The ZG 1229, code named “Vampir,” was an infrared night scope developed during World War II for the German Wehrmacht for night operations. It was intended to be mounted on a Sturmgewehr 44 (StG 44). It was first used in combat in February 1945. Built at the C.G. Haenel Munitions plant at Suhl in Thuringia, Germany, a total of 310 units were issued by the end of the war. Its main drawbacks were its weight and bulk. It was too cumbersome to use in fluid situations; however, it worked well when in a fixed position.

The infrared scope and spotlight weighed a little over 5 pounds. The battery unit that was encased in a wooden box and carried on a harness on the back of the Nachtjager (night hunter) weighed 30 pounds. The battery that ran the image converter sat under the main battery box in a modified gas mask container. The whole package was strapped to the Tragegestell 39 (pack frame 1939). Ernst Leitz GmbH, located in Wetzlar, Germany, developed the complete package.

The searchlight contained an incandescent, tungsten filament light source that had a color temperature of 3200K. The light projected through a filter that only let infrared wavelength light pass. The telescopic sensor operated in the high infrared, not the low infrared which the human body emits, so it could not detect body heat. Eastern Front Russian fighters reported that the Germans were using it at night with the aid of “peculiar non-shining torches coupled with enormous optical sights” mounted on their rifles.

Close to the end of hostilities, the MG34 and MG42 machine guns were fitted with similar night vision optics. However, the war ended before many of these reached the front lines.

C.G. Haenel Munitions

The Vampir system was produced by C.G. Haenel Munitions. Carl Gottlieb Haenel, a Prussian gun factory commissioner, began weapons production in 1840 with the production of bicycles and weapons, a common combination in pre-World War I years. During that war, C.G. Haenel produced large quantities of the Mauser M98 rifle. After World War II, the factory was disassembled and transported to the Soviet Union as part of war reparations. Only air rifles and carbines were manufactured until 2008 when the Suhl Arms Alliance was formed with Merkel, and rifle production began again.

The Six-Day War between Israel and Egypt, Jordan and Syria was fought from June 5 to June 10, 1967. During that conflict, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) captured thousands of AK-47 assault rifles and huge amounts of 7.62x39mm ammunition. At the time, the IDF was armed with the FN FAL battle rifle in 7.62x51mm caliber. This rifle was not suitable for operation in dusty, sandy environments without frequent service; it would jam if not maintained. The AK-47 was seen to be more controllable and reliable and required less maintenance than the FAL. It also was easier to maintain, and the conscript troops needed less training on it.

The IDF realized it needed an assault rifle that would be low maintenance with the accuracy of the FAL, so they looked for a replacement. The M16A1, Stoner 63 and HK33 were tested, but an Israel team consisting of Uziel Gal, inventor of the Uzi, Yakov Lior and Yisrael Galil began testing prototypes towards the end of the 1960s that were based on the Valmet RK 62 receivers. These tests paved the way for the Galil assault rifle chambered for the 5.56x45mm NATO cartridge. The Galil became the official service rifle of the IDF from the mid-1970s to the early 1990s. It was eventually phased out when the M16A1 began arriving in Israel through the U.S. Military Aid Program in 1975.

VARIANTS

Numerous variants of the Galil were produced over its lifespan. Here’s a brief summary:

• AR: This is the standard rifle, chambered in 5.56 NATO and 7.62 NATO.
• SAR: This is a short-barreled carbine with either a 13.1-inch barrel in 5.56 NATO or a 15.7-inch barrel in 7.62 NATO.
• ARM: This is a light machine gun in both calibers that is famous for having a bottle opener at the rear of the handguard.
• MAR: This is commonly known as the Micro Galil. It is a smaller version of the SAR. It was downsized by using a shorter 8.27-inch barrel, receiver, gas tube, piston and handguard. Empty weight is 6.57 pounds. The later version of the MAR, the 699, has the charging handle positioned to the left side of the bolt carrier and protrudes through a slot on the left side of the receiver cover. A metal dust shield covers the opening when the bolt is in the forward position. Its barrel is slightly larger at 10.5 inches. This upgrade also extends to the Galil ACE, chambered in 5.56 NATO, 7.62 Soviet and 7.62 NATO.

IKON’s One-Off G223

A number of Micro Galil parts kits became available recently. These are original Israel Military Industries (IMI—now known as IMI Systems) parts, except the receivers are not included. IKON Weapons, LLC, headquartered in Florence, SC, has built a one-off G223 pistol using these parts kits. These firearms are truly bespoke weapons; each will be built to the customers’ specifications. IKON won’t be building another one just like the one in this article. The number “43” on the magazine is the gun’s serial number. This version is sold, so another differently configured pistol will replace it.

Features

The new receiver has the cocking lever on the left side, similar to the MAR 699. The fire selector is operated by pushing it forward. A two-piece rail is installed on the gas cylinder and receiver cover, making it possible to mount many different styles of optics. The barrel section at the gas port tower is chrome-plated. This prevents gas corrosion of the barrel. The front sight is adjustable for windage and height as per factory specs. Rear sight is windage-only adjustable.

The new receivers are CNC, cut from a 9-pound block of 4140 ordnance steel (containing chromium, molybdenum and manganese). The steel is widely used in firearms construction due to its toughness, high fatigue strength and abrasion and impact resistance. It’s then heat-treated to 45 Rockwell—a hardness scale based on indentation hardness of a material. During the heat treating process, a custom designed insert is used to prevent warping. This insert also allows proper oil quench soak over the entire surface.

Barrels are fabricated using Green Mountain 1-inch diameter blanks. These are 41V50 chrome moly vanadium steel. Each pistol barrel is indexed to the receiver, and then drilled for the gas port. Headspace is set using a pull-through reamer. As on the OEM weapon, the gas tower is pressed into the barrel. Each firearm has two 10-round mag-azines. The gun is finished with a Cerakote H-series oven-cured, thin-film coating. This provides corrosion, chemical and durability protection. It’s done using a ceramic-polymer technology that imparts both flexibility and physical performance. Cerakote has been used to coat pistons used by Top Fuel Dragster engine builders. It can tolerate operating temperatures up to 1,800 degrees. It is suggested that an operator does not try to fire the Micro Galil at this temperature.

The firearm will be shipped with its original stock. To mount the stock, the gun would have to be registered as a Short Barreled Rifle (SBR) with the ATF. IKON mounts an SB Tactical F1319 brace that gives the gun a 13.5-inch Length of Pull (LOP) so as to conform to current ATF regulations regarding braces and LOP.

Chrome Moly Barrel Life

A chrome moly barrel should be good for 10,000 rounds. After 7,000 some wear may be present. The barrel can go to 20,000 rounds, but there will be measurable wear to the lands. IKON did a 6,000-round endurance test on one of their Micro Galils. They had 50 magazines and blew through 6,075 rounds in 3.5 hours. The gun was rigidly mounted and then fired by pulling a string tied to the trigger. I would imagine that trigger fingers got rather tired. Suliban Deaza, IKON Weapons’ CEO, measured the front of the barrel temperature at 935 degrees after the last mag was dumped. Back near the receiver, the barrel temps ranged between 287 and 368 degrees.

Considering that most IKON Weapons owners will put less than 1,000 rounds downrange in a year, and at less than 50 yards range, there’s little, or no, chance of losing any discernible accuracy. Two or three trips to the range per month won’t ever cause an accuracy problem.

IKON G223

Caliber 5.56 NATO
Operating system Semiautomatic
Magazine NATO STANAG
Mag capacity 30
Barrel Hammer-forged, chrome-lined
Barrel length 8.3in
Weight (empty) 6.4lb
Rate of twist 1:7 Right hand
Sights Tritium adjustable
Info: iconweapons.com

Wikipedia defines a submachine gun as: “a magazine-fed, automatic carbine designed to shoot handgun cartridges.” The term submachine gun was coined by John T. Thompson, the inventor of the Thompson submachine gun. In modern parlance, they’re frequently referred to as “subguns.”

Most subguns operate using the blowback action where the force and gasses of the fired shell drive the bolt back against a strong spring while ejecting the spent casing. As long as the trigger is held down, this action will repeat until the magazine goes dry. The most common calibers are 9mm and .45 ACP. The rate of fire can vary by gun, but 650 rounds per minute are easily attained. A subgun can empty a 50-round magazine in less than 5 seconds. Normally, a submachine gun is fired in short bursts of three to four rounds; they are primarily a short-range weapon, with shots kept under 50 yards.

The submachine gun was never intended to be a front-line weapon, but it worked well in close quarter battle (CQB) and under short-range assault conditions. The idea of a man-portable, full-auto weapon became popular with the militaries of the world toward the end of World War I. Up until then, fully automatic machine guns firing rifle cartridges were heavy (the Browning 1917, including tripod, gun, cooling water and ammo, weighed 103 pounds) and required a crew of up to four soldiers to operate and transport. One man could carry a submachine gun and enough ammunition to sustain him for a battle.

The First Submachine Guns

Standschütze Hellriegel

The Austro-Hungarian military force ordered a pistol-caliber, fully automatic weapon in 1915. The Standschütze Hellriegel submachine gun was the result. Not much is known about this weapon, and it appears not to have advanced past the prototype stage. It used a large drum magazine located under the receiver and connected to the action by means of a flexible chute. It could also accommodate box magazines. Its likely caliber was the 9x23mm Steyr that was originally designed for the Steyr M1912 pistol. Ballistics with a 115-grain bullet were 1,025 feet per second and 268 ft-lb of muzzle energy.

An unusual feature of the gun was its water-cooled barrel. A water jacket encased in leather was fitted over the barrel. Two ports allowed the jacket to be filled or drained.

Villar Perosa

The first operational submachine gun was the Italian Villar Perosa Model 1915. First designed in in Italy in 1914 by designer Abiel Revelli, the creator of the Fiat-Revelli Modello 1914 machine gun, the Villar Perosa is a rare and unusual gun in that it is really two complete guns joined together by a bronze casting at the rear of the actions and a circular steel plate in front of the ejection ports. Both guns can be fired simultaneously, or each can be operated separately. The cartridges—9mm Glisenti—feed from dual 25-round magazines. With only a 100-grain bullet trundling along at 1,000 feet per second (if lucky) and 300 ft-lb of muzzle energy, it wasn’t too successful at hitting its intended targets—aircraft—but it worked satisfactorily as a ground attack weapon. A period black and white photo shows the Villar Perosa mounted on a bicycle’s handlebars, so it had to be fairly subdued when fired.

Normal operation consisted of firing one barrel at a time while an assistant gunner changed magazines on the other. One of its drawbacks was that it would empty a magazine in slightly over 1 second which made continuous rapid fire next to impossible. A fate of a lot of these subguns was being broken down to individual guns in 1918 and made into submachine guns by the addition of a forearm, buttstock and single trigger.

There’s a lot of room for funny comments about the care and operation of the Villar Perosa, but it was a reliable weapon for the time, and the one this author inspected was beautifully fabricated. One recently changed hands as an NFA weapon for $50,000+.

The Ubiquitous Thompson 

There’s been millions of words written about John Thompson’s submachine gun and millions of rounds fired through them. John T. Thompson was born on the last day of 1860 in Newport, Kentucky. His father was a Lt. Col., and the family moved around a lot of Army posts. John followed in his father’s footsteps and trained in engineering and artillery and then was assigned to the Army Ordnance Department, Fort Lee, Virginia. He spent the balance of his military career there.

John Bell Blish, a career Navy officer and inventor, had developed a blowback action that used a friction delay method of controlling rate of fire. This became the well-known Blish lock. Thompson saw in the Blish Lock a method of developing a fully automatic submachine gun that would be an excellent weapon to use in sweeping trenches clean. This trench sweeper was chambered in the cartridge used in the Colt 1911 pistol—the .45 ACP. The range wasn’t great, but the heavy 230-grain full metal jacket (FMJ) bullet excelled in its trench sweeping duties. Unfortunately, the Thompson submachine gun didn’t come out of development until after the armistice was signed, ending WWI. The U.S. Army adopted the Thompson in 1928, and it saw action in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. 

Variants 

Annihilator, Persuader and Model 1919 

The Persuader was a belt-fed prototype designed, but never finished in 1917. The Annihilator resembled the later models but had no provisions for a rear sight or buttstock. The Model 1919 laid down the final design for future models. Other prototypes were built, but none of them saw production. 

Production 

Model 1921. This was the first model produced in volume. Over 15,000 were produced by Colt for Auto-Ordnance Corporation, an arms firm founded by John Thompson in 1916. The company’s purpose was to handle and develop the Thompson submachine gun. The Model 1921 was expensive to manufacture due to the amount of machining required on the receiver and Blish lock. Fitted with a high grade stock, it retailed for $200; a large sum in the early 1920s. Strangely enough, that’s the exact same amount of money the ATF charged for its U.S. National Firearms Act tax stamp in 1934 forward. 

Model 1923. This was a heavy machine gun and was demonstrated for the Army. It was not adopted. 

Model 1921 AC. This was an M1921 with a Cutts Compensator on the muzzle. 

Model 1928. This gun was ordered by the U.S. military. The major users were the Navy and Marine Corps. Weight was added to the actuator to slow down the cyclic rate of fire which made the gun more controllable. This model had an “8” stamped over the last “1” on the model designation of the 1921. It was known as the “28 Navy,” or “1921 Overstamp.” 

Model 1928A1. The distinct, vertical forward grip was changed to a plain horizontal one, and sling attachment points were installed. Over 562,500 were made. Wartime variants had a fixed rear sight, no ribs on the barrel, and most of them used a stick magazine in lieu of the heavier, rattling drum magazine. 

Model M1. In 1942, the Thompson was re-engineered to be a more rugged, more serviceable weapon. The Blish lock was removed, the drum magazine latch and receiver grove disappeared, and the Cutts Compensator abandoned. The cocking handle was moved to the right side and the action converted to straight blowback. Late stocks were re-enforced with bolts and washers. 

Model M1A. The major change from the M1 to the M1A was the transition from a floating firing pin to a pin machined directly onto the bolt face. 

There are other versions of the Thompson, but they were all semiautomatic or never produced for sale. 

The M3 Grease Gun 

By 1945, the Thompson was replaced with the low-cost M3 “Grease Gun;” termed as such due to its striking resemblance to an automotive grease gun in use at the time. It fired the same round as the Thompson. Most of its major parts were made from cheap metal stampings. Adopted by the military at the end of 1942, it saw service up to and including the Syrian Civil War. 

George Hyde, a German-born American machinist, was the chief gun designer for the Inland Division of General Motors. He oversaw the production of more than 700,000 M3 Grease Guns. 

Its cyclic rate of fire is 700 rounds per minute, and it can empty a magazine in 7.5 seconds. It has no provision for semiauto fire. This helped keep costs down to a 1943, $15.00-level per unit. Guide Lamp division of General Motors produced 343,372 M3s in 1944 alone. 

One of the more interesting of the various cost cutting measures employed over the M3’s production life was the ejection port cover/safety. It has a stud that engages the bolt when it’s for ward, stopping the bolt from moving backward when subjected to rough handling. As the M3 fires from an open bolt, this is very important. When the bolt is retracted the stud engages a recess on the bolt which stops it from firing. The cover has to be open for the gun to fire.

STEN Gun

Over 4 million STENs were produced in various types during the 1940s. (Depending on who is asked, the numbers run anywhere from 3.7 to 4.6 million.) It was a cheaply fabricated British weapon with most of its parts assembled from steel stampings in a similar manner as the American M3. It was a blowback action firing from an open bolt. The magazine was on the left side of the tubular receiver and carried 32 rounds of 9x19mm Parabellum.

There were seven variants of the STEN, with the latest version, the Mk VI, costing His Majesty’s government a huge $10 in 1942. Some of the cheapest models had only 47 parts. The cheap quality of the STEN, coupled with its rudimentary open bolt, made it prone to accidental discharges.

The STEN had a long life cycle. As late as 1994, the Zapatista Army of National Liberation operating in Chiapas, Mexico, still had some in circulation. Not bad for a $10 subgun.

Post-WWII

Uzi

In the late 1940s, after Israel became a nation, an Israeli Army Lieutenant, Uziel Gal, designed a submachine gun for the Israel Defense Forces. Israel had just fought its Arab neighbors—Egypt, Syria, Lebanon and Transjordan (Jordan)—with a motley collection of foreign machine guns, rifles and submachine guns which proved to be a logistical disaster and alerted the need for an arms industry of its own.

Lt. Gal designed a short, compact weapon with a collapsible stock that fired from an open bolt. Similar to other types of submachine guns, the Uzi was constructed from metal stampings which reduced production costs and made it easy to manufacture. Rate of fire was a relatively slow 600 rounds per minute, and it could be loaded with either a 25- or 32-round magazine. The slow rate of fire made controlled-round bursts easier for recruits and conscripts to operate. Its low recoil 9mm cartridge aided in keeping rounds on target.

The Uzi’s first armed conflict took place in October 1956 when the 202nd Brigade of the Israeli Army, led by Ariel Sharon, captured Mitla Pass during the Suez War. The Uzi was subsequently employed against Jordanian and Syrian troops in further conflicts.

Various military variants of the Uzi have been produced.

Uzi submachine gun. This is the standard Uzi with a 10-inch barrel. It was manufactured in both 9mm and .45 ACP. The .45ACP model has a sustained rate of fire of 500 rounds per minute.

Mini Uzi. This is a smaller version of the standard Uzi, introduced in 1980. Overall length with the stock extended is 23.6 inches. Due to its smaller bolt, the rate of fire is increased to 950 rounds per minute.

Micro Uzi. First shown in 1986, it fires from a closed bolt and weighs just 3.3 pounds.

The Uzi Pro. This is a much modified Uzi that uses polymer in its non-stressed parts. Its future is uncertain.

Here in Las Vegas, the weather has been known to get a tad on the warm side from time to time. When the temp crawls above 110, the uniform of the day is shorts, shirt, flip-flops and sunscreen. Packing a CCW weapon can be rather tough. Anything that weighs more than a few ounces can render your shorts to a new low if a belt isn’t employed. Even my Smith & Wesson 342 PD that weighs in at 10.8 ounces empty, will sink my shorts when it’s loaded with five .38 Special +P loads. So, what happens is that the gun stays home, where it does no good whatsoever. 

The North American Arms Mini-Revolver comes chambered for the .22 Long Rifle or for the .22 Magnum. The Magnum is the best choice for hot-weather concealed carry, as it can be hidden just about anywhere—even in the breast pocket of a shirt. It is available with an ankle holster, and seeing as how the gun weighs less than 8 ounces loaded, it would be an easy carry. An associate of mine packs an M4 as his main tool, but carries a GLOCK G27 .40-caliber subcompact in a shoulder holster as his backup. He also has a Mini-Revolver in an ankle holster. His .40 is his go-to gun if the M4 is out of reach, but if everything goes Tango Uniform, he’s got the Mini as his last chance weapon. 

It would be easy just to drop one in your pants pocket, but it can be tricky to get it out in a hurry. My method of carry is to use the combination holster/grip. It has a clip on the side that can be attached anywhere on your clothing. This revolver has the 1-5 / 8-inch barrel, and the holster grip actually makes the gun controllable. All my fingers fit on the grip—no little finger below. The Mini is single-action, so it must be cocked for every shot. This can take an extra second, but if your gunfights go down in 2 to 3 seconds, you either need something that can be rapidly deployed, or you need another line of work. The NAA Mini-Revolver is intended to be something to carry when other options won’t work. 

When you’re out of ideas, ammo and places to duck, and your back-up 9mm is doing pushups in your safe; having this little beast tucked away in an accessible spot becomes a good idea. 

North American Arms Mini-Revolvers are equipped with a unique safety cylinder, giving you maximum protection against accidental discharge. 

NAA Safety Cylinder 

North American Arms’ website offers the following useful information and advice: 

“The North American Arms Safety Cylinder feature allows the gun to be carried fully loaded. There are halfway notches located between the chambers. The hammer is lowered into one of these notches after the gun is loaded. When the hammer is pulled back to the firing position the cylinder rotates to the next chamber. 

NOTE: The traditional half-cock position is to be used for loading and unloading only. THE HAMMER SHOULD NEVER REST IN THE HALF-COCK POSITION OVER A LIVE CARTRIDGE OR ON THE RIM OF A LIVE CARTRIDGE. 

If you have an older model NAA Mini-Revolver, or know someone who does, please check to see if it is equipped with the NAA Safety Cylinder—if not, please call [NAA] at 800- 821-5783 to find out how to update the gun to the new cylinder. 

NAA Mini-Revolvers come with a Lifetime Warranty. If anything should ever go wrong with your Mini-Revolver, please call Customer Support to find out how to send the gun to us for repair. 

NOTE: The following instructions are from our FAQ – .22 Caliber Mini-Revolvers: 

The Safety Cylinder is a critical part of the gun. We recommend that you practice the following steps to become proficient at using the Safety Cylinder before loading the gun. 

1. Make sure the gun is unloaded. 
2. Make sure the gun is unloaded! 
3. Retract the hammer to the point that the cylinder spins freely (about half-way) and keep it retracted. 
4. Looking through the top/rear of the frame, locate any of the five milled safety slots (those notches on the cylinder between the chambers) and position any slot directly beneath the blade of the hammer (which is still retracted).
5. While still retracting the hammer, depress the trigger (and keep it depressed); you will now be able to slowly lower the hammer and allow it to settle into the slot.

You can (should) confirm engagement of the hammer in the slot by attempting to rotate the cylinder. If it does rotate, the hammer was not engaged in the slot; repeat the process. Always visually confirm by examining the alignment of any chamber with the bore; if a bullet could physically pass from the chamber through the bore, the gun is not ‘safe.’ In other words, if a chamber is located at 12 o’clock, the gun is not ‘safe.’ In the ‘safe’ condition, the upper two chambers are at one and eleven o’clock. 99.9% of the failures are because the trigger was not kept fully depressed while the hammer was being lowered (Step 5). Once you get the hang of it, however, you’ll find the process becomes surprisingly easy, quick and natural.”

.22 Winchester Magnum Rimfire (.22 WMR)

The .22 WMR was introduced in 1959. It was loaded with bullets that ranged from 30 grains to 50 grains. The 30-grain bullet travels at 2,200 feet per second and has 322 ft-lb of muzzle energy from a rifle. It has 50% more energy at 100 yards than its cousin the .22 Long Rifle has at the muzzle. Sighted for maximum point blank range, it is effective out to 125 yards. At first glance, it seems like a too-small caliber for a defense weapon; however, that’s not quite true. Many guns have been developed for the cartridge, but the one that stands alone is the Argentinian EDDA submachine gun. It is a blowback weapon that resembles a MAC and has select-fire capabilities. It is fed by a 30-round magazine. It seems as though at least one country feels like the .22 WMR is sufficient for the job.

One of the more potent loads for the .22 WMR is the CCI 22 Maxi Mag TNT. It’s a 30-grain Speer TNT jacketed hollow-point bullet. When shot through a 1.63-inch barrel, velocity is 1,253 fps. At up close and personal distances, it expands almost out to 40 calibers. Penetration in wet dirt varied from 4 to 6 inches. Accuracy? Out of a barrel that’s less than 2 inches long, it shot minute of softball. Plenty accurate for what it’s intended to do. See northamericanarms.com for more information.

NAA Mini-Revolvers come with a Lifetime Warranty. If anything should ever go wrong with your Mini-Revolver, please contact NAA’s Customer Support to find out how to send the gun to them for repair. 

Most gunpowder comes in three forms: black powder, cordite (now obsolete) or smokeless powder. The invention of gunpowder comes from a strange twist in the search for immortality. Back around A.D. 850, Chinese alchemists were mixing various chemicals, hoping to find something that would extend human life. What they got was gunpowder, definitely not a life-extending invention. The Chinese made the first reference to gunpowder in a Taoist text produced in 142 A.D. But it wasn’t until the 9th century that the dangers of gunpowder were really understood. Another Taoist text in 858 A.D. says: “Some have heated together sulfur, realgar (arsenic disulphide) and saltpeter [potassium nitrate] with honey; smoke and flames result, so that their hands and faces have been burnt, and even the whole house … burned down.”

By the year 904 A.D. the Chinese warlords had figured out how to burn other people’s houses down. An assortment of weapons utilizing gunpowder as an incendiary appeared. Fire arrows, fire lances and rocket arrows were deployed when the Liao Dynasty attacked the Song Dynasty in 994.

In 1044, the first chemical formula for gunpowder appeared in the Chinese military manual Wujing Zongyao (Complete Essentials for the Military Classics). The same manual discussed “thunderclap bombs.” Period depictions show them to be a stick with a vessel loaded with black powder attached to one end—similar to Nazi stick grenades used in World War II. The earliest depiction of a cannon appeared on some of the Dazu Rock Carvings in Chongqing, China done in the 12th century.

It’s not until 1267 that gunpowder was mentioned in Europe. English Franciscan friar Roger Bacon covered it in his work titled, Opus Majus (Major Work) where he discussed its properties. The gunpowder formula began appearing in Europe in 1280. The word cannon from the Old Italian word cannone and the Latin canna, meaning tube, was used to describe the large black powder devices. 

The oldest known hand cannon in the world is believed to be the Heilongjiang hand cannon found in 1970 in Banlachengzi, China. It’s not so much as a gun, but it is one of the first firearms created. It was constructed out of bronze and was small and light enough to be carried on a soldier’s back. It was used by Yuan Dynasty (1271–1368) soldiers in putting down a rebellion in 1287.

Black powder was in continual use from 904 A.D. until 1880 when smokeless powder was invented and began replacing black powder. The first smokeless powders weren’t exactly too stable or safe, and it wasn’t until 1886 that a much more refined powder was produced in France. By 1890, Europe had replaced black powder with smokeless powder which was then known as “gunpowder.” By 1902, gunpowder replaced black powder worldwide. 

Making ‘Powder 

Black powder 

Black powder is composed of three chemicals: potassium nitrate (saltpeter), charcoal and sulfur. Potassium nitrate is a chemical compound, containing potassium ions and nitrate ions. It occurs in nature as the mineral niter. It is the major ingredient in black powder, comprising 75% of the mixture. It decomposes rapidly at a high temperature which provides oxygen for the reaction. Because black powder provides its own oxygen, it doesn’t need to be exposed to air to burn. 

In the past, saltpeter was sourced from caves filled with bat droppings or islands where seabirds had been nesting for years. These droppings are known as guano and have a very high concentration of saltpeter. In the early part of the 19th century and throughout the Civil War, caves in many southern states were viable sources of the mineral. The Chincha Islands off the southwest coast of Peru were also a source of guano. The mining was grueling, and in earlier times, the workers could develop respiratory diseases from inhaling the guano dust that they created when they dug the guano by hand with picks and shovels. 

Charcoal makes up 15% by weight of black powder. Willow or grapevine is considered the best source of charcoal for black powder. It contains incompletely decomposed cellulose which provides the fuel. If pure carbon is used, the powder will ignite but won’t explode. 

Sulfur makes up the final 10% of black powder. It will burn, but it’s used to provide more energy at lower temperatures and lowers the ignition temperature of the charcoal. 

Cordite 

Cordite was in use from the late 1880s to the end of World War II in 1945. It usually consisted of long thin strands similar to pencil lead. It was developed in Britain to replace black powder as a military propellant. The components are nitroglycerine, nitrocellulose (gun cotton) and petroleum jelly. The original cordite as manufactured at the Royal gunpowder mills at Waltham Abbey (1787–1991) in England was composed of 37 parts of guncotton, 57.5 parts of nitroglycerin and five parts of petroleum jelly. The high amount of nitro in this cordite eroded gun barrels over a short period of use. Modified cordite, Cordite M.D., was introduced in 1901. It proved to be quite stable and had a long storage life. 

During World War II, cordite was altered by replacing the nitroglycerin with other nitrates like dinitrotoluene. This lowered the combustion temperature which reduced barrel erosion by a significant amount. Cordite is now obsolete and is no longer manufactured. It has been replaced by newer propellants such as the Improved Military Rifle (IMR) extruded powder in use in modern weapons. Cordite is mostly seen today in older British cartridges manufactured before 1945. 

Gunpowder (Smokeless) 

The first practical smokeless powder was Poudre B. It was introduced in 1882 at Laboratoire Central des Poudres et Salpêtres in Paris, France. It was dark greenish grey in color and was first used to load the 8mm Lebel rifle cartridges issued for the Fusil Mle 1886 M93 rifle. 

Gunpowder is a common term used to describe all types of powder. Actually, it pertains to smokeless powder in use today. It’s not really smokeless, but produces much less smoke and residue than black powder. Modern powders are a derivative of cordite in that guncotton, which was an ingredient of the older propellant, is the base ingredient. There are two common smokeless powders: single base and double base. Single-base powders are based on nitrocellulose alone, while double-base powders use both nitrocellulose and nitroglycerine. To control burn rates, grains of powder are formed in different shapes or have different surface coatings. Some coatings can reduce the smoke produced by combustion to the point where it is nearly non-existent. 

Lately, some triple base powders are being produced by adding nitroguanidine to a double-base powder. This type of propellant is used in larger weapons like tank guns and artillery and is seldom seen in small arms use. 

Smokeless powder is about three times more powerful than black powder and should never be used in a gun built specifically for black powder. There are certain smokeless-for-black equivalents, but in general, swapping powders can have disastrous consequences, with a destroyed gun the least of them. 

Smokeless powder is available in a wide variety of types, each designed for specific requirements like smoke, burn rate, flash and reduced deposits. A good reloading manual will show which type of powder is suitable for any particular load. 

Propellant 

Technically, propellant is any substance that makes a gun fire. However, many current powders aren’t truly “powders” but cylinder-shaped grains. Today, the term propellant is used as a general term in the firearms industry to describe any flammable combination of chemicals suitable for propelling a bullet out of a gun. 

In World War I, tanks first appeared at the Battle of Flers-Courcelette in September 1916. It was the first time tanks had been used in a military conflict. The British tanks were quite slow; seldom able to meet their top speed of five miles per hour. However, the British Army’s officer corps was dominated by people from existing cavalry regiments who despised the new devices and stubbornly clung to their horses despite the fact that horses and deep mud versus German machine guns was a losing proposition.

As the tank took on a bigger role on the Western Front, it became obvious that some sort of tank-killing system was needed. Early in the War, artillery proved effective in destroying tanks, and to a lesser extent, so did land mines and the trench system so prevalent during the War. The first tanks had side armor 5/16-inch thick which made them immune to small arms fire, but with the development of the German 7.92x57mm K bullet with its tool-steel core, the British armor could be penetrated on an average one out of three shots. By the Battle of Messines Ridge in June 1917, heavier armor was in use.

The emergence of armor-plated vehicles and tanks forced armament companies to design man-portable, anti-tank weapons. Initially, the German Army employed a single-shot Mauser, the 13.2mm 1918 T-Gewehr, to destroy armored vehicles. It was the only anti-tank rifle to see service in WWI.

After the end of the War, a small Swiss arms company, Solothurn Waffenfabrik AG, named after the Solothurn Canton in northwestern Switzerland, began manufacturing weapons. In the late 1920s, it was purchased by Germany’s Rheinmetall Borsig AG to use as a manufacturing plant for military arms. The Treaty of Versailles was signed June 28, 1919, in Versailles, France, ending the state of war between Germany and the Allied Powers. Germany was prohibited from the arms trade, limits were imposed on the type and quantity of weapons and tanks, and armored cars and military aircraft were forbidden. By merging with Solothurn, Rheinmetall AG could use their engineers to invent and manufacture weapons of war outside of Germany.

Solothurn’s Small Arms

Solothurn developed a number of innovative small arms, ranging from submachine guns to anti-tank rifles that were more cannon than rifle. The first anti-tank, anti-materiel rifle was the Solothurn S18-100, initially deployed in the early 1930s. It was a semiautomatic rifle that used recoil to cycle the action. It could be carried by a single infantryman, but with an empty weight of just over 88 pounds, it could not be fired off-hand.

It was a bullpup configuration with the magazine and action behind the pistol grip/trigger assembly. This setup reduced overall length and weight while not sacrificing barrel length and the resultant loss of velocity. The 36.6-inch barrel is capped by a muzzle brake to aid in control of the massive recoil. The buttstock has a thick pad to help disperse the mind-numbing kick. Two hinged bipods helped support the rifle when it was deployed on the ground–one on the front of the barrel shroud, one under the aft end of the buttstock. The rifle was fed horizontally from the left using either a five-round magazine on the S18-100 or a five- or 10-round magazine on the S18-1000. The spent cases were ejected from the right side of the receiver. Iron sights were fitted, but provisions were made to use a 2.5x telescopic sight.

The Solothurn S18-100B was in use by Hungary, Italy and Switzerland by 1934. The weapon saw service with the armed forces of Bulgaria, Mexico and the Netherlands. By the onset of WWII, the German Army had a large number of S18-100B rifles in their arsenal. The Finnish Army obtained some S18-100 guns by way of the Swiss; however, they arrived too late for use in the conflict known as the Winter War (November 1939 to March 1940) but saw service in the Continuation War (June 1941 to September 1944). Due to the improvement in armor, the S18-100 didn’t see much use in the fighting and was withdrawn when the improved S18-1000 was introduced. This upgraded rifle used the more-powerful 20x138mm cartridge. Towards the end of the War, the S18-1000 was upgraded to the S18-1100, capable of firing in full-automatic mode.

The S18-1100 as a selective-fire 20mm rifle had tremendous recoil. Its 6 foot, 11-inch length and weight in excess of 121 pounds made it too difficult to be transported by infantry, so a two-wheel trailer was provided. Once in position, the rifle could be fired from the trailer, mounted on its bipods or set up on a high-angle, three-legged mount to act as an anti-aircraft weapon. Its rate of fire varied between 15 and 20 rounds per minute. Muzzle velocity was 2,500 feet per second, and in anti-tank mode it could reach out to 1,500 yards and still penetrate over one-half inch of armor (see sidebar for more information on ammunition). However, the advancement in tank warfare and the arrival of man-portable, armor-piercing rockets rendered the S18 series of rifles obsolete.

Ammunition

20x105B

This cartridge was developed in the interwar years by Solothurn, a Swiss company closely associated with Rheinmetall (Germany being banned from developing certain armaments by the Treaty of Versailles). As it is the smaller of the two 20mm rounds developed by Solothurn, it is commonly known as the “Short Solothurn.” It was developed in conjunction with the Lb 204 aircraft cannon, which saw little if any use but saw service by various armies in the Solothurn S18-100 series anti-tank rifles. It is therefore generally found loaded with AP projectiles, of which there are various types. Rather bizarrely, one variant (the S18-350) was used as an aircraft gun by the Dutch Air Force, despite offering only semiautomatic fire.

20x138B

The 20x138mmB cartridge (Solothurn Long) was the second of the 20mm cannon cartridges developed by Solothurn in the 1930s and is known as the “Long Solothurn” round. It proved far more successful than the 20x105B, being primarily used in the highly successful FlaK 30 and 38 AA guns which were extensively used by German forces in WWII (and remained in service in some nations for decades after the War). It was also used in the KwK 30 L/55 and 38 light AFV guns and in the Solothurn S18-1000 series anti-tank rifles.

As well as being used in these German and Swiss weapons, it was used in the Finnish Lahti L-39 anti-tank rifle and L-40 AA gun and in the Italian Breda M35 and Scotti cannon. A very wide range of ammunition was developed for this gun, including M-Geschoss (mine shell) and Pzgr 40 tungsten-cored AP.

SPECIFICATIONS

Foxfury Lighting Solutions, which specializes in portable LED headlamps, flashlights, shield lights and more, has now introduced T.E.D.D.—Tactical Electronic Distraction Device. It is a light grenade—a reusable substitute for a flashbang grenade. A light grenade is a tactical light that is thrown in dark environments to both confuse a perceived threat and provide illumination over 360 degrees. T.E.D.D. is designed to mimic a flashbang without causing injuries. Its 2,600 lumen LEDs are bright enough to confuse without causing injury. Its 120dB whistle aids in causing confusion.

A distraction device can be used in certain circumstances such as hostage rescue, riots, barricades and high-risk warrant situations. T.E.D.D.’s side casing is high temperature polycarbonate attached to a steel base with a heavy nylon top cover. It can be thrown through windows, dropped three stories onto concrete, submerged to 10 feet, stepped on and driven over by a Mazda (Yes, I did! Not on purpose—I swear).

The rechargeable battery has a 60-minute continuous operation cycle and can be recharged in 1.5 hours. The battery is good for 500 charges. The included DC charger attaches to a charging port on the metal base.

Using T.E.D.D.

To operate, press the On-Ready-Off switch once. A green light will let you know that the unit is ready. To deploy, press the switch again, and the green light will start to blink. Now would be a good time to give T.E.D.D. a toss. To deactivate, press the switch once more; the green light goes off.

To program light and sound, the On-Ready-Off switch must be in Off mode. The programming switch is located next to the On-Ready-Off switch. Programming must be set within four seconds:

One press—light and sound (10 seconds on, 15 seconds off, repeats)
Two presses—sound only
Three presses—light only
Four presses—turbo strobe and sound
Five presses—turbo strobe only
Six presses—two seconds on strobe and sound, six seconds off, repeats
Seven presses—safety lock

The activation delay can be changed by using the same programing switch; however, the unit must be in Ready mode with the green light on:
Press once—two seconds delay
Press twice—four seconds delay
Press three times—seven seconds delay
Press four times—10 seconds delay

SPECIFICATIONS

Light: 2,600 lumen LED: 360 degrees horizontally, 110 degrees vertically
Sound: 120dB @ 3ft
Submersible: 10ft
Shock resistant
Rechargeable
Seven programmable light and sound modes
Four programmable activation delays
On-Ready-Off switch
For more information about Foxfury, see foxfury.com

By Tom Murphy –

The Galil family of small arms was designed by Yisrael Galil and Yaacov Lior in the late 1960s and produced by Israel Weapon Industries Ltd. (formerly Israel Military Industries Ltd.; now IMI Systems Ltd.) located in Ramat HaSharon, part of the Tel Aviv District. The Galil is basically a clone of the Finnish RK-62, a copy in itself of the ubiquitous AK-47. The weapons system is chambered for the 7.62x51mm NATO round or the 5.56x45mm NATO.

There are four variations of the Galil: Standard rifle with a 21.1-inch barrel, the SAR, a 13-inch barrel carbine, ARM light machine gun and the MAR, or compact carbine, also known as the Micro Galil. The MAR is a reduced- size version of the SAR. It is equipped with a folding tubular aluminum stock and can be easily fitted with a suppressor and still keep its overall length below that of the SAR. It was popular with the Israeli Police and Special Forces.

JAXX Industries, located in Henderson, NV, builds their own version of the MAR—the Micro Galil .300 AAC Blackout as a Short Barreled Rifle, or pistol. Basically, it’s the IMI Micro Galil with updates and is chambered for the .300 AAC cartridge. It’s built on a milled, not stamped, receiver and has a suppressor-ready 9.5-inch barrel. A very rare left-hand charging handle kit completes the picture.

The barrel is made from 41v50 steel which is 4145 steel with vanadium added to increase toughness (and that makes it harder to machine).

The JAXX Micro Galil is primarily intended to use a suppressor and may not cycle completely with subsonic ammunition if one is not fitted. It’s shipped with a 13×1 RH to 5/8-24 thread adaptor which will allow many different 30-caliber suppressors to be fitted. What would really set this SBR off visually would be a Russian PBS-1 suppressor screwed onto the end of the barrel. Dead Air Armament (deadairsilencers.com) manufactures the Wolverine PBS-1, a vastly improved copy of the Russian version.

JAXX builds all their Micro Galil SBRs using parts kits off of used weapons. The one tested here had very little evidence of prior use. Mostly what could be seen was some cosmetic wear. However, bear in mind, this rifle is JAXX’s test gun. I have no idea as to how many rounds have been down the barrel. IMI is known for building weapons slightly more reliable than anvils, so there’s no concern about operation, or longevity. This Micro Galil was finished in what JAXX calls Midnight Bronze which gave it the look of a battlefield implement—I found it pleasing.

JAXX offers an almost unlimited number of finishes, engravings and coatings on their products. Call them to discuss your wants and needs (jaxxindustries.com / 702-485-4722).

The Micro Galil comes with three different magazines: TAPCO, IMI and ProMag. Only the TAPCO and IMI magazines were used. Both functioned as expected. Personal opinion—the SBR looked better with the original 35-round IMI magazine.

The left-side cocking handle reciprocates when operated, and a spring-loaded dust cover keeps the larger bits and crud out. The right side of the receiver has the typical Kalashnikov-design safety that when in the “fire” position, leaves an opening about 3 inches long and 3/8 inch wide where the hammer and the back of the bolt are clearly visible. This doesn’t seem to be much of a problem with dirt accumulation in any of the multi-millions of AK-types floating around the world, so it’s good to go here.

Disassembly is similar to an AK platform. Remove the top cover by depressing the lever marked “B” on the rear of the operating spring carrier. Push the spring rod forward and lift out the spring and rod. Then the bolt can be withdrawn to the rear. Assembly is the reverse.

This prototype came with no selector markings. JAXX can replicate the Israeli selector markings on top of the button safety on the left side of the receiver to go along with the military style of the Micro Galil.

Anyone who has field stripped a Kalashnikov design rifle or pistol will have no trouble disassembling this Micro Galil. Pop off the receiver cover, remove the return spring and strip the bolt out of the milled receiver. This is as deep as you need to go for field cleaning. Assembly is the reverse.

This is an interesting rifle. With the stock folded, it and three magazines easily fit into a small backpack. Totally invisible. I’d probably get a backpack with some small rabbits on it, but I have a strange sense of humor.

As with all SBR weapons, all NFA laws must be followed. The lawful transfer of an NFA firearm generally requires the filing of an appropriate transfer form with ATF, payment of any transfer tax imposed, approval of the form by ATF and registration of the transferee. Approval must be obtained before a transfer may be made.

.300 Blackout Ammunition

The .300 AAC (Advanced Armament Corporation), also known as the 7.62x35mm, is a cartridge developed for use in the M4 carbine. The idea behind its inception was to develop a cartridge with ballistics similar to the Soviet 7.62x39mm in an AR platform and use the standard AR magazine at its normal capacity. It’s based on the .300 Whisper developed in the early ‘90s by J.D. Jones of SSK Industries. It was envisioned as a multi-purpose cartridge using both light bullets at supersonic velocities and heavier bullets over 200 grains at subsonic velocities.

AAC began development of the .300 Blackout in 2009 but completed most of the work in 2010. It was designed with a specific shorter range focus to equal or surpass the 7.62x39mm Soviet, while working through a suppressor. A standard AR-platform bolt will work; the only change needed is the barrel.