to wither on the vine. But in recent years the ministry has already sourced large quantities of assorted SAA from overseas and its policy on 155mm propellant purchasing (see story below) seems likely to put UK capability in that field too at risk.

ARMS IN KOSOVO AID CONSIGNMENT: TTU Europe reported that on 1 Nov 98 some sniper rifles, communications kit and ammunition were seized by Albanian customs from two containers of Swiss origin. The military materiel, travelling on a Croatian vessel, was apparently hidden in a humanitarian aid consignment destined for Kosovan refugees.

USAF HAS TOO LITTLE AMMO: a Defense News item said the US Air Force had admitted that past emphasis on funding major assets such as new aircraft had resulted in an ammunition shortfall that was unlikely to be cured for several years. Now the ammunition reserves of a few years back have been ‘drained’. 30mm GAU-8 ammunition for the A10 tankbuster is apparently a major concern, with only 1.5m rounds allocated for next year against a requirement of nearly 2m. About a third of the USAF’s total ammunition stocks of 27m rounds is apparently held in the Gulf and now considered suspect due to adverse storage conditions – this stock is now being repatriated to the USA for inspection. We begin to hear the cash registers tinkling at the ammo contractors.

CLINTON COPS OUT ON KOSOVO MONITORING: the news that the US government has hired private contractors to provide the 150-strong American contingent to the unarmed Kosovo ceasefire monitoring force has gone down like a lead balloon on the other side of the Atlantic, where the UK is sending a 200-man team, half of them serving military personnel, the rest retired officers and other experts.

A Guardian report said that the US State Department had hired Virginia-based DynCorp for the Kosovo job, and the firm would be providing a team of ‘weapons inspectors’, ‘verification experts’, drivers and technicians. DynCorp had beaten its competitors MPRI to win the contract.

The use of outside contractors is seen as a political ruse by the Clinton administration to sidestep the negative impact which might otherwise be incurred if US troops were killed on this risky Kosovo mission. But one British defence commentator was quoted as saying “It is extraordinary that a country with a highly paid volunteer army should turn to a private company of mercenaries. This is not the sort of task which should be done for profit.”

Even more surprising when one remembers the Kosovo deal itself was brokered by Washington. We can’t believe that senior American military commanders reckon much to this policy either, since it shows the US forces in rather a poor light.

UK WORLD ARMS SALES NO 2: IISS data reported by the Guardian says that in 1997 the UK (up 5% with £5Bn in sales) maintained its position as No 2 world arms exporter in a year which showed the global market rise to a record post-Cold War high of $47Bn. It has risen 36% just over the previous two years. Top of the list (no surprise) was the USA, but Russian sales have slumped over a decade from 35% of the world total to just 5.4%, suggesting that the defence industry alone is certainly not going to buy Moscow out of trouble any time soon. Biggest arms importer is Saudi Arabia at $11Bn, which raises some interesting questions about the likely impact on the world market if the oil price collapsed.

NEW THAI POLICE ACADEMY: the Bangkok Post reported early in Oct 98 that the US and Thailand had signed a deal to establish a new International Law Enforcement Academy in Bangkok, funded by the American government. It’s aim is to further co-operation twixt US, Thai & other SE Asian law enforcement agencies, focussing on drugs, the smuggling of people, terrorism and ‘economic crime’.

SUICIDE BY COP – DATA: the results of a survey of 240 US police shootings from Jan 1980 to Jun 1995 recently published in the FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin concluded that suicidal intent on the part of the person confronting police and subsequently shot was a factor in probably nine cases and possibly also in another 28. Taken together these would constitute 16% of the total.

In 160 cases no reliable determination could be made, and in 43 instances a suicidal motive was absent or unlikely. 69% of the 240 shootings, which covered 18 metropolitan areas, were fatal. The findings suggest that the ‘suicide by cop’ phenomenon is indeed significant, as suspected for some time, and begs the question what – if anything – could be done to reduce its incidence.

LARGE UK 5.56MM DISPOSAL: the UK MOD has recently sold off two million rounds of Hirtenberg (Austria) 5.56mm L3A1 M193-specification ammunition which was surplus to requirements. It was in three batches, of 1984, 1987 and 1988 vintage. Some readers may find it curious that while Royal Ordnance Radway Green still has to fight tooth & nail to secure every UK MOD small arms ammunition contract, the MOD should be selling off stocks of foreign ammunition which could have been produced at home.

The disposal is even odder when one bears in mind that M193 (55gr) 5.56mm ammunition is perfectly OK to use in current NATO 1:7” twist barrels (eg SA80, M16A2), and indeed the US forces still buy M193 ball and M196 tracer for training, not least because it’s cheaper than the SS109 family.

LETHAL DOWNSIDE OF SA MAJORITY RULE: The Economist & others reported that since the majority ANC government was elected in South Africa in 1994, around 550 farmers (mostly white Boers) have been murdered in 2,000 attacks throughout the country. 104 had already been killed in 1998. In some cases their (black) attackers have lain in wait and killed whole families, carving political slogans on the corpses. In others, victims have been raped & tortured. Many farmers believe it is part of an intimidation campaign, though the government denies politics are involved. Nevertheless, we doubt this information will be appearing anytime soon in South African tourist literature.

PLA SLASHED BY 100K: According to the Telegraph, China announced in mid-Sep 98 that it had made 100,000 members of the PLA redundant, a move which is one step in a programme to trim the 3m-strong army by half a million. It’s hoped to save money with which to modernise the PLA. We guess it’ll also dump rather a lot of surplus small arms on the market too.

BUNDESWEHR GRENADE ACCIDENT: in early Sep 98 the German press reported that there was an accident at the Leopold Barracks in Amberg in which an HE/Fragmentation hand grenade exploded, wounding 21 soldiers, five of them seriously. The troops, from the HQ company of Panzerbrigade 11 and Panzerpionierkompanie 120 (armoured pioneers), were undergoing grenade training in a room when (for reasons which are unclear) a live hand grenade suddenly detonated. A corporal who reportedly brought the live grenade to the training session was lightly wounded in the blast and apparently now faces charges under safety regulations.

SYMBOLIC MACHETE DESTRUCTION: a Times short said that police in the UK had torched and ‘melted down’ a machete used in an attack on children having a school picnic in Wolverhampton two years ago. This is the sort of blatantly PC move, blaming the weapon for the deed, that we normally hear reported from California.

3. FUTURE WEAPON SYSTEMS & TECHNOLOGY

ISRAELI GENETIC WEAPONS?: potentially the most disturbing news of the month came via the Sunday Times, which claimed that the Israeli biological warfare establishment at Nes Ziona was developing genetic weapons intended to target ethnic Arabs without harming Jews. It said that the Israelis had used some of the genetic research carried out by South Africa under apartheid (see previous issues) and cited ‘Israeli military and western intelligence sources’ as the basis of the story.

The paper claimed that researchers had been trying to find specific ‘Arab’ genes which would make target populations vulnerable to certain biological agents, which could used either to fill weapons or to poison water supplies. But the task had been more difficult due to the common Semitic origin of Jews and Arabs. However the Israelis had already figured out specific genetic vulnerabilities, in ‘particularly the Iraqi people’. The US defence secretary was also quoted as confirming that a number of countries were working on genetically-engineered weapons, and one was indeed thought to be Israel.

The Sunday Times said that Jane’s Intelligence Review, citing South African sources, had already published a similar story, and that the Israelis were said to have done their genetic research on Arabic Jews, ‘especially Iraqis’. If these revelations are true, they are particularly shocking for a country like Israel which was founded in the wake of systematic Nazi genocide and depends heavily on Western moral and financial support for its continued existence. Yet with every ‘shock-horror’ military story of this type, it’s always educational to study the timing, which in this case was at the very peak of the latest Iraq crisis. Clearly there would be significant propaganda value in Israel being thought to have weapons designed specifically to exploit Iraqi vulnerabilities, bearing in mind the possibility of Saddam Hussein once more including Israel on his own target list – and the exceedingly hawkish Israeli government now in power.

Either way, whether or not the specific Israeli threat is real, since genetic weapons research is already thought to be under way in various states it is clearly time for this sort of work to be prohibited by international convention, as medical experts in the UK have been saying for some while.

As for Israel, we would hope the government there will realise that Western sympathy for its plight is liable to evaporate rather rapidly if that country sinks to the same sort of ‘Final Solution’ tactics practiced against the Jewish community in World War Two. All Jews should condemn it outright.

It does however highlight the need for the West to get a much firmer grip on Jewish/Arab politics and persuade all the parties that ‘end-game’ policies such as genetic and nuclear warfare are unacceptable as bargaining chips, since their only outcome, if pursued, would be mutual annihilation, hardly a triumph of late 20th century diplomacy.

NANOTECHNOLOGY FOR SOLDIER APPLICATIONS: in mid-98 the US army’s Soldier Systems Command (SSCOM) hosted a conference on ‘Nanotechnology for the Soldier System’.

Nanotechnology, as SSCOM describes it, involves ‘the exploitation of novel phenomena that occur in materiels constructed from constituents that are extremely small. For example, the size of these building blocks used in nanotechnology will range from one millionth to one billionth of a meter.’

SSCOM claims that nanotechnology will significantly reduce the soldier’s load, help track his performance and vastly improve his chemical/biological, ballistic & environmental protection, as well as protecting his eyes from directed energy (as in ‘death rays’).

According to one speaker, “Nanotechnology may benefit the soldier of the future because nanomaterials and devices could provide greater protective and intelligence capabilities at a reduced weight. This should improve the soldier’s mobility, viability and lethality.”

Another said, “Nanomaterials that can be developed and demonstrated for soldier systems in the near term include nanofibers for filtration and chemically protective membranes, nanolayered materiels for packaging and ballistic protection, nanoparticles and nanocomposites for signature reduction and ballistic protection, and nanofoams for new lightweight transparent armor.”

All well & good, but first please ensure you have more than a nanobudget to develop all this stuff.