German Trench Mortars And Infantry Mortars 1914-1945

By Wolfgang Fleischer
Published by Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
77 Lower Valley Road
Atglen, PA 19310
ISBN # 0-88740-916-4
Price $9.95 plus $4.50 s&h
Reviewed by Stephen Stuart

Mortars were first used in this century during the Russo-Japanese War. Their intended purpose was to deliver a small charge at close range, allowing troops to destroy wire and other man made obstacles. After seeing the potential of the Mortars in the east, the German high command began designing mortars for use for German troops (original production was at first given entirely to the engineering corps).

The first German mortars were of principally three designations; heavy, medium, and light. The heavy model were 25cm, the medium 170 mm, and the light models 77 mm. Trials of these weapons were still on going when the First World War began. In Mr. Fleischer’s text, the author details the working of these early weapons, along with other war produced models such as the Granatwerfer 16, a light spigot type mortar weighing 1.9 kilograms for example.
During the 1930’s the German military began designing the next generation of mortars, these were designed specifically for infantry troops. These new mortars included the Granatwerfer 36 (light mortar in 50mm) and the later Granatwerfer 34 (in 80 mm). Both of which saw extensive service during the battles of World War II.

The earlier light mortar (the Granatwerfer 36) was slowly phased out during the course of the war due to it’s limited range of roughly 500 meters. The Granatwerfer 34 replaced the light mortar due to its increased range to 2625 yards and larger projectile which caused greater damage than the smaller 50mm projectile.

One of the nice things about this text is the photographs, they really bring the reader up close to some of the early types of mortars used by German. The drawings are also very informative as well. I highly recommend this text for all you lawn dart enthusiasts out there, its top notch.

German Automatic Weapons of WWII

By Robert Bruce
ISBN 1-85915-043-8
Published by
Window and Greene Ltd
5 Gerrard Street
London WIV 7LJ
England
$29.95 plus S&H
Reviewed by David Fortier

There are times that we expect one thing and receive something else. Sometimes its good and sometimes we shake our fists. So it was with this book. I ordered it with several others on a whim, German weapons just not being my niche. When I received it I found that it was my favorite book out of all I had ordered.

Robert Bruce gives us a users look at the different German automatic weapons fielded during World War II. In 128 pages he covers the Mauser Schnellfeur-pistole, MP-40, MG 34, MG 42, FG 42/I and II, and the Sturmgewehr 44. What separates this book into class of its own is the photography. Each weapon is shown being carried, handled, fired, and stripped by someone dressed in a period German military uniform with all correct field gear. It’s the QUALITY of the photography that sets this book apart. Other books may have more historical information, but this work gives you the best look at the weapons themselves and how it actually feels to fire them. His color pictures are very clear and crisp. As someone who has run a roll or two of 35 mm film I know how hard it is to take pictures of this quality.

Of special interest is the section in each chapter where he covers the loading procedure for each weapon, step by step. He covers the firing, including not only the methods taught by the German army, but what it actually feels like to fire, say a MG 42 at a blistering 1200 rpm. Plus he covers the stripping of each weapon in detail. For someone interested in German automatic weapons, this would be a nice addition. While it’s not encyclopedic, it’s visually grabbing. Everyone I showed it to had a hard time putting it down. Highly recommended!

Honour Bound; The Chauchat Machine Rifle

By Gerard Demaison and Yves Buffetaut
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

Very little has ever been written about the French Chauchat machine gun. Most looks only devote a paragraph or single brief page to this weapon, if they mention it at all. The French Chauchat has been rumored as the worst machine gun ever fielded by any army including the United States (the American Expedition Force, AEF for short, was sent to France with no machine guns what so ever. Due to this shortage the AEF outfitted itself with at first French 8mm Chauchats. This lasted until the French produced the CSRG Mle 1918, which fired the standard U.S. .30 caliber round).

Collector’s Grade Publications has produced the definite work on the 8mm and.30 caliber Chauchat models. Everything you ever wanted to know is in this text. The book covers the initial test trials, inception, factory production, combat reports, equipment accessories, and even a little bit on trouble shooting problems, including the .30 caliber American model. The American 30-06 model was plagued with problems from the outset of it’s production. Most of the problems were due to manufacturing inconsistencies, namely not milling out the extraction groove correctly and not reaming out the chamber correctly. The appendix goes in detail describing the 8mm Lebel cartridge. This short history on the cartridge is highly useful, it also covers such hard to find 8mm Lebels as the practice round, incendiary rounds, and dummy rounds.

The authors do an excellent job of exploring and detailing the Chauchat series. The only fault I find in the text is that they tend to glorify this horrible weapon. They also describe it as the first truly successful assault rifle. This is a big claim in my opinion, ( I personally believe, as do others, that the German Sturmgewehr series was the world’s first true assault rifle).

Besides these minor points the book is second to none on this interesting period of history on the Chauchat. The black and white photos are first rate, and the information is research grade. For those of us who own one of the Chauchats this book should be on your must get list (I must admit, I always wanted one due to the fact they were odd and they have a very unique history. The other reason was because they are a relatively inexpensive machine gun, a fairly unusual thing in today’s market). People wishing to see the French perspective on the Chauchat will not be disappointed.

The World’s Fighting Shotguns

By Thomas F. Swearengen
Published by Chasa Limited
Distributed in the U.S.A.
by T.B.N. Enterprises
Post Office Box 55,
Alexandria, Virginia 22313
Price $34.95 Plus $4.50 s&h
Reviewed by Stephen Stuart

No weapon is more powerful or effective in up close and personal work than the shotgun. Since the use of the Blunderbuss in the colonial time period to the use of the shotgun by law enforcement and the military, the shotgun has always had a role in US conflicts. In Thomas Swearengen’s classic work, The World’s Fighting Shotgun, Mr. Swearengen explores the roles of the shotgun in our society up until 1978 (the date of the first printing). Don’t let this early date fool you, even though the text was written over twenty years ago, the information contained in this text is just as informative as when it was first released.

For shotgun enthusiasts, Mr. Swearengen breaks the chapters up into the following manner; single-shot models, multi-barrel, rotary chamber, lever action, bolt action, slide action, autoloading, a systems of weapons, and ammunition. The single-shot section includes such interesting models as a cane gun, several different model pen guns in .410, and the Handy gun. The multi-barrel section focuses mainly on double-barreled models, for Class III fans the Auto Burglar A and B can be found here. The rotary chamber chapter has some very different models, particularly the Manville models. Individuals who are more interested in conventional slide action shotguns will like the coverage of the Winchester Model 12 Trench gun, the Remington 870, Ithaca 37, and the Mossberg 500 series. One can readily see that the National Firearms Act shotgun collector will appreciate this book as will individuals who just like shotguns.

The book is very informative reading. It takes the reader from the development of the earlier shotguns of our country to the most recent so called modern ones. Here one can see the earlier influence of the different model shotguns on the high tech models of today. As a starting point in understanding shotguns, especially the fighting models, this truly is the classic work in the field.

OSS Special Weapons & Equipment, Spy Devices of World War II.

By Keith Melton
Foreword by William Colby
Published by Sterling Publishing Company, Inc.,
387 Park Avenue South, New York, New York 10016
Price $14.95 plus $4.50 shipping and handling
Reviewed by Stephen Stuart

During World War II the Office of Strategic Services (OSS) and the British Special Operations, Executive (SOE) produced a catalog type text that listed all the equipment that was available at that time for it’s personnel. In OSS SpecialWeapons & Equipment, Mr. Melton reprints the entire catalog (copy number 40) for the intelligence historian. The manual is very straight forward in the manner it presents information; first it gives a brief description of the device or item and its intended purpose. This is followed by a complete run down of its characteristics which include, the weight, length, and in some instances, how many per shipping carton and the total weight of the carton in pounds(useful information for clandestine air drops over occupied Europe). Some of the items listed are; brass knuckles, garrotes, and a variety of different knives. Items of interest for the Class III buff are a stinger (.22 long rifle) type pen gun, a .22 lr single shot cigarette, and of course suppressed rifles and pistols. There are other weapons as well that are designed to cause fear or psychological trauma, these include the dart pen and “Who, Me?”. The latter comes in a tube and smells like feces, something that Orientals considered offensive.

For those of you interested in coded messages, a one time pad is covered. As well as the M-94 cipher device. This little device allowed agents in the field a quick method of encrypting and decrypting messages. The larger M-209 cipher machine is listed. Unfortunately, the book does not go into depth on how to operate the different machines or one time pads.

Personally, since I like spy equipment, I found this text a worthy edition to the library of strange (and in some instances forgotten) spy paraphernalia. The best thing about this book is that it covers only the time period during the operation of the OSS and SOE. This allows one to use it as a reference for World War II spy activities, and as a way of dating certain devices, if they are found at antique or gun shows. When used in this regard the text proves extremely useful in the field.

SOVIET RUSSIAN POSTWAR MILITARY PISTOLS AND CARTRIDGES 1945-1986

By Fred A. Datig
Available from
Handgun Press
Box 406
Glenview, Illinois 60025
(877) 852-0966
$29.95 plus $5 S&H
152 pages well illustrated
Reviewed By David M. Fortier

Datig’s work on Postwar Soviet Military pistols is interesting for a couple of reasons. The most obvious is of course for the topic being covered. There are chapters on the PM Makarov pistol, the Stetchkin machine pistol, the diminutive P.S.M. 5.45×17.8 pistol, clandestine handguns and weapons, and Postwar Soviet pistol cartridges. Up until fairly recently not very much was known about any of these handguns. Datig’s work sheds needed light on these interesting weapons.

Datig was working at Aberdeen Proving Ground in the late 1940’s and developed an affinity for Soviet small arms. Over the years he has meticulously collected every scrap of information on Soviet weapons that he could come across. In doing so he has accumulated the wealth of information that is contained in this volume. Covering the weapons, markings, and ammunition Mr. Datig backs up his statements as if he is making a Theological Doctrinal Statement. The photographs are truly excellent, including photos of ornately engraved presentation Makarovs. The section on clandestine weapons is interesting, especially the firearm that looks like a pack of cigarettes, used in a murder in West Germany.

The book’s weakness stems from its publication date, 1988. At this time we were still locked in the Cold War and there was no access to Soviet records or information. Therefore the information contained in the book is reverse engineered. Datig had access to weapons and some information, but he was forced to theorize simply because all the needed information was simply not available. Eleven years down the road with the Wall down and a Makarov in every gunshop we can see that some of his suppositions were incorrect. Never the less, this is still an interesting and valuable resource written on a level not often seen. If these weapons are of interest to you, consider it.

Astra Automatic Pistols

By Leonardo M. Antaris
Published by FIRAC Publishing Co.
PO Box 104, Sterling, Colorado 80751
Price $41.95 plus 4.50 shipping and handling
Review by Stephen Stuart

When I was growing up in Southern West Virginia, the only thing I ever heard about Astra or Spanish firearms for that matter was, “they aren’t worth having, the barrels are nothing more than a sewer pipe”. This opinion of Spanish firearms has been largely passed down in the firearms community. But the truth is, Astra has produced some of the nicest weapons in the firearm community, some of the special engraved editions are truly works of art. In Astra Automatic Pistols, author Leonardo Antaris introduces us into the unique field of Astra handguns.

The original business was Esperanza y unceta and was formed in July 1908. The firm as of the 1980’s has produced in excess of 1.5 million handguns. The earliest model was the 1911 (not to be confused with the American 1911 handgun in .45 ACP). The 1911 was produced in 7.65mm, and was basically a pocket pistol design. Models such as the 1913 (9mm Largo) and the Compo-Giro model 1913-1916 (also in 9mm Largo) helps round out some of the early produced Astra handguns. German World War II handgun collectors will be most interested in the M300 series procured for the Condor Legion during the Spanish Civil War (the author lists all the serial numbers of all these acquired for German consumption). German purchased models such as the Models 400 and 600 are also nicely featured. For those of you who love fully automatic firearms you will not be disappointed. The author includes the Model 900 series select fire pistol (a variation of the German M712 Schnellfeuer pistole). Several of these models are featured; the M900, M901, M902, and M903. These fully automatic pistols are definitely a treat to rapid fire fan. For those of you who can remember the 1950’s and 60’s, the Model 2000 (cub) is covered in great detail. Unfortunately due to the 1968 Gun Control Act, these small pistols are no longer able to be imported. Modern automatic pistols are also in the text, the Mod A-80 is featured (available in 9mm, .38 super, 7.65mm, and .45 ACP), this pistol has a very striking resemblance to the SIG produced handguns, such as the P220-228 series.

I must admit, I only own two Astra handguns (a Model 400 and 600), but I loved this book. I originally bought it to allow me to gain a complete serial number list for the Spanish produced pistols sold to the German Government. After reading the test from front to back, I was able to become more familiar with an often misunderstood series of automatic handguns. The author in 248 pages covers the entire line of semi-automatic and automatic handguns produced from the Astra factories. The tables on serial number ranges is the most complete in any book I have ever found. The black and white photos are sharp, and clarity is excellent. If you were ever curious abut Spanish pistols, this is definitely one of the top books in the field at this time.

Inside The NRA; Armed And Dangerous

By Jack Anderson
Reviewed By Chad Haire

Let me start off by saying this book is an anti-NRA, anti-gun, pro ATF regulation, Pro Bill Clinton script from start to finish. So why review something like this in a firearms magazine? I can give you two reasons. First, it never hurts to know what your enemies are up to. And make no mistake, Jack Anderson is the enemy of all gun owners – something that’s obvious after reading this book. Secondly, this $22.95 book was being dumped in the “we can’t sell them, so by it cheap” section of the bookstore for on $3.95. So even if Jack was getting a percentage of the profits, I doubt he is now.

So who is Jack Anderson? Years ago, he was a well known investigative journalist with a national newspaper column and numerous television spots. However, over the years Jack made many “goofs” that questioned his credibility. But the most questionable story Jack did was on a newly (then) introduced handgun called the “Glock”. Writing in his weekly newspaper column, Jack warned his readers that the Glock was a cheap, disposable, all plastic “terrorist weapon” that could pass through security airport metal detectors and X-ray machines. After this story, the media (and liberal politicians) went on a feeding frenzy, calling for a ban on the Glock, and even got a bill introduced, banning all “plastic” guns. The bill never passed, and all the claims about the Glock passing through metal detectors and X-ray machines were proven to be lies, but Jack is the guy who started the nonsense.

Now that we have some background on the author, lets review this book:

1. On page 50, Jack mentions the Glock again. Does he apologize for the misinformation he printed about the Glock? Nope. In fact, incredible as it seems, he STILL insists all the claims he made were true! For example he tells a story where he smuggled a Glock pistol past the Washington D.C. Capital police metal detector system (which is illegal), then took the pistol to the office of then Senator Bob Dole to demonstrate what he did, and how dangerous the Glock is. What’s interesting here is that Jack admits he had a quantity of 9mm ammo that got through the metal detector too! Sounds like a problem with the metal detector to me.

2. On page 52, Jack claims that the Constitution does not apply to states, only the federal government. So there is no misunderstanding, let me quote his exact words:

“The Second Amendment is a limitation on the power of Congress – That is, on the power of the federal government. It does not impose a limitation on the states, which are free under the Fourteenth Amendment to enact laws as local officials see fit… Thus, Washington D.C., can ban guns with the approval of the city folks, but Montana or Wyoming would be ill advised to try the same thing””

Say what? It states can ignore the Second Amendment, then how about the First, Fourth, and all the others? If what Jack is saying is true, then the states could outlaw freedom of the press, religion, free speech, and everything else! Obviously this claim is totally absurd, but he said it, not me.

3. On page 43, he attacks the NRA for contributing money to “right wing Republicans”, whatever that means. Funny he has no problem with the money taken from the groups like Handgun Control Inc. by left wing Democrats.

4. On page 69, Jack claims the NRA is funding right wing “Militia groups”, who want to take over the government. Of course, his definition of right wing militia is anyone who believes in the Second Amendment, and is against gun control. Any they (meaning you!) are, of course, racists, Ku Klux Klan, Posse Comitatus, anti-abortion, hate mongers, and crackpots if we are to believe Jack Anderson.

5. Jack has plenty to say about WACO and Ruby Ridge too. The ATF were the clean cut all American good guys, while Randy Weaver and the Branch Davidians were a bunch of criminals who got what they deserved, he claims. On page 137, Jack tries to convince his readers that it was the “paranoid imaginings of the NRA leadership” that fueled the Branch Davidians and Randy Weavers behavior! Oh sure, Jack.

6. On page 19, Jack tells us there is no way the federal government or Bill Clinton would ever take away our guns, and the idea is a silly NRA fantasy. To quote him:

“They (NRA members) don’t want laws that would take away their guns, but they know perfectly well that Congress is not going to pass an such law and that the president – including this president, Bill Clinton – would veto the law if it were passed.”

Bill Clinton veto a gun bill? Obviously, anybody who believes this line of garbage is totally out of touch with reality! Jack tops this off by saying.

“With or without the NRA, a handgun ban would not pass through Congress in this century or the first half of the next, A rifle/shotgun ban has not chance at all. If the NRA ceased to exist tomorrow, the right of the people to keep and bear arms would be completely secure.”

Of course, anyone who has read the pending Brady Bill part II knows otherwise! And how can the right to keep and bear arms be secure when Jack has already told us there is no right to keep and bear arms throughout this book?

CONCLUSION

I could go on about the total nonsense that’s in this book, but I think you get the idea. This whole publication is nothing but a slanderous piece of anti-gun trash written by a has-been journalist who appears to be attempting another comeback. But more important, it shows just how out of touch the anti-gun kooks are, and why it is more important that ever to stop them. You can be sure I will be renewing my NRA membership next year!.

German Machineguns Revised Edition

By Daniel D. Musgrave
Published by
Ironside International Publishers Inc.
800 Slater Lane,
Alexandria, Virginia 22314
Price $47.50 plus 4.50 s&h
Reviewed by Stephen Stuart

Daniel Musgrave’s book, German Machineguns, is an in-depth work detailing the automatic weapons (rifle caliber, magazine and belt feed0 of Germany from the late 1800’s though today. This study includes small arm caliber weapons up to the Krupp 10.5 cm machine cannon.

To fully understand how machine guns work, one must first understand how ammunition feeds into the action. Musgrave covers the different belts and magazines for these diverse weapons; the Gurt 34 (for the MG 34 / 42), Gurt 131, Gurt 151, and the Mk 103. Magazines featured are the MG 13 box magazine and the side saddle drum, for example. Loading machines (which are used to load belts) are also featured.

The entire gambit of German weapons are covered: the classic MG 08 with sled,
along with the lighter versions, the MG 08 / 15 and 05/ 15 model for aircraft use. The MG 13 is shown in both ground and anti-aircraft roles. German World War II
machine gun fans will not be disappointed with the coverage of the MG 34 and MG 42 machine guns. Even the updated version of the MG 42 is given coverage, the MG3. People seeking information on modern HK belt fed machine guns do not have to look any further. The HK 11, 12, 13, 21, and 23 are conveniently at the readers finger tips in chapter 13. If one is looking for information on automatic FLAK cannons, this is the text in which to start. The 2 cm FLAK and MG 151 are listed in this book.

In all, there are 587 pages in the text, with the cover boasting there are almost 650 illustrations (line drawings and black and white photos). Many people in the field consider this work not only a classic, but must reading for any student of small arms. I have to agree with them. Some of the information in this book would take years to find, if you were going to start researching this topic today. If you were going to buy one , and only one book alone on German machine guns, this would be that one book. I highly recommend it.

THE GERMAN SNIPER 1914-1945

By Peter R. Senich
Paladin Press
P.O. Box 1307
Boulder, Colorado 80306
1-800-392-2400
ISBN 0-87364-223-6
$60.00 plus S&H
468 pages
Reviewed By David Fortier

Here is another one of those books that the German, Soviet, Mauser lover, sniping, W.W. I, W.W. II, buff will want for his library. At 468 pages it’s a big hefty book whose size makes you feel better when you pull it from its shipping box after spending $60.00 on it (that’s a lot of ammo!). Opening it up and leafing through it one is impressed by the huge amount of photographs and the wealth of information suddenly at their fingertips. The book contains over 600 black and photographs, many of them original German Military photographs. They are for the most part very clear and of good quality, the only exceptions being some old original photos that were not quite as clear, but still quite good. This book packs quite a punch. It covers German production marks, the beginning of German Sniping, the weapons used from the Gewehr 98 to the Kar 98, G41, G43, FG 42, StG 44, and literally anything else the Germans mounted a scope on and used for sniping. All the scopes, their different mounts, silencers, accessories, etc. are covered in detail. Information on camouflage, German techniques and tactics are given. An interview with three German snipers with a tally of 666 kills is very informative. A chapter is devoted to the German Sharpshooter Award given to snipers who had made at least 20 confirmed kills. Plus there is an entire chapter on the Soviet approach to sniping and their weapons. Many people do not realize that the Germans played catch up with the Soviets throughout World War II when it came to sniping. The book, like all Mr. Senich’s works, is very well written and extremely informative. I personally don’t care much for Mausers, yet this book is a truly welcome addition to my library due to its absolute plethora of information on all aspects of sniping. It is well worth the price and a must have for any serious German or sniping buff.

TESTING THE WAR WEAPONS
Rifles and Light Machine Guns From Around The World

By Timothy J. Mullin
Paladin Press
P.O. Box 1307
Boulder, Colorado 80306
1-800-392-2400
ISBN 0-87364-943-5
$45.00 plus S&H
432 pages
Reviewed By David Fortier

What is the best bolt action combat rifle? The handiest cavalry carbine? The most efficient sniper rifle? The worst light machinegun? Mr. Mullin, an infantry officer with the U.S. Army, takes the reader on a whirlwind ride through the small arms inventories of 32 countries. Over 150 different infantry weapons are personally test fired by him ranging on the time line from the 1873 Trapdoor Springfield used in the Spanish-American War up to our present issue M-4 Carbine. The amount and variety of weapons Mr. Mullins tested is staggering and will turn any military buff green with envy. The author gives a brief history of the weapon being tested and then his comments on it. How the weapon balances, how useful are the sights, how does it carry, how quickly does it heat up, or overheat (or catch the handguard on fire), the usefulness of the safety, it’s reliability and combat accuracy. The down side to the book is that it is simply one man’s opinion on how one example worked with the ammunition he fed through it. So if a particular model stands out, or falls on its face, it’s hard to tell if it’s just that rifle is a sterling or poor example of the breed. And like the rest of us, Mr. Mullin is opinionated. There is not one chart in the book, nor graph or any comparison of material. I was hoping for more when I ordered the book. It does give you an idea of what each weapon is like. However it is all to easy to simply dismiss Mr. Mullin’s comments on a weapon as simply his ‘opinion’ if we disagree with him. The book has many black and white photographs, but they tend to be on the dark side. All in all it is a very interesting read, and covers many weapons that we don’t normally get a very good look at. I just wish it delivered more information to offset its $45.00 price tag.

The SPIW, The Deadliest Weapon That Never Was.

By R Blake Stevens and Edward Ezell
Published by
Collector Grade Publications Inc.
PO Box 250, Station ‘E’,
Toronto M6H4E2
Price 29.95 plus 4.50 s&h
Reviewed by Stephen Stuart

Collector Grade Publications needs no introduction to the serious firearms enthusiast or military collector. Collector Grade books are known for their encyclopedic research quality, excellent photos, and in depth detail that every historian and collector is looking for. The SPIW is the second volume in a series covering U.S. military small arms. The first in the series is the US Rifle M14—From John Garand to the M21 and the third volume is, The Black Rifle—M16 Retrospective. This trilogy covers the time period of US small arms from the 1920’s with the Garand rifle to today’s M16.

The SPIW is an acronym that stands for Special Purpose Individual Weapon. It was part of Project Salvo in the 1950’s and early 1960’s. SPIW was conceived to produce a light weight infantry weapon platform that incorporated the point shoot capability of a rifle and the area capability of a grenade launcher, all in one package. Unfortunately, the army ended up with a complex and expensive weapon system that was never produced in significant numbers. Besides the formation of a new weapon system for the infantry, they also produced new ammunition for these rifles, chiefly flechettes. Flechette’s are small darts that are designed to be fired from the SPIW weapon system. The only problem was that the wounding ballistics when fired though a rifle firearm was considered insignificant.

This book is a must in understanding rifle and firearm development today in this county. Since most of our new Advanced Combat Rifle program can trace it’s roots back to the 1950’s and 60’s Salvo program. For the enthusiast, there is no other book that I am aware of that covers this field of research so completely at this time. If you are looking for a forgotten era of US small arms development this is the book for you.

Mortars are indirect fire area weapons. They are to be used in defilade fire against targets (by employing defilade fire, the chance of the enemy targets engaging the mortar emplacement with direct fire weapons is greatly reduced). Most mortar missions’ (or fire missions) are the result of either a forward observer spotting targets of opportunity and reporting the location to the mortar team or the mortar team itself spotting a target for a fire mission. If a forward observer is the one that spotted the target, the observer is responsible for adjusting fire on the target area.

The Model 1940 mortar is a pretty simple straight forward conventional design. It has a barrel, baseplate, bipod legs, and a simple sight system. The barrel was a smooth bore design and is 21.0 inches in length. The barrel cap in the base contains a fixed fire pin. There is no trip or trigger mechanism for firing the mortar shells, it is strictly a muzzle loaded dropped fire system. The bipods are made out of pressed steel and can be easily folded together then back against the tube for transport. The legs can be secured in the open position by a small metal ring or it can be pushed over the lip of the legs when in the open position. The bipod legs also have traverse and elevation gears which control the angle of the barrel during firing. The elevation gear allows the elevation to be set between 45 and 75 degrees. The traverse can be adjusted to 9 at 45 degrees and 16 at 75 degrees. Between the bipod legs and the barrel is a very unique device, a recoil buffer assembly. The recoil buffer system was used for taming the recoil of the mortar when being fired. This feature was discontinued in the Model 1941. To be honest for a weapon firing this small and light of a shell, there really is no use for this feature.

There are six vent holes at the base of the mortar tube. The range of the round being fires can be adjusted by simply opening or closing the vents at the bottom of the tube. To help the firer, there is a range a scale located on the base of the tube. Rotating the bakelite band to the right closing the vents for maximum range. Rotating the band to left opens the vents, decreasing the range. The minimum range of the Soviet M40 was 50 meters and the maximum was 800 meters. Rate of fire is listed in texts at thirty rounds per minute (the rate of fire is the maximum number of rounds per one minute of firing, the sustained rate of fire is 5 rounds per minute) personally I have never fired that many rounds out of my Soviet M40. The most I have ever fired in one minute was eight rounds. The mortar’s overall finish is a flat painted green.

The most common round available for the M1940 today is the standard High Explosive round (inert). The round weighs roughly 1.5 pounds and is in the standard configuration of most mortar rounds; tear shape. The shell is 8.25 inches in length. There are three sets of tail fin sections (each section contains two fins, for a total of six fins). The sections have been welded directly to the body of the mortar round.

Around the tail assembly are a total of ten exhaust holes, roughly 0.166 in size. The holes allow gas from the propellant to escape, launching the round from the barrel. The fuze assembly located in the top section of the round is a non-mechanical type (non-mechanical means there is no delay mechanism for the fuze) so the round was impact detonated.

The fuze assembly can be screwed from the body by rotating the assembly counter-clock wise. All the rounds in my collection and the ones I have seen in museums and at collector shows all have a bakelite ring that the fuze mechanism screws into. Then the bakelite ring screws directly into the body of the projectile. The price of rounds runs between twenty-five to a hundred dollars at this point in time. The price is based more on these rounds being antiques and collectibles of World War II, than on practice rounds for shooting purposes.

The Soviet M1940 mortar was used throughout the opening days of the war, consequently large numbers were captured by the German Forces. Germany soon started using Soviet M40’s in place of and with their own 50mm mortar the Granatwerfer 36. The Granatwerfer 36 was a short, very well built light mortar. However, the effective range of the Granatwerfer 36 was 500 meters maximum. Around 300 meters less effective range to the Soviet M40, this shortage in range in comparison to the Soviet model led to the use of the Soviet mortar when ammunition was in significant numbers. In 1941, the Soviet M40 was redesigned into the Model 1941. The Model 1941 was basically a Model 1940, but with the following changes: the baseplate was hinged to the barrel, and the recoil buffer mechanism located between the barrel and bipod was dispensed with. In the early parts of the war, a normal infantry division had roughly 84 50mm mortars. This would change as the war progressed, in the final years of the war the 50mm mortar was obsolete and almost completely replaced in the field with the larger M 41/43 82mm Mortar. The Soviet M41/43 in 82mm could fire a much larger shell (HE 7.4 pounds) at longer distances (3100 meters).

The Soviet M1940 mortar is considered a destructive device. This entails having to undergo the same process of buying any other National Firearm Act firearm, two sets of fingerprint cards, either a Form 4 or Form 1 ( a Form 1 if your activating a Dewat See details on Form 1 in SAR Vol. 1 No. 10 ), law enforcement signature, two passport photos, and of course the two hundred dollar transfer tax. The main problem with acquiring destructive devices is that if you order a destructive device from a dealer out of state, you must have a destructive device dealer in your state to transfer it to. This sounds easy enough, but the reality is there are not that many dealers out there that have a destructive device license. The reason is there are not too many people interested in buying destructive devices to make it lucrative for the dealer to pay the fee and acquire the license. If you have a Federal Firearms license you can do the paper work done up front (like a normal Form 4) and have the device shipped directly to you. If one has the Curio & Relics license, you can have devices listed as Curio & Relics on the register shipped directly to you as well on a tax paid Form 4.

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.

Military Handguns Of France 1858-1958

By Eugene Medlin And Jean Huon
Published by Excaliber Publications
PO Box 36, Latham, NY 12110-0036
ISBN# 1-880677-02-4
Price $ 22.95 plus $ 4.50 s&h
Reviewed by Stephen Stuart

One of the first pistols I was ever given as a teenager (before it became politically incorrect to give anyone under twenty-one a firearm) was an old French Model 1892 Revolver in 8mm Lebel. The pistol always held a special emotional significance for me since it was a gift from my father. Besides not being able to find ammo for it as a youngster, I wasn’t able to find a whole lot of hard data on the firearm either.

This has since been changed with the publication of, Military Firearms Of France 1858-1958. This book not only covers my Model 1892 Lebel in wondrous detail. It
also covers all the pistols made and used by France between these years (1858-1958). The first pistol mentioned in the text is the Lefaucheux, a pin fire pistol that was used on both sides of the United States Civil War. After the Model 1892, other pistols are covered including ones adopted by France during both World Wars (Ruby, Colt, Walther, Mauser HSc, and the French Model 1935 just to briefly mention a few). The last chapter in the book covers the French Model 1950 semi-automatic handgun 9mm (which has since been replaced by the Beretta 92).

If you are interested in French firearms or would like to find out about that Walter P-38 with French markings, this is a good place to start. I highly recommend this book for all the firearms enthusiasts out there, domestic and foreign.

The P-38 Automatic Pistol, The First Fifty Years

By Gene Gangarosa Jr.
Published by: Stoeger Publishing
55 Ruta Court,
South Hackensack, NJ 07606
ISBN# 0-88317-170-8
Price 16.95 plus 4.50 s&h
Reviewed by Stephen Stuart

Of all the firearms in my collection, the P-38 models are my most beloved pieces. I was first introduced to these handguns by relatives early in life, along with the countless World War II movies showing German officers clutching P-08 Lugers or the Walther P-38s. It is from these types of histories (oral, literature, and movies) that the Walther inspired pistol has taken on a mystique in our society.

Mr. Gangarosa Jr. is a well known writer in the popular gun press such as Gun, Gun World, and Combat Handguns to name just a few. He is also the author of Modern Beretta Firearms. Mr. Gangarosa’a book takes the reader from the early development of the early Walther series pistols (the Walther Model 1) though Walther’s first double action handgun design, the Walther Model PP (Polizei Pistol or Police Pistol). When the German military decided it needed a new 9mm handgun to replace the more expensive P-08 Luger. It was Walther’s 1938 model MP that was selected by the Heerswaffenamt to officially replace the Luger handgun, the new pistol was then designated the P-38. The P-38 would be the first 9mm double action pistol, it’s design would later influence the “wonder nine’s” of today.

The text (with the help of photographs) goes into great depth discussing the early model P-38s; the Model HP (Heeres Pistol), and subsequent non-Walther produced pistols during the war years, Mauser and Spreewerke models, are covered. Included in this account are the different proof codes, slide markings, and serial number ranges. The author even includes French produced P-38s, sometimes referred to as the “Gray Ghosts” that were produced after the war. Modern P-38 pistols are given coverage, the P-1, P-4, and P-38K. Finally, there is a section that deals with current produced pistols from Walther, like the Walther TPH in .22 long rifle.

For the collector’s of P-38 pistols or other German military arms, this is a must addition in one’s library. It covers the entire P-39 history form the beginning to today. The book is full of black and white photos, along with line drawings high—lighting important features, such as markings and operation. The only thing I can honestly complain about, is I wish the book had a chapter dealing with all the different holsters that have been issued with the Walther pistol. In particular, the German produced holsters during the war years. With this personal bias aside, for under twenty bucks, this 272 page book is worth every penny.

Melton & Pawl’s Guide To Civil War Artillery Projectiles

By Jack W. Melton and Lawrence E. Pawl
Published by Kennesaw
Mountain Press, Inc.
1810 Old Highway 41,
Kennesaw, Georgia 30152
ISBN# 0-9635861-1-4
Price $ 9.95 plus
$ 4.50 shipping and handling
Reviewed by Stephen Stuart

Artillery has caused more injuries on the battlefield in the past hundred years than any other type of weapon and it will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Artillery was not always as accurate or reliable as modern projectiles. In fact, during the early years the dud rate was extremely high. One of the most unique periods of artillery projectile development was the Civil War years in the United States (1861-1865).

During the Civil War many types of projectiles was used against both sides of the conflict. The research and development period was very short with projectiles tested in the heat of combat on both sides. Another aspect of the Civil War was the import of foreign artillery projectiles to be used against the other side. Especially, when the need for projectiles exceeded the supply of local munitions factories.

In Mr. Melton and Pawl’s text, Guide To Civil War Artillery Projectiles, the authors take the reader through a pictorial account of the projectiles used by the Northern and Southern forces during the war. Detailed photographs of the internal shells, fuzes, and historic period photos fully describe this historic period of artillery projectiles. Just some of the projectiles featured are Sawyer canister, James hot shot, Archer, Brooke, Dyer, Mullane, Read, Parrott, Schenkl, and British Whitworth to name a few. If you are at all interested in the mechanics of artillery projectiles or Civil War cannons, this is one book that deserves to be on your bookshelf.

SMALL ARMS WORLD REPORT

Published by the Institute for Research on Small Arms in International Security
(IRSAIS), 6320 Old Towne Court, Alexandria, VA 22307-1227 USA
Quarterly publication, 56 pages
Costs Per Year:
Individual membership – U.S. $50
Government employee – U.S. $35
Corporate member – U.S. $300
Sponsoring member – U.S. $1000
Reviewed by Dan Shea

EVERY QUARTER I RECEIVE THE Small Arms World Report and kick back in the easy chair; it’s a serious 60 or so pages of reading. The IRSAIS’s stated purpose is as “a non-for-profit organization generating useful information for professionals and serious lay persons concerned about the development, tactical use, and distribution of small arms.” Each issue that I read educates me further. This is not for casual shooting enthusiasts. If you are in the industry, or just want to be well informed at every level, the Small Arms World Report will keep you on the “inside” track.

Standard format is about 56 pages, with three or four articles on new developments, a section on business news in the arms industry, “Info Bites” which are short sitreps from countries all around the world, and a section on “Publications of Interest.” Recent issues have covered “The Great Rifle Controversy” by the late Edward C. Ezell, an article on the South African Aeroteck NTW 20, 20 mm rifle, “Tactical Employment of the Shoulder-Fired Rocket,” and an analysis of the new Russian 9 mm x 21 ammunition. The “Update on International Efforts to Restrict or Prohibit Small Arms and Other Conventional Weapons” by Hays Parks in Volume 8 Number 2&3 was worth the price of admission by itself. The “Info Bites” section covers small arms news from 40-plus countries, and the eleven page “Publications of Interest” covers new books, periodicals and reports that are relevant to the industry.

Information is power. If you want to be truly informed, from one of the places that the professionals get their information (in addition to SAR, of course), consider IRSAIS membership. The membership is global and spans a who’s who of the arms industry and academia.

SAR “Usual Suspects” member Virginia Ezell is the President of the Institute. Under her capable hands, members can have a variety of small arms research done for them. Interested parties should contact the Institute for more information.

How To Get Your Federal Explosives License

(Includes the ATF text, ATF-Explosives Law and Regulations)
By Omni Distribution, Inc.
P.O. Box 171154
Memphis, TN 38187-1154
Phone 1-800-277-6664
Price $ 39.95 plus
$ 4.50 shipping and handling
Reviewed by Stephen Stuart

Many of us know all about the process of getting a Class III firearms transferred to us or, have been through the process of getting a federal firearms license— whether it be Class III or a Curio & Relic license. But, what about explosives? You might ask because, at every major shoot, like the meca of all machine gun shoots—Knob Creek, there are explosives used as part of the firepower demonstrations.

Omni Distribution, as seen in Machine Gun News Vol. 9 No.1, is one of the few companies in the United States that hosts training for the beginner in the proper usage, storage, and legal technicalities of explosives in America. Due to the great demand for people in the classes and from calls to the company, they have written a “How to” book in acquiring the Federal Explosives License. The text starts by defining the terms such as, what is an explosive, types of different licenses, storage construction and requirements, and how to apply to the ATF for a explosive license. It was because of the information that I received from Omni that I took the step and applied for a blasting license for work on the family farm.

One of the other nice things about buying the text through Omni is it that also included ATF Publication 5400.7 (ATF-Explosives Law and Regulations) better known as the orange book, by the color of the cover. This text, in detail, describes the laws of dealing with explosives on a daily basis. This text covers everything you would want to know about the proper laws and regulations concerning the use and storage of explosives in the United States.

If you have ever wondered about acquiring an explosive permit, these texts available through Omni are the place to start. They cover the entire process of getting a license from start to finish. The texts are a solid source of information that should be on every person’s bookshelf, whether you are thinking about a FEL or have a license already. I highly recommend these texts without any reservations.

An Introduction To British Grenades

By I. D. Skennerton
Published by Green Hill Books
Available Through I.D.S.A Books
P.O. Box 1457,
Piqua, Ohio 45356
Price $ 14.00 plus
$ 4.50 shipping and handling
Reviewed by Stephen Stuart

The most dangerous weapon available to an infantry soldier has to be the
Hand grenade. Even though some would argue that the rifle or machine gun has that honor, only the grenade gives the individual solider a small, compact area weapon to be used in situations in which the point shoot capabilities of a rifle are handicapped.

For those of us who are intrigued by the development or history of the grenade (or those of us who have used them and found the capabilities of the grenade very reassuring), there really are few good reference manuals on the different types available (inert models) to collectors or historians. In I. D. Skennertons book, An Introduction To British Grenades, the author shines light into this gray area of mystique and misinformation. The text starts at the beginning of modern British grenades, which was the “No. 1” in July 1908 and proceeds to chronicle the evolution of both hand and rifle grenades in the use of the British military up to the No. 95 introduced in February 1952.

Almost all the grenade types are covered—even, variations of the standard models. The author includes notes on the length, diameter, weight, type, markings, explosive filling, and the introduction date to service. The photos in the book are black and white, and show the exterior of most of the pieces featured. I cannot say enough good things about this book, it finally does justice to a small piece of military history. Now, let’s hope for more research on other period hand-grenades.

FM-50G Weapons Technical & Field Manuals CD-ROM

By Military Media, Inc.
Distributed byRedstone, Inc.
18223 102nd Ave. N.E. Suite A
Bothell, WA 98011
(425)398-1605
$24.95 + S&H
Reviewed by Jeff W. Zimba

Computer owning firearms enthusiasts will certainly love this one. Military Media, Inc. has assembled 50 Weapons Operating Manuals on 1 CD-ROM. Set up to run in the very user-friendly Adobe Acrobat format, it is very easy to use.

Manuals included are the AK-47 Operating Manual, M16 Rifle TM-9-1005-249-12, M1 Rifle .30 Cal. TM-9-1005-222-35, M1 Garand TM-9-1005-222-12, M9 Pistol 9mm TM-9-1005-317-23&P, and many others. Topics range from firearms, to ammunition, and even include land mines.

You can view the manuals on your screen, or you can print them on your pc’s printer for reference in the field. The CD is compatible with Mac, Windows 3.1, Windows 95, Windows 98, Windows NT, Unix and OS2. This 1 CD-ROM will save you a lot of shelf space. I highly recommend it.

Military Pistols of Japan

By Fred L. Honeycutt Jr.
Published by Julin Books
5282 Ridanway Palm Beach
Gardens, Florida 33418
ISBN 0-9623208-
4-6 Price $42.00 plus $4.50 shipping and handling

Some firearms just have a mystique about them, either because they have a certain history behind them or, because they don’t have any commonly known history. Especially, if the only available information about these firearms is in a language foreign to the reader. It is the latter group that is the focus of this book review.

Japanese handguns fall into this class, a class of misinformation, GI legend, and just plain disinformation. Fred Honeycutt’s book, Military Pistols of Japan, sheds the light of truth into this dark corner of history. The book starts by describing all the characters most likely to be found on Japanese pistols and more importantly translates the characters into English. From this basic starting point, he discusses the first modern type of handgun ever produced in Japan, the Type 26 revolver. The Type 26 revolver is a six-shot, top break pistol that fires a 9mm cartridge.

The first semi-automatic handgun produced in Japan (for the military) was the Nambu type. The large Type Nambu pistol fired the 8mm Nambu round and the smaller “Baby Nambu” fired the 7mm Nambu round. Neither of these pistols were produced in abundance, making them sought after by collectors.

The next major semi-automatic pistols put in production (and the most common) were the Type 14 and the Type 14 modified. The Type 14 series pistols fired the 8mm Nambu round, just like the earlier Large Type Nambu. The main external difference between the Type 14 and Type 14 modified was the trigger guard. The trigger guard on the modified version was larger, so a gloved finger could still fire the pistol in cold weather.

The author gives an introduction to the Type 94 pistol. The Type 94 was considered the worst model ever produced by Japanese industry. The reason was the number of misfires associated with the pistol. Finally, the author gives the reader a brief look at Japanese flare guns. This is the best source to date that I have seen on this field of collecting Japanese flare guns.

As with his other books, Mr. Honeycutt has done a superb job on taking the mystery out of Japanese hand held pistols and flare guns, and I do not know of any better resource for this information.

The Guns of Dagenham; Lanchester-Patchett-Sterling.

By Peter Laidler and David Howroyd
Produced and edited by R. Blake Stevens Published by Collector Grade Publications Incorporated
P.O. Box 1046
Cobourg, Ontario
Canada K9A4W5
ISBN 0-88935-204-6
Price $47.50 plus $4.50 shipping and handling

The Sterling Manufacturing Company was located in the town of Dagenham, England (hence the title of the book). From its early beginning, the Sterling Works (Dagenham) Ltd. produced electric lights and accessories (light mantles, globes, etc.). This humble start as a manufacturer of lighting material would lead to grander things. When Britain was experiencing its darkest hour, the Sterling company answered the call to duty. The company began making war material, specifically 25-pound field gun recoil assemblies. During this period is when Sterling was awarded a contract to produce the companies first submachine gun—the Lanchester.

The Lanchester automatic carbine is a simple select fire 9mm. The Lanchester is basically a copy of an earlier German design, the MP 28 II. The Lanchester is heavy and user’s reported that the magazines were atrocious. From this start in manufacturing SMG’s would be the path to future arms contracts.

Experience with the Lanchester SMG’s led to refinements and improvements. These led to the production of the Patchett SMG. The Patchett (like the Lanchester) derived it’s name from the gun’s designer—in this case George Patchett. These basic guns were to evolve in to the Sterling SMG. Officially, the name was not changed to Sterling until the Mk III / L2A2. Also covered in the text are export models like the Canadian L1 and of course the MK6, which is the closed bolt civilian version that was shipped into the United States in the 1980’s.

The authors discuss all models of the Sterling series including the suppressed version, the L34A1. Before describing this weapon, the authors backtrack a little and give the readers information on an earlier suppressed weapon, the DeLisle rifle. The DeLisle rifle (chambered for .45 ACP) has taken on a legend all it’s own over the years. The authors, of course, set the record straight on the actual history of this weapon.

The Sterling submachine gun is a very desirable gun, and in the United States they are very rare. This submachine gun has every thing that the Class 3 enthusiast admires, other than availability. Reading this book filled in a lot of the blanks for me, as well as providing a very interesting read. As with every book I have ever seen from Collector’s Grade Publications, the book is well researched by the authors and a must addition to one’s small arms bookshelf.

German Artillery, 1864-1910

By Sonja Wetzig
Translated by David Johnston
Published by Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
77 Lower Valley Road
Atgen, PA 19310
ISBN 0-7643-0179-9
Price $9.95 plus $4.50 shipping and handling

Good information on early artillery is sometimes hard to find. Information is lost because it is misplaced, destroyed, or simply because too much time has passed. Chronicling this information can be a difficult task, but the preservation of knowledge is well worth the effort. In Sonja Wetzig’s book, German Artillery 1864-1910, the author covers the artillery used by the Saxon army during this time period. The book is pretty basic, it starts by covering all of the major types (classifications) of artillery, namely field, siege, and fortress artillery. One of the things the author includes in this study is the different chassis’ for hauling supplies and ammunition in the field. Probably the best feature of this book would be the detailed line drawings, which are almost blue print grade. These illustrations show the reader
almost every aspect of the different artillery pieces featured, even a 37mm revolving cannon.

Even though the text is short, the pictures and illustrations are fantastic. For destructive device fans (such as myself), this is a worthy addition for future reference.

American Military Bayonets of the 20th Century.

By Gary M. Cunningham
Foreword by Scott A. Duff
Scott A Duff Publications
P O Box 414 Export, PA 15632
ISBN 1-888722-08-8
Price 17.95 & 4.50 S&H

I know, I know, this is a magazine that deals exclusively with military firearms. So what am I doing writing about a book that deals exclusively with American bayonets? The answer is that for the military collector of American small arms the most common accessory (besides extra magazines, ammo, spare parts, etc.) is the issue bayonet to the weapon.

Bayonets have been in service with the United States since the revolutionary war. They have been seen in every domestic and foreign American conflict from the birth of our nation on, including most recently the Gulf war.

Mr. Cunningham begins his book by describing the nomenclature of bayonets and their corresponding scabbards. He also includes a definition section on the nomenclature so that the reader does not miss out on what the author is trying to convey in the text. His format is simple and efficient, he starts at the model 1892 bayonet and works his way up to the current issue M-9. There are no photos in this book, just very detailed line drawings. When Mr. Cunningham covers a bayonet, he doesn’t just discuss variations, he covers them all.

For collector’s looking for information on a bayonet in their collection or for those looking to add the correct bayonet to their favorite American service rifle, this book is a wealth of information. I highly recommend it for your library. – Stephen Stuart

Japanese Rifles Of World War II.

by Duncan O. McCollum
Excaliber Publications
PO Box 36
Latham, NY 12110-0036
ISBN# 1-880677-11-3.
Price 17.95 plus 4.50 shipping

Unlike other rifles in World War II, the Japanese rifles used by the armed forces are for the most part neglected in the popular gun press. Mr. McCollum tries to rectify this in his sixty-one page work.

Mr. McCollum’s text covers all the standard issues rifles of the era (Type 38 and Type 99 series) and includes some of the more specialized and rare firearms used by the Japanese such as; the Type “I”, Type 2 paratrooper, naval special Type 99, Type 02/45, Chinese type 19 carbine, and school training rifles.

The author also includes sections detailing markings and production numbers
of the rifles. The marking list includes arsenal marks, arsenal location, and the approximate serial number ranges of the rifles.

One of the place’s where this book really shines is the black and white photography of the different production variations that can be found on the individual rifles. Variations of barrel bands, sights, safety knobs, and cleaning rods are covered. Accessories on bayonets and the different types of rifle slings are covered only on one page, leaving the Japanese military collector wanting more.

Some of the black and white photos are a little spotty at times, but the information in this book makes up for these small errors. For enthusiasts hunting for more information on that “weird” Japanese rifle their father or uncle brought back from the big war or a collector of military weapons, this is a good book to find information on Japanese military rifles. – Stephen Stuart

The French 1935 Pistols, A Concise History

By Eugene Medlin & Colin Doane
Eugene Medlin
100 Golden Barrel
El Paso, TX 79927
Price 22.95 plus 4.50 S&H

While at a recent gun show, I was able to purchase a French 35A pistol with holster at a whopping $92.00. While having the pistol transferred to me on my Curio & Relic license (no waiting period), a gentleman and his son came up to me and said, “that thing is horrible, it’ll blow up like all the other cheap Spanish guns”. At this point in time I just nodded to the gentleman and finished filing out the forms.

The above might sound a little strange for the beginning of a book review, but it proves a point—most people have little knowledge about French handguns, especially the automatic models. Mr. Medlin’s and Mr. Doane’s book go to great lengths to change this.

The authors cover all the basics on the French model 35 series of semi-automatic handguns, specifically the 35A and the 35S series. The authors use excellent documentation and black and white photos to thoroughly cover their subjects. They include in their work not just the standard example but also several common fakes that can be found in the collector market (namely 35A’s with fraudulent German military markings). The authors also include detailed chapters on holsters, ammunition, and published literature on the pistols.

This is an excellent text on the French 1935 series of handguns. It is a joy to read and a great addition to a firearms reference library. In fact, the only problem with this book is it’s too short (only 143 pages). It leaves the reader wanting more. I only hope the authors in the future decide to do other works on French pistols, because this one was top notch. – Stephen Stuart

Today there are at least several hundred Galco wallet holsters floating around in the United States. The holster was designed for a person to carry a pistol so that it would not “print” in one’s pocket. This would prevent someone from noticing that the person was armed. The holster also alllowed the pistol to be fired while encased in the holster. Because of these two factors the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) has designated these holsters with their respected firearm to be an National Firearm Act (NFA) weapon. This means that anyone possessing one of these combos is in violation of federal law, unless the combo is registered with the NFA Branch as an Any Other Weapon (A.O.W.)

The ATF defines an A.O.W. as, “any weapon or device capable of being concealed on the person from which a shot can be discharged though the energy of an explosive”. By just using this definition alone, this could one day be used to cover almost any concealed firearm, for example a pistol that can be discharged though a coat pocket.

In late 1997 I decided it would be neat to acquire one of these “new” A.O.W.’s for my collection. I called Galco to order one, but they had already discontinued the holsters due to their new NFA status. Luckily, I found one at a local gun store (retail price $48.50). I then had the gun store ship my new holster to Class II Manufacturer Chuck Goodrich of the Special Op’s Shop. After receiving the holster, Mr. Goodrich registered the holster / pistol combination according to instructions provided by Ms. Nereida Levine, Chief, National Firearms Act Branch on a Form 2. Usually, when one “makes” a firearm it is required that the manufacturer marks the serial number, name of manufacturer on the weapon, in this case the wallet combo. But, in paragraph three, page two Ms. Levine says the wallet, “is not required to be marked”, however, the “wallet holster and firearm combination should be reflected in the additional description on the firearm field on the Form 2”.

Wallet holsters have been around since the mid seventies before their new status as A.O.W.’s. The Galco line of wallet holsters was available for the following firearms; Beretta 20, 950, 21A, AMT .380 Backup II, .380 DAO, High Standard Derringer, and the Seecamp 32. The Galco line discontinued these items as of October 2, 1997. I wrote Galco in the beginning of 1998 to find out the total production number, and specific reasons as to why the holsters were discontinued. As seen in the letter insert Galco states, “extreme customer service attention needed to field dealer questions”, “has made it unprofitable to continue it’s sale”. There was no mention of the holster as an NFA weapon when combined with it’s respected holster. Nor was there a total production number of the Galco wallet holsters given.

The holster/pistol combo registered for this article is the Beretta 21A with it’s corresponding Galco holster. The Beretta 21A is a semi-automatic, that fires the .22lr cartridge. The barrel length is 2.4 inches, with any overall length of 4.8 inches. The pistol magazine holds a total of seven rounds of .22 long rifle. The weight of the pistol empty is twelve ounces. The holster is 5 1/4 inches in length, and 3 3/4 inches in width. The holster is cut from one piece of leather and has a brown finish. There is an oval cut located over the trigger guard on both sides of the holster, allowing one to fire the pistol while in the holster. There is also another small hole located over the magazine release, this allows one to eject and replace the magazine for the pistol while still in the holster. The holster is held in the closed position by a button snap located below the trigger guard.

When firing the Beretta in the wallet holster, the first thing one notices is how bulky the holster is. With the holster wrapped around the little Beretta, it adds almost twice the grip size to the pistol. Since the entire pistol is enclosed in the holster, one cannot use the sights either. This should not pose any problem, for the pistol / holster combo was designed to be used at close range only. Galco literature states that the holster could be damaged due to live firing and possibly only allow one shot operation. In the case of the test piece, the combo functioned flawlessly, firing a total of 82 rounds. The holster did receive a slight darkening to the leather over the ejection port. This darkening was caused by carbon build up from firing and was easily cleaned off.

After all the paper work and red tape required to register the pistol / holster combo, one is left with the question, “Was it worth it”? Truthfully, probably not. The holster combo does make an excellent back up piece for concealed carry. However, due to the classification of the holster combo as an NFA weapon, the holster will end up in the back of my safe as a curio only. It will probably never be taken out except as a conversation piece or a rare trip to the range to fire the combo. Those interested in having one of these combo’s manufactured should contact the Op Shop (model number CG #1).

For more information see the following;

Beretta U.S.A. Corp. 17601 Beretta Drive Accokeek, MD 20607. Phone (301) 283-2191

Federal Firearms Regulations Reference Guide (Yellow Book), BATF, Firearms And Operations Branch Washington, DC 20226.

Galco International, Aztec Business Park 2019 W. Quail Avenue Phoenix, AZ 85027. Phone (602) 258-8295, Fax (602) 582-6854.

Special Op’s Shop, S.O.S. Dept SAR, PO Box 978, Madisonville, TN 37354 (423) 442-7180.