Be careful out there….

Civilian machine gun shoots are becoming more popular every day. Here at SAR we tend to hear more about it than most people, and we want very much to “Get the word out on safety”. There are a couple of reasons why this is important to do.

Military firearms and their civilian owners tend to be demonized in the press. I have been attending civilian shooting events since the mid 1960’s, and machine gun shoots since the late 1970’s. The camaraderie and passing on of knowledge is matched in scope only by the fun people seem to have. The odd person here or there may be a poster boy for the Southern Poverty Law Center’s “Gun Goober of the Week”, but hey, I’ve seen the crowds at almost any liberal event you can name, and those crazy old uncles that we gun owner’s might try to keep in our closet have NOTHING on the crazy old uncles that the left-wing events seem to celebrate bringing out. Too bad the media isn’t fair about showing those who are really at each event. I’d like to see some unbiased reporting. You are probably wondering if I have lost my mind.

We try to be media conscious, but that’s admittedly hard to do when you are holding a machine gun in your hands shooting at exploding targets.

One thread runs through all firearms enthusiasts, whether they are active duty military, law enforcement, industry professionals, or back yard shooters- that is we all enjoy our past time. We like to shoot. The mechanisms fascinate us, or the history excites us. Perhaps the idea of hitting a target dead smack in the x-ring at 1000 yards is exciting to us. Maybe seeing how long a burst a water cooled can safely perform is a Holy Grail. One of our fraternity is actively shooting clay pigeons with a Suomi Model 1931 submachine gun with 70 percent success rates, and is embarking on aerial targets with a shoulder fired fifty caliber rifle!

You know SAR will be reporting on that one.

He shoots aerial targets and practices range safety as well. The vast majority of shooters have a strong commitment to safety, even as they push the envelope experimentally. This is one of our strong points, yet not part of our image with the general public.

As we move into the season of the big civilian gatherings, SAR would like to ask all of the readers to be ambassadors for safety. Without being picky and insufferable to be around that is, we should try to lead by example. Safety glasses, hearing protection, well thought out ranges with good backstops, and safety rules at all times. Keep the booze for after the guns are cleaned and away.

Remember you represent us all, and what you say to the media is what they will be able to bring back later to haunt you and the rest of us with. When it comes to safety, be careful so that no one gets hurt. When it comes to the media, be careful because they are not on your side. On every level, Be careful out there…

Stoner 63 and 63A rifles classified as Curio & Relics by ATF

SAR was just sent this letter by one of our Stoner Historians, Mr. Jerry Tarble. In the interest of helping our readers understand the process by which firearms are classified into the Curio and Relics category, we have included the entire letter from ATF. What this means is that now Stoner 63 and Stoner 63A machine guns may be transferred to individuals who live in the two states that only allow Curio and Relic machine guns, as well as localities where there are C&R restrictions. This also means that Stoner 63’s and 63A’s can be transferred interstate on a tax paid Form 4 to those who have C&R Federal Firearms Licenses.

June 10, 1998

This refers to your letter of March 13, 1998, in which you request certain Stoner 63 and 63a rifles be classified as curios or relics.

As defined in Title 27, Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), part 178, section 178.11, the term curios or relics includes certain firearms which are of special interest to collectors by reason of some quality not ordinarily associated with firearms intended for sporting use or as offensive or defensive weapons. To be recognized as curios or relics, firearms must:

1) Have been manufactured at least 50 years prior to the current date, but NOT including replicas thereof; or

2) Be certified by the curator of a municipal, State or Federal museum which exhibits firearms to be curios or relics of museum interest; or

3) Derive a substantial part of their monetary value from the fact that they are novel, rare, or bizarre, or from the fact of their association with some historical figure, period, or event.

As you are aware we have previously classified Stoner 63 and 63A rifles as curios or relics. Based on your information and our research we will amend the Firearms Curios Or Relics List to include all original factory variations of the Stoner 63 and 63A rifles. The Curios or Relics list will be amended to:

Stoner, model 63 and 63A machineguns, all variations, as originally manufactured from 1963 through 1970.

This determination authorizes licensed collectors to acquire, hold, or dispose of them as curios or relics subject to the provisions of Title 18, United States Code (U.S.C.), Chapter 44 and the regulations in 27 Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.), Part 178. They are still firearms as defined in 18 U.S.C., Section 821 (a) (3), and they are still machineguns subject to all the provisions in 26 US.C., Chapter 53.

We trust that the foregoing has been responsive to your inquiry. If we can be of further assistance, please contact us.

Sincerely,

Edward M. Owen – Acting Chief, Firearms, Explosives and Arson Services Division

Dear SAR,

Page 39 of the June 1998 issue shows a picture of an UZI SMG with the select fire lever on the right side of the pistol grip. Every other UZI I have ever seen has the selector lever on the left side. What’s up, was this a prototype or a regular production run. If this pistol grip is available who might have them for sale. This would make it a lot easier for a left-handed shooter to handle the weapon. Please keep up the good work on a great magazine.

H.K.
Baltimore, MD

Dear H.K.

This was one of those “Oh no! we flipped the photo” reactions at SAR headquarters. I went to Jeff and said “Look, you put the picture in reversed!” He went back to his office and then burst out of it, pointing at the picture and said “See? Look! The ejection port is on this side too, I did NOT put it in backwards.” I apologized and considered the possibilities. SAR was at the NDIA Small Arms Symposium right after this letter came in, so I went over to see Bob Tinari of Uzi America. His Uzi on the table was indeed ambidextrous in its controls. Very interesting. Turns out that IMI is building them this way, and that these are being offered to law enforcement agencies today. I was unable to find out if they were planning on importing these lowers for general sales, but I do know that there are receiver modifications to be done before this will work on a standard Uzi. Oh yeah, I knew about this all along, and have even written about it before, just totally spaced it. – Dan

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

1. NEW WEAPONS & EQUIPMENT

NEW SSK INDUSTRIES SUPPRESSED M700 RIFLE: a new covertly suppressed Remington M700 rifle has been shown by SSK Industries of Ohio. At first glance it appears to be fitted with a conventional heavy varmint barrel, but this is in reality an external casing which conceals the barrel and suppressor proper. Designer JD Jones says it is intended to appeal to police and other users who would rather not reveal they are using suppressed weapons. It will be offered in SSK’s proprietary .300 Whisper and .338 Whisper chamberings and has a special scope mount which is tilted forward to facilitate the extra elevation required by subsonic ammunition.

SSK has also launched new M16/M4 upper receiver conversions with the carrying handle cut away to accept an Ultradot 4-Dot optical sight, but iron sights are also provided and can be used while looking through the optical sight. We’ve handled the system and it works well. The M16/M4 conversion complete with standard (single dot) Ultradot sight costs about $295, but the 4-Dot with variable dot size will obviously be more. DPMS in the USA will be offering these conversions from Aug 98.

REMINGTON ‘SCOUT RIFLE’: we suggested in the past that Remington, Ruger & Winchester might have missed a trick by not coming out with their own ‘Scout’ rifles while Steyr-Mannlicher was still pondering its own design. Well, Remington does now have something along these lines, though it’s admittedly not as fancy as the Austrian product. We’ve looked one over, and it handles very nicely.

We’re talking about the new .308 Remington M700 Police Lightweight Tactical Rifle (M700P LTR), which has a slim black H-S Precision composite stock with the usual aluminium bedding bar, plus a 20” fluted barrel, for a bare weight of 7.5 pounds sans scope mounts or bipod, with which the weight rises to around 10.3 pounds.

It has the new detachable Remington box magazine and dual sling studs, allowing simultaneous fitting of a Harris bipod and a sling. Length of pull is 13.5” and rifling twist 1:12”. Overall metal finish is parkerized black. The LTR is available now and whilst it is being sold in the USA through Remington’s law enforcement wholesalers, it is also freely available to any sporting shooters who wish to order it. US retail is in the region of $650.

MANFRED FIESS TARGET RIFLES: among the items being promoted at the 1998 SHOT Show were high-tech, aluminium-stocked target rifles from Manfred Fiess Precision Engineering (MFPE) in South Africa, designed for Palma-type matches. These bolt-action weapons (known locally as Space Guns) have skeletonised fully-adjustable buttstocks, adjustable triggers, three-lug bolts and scope mounting dovetails. Stocks come in several epoxy-coated anodized finishes – Electric Blue, Metallic Gold. Aurora Purple, Ruby Red and Panther Black. Fiess himself is billed as a former world champion target shooter with 30 years’ experience. (E-mail: mfpe@iafrica.com, WWW – http://www.tradepretoria.co.za/companies/MFPE/)

SIG POLYMER-FRAMED PRO PISTOLS: one we don’t recall being at the 1998 SHOT Show (but which we recently examined in the USA) was the SIG Pro Sport SP2340 pistol, a new black polymer-framed design with interchangeable composite or rubberized wrap-round grip panels (a la Walther P99) and drop-out modular trigger/hammer mechanisms allowing rapid conversion from DA/SA to DAO operation.

External appearance of the solid stainless slide (finished in black) is still very much SIG/Sauer, but the magazine release is triangular and there is a long extended slide release. However, the safety/decocking lever follows much the usual design of this producer. A flat recoil spring along P239 lines is installed, and there is a very substantial slide rail unit about 2” long pinned into the frame. The grip frame is cut away at the bottom to accept the magazine baseplate, and capacity of the modified P229 magazines is ten rounds. It’s also worth noting that there is a dovetail in the underside of the tip of the frame for mounting accessories such as flashlights, along the same lines already pursued by H&K and Glock.

The SP2340 will be available in Jul 98 in .357SIG calibre, followed by .40 S&W. In Feb 99 is should be available in 9x19mm, but there is apparently no plan for a .45 ACP version.

NEW FRANKONIA PRECISION RIFLE: Deutsches Waffen-Journal (DWJ) ran a short item on a new .308 precision (aka sniper) rifle from Frankonia Jagd in Wurzburg, based on an M98 Mauser action with 50cm FN heavy sniper barrel 25mm in diameter, FAL-style detachable flash hider and laminated wood Sto-Con stock with skeletonised buttstock and adjustable rubber buttpad.

The weapon is drilled & tapped for scope mounts and has a five-shot magazine. It was shown fitted with a Parker-Hale/Bren-type bipod mounted in the accessory rail. Overall finish is matte black. Bare weight is 4.9kg. (Frankonia: Tel (+49) 9302-2082).

MODEL AW/THUNDERTRAP COMBINATION RE-TESTED: in previous issues we related how we managed only to achieve dreadful accuracy with 200gr Lapua subsonic ammunition fired in the CFI Special .308 Accuracy International Model AW rifle with 20” barrel and AWC Thundertrap muzzle suppressor. We concluded – quite reasonably – that the high bullet weight and subsonic velocity were incompatible with the standard 1:12” twist of this rifle’s barrel, and that the long boattail bullets might be yawing against the inner bore of the can. But this did not explain why accuracy with 147gr ball ammunition was also dreadful through the suppressor.

In Jun 98 we returned to the SLSA ranges in West Virginia and re-tested the same rifle with standard-velocity ammunition, in this case 147gr remanufactured ball from Talon Manufacturing. All shooting (bar five rounds in the first series) was by SADW, at 100 yards, with results as below:-

Series 1: 2 x 5rds at 100x (2 firers) – no hits on 4” steel plate (group size about 4 feet)

Series 2: 5rds at 100x – all hits – all rounds in about 2” on a 9” steel plate

Series 3: 5rds at 100x – no hits on 9” steel plate (group size about 2 feet)

Series 4: Approx 15 rds – no hits on steel targets (group size about 4 feet)

As you will note, Series 2 was a curiosity, and had we then ceased firing we might have been convinced the problem had ‘gone away’, but in fact it was an aberration, as later series demonstrate. When firing was completed, the bore of the suppressor was subjected to careful examination, and there appeared to be at least two nicks, one on either side of a baffle about two inches from the business end of the can. Accordingly, we conclude that the bullets were in fact striking the suppressor bore, as we suspected.

Though we did not have the tools to accurately measure the bore of the suppressor, the exit aperture was measured at .364”. Another suppressor designer told us he uses .340 to .375” for the bore of his own .308 cans. We felt, in the circumstances, that the rifle and suppressor should be returned to the distributor for inspection.

Interestingly, a short while prior to this latest test we heard from Engel Ballistic Research Inc (E-mail: engelbr@swbell.net) in the USA, who wrote:-

‘I have to contest your comment that a 200-gr. subsonic pill is “not really suitable for use with standard rifling twists and definitely not if the weapons are suppressed”. There is far more to the problem than this statement would lead your readers to believe; it is complicated. It very much depends on what *shape* of projectile one is utilizing. We are producing a *220-gr.*, .30 cal. subsonic which is performing excellently, both suppressed, and unsuppressed in twists as slow as 1:12” Articles, I understand will be forthcoming. Additionally, tooling is presently being procured to allow us to go into the projectile manufacturing business to further improve the product. First on the agenda is a .30 cal heavy subsonic which will evidence phenomenal expansion at subsonic velocities…..stay tuned.’

In response to these comments we suggested to Engel that the person they really needed to convince was Al Paulson, the suppressor whiz who formerly wrote for Machine Gun News (and now for Small Arms Review & others). We understand Paulson has been contacted and await his findings with interest.

Engel also told us that they had ‘just signed an agreement with Picatinny Arsenal for some research that should answer many questions (with respect to) subsonic projectile behaviour, and testing will commence when the parameters are better determined, and samples of the actual projectiles to be examined are produced’.

MOD POLICE ‘UTILITY WEAPON SYSTEM’: the UK MOD Light Weapons procurement staff have come up with a new requirement for a ‘Utility Weapon System’ for use by the MOD Police (MDP), which is nowadays routinely armed with 9mm pistols and the 5.56mm SA80. Formerly it also had 9mm Sterling SMGs. Armed MDP officers (both male & female) guard sensitive or vulnerable military establishments throughout the UK. The MDP is one of several ‘non-Home Office’ police forces in the UK – the Atomic Energy Authority and British railways also have their own police organisations. We guess the MDP has decided (no surprise) that SA80 is not a classic police item, and the present requirement is for 1,500 new, lightweight & compact weapons which can be carried hands-free but are capable of accurate use out to 200m. At this range they should be able to defeat soft body armour and incapacitate the wearer without over-penetration. Only off-the-shelf products will be considered.

Planned in-service date is Dec 99, and half the 1,500 weapons would need to have been delivered by then, with the rest by Apr 2000. The MOD wants to have 12 trials samples in Dec 98. Deadline for expressions of interest is 31 Jul 98, to UK Tel (0117)913-1370. ISO 9002 quality standards apply.

Well now, a very interesting one, which at first reading rather sounds as if it was drafted around the 5.7mm P-90 or something similar. The body armour defeat criteria MOD has specified rule out most 9x19mm ammunition, particularly at a range of 200m, so it’s a toss-up between 5.7x28mm and 5.56x45mm.

Our suggestion would be one of the ultra-compact 5.56mm weapons now available, and by far the best tried & tested of these would have to be the Heckler & Koch HK53, which is the same size as the 9mm MP5. This design offers better performance than anything in 5.7mm, fires an existing service cartridge and is already used by UK special forces and Military Police close protection teams. It is also very controllable, even in burstfire, due to its ‘short, sharp’ recoil characteristics.

WINCHESTER 9MM ‘RANGE AMMUNITION’: in our last issue we noted that Winchester had introduced a new Range Ammunition line, intended exclusively for bulk purchase by clubs & ranges for resale to shooters on the premises. In Jun 98 we expended 300 rounds of the 9mm ball loading (115gr @1,155 fps) in an MP5 SMG during a US visit and can report that it functioned faultlessly with no malfunctions of any kind. Accuracy was good and control of the weapon even in sustained burstfire was excellent. The new, brass-jacketed bullets loaded in this ammunition, which are designed to produce smaller fragments, do indeed – as claimed – break up very well against steel targets.

At very close range we occasionally sensed what appeared to be tiny airborne particles, but nothing of any significance. However, as with any shooting training using steel targetry, it is advisable to stand off at least seven or ten yards from the target, and always to wear eye protection of some kind.

Having since talked with Olin/Winchester staff, it seems there is, after all, nothing significant about the withdrawal of Olin ‘White Box’ milspec ammunition from the commercial market last year, and the appearance soon after of equivalent ammunition from Federal. We thought this might have been the result of Federal taking over military orders from Olin, but – as we recall – Olin staff said the only order they had lost in recent years was a 9mm contract for the US Navy. However, Firearms Business in the USA says there is a definite price war under way between Winchester & Federal in the centrefire rifle ammunition market, and that Federal is also looking to discount its shotgun cartridges.

WALTHER PPK IN 5.45MM: Visier magazine reported that a firm in Schwabia, Kirstein Technische Systeme (KTS) had made ten prototypes of a Walther PPK pistol chambered for the Russian 5.45x18mm cartridge. The PPKs have nice stippled wooden grip panels and are built from original unused Walther parts. Barrels are threaded for suppressors, but the threads are normally covered by a neat thread protector. Two types of suppressor are offered, a throwaway version good for 50 rounds or a long-life steel model. A twin-stack version of the pistol with 15-round magazine is also being considered. KTS says it is also working on a gas-operated, locked-breech pistol of its own design with electronic shot date recording. The company’s bread & butter lines are customised/tuned Lugers and M1911s. (WWW – http://www.kirstein.com/w/)

NEW 5.56mm CANADIAN BALL ROUND: SNC Industrial Technologies in Canada has developed a ‘5.56mm Improved Penetrator’ cartridge which dispenses with the two-part core of the SS!09/M855 bullet and uses instead a solid, one-piece jacketed core of 4140 steel with much the same hardness as the penetrator tip of the NATO projectile. Bullet weight is 3.8g and complete round weight 12.3g. SNC says the internal and external ballistics of the new round are similar to those of the NATO cartridge and the wound ballistics meet international humanitarian criteria. Of course, the new bullet is also lead-free, which will meet growing environmental concerns. However, we imagine the main advantage will be seen in operational performance. SNC says the bullet is more robust than the NATO projectile, and by eliminating the compound core and substituting a much harder material than lead, we would expect the bullet integrity to be greatly superior.

H&K INTEREST IN .300 WHISPER: we were advised recently that Heckler & Koch Inc had obtained .300 Whisper ammunition & dies from SSK Industries in Ohio, so it’s logical to assume that H&K wishes to experiment with this wildcat in some of its 5.56mm weapons. Apparently the HK53 is an unlikely testbed, so our money’s on the new G36. Separately, SIG is already known to have experimented with .300 Whisper, presumably in the SG550 series.

NEW NSWC WEAPON MOUNTS: the US Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) at Crane has come up with three new machine gun mounts in the last year or so. A new, lightweight aluminium twin 7.62mm M240 (MAG 58) mount has been developed for naval special forces boats and vehicles, and will be introduced next year. It will be in two versions with (optionally) a 200 or a 600-round belt box each side. A single-gun M240 mount was shown in 1997. Last year we also saw NSWC’s new Mk94 Mod 1 helicopter door mount for a single .50 AN-M2 machine gun demonstrated in Nevada. This system, with overboard brass/links chute, has since been type certified for the SH-60B special operations Sea Hawk and is also suitable for other helicopters in the same family.

TNW SEMI-AUTO BROWNING MGs: TNW Inc in Portland (Oregon) is offering remanufactured semi-auto only .50 M2HB (on M3 tripod) and .30 M19A4 Browning (on MAG58 tripod) machine guns, which are BATF legal to own in the USA without NFA licences. The M19A6 Browning can also be supplied in 7.62mm NATO or .30-06 calibre with bipod & shoulder stock. Training manuals, ball & blank ammunition, links and ammo boxes are also stocked (TNW Inc, Portland, OR, E-mail: Model1919@aol.com).

MAX-50 SCOPE RINGS: Badger Ordnance in Rapid City (S. Dakota), has new Max-50 steel scope rings designed specifically for use with .50 BMG calibre rifles. They fit the milspec Picatinny Rail, and are also compatible with Leupold & Weaver bases. Badger claims they offer a 60% greater clamping surface than comparable rings. Six Torx scope securing screws are used on each ring, which has a half-inch hex-head clamping nut. Basic ring size is 30mm, but 1” adapters are available. Rings are manufactured as matched pairs. (Contact: Badger Ordnance, PO Box 3277 Rapid City, SD 57709, USA, Tel/Fax(605)348-2230)

DURRA ARMS FROM PAKISTAN: two new AK variants, both apparently hand-made weapons from Durra in Pakistan, have reportedly arrived with research staff in the UK. One is a 7.92mm bolt-action with a Bren LMG-style magazine, the other an AK-74 clone marked .222 Rem.

2. INDUSTRY & FOREIGN NEWS

US HANDGUN EXPORT SUSPENSION ILLUSORY: despite the top billing given by US and British newspapers in May to the alleged State Department ban on handgun exports to the UK (see the previous issue), our own enquiries suggest the whole affair was actually hyped up out of all proportion to its real impact, which appears to be minimal. We spoke to a major UK importer who still handles pistols & revolvers, and were told that while their export licences for handguns were indeed reviewed by the US authorities, these have since been fully reinstated, and their business in both handguns and long guns continues unaffected.

Curiously, black powder guns, though not technically ‘firearms’ under US legislation, were included in the review, but we can’t imagine why, since it seem unlikely even the most backward state opposed to US policies would need to re-equip with muzzle-loaders. Our source believes what sparked the review was the fact that licences are often granted to cover transactions some years ahead.

When it became apparent the UK government was going to ban private handgun possession, someone in the US administration got jumpy and thought they’d better check the handgun component of outstanding export permits, lest anyone was shipped guns they couldn’t own after the British cutoff date. You’ll recall that throughout all this there was no evidence of any definitive official policy statement from the US State Department – and only a fairly brusque riposte from the British authorities referring to the effectiveness of existing UK controls, all of which led us to wonder how serious it really was. ‘Much ado about nothing’ now seems to be the answer.

Another UK source also showed us a request he’d sent to the US Office of Export Control Policy seeking authorisation for a customer to re-export US-made ammunition to a third country. The US authorities hadn’t even bothered to respond, which suggests the whole affair is indeed a storm in a teacup.

SOUTH AFRICA ARMING LIBYA: the Sunday Telegraph reported that South Africa had reached agreement with Libya’s Colonel Gaddafi on a $300m deal whereby the South Africans would supply weapons & spares to Libya in return for cheap oil. The agreement, which is said to include upgrading Libyan systems and supplying advanced SAMs, as well as the possible sale of the South African Rooivalk helicopter, was reportedly negotiated by ‘secret service’ staff on behalf of President Mandela, who has often acknowledged Libya’s past support for the ANC.

However, the paper says it breaches the UN embargo against arms & other sales to Libya, which (not least due to unfinished business over the Pan Am 103 bombing) the USA still regards as a pariah state. But a South African official was quoted as saying “We will do business with any country that will reciprocate.” The report said there are wider Western concerns related to the possibility that South Africa might also supply Libya with much sought-after chemical & biological weapons knowhow Pretoria acquired during apartheid. It has recently been revealed that blacks in South Africa were secretly targeted with weapons of this ilk under government plans.

Whilst appreciating that sovereign states are entitled to maintain cordial diplomatic relations with whoever they wish, regardless of US pressure, the new South Africa does now rather seem to be losing sight of the ball. Though cash-strapped US defence manufacturers are themselves keen to get a foot in the South African door, Mandela’s obvious determination to help re-arm Libya now risks renewed US government sanctions against his own defence industry. South Africa has to grasp the nettle and understand that it cannot expect to receive continued Western support while pursuing a completely indiscriminate policy of arming all-comers.

We understand the temptation, given the desperation of the country’s arms producers in the post-apartheid era, but these short-sighted policies will only bring South Africa into disrepute and damage its international prospects.

UK FATS SYSTEM UPGRADE: the UK MOD has contracted with FATS Inc in Georgia for a third software upgrade for its 160 Small Arms Trainer (SAT) systems. There are expected to be sub-contractor opportunities for provision of some new PC hardware and for linking the SAT systems by modem. Contact FATS Inc in the USA immediately if interested, on Tel(770)622-3357, fax 3505.

POPEYE ENTERS THE EOD BUSINESS: Sunday Business in the UK said that boffins at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in the USA had found that nitroreductase enzymes derived from spinach could break down common explosives such as TNT (trinitrotoluene). It could be a significant discovery, since the US apparently has half a million tonnes of old explosives to get rid of. It might cause a national spinach crisis, but that’s another story.

ALBANIAN WEAPONS WITH KOSOVANS: an Observer report said that some of the million-odd weapons and associated ammunition heisted from Albanian deports during the 1997 unrest in that country were selling to the Kosovo Liberation Army for defence against Serbian attacks. The guns are traded from open-air bazaars in Albanian border towns and collected by Kosovan mule trains.

RUSSIAN AMMUNITION FIRE: AP reported in mid-Jun 98 that a fire at an ammunition storage facility in the Urals killed 13 Russian troops and a police officer, and injured another 17. Four more were posted as missing.

THE SPIRIT OF EXPERIMENTATION LIVES ON: a Times story in June of an unfortunate rifle accident also served to remind us that the spirit of schoolboy firearms experimentation is still alive & well, despite the decidedly less enlightened times we live in. Long may it last.

It appears that a group of teenaged boys at a Dorset public school was trying to establish the velocity of a rifle bullet as part of a physics experiment. Unfortunately, the weapon was unintentionally fired at some point in the experiment, and a 17-year-old operating a laptop computer received a .22 bullet in the shoulder from behind, collapsing his lung. A subsequent report said doctors had decided it was safer to leave the bullet in the boy rather than to try to dig it out from near his heart.

Perhaps needless to say – in this day & age – the target rifle involved was taken away for forensic examination, though what on earth this was likely to achieve remained unclear – it doesn’t really sound like an assassination attempt now, does it?

LAST FREE-FALL NUKE HAULED AWAY: Royal Air Force News carried a report towards the end of June on the delivery of the RAF’s last WE-177 free-fall nuclear bomb to the UK Atomic Weapons Establishment for ‘decommissioning’. The WE-177 first entered RAF service in 1975.

LAW 80 REPLACEMENT PROPOSED: The Franco-British group Matra-BAe Dynamics and Lockheed Martin’s Electronics & Missiles Division have jointly proposed a new short-range anti-armour weapon called Kestrel as a replacement for the British army’s LAW 80. The UK MOD Staff Target calls for an in-service date of Dec 2005. Kestrel, an improved version of the US Marine Corps’ Predator, also from Lockheed Martin, is a top-attack ‘fire & forget’ guided weapon, unlike LAW 80 which merely has a 9mm spotting rifle for ranging.

AUSTRALIAN MINIMI UPGRADES: our sources in Australia tell us that ‘virtually all’ the 5.56mm F-89 (ADI-manufactured FN Minimi) LMGs in Australian service have been ugraded to F89A1 standard. The upgrade so far comprises an improved extractor, a hydraulic buffer (along the lines of the US M249A1) and a quick-detach Steyr AUG optical sight mounted on the feed cover. Front & rear iron sights have been removed – possibly not the best idea.

Apparently this is only stage one of the programme – the final aim (theoretically by Aug 98) is to fit a Picatinny Rail and a new optical sight, for which the favourite, as far as Australian Defence Industries (ADI) are concerned, is reportedly the Canadian ELCAN. Separately, we understand that the New Zealand army has modified some of its own F-89s by the addition of a MAG-58 gas regulator system, which they claim is quite easy to fit.

We’re also told that the Australian army is seriously considering the reintroduction of belt-fed 7.62mm NATO GPMGs (most likely the Saco M60E4) into the machine-gun group within the infantry section (US = squad), and relegating the Minimi to the rifle group. This is a particularly interesting development, mirroring similar moves in the US forces – which have however sidelined the M60 in favour of the MAG 58. How long before other armies, such as in the UK, follow this example?

CLIPPED COMMENTS: we took a little dig on the Internet at UK police officers who consider it necessary – and appropriate – to clip two 30-round magazines together on their (semi-automatic only) MP5 carbines. Swift as an arrow came a response from one of the officers concerned, saying they preferred the double magazine clips so that they could dispense with magazine pouches on their belts. These are liable to catch on things when clambering through windows or fall off, risking opprobrium in the press if they’re found. Sorry, guys – but it still gives the wrong impression. Anyway, the 15-round MP5 magazines would fit handily in a pocket, never mind pouches or clips.

BANGLADESH ARMS SMUGGLERS NABBED: a UNI report in early Jun 98 said that 26 armed smugglers were detained by the Indian Navy & Coastguard at the end of May off two Thai-registered trawlers which had a cargo of ‘arms, ammunition and explosives’ from the Burma/Thai border. The vessels were reportedly en route to Bangladesh, but were set on fire when the Indian patrol approached.

INDIANS HAVE DRAGUNOVS: AFP photos which recently appeared showed Indian troops in Kashmir equipped with a 7.62mm Bren LMG and a Dragunov sniper rifle, which we don’t recall seeing with this country before.

IMPACT OF ASIAN WEAPONS SLUMP: Newsweek reported that whilst in 1987 Asia imported just 25% of all conventional arms, by 1997 it was taking almost 50%, the increase representing a jump from $130Bn a year in 1985 to $165Bn a decade later. Now everything’s on hold, but the magazine suggests that since India & Pakistan have meanwhile substantially raised the nuclear stakes, there may well be a buying splurge when the Asian financial crisis passes.

AK-47 ‘ND’ GETS FIVE: the PTI news agency said that five people were hit in early June when AK-47 rifles were being handed out to security staff in Shimla, India, prior to a visit by the Indian president. One gun apparently ‘went off’ unintentionally, presumably in full-auto. Three of the victims were seriously wounded.

ZIMBABWE TROOPS UNPREPARED: a Wall Street Journal Europe report said the Zimbabwean army is in a terrible state, with poor rations, tatty uniforms and barely habitable accommodation. Troops are sent on leave to save the $2 daily mess bills, but at least the military coffin production line shaves two-thirds off the cost of disposal of those who die in harness.

PALESTINIANS STOCKPILING WEAPONS? The Times reported towards the end of May 98 that Israeli military sources believed the Palestinian Authority was stockpiling weapons, which were thought either to have been smuggled in from the Sinai or illicity produced in workshops in the Gaza strip.

20MM & 30MM NAVAL CANNON AMMO: the UK Royal Navy is looking for 30,000 rounds of 20mm TP-T and 25,000 rounds of 30mm TP/TPT target practice cannon ammunition for delivery in FY 98/99. Expressions of interests are sought by 2 Sep 98. UK Contact Tel (0117)913-1241. Royal Ordnance is the sole UK manufacturer of these natures.

BUST SOME CAPS WITH THE THAI ARMY: the Bangkok Post said that the Thai army planned to offer a range of tourist activities at some of its bases, in order to raise extra cash. Shooting, parachuting and survival training were among the activities on the Thai’s list. We imagine they probably got the idea from the PLA in China.

40MM MGL IN COLOMBIA: The Guardian ran an excellent photo in mid-May of a Colombian soldier armed with a South African 40mm MGL multi-shot grenade launcher complete with Armson OEG sight and a webbing chest rig holding at least a dozen 40mm grenade cartridges.

KOSOVO – THE FINAL INSULT: a report in The European said that Serb troops had been spotted attacking villages in Kosovo with some of the 14 armoured personnel carriers stolen from Dutch peacekeeping forces in Jul 95. The YPR-765 vehicles are fitted with heavy machine guns. Only six have so far been recovered.

“So it is that good warriors take their stand on ground where they cannot lose, and do not overlook conditions that make an opponent prone to defeat.” Master Sun Tzu, The Art of War

Q1- I currently have an FFL on file with you at your class 3 business, and I plan on obtaining my Class 3 Dealers License in the near future. I understand the difference between pre-86 transferable, pre-86 dealer sample, and post-86 dealer sample (dept. letterhead) firearms. The question that I have is as follows: When dealing with city, county, or state agencies (police, sheriff, state patrol, etc.) or state national guard units on purchasing weapons from their inventories or armories, how can one readily and reliably tell the difference between a pre-86 transferable from a pre-86 dealer sample from a post-86 firearm?

John J.

A1- Knowing what the transfer status is can make or break a dealer who is trying to do business with an agency. This is, of course, the art of the deal. If the machine guns are definitely known to have been in the department since before 1986, or before 1968, you have a chance of “Guessing” the status. You haven’t even thrown in the “Form 10” machine guns yet. None of the guns have exterior markings that say the status, although many of the long time dealers can make a pretty good educated guess. Original Colt markings on an M16A1 can be taken as an indication of transferable (No guarantees though) and if you know the names of the importers who were only active in the 1970’s or early1980’s, any gun with their name is pretty sure to be a Pre 1986 Dealer Sample.

A little background; machine guns that were existing in the United States before 1968, regardless of country of origin, and were registered before November 1968, or during the 1968 Amnesty, are all fully transferable to individuals on a tax paid transfer (Form 4) or if they are legally deactivated war trophies or coming from a government agency, on a tax exempt transfer (Form 5). Machine guns that were manufactured in the US before May 19, 1986, and registered with NFA Branch in the United States and stayed here (With the export exception of temporary export) have the same fully transferable status.

Machine guns that were legally imported to the United States From January 1969 until May 19, 1986 have the status of “Pre-1986 Dealer Samples”, regardless of their original country of manufacture. Some Thompsons were exported during World War II, then imported back into the US during the 1970’s and 1980’s- these are Pre-86 dealer samples, just like Beretta machine guns or any other foreign manufactured gun imported in this time frame. Dealers like to find these guns, because ATF regulations allow for the dealer to keep these firearms in his personal collection after giving up his Special Occupational tax status as a Class 3. These can also be willed to a lawful heir. (This is why grown men try to be adopted by friends who are Class 3 dealers). Traditionally, the Pre-86 dealer sample guns are less expensive than fully transferable guns.

Enter the Hatch Amendment. Public Law 922o. This was the ban on further manufacture of machine guns for private ownership, and it was effective May 19, 1986, commonly referred to as Black Monday. All machine guns either imported after that date, or manufactured after that date are considered “Post-86 Dealer Samples”, and the ATF regulations state that a dealer must dispose of or destroy them when he gives up SOT status. These machine guns are legally existing for dealers to do business with government agencies. There is a lot of controversy surrounding the governments authority to take away the private property of a citizen, and SAR is staying out of that at the moment. Suffice it to say that we feel the whole 1986 ban was unconstitutional to begin with, and since we are politically incorrect at the moment, no one cares to champion the cause in Congress. Post 86 Dealer Samples have a much lower value than fully transferable or Pre-86 Dealer Sample machine guns.

Then, we have the “Form 10” machine guns. There is a provision in the regulations for a government agency to take confiscated or found machine guns (Or other NFA items) and register them for their own use. This is a sort of “Mini-Amnesty” that only applies to Police departments and government affiliated museums. Unfortunately, many PD’s registered machine guns on Form 10’s when they either couldn’t find their original registration papers that would have made the guns transferable, or they didn’t know any better. Yes, I mean if they had used a Form 1 to “Make” the gun for the agency, it would now be a transferable piece. Not exactly Kosher, but I have seen this. Form 10 guns are not allowed to be transferred to dealers for other than destruction. They can be transferred to other law enforcement agencies, or to government affiliated museums.

Now that we have covered all of this ground, we can get to your question. How can you tell the difference? Only by the paperwork, and even then, only with a thorough check at NFA Branch to research the Registry for the status of the firearm in question. In the lower left hand corner of the Form 5 that the agency has the firearm registered on, there should be a rubber stamp marking on any restricted gun.

Fully transferable machine guns only have an approval there, with some initials of the examiner or other shorthand that NFA Branch ATF used at the time. The rubber stamps will indicate the status.

“Limited to use as a Sales Sample” and “Limited to Law Enforcement Use” are typically examples of “Pre-86 Dealer Sample” restrictions.

Anything that refers to “Restricted Registration; Possession limited to continued compliance with public law 99-308” will be a “Post-86 Dealer Sample”. There have been five or six different variations on this message.

Form 10 restricted guns will be on a Form 10 “Application for Registration of Firearms Acqired by Certain Governmental Agencies.”

These are general guidelines, and the examiners at NFA Branch ATF in Washington DC frequently use the wrong stamp, and ATF is under no obligation to honor the supposed status of a firearm that had paperwork accidentally mis-marked. The only sure way to tell what the status is, is to have NFA Branch research the date the firearm was registered. You can not do this, only the agency can- you can assist by having a letter drawn up for them to sign and send to NFA Branch asking for their research in the matter. Sometimes a PD will want a huge amount of trade for a Thompson they have had since 1950, because they saw the value in some magazine. Only to find out it was a Form 10 gun and it couldn’t be transferred- worth a few hundred dollars in parts at the most. Other times a dealer will stumble onto one of the handful of pre 1968 fully transferable Uzi’s, and get it for a few Glocks and some leather. That is what makes it all worthwhile.

By the way, it is doubtful that your National Guard or Reserve will be transferring any machine guns to you- it is not only against policy, but the military was not required to have any of their firearms registered with the NFRTR.

Q2- Your response to a recent Raffica question commented that mixing HK-93 in-bolt/in stock style recoil buffers may be dangerous. Some 12 years ago, I acquired a Ciener converted HK-93 which came with the In-bolt style buffer and a fixed stock which, per the picture in Raffica, also has a buffer. The HK-93 has seen little use, although, when fired has functioned well. Your comment causes me concern that the “double” buffer systems may be dangerous. I can well understand the potential for problems presented using a non-buffer bolt with a non-buffer stock, but are the same concerns applicable for a buffer-type bolt and buffer-type stock combination? Thanks for considering this questions.

Michael C. Hawker

A2- (This was in SAR Vol 1 No 6, page 10). I have not had the opportunity to compare the two for “Impact point”, but if they don’t interfere with each other, the only real effect I can see is to lessen the strain on either one during the end of the recoil cycle. The problem might arise if they do not miss each other or entirely contact each other, and you have a small area taking the impact. It might only “Torque” the recoil forces, forcing two buffers past each other leading to a mechanical failure, or it might cause more serious damage. Looking at the photos again, I think the two buffers more likely will miss each other entirely, and probably complement each other. The real danger here was to attempt to utilize the HK33 /93 system without the buffer on either the stock or the carrier, in which case you have introduced an unsafe condition to the otherwise superb HK system.

Q3- Do you have any info on the American 180 subgun in .22? When I tell folks about it, they think I am making it all up. We used to have a Police Department until a tax revolt lowered our property taxes. Since then, we have had to contract with the county to have both police and fire protection. I was one of the police reserves that was in on the testing of same weapon. Fired it and like it. Our Police Dept. bought it. It is now in the hand of ———— County, and it is never fired.

Kenneth E.

A3- I made your letter anonymous on purpose, so that your county Sheriff doesn’t get five hundred phone calls. The American 180 is certainly a very real machine gun, and it is very desirable. Captain Monty is a big fan of this little bullet hose (!800 rpm) and frequently writes on the subject.

The AM-180 uses a 177 round drum (larger ones are available) and fires from the open bolt. Originally it was Austrian, and the Austrian guns are Pre-1986 Dealer Samples, having been brought into the US from 1972 on. There was an American company that made these as well, and they are the transferable guns. Without getting into too much detail here, and spoiling a wonderful series of articles we have coming up in SAR, I would just like to assure your friends that the AM-180 did indeed exist, and many of them were made by about 5 incarnations of the different manufacturers. There was a semi-automatic version as well. Watch SAR for more in-depth on this. And no, I did NOT contact the Sheriff’s department, it wouldn’t be fair….

Questions to: Dan Shea C/O SAR

NEW GENERATION AMMO FROM CENTURY INTERNATIONAL

A new line of pistol ammo is now available from Century International. The high tech self defense rounds are loaded with the new “Sentry” bullet. These projectiles are based on a solid copper slug which is nickel plated to reduce barrel friction. The projectile looks like a wadcutter with a post in the center. A plastic cap is fitted on the tip of the slug to ensure reliable feeding in self-loading firearms. Because of the makeup of the slugs they offer no core-jacket separation in hard or soft targets, no ricochets when hitting hard objects like windshields even at sharp angles, virtually 100% weight retention in tissue and excellent expansion (.50” for 9mm). The ammo is currently available in .380 acp, 9mm, .38 Special, .357 Mag., .40 S&W, .45 acp and .44 Mag.. The new projectiles will not penetrate bullet-proof vests. For more information contact Century International Arms, Inc., Dept. SAR, 1161 Holland Drive, Boca Raton, FL 33487. Phone: 1-800-527-1252. Fax: 1-561-998-1993. You can also visit them on the web at www.centuryarms.com.

NEW PRODUCTS FROM KNIGHT’S MANUFACTURING COMPANY

Knight’s Manufacturing has introduced a whole list of new products this year. Two of them will prove to be very exciting to readers of Small Arms Review. The first is their new Stoner SR-50 rifle. Shown at the 1998 Shot Show this huge rifle is a gas-operated, semi-auto rifle chambered in .50 BMG. The rifle is magazine fed, weighs 31 pounds and is 58.5” long. Offering outstanding accuracy at extreme ranges, this new rifle promises to be very popular with long range “heavy” shooters. The other new product is the long awaited Modular Weapons System for the H&K family of firearms. This new system, based on the Rail Interface allows for quick attachment of numerous accessories such as: reflex sights, lasers, sling swivels, bipods, flashlights and a vertical pistol grip with no modification of the firearm. The new system will be available in three sizes, Short; for the MP-5, H&K 94 and H&K 53, Medium; for the H&K 33, and 93, and Long for the H&K 91/G-3. For more information on these and other new innovative products contact; Knights Manufacturing Company, Dept. SAR, 7750 9th Street S.W., Vero Beach, FL 32968. Phone: 1-561-778-3700. Fax: 1-561-569-2955.

SMITH & WESSON 76 / MK 760 PARTS

Scott Andrey Machine is now offering new manufacture parts for the Smith & Wesson 76 and the MK 760 submachine guns. Parts include bolts, barrels, recoil springs, recoil spring guides and tubes, and various other internal parts. The company is also offering magazines in various capacities. The magazines are converted from Tec-9, AP-9 or DC-9 magazines. They can also rebuild your original worn or loose fitting magazines. They additionally can blue or parkerize your magazines or parts. All their work is guaranteed and magazines are guaranteed to function properly. For more information or to place an order contact Scott Andrey Machine, Dept. SAR, 108 Beaufort Road, Fremont, NC 27830. Phone: 1-919-242-6334 evenings.

COMPETITION TRIGGERS FOR SAVAGE TACTICAL RIFLES

Savage owners all over the country have found salvation from a “less than desirable trigger pull”, through Sharp Shooters Supply new Competition Trigger for the 110 series of rifles. With an adjustment range of 2 lbs down to 12 ozs, the complaints will cease from varmint hunters, tactical users and competition shooters who desire a crisper, lighter trigger pull. Using three lever geometry, the trigger is designed to be a “drop-in” replacement, requiring no special tools. It is adjustable for; engagement, overtravel and pull weight. Best of all, it allows use of the factory safety. The Sharp Shooter Competition Trigger will fit the entire line of 110, 111, 112 and 116 series rifles, including the new short action models 10 and 12. Cost of the trigger is $89.95 post-paid, and is available directly from Sharp Shooters Supply, Dept. SAR, 4970 Lehman Road, Delphos, OH 45833. Phone: 1-419-695-3179.

TITANIUM NITRIDE AR PARTS

DPMS Inc. is now offering a Titanium Nitride coating on the key wear parts for the AR-15 series rifles. Titanium Nitride coating is an extremely hard material with added lubricity. The Titanium Nitride coating will add additional longevity and wear to the parts that wear against each other (i.e., hammer to trigger, trigger to disconnector, bolt to barrel extension). The lubricity will allow the gun to operate more smoothly and will clean much easier. The Titanium coating is gold in color and accents nicely with the black rifle. For more information or to place an order contact, DPMS Inc., Dept. SAR, 13983 Industry Avenue, Becker, MN 55308. Phone: 1-612-261-5600. Fax: 1-612-261-5599. Or visit them on the net at www.dpmsinc.com.

PRACTICAL CARBINE ONE

Gunsite has been one of the premier shooting schools since it was begun by Col. Jeff Cooper in the mid-1970s. Several years ago the school was sold to Richard Jee, and it has kept its good reputation.

Recently Gunsite released a series of firearms video tapes, and I received Tactical Carbine 1 for review from Paladin Press. The tape begins by stating that it is not intended to stand by itself, but to supplement ongoing training programs. It goes on to stress the four safety rules codified by Col. Cooper.

1. All guns are always loaded.
2. Never let the muzzle cover anything you are not willing to destroy.
3. Keep your finger off the trigger until the sights are on the target.
4. Know your target and what is behind it.

The tape then shows Gunsite trainers Bill Jeans and Jack Furr discussing the tactical carbine, a short- barreled AR-15 or M-16 variant, with a tactical sling, light and sometimes, an optical sight. Ted Yost, the resident gunsmith at Gunsite, discusses slings, lights and aftermarket triggers which can clean up the usual less-than-perfect AR-type trigger.

Furr and Jeans then cover the “proper” way to load and unload the carbine, ballistics and zeroing, ready positions, tactical and speed reloading drills, firing positions, including squatting (rice paddy prone), urban or rollover prone, and the supine position. The supine position looked particularly interesting to me. It is suggested as the way to use very low cover, curbs, or short walls effectively. I also think it would make an interesting stage in a practical pistol or rifle match.

I was also interested in the method presented for making tactical reloads. I’ve never really been a proponent of reloading techniques that leave the competitive  shooter’s magazines in the dirt. Now, with the cost of four or five of some high-capacity magazines approaching the price I paid for the gun they fit, and actually exceeding the cost of some other guns, I find even less reason to drop them. I’d rather pocket them than simply hope they fall on something soft.

Malfunction drills, shooting multiple targets, and shooting on the move are covered in Tactical Carbine 1. Tactics, low light methods, and dry practice finish out the tape. The method shown for clearing a stovepipe, working the bolt, and moving the weapon sharply to the right to throw the offending round or case clear of the gun is much quicker and more positive than the way I’ve been clearing jams in my AR clone until now.

Tactical Carbine 1 is aimed to a degree at police, military and security personnel who are issued a “tactical carbine” as part of their job. The building clearing segments may have more relevance to them than anyone else. At the same time I thought it would have things to teach a practical rifle shooter, or a citizen who wanted to increase his effectiveness with a carbine kept for personal defense.

One of the things I liked best about the tape was the clear, concise description of tactical reloads and malfunction clearing. In the dry practice segment use of orange-colored dummy ammunition, and careful clearing of the weapon before practice was stressed. I was less impressed with the segment showing pictures of armed thugs, and IPSC targets on screen so that the viewer could mount his carbine and dry fire at them. I don’t like a lot of the programming on TV, but I am still not willing to chance destroying the set with a .223 round. I know that checking a firearm carefully and using snap caps, as shown in the tape, will make it safe to dry fire, but I still feel it is too close to a violation of Rule Two.

I also had some questions about one method of loading the carbine. I find it much simpler to close the bolt on my rifle with the thumb of my left hand, rather than slapping the bolt release with the palm, which was shown as an alternate method on the tape. Using the palm means taking the support hand off the weapon, something that doesn’t make sense to me.

Except for those complaints, I found Tactical Carbine 1 to illustrate a well-thought out method of using the carbine. It was well worth the time I spent watching it.

Tactical Carbine 1, Tactical Pistol 1, Tactical Shotgun 1, Tactical Edged Weapons 1, are available for $29.95 each plus shipping from Paladin Press, P.O. Box 1307, Dept. SAR, Boulder, CO 80306, or by calling 1-800-392-2400.

(Editor’s note: Readers who are planning on attending this year’s Soldier of Fortune Convention in Las Vegas and have scheduled themselves a little sightseeing time will probably want to visit this museum. The historical cars are of great interest to many of us who cover small arms, as the leaders of the countries involved in many of the conflicts expressed much of their personality in their vehicles.)

While not a firearms museum, the over 750 antique, classic, special interest and military origin vehicles comprising the multi-million dollar Imperial Palace Hotel auto collection in Las Vegas, Nevada holds much of interest to small arms collectors and shooters.

Many gun aficionados started out early in collecting life by restoring old jalopies to running condition. While later moving on to firearms, many still retain an interest in automobiles. One of today’s premier firearms manufacturers, William B. Ruger, has an automotive interest as well, and maintains a large car collection. The collection will also be of interest to students of military history.

More than 200 vehicles spanning nearly 100 years of automotive history are on display at any given time in a plush, gallery-like setting comprising 65,000-square-feet on the fifth floor of the Imperial Palace’s parking facility. While the main focus is on civilian vehicles, there are a number of military origin pieces in the collection. These specimens run the gamut from motorcycles, to trucks, tractors and amphibious vehicles. There is the image of power and simplicity presented by a 1940 Dodge Command Car, to an American paratrooper’s lightweight bicycle, to one of the largest military personnel carriers ever built – the German Krausse Maffei.

Hitler’s Vehicle

The Leader’s Row section of the museum contains a 1939 Mercedes Benz, 770K, one of several bullet-resistant vehicles manufactured for Adolph Hitler. The Mercedes weighs 11,960 pounds and is 20-feet long, 7-feet wide and can carry up to 9 passengers. The car contained solid rubber, bullet-resistant tires as well as bullet-resistant wheels. All of its seven windows are bullet-resistant and two-inches thick. The floor is mine-resistant, while the doors (weighing 900-pounds each) contain one-and-a-half-inch thick armor plate, and the rear is protected by a large shield. While this car was being built, Hitler visited the factory to inspect its workmanship and personally tested the armor plating by firing two pistol rounds into the right rear quarter panel. While he had several armored vehicles, this particular car was the only one built from the ground up specifically for Hitler. This is the same vehicle used on June 18, 1940 that appeared in the famous photographs depicting Hitler and his Italian counterpart, Benito Mussolini, standing and riding in this automobile in Munich, Germany. Hitler also rode in this vehicle during the Berlin victory parade on July 6, 1940. While being a short man, Hitler’s front right seat could be folded back to allow him to stand at a higher elevation to appear as if he were much taller. There is also a compartment in front of Hitler’s seat where a pistol was stored.

Mussolini’s car

Along the same lines, the 1939 Alfa Romeo Tipo 6C 2500S Berlinetta, formerly owned by the Italian dictator, Benito Mussolini, may be seen as well. This car was part of a convoy traveling from Milan in April 1945 when it was stopped by partisan forces just before the town of Dongo, on the western bank of Como Lake. Mussolini’s lover, Claretta Petacci, who had been given the car as a gift by Mussolini, was present, as was her brother Marcello, who was driving. Also riding in the vehicle were Zita Ritossa, Marcello’s companion, and their two children. Mussolini himself, was found hiding in another convoy vehicle, a German truck. He was wearing the overcoat and helmet of a German Luftwaffe Corporal.

Nearly all the members of the convoy were executed on the spot by the partisans. Marcello Petacci, who tried to flee, was shot at the edge of the lake. Mussolini and Claretta were taken to a small house and kept overnight. This was the first (and last) time they had spent the entire night together. For the next morning, the pair were taken outside and executed by Communist partisans. The identity of those who fired the rounds is still a mystery. After the executions, the two bodies were taken to Milan and exposed in Loreto Square, hanging by their heels.

The Alfa Romeo was kept in impoundment by the local Italian police until an American soldier brought it to the U.S.

Other historical vehicles in the collection include Japanese Emperor Hirohito’s 1935 Packard, the last Russian Czar Nicholas II’s 1914 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost, the former Argentine strongman Juan Peron’s 1939 Straight-8 Packard and former Mexican President Lazaro Cardenas’ armor-plated 1939 V-12 Packard. Al Capone’s 1930 V-16 Cadillac is one of the museum’s biggest attractions.

Contact Info.

To keep the collection interesting for repeat visitors, several vehicles are rotated from storage to the display area each month. Open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m., admission is $6.95 for adults and $3. for children. Nearly 50,000 visitors come in every year. For more information contact the 2,700-room Imperial Palace Hotel & Casino, 3535 Las Vegas Blvd.So., Las Vegas, Nevada 89109. Telephone: (702) 731-3311 or toll free (800) 634-6441.

In these politically correct times, terms such as “Sporter”, “Match”, and “Target” inappropriately find their names attached to rifles which, in more innocent days, would have been given titles containing letters and numbers designating a military heritage. For a rifle to be called a “Sniper” these days, it had better be up to par! Enter the SIG SG 550-1 Sniper. Manufactured in Switzerland by Schweizerische Industrie Gesellschaft (SIG), this semi-automatic rifle chambered in .223 Remington caliber (5.56 X 45mm) more than lives up to its name. Introduced into the company’s lineup around 1989, it’s always been somewhat of a limited issue item. Its design is based on the SIG 550 series of military assault rifles known in Switzerland as the Sturmgewehr 90 (Stgw 90). But this hybrid rifle is manufactured with sniper specific features totally unique from the main issue battle rifle of the Swiss Army. This article will detail those features and evaluate the overall design.

Market Share

The SIG SG-550-1 Sniper was developed in close co-operation with the special units of police forces. As such, its design concept foregoes many of the requirements a military sniper might need. Of these, both the caliber and operating system are different than most military sniper rifles, i.e., .308 Winchester chambering in a bolt-action, fixed magazine design. The 550 series rifles are .223 Remington, semi-automatic detachable magazine weapons. When looked at in terms of a police issue sniper, this combination is highly appropriate. The military sniper operates on the principles of tracking, concealment, observation, and long range engagement. Generally, one quick shot is all that is needed, with a hasty retreat to follow. On the other hand, a police sniper usually operates from a fixed location at a known distance typically under 100 meters. The accuracy requirements are the same as for the military engagement, but under different circumstances. The ability to deliver multiple follow-up shots quickly, if necessary, is at the officer’s discretion. He has this option with the semi-automatic design. The military sniper in the field usually doesn’t. Reliability is another issue. Neither can afford to have a malfunctioning weapon. Most military desire the simplicity of design that a bolt action offers. While I am sure there are many people more qualified than myself to compare the military-vs-police debate, let me just state that SIG has only made large sales of the SG 550-1 Sniper to the Swiss Policy forces and the Jordanian Palace Guard. There are no national military forces that have gone on record as purchasers. While many semi-auto/full-auto sniper rifles have entered military service worldwide, (Dragunov SVD, M14/M21, G3-SG1, etc) those choices could very well have been based on political as well as economical decisions.

Optimum Adjusting Possibilities

The SIG SG 550-1 Sniper is by far one of the most user adjustable rifles ever made. A list of the 11 features which can be individually adjusted to suite the person firing the rifle are as follows:

Buttplate-up/down
Buttplate-rotation (cant)
Buttplate-in/out (length of pull)
Check piece-up/down
Pistol grip-front/rear (rake)
Pistol grip-hand rest up/down
Scope mount-left/right (axiel orientation)
Scope mount-front/rear (eye relief)
Bipod-leg height up/down
Bipod-left/right (cant)
Bipod-(angle of inclination)

With this many adjustments available, the rifle can be adapted to the shooter’s individual anatomy and firing position. All in all, the rifle proved to be extremely comfortable to operate. The earlier manufactured buttstocks had a recess underneath which magnetically secured an Allen wrench to perform these adjustments. Later variants deleted this feature. Additionally, the entire buttstock assembly can be folded over to the right hand side, allowing the rifle to be placed into its transit case for storage.

The trigger mechanism is, quite simply, an experience to behold. I have personally fired many rifles and handguns with custom trigger work, and many military designs as well. However, I have never manipulated a more precise trigger in my life! All competitive benchrest applications aside (which typically break at 2 oz.) the two-stage trigger pull and feel of the SG 550-1 Sniper is exquisite. The specifications are as follows:

Take-up weight – (800 grams) 1.75 lbs.
Pull weight – (1500 grams) 3.3 lbs.
Take-up length – 3.5mm
Trigger pull length – 4.1mm

Externally, all that is visible is a large plastic trigger shoe. The trigger guard itself is designed to rotate left or right out of the way of a gloved trigger finger. Internally, a comparison between the SG 550-1 Sniper and a standard 550 trigger mechanism will show the elimination of the heavy 3-coil trigger spring, and the addition of a much lighter and relocated return spring which extends down into the pistol grip.

Likewise, a unique trigger and sear assembly contribute to the refined let-off of the sniper version. The owners manual states: “The two-stage trigger action is set optimally at our works. To ensure functional safety, the shooter should not alter any trigger settings.” No adjustments to the trigger should be necessary as it comes pre-set out of the box. Precise trigger break and pull are necessary requirements for any type of shooting accuracy. The SIG SG 550-1 Sniper definitely surpasses the standard. An ambidexterous safety lever is also included.

The gas assisted operation of the action is of the rotating bolt design. In comparison, the SIG 550 series rifles are direct copies of the AK-47 operating system. The bolt rotates and locks into battery using the same design as the Kalishnikov. The only significant difference is the location of the return spring. It is wrapped around the gas piston rod instead of being a separate spring assembly that pushes from the rear of the receiver. While this location of the return spring could subject it to the extreme operating temperatures of the gas piston and barrel, thereby ruining the temper of the spring’s steel, the Swiss Army adopted the rifle for its own use. Obviously it is suitable enough for their purposes, including fully automatic fire. On the SG 550-1 Sniper, limited only to semi-automatic, this is not at all an issue. A two-position gas valve setting is featured. One position is for regular service. The other setting is for cold or icy conditions which require more energy to cycle the action. However, recoil is increased in the latter setting thereby affecting accuracy.

Unique to the SG 550-1 Sniper, the barrel is 25.6 inches long and has a right-hand twist rate of 1-in 10 inches, with 6 grooves. It has an extra heavy barrel contour of .750” with a recessed and crowned muzzle. The metallurgical properties of the barrel are not published, but it is hammer forged and screws into the receiver. Its finish is a matte-black non-reflective coating. A black elastic anti-mirage band is fitted above the handguards to avoid heatwaves from rising off the warm barrel and distorting the view through the scope. All of the plastic furniture is colored black as opposed to the green which is usually found on the 550 Series rifles. All of the remaining metal parts and the two receiver halves are finished in a gray powder coat.

A Parker-Hale bipod is located beneath the handguards. Made of steel, this well known design has two legs which fold up underneath the handguard for storage. As mentioned earlier, it is adjustable for height and both angle of cant and inclination. Each leg has a swiveling rubber padded base.

Magazines made for the 550 rifles are produced from a transparent plastic which allows a good view of the ammunition remaining inside. A unique system of interlocking lugs and studs allow up to three magazines to be attached together side by side while inserted into the receiver. The usefulness of this feature has questionable status on a sniper rifle. If you need sixty rounds of ammunition for the situation at hand, you need another rifle! Standard magazine capacity is twenty rounds, with a five round magazine also being supplied. The low profile obtainable with the five rounder may be a worthwhile consideration. Thirty round capacity magazines are also offered by SIG. All magazines have a bolt hold-open feature which causes the bolt to lock back after the last round is ejected.

Fixed sights are not provided with the SG 550-1 Sniper. Instead, a spring loaded scope mount is attached to the top of the receiver with Allen head screws locking it rigidly into place. A detachable upper rail is interchangeable with other styles of mounting rails to accept a variety of scope platforms. NATO STANAG 2324 mounting, European rail mount, night vision devices, and various sized rings can all be adapted to fit the rifle. The scope mount pictured in this article has a set of one inch rings fitted for use with a Kahles ZFM 10X rangefinding reticle scope with a built-in bullet drop compensator. The mount has been serial numbered to match the rifle. Other scopes offered for the SIG rifles have been Zeiss, Hensoldt, and Kern optics in both fixed and variable powers. The Carl Zeiss offerings, when available, were in the 1.6 x 6, or more recently in 2.5 x 10 magnification Diavari-Z rail-mounted configuration. The Hensoldt optics would be the fixed 10X power with a tritium rangefinding reticle pattern and bullet-drop compensator , or a 1.5 x 6 x 42 variable with beta light (tritium) illumination. Some night vision may not work too well due to the lack of a flash hider on the barrel possibly causing the unit to “bloom out”. Also, as detailed previously, the mount has the ability to be moved from side to side as well as front to rear. This helps to compensate for proper eye relief as well as preventing the scope from hitting your face. These are invaluable features that I can’t recall being offered on any other scope mount.

Accessories provided include a locking storage case custom fitted specifically for the SG 550-1 Sniper. A roll-up cleaning tool kit comes with every item needed to keep the rifle in service. Sling, magazine loading tool, and Allen wrenches are also supplied. Fully illustrated owners manuals in English, German and French are provided, along with a detailed parts schematic inside, listing all items by name. Sixty-eight pages in length, other firearms manufacturers could learn a lesson from SIG in describing their weapons performance.

Accuracy Testing

For the sake of simplicity, all testing for this article was done at 100 yds. Unfortunately, a longer distance firing range was not available at the time of testing. In keeping with the idea of how a police sniper rifle would be used, this was acceptable. Furthermore, all groups were kept to 5 rounds each to obtain a more reliable average. The military ammunition used was Lake city SS109 (M855) green tip with a 62 grain steel core bullet. Also tested was Hirtenberger SS92 (M193) with a 55 grain bullet and Canadian IVI manufactured XM-287 using a 68 grain bullet. The hand-loaded ammunition consisted of two different loads. These were the Hornady 53 grain BTHP Match with a Federal 205 Match primer and Winchester 748 powder producing 3,150 f.p.s., and a Hornady 68 grrain BTHP Match, Federal 205 Match primer and Winchester 748 powder at 2,800 f.p.s. The purpose of this was to see if the SG550-1 Sniper barrel with its 1-in 10 inch twist rate favored the lighter or heavier weight bullets. A bullet that weighs 62 grains is stabilized with a 1-in 7 inch twist, while a 55 grain bullet is stabilized using a 1-in 12 inch twist. SIG’s own specifications call for the use of Switzerland’s GP90 ammunition, which is a 63 grain steel cored projectile. It is designed with a much more pronounced ogive than the SS109 bullet. Not having any GP90 ammo available, the two different hand-loads helped in obtaining a good combination of bullet weights.

As could be expected, the military issued ball ammunition produced flyer’s, stringing shots, and erratic performance. Both of the hand-loaded rounds used in the testing showed greatly improved performance. While the results do not show that a heavier bullet will always perform better in the SG550-1 Sniper rifle, they do show that it groups better using hand-loaded ammunition. While not always an absolute rule for all firearms, in my experiance custom loaded ammo usually groups tighter than military issued ball. It would appear that the SIG rifle does shoot best using the long, heavy Hornady 68gr. BTHP Match. The Hornady Loading Manual states that this bullet must be used with a twist rate of 1 in 10” or faster. The loading suits the SG550-1 Sniper fine, allowing it to achieve the under one minute of angle accuracy necessary for sniper work.

Final Thoughts

With the most recent Presidential Executive Order banning the further importation of the SIG SG550-1 Sniper rifle, it is now relegated to the status of a collector firearm. Only military and law enforcement agencies will be allowed to import any future quantities. The rifle evaluated for this article was one of the last brought into the United States available for civilian ownership. The importer, Capital City Firearms, can obtain no more. This is an unfortunate situation. The rifle’s high price (around $10,000 with optics) already prevented it from being a commonly encountered weapon. Target shooters and collectors of fine firearms will no longer have the opportunity to obtain one. But for a police department needing the tactical superiority that the SG550-1 Sniper provides, it would be available directly from SIG. The decision to choose this sniper rifle over others is easy to make. If the situation demands possible multiple shots, the limitless ability of adapting to the shooters anatomy, and under minute of angle accuracy, then the SIG SG550-1 Sniper is the answer. If the need arose for a .223 caliber sniper rifle, such as for issues of over-penetration and ricochet, this rifle is an obvious choice. While not a total replacement for tried and true .308 sniper systems, whether in bolt-action or semi-auto, the .223 SIG Sniper will always have its place in the law enforcement arsenal.

S.I.G., Swiss Industrial Co.
Neuhausen an Rheinfalls
CH-8212, Switzerland
02-053/21 61/11

C.C.F. Capital City Firearms
PO Box 29009
Richmond, VA 23242
1-804-740-4926

I would like to express my sincere appreciation to Mr. Jim Schatz of Heckler & Koch, Inc., without whose assistance this
article would not have been possible.

Heckler and Koch’s Universal Self-Loading Pistol, better known as the USP, is a true firearms success story in what has become a highly competitive worldwide handgun market. In order to succeed in this arena, a handgun must not only meet the criteria for which it was designed, but must actually exceed most of them. In essence, a good firearm is synergistic – it is greater than the sum of its parts. The USP is such a pistol. It combines the best of traditional firearms with the best of state of the art firearms technology. While not as widespread in police use as Glock pistols, the USP is nonetheless just as reliable, while being much more flexible in its ability to be modified to meet specific user requirements. Moreover, the USP is a traditional pistol in the American idiom, while at the same time taking full advantage of the most modern materials to achieve levels of reliability and longevity that would have been unimaginable just 25 years ago.

The genesis of the USP can be traced to the “Miami Shoot-out” which caused the Federal Bureau of Investigation to change from 9mm Parabellum to 10mm. H&K wanted to compete for the FBI 10mm pistol contract, but had no pistols in 10mm caliber, nor any conventional double action/single action (DA/SA) pistol as required by the FBI specifications. In fact, H&K had no pistols other than in 9mm caliber and the company came to realize that if it was to maintain its viability in an increasingly competitive handgun market, it would have to expand and diversify its product line. Moreover, management realized that as good as their pistols were, several, such as the P7 were unconventional, although most people who purchase handguns are essentially conservative, preferring more conventional designs. Further, Heckler & Koch realized that P7 pistols for the most part had become so expensive that they could not effectively compete against companies such as Glock and Smith & Wesson in the US market.

The company decided to begin with a clean slate and gather input from the shooters themselves to influence the design of the new pistol. H&K also decided that their next pistol should be developed primarily for the US market. Accordingly, H&K conducted a market survey to determine the preferences of American handgun shooters of all types, including military, law enforcement and civilian. This study was completed in July 1989.

The H&K study revealed a number of facts regarding the American handgun market which many firearms manufacturers would do well to heed. Perhaps most important was the fact that people who were serious about handguns were conservative. Whether they were professionals or simply serious enthusiasts, they preferred a handgun of conventional design. This is not to say that the American market is hostile to innovation – far from it. Americans have traditionally been enamored with innovation and technology, but technology alone cannot replace that which is of proven efficacy unless it improves upon it. Heckler & Koch concluded that a conventional pistol incorporating as many high-tech innovations as possible would be most attractive to the American market. Affordability was another major concern. While many people might well have purchased an innovative H&K P7, its high price made that pistol a non-starter for most individuals and law-enforcement agencies. Other major considerations were high quality, durability and reliability, safety, accuracy, magazine capacity and low recoil. And finally, the science of ergonomics would play a large part in design of the new pistol. After their market study, Heckler & Koch compiled and prioritized the characteristics of what would eventually become the Universal Self-loading Pistol, now simply known as the USP. In addition to the characteristics already noted, it was decided early in the design process that the pistol would be a double-action/single-action (DA/SA) with the capability for straightforward conversion to a number of different configurations to satisfy the requirements of as many users as possible. H&K also decided that the pistol would be initially chambered for the .40 S&W cartridge with other calibers to follow. This decision was based on the increasing popularity of the .40 S&W, which delivers ballistics nearly on a par with those of the venerable .45 ACP, although with less recoil. Also, a pistol designed from the outset for .40 S&W would have no problem accommodating the less powerful 9x19mm cartridge. H&K had noted that some .40 S&W pistols that were modified from 9x19mm designs had durability problems and they wanted to ensure that there were no such problems with their new pistol. In fact, the USP was the first pistol specifically designed for the .40 S&W cartridge. Design development began in September 1989 and took nearly two years. The head of the design team was Helmut Weldle, designer of the P7 pistols.

By May 1991, basic USP design work was nearly completed and the desired characteristics agreed upon. Shortly thereafter, in August, H&K began design work on the Offensive Handgun Weapons System (OHWS) for the United States Special Operations Command. This design was later type-classified as the Mark 23 Mod 0 USSOCOM Pistol, hereafter referred to as the Mark 23. While development of the Mark 23 pistol was concurrent with that of the USP and the final products shared many similar characteristics, they were developed independently within H&K.

The fact that the USP went into production after the Mark 23 prototypes were delivered to the US Government for testing is not indicative that the USP design was derived from the USSOCOM handgun. On the contrary, if anything, many of the Mark 23’s features were derived from the USP, which was already under development when the US Government’s request for proposal (RFP) for the OHWS was announced in December 1990. At the same time, development of the USP was influenced by the Mark 23’s development process. The development of the Mark 23 will be covered separately. While the Mark 23 is not a member of the immediate USP family, it is a first cousin and must be included in any discussion of the USP’s development.

By late 1991, the first prototype of the USP had been constructed and the USP name assigned to the new pistol. Two further prototypes were produced and tested during 1992. Testing was successful and the basic design was “frozen” in December of that year. Reliability testing on the USP prototypes was unfinished at the time of the design “freeze,” but since both pistols had fired 10,000 rounds of their 20,000 round reliability test without incident, it was decided to freeze the design and proceed with production planning and formal introduction of the USP at the January 1993 Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trades (SHOT) Show. Actual production of the USP40 was undertaken in February 1993.

At this point, it is worth noting the testing process that the USP underwent in the final stages of its development. The fact that the pistol passed a 20,000 round reliability test without meaningful wear on any component or any effect on accuracy has little meaning until one considers that the tried and true M1911A1 pistols which still serve in some military special operations units (not all have purchased the Mark 23 at the timeof this writing) require a depot-level rebuild after approximately 12,000 rounds to ensure accuracy and reliability. Another measure of the rugged design of the USP is the fact that unmodified USP45s have presently fired over 6,000 rounds of the new .45 super ammunition without incident. M1911-type pistols must be modified to reliably fire the .45 Super cartridge. Both USP45s and the Mark 23 are being tested with this new cartridge with a view towards certifying both pistols for its unlimited use. .45 Super testing should be complete by mid-1998 and results made pubic shortly thereafter.

USP testing was heavily influenced by the development of the Mark 23, which had to meet stringent military durability and reliability standards. The tests of the USP paralleled the NATO military test protocols of the Mark 23, which are much more stringent than commercial standards. The USP pistols were subjected to test firing in various attitudes and were checked every 1,000 rounds for damaged or broken parts and for accuracy. After each 10,000 rounds, the slide was manually cycled 1,000 times. A bullet was driven into the forcing cone of the USP barrel, a live round chambered and the pistol fired. There was no damage to the pistol and accuracy was unaffected. Another bullet was driven 30mm into the muzzle of the pistol and the pistol fired, again with no damage or degradation in performance. The pistols were dropped onto rubber on all sides and at a 45 degree angle onto the muzzle from a height of four feet with a primed case in the chamber, 13 dummy rounds in the magazine and the safety/decocking lever set in the “fire” position without incident. The pistols were then dropped six times onto a cocked hammer from a height of three and nearly seven feet onto a steel/concrete surface. There were no primer indentations in any of these tests. For ammunition compliance testing, USPs were tested using every type of commercially available ammunition.

Environmental testing of the USP was virtually identical to that of the Mark 23. The USP had to function in temperatures as low as -51O Fahrenheit and as high as +145O Fahrenheit. It functioned after a ten minute mud bath, after a ten minute exposure to blowing sand, freezing rain (water spray on the pistol to a thickness of 1 to 3mm). After these torture tests, the parts of four different pistols of different caliber were interchanged, except for barrel, slide and magazine. The USP passed or exceeded all tests and the .40 caliber pistols were placed on the market in the United States in April 1993. The 9mm USP followed in September.

The USP is, as we have stated, largely a traditional pistol design executed in nontraditional ways. It is a short recoil, modified Browning system similar to that used in the Browning M1935. This system is simple, very reliable, inexpensive to produce and makes barrel replacement easy. Unlike the system used in the M1935, the H&K locks on the front and rear edges of the ejection port, rather than using locking grooves machined into the slide and barrel.

The safety/decocking lever, called a “control lever” by H&K, is positioned at the same relative location on the frame as that in both the M1935 and M1911 pistols, and functions in the same fashion – up is “safe,” down is “fire.” There is one difference, however. Pressing the lever down past the “fire” position usually decocks the USP when the hammer is cocked. The lever then automatically returns to the “fire” position, enabling the USP to be operated in the double action mode for the first shot. This feature also allows the USP to be safely carried in “Condition One” – cocked and locked, which is favored by many armed professionals who are intimately familiar with the M1911 Colt Government Model and its many copies. Unlike the M1911, however, setting the USP to the “safe” position does not lock the slide. The control lever can easily be set up for left hand, right hand, or ambidextrous use. It should also be noted that besides having controls which are very similar in function to those of the M1911, the grip angle of the USP is identical to that of the venerable Browning design. Thus, an individual familiar with the M1911 or M1935 can pick up a USP and become familiar with it with very little familiarization training. Not all USPs, however, incorporate this system. The versatility of the USP allows it to be configured without a safety or decocking position in some versions. The different versions into which the USP can be configured are shown in Table 1.

Table 1: USP & Mark 23 Specifications

The slide release of the USP is also located similarly to that of the M1911 and M1935 and like the earlier designs is used to disassemble the pistol. The ambidextrous magazine release, however, is a real improvement over the traditional M1911 “push button.” The magazine release of the USP is located in essentially the same position as the older pistols, but instead of having to push in to release the magazine, the release button is pressed down to drop the magazine. To the author, at least, this is a much more natural movement than pressing in. The release is actually shielded by the trigger guard to prevent inadvertent actuation. We should also note that the magazines of the USP drop free when the release is pressed, an important tactical consideration. Despite this, there are “tearaway grooves” on the sides of the grip just in case….

The USP incorporates three or four separate safety mechanisms, depending on variant. Two of these safeties, the disconnector and the firing pin block, are passive. All USP pistols incorporate these two passive mechanisms. Six of the nine USP variants have a manual safety/decocker. Variant Seven has the double action safety with no manual control lever at all. Variants Three and Four do not have a manual safety, but have a decocking lever. The reader can determine the specific features of USP variants by referring to the chart accompanying this article. While Variant Eight is listed in the chart matrix, it was never produced except in very small numbers for US Immigration and Naturalization Border Patrol testing. Variant eight was essentially a Variant Seven USP with European tritium sights.

The barrel of the USP is cold hammer forged. Early pistols had six lands and grooves with a right hand twist. .40 S&W USPs were rifled with 1 turn in 14.96 inches, while 9mm Parabellum pistols had rifling at a rate of 1 turn in 9.84 inches. In November 1994 the rifling was changed from conventional lands and grooves to polygonal rifling, an H&K innovation. Twist rates remained the same as in earlier guns, but the cold hammer forged polygonal rifling has several benefits. Muzzle velocity is increased versus standard rifling due to a tighter gas seal. Because there are no sharp edges, bore wear and erosion are reduced, thus providing longer service life. Barrels with polygonal rifling are easier to clean and maintain because there are no grooves, per se, in which fouling and metal deposits can accumulate. Finally, polygonal rifling increases accuracy. The USP45 was never manufactured with conventional rifling.

The polymer frame of the USP continues a Heckler & Koch tradition that dates back to the mid-1960’s VP70, P9S and other H&K firearms. The precise makeup of the polymer frame is proprietary, but it is glass-fiber reinforced with metal guide rails on which the slide runs. As previously mentioned, the grip has “tear away” grooves to enable the shooter easy access to the magazine floorplate in case the magazine does not drop free when the release is pressed. The trigger guard is oversize to allow use of gloves and is shaped so as to help prevent the magazine release from being inadvertently pressed, which could prove highly embarrassing, not to mention fatal! The entire surface of the frame is textured for a positive grip, even with wet hands. The USP’s texturing is very similar to that of the Mark 23 and incorporates stippling on the grip side panels and deeply embossed grooves on the grip front and backstraps. A lanyard loop is molded into the heel of the grip as part of the insert that retains the hammer spring. The magazine well is beveled and stepped to facilitate reloading.

Another feature of the USP frame is the molded in grooves for mounting accessories such as laser, tactical lights, optical sights, or muzzle compensators. The grooves are parallel with the bore of the pistol, so any accessory mounted is boresighted when mounted. H&K claims that the grooves are more secure and resistant to recoil forces than trigger guard mounts in addition to providing automatic bore alignment for attached accessories.

H&K makes a full range of accessories for all versions of the USP, including a tactical light, designated the Universal Tactical Light (UTL), a UTL carrying pouch which allows the UTL to be attached to long guns, tools, bicycles, etc. H&K once manufactured the “Quik-Comp” muzzle brake/compensator which attached to the mounting grooves. This may still occasionally be found as a used component. Finally, H&K has an Optical Sight/Scope Mount available for the USP. This mount incorporates a Weaver mounting rail, can be used either with or without the “Quik-Comp,” and does not interfere with the pistol’s iron sights. The popularity of the USP has caused after-market manufacturers to begin producing similar accessories for the USP pistol family.

Magazines of the .40 S&W and 9x19mm pistols are of polymer with a stainless steel insert, while that of the USP45 is steel. Magazine capacity is 13 rounds in .40 S&W, 15 rounds in 9x19mm and 12 rounds in .45 ACP, except for civilian use pistols, which are all equipped with the silly federally-mandated “politically correct” ten-round magazines. The reader should be aware that there are no unmarked “pre-ban” .45 magazines for the USP. Any “pre-ban” magazines for the USP45 are in fact stolen Mark 23 magazines. Caveat emptor! The .45 caliber magazine was made from steel to keep grip circumference down while maximizing magazine capacity. The .45 magazine design is virtually identical to that of the Mark 23 USSOCOM Pistol. All magazines drop free when the release is pressed, contain “round count” holes with numbers and can be disassembled for cleaning and maintenance by the owner, even the “politically correct” ten-round civilian-use magazines.

A unique feature of the USP is its recoil reduction system, again virtually identical to that used on the Mark 23 USSOCOM Pistol. Essentially, the recoil reduction system consists of two concentric springs held in place by a guide rod. The outer recoil spring is a lower rate than the inner buffer spring, which slows the slide at the end of its recoil movement, prevents the slide from impinging against the frame of the pistol and buffers the unlocking of the barrel from the slide during the first three to four millimeters of movement. The buffer system reduces recoil forces by approximately 30 per cent and provides a number of benefits. First is reduced felt recoil to the shooter, resulting in reduced muzzle “flip” quicker recovery time after each shot and increased accuracy. Another benefit is reduced stress on components, which is one of the reasons for the extremely long service life of all USPs. The USP recoil reduction system is “transparent” to the shooter; it is insensitive to ammunition, requires no maintenance and has an indefinite service life. On early USPs, the recoil spring could be removed from the guide rod, but in September 1994, a “captured spring” design was incorporated, which makes USP disassembly and reassembly easier and safer. The new recoil reduction system can be retrofitted into earlier USPs without modification.

USP Compact pistols have a different recoil reduction system than the larger pistols because there is insufficient space for a dual-spring system and because the compact designs use a flat recoil spring to save space and facilitate shortening the barrel and frame. The buffer in the H&K USP Compacts is therefore a high strength polymer bushing that surrounds the recoil spring and cushions the blow of the slide against the frame as the slide recoils. Life of this polymer buffer is stated to be over 20,000 rounds.

The polymer frame of the USP is virtually impervious to wear or corrosion, but the USP, like all firearms, also incorporates metal components, which are subject to corrosion and wear unless protected. Heckler & Koch applies a proprietary Hostile Environment (HE) nitrogen/carbon finish to the USP slide. This finish is not only extremely hard (732 HV1 Vickers), but highly corrosion resistant, as well. The non-reflective HE finish has been used on the G3SG1 sniper rifle since the 1970’s and has proven itself in service. A stainless steel slide is available for all USP models. All other USP components, both external and internal, are finished with Dow-Corning’s “Molykote,” a very tough corrosion-resistant finish which also incorporates low-friction qualities.

Two versions of the USP which are not available in the United States are H&K’s German military P8 and P10 pistols. The P8 replaces the Walther P1 (modernized P.38) in Bundeswehr service, while the P10 is being issued to German police. Both are versions of the USP9 and USP9 Compact, respectively, but with two differences in comparison to other USP versions. Indeed, these pistols could be considered a new USP variant, were they commercially available. One difference is the functioning of the control lever, which reverses the “safe” and “fire” positions of the Variant 1 USP. The uppermost position of the lever on both German pistols is “fire,” rather than “safe.” The mid position is “safe,” and fully down decocks the pistol, as with other USP variants. The second difference is that when the trigger is released on the P8 and P10, the control lever automatically returns to the “safe” position. Some 20,000 USP “P8” variants have been issued to the German military.

Table 2: Mark 23 & USP45 Tactical Pistol Comparison

(Only items where specifications differ are listed)

*Fixed sights. Weight with adjustable sights is 32 ounces.
** Fixed sights. Height with adjustable sights is 5.78 inches.
*** Five shots, 25 meters, service ammunition.

The USP45 was a follow-on to the original USP40 and USP9 pistols and was introduced in January 1995 at the SHOT Show. The pistol became available for sale in May of that year. The change to .45 ACP caliber was not as simple as changing barrel, slide and recoil spring. As mentioned earlier, the USP45 steel magazine was essentially carried over from the Mark 23 USSOCOM Pistol because use of polymer magazines would have caused the grip circumference to be too large. The recoil reduction system was lengthened to accommodate the longer .45 ACP cartridge while providing an identical 30 per cent reduction in recoil forces. The USP45 was the first pistol to incorporate an improved trigger system which is not only smoother and lighter than the original, but also virtually eliminates “stacking,” or increased resistance as the trigger is pulled back in double action. In the USP45, the double action trigger take-up does not begin until the trigger reaches the “half-cock position. This enhanced trigger feature was incorporated into all USPs in early 1995. As stated, the USP45 is different than its smaller caliber sisters. While the USP9 and USP40 share virtually 100 per cent parts interchangability, only 78 per cent of USP45 parts will interchange with the earlier guns. The USP45 was subjected to and passed all the tests of the earlier firearms, including a durability test of 24,000 rounds of +P ammunition.

As we have seen, the USP pistols were designed with the American market in mind and the success of the pistol in the US market and overseas clearly indicates that Heckler & Koch was “on target” with its design. One of the major trends in the US firearms market has been engendered by the spread of “shall issue” concealed carry laws in the majority of the states. As of this writing in early 1998, 32 states have “shall issue” concealed laws which mandate that any citizen of good character who applies must be issued a license to carry a concealed weapon, usually a pistol. This has engendered a demand for compact pistols and many manufacturers have begun producing pistols designed for concealed carry. Compact versions of the USP for concealed carry were therefore virtually inevitable. .40 S&W and 9x19mm USP Compact pistols were introduced in early 1997 and a USP Compact .45 followed that autumn. Aside from the shorter length and height, there are minimal differences between the compact USPs and their full-size sisters, most of which have already been discussed. First, of course is the fact that the pistols are smaller both in height and in length for concealment. Grip circumference and trigger reach are also reduced for improved handling. Dimensional differences may be found in the specifications tables.

Unlike many “scaled down” pistols, the grips of the USP Compacts accommodate the entire hand of most shooters, even without using the extended floorplate magazine. (The USP Compact is shipped with two magazines – one with a flat, flush-fitting floor plate for maximum concealability and another with an extended floorplate to provide maximum comfort for those with large hands.) In terms of overall size, the USP Compacts are very close dimensionally to the Colt Officer’s ACP except for the slide, which is slightly thicker. Other changes in the compact pistols were the previously discussed recoil spring and buffer mechanism. The author had the opportunity to test one of the USP45 Compact pistols in October 1997 and shortly thereafter purchased one for personal use. It has since had several thousand rounds fired through it without a single stoppage.

The next iteration of USP is the USP45 Tactical Model, shown at the 1998 SHOT Show and officially put on sale in April, although the USP45 Tactical Model will not be available in quantity until May 1998. The Tactical Model USP is essentially a “cross” between the Mark 23 and the USP, incorporating the best features of both. The USP45 Tactical Model uses the barrel developed for the Mark 23, which is threaded for attachment of a suppressor. USP45 Tactical threads, however, are left handed to prevent installation of the Mark 23’s suppressor, which was designed for a heavier slide. At the time of this writing, a Knight’s Armament Company stainless suppressor and a Brugger & Thomet aluminum suppressor are available for the USP45 Tactical. The sights on the USP45 Tactical are fully adjustable and are designed to look above an installed suppressor. Trigger pull is greatly improved over earlier USPs and an adjustable trigger top is incorporated as a standard feature. Magazines are of an improved design with an extended floor plate to improve retention. All USP45 Tactical pistols are provided with a cleaning kit, spare barrel “O” rings, and tools for sight and trigger stop adjustment.

It is clear that the USP45 Tactical was designed for military and law enforcement use, but this requires some explanation. Several US military special operations forces did not purchase the Mark 23 and continue to use modified M1911A1 pistols, which are reaching the end of their service lives, despite having been rebuilt by military special operations armorers time after time. Moreover, while the M1911A1 will continue to function beyond 20,000 rounds, it begins to lose its accuracy after approximately 12,000 rounds and must be depot rebuilt. The failure of all special operations organizations to purchase the Mark 23 was not engendered by any specific fault of the Mark 23 itself; the pistol was built to the specifications determined by USSOCOM and surpassed all of them. In the words of one special operations requirements officer, “The Mark 23 isn’t a bad pistol; it simply doesn’t meet our requirements.” The fact is that USSOCOM does not directly speak for all special operations forces, nor can it require them to purchase a pistol that does not meet their individual service requirements. This will be further discussed in the section on the Mark 23 which follows. Nonetheless, a military requirement exists for a .45 caliber pistol that is different than the Mark 23, while improving on the venerable M1911A1 and at the same time maintaining the operational characteristics virtually identical to those of the Mark 23. Although Heckler & Koch has made no official comment regarding the intended market for the USP45 Tactical Pistol other than the statement, “…the Heckler & Koch USP45 Tactical Pistol is designed for users who require the features of the H&K MK 23/Mark 23 pistol for tactical, combat, or CQB use in a smaller and more affordable package.” (boldface in original), it is clear that the Tactical Pistol is aimed (no pun intended) at this market, and if the basic characteristics of the USP45 Tactical Pistol are any indication, it can be expected to be seen in the hands of many military and police special units in the coming years.

What does the future hold for the USP? The immediate future for the US market will see the USP product line expanded to include .357 SIG caliber. This addition to the USP product line will appear in the second half of 1998. In Germany, Heckler & Koch is entering into IPSC Competition and has developed a “full-race” version of the USP for use by its IPSC team. The IPSC pistol, called the “Expert Model” goes on sale in Europe in late June and if it achieves success in European IPSC circles, it may well be added to the American USP product line. The proven excellence of the USP design means not only that the pistol will be available for many years to come, but that the variety of USPs available to the shooter will continue to grow as well.

The private ownership of a machine gun is, in many cases, denied to some citizens in the United States because of where they live or the inability to acquire the all-important chief law enforcement officer’s signature that is required on a Form 4. However, while the firearms enthusiast may be relegated to owning Title I weapons, it does not necessarily imply that he or she cannot own a firearm that fires at the cyclic rate of a machine gun. In fact, many legal “gadgets” have been made in attempt to allow Title I owners the opportunity to “feel” full-auto fire. These include such devices as the “HellFire Trigger”, “Tri-Burst”, “HellStorm 2000”, and the “BMF Activator”. While it is true that these devices do allow the Title I owner to simulate the cyclic rate of a machine gun, the firing of the gun usually compromises the ability to aim the weapon at the target.

Imagine if you could use one of these trigger devices to fire a Title I weapon with the accuracy of its full-auto cousin, and achieve cyclic rates that surpassed the rate of fire of the infamous SWD M11/9 bullet hose! Now imagine if you could do this without having to fill out a Form 4, acquire a CLEO signature, or pay for a $200 tax stamp. Furthermore, imagine that such a gun was legal in all 50 States and did not cost an arm and a leg to shoot! The Twin MG-42 is just such a beast, and for under $900 you can make one for yourself.

Making a Twin MG-42:

The first thing I did was to select a firearm platform that was readily available, inexpensive to shoot, and easily modified. The Ruger 10/22 is the perfect candidate for this metamorphosis. The first part of the metamorphosis is to rid the gun of the “ugly” wood furniture and replace it with a beautiful “evil looking, black assault style stock.” I selected the MG-42 replica stock, which is available from Frank’s Center. The completed gun is a 2/3rds scale replica of the original German World War II gun, and consists of two components: A rear buttstock/receiver and a forward barrel shroud. Because the kit does not alter the number of “assault rifle features of the gun”, the use of this kit on any Ruger 10/22 (pre or post-1994 ban) is legal.

The first thing to do is to make the flimsy replica stock more rigid. This process entailed cutting a piece of 1/8” x 1” metal strap to the inside length of the front barrel shroud and connecting the two guns together. The metal strap was mounted with 8/32 machine screws (3/4” long) to the forend by utilizing the pre-drilled holes in the underside of the stock. A similar process was repeated on another MG-42 stock. On the underside of the forend, two pieces of 1/8” x 1” x 1’ metal strap were then used to connect (using the remaining 1/4” of the 8/32 machine screws that protrude from the underside of the stock) the 10/22s together at the holes nearest to the flash hider, and also at the point where the forend bolts to the Ruger 10/22 receiver. Two additional 6” pieces of strap were then cut at 45° angle on both ends, and one end was attached to one of the 8/32” machine screws. The opposite end of this strap overlapped at the point where the rearward most connecting straps joins the two guns. The finished product is two MG-42 replica guns mounted together in a very rigid manner.

I made my own spider-sight by taking a piece of 3” PVC pipe and a piece of 11/2” PVC pipe and cutting a 1/4” section from each. The two pieces were then connected together using thin steel rod (bicycle spokes work great) with a two-part epoxy. The spider sight was attached to a piece of 1/4” aluminum rod that was tapped on one end (8/32). The sight was then attached to the Twin MG-42 at the most distant connecting strap.

The next step in the metamorphosis was to link both triggers together. However, one of my desires was to have the guns fire in an asynchronous (90° out) manner. I also wanted them to be able to achieve the high cyclic rate that might be expected from a full-auto weapon. I based my design on the proven Calico 20/22 firearm which uses two Ruger 10/22s and a two-lobed cam mounted to each trigger. My modification to this design was to use the commercially available BMF Activator (Frank’s Center). The BMF Activator is threaded on both ends of the cam, allowing for either the attachment of the hand crank or the attachment of additional activators. The BMF Activator consists of three parts: A hand operated crank, a four-lobed cam housed in high impact plastic (that attaches to the Ruger 10/22’s trigger guard) and an activator bar. The obvious improvement in my design is that each revolution of the crank results in 8 shots being fired from the Twin MG-42 compared to the 4 shots by the 20/22.

To achieve the desired 90° out-of-phase firing of the two weapons, I took two BMF Activators (Activator #1 and Activator #2) and placed them flat on the workbench and turned the cam until Activator #1 had the activator bar at top dead center. Activator #2 was then turned until its activator bar was at bottom dead center. A 12” piece of 1/4” rod was then turned down 1/2” on each end so that the rod fit snug into the activators threaded hole. A 3/32” hole was then drilled through the activator and the rod, and a small cotter pin was then inserted. The other activator was drilled and fitted with a cotter pin in a similar manner. The result was two asynchronous BMF activators attached by the interconnecting rod.

The BMF Activator is supplied with two types of bolts. One is a plastic bolt while the other is a metal bolt. I attached the two activators to the Twin MG-42 by tapping the Ruger 10/22 trigger guard (8/32) and mounting the two activators to the trigger guards. Care should be taken when mounting the twin Activators to the trigger guards, as sufficient distance must be left between the Activator bar and the 10/22 trigger. Equally important is the correct alignment of the Activators, such that they are directly across from one another. Once attached to the 10/22 trigger guards, the dual Activator system should be tested to ensure reliability and ease of movement.

The final step in the process was to attach the guns to a stable platform. I chose the M2 Tripod (Sarco, Inc) because of its proven stability and moderate cost. To attach the guns to the M2 tripod, I took a piece of 3” aluminum rod and turned one end of the rod down to create a pintle that matched the pintle socket of the M2 tripod. The opposite end of the pintle was then drilled and tapped 1/2” x 2”. Recall that the Twin MG-42 was joined at the point were the two forends attach to the 10/22 receiver. A 9/16” hole was drilled through the three pieces of metal strap, and a 1/2” x 2 1/2” bolt was used to attach the Twin MG-42 to the tripod/pintle.

Firing The Twin MG-42:

My son really enjoys shooting the Twin MG-42, and can empty the two 50 round mags in around 4 seconds. I use two types of mags in the Twin MG-42: Ramline 50 round mags and Italian single-stack mags with the Ruger 10/22 adapters (Franks Center). The use of the Ramline mags is preferred by this writer, because they can be easily re-loaded using the Ramline Auto-Loader (Natchez Shooters Supply). I also installed the extended magazine releases made by Butler Creek, which really aid in removing the magazines. The Twin MG-42 will reliably function using Winchester Super-X 40gr Lubaloy rounds. However, other high velocity rounds such as CCI Mini-Mags or Federal Classic will also function in the guns. Clearly, the use of high-powered ammunition avoids the occasional jam that typically occurs if less powerful rounds are used.

The Twin MG-42 maximum cyclic rate was determined to be 1505 rpm on average. Of course the cyclic rate of this gun depends upon the operator. If one desires a slower cyclic rate, the crank is turned slower. However, one must avoid the tendency of turning the crank too fast, as this will result in misfires. The finite cyclic rate of the 10/22 is discussed in greater detail in a back issue of MGN (Volume 9 Number2). Once the operator has become familiarized with shooting the Twin MG-42, fairly decent accuracy can be achieved. As an example, I taped 50 orange colored clay pigeons to an old door (Figure 9). With two 50 round mags, I was able to shoot nearly all fifty targets from 50 yards away. The ability to aim the gun is significantly increased if one uses .22LR Tracer (Outland Sales). I load the tracer 1 in 4 and this really helps initial target acquisition.

One thing that always holds true when shooting the Twin MG-42 is that you can expect a crowd at the range. I have taken this gun to the range several times with my Colt M16A1 Carbine, and a majority of the onlookers are more interested in the Twin MG-42 than the real Title II weapon. The most frequently asked question is, “Is that a real MG-42?” or “Is that a machine gun?” The answer to both of these questions is NO. The true beauty of the Twin MG-42 is that it is not a Class III weapon, because the triggers are being actuated by a cranking mechanism and not an electric motor. The Twin MG-42 is legal in all 50 states and can be made and owned by anyone over 18 years of age.

The Cost Factor:

One of the goals of the Twin MG-42 project was to build a gun that costs less than a Title II firearm. The two Ruger 10/22s cost $270, the two MG-42 Replica Stocks cost $180, the two BMF Activators cost $40, and the M2 tripod was $250. The pintle, the linkage for the BMF Activators, the connecting straps, and the front spider sight were hand-made, and probably could be duplicated by a machinist for less than $100. Thus, for around $850 you can easily duplicate this project. This is less than the cost of owning even the cheapest Class 3 weapon (SWD M11/9) which after dealer costs and Tax Stamp will run you around $900.

The Twin MG-42 has exceeded all of my original expectations. The gun has a high cyclic rate, is fairly accurate, is cheap to shoot, and is a real crowd pleaser. The only detractor to owning a Twin MG-42 is that it takes 4 minutes to load the two 50 round magazines and 4 seconds to empty them. The one thing that the Twin MG-42 is in desperate need of is the “magazine-o-plenty”, but I hear they are really becoming scarce.

Sources:

Franks Center, Inc
RR#1, Box 45
Nevada, MO 64772
1-800-666-9190

Natchez Shooters Supply
P.O. Box 22247
Chattanooga, TN 37422
1-800-251-7839

Sarco, Inc
323 Union Street
Stirling, NJ 07980
1-908-647-3800

Outland Sales and Service, Inc.
P.O. Box 1082
Brunswick, Georgia 31521-1082
1-770- 924-2278