The German woman was becoming a real pain. I knew we were in trouble when I saw her Birkenstock sandals. CPL Pat Cooper had rendered initial first aid to the German relief worker, while I carried another woman away from the road accident. Their Land Rover hit a roadblock, went off the road and flipped over right after passing our three vehicle convoy. We were enroute to Mogadishu from a 10th Mountain division camp near Marka at a high rate of speed because darkness was falling. CPT Dan Dobrolwski, 513th MI Brigade, quickly organized a perimeter. Although an MI officer. ‘Ski and I had both been rifle platoon leaders in the 2d Infantry Division on the Korean DMZ in ’86 and he quickly slipped back into the combat troop leader mode, commandeering an M60 machine gun and organizing vehicle shakedowns of civilian traffic entering our perimeter which crowned the roadway. Within five minutes there was a crowd of about 100 civilians lining the road. We waited for assistance that never came.

Before we pulled out to medevac the relief workers ourselves an English aid worker asked me what should be done with the weapon. Weapon? Sure enough, with all the khat chewing Somalis milling around there was a loaded G-3 laying atop the vehicle’s underside. I hastily cleared the rifle and shoved it at him telling him, “here take this, sling it muzzle down and whatever you do, don’t play with the damn thing.”

It was not the first G-3 I’d seen in the past few weeks. There were weapons all over the country. Everywhere I went there was an arms room filled with the same hodgepodge assortment of small arms captured from the local thugs. The captured, confiscated, or voluntarily surrendered weapons were predominately Kalashnikov’s as most Somali “gun men” were armed with Kalashnikov’s. I can’t endorse the Kalashnikov enough as an all-around great battle rifle for the African continent. It is ideally suited for the harsh field conditions in desert and bush environments of the Dark Continent where operator maintenance is minimal and old crankcase oil or goat fat frequently suffices for weapons lubricant. The simplistic, robust design of the Sergeant Mikhail T. Kalashnikov’s perfect peasant rifle is just the ticket for arming a bunch of illiterate, primitive tribesmen who’ve never handled anything more technologically advanced than a transistor radio. Some of these people still believe that setting a sight on a longer range increases the hitting power of the bullet. Explaining trajectory and bullet drop is akin to teaching quantum physics. While AK’s , M-16s, and G-3’s were the most common weapons I saw in Somalia there was also a wide assortment of weapons laying about including at least one example of the more common European small arms made in this century.

SGT Jako from the 10th Mountain Division S-2 (Intelligence) shop in Kismayo showed me inside the locked CONEX container where they kept a stash of captured weaponry. I almost burst into tears at the sight of badly rusted Thompson .45 submachine guns destined for the demolitions pit, knowing that even in their rough, used condition the venerable Chicago Pianos were a collectors dream. There were also stockpiles of heavily used PPSh-41s. I would guess that the stocks of both these submachine guns had been idle for some time due to ammunition shortage. While both are considered long obsolete in modern military armories they are serviceable and dependable weapons found yet in the world’s backwaters. I saw both weapons fielded later that year (1993) in Bosnia and to good effect. A heavy World War II era submachine gun may not be on par with a modern assault rifle, but in combat it sure beats throwing rocks.

In the corner beyond the Thompson’s was another “obsolete” American weapon, a very pristine M14. No doubt there were a few USMC vets of the Southeast Asia Wargames back at MARFOR headquarters who would’ve appreciated this robust weapon. I carried an M-14 (actually an M-21 sniping rifle with ART-2) in combat as late as 1986, and think it is a fine weapon. A really interesting find was a Smith and Wesson 1917 service revolver, the one chambered for .45 Long Colt but used with the .45 ACP and half moon clips. Strangely enough it had a short snub nosed barrel. The finish was 100% and the grips were pristine. It looked like it was boxed out of the factory yesterday. I am still mystified as to how it escaped damage in the sandy wastes of Somalia. Large numbers of M-16s were previously provided to Somalia by the U.S. government when Said Barre’s regime was considered a bulwark against Mengistu’s Marxist government in Ethiopia. Ironically some of our troops came under fire from these weapons with significant numbers being captured and confiscated.

It seemed like there was one of everything. SKS carbines were piled on top of M-1 Garands which leaned against Mannlicher-Carcanos, flanked by Czech LMGs and rusting Mausers. Besides the G-3s there were also a few MG 42s. The myriad collection of weapons bespoke Somalia’s tortured path on its way from feudal state to nationhood and back to tribal chaos. I noted a few .303 Lee-Enfield No. 4 rifles. Millions of these rifles were made in England, the U.S. (by Savage Arms Co.). Canada, Australia and India. These were undoubtedly left behind in British Somaliland, used in Orde Wingate’s Abyssinia campaign, or issued during the post-war protectorate. The British ruled all of Somalia after the war until the Italians returned as the UN trustees in 1950. Somalia being a former Italian colony there were large quantities of Italian weapons. Several examples of the Beretta Model 38/42 submachine gun (differing from the 38A by its lack of a cooling jacket) were captured in Kismayo. The precision machining and finishing on the pre-war Model 38A’s was eliminated during the war to ease the manufacturing process. But, even with a stamped tubular receiver it proved to be a reliable and robust submachine gun. I know of only one reference to the Breda Model 1935PG 6.5mm rifles. The Breda was a substandard rifle built for export in the late 1930’’ ( a 7mm variant was sold to Costa Rica in 1937) and many were shipped to Ethiopia. I kept my eye out for one of these rifles. I have yet to even find a photo of one and am beginning to think it is a chimera. The bolt-action 6.5mm M91 Carcano rifles and carbines, however, were well represented with hundreds of examples, mostly in poor to junk condition. With the wide availability of various select fire weapons, especially Kalashnikov’s, I assume most were carried by herdsmen. Interestingly, it was this area of the world where it was determined there was a need for a larger caliber replacement for the 6.5mm. It was in the course of their campaign to subdue Haile Selassie’s Ethiopia defended by Spear carrying tribesmen that the Italians decided the 6.5mm was not enough of a man-stopper. The 7.35mm cartridge was introduced but with the advent of World War II the Italians thought it unwise to switch calibers and most of the 7.35mm Carcanos (M1938) were sold to Finland. Some were re-barrelled with 6.5mm barrels by the Italians. Near the end of World War II limited quantities of these weapons were re-chambered for 7.92mm Mauser. The Germans, who were pressing anything that launched a bullet into service, re-designated the 6.5mm rifles as the Gew 209(I) and the 7.35mm rifles as Gew 231(I) and rebored them for 7.92mm. Due to the increase chamber pressures generated by the 7.92mm Mauser cartridge it is unsafe to fire these weapons. I also saw several M59 Beretta rifles, in my opinion, one of the better Italian made weapons. When the U.S. adopted the M-14 the Italians decided to adapt its M-1 Garand (made under license by Beretta). The resulting weapon was an M-1 chambered to fire the NATO 7.62 round, modified to fire bursts, and fitted with a 20-round magazine and a grenade launcher / muzzle brake.

Later, back in Mogadishu I had the opportunity to examine a Breda Model 30 Italian Light Machine Gun.. The Breda, although one of the first machine gun made with a quick change barrel and, while exhibiting excellent workmanship, was a badly flawed design. A delayed blowback operating gun with a recoiling barrel (like the Italian 1914 Revelli) it has a large bolt with multiple locking lugs. The magazine is permanently attached and is loaded with a twenty-round “horse-shoe” charger of brass or cardboard. On top of the receiver is an oilpan and pump. Because of faulty loading and ejecting inherent in its design, weapons oil is injected onto the rounds and they’re fed through the side loading fixed-box magazine. It obviously didn’t fare too well in the sandy wastes of Ethiopia and Libya.. leading to the old joke about the Italian Army making better shoes than machineguns. When ‘Ski and I disassembled the weapon, which was in remarkably immaculate condition, we found the parts were serial numbered and they all matched. This was a museum quality piece. We attempted to arrange for its shipment to the U.S., but to no avail. It would be destroyed like several other museum pieces, including some priceless Wilkinson sabers which went into the demolition pit with everything else.

Large quantities of captured/confiscated weapons were shipped to the Embassy Compound where they were destroyed. Unfortunately the preponderance of weaponry was tempting. An Army lieutenant was arrested attempting to ship home an AK-47. A few troops I talked to displayed their “drop guns” – pistols such as Lugers, WWII-era Berettas, and Baby Brownings —acquired in Somalia and carried for personal protection or to insure they could produce captured weapons from dead bodies after a fire fight if needed. It’s too bad our troops worried as much about surviving the Monday Morning quarterbacks as they did surviving combat patrols. Despite the availability of many suitable weapons the well-deserving soldiers and marines of Operation Restore Hope were restricted from bringing home a legal war trophy.

Some of the people who justly deserved a war trophy were the U.S. Marines (India Battery, 3/11) who manned several of the camouflage net covered sandbag outposts guarding the Embassy’s outer wall and the main outer gate to the U.S. Embassy Compound. I spent a little time wandering around the perimeter and getting to know the leathernecks responsible for the security of my work site and the area where I slept (quite comfortably) in a GP Medium tent. The positions were all 2-man positions which included night vision devices and an M249 SAW (squad automatic weapon). While some automatic weapons positions had range cards others did not; it seemed to be a gunner prerogative rather than a result of SOP (standard operating procedures) or orders from their tactical small unit leaders. Then again some had non-existent fields of fire and most of the marines I spoke to eschewed the M249 SAW, citing inaccuracy. They preferred their M16A2’s..”every Marine a rifleman.” Fine with me as I always knew where to find a squad automatic, and I much prefer a SAW or an M60 to a “16 any day. From their outpost on the Embassy wall’s southwest corner they had a good view of a Somalia “prison.” Nighttime executions were a common event with the Marines holding front row seats … no tickets required. LCPL Jessie Nunez told me he engaged a Somali armed with an RPG crawling over the Embassy wall just across the street from this “prison.” Despite the occasional “sniper” rounds thudding into their sandbags and the nightly spectacle of nearby Somali versus Somali firefights they spent most of their day shifts bored by routine and harassed by Somalis begging for food.

Perimeter security and reaction teams were handled by these marines and personnel from Force Service Support Group guard force. Additionally there were sniper posts located on top of various buildings in the compound as well as on K-7, a building outside the Embassy – considered key terrain because of its commanding height and fields of fire. Marines (artillerymen from Echo Battery 2/12 Marines) attached to the 3/11 Marines also performed mounted and dismounted patrols outside the Embassy and the airfield.

At approximately 0130 10 January, 1993, a fifteen man patrol traveling in Humvees spotted what appeared to be armed Somalis, the patrol dismounted near K-7. Moving stealthily down the alleyway while hugging the walls they were fired upon by an unknown number of Somalis. Going to ground most of the patrol quickly burned off some rounds, but the whole firefight was over quickly; the lieutenant screaming ceasefire before some of the Marines were even able to fire their weapons. The snipers from K-7 engaged multiple targets using either a .50 Barrett or a Remington 700, (no one would confirm which) and claimed two kills (later confirmed). The patrol accounted for another confirmed and a probable. Marines I spoke to remarked favorably on both weapons.

U.S. weapons which saw the most duty in Somalia were the M16A2 – which performed well, but required more attention in keeping out sand than other weapons – and the Beretta M92F 9mm pistol: not as well liked as its forebear the trustworthy and easy to use M1911A1 .45 ACP. I had opportunity to carry Colt and Beretta pistols in Somalia, but not the weapons mentioned. I was alternately armed with a Colt Officer’s model .45 ACP and an Egyptian “Helwan” copy of the 1951 Beretta 9mm. The .45 began jamming on me due (I believe) to the temperature change affecting the Blazer CCI hollowpoints I was loading. While my Pakistani 9mm ammo worked okay the Helwan’s eight-shot single-stack magazine was next to useless. It continually filled with sand, despite my best efforts to keep it clean. Pistols became a problem for many in Somalia. I saw a female naval officer (an 0-6 Captain, if I remember correctly) fumble with her pistol. She had wrangled a trip ashore and a “joy ride” through Mogadishu. Both her and the male subordinate accompanying her were so fat and out of shape they had problems climbing into the back of a 2 1/2 ton truck. She had to be helped to load her pistol. There were too many of such “officers” and not enough “shooters.” Lieutenant colonels and majors literally swarmed about the Embassy compound, all moving with that air of brisk, self-important military efficiency inherent to minor staff officers. All off to carry out some obscure staff function in an office identified with a string of acronymal letters. I have never before seen so many field grade officers in such a concentrated space. I think they outnumbered the grunts. Because most of these staff types all carried pistols there was a clearing barrel at the inner wall of the Embassy compound. A sign said, “No Negligent Discharges (or You will Fry!)” A reference to the consequences of any less-than-mundane action in the modern zero-defects army. A scorecard was kept on a piece of MRE cardboard and identified negligent discharges (they are no longer considered “accidents”) by service and country. It was removed at the behest of some colonel. The numbers were beginning to look embarrassing anyway.

Since the Somalia mission was a UN operation there were troops from all over the world: Sweden, France, Canada, Italy, Botswana, Morocco, and Pakistan – to name just a few. Of course all the contingents were armed with their own national weapons. While some, like the Botswanans and Moroccans, carried weapons purchased from other countries, most carried native manufactured weapons. The intelligence unit I was working with shared a building, the old library annex, in the outer Embassy compound with some Australians. Over 900 Australians (wearing those funny looking hats) were deployed in support of Restore Hope, and took over U.S. responsibilities in Baidoa. For the Australians it was the largest deployment of Aussie troops since their participation in the Vietnam war. Although their officers were equipped with well-worn Browning 9mm Hi-Powers the diggers were carrying brand spankin’ new AUG variants.

One of the most significant changes in Australian Defence Force (ADF) weaponry had just come about. After extensive test trials the Australian Government armed its troops with a new small arms weapons system designed to serve the ADF into the 21st century: the Austrian 5.56mm Steyr AUG (Armee Universal Gewehr) “bullpup”. The Austeyr (Australian Steyr) is manufactured under license in Australia with three models in production: the Austeyr F88, the Austeyr F88-C (Carbine) with a barrel 4” or 100mm shorter than the standard F88 rifle, and the Austeyr F88-S which lacks the integral 1.5 power sight, allowing the mounting of the AN/PVS-4 Night Vision Sight. Some of the Aussies commented that they’d prefer to have their SLRs or M-16s rather than the Austeyr. A female MP I spoke to liked it because of its shorter length and perception of lighter weight.

A few days after the Australian contingent was reinforced I went up to Baidoa as they were taking over the mission there and I watched some Aussies prep for a patrol. Along with some inquisitive Diggers I inspected some captured “technical” vehicles (pickup trucks with machine guns on improvised mounted) at Baidoa. Besides the usual shot-up Toyota trucks (one of which mounted a 106 mm recoiless) were a Flat 6614 APC (which mounts a 12.7mm machine gun) and a Detroit built truck mounting an AA gun. The technicals were captured by the 15th MEU USMC. The one mounted with a recoiless was used to kill 25 civilians and painted on the side was a slogan in Somali, which translated as, “We must Kill and Loot, Nobody will survive when we attack.” Another “technical” was emblazoned: “Ruthlessness and Gold in my Religion.” The next day one of the diggers in Baidoa discharged his Austeyr in the back of a vehicle. The round struck the barrel of his mate’s Austeyr splintering the round and wounding two others with the fragments.

After visiting the Aussies in Baidoa it only seemed logical to check out the Belgians in Kismayo, a port city south of Mogadishu, where Somali workers unload grain shipments. I flew into the air-strip there where 10th Mountain Division troops on top of the terminal building watched the access road to Kismayo airport and the troop barracks in the terminal building. The security detachment was well armed with M16s, M203s, a Mk 19 grenade launcher, as well as an M24 sniper rifle. The access road was blocked with 55-gallon drums filled with rocks and sand. The security detachment had a stand off distance of a few hundred yards to engage any “suicide car bomber.” No more Beirut’s. Designed for possible future conversion to .300 Winchester Magnum the M24 was built around the M118 Special Ball 7.62mm NATO “sniper” cartridge and on the Remington Arms commercial M70 long bolt action and the M40 custom trigger. The M24 Sniper Weapon system (including a Leopold Ultra M3 10X sighting telescope) was first issued in 1987 and was soon fielded to all infantry, ranger, and special forces units. It accounted itself well in Panama and later in the Persian Gulf.

When I helicoptered into Kismayo I noticed a flurry of activity. The Belgian paratroopers at the port had taken casualties in a flurry of grenade attacks in the past 24 hours. On the ride through town the driver of the Humvee tossed me his M16, but happily the trip was uneventful. The paratroopers wearing maroon berets with SAS “Who Dares Wins” cap badges and armed with FNC 80 Para folding stock carbines (and little else) had encountered an ambush just a few hours before. A Belgian Paratrooper I chatted with showed me the shrapnel wounds dotting his leg received in the ambush earlier. The doc had simply dug out the frags, gave him some aspirin, swabbed the holes with mercurochrome, and sent him back to duty to monitor patrol reports. Another had been wounded in the top of the head while firing from the prone – a preventable injury if Lee Paras had worn helmets. The FNC 80 is a good weapon for paratroops with its folding metal stock with rubber buttplate. Unlike many other FN rifles the recoil spring is in the piston rod assembly.

Just a few years previous to the United Nations intervention in Somalia the Italians, the former colonial masters of Somalia, were armed with a variety of weapons including the Beretta 12S 9mm submachine gun, the BM59 series of rifles, the 5.56mm AR70/.223 assault rifle made by Pietro Beretta SpA, and the SC70, the folding stock carbine version of the AR70/.223. While sold in limited numbers to Jordan and Malaysia, the AR70 (resembling the SIG 530-1 externally) and SC70 “special troops carbine” was fielded solely by Italian special operations forces. The development of the AR70/90 was prompted by defects in the design of the AR 70 and after the Italian Army announced competitive trials for a new service rifle in 1984 Beretta produced the AR70/90 in 1985 and introduced it into service in 1990. So the Italians were carrying rifles that had only been in their inventory for 2-3 years.

French Foreign Legionnaires, many from the garrison in nearby Djibouti, in their berets, short-shorts, and sunglasses were easily recognized by their FA-MAS (Fusil Automatique – Manufacture d’ Armees de St. Etienne) 5.56mm bullpup rifles. Called Le Clarion (the bugle) by the French troops because of its unconventional design, it is a good infantry weapon, especially suited to accurate fire from the prone position with its 25-round magazine and integral bipod. The short overall length (30”) also makes it ideal for vehicle mounted troops. The French were the first to field a bullpup rifle, and unlike subsequent bullpup rifles (the Steyr AUG and British L85A1) the FA-MAS is the only one which allows rapid reconfiguration to a left-shoulder firing weapon. Somalia was my first opportunity to see the FA-FAMAS in action and two very bored Legionnaires were keen to accommodate my curiosity. One thing of note: their magazine change was conducted with the weak or non-firing hand, something I’ve always done with a magazine-fed select fire weapon, but alien to some people.

Swedish troops, most headquartered at the “Swedish Hospital” which supported the UN mission, wore US desert pattern “chocolate-Chip” battle dress uniforms but were armed with the M45(B) Carl Gustav 9mm (kulspruta pistol submachine gun aka “Swedish L”. Influenced by their Finnish M31 Suomi submachine guns (manufactured under license by Sweden’s Husquvarna Vapenfabrik as the Model 37-38) and impressed by the success of crude but effective World War II submachine guns such as the British Sten and the Soviet PPSh-41 and PPS-43, the M45, was developed in the 1944 as a mass-produced, inexpensive weapon. While a well-made high quality weapon simple and uncomplicated in design, the fully-automatic M45 firing its 9mm pistol cartridge is only effective to about fifty meters. Still, an adequate weapon for military police guarding a hospital.

It seems like everybody in Somalia was fired at. The first time some Somali thug sent some rounds my way it was three short bursts of automatic, and nobody could locate the shooter. Sometimes shots were actually exchanged and some Somalis killed while other times it was anybody’s guess if the fire was even aimed directly at us, or just burned off into the air as harassment as we drove pass. With the distinct possibility of being perforated with some of the habitual (and at times somewhat desultory) gunfire, riding around Mogadishu and traveling throughout Somalia was not without its perils. But for a weapons aficionado attached to U.S. special operations it was still a hell of a good time.

Rob Krott, a former Army officer (Infantry and Special Forces units) studied East African cultures at Harvard University. A Swahili speaker with on-the -ground time in the area of operations he was hired as a Dept. of the Army civilian consultant and assigned as the Assistant Team Chief, Somali Linguist Team, in December ’92, deploying to Somalia in January ’93.

For further reading on Operation Restore Hope in Somalia the author recommends; Losing Mogadishu by Jonathan Stevenson and Black Hawk Down by Mark Bowden.

Since I happened to be in town visiting a friend I decided to visit the Loyal Edmonton Regiment’s museum in Edmonton, Alberta Canada. I phoned the museum curator, Chad Slee, and expressed my interest in viewing the Loyal Edmonton Regiment’s weapons collection. I made an appointment to stop by, view their weapons displays, and meet with Chad and the Weapons Collection Manager, Terry Allison, for a tour.

The museum is housed in a former drill hall or armory which is now the Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Center. It is a large and attractive building under auspices of the City of Edmonton Archives and the Alberta Genealogical Society.

“Fears No Foe”

The Griesbach gallery containing two dozen or so cases of uniforms, weapons, millitaria, and equipment (mostly from World War I and World War II) is the focal gallery of the museum. This is based on the story line of the regiment from its inception and establishment to its present day role in the Canadian Armed Forces. The Gallery is named after Major-General the Honourable William Antrobus Griesbach CB, CMG, DSO, VD, DC, the first Commanding Officer of the 49th Battalion and considered to e the “founder” of the regiment. He was also an Edmonton Alderman and Mayor and Federal Member of Parliament and Senator. The regiment traces its roots back to the first infantry unit raised in Alberta (1 April 1908) and over the years has carried various names including the 101st Regiment, Edmonton Fusiliers, 49th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force, The Edmonton Regiment, the Loyal Edmonton Regiment. The regiment’s motto is “Fears No Foe” and the Colonel-In-Chief is the Right Houourable Countess Mountbatten of Burma, CD, JP, DL, CBE.

The Griesbach Gallery

Entering the gallery there are a display cases containing various uniforms representing the regiment’s long history. There are also medals displays of the men who earned such lofty awards as the DSO ( Distinguished Service Order), the Military Cross, and the Military Medal. The small arms in this gallery are well representative of World War I and World War II (Several men in the regiment saw active service in both world wars). Notably there is a Lewis MK 1 “ground” machine gun, a Vickers .303, and a Bren gun in one case and in another are an MG-42, an MG34, and an MG13 (7.92X57mm Mauser) which usually fired from a 75 round saddle drum (doppeltrommel) or a 25 round box magazine. This one was equipped with a box magazine. The MG13s were manufactured from rebuilt Dreyse machineguns left over from WWI by fitting a perforated barrel jacket, a tubular butt, and a bipod. Replaced by the MG34, the Mg13s were sold to Portugal where they remained in service until about 1950. The MG34 mounts Zielfernrohr 40 – the later type of optical sight used for the MG42. This one is missing a small component on top. A simpler optical sight, the Zielfernrohr 34, was originally used with the MG34.

The Loyal Edmonton Regiment Museum also has a very nice display centering around my favorite assault rifle: two MP43/44 Sturmgewehr flank a German NSDAP battle flag. In the same case is a near mint condition SA Dagger (“Alles Fur Deutschland”). The Nazi blade was captured in Holland by a member of the regiment. And of course no collection of WWII firearms would e complete without a Mauser 98K.

An interesting display is the captured Italian Army Issue Mannlicher-Carcano Carine, chambered for 6.5 X 57mm Mannlicher. A placard in the display case notes: “President Kennedy was shot with this type of weapon”

The Stone Gallery

Another hall in the museum is the Stone Gallery, named after Colonel James Riley Stone, DSO and Bar, MC. Riley left Edmonton as a private n 1939, was commissioned in March 1942, and rose through the ranks to Lieutenant Colonel and command of the Regiment in Italy in 1944. He commanded the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Light Infantry during the Korean War.

The Stone Gallery (Due to open this year) focuses on the recognition of all the other military services and units organized in central and northern Alberta. Its fluid story line will continuously rotate displays with themes including RCAF, RCN, such individual services as the RCAF, RCN; specific units; and paramilitary organizations (e.g. the Royal Canadian Army Cadets). In recent years the regiment has sent many of its members off to peacekeeping duties around the world and the museum’s “UN Peacekeeping Display” is pending. It will highlight the regiment’s participation in the Korean War and more recent conflicts and hotspots with several modern weapons related to those events on display. Chad escorted me through the still uncompleted gallery and I noted placards in place for several WWII/Korean War era US made weapons.

In The Basement

After viewing the weapons in the regiment’s collection not on display. Space restrictions don’t allow for display of many of the weapons, but some are slated for exhibits in the new Stone Gallery.

There is an extensive security system including vault doors, multiple locks, and ID card reading keypad lock (all required due to the new Canadian Firearms Regulations) that protect a wide and varied collection of weapons representing the regiment’s various military deployments (as peacekeepers) since the Korean War. Lining the wall were weapons racks with at least thirty bolt action rifles and the occasional muzzle loader, plus a nice selection of Vickers and Maxims (MG08 “Spandaus”) from World War I. Interesting pieces included two Winchester 1876 rifles (.45-74 and .40-60), a VSA MK1 Enfield marked “Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve,” a Danzig made 1888 7.92mm, a Ljungmann AG M42B 6.5X55mm, and a Trapdoor Springfield. Also in the racks were at least one of the following: SKS, AK-47, Sten, Uzi, MP-40, M16A1 Colt, PPD, Thompson, .303 SMLE, Mosin Nagant (including a Mosin Nagant with sniper scope in good condition), MG42, Czech ZB26 MG, Bren, G-3, FN-FAL series C1 and C1A1 rifles and, of course, a Ross rifle.

There were so many variations of the Ross rifle (one expert says 85) I couldn’t tell you which one I was looking at, having only seen three or four before in other collections. The Ross was fielded by the Canadian Army in the trenches in 1914, but it wasn’t long before Canuck infantrymen found them ill-suited to the muddy trenches, tossed them away, and picked up Lee-Enfields from the dead. There were three major problems with the rifle:
1) the bolt stop was often damaged by the recurring abutment of the rearmost locking lug during firing-this often froze the bolt in the locked position;
2) the rifle often failed to extract wartime ammunition; and
3) improper re-assembly of the bolt with the distance between the bolt head and bolt sleeve being less than one inch when the bolt is withdrawn from the rifle would cause it to be blown out of the receiver, usually with fatal results.

The Ross Rifle

Sir Charles Ross designed it as a straight pull rifle in 1896. Manufactured by the Ross Rifle Company of Quebec it was adopted by the Canadian Department of Militia and Defence as the official rifle of the Royal Northwest Mounted Police. While the original bolt design (Model 1897) had a locking system patterned after the Mannlicher using a bolt locked on an interrupted thread. Ross changed this to a rotating lug system in 1900. A cam track unlocked the bolt when pulled to the rear. The 1910 design (one of which I inspected in the armory) reverted to the interrupted thread design. The Ross in its various incarnations was tested by the British Army several times and consistently rejected. In his 1910 report on the Ross Mark II the Commandant of the Small Arms School at Hythe said: “It seems clear that This rifle is designed as a target rifle pure and simple, without regard to the requirements of active service or the training of large bodies of men of average attainment.” The Mark III Ross was often fitted with a Warner & Swasey *Cleveland, OH) 5.2X scope offset to the left (so the weapon could be loaded via charger). Herbert McBride (author of A Rifleman Went to War) thought the Ross a superior weapon for sniping and noted the speed of its straight pull bolt…then again, McBride wasn’t “of average attainment.”

Pistols

Moving to the locked cabinets of the linear storage system Chad showed me the museum’s collection of pistols, military and otherwise. There were trays of Webleys and Enfields, a very nice nickel plated Colt revolver, and another Colt handgun which should be displayed upstairs: a M1911 .45 ACP engraved “LTC W.A. Griesbach,” It was the personal sidearm of the founder of regiment. Other pistols in storage included a 1912 Steyr automatic, a Tokarev, a couple of .32 ACP Colt autos, P-38 Walthers, FN pistols, several Berettas, a Belgian Model 1922 Nazi 626/641, a Hungarian Army 37M “Frommer,” a Mauser Model 34. 1910 6.5mm, and HSC 7.65mm Mausers, and a British Service .38 No.2 Smith and Wesson. Interesting pieces included a 9mm Parabellum Artillery pistol M1908 Luger with its 32 round Snail durm, a really nice Broomhandle Mauser with its holster stock complete with original leather furniture and straps, and a very interesting piece, something I’ve never seen before: a “Brownie” 4-shot “pepperbox” style pocket pistol made by O.F. Mossberg and Sons, New Haven, Conn. There was even a rusted Civil War era Colt Army pistol, dug from some farmer’s field – perhaps lost by some outlaw fleeing justice across the border in Montana.

Should you ever find yourself in Edmonton I recommend a visit to the Loyal Edmonton Regiments’ Museum. Admission is free. Viewing hours are Tuesday through Friday 10 am to 4 am. For more information contact: the Loyal Edmonton Regiment Museum, #118 Prince of Wales Armouries Heritage Center, 10440-108 Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T5H 3Z9. Phone/Fax (780) 421-9943 or e-mail: lermusm@planet.eon.net.

Advanced Ultimate Sniper
Author: Major John L. Plaster

ADVANCED ULTIMATE SNIPER
By Major John L. Plaster
Paladin Press
P.O. Box 1307
Boulder, CO 80306
1-800-392-2400
ISBN 0-87364-916-8
$59.95 Plus S&H
Aprox. 120 Minutes
Reviewed By David Fortier

This is the sequel to sniping authority Major Plaster’s book and video “The Ultimate Sniper”. For someone interested in the subject of sniping this is quite a video! Starting off at the famous Gunsite Training Center, founded by Jeff Cooper, Major Plaster gives the viewer a in depth look at some state of the art sniping equipment. Demonstrations are given with .50 caliber sniping rifles, suppressed weapons, laser range finders, and the latest night vision equipment.

Advanced lessons in fieldcraft are taught in the desert, at night, in the mountains, and in the winter. There is something here for everyone. The night classes are superb with the footage being shot at night and filmed with the aid of night vision. Fieldcraft and shooting techniques are both taught, and this information is relevant to anyone no matter their location. Light discipline is taught, using a normal rifle scope at night, Night observation devices, use of tracers, flashlights to illuminate targets, infrared lasers, and much more.

The mountain classes are directly applicable for use in Yugoslavia or Korea. The effects of elevation on a cartridge and its ballistics are discussed. Normal troop movements in mountainous terrain are discussed and how to foretell where targets are likely to appear. Picking a hide location and what to look for. Making a hide and operating in one.

Winter operations was of particular interest to me as I live in Maine, and the information is excellent. Scope fogging, camouflage, skiing, snow shoes, temperature effect on trajectory, stalking, scope glare, and more are all covered. There is not a lot of information on this subject so this is a welcome addition.

The quality of this video is much better that Major Plaster’s previous video. The material is first rate and now the camera work and sound is up to snuff. I highly recommend this video, while it is expensive, it’s worth it.

The Stoner Machine Gun: A Navy SEAL Remembers

Written by Dennis J. Cummings and Ron Erb
Special guest appearance and co-narration by LCDR Michael J. Walsh, USN (Ret.)
35 minutes Paladin Press,
$29.95
Review by Rob Krott

Dennis Cummings, author of Men Behind the Trident (Naval Institute Press) and producer of Navy SEALs; America’s Secret Warriors and other SEAL oriented videos, has once again come through with a winner. This one on the Stoner 63 machine gun. Eugene Stoner (designer of the M16, in case anyone forgot) and a Cadillac Gage engineering team developed the Stoner 63 weapons system. The weapon had six different configurations based on the Stoner receiver. The Stoner 63A light machine gun was the model most frequently used by the US Navy SEALs. Although the US Army and the USMC tested and evaluated the Stoner as a possible replacement for the M60, only the SEALs used the Stoner in significant numbers in Vietnam. It was the primary machine gun of the SEAL teams in Vietnam and the Cadillac Gage engineers received technical reports and requests directly from the field. The opening clips of this video show the various Stoner variants being fired on a range while the weapon’s technical aspects are described. The video also shows the Stoner being tripod mounted in its medium machine gun role.

The focus of the video is provided by LCDR Michael J. Walsh as he reminisces about the Stoner and its role with the SEAL teams in Vietnam. Walsh served five tours in Vietnam, three of them in assignments where he was intimate with the Stoner. In fact, the front cover of Walsh’s memoir, SEAL! Depicts a young Mike Walsh geared up for a mission and holding a Stoner. According to LCDR Walsh, “This added to our firepower like no other weapons could have… The Stoner was like nothing else around. It was different.”

LCDR Walsh’s participation in this video lends real credence to its historical and technical accuracy and really “makes” the video. He provides an informal technical brief on the weapon detailing its high-points and its foibles including the problems with its feed pawl mechanism and the infamous “dead man’s pin”. The “dead man’s pin” was a receiver pin which when it vibrated loose caused the weapon to fire. It caused the death of one SEAL by his own weapon before being corrected. Walsh discusses various field expedient modifications made to the weapon in Vietnam. He explains how the SEALs carried additional ammo; the adaptation of the box and drum magazines; and the expedient use of captured RPD drum magazines. Walsh gets off the subject a little, but only to make some interesting comments about the SEALs participation in the Phoenix Program and to provide some interesting operational observations such as “Most SEAL operations in Vietnam didn’t go past one evolution of darkness…you didn’t eat ‘til you got home.” Producer Cummings wisely decided to leave these interesting tidbits in the video.

War stories from LCDR Walsh’s personal experience make the video especially interesting. His on and off camera narration is accompanied by combat file footage on patrol. Vietnam film footage includes a mission brief. One thing you’ll notice is the long hair, mustaches, and beards.. especially the more “beatnik” styles. Some of these guys look like a cross between the Hell’s Angles, the Grateful Dead, and the “Green Berets”. Nobody I’d want to mess with. Other interesting spots on the video is the frequent wearing of Levi’s; what appears to be a SEAL on patrol barefoot; VC rice paddy farmer hats; and most impressive; an M60 gunner carrying a gun equipped with an aircraft feed mechanism and humping the door-gunner ammo pack on his back.

A professional narrator picks up the narration from time to time during the film clips, many of which apply directly to Walsh’s narration. Two of the clips are actually of Walsh’s platoon on actual combat operations. It’s a good summation and discussion of the Stoner’s use by the SEALs in Vietnam, however, I would have liked to have seen a disassembly-assembly of the gun and more technical data, including nomenclature on the weapon. But then again, this wasn’t meant to be a how-to video and a field stripping sequence might bore other people. Weapons aficionados, fans of the Stoner, SEAL buffs, and SEAL veterans will want a copy of this video tape.

Robert Krott is a former US Army M60 machine gunner (PFC) and Infantry officer. He is a senior foreign correspondent for Solider of Fortune and a staff writer and columnist for Behind the Lines: The Journal of US Military Special Operations, as well as the Military Affairs Editor for SAR.

From a Stranger’s Doorstep to the Kremlin Gates: A Word from the AK Man

By Mikhail Kalashnikov
Published by Military Parade Ltd., Moscow 1997
ISBN 5-7734-0009-X
Review by Charles Madurski

For most of his career, Mikhail Timofeyevich Kalashnikov was surrounded by a state controlled “impenetrable veil of secrecy”. In the paranoid days of post World War II and well into the cold war, his work and existence was considered critical to the defense of the Soviet Union. Not allowed to travel outside of the country and limited in his movements internally, he managed to change the world of military weapons forever. With the break-up of the Soviet Union and other political changes in the world, he decided the time was right to tell his story.

Written in a style reminiscent of a letter to one’s great-grandchildren, “From a Stranger’s Doorstep to the Kremlin Gates- A Word from the AK Man” is a fascinating read. It’s an important one too. A large part of the book is devoted to detailing Kalashnikov’s development of the AK-47. Many arms enthusiasts are familiar with the generalities of the story, how the wounded tanker somehow came up with the idea during his recovery and managed to have prototypes made while convalescing. Few knew, until now, that when he was injured it was because of an encirclement deep in German held territory and he had to travel for days on foot through enemy lines to get to help.

Drawing from an extensive personal archive of letters, commendations, notes and drawings, he recreates the events of his life in great detail, giving new insight into the process of Soviet small arms procurement and exposing new information to complete the legend. Such as the fact his first design was really for a 7.62×25 chambered submachinegun, and it was after this design was rejected that he was invited to compete in the design of a new arm using the then very new M-43 (7.62×39) cartridge.

Through his years of service, Kalashnikov crossed paths with nearly every Russian arms designer of note. They are almost all here, Degtyarev, Goryunov, Makarov, Shpagin, Simonov, Sudayev and Tokarev. Due to the circle he worked in, he is able to discuss other well-known Russian designs from some of his contemporaries. Arms such as the Pistolet Makarov and its adoption or the SKS carbine and the circumstances surrounding its removal from front line service. Unfortunately, his detail is a little lacking when he goes over the development of the AKM, RPK, PK/PKM series, and the AK-74 generation of weapons. At least he does explain, once and for all, that the so-called rate reducer in the AKM was designed simply to “achieve closer grouping of shots”.

Kalashnikov delves into philosophy, poetry, politics, hunting and more. He sheds light on the Russian trait to consider all Slavic people brothers, an important lesson to remember. In a special chapter near the end of the book titled “My Black Box Data Recorder”, he recalls the events that led to his family’s internal exile to Siberia in 1931. Ironically, but perhaps not surprisingly, he expresses a tremendous love for Mother Russia constantly throughout the book, which may explain his involvement in Party politics.

Kalashnikov doesn’t directly address his political career; he only mentions it as part of larger tales or where it needs to be included to fill out some details. He does, however, give the reader a look into the dichotomy of Russian politics, stating at one point that he “never was a staunch communist”, yet it seems he worked his way from being a member of the Young Communists League to his multiple terms as a Deputy of the Supreme Soviet.

At one point during a sales trip to Argentina, Kalashnikov considers all of the gifts he has received while there, mostly souvenir cartridges and several pistols, and he frets over the trouble he will have with customs if he tries to return home with these things. He expresses amazement over the Argentine’s lack of control over such objects, the expectation of responsibility. In contrast, he muses over the inability of his homeland to react the same way. “…how much trouble, grief and sorrow Russians would have to suffer and how much tragedy Russia would have to go through until it outgrew its obsession with arms the way Argentina had…” The lesson is clear.

Mikhail Timofeyevich “Miktim” Kalashnikov’s autobiography is full of history. Entertaining on many levels, it should be considered a companion volume to the late Dr. Ezell’s AK-47 Story, at least. When viewing all of the innovations and weapons systems and equipment to come from this man and his design teams, Kalashnikov could be called ‘Russia’s Browning”.

Death From Above, The German FG 42 Paratroop Rifle

By Thomas B Dugelby
and R Blake Stevens
Produced and edited
by R Blake Stevens Published by Collector Grade Publications Inc.
PO Box 1046
Cobourg, Ontario
Canada K9A4W5
Price $39.95 plus $4.50 S&H
Reviewed by Stephen Stuart

The German FG 42 was born out of ‘Operation Merkur’ in May of 1941. The operation called for German paratroopers (Fallschirmjager) to attack the island of Krete in the Mediterranean Sea. The German paratroopers, unlike their American counterparts, jumped without their primary weapons. These were dropped in canisters to be retrieved later, once the paratroopers were on the ground. The British took advantage of the situation, decimating the German troops in the beginning with their full power .303 Enfield rifles and BREN machine guns.

Because of this reason, when the opportunity arose to field a new rifle for the paratroop force. The call was for a rifle firing the standard 8mm Mauser cartridge, instead of the new 7.92x33mm Kurz round for the Sturmgewehr rifles. This new rifle was the FG 42. There are over twenty different variations of the FG 42, they are divided into a basic alphabetical series starting at ‘A’ and ending at ‘G’.

From a personal perspective, I have only seen two FG42s in my entire life, both of them in museums. The author pacifies one’s appetite for information by detailing the different models in pictures and line drawings. Accessories are given special attention in the text; particularly the scope, and field manuals (which have been reproduced in English). Of particular interest to small arms historians is the legacy of the FG42, and the weapons that were derived from it’s earlier innovations.

If you are a history buff of the German Fallschrimjager, or just want to trace the lineage of your pet M-60, this is the book in which to start. As with all of the Collector Grade Publications, this is truly an excellent text. I highly recommend it for your small arms library.

Brrrp! Brrrp! I was putting rounds down range and grinning ear to ear. It was July 1993 and I was the first American (to my knowledge) to ever fire on the weapons range at the old Soviet Spetsnaz Polygon (special forces training base) in Adazi, Latvia. Brrrupppp! Brrrupppp! More automatic weapons fire punctuated the stillness of the forest and the sharp, acrid yet pleasing smell of cordite soon tainted the pine-scented morning air. If you had told me, say ten years ago, that I would someday be standing on the firing range of a Spetsnaz base in the heart of Latvia I would have laughed in your face. As a U.S. Army “cold warrior” the only way I thought I’d ever see a place like this would be while waiting for a bullet as I hung from a parachute and peered past the toes of my jungle boots at little green tracer “footballs” coming up to meet me. Either that or being led out from an interrogation cell on my way for use as an unwilling pop-up target by a bunch of guys named Boris and Ivan. Nope, neither one. Matter of fact, I was standing there happy as could be with a fully-automatic Soviet Stetchkin machine-pistol and watching gunsmoke curl from the barrel. Of course I was surrounded by Latvians, who if they don’t hate Russians, they certainly dislike them. Strongly. The Ruskies, by the way were still garrisoned a few hundred yards down the road. The Latvian press was referring to them as “occupation forces”.

I spent two very pleasant days on the range with new found friends in the Valdibas Apsardzes Parvalde. (VAP, Government Security Service), specifically the Special Intervention Group (SIG). The SIG was Latvia’s counterterrorist and hostage rescue unit. It is now known as OMEGA (See SAR, April 1999, Vol 2 No. 7 “Omega’s Small Arms”).

Several of the VIP’s diplomatic bodyguard section carried Soviet Stetchkin machine pistols, and they happily loaned me one. I fired the Stetchkin in the holster-stock configuration. On full automatic. Very sweet, I fell in love. A large, robust pistol but with many good design features, it wasn’t difficult to handle. Its large grip (containing a rate retarding device and big enough to hold a 20-round magazine) provided plenty of purchase for two hands. Overall quality of the materials used in production is high and tolerances were good. The Avtomaticheskiy Pistolet Stetchkina, 9x18mm Makarov caliber, was fielded in Soviet military, police and KGB armories in 1951. It was issued for use in special operations and special police task such as diplomatic bodyguard details and convert counterterrorism operations. It also saw some use as a sidearm for armored vehicle crews. The APS was designed by Igor Yakolevich Stetchkin, then a Tula Arsenal engineer and designer.

Development

The Stetchkin’s design parameters as set by the Red Army called for a 9-mm selective fire pistol with a large magazine capacity that would use its holster as a shoulder stock (ala the 9mm Parabellum firing Mauser M1932 or M172 Schnellfeuer pistole also known as the “Broomhandle”) and have an effective range of 200 meters. A design team was headed up by I.Y. Stetchkin in 1950. Stetchkin, the son of a doctor, had risen to the position of engineer at the Tula Mechanical Institute during World War II. After producing an approved design a working prototype was manufactured. It performed acceptably and modifications were made to two test weapons. Comparison testing was done with the Mauser Schnellfeuer and its Spanish copy, the Astra Model 902 aka Model F (both in 7.63mm Mauser) and the Soviet Sudarev PPS-43 submachine gun which fires the 7.62mm Tokarev cartridge. Stetchkin remarked that his design performed better than the Mauser and the Astra and nearly as well as the Sudayev. After further modification and extensive troop trials the APS was adopted into service with the Soviet Army in 1951. In 1952 Stetchkin was awarded the State Prize for his development of the APS.

Technical Specifications

The APS was designed to fire the 9x18mm 93-grain FMJ steel-core Makarov cartridge (the APS was introduced by the Soviets at the same time as the Makarov). Muzzle velocity is about 1100 feet per second. Field tests by western intelligence analysts have found the Stetchkin achieves a muzzle velocity of 1,063 fps for East German manufactured by Makarov ammunition and 1,096 fps for Hungarian ball ammo. The same ammunition test fired in a Makarov produced muzzle velocities of 1,006 and 1,015 respectively. The noticeable gain in muzzle velocity can be attributed to the Stetchkin’s longer barrel. This weapon used a 20-round detachable staggered or double stacked box magazine. The double or two-position feed magazine, which feeds from both sides alternatively, has a spring exposing cut-out which allows for cartridge capacity checks. The receiver is of forged steel with a milled finish. The high quality salt-blue held up well on all examples I fired or handled. Weight was conserved where ever possible so the weapon weighs only 2.25 pounds (1.02 kg) empty (less than a Colt 1911A1 .45 ACP. With a full 20 round magazine it weighs 2.7 pounds (1.22 kg). Its chrome lined, fixed barrel (pinned in place like a Walther PP) is 5.5 inches (140mm). Overall length of the pistol is 8.9 inches (225 mm) – add the stock and it is nearly 21 inches (533 mm) – and height is 5.9 inches (149 mm). It has a chrome-lined bore and reddish-brown bakelite synthetic grips. Variations also exist with smooth wood grips. The barrel has four right-hand twist riflings.

A 14.5 inch (368 mm) long wood combination stock and holster, like that used with the Broomhandle Mauser M712, with a belt clip (a spring clip with two sling eyes) for right-side belt carry and sling can be quickly clipped to the pistol butt. While all the Stetchkins I’ve fired or seen had wood holster-stocks plastic versions were also manufactured. A sling or lanyard eye on the left side of the pistol just behind the trigger provides for retention of the weapon. The sling is attached much like the Mauser Broomhandle stock, except in reverse. The male attachment on the pistol butt’s backstrap is inserted into a matching female T-slot cut in the steel endcap of the stock. A spring catch locks it into place. The clip-on stock can then be disconnected from the pistol via a butt-cap mounted release catch. The pistol is stored in the holster by way of a hinged top (like the Mauser stock-holster) which allows the butt of the Stetchkin to protrude to the rear when clipped on the right side of the belt, much like any conventional holster. A simple press stud indented into the stock just below the hinged top activates a spring catch to unlatch the lid for drawing or removing the pistol.

Inside the holster-stock is a combination screwdriver and cleaning rod. The sling which can be clipped to both the sling connection on the stock and the sling eye on the pistol behind the trigger. The Latvians (and also the Estonian Police), however, clip both ends of the sling to the sling eye on the right, or non-firing side of the stock. Four spare 20-round magazines are issued with a double flapped leather magazine pouch.

The APS is sighted for 200 meters. The rear sight elevation is adjusted via a knurled drum between two protective flanges. The open U-notch rear sight can be set from 25 meters up to 200 meters with incremental settings at 50 meters and 100 meters. The front sight is a fixed blade.

The Stetchkin uses a two-stage single-action five pound trigger while the double action breaks at about fifteen pounds.

Mechanical Functioning

The APS is a non-locking blowback design. This unlocked breech design is largely responsible for the relatively light weight of the Stetchkin. Such a non-locking blowback action is possible using the low-power 93 grain 9x18mm Makarov cartridge. When the Stetchkin is fired the breech of the weapon remains closed from the weight of the slide and pressure from the recoil spring. The side is actioned to the rear via gas pressure exerted on the base of the cartridge case. The hammer is re-cocked and the spent cartridge extracted and ejected. The slide is sent forward by the recoil spring, chambering another cartridge and closing the breech. In semi-automatic fire the trigger does not engage the hammer until the trigger is released and pulled again to fire.

Pulling the trigger repeats the sequence. In the full-automatic fire mode the hammer is automatically tripped as the breech is closed, firing another cartridge and this sequence repeated. There is a spring-loaded plunger in the grip between the frame backstrap and the magazine-well which acts as a rate reducer in the full-automatic firing mode, limiting the effective cyclic rate of 700 – 750 rounds per minute. The plunger is activated by a transfer lever (initiated by a slide lug) as the slide cycles rearward. On the upstroke it impedes the firing of a second round (in the semi-auto mode) when it engages with the transfer lever and selector. Besides lowering the cyclic rate to a manageable level in full-automatic is also functions as a slide buffer and reduces the recoil velocity of the slide.

Loading and Firing

To load the magazine simply press a cartridge into the magazine until it catches under the feed lips. The next round is pressed down directly on top of it. Insert the loaded 20-round magazine into the magazine well at the butt until it engages the magazine latching lug. The APS three position selector switch is on the left side of the slide along with a hammer-drop safety. To operate: set it at OA (Cyrillic OD) for single shots, then to NP (Cyrillic PR) for safe (where it locks the hammer and slide), and all the way back to ABT (Cyrillic AVT for avtomat) for full auto fire.

On “safe” the firing pin is locked and the hammer is tripped to a locked position. Note that the hammer and slide are now locked. The selector must be moved to either semi-auto or full-auto before the slide can be pulled to the rear to chamber / eject a round. Pulling the trigger in either firing position will cock the hammer, in double action and release it to fire the first round. Trigger functioning is then single action. The first round or burst can also be fired single action, but only by manually cocking the hammer. On full-auto the cyclic rate of 700-750 rounds per minute will quickly – in 1.6 seconds or so – empty the 20 round magazine. There is a hold open device consisting of a lug on the magazine follower which engages the slide to lock it open after the last round is fired.

The Stetchkin will also reportedly reliably fire the 9mm Kurz or 9mm “Sort” (.380 caliber) ammunition. The case diameter of the 9mm Makarov is .309 inches and case length is .68 inches while that of the 9mm Kurz is .372 inches and .71 inches, respectively. Expended cartridge cases of the smaller .380 caliber cartridge usually will be bulged. Note also that the cyclic rate will drop and the velocity and accuracy will be likewise effected. But it will chamber, fire and eject. (NOTE: Neither the author nor Small Arms Review advises firing any cartridge in a weapon except the particular round that the weapon is specifically designed for).

Unloading and Clearing

On a Stetchkin with the slide forward, point the weapon in a safe and neutral direction and insure the selector switch is on either semi-auto or full-auto. Pull and hold the slide to the rear. Observe for ejection of a chambered round. Engage the slide release-catch (located on the left side of the receiver below the slide and just forward of the selector switch / safety as on most automatic pistols). Release the magazine (like the Makarov the magazine catch is a knurled button on heel of the pistol butt). Inspect the chamber.

To clear the weapon with the slide locked to the rear; inspect the chamber. Release the slide. Release the magazine catch and draw out the magazine. You can then re-cock the slide and inspect the chamber if desired.

Field Stripping

To disassemble the Stetchkin: First, clear the weapon and remove the magazine. Insure the selector is on either semi-auto or full-auto. Like the Makarov, the trigger guard of the APS is pulled down to initiate disassembly. It will be held in the down position (unlike the Makarov or Walther) by a spring-loaded catch stud. Next, pull the slide back to the recoil spring and lift the slide from the frame. Pull the recoil spring off the barrel. Disassembly is complete. Further or complete disassembly necessitates the use of armorer’s tools to disassemble the trigger mechanism, hammer, selector switch, firing pin, safety, rate retarder – grip spring, and grips.

KGB Assassination Weapon?

The Stetchkin was also manufactured in a fully suppressed version, known as the APS-B (Besshumniye or “without noise”). At least one of these “silenced” Stetchkins was captured in Afghanistan. This version of the Stetchkin had a wire buttstock rather than the wood or plastic holster stock and sported a long muzzle suppressor which was offset so that the sights are not occluded while attached. The barrel was ported (reducing bullet velocity to a suppressible subsonic level) with four small ports near the chamber and eight more, larger ports near the barrel. The barrel diameter between the ported sections was reduced and the barrel then ensconced in a tubular gas expansion sleeve. This tubular expansion sleeve (fitting over the barrel and extending nearly two inches beyond the slide) is locked into place by lugs fitting into two notches in the frame. The suppressor (which could be attached to the stock for carrying) is screwed onto the expansion sleeve by a helical thread – two twists and it’s on – is retained by a spring-catch. The front of the slide is cut out to accept the suppressor and a larger diameter recoil spring. Both the suppressor and the pistol with stock were issued in a large leather flap holster with two individual pockets: one for the pistol and the other for the stock and suppressor. This version of the APS was probably used for covert operations by KGB operatives; it is relatively rare. In this configuration it was ideal for carrying out KGB”hits.” Especially by motorcycle mounted drive-by shooters if the target is standing on a street corner. It could also be used (in the fashion which the M-11 Ingram was supposedly designed for) to take out “a room full of very surprised colonels.”
There were also specially presented Stetchkins, no doubt to foreign military dignitaries. Boxed in a wood presentation case lined in green wool baize were a Stetchkin with polished stock, leather sling and four magazines with pouch.

Tactical Critique

The Stetchkin can be fired full-auto, single handed as the rate reducer and long recoil spring minimizes recoil. Muzzle climb is drastic, even with the shoulder stock attached, when firing long bursts. Short three round bursts allow for the best accuracy. With aimed, semi-auto fire from a stable firing position (sitting-supported or prone) by a trained marksman the Stetchkin will group on man-sized silhouettes out to 150 meters.

With a little practice the Soviet requirement of effective accuracy to 200 meters could be achieved, however, it is truly pushing the envelope for both weapon and cartridge. Accurate full automatic fire degrades considerably beyond 25 meters. In firing the Stetchkin with the stock affixed I was able to consistently hit man-sized silhouette targets at that range with 3-5 round bursts from the standing off-hand. This is course could just as easily have been achieved using most any submachine gun. Without the stock it punches twenty holes in a man-sized silhouette at about 10 meters only by controlling the pistol dramatically between bursts. As a close combat weapon it is excellent, if only for its rapid, multiple hit capability and ease of engagement.

The Stetchkin is one of the true machine pistols, defined as handguns designed to fire in full automatic, as opposed to small submachine guns such as the Micro Uzi or the Czech Skorpion Model 61 .32 ACP submachine gun. The Broomhandle Mauser, Spanish Stars, Heckler & Koch VP70z, Glock 18, and Beretta 93R, are all weapons designed for this purpose. Individual examples of other handguns such as the Colt 1911 have been converted to fire full-auto, but were not originally designed for this purpose.

There may very well have been political reasons for development of the Stetchkin. At about the same time as it was being designed Stalin viewed the increasing popularity of certain communist party aparatchiks from Leningrad with suspicion. The successful defense of the city during the Siege of Leningrad was an epic victory of the Soviets over the Germans. Faced with a shortage of small arms the PPS-42 (Pistolet-Pulemet Sudayeva M1943) was quickly designed by a military engineer. A.I. Sudarev, to make use of existing machine tools, parts and ammunition.

It was a crude but efficient submachine gun constructed almost entirely of heavy steel stampings and held together with spot welds, pins and rivets. This weapon became a symbol of the victorious defense of Leningrad (now again called St. Petersburg). Because of this visual link with the past and with the Leningrad leadership, Stalin ordered the removal of the weapon (continued in production with minor modifications as the PPS-43 until 1945) from Red Army armories in order to banish it from sight and from the consciousness of Soviet citizens. This was a major undertaking as nearly 1 million of these weapons were produced. A replacement may have been part of the plan. Hence the comparison at the arms trials of the prototype Stetchkin and the PPS-43. While this is only speculation on my part, it would be a better motive than simply deciding to arm troops with a machinepistol which was neither as portable as a Tokarev nor as accurate as a submachine gun. The Kalashnikov was also in full production at this time which further begs the question: why a machinepistol? An arms historian can also draw a link between the popularity of the Mauser 1920 Bolo pistols (Bolo being short for Bolshevik at the time) supplied in quantity by Mauser to the Soviet Union. The Bolo was chambered for the bottlenecked 7.63mm (.30 Mauser), a cartridge which became more popular than the pistol. The Soviets adapted this pistol cartridge to become the Tokarev 7.62mm, which can also be fired in the .30 Mauser pistols. Perhaps some Soviet general or Communist Party official enamored of the Bolo Mauser (politically incorrect for use as it was a German weapon), but not very knowledgeable about weapons and modern warfare wanted a suitable replacement.

Filling no real purpose (except perhaps in special operations) it did not enjoy widespread success and was largely withdrawn from service by 1980. The APS, however, was fielded by the Soviets or their satellites (especially Bulgaria) to various “wars of liberation” and guerrilla groups. The Stetchkin would be a handy weapon for arming field advisors and rear area specialists and it has popped up in Afghanistan, Mozambique, Angola, Rhodesia, Libya and Zambia. In 1996 three Stetchkins with ammunition and seven magazines along with thirteen handgrenades were found by South African police in a mielie field near Krugersdorp. They were probably an abandoned ANC weapons cache. The most infamous incident involving a Stetchkin occurred in January 1989 in Holland when a Bulgarian truck driver was detained by police after they noticed the undue attention he was paying to NATO bases. A search of the truck revealed a Stetchkin concealed in the cab. This was probably the last major incident involving hard espionage during the Cold War.

Considered rare, relatively arcane, and supposedly removed from general service in the USSR by 1985, I was surprised to find it in such general use amongst special operations units in the Baltics as late as 1995. I would guess that these have been largely supplanted by H&K MP-5s in Estonia and Micro Uzis in Latvia. However, if the Balts were making use of the weapon just a few years sago, then I suspect some elements of the new Russian Army might be as well. At the time I first fired the Stetchkin (1993) I was told it was available on the black market for $1,000 (USD). Following the collapse of communism in the Soviet Union a quantity of Stetchkins were undoubtedly removed from storage in state armories and peddled for hard currency. Counterterrorism instructors were warning students of the use and availability of this weapon to terrorists, assassins and criminals.

Various attempts to turn automatic pistols (semi-auto and select fire) into carbines via the addition of a shoulder stock holster prior to development of the Stetchkin met with mixed results. The most well-known machinepistols or pistol carbines include: the Mauser; the Astra; the Star Pistol Carbine Model “A” and its select fire version Model “M”; the long barreled P08 Model 1914/1917 “Artillery” Luger (further encumbered with a 32-round snail magazine’ and various 9mm FN Browning Hi-Power manufactures. None of these were great successes as general-usage military weapons. Stocked pistols are neither as accurate as carbines and submachine guns nor as portable as pistols. Perhaps the Soviets merely needed to find out for themselves what the Germans and the Spanish already knew.

US Lore of the Stetchkin

“Common Knowledge” dictated that the only Stetchkin machine pistol in the US was secretly stashed at Langley in the possession of the CIA. Rumors of one held by a Vietnam Veteran who took it from the body of a “Large Caucasian” in a cross border op during the Vietnam war were followed up by this author, to find he did not have the gun, but was a dog handler with the Marines who did in fact discover one on a “Large Caucasian” with a leather pouch full of documents and a Stetchkin, but as he and his team mates examined it, several of the CIA personnel who had called his K9 team in for a body search quickly removed it and the pouch. He did not have the gun. It was not supposed to have happened. He had the credentials to back up his story.

The ATF booklet on Curio and Relics lists the Stetchkin APS machine pistol, and has ever since I remember the publication. This would indicate, but not guarantee, that there is at least one registered transferable Stetchkin in the US.

LMO purchased 50 Arsenal refinished and new Stetchkin APS machine pistols in the early 1990’s. These were packed 25 per wooden chest, with plastic stocks, slings, and magazine pouches. Approximately 25 were imported for law enforcement use or as dealer sales samples, and are restricted as “Post 86 dealer samples”. The balance of the guns had the receivers destroyed and were imported as parts sets. Most of these were made into dummy guns, but some were reportedly redesigned into a semi automatic version by a Midwest manufacturer. With the stocks, these would have required registration as Short Barreled Rifles.

From the Stetchkins that were seen, it would indicate that the dates of manufacture were 1951 until 1955.

One of the suppressed versions is in the possession of the Royal Pattern Room in Nottingham, and SAR hopes to bring the story and pictures of that piece to the readers in a future issue. – Dan

The Long Range War: Sniping in Vietnam

by Peter R. Senich.
Boulder CO: Paladin Press, 1994,
ISBN 0-87364-789-0
268 pages. $39.95
1-800-392-2400
Review by Rob Krott

Adherents of the “Death by long rifle” school of thought, target interdiction specialists, and especially Vietnam veterans interested in sniping will like The Long Range War. It is a well-researched technical and historical work. Senich is also the author of eight other books on sniping and weapons including: The German Sniper 1914-1945, US Marine Corps Scout-Sniper, World War II and Korea, and two other books on US military sniping. He has recently turned his interest in the history of sniping to the US military’s sniping efforts in Vietnam. The most recent book in the genre being The One-Round War, USMC Scout Snipers in Vietnam (also available from Paladin Press).

The author’s research began in the late 1960s during the height of the Vietnam conflict. Senich concentrates on this somewhat narrow but important part of the Vietnam war and ably documents the wide use of sniping tactics and new technologies, including the fielding of a wide range of experimental equipment, that was, until then, unprecedented in the US Army and USMC. The paddies and jungles of Vietnam became a laboratory for such erstwhile innovators as Gordon Ingram, James M. Leatherwood and Mitchell WerBell III.

The preface includes a special acknowledgement of the contributions of the late LTC William S. Brophy. While a captain during the Korean War Brophy was known for using a Model 70 Winchester .30-06 target rifle in his one man sniping campaign and was one of the first to adapt the Browning .50 HMG to sniping. But Senich’s primary focus is on the US Army’s sniper program during the Vietnam War. He begins his history of sniping in Vietnam with the lack of adequate equipment in the early days and the fielding of supplemental and expedient sniping systems. Advisory teams and other special units often adopted a “whatever it takes” attitude towards the use of civilian equipment. He painstakingly covers the history and circumstances of the XM21 sniping rifle and the Adjustable Ranging Telescope (ART) development, as well as the sound suppressors and their subsequent combat application in Vietnam. The book progresses to the rapid development undertaken after the 1965-1966 period when most sniping was done by troops with field expedient systems operating on their own agendas to the end of the war.

The Long Range War is a thorough and exhaustive study of the training, equipment, and combat experiences of American snipers in Vietnam. It is without a doubt the most definitive work yet published on the subject. Photos are numerous, averaging about two per page and the book includes seven full-page illustrations by talented military artist Max Crace. Chapters address such topics as the development of the XM-21; auto-ranging telescopes and the Leatherwood Principle; noise suppression; night vision and sniper instruction.

There are plenty of blueprints, developmental drawings, tables of technical data, equipment photos and copies of correspondence and official documents to please even the most hardcore of weapons techno-wonks plus some good combat “After Action” narratives to appease lovers of “bang-bang”.

Though Senich includes various aspects of the early Marines Corps sniping effort (the first recorded sniping kill by US forces in Vietnam was credited to a 3d Marine Division sniper in 1965). Senich’s The Long Range War is focused primarily on the US Army’s efforts. He presents a detailed examination of USMC sniping in Vietnam in The One-Round War, which is really a companion volume to The Long Range War. Anyone who has an avid interest in sniping has probably already added this volume to his or her military book collection. Those in any way involved in the sniping effort in Vietnam and especially veterans of the 9th Infantry Division, which led the way in US Army sniper training, will appreciate The Long Range War. This book will hold the interest of anyone previously or currently assigned as a unit sniper or interested in the history and development of sniping weapons.

CIA Special Weapons & Equipment; Spy devices of the Cold War

By H. Keith Melton
Forward by the Honorable Richard Helms
Sterling Publishing Company, Inc.
387 Park Avenue South,
New York, New York 10016
Price $11.95 plus $4.50 s&h
Reviewed by Stephen Stuart

During the Cold War, the Central Intelligence Agency developed some of the most specialized equipment ever fielded. In this war, it was spy against spy. The side that trained their operatives the best and supported them with the best equipment had an edge against the enemy. These technological marvels (radios, one-time pads, cameras, etc) were tools of the trade for these unseen warriors.

Mr. Melton’s book covers the time period from 1945 through 1970. Some of the devices covered are very similar to those used by the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) during World War II. A good example would be the W.W. II Liberator handgun, the idea of which was updated into the newer Vietnam era Deer Gun. The Deer gun is a simple singe-shot pistol, like the early Liberator, it also held spare ammunition in the pistol grip (the Liberator held 10 rounds of .45 ACP, the Deer gun 3 rounds of 9mm). As its WWII counter part was, it is designed to be dropped behind enemy lines and be used to acquire a better firearm.

Explosive initiated devices are featured: dust explosive initiator, the Firestarter, Combustible notebook, and Equipment destroyer. These explosive devices were mostly used to sabotage equipment.

One of the “neatest” devices listed in this text is the “Dog Doo” transmitter. The Dog Doo is a transmitter that acts as a homing beacon. The device itself was camouflaged as dog “doo”, so a person wouldn’t take note of it or think that it as a electronic device.

This book is a mere 128 pages. There are numerous line drawings and black and white photos describing the materials. This is Melton’s fourth book and like the others it is top notch in its field. Some of us seem unable to get enough information on actual spy gear; this is a nice addition for one’s spy library.

Black Magic; The Ultra Accurate AR-15

By John Feamster
Published by: Precision Shooting Inc, Manchester Connecticut, 1998.
303 pages.
Numerous black and white photos.
Review by Brad Browne

For someone interested in learning more about how to make their AR-15 turn out some impressive results, John Feamster has a lot of good things to tell you. His book starts with his own experiences with the famous “Black Rifle” and goes on to describe in seven chapters how to make your “Mousegun” deliver the performance that you never thought you’d get from it.

The first chapter is the author’s introduction, with a bit of the AR’s history thrown in to boot. Chapter two discusses AR’s and competitions, comparing it to the longstanding M1/M14 rifles used in the US National Matches at Camp Perry. Chapter Three is 44 pages of information about the service rifle, covering sights, zeroing, triggers, free-float tubes, barrels, twist, chamber size, magazines, and slings. Chapter four takes you past the original mil-spec rifle and shows you how a match or varmint rifle can be built on an AR action. For the reloader, chapter five will help you along, from basic safety rules for the newbie, to “Mexican Match” ammo, VLD bullets, Moly coating, plus more. There’s a lot of good info here for reloaders. Chapter six covers how to accurately test an AR from a benchrest, how to clean for best accuracy, and the ever-present gasgun question “Well, just how clean is clean?” Chapter seven is a number of experiments, tips and tweaks: Comparisons between tight and loose upper/lowers, receiver-tensioning pins, fast/slow twist rates and light bullets. These are some of the things that John Feamster covers in the book.

I started reading the book when I was on watch one night (I’m a sailor, and I’ve been out to sea for the past 6 months…it’s amazing how much you can read when you’re at sea!) I didn’t manage to put the book down until it was done. (I was somewhat tired the next day, because I didn’t get all that much sleep in my off-watch time…too busy reading.) I liked the flow of the book; it followed a logical (in my opinion) progression. It started with an introduction of the author and progressed into service rifles, then into match rifles, reloading, testing, and finally some of the experiments that the author has performed.

Throughout the book there’s plenty of good photos, although some are a little bit dark, so it’s tough to pick up some of the details on those.

There are a number of tips and procedures that are thoroughly explained, including bedding the receivers, bedding those cheap scope mounts to the carry handle, plus a few other useful tips. There is an appendix that contains a list of the manufacturers and suppliers that are mentioned and also information on various parts such as the Milazzo-Krieger two stage trigger, and the J.P. Enterprises single stage trigger.

To me the book does not seem to be written for a beginner with the AR family. I feel that it’s targeted at the more experienced shooter who wants to get more out of their rifle. If you’re a beginner, or someone not familiar with the American shooting community, you may find some of the terms unfamiliar, and I would suggest including a glossary.

I’m quite happy with the money that I spent on this book, and look forward to further books from Mr. Feamster. This book is (IMHO) well researched, and well written.

The book can be purchased through Precision Shooting magazine for a price of $29.95 (softcover 24.95) by calling (860)-645-8776.

I was standing with Oyay Deng Ajak to the left front of a 12.7mm (.51 caliber) DsHk heavy machinegun, mounted atop the highest boulder on the hilltop. I’d already snapped a photo of the weapon and was digging out my notebook to jot down the arsenal info when: Ka Bam! From the enemy position opposite us an incoming round from another 12.7mm HMG streaked over my head. Fortunately, the gun had jammed, sending only one solitary round my way. I jumped down behind the rocks and we all had a nervous little laugh. The Government of Sudan (GoS) Army had once again taken a pot shot at me.

That happened during my first visit with the SPLA (Sudanese People’s Liberation Army) in 1994, a six month sojourn in various guerrilla camps throughout the southern Sudan, where I had an opportunity to observe SPLA combat operations. I recently returned for another visit (April 1998) hoping to see my old friend, Commander Ajak, now the SPLA assistant chief-of-staff. The war in Sudan is between the predominantly Muslim, Arabic-speaking north and Christian and animist black Africans in the south. The southern population is about 3 million (minus those killed off in combat and by famine) and provides the base of support for the Sudanese People’s Liberation Army. There has been a “Civil war” since independence over 38 years ago. The SPLA is just the latest (and most successful) guerrilla movement since Sudan gained independence, January 1, 1956.

A wide range of small arms have been pressed into service by the southern Sudanese guerrillas, who I consider to be very well equipped insurgents. I don’t know whether to call them the rag-tag conventional army of “New Sudan” or a well organized, well equipped guerrilla force with heavy weapons support. The workhorse of that heavy weapons support is the 12.7mm DShK 1938/46 heavy machinegun. The Degtyarev 12.7mm boasts performance similar to the Browning .50 caliber HMG. A versatile weapon, it has been used throughout the world by the Soviets, their allies and third world guerrillas in a variety of roles: anti-aircraft, ground support, crew-served infantry, vehicle mounted, and co-axial armored vehicle armament. The DShK 12.7mm can be operated from its wheeled mount or its AA tripod. A simple weapon to operate, it loads and fires the same as an RP-46 7.62mm machinegun.

At one SPLA 12.7mm HMG position I was given the honor of loading belts as the gunner opened up on a combined attack by Sudanese Army troops and National Islamic Front (NIF) mujahideen. The replying 12.7mm and 14.5mm machinegun fire and some distinctive ripping from a dozen or so “obsolete” Soviet RPD 7.62mm light machine guns from the enemy derogatively known as jellaba (slavers) was intense.

Another 12.7mm heavy which I witnessed in action was the PRC Type W-85, the only one I’ve ever physically seen. The Type W-85 has a long legged tripod convertible to ground support or anti-aircraft roles, weighs only 40.78 pounds, and fires a left hand fed 60 round belt. The example I saw was missing its optical sight, but the skeletal shoulder stock was in place.

The 14.5mm KPV anti-aircraft machinegun mounted as a single (ZPU-1) barreled ground support weapon is formidable. Several of these were lugged up the rock-strewn Sendiru Hills and used against the mujahideen’s human wave attacks. I also observed both ZPU-2 and ZPU-4 weapons in action.

The Goryunov’s SGMB 7.62x54Rmm (one if six versions of Pytor Maximovich Goryunov’s design) was seen throughout the south Sudan emplaced on its wheeled mount. The Goryunov, largely replaced by the PK series in most arsenals, is easily identified even at a distance by its longitudinally fluted barrel. While the 7.62×54 rimmed cartridge dates back to 1891, making it the world’s oldest standard military cartridge, its rimmed case often causes some problems with feeding in modern automatic weapons. It was favored by many of the famous Russian designers and it has been in use so long by the Russians that it would probably be a costly and massive re-tooling effort to switch production to another .30 caliber machinegun cartridge. The Russians have produced improved versions of the cartridge: the high-penetration 7N13 is used in machineguns. An armor piercing round, it will penetrate 10mm steel plate at 400 meters. The 7N14 is a sniper cartridge built for the SVD rifle and manufactured to higher standards for accuracy.

Kalashnikov The Genius

Of course the most commonly used SPLA infantry weapon is the Soviet Kalashnikov assault rifle or one of its many variations – a good weapon for guerrilla troops, easy to operate, easy to maintain, and reliable under harsh field conditions. Many of the SPLA troops are relatively young, some barely 12 or 13 years old. Pre-teen and adolescent boys comprise a large number of the SPLA forces and an even larger percentage of their trained, but unarmed reserves. Given its relatively short length (34.25”), the Kalashnikov is well suited for troops that are small in stature. I discussed this with an SPLA caption. Our conversation went something like this;

Captain – “Yes, even our twelve year old boys can carry an AK-47. This man, Kalashnikov, he was a genius”.

Krott – “Not was… is.”

Captain – “What?”

Krott – “I mean he’s still alive.”

Captain – “No!”

Krott – “Yes, Mikhail Timofeyevich Kalashnikov, the weapons designer and inventor of the AK-47 is still alive. I know someone who met him a few years ago.”

Captain – “No. Are you sure, Rob?”

Krott – “Positive. He’s still alive. He was a young sergeant at the end of WWII, so he’s probably in his seventies now.”

Captain – “A genius, the man is a genius.”

The captain walked away, marveling that his hero, Kalashnikov, was still alive.

Hand-carved Stocks

I had the opportunity to carry a Kalashnikov at times. Though the German in me prefers an MpiKS72 with its side folding wire stock, the weapon I usually carried was a Hungarian AMD, the short barreled variation of the AKM, easily identified by its large muzzle brake, plastic foregrip, and ventilated metal forend. I like the AMD, even though the muzzle flash is a little high profile. I carried three different AMDs, one of which was missing the original flash suppressor. Guerrilla weapons are quite commonly chopped up and cobbled together. It’s not uncommon to see hand carved stocks and forends replacing damaged furniture, duct tape and wire holding forends or stocks to barrels, and sheet metal, rivets, and wire mending broken wood stocks. Though in the southern Sudan weapons in a poor state of repair are usually carried by local tribesman rather than front-line fighters. The guerrilla war here has resulted in the local tribesmen obtaining modern firearms. In some instances, their rifle is the most technologically advanced possession these primitive herders own. One Kalashnikov I saw was carried by a Taposa tribesman. His only other piece of kit was a blanket draped casually about his shoulders as he wandered about nude.

While I normally wore a bit more in the way of clothing, on one occasion I grabbed “my Kalasshnikov”, borrowed from Oyay and moved forward with two guerrillas for a look-see at some nearby NIF positions. As I came down from the SPLA outpost something caught my eye. Glinting in the harsh African sun I found some 7.62mm NATO rounds with Arabic headstamps lying in piles by the remains of dead mjuahideen. Probably left over after pockets were emptied and equipment and uniforms stripped from the bodies – most SPLA guerrillas wear “captured” uniforms (well laundered and with the bullet holes patched)) – but, the G-3 rounds were not scavenged by the guerrillas. I surmised they must have ample supplies of 7.62 x 51mm/.308 NATO for their few captured G-3s. Still, good insurgency logistics would insure everything of value, even a few loose rounds, was salvaged from the battlefield. During Mengistu’s regime in Ethiopia, the SPLA was well supplied with weapons and munitions including IMI (Israeli Military Industries) UZI 9mm sub-machineguns (a few of which I observed in the hands of SPLA reconnaissance troops). With Menigistu’s ouster other “friendly African nations” have stepped in to fill the void. I encountered a trash pit full of cases of discarded 7.62x54R ammunition. Discarded because it was all blank training ammunition. I guess some one screwed up when they were loading the trucks.

As for the captured G-3s fielded by the SPLA, upon inspection they all bore Islamic arsenal markings leading me to believe their origin was probably Saudi Arabian licensed production, though it’s possible they were Turkish, Pakistani, or Iranian. Most of the G-3s I saw were carried by local tribesmen or “militia”, the SPLA preferring to standardize their rifle ammunition solely to 7.62x39mm. At the time I wished dearly for a tactical sniping scope, mount, bipod, and box of Lake City .308 match rounds. The G-3s have a lineage stretching back through the Spanish CETME to the SIG 45 (M) which first introduced the delayed blowback with roller bearings, punches out these 7.62 NATO rounds at 2625 fps. While not my first choice for a tactical medium range sniping weapon due to its heavy, slack filled trigger-pull and many other flaws as a battle rifle, in the accuracy department it was head and shoulders above any other rifle I encountered save for a few rusting WWII era bolt guns. Tuned up in the field to resemble a G3-STG/1 police sniper with bipod, set trigger, and something approximating the Schmidt and Bender scope, it would do a good job.

Various Machineguns

While visiting the guerrilla base at Chukudum in Eastern Equatoria, Commander Pieng Deng Cual allowed me to troop the line under the watchful eye of 1Lt Alier Riek Jok. I noted some interesting weapons: 1Lt Jok carried a Hungarian AKM and I saw a few Czech model 58 assault rifles which the troops call a “She”- pronouncing the Czech factory stamp on the receiver. There were few heavy machineguns, just the odd 12.7mm Russian Dshk on a vehicle mount. Light machineguns were mostly RPKs, RPDs, a few PKMs and the odd MG3 GPMG courtesy of Saudi Arabia (probably, as the arsenal stamp was a wreathed lion with sword) via the Sudanese Army. The Rheinmettal MG3, the updated MG42 chambered for 7.62 NATO, is one of the finest machineguns in the world. Since my first visit to the Sudan, I had the opportunity to see many of them in action in Bosnia. It’s also a popular weapon with both the Turk and Iranian armies which may account for the Islamic regime in Khartoum having significant numbers of them.

A weapon I couldn’t readily identify at the time, a battered light machinegun sporting a Bren type top feed magazine with an overly long Kalashnikov type selector switch. I’ve discussed with Peter Kokalis and we surmise it must be a rare Czechoslovak Model 52/57 LMG chambered for the M43 7.62x39mm cartridge (the Model 52 LMG was originally chambered for the arcane Czechoslovak 7.62mm Model 52 /7.62x45mm cartridge).

One of the most interesting small arms I inspected was an old WWII era Soviet RP-46 7.62x54Rmm light machinegun. The RP-46 is basically a Degtyarev DPM modernized by Shilin, Polyakov, and Dubinin to fire from a belt feed. The RP-46 uses a 250 round metallic belt (the same used with the 7.62mm Goryunov heavy machinegun) or a Degtyarev flat drum after the top cover is changed. Called the “company machinegun” by the Soviets it was considered, at nearly 28 pounds, a medium machinegun.

The two light machineguns I encountered most frequently were RPDs and PKMs. The RPD (Rushnoi Pulemet Degtyarev), though now considered obsolete, can still be found fielded throughout the third world, especially in Africa. A dependable and combat proven weapon (in the past it was used with great affect – and admiration – by SEALs in Vietnam and Selous Scouts in Rhodesia) it still remains a fixture in many special operations unit armories worldwide. The RPD loads two fifty round metal belts (of 7.62x39mm ammo) which are snapped together before loading into the RPD’s metal drum magazine. It’s an easy weapon to operate though it necessitates a special wrench for proper adjustment of the gas cylinder. The RPK (Rushnoi Pulemet Kalashnikova), a heavy barreled bipod equipped AKM, replaced the RPD as the Soviet squad automatic weapon . Something I’ve never agreed with as the RPK, while streamlining ammunition and parts logistics at the small unit level and simplifying weapons training, is less than auspicious as a squad or platoon level weapon. It lacks a quick-change barrel and can not be used for sustained automatic fire. It must also be fired using pre-loaded 75 round drums, making ammunition re-supply in the heat of battle problematic.

The PKM, a medium or general purpose machinegun, is chambered for the workhorse 7.62x54R cartridge. The introduction of another caliber infantry weapon into any military organization complicates ammunition logistics, but more so in a guerrilla army which may have extreme difficulties in procuring adequate stocks of ammunition. The PKMs I saw with the SPLA rarely had an extra box of ammo available. The PK (Pulemet Kalashnikova) replaced the RP-46 “company machinegun” (numbers of which are still fielded by the SPLA) and the 7.62 SGM battalion-level machinegun in the Soviet Army. Kalashnikov not only mimics his AK operating system in the PK (the PKM is an improved, lightened version), he literally turned it upside down and added an innovative feed mechanism. The weapon incorporates Kalashnikov’s rotating bolt, the Czech Vz52 belt drive, Goryunov’s quick-change barrel and cartridge feed mechanism, and the DP trigger. At nearly twenty pounds the PK is technically a GPMG, but is commonly utilized as a light machinegun. I briefly carried a PKM on patrol in the Sudan in 1994 and grew to appreciate its many features, least of which was that it weighed about five pounds less than the M60 I carried as an 18-year-old infantry PFC.

Bolt Guns

While in Chukudum a truckload of “militia” loaded up for a trip north. I refer to them as militia as they obviously weren’t rank and file SPLA but were armed. Dressed mostly in civilian clothes, they were armed with a motley collection of bolt action and semi-automatic rifles with the odd battered Kalashnikov thrown in. Immediately recognizable was a .303in Rifle, Short Magazine, Lee-Enfield Mark III. The SMLE, in the hands of trained rifleman, is one helluva weapon and is considered by some to be the finest bolt-action combat rifle ever fielded (though I’m sure many an Old-Breed Marine would disagree…). In many parts of the southern Sudan such a weapon could be put to good use as a tactical sniping weapon – solely with its open sights. The simple blade foresight combined with the rear sight leaf graduated to 2,000 meters would allow a good shot to engage targets well in excess of a Kalashnikov’s maximum effective range. Another bolt-action carried by these militia, the Mosin-Nagant 7.62mm M1944 carbine was an archaic weapon even in WWII. Basically the same rifle as the 1938 type except with the addition of the folding cruciform bayonet, I also saw Chinese models (copied by them in 1953) of the Mosin-Nagant M38 and M44 Carbine (7.62x54R). Seeing widespread use in a variety of climes and conflicts since its introduction during WWII despite being based on an 1891 design (obsolete since the First World War) these carbines are still dependable man-stoppers with 7.62 x 54 rimmed cartridge. A definite improvement over the Russian M91 rifle of which I also saw a few examples. I’d have preferred to hunt eland for the soup pot, but I shot at several baboons with an M44. Some of the militia were also armed with SKS carbines, a weapon I often saw in the hands of local herdsmen.

I kept my eye out for American weapons, hoping to see an M-1 Garand or an M-2 carbine, and really wishing for an M-16 (yeah, I know maybe not the best battle rifle ever, but I’m comfortable with it ) but to no avail. Not in this part of Africa. What I was really looking for was an AR-10, the Armalite .308 NATO rifle, as a small lot of these weapons was sold to Sudan by Interarms. No such luck.

In 1944 Oyay Deng Ajak’s light infantry – heavily equipped with RPD light machineguns, a few RPG-7s, and at least one venerable 106mm recoilless rifle – along with Oyay’s only armor, two captured T-55 tanks, held a blocking position south of Juba in Sendiru Hills. With the tides of war four years later there was another blocking position nearby at Mile Forty (forty miles from Yei on the way to Juba) just the other side of the Nile. This was commanded by one of Oyay’s subordinate commanders, Assistant Commander Abraham Wana Yoane, 2nd Brigade, 2nd Region, who told me that Iraq is supplying weapons to Khartoum. This was obvious by the markings on much of the captured ammunition. Last year (9 March 1997) the SPLA unleashed “Operation Thunderbolt,” its big southern offensive, capturing several key towns and capturing thousands of small arms including a hundred or more light and medium machineguns from GoS forces. More importantly, large quantities of equipment – several T-55 tanks, anti-aircraft guns, artillery – and large stocks of North Korean, Chinese and Iraqi ammunition for 12.7mm DShk machineguns, 14.5mm ZPU anti-aircraft guns, 107mm multiple rocket launchers (MRL), PKM machineguns and RPD machineguns fell in the bag. Despite this, any weapon which will still launch bullets, no matter how old or how arcane, is still pressed into service. One of my escorts on the road to Mile Forty was armed with a well-maintained Sterling MK II 9mm sub-machinegun (the “Patchett”). The Sterling was also fielded as a semi-automatic, the Police Carbine Mark 4. The Sterling probably ended up in East Africa as part of a police equipment package. The Sudan was a British colony until 1955 so it’s quite possible the weapon had belonged to some British constable.

Commander Yoane’s heavy weapons included truck mounted 107mm multiple rocket launchers, T-55 tanks, several ZSU 23-2 23mm anti-aircraft guns (in the infantry support direct fire role), a couple of B-10 82mm and B-11 106mm recoiless rifles, and a 37mm AA gun which nearly sent me diving for cover when it cut loose during my inspection tour. Additionally there was a generous distribution of RPD light machineguns, PKM machineguns, the ubiquitous RPGs carried by anyone who didn’t mind the extra weight, and various mortars, including 60mm hand-held tubes.

Weapons Employment and Basic Load

A good example of how the SPLA fields its weapons and equips its troops is the defense of Bunio in 1992. During the dry season (winter) of 1992 the GoS army launched its offensive on Pibor. From Pibor the GoS Army was able to move several battalions of infantry and over a hundred vehicles south, attacking and capturing Kapoeta, the regional capital. GoS army forces, bled out by their assault on Kapoeta, were unable to continue offensive operations until a month later when they attacked Bunio, a small abandoned bush village. Bunio’s defenders, the SPLA’s Eastern Equatoria Military Command’s 1st Battalion withdrew in disarray and without orders. The brigade commander, Commander Salva, ordered the battalion back to Bunio. GoS Army forces had withdrawn, abandoning the jungle outpost, to consolidate and strengthen their hold on Kapoeta. On 15 August Salva ordered his 2d Battalion commanded by Assistant Commander (Major) Peter Panyang Daniel, 37, to Bunio to replace the unreliable 1st Battalion. Daniel’s battalion occupied a perimeter defense at Bunio. He deployed four companies of light infantry (actually very lightly equipped guerrillas, many without shoes and uniforms) and a headquarters and weapons company. His “battalion” numbered on 412 men.

Armed with Kalashnikovs each infantryman carried a basic load of 120 rounds. Grenades were in limited supply and consisted mostly of Russian RGD-5 and Chinese stick type grenades captured from GoS Army troops during the fighting in Kapoeta. There were nineteen light machineguns on the perimeter, several RPDs, PKMs, and solitary Bren gun and a Degtyarev RP-46. There was one Goryunov SG43 7.62mm heavy machinegun dismounted from an armor vehicle. RPD gunners were issued 800 rounds each. Basic loads for the other light machineguns differed though none had more than 800 rounds available. Daniel’s battalion, later reinforced by additional heavy weapons makeshift-mounted on Toyota’s, prevailed against a much larger force of attacking GoS Army supported by tanks and artillery.

Weapons aren’t everything, especially in the southern Sudan- where a weapon may be anything.