In June of this year Tom Laemlein sent me an advanced copy of his latest Book, The Browning Automatic Rifle produced by Armor Plate Press. I had had a small part in the production of the Book. I was surprised by a Photo on P.13 of the Book captioned: “#14 – A U.S. Congressman takes his turn with the BAR on the Congress Heights Range in late spring, 1918.”Had I seen this photo I could have corrected the date, as it was Feb.27, 1918, I immediately recognized the Place and the People by their web gear. I felt strongly the face and figure were also familiar, none other than John Moses Browning, Himself. From the snow on the ground it is Mid Winter at best. My own Book had a statement to the effect that John Browning was not present at the Demonstration. That does not preclude his arrival after it was over to evaluate the First Public showing of Winchester’s early Production.

How does one prove beyond a shadow of a doubt a Photograph that is almost 100 years old? There exist three Publications that covered the Event. Two of them have been meticulously examined by the Author. The first was, “Arms and the Man,” the early version of the NRA’s Magazine, the “American Rifleman.” The second, a Hearst Publication was sent to the Author in the late summer, this year. The third was ,”Vanity Fair.” What positive statements can one make regarding this historic photograph? It is obviously a man in his sixties, of great height, six foot or greater. He knows proper firing techniques, having complete control and is comfortable with the BAR. He has a slight paunch from years behind a desk or drawing board. He is well dressed with a hat identical to JMB’s favorite hat. From his vest there appears to be a single large linked Gold chain similar to one seen in contemporary photographs of the great man. He appears to be clean-shaven, but since he has white hair it is difficult to see his chin or mustache due to his proper weld on the butt stock. Even his nose is obscured; more is the pity, since noses are a Positive ID point. Which brings us to his ears another positive indicator; all of the Browning brothers have a unique dimple in the lower lobe of their ears.

The photograph in question was sent to The Cody Museum and to the Railroad Museum in Ogden Utah. No one there could positively prove or disprove the identity as John Moses Browning. This author would very much like to have it authenticated, as this would be the only photograph that was not posed and he is firing his greatest rifle in History. To this end, I will offer an Autographed, one of two hundred series of, Rock in a Hard Place to the first one who can either prove or disprove the authenticity of this photograph as being John Moses Browning, or not!

In May of 2010, the annual National Defense Industrial Association’s (NDIA) Small Arms Systems Symposium was rolled into a new format joining forces with NDIA’s Guns & Missiles Division to host the first ever NDIA Joint Armaments Conference. The Dallas, Texas Hyatt Hotel was packed full of Industry and Government personnel all anticipating a full schedule of academic papers and an exhibit hall loaded with new gear. Some of the hot topics this year included the growing debate surrounding 5.56mm ammunition effectiveness and new information concerning the Army’s carbine solicitation. Vendors and presenters were well rounded and included everyone and everything from the usual American suspects as well as participants from the EU, Asian Pacific Region, and even China.

Goings on in Government

A main feature of any NDIA small arms event is the plethora of interaction between government and industry personnel with this year being no different. Embodying this concept were the keynote speakers: Major General Brogan of USMC Systems Command (SYSCOM) and BG Fuller of the US Army, Program Executive Officer, PEO Soldier. The generals were not ill prepared or poorly informed as to what the crowd was there to hear and pointedly addressed some of the hottest and most contentious topics in the industry – carbine and ammunition performance – which MG Brogan referred to as a “significant and emotional event in the U.S. military.”

The USMC

MG Brogan outlined the small arms vision currently held by the USMC that includes continued fielding of the M16A4/M4/M4A1 platform with many officers now being issued M4 carbines in lieu of the traditional M9 9mm pistol as necessitated by current hostilities. He also touched on several key decisions including:

• The USMC selection of the HK416 to fulfill the Infantry Automatic Rifle requirement in Infantry Squads and LAV units as the M27 IAR.
• Selection of the Army’s M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System (SASS) as the Marine Corps’ Long Range Precision Rifle.
• Large scale fielding of the MK 318 Mod 0, 5.56mm SOST ammunition, amongst USMC fighting units deployed in Afghanistan.

More enlightening were MG Brogan’s key questions to industry relating to both small arms and ammunition; questions that attest to the keen awareness and sensitivity such issues are viewed with. “Should we buy (in the future) an individual weapon or a family of weapons?” He further gave a suggestion that such a family could use a common platform allowing for PDW, Carbine, Combat Assault Rifle, Service Rifle, SDM, and IAR configurations. In the ammunition realm his questions were similar, “Is the current caliber effective?” Brogan continued by adding a potent caveat: “I can assure you there are many enemy combatants that can attest to the effectiveness of it.” Brogan then laid out a simple methodology should a new caliber be considered. He said, “If we are going to consider changing caliber the technology must be equal,” referring to the fact that comparisons have been made of alternate calibers (i.e. 6.8 SPC, 6.5 Grendel, etc.) to new technology 5.56mm rounds, including MK318 SOST and the Army’s M855A1. MG Brogan clearly understands that these comparisons do not accurately compare “apples to apples” so to speak and as a result any truly effective data in the raging caliber debate will only occur when all calibers are tested utilizing the same design technology (e.g. M855A1 vs. 6.8mm SPC utilizing the same bullet technology). Brogan’s formula for ammunition considerations: weight versus effect on the enemy versus ammunition expended.

Other notable information relayed during the brief included:

• Any future individual weapon contract will include provisions giving the government full ownership of the Technical Data Package (TDP) or full use rights.
• Any future weapons and ammunition must be compliant with the laws of land warfare.
• Weight savings are a must.

A presentation shortly thereafter by LTC Brinkman of USMC SYSCOM/Infantry Weapons further reinforced the points made by MG Brogan while praising current successful fieldings like the M32 Multi-Shot Grenade Launcher and the light weight infantry mortar system. On the horizon in the USMC’s future as outlined by Brinkman: more foreign weapons training kits, a long range sniper rifle, light weight machine gun, and a close quarter battle pistol (though details are lacking at this time).

The Army

As the largest service and often the traditional purchasing agent for other services, the Army also had a wealth of information in their briefing sessions. This year was no different with BG Fuller, PEO Soldier, detailing the Army’s ever changing small arms acquisition strategy. The Army’s small arms vision has completely transformed in a short period of time from “pure fleeting” M4s just two years ago to a dual path model meant to substantially upgrade the current issue M4 platform while paving the way for a full and open source carbine competition. BG Fuller expounded on details to eager industry personnel and echoed the sentiments of beleaguered Soldiers across the globe when he acknowledged, “The Soldier is not a Christmas tree that we can keep hanging items on,” bucking the trend of the past decade to keep adding kit and equipment to the basic soldier load.

The highlight topic of course was the update on the long awaited carbine solicitation. Since the past 2009 NDIA Small Arms Systems Symposium, the debate surrounding the carbine issue has not faded and events like the intense battle at COP Keating in Afghanistan, mimicking the Wanat engagement less than a year earlier, have further driven forward movement in an effort to get real time improvements into the field. The battles highlighted again the need for higher rates of fire and die hard reliability in individual weapons for U.S. troops engaged in close quarter running firefights with Taliban and other insurgent fighters. These considerations among others were significant influences leading to the dual path strategy where the Army will improve the M4 carbine while soliciting its replacement. The Army is seeking to address the M4 improvements in phases:

Phase I

* Increase the barrel mass for better performance during high rates of fire.

* Ambidextrous Safety/Selector tailoring the ergonomics to an even larger percentage of users.

Phase II

* Add an enhanced M1913 type rail adapter system to the platform. Most likely the new rail will be of the free floating type to negate operator influences on the barrel achieving a consistent point of projectile impact.

Phase III

* Explore improved operating systems to include short stroke gas piston mechanisms and a redesigned bolt carrier and bolt group with the goal of improving overall weapon reliability.

Furthermore, the introduction of the improved 5.56mm M855A1 round into service in June 2010 should mean that the “improved” carbine will be quite a potent platform, especially since M855A1is optimized for the M4 carbine and not the M16 and provides consistent terminal effects through a large variety of barriers. Fuller was cautious to add that the M4 improvement program must be managed carefully and the options well considered warning that, “we can’t spend the same amount on an improvement that we would spend to buy a new one.”

As far as the solicitation for a new replacement carbine, the going has been slow, but is advancing. As of the time of Fuller’s brief the carbine requirement was in the Joint Staff, but the industry RFP will likely be released before this article is in print. The step following is full and open competition for the Army’s new individual carbine. This competition will be historic in nature and unprecedented in recent Army history. When walking the showroom floor at this year’s event it was not at all difficult to see that this is what all of the industry’s major players are gearing up for.

Follow on presentations by LTC Henthorn at the U.S. Army Maneuver Center for Excellence (MCE- formerly the Infantry Center) and COL Douglas Tamilio, PM Soldier Weapons, were consistent with details given by Fuller. Henthorn took the time to expound more on current and soon to be fielding efforts on the Army radar:

Current Fielding Efforts

* The M110 Semi-Automatic Sniper System (SASS) is now 85% fielded to units. Some early issues with the guns have been resolved and combat surveys show acceptance and approval of the SASS by end users and commanders.

* The M320 Grenade Launcher (HK GLM) is rapidly replacing M203s among the conventional force and will soon be integrated with a day/night range finding sight.

Coming Soon to Units This Year

* The M2A1 enhanced .50 BMG machine gun with quick change barrel and fixed headspace/timing.

* The upgraded M24 Sniper Rifle chambered in .300 Winchester Magnum.

* The M240L light weight machine gun with titanium receiver, (See SAR’s 2009 NDIA Small Arms Symposium article for information on this system).

* The M855A1 improved 5.56mm round (lead free and eco friendly).

Among items Henthorn sees the Army eyeing in the future are suppressors and a sub-compact rifle.

A last note worth mentioning before closing the Army section of this article is a survey conducted in Afghanistan by PM Soldier Weapons. As briefed by the Army at his event, PM Soldier Weapons personnel spent time on the ground with units in Afghanistan evaluating how the everyday dirty boot war fighter employs his weapon system, what shortfalls could be noted, and of course what is being done well. A most interesting find is there seems to be a trend among troops to incorporate substantial amounts of aftermarket equipment into their individual weapon’s configuration, particularly the M4. It is commonplace to find non-standard stocks, grips, optics, and especially magazines integrated into the basic kit of our warfighters. This sparks an interesting and fiery debate between those who believe that troops should have the freedom to select superior commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) equipment and the official “by the book” stance of Army regulations, which requires the issuance of modified weapons orders (MWOs) and numerous tests and certifications to authorize a piece of weapon related equipment. The tone of this debate could not be clearer than the warning issued to the industry during the brief by COL Tamilio that industry suppliers who provide non-standard equipment could be encouraging Commanders and Troops to violate AR750-10, which could be detrimental to their careers.

Concern is justifiable since some sub-standard equipment was clearly being used by Soldiers who may have not been fully informed about the products they were using. It is clear, however, that troops in the field will continue to integrate innovative aftermarket solutions often contrary to the rules. The goal of the military and industry alike should be to ensure that these fighting men and women can fight with the best top quality gear without fear of reprisal. Aftermarket and non-standard pieces of equipment are often superior and it is commendable that one priority for PM Soldier Weapons is to develop a menu of authorized aftermarket items for carbines. This will be challenging to do fairly; until then, troops will continue to weigh the risks and rewards of the practice.

The Other Services

Some highlights occurring in the other armed services were also briefed as follows. U.S. Navy (CDR Tom Gajewski, USN) elaborated the Navy’s need for a .50 caliber remote weapons station to protect ships from terrorist attacks while in port. This system must possess corrosion resistant properties as expected for maritime use.

U.S. Air Force (Mr. Randy Roth, USAF Combat Arms Program) reported that the Air Force is supporting broader government efforts to include the solicitation of a new individual carbine and selection of a precision sniper rifle (PSR). Numerous equipment transitions are taking place in the service to include: replacement of the M203 40mm grenade launcher with the M320, replacement of the M2 .50 cal. with the M2A1 QCB, and transition of some M14 EBRs and M4 carbines to the MK17 and MK16 SCAR variants.

U.S. Coast Guard (Capt. Michael Price, USCG Office of Specialized Capabilities) noted that the USCG is looking into acquisition of a Precision Service Shotgun (PSS) with a rifled barrel optimized for firing slugs to disable outboard marine motors and the service is still seeking a gyro stabilized marine enhanced weapons platform to take the place of manned guns on the bows of high speed watercraft with the goal of enhancing gunner safety during operations. Due to a lack of training facilities, the Coast Guard is exploring options for effective simulators specific to the P229 DAK handgun.

Awards and Achievements

With previous coverage in SAR, there is no need to go into great detail, but it is only fitting to profile the well deserving men who received recognition at this year’s Joint Armaments Conference for their hard work and dedication in the small arms field.

Chinn Award Recipient

Mr. Frank Puzycki, U.S. Army ARDEC.
* Over 40 years in the small arms community.
* Key mover and shaker within the National Small Arms Center.
* Personally involved with seventeen ammo type classifications and 13 weapon type classifications.
* Quote: “Team work is indefensible. When Industry and Government are working together good things happen. When we’re doing this we can’t be beat.”

Hathcock Award Recipient
Mr. Jeff Hoffman, Black Hills Ammunition, founder/owner
* Began an active law enforcement career in 1979 and continues to this day.
* At 50 years of age and as head of a well established company, Hoffman is still subject to SWAT call outs.
* Black Hills Ammunition is renowned for quality in the precision marksmanship community to include MK262 Mod 0 and Mod 1 types.
* Quote: “People at the plant know to never tell Jeff ‘We can’t do that.'”

Professional Service Award Recipient
Mr. Hays Parks, DoD General Counsel
* A Vietnam veteran, having entered service with the USMC in 1963.
* Has fought numerous battles as a lawyer to prevent radical restrictions of lawful military ammunition types used by U.S. Forces.
* Has been a champion for the warfighter on the international scene facilitating the approval of new ammunition types for military use.
* Renowned debunker of misinterpretations and deliberate misrepresentations of small arms ammunition related treaties, agreements, and revisionist history.
* Quote: “The most important client I have is the Soldier, Sailor, Airman, or Marine.”

Papers and Exhibits

The NDIA Joint Armaments Conference sported a very high rate of participation from outside of the United States and a large number of vendors due to the combined nature of the Conference. With over a 100 vendors on the floor presenting products ranging from tasers to tank guns, it was largely impossible to cover every aspect in the time allotted, but for a small arms guy there were definitely some products that caught the eye including some new systems largely unseen beforehand.

Domestic

Among domestic U.S. vendors in the exhibit hall, Remington Defense was attracting a lot of attention, not only with the Gen 7 variant of the Adaptive Combat Rifle (ACR), but also with the new Remington Gas Piston Rifle (RGP). While the ACR is becoming a regular feature of these events (beginning life as Magpul’s Masada), the rifle has seen many evolutions since the base design was introduced. In the Gen 7 configuration, which eyes the military and defense markets, the polymer receiver had been replaced by an improved magnesium receiver (which I have been assured does not burn, at least not easily) and a Remington octagonal rail system. “ACR is not our original design,” Remington’s Trevor Shaw noted, “but we’ve made improvements.” On the other hand, the RGP is truly a floor up design and much more than a simple conversion of the standard AR-15 type platform. Though the ins and outs of the rifle were not fully accessible to this writer due to the system’s newness, the quality of the build was readily apparent upon inspection. The RGP features a completely monolithic upper receiver with the recognizable Remington octagonal rail design containing modular attachment points. The rifle does not have any advanced coatings as of yet, but even without it Shaw assuredly states the initial tests are very promising both in terms of accuracy and reliability. Even better to both the government and commercial consumer is the strategy behind the gun as described by Shaw, “We are looking for high reliability and quality at a good price point. We want to make the gun as affordable as possible.” Other notable features of the gun include a regulating gas system for suppressor use, ambidextrous controls, a beefed up barrel extension designed for multi-caliber applications, and upper receiver compatibility with the standard AR-15/M16/M4 lower. The RGP will certainly evolve as time passes, but the base system viewed at this event is exciting and this writer is very enthusiastic to follow the RGP’s progress. Undoubtedly Remington Defense is well postured for the Army’s upcoming carbine solicitation and M4 improvement program with strong designs in both the AR-15 and non-AR-15 configuration.

Smith and Wesson has also been hard at work under the law of supply and demand developing rifle designs geared towards the Army’s requirement. At their booth, Joe Bergeron took the time to highlight some of the company’s recent work to the AR-15/M4 system (S&W’s M&P rifle line) including the addition of fully ambidextrous controls (including the bolt release) and the integration of new “in-house” barrel technology that yields greatly extended barrel life, though due to the proprietary nature of the technology and the ongoing status of testing, no exact numbers were readily given for this article. Smith and Wesson’s rifle line includes both short stroke gas piston and direct gas impingement rifles, and of course, all uppers are compatible with the current issue M16/M4 lower receiver. Furthermore, the gas piston version of the S&W rifle allows for multiple settings for suppressor use that also includes a complete gas shut-off option. Other notable S&W developments are the introduction of Coyote Tan slides and Titanium rust resistant sights for the M&P pistol line as well as ongoing suppressor work and testing in 9mm, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP.

Heckler & Koch’s Dale Bohner was enthused to show off the company’s products. HK has seen lots of good news in the past couple of years with the selection and delivery of the M320 40mm grenade launcher to replace the Army’s aging M203s and now the recent choice by the USMC to field the HK416 as the M27 Infantry Automatic Rifle. So far, HK has delivered over 20,000 M320 grenade launchers to the Army and deliveries are continuing. The USMC’s IAR has yet to enter full rate production; according to Bohner, “We’ll deliver a quantity by November this year.” Attesting to the design quality of the original HK416, who’s legacy has become well known both due to outstanding performance and its place among the never ending carbine controversy, the M27 IAR in its final form is nothing more than an HK416 with a bayonet lug and bipod. The HK hammer forged barrel, proven in quality and longevity, coupled with the 416’s short stroke gas piston operating system is believed by many to be the combination that gave the HK system the edge needed to meet the USMC’s IAR requirement. It should be noted that the IAR will augment, not replace the USMC’s M249 SAW fleet, with the SAW being retained in most units and for vehicle use. In the meantime Bohner is optimistic, “As soon as a decision is made regarding to full rate production we can proceed.”

From the Foreign Fields

The NDIA Joint Armaments Conference was clearly global in scale this year as international issues and non-U.S. participants took the spotlight position in many of the presented academic papers and featured exhibits. Notable presenters focused on the NATO role in weapons and ammo solicitation and standardization, with some pretty contentious moments. Also worthy of comment was the presentation and exhibit of the Republic of South Korea’s new K11 Advanced Individual Weapon System (albeit with some U.S. Customs mishaps) and participation from the Chinese engineering team who provided a briefing on the 40 years of successful employment of the Type QLZ87 35mm grenade launcher and the system’s evolution in the Chinese infantry formation.

The NATO related paper topics this year focused, as with earlier papers, on the shortcomings of the 5.56mm SS109 type round being currently deployed in hostilities in Afghanistan. During his sessions, Mr. Anthony Williams of the U.K. championed the idea of evaluating a medium or optimal caliber solution that meets the needs of 5.56mm and 7.62mm users, citing difficulties with 5.56mm effectiveness at longer ranges and through intermediate barriers as experienced by British Troops serving with ISAF. Another presentation by Mr. Jim Schatz had a similar approach and made credible arguments in these budget strained times for a collaborative effort developing the next generation of individual weapons by NATO partners.

Daewoo’s K11 would have been quite a star at this show providing it had made it. Ju Hwan-Song of S&T Daewoo explained in broken English just enough to figure out that U.S. Customs had become a road block to having the actual K11 system present on the showroom floor and as a result a life sized cardboard cutout served as a space filler for the real thing. Despite this mishap, the K11 booth was intriguing and the merits of the platform and its ground breaking novelty was not diminished. The K11 is a “dual barreled weapon system” and vaguely resembles the U.S. OICW prototypes from the late 90s and turn of the century. The K11 features a 5.56mm carbine, 20mm bolt action rifle that fires 20mm airbursting smart munitions, and a sophisticated fire control system (FCS) all integrated into a single man portable individual weapon. The system is very similar in concept to the XM25 Airbursting weapon system being tested in limited field trials by the U.S. Army; the difference that Ju Hwan-Song proudly pointed out is that K11 has been fielded in mass ahead of U.S. system. The K11 replaces the ROK Army organic K201 rifle and under barrel 40mm grenade launcher; two of which are found in the typical infantry squad. The K11’s FCS allows for optical aiming of the carbine using a dual day/night IR based system that projects a digital image to the operator. The FCS also integrates a laser range finder and advanced ballistic computer that accounts for environmental effects when programming airburst ranges for the 20mm projectiles, making the K11 an effective counter-defilade weapon that is simplistic to use. As far as mechanics goes, the K11 uses modern alloys in the upper portion of the weapon with a polymer lower making it possible for the system to weigh in at a portable 6.1 kg (13.45 pounds). Ergonomically, the weapon utilizes one trigger pack and selector with the operator rotating the selector between safe, semi-auto, burst, and 20mm options with a single fluid motion. Magazine capacity for the system is five 20mm airbursting projectiles and the standard NATO type 30-round 5.56mm magazine.

At the Range

One legacy event of the NDIA Small Arms System Symposiums is the annual Firepower Demonstration where vendors get the golden opportunity to put their products into the hands of attendees and let rounds fly downrange. The Joint Armaments Conference continued the tradition with an excellent demonstration out at the Spartan Tactical range facility managed by owner Jim Smith and his staff of professional cadre. The predictions of thunderstorms and flash flooding that were rumored throughout the first two conference days, and seemed even more imminent on the day of, gave way to clear blue skies and the Texas sun. Over twenty vendors were on site showcasing everything from pistols, sniper rifles, and even truck mounted .50 cal. machine guns on three different ranges optimized for the systems being fired thereon.

At the pistol range, vendors included HK with a full suite of handguns and submachine guns, Glock, Inc. with the Gen 4 enhanced .40 caliber pistol and Ruag Ammotec with their frangible ammo line. The line was especially long for EMA Tactical where Eldad Oz (EMA’s president) and Mr. Michael Grundy could not keep the magazines loaded fast enough to satisfy the crowd waiting to fire the Roni pistol conversion kit for the Glock 17 handgun. The Roni (Hebrew for rejoice/rejoicing, but also the name of the designer, Moshe Oz’s daughter), which has seen multiple product improvements just since the SHOT Show in January, allows for the standard Glock 17 to be converted without modification into a semiautomatic shoulder fired weapon system; and when cradling a Glock 18 the Roni takes the form of a true submachine gun. The Roni delivers impressive accuracy in a small package with an integrated M1913 rail allowing for the mounting of any compatible optical devices and a sturdy sliding shoulder stock. As Grundy explained, the Roni conversion allows agencies the flexibility of fielding only a standard service pistol yet gives users the ability to achieve pistol caliber carbine/submachine gun performance. There has already been interest from across the global and domestic spectrum, with one undisclosed school system viewing the conversion as a means for better equipping school security officers to quickly respond to a Columbine type of scenario. The Roni is envisioned as a tool negating the need to secure a separate weapon on the campus premises or in a patrol cruiser, which delays response time when an incident occurs. Better yet for those who read this as a civilian, the Roni conversion kit is BATFE approved and can be mailed to your doorstep. (Introducing a pistol into the conversion, or the mere possession of the two together, can still be viewed as possessing an SBR. All NFA rules apply).

A trek past the main range and up the hill leads to Spartan’s long distance range where light machine guns, carbines, DMR rifles, and sniper systems stood ready to receive shooters. At this range vendors included La Rue Tactical, SIG, Colt Defense, HK (with the HK416 IAR variant and HK416 in 6.8mm), and Remington Defense with their new RGP rifle and Generation 7 ACR. The lines at this range gave testimony to the enthusiasm of the crowd which endured equatorial type heat to get hands on the new weapon systems. For HK, company President Wayne Webber joined Dale Bohner in assisting attendees to firing positions to fire the IAR while Remington’s Trevor Shaw stayed busy with the RGP carbine at the far right. Despite its geographical disadvantage of being located separately from the main range area by a required uphill walk through rough terrain, the long distance range was the busiest per capita at the Firepower Demonstration, likely due to the relevance of the products highlighted there.

Down at the main range facility, fifteen vendors lined the firing points, with plenty of steel and La Rue targets on the horizon. The firing line contained everything from FNH’s SCAR rifles on the far left (SOCOM has announced a decision not to field the Mk16 SCAR Light since the NDIA event), to the GUA-21 .50 cal. machine gun on towable trailer on the far right. Sandwiched in between were a plethora of vendors with a very diverse product range to include: Dr. John Kokinis of U.S. Machine Gun Armory with his semiautomatic variant of the Mk46 light machine gun, Aloysius Donovan with the Adams Arms short stroke gas piston carbine, Milkor with the M32 multi-shot 40mm grenade launcher, and LTC (Ret) Mark Westrom with ArmaLite’s AR-15 rifles. To discuss each participating company and their wares would be far too intensive for this article. To say the least, the NDIA Firepower Demo does stand as unique for small arms trade shows inside the United States with its interactive vendor demonstrations and personal one-on-one range interactions. It is commendable to NDIA that they have continuously hosted this event without incident for many years.

(A debt of gratitude is due to Mr. Sal Fanelli and Jim Schatz who, for many years running, have volunteered their time, resources, and sweat to making the Firepower Demonstration both safe and successful. Also a special thanks to LaRue Tactical, whose mobile BBQ trailer provided the large crowd with traditional Texas cuisine at the best price in town… free.)

Conclusion
With so much going on in the world, the changing winds of politics, and the inevitable cutting of defense budgets, the fact still remains that troops in the war zone need the best small arms and ammunition available. With all of these obstacles it is organizations like NDIA and events like the Joint Armaments Conference that can make the difference by consolidating the cutting edge products and the great minds that develop and employ them under one roof for three days that impact the rest of the year. From military units and government agencies that send their subject matter experts to top engineers and scientists from home and abroad, the Joint Armaments Conference is an event where business cards and email addresses are exchanged, where new ideas are birthed, and focus is honed on the path ahead for the sake of the warfighters that put their lives on the line daily in the service of their country, wherever that may be.

Among the great revolvers of all time is the Webley. Webley handguns fought in every conflict the British Empire was embroiled in from 1880 to 1963 and beyond. The odds are heavily in favor of the supposition that somewhere the Webley is still serving ably. While designed as rough and ready service revolvers, there is now some collector interest in the Webley. A chaotic loss of factory records has resulted in a daunting proposition to researchers, but then few Webley revolvers are true rarities. The condition of each should be your guide both as a shooter and as a collectible. The Webley is indispensable to anyone who desires to own a complete collection of World War One and World War Two revolvers. The Webley also served as a front line handgun during various Communist insurrections including Korea. The Webley was also a police revolver not only in England but also in practically every country under British influence. Officially, the Webley revolver in one form or another served the Empire as standard issue from 1887 until 1963, when the Browning High Power took its place. Just the same, the revolver was still on hand well into the 1970s at many British outposts.

The important features of the revolver are automatic extraction and double action trigger action. The top break extraction is a very desirable feature in a combat handgun. After expending the gun load, the barrel latch was activated and the barrel grasped to turn the barrel down. The extractor spring sprung the ejector to its full extension, ejecting all shells at once. The only disadvantage was that the shells were all ejected, fired or not. It was devilishly difficult to simply top the revolver off after a round or two had been fired. The American Smith & Wesson break top system was much the same. A competitor in America, the Merwin and Hulbert, used a special system in which the barrel was drawn forward and only fired cases ejected. I mention these competing systems because all had one shortcoming: they were not practical for cartridges longer than the .38 Smith & Wesson, .44 Smith and Wesson or .455 Webley. The leverage and length of the extractor were suitable only for short case revolver rounds.

The Webley Mk I was introduced in 1887 and saw action in Africa against aboriginal tribes. By 1900, the improved MK IV was in use by the British. The MK VI differs considerably from earlier revolvers as there is a step in the grip that gives more positive hand fit during double action fire. The Webley self extracting revolver, as the company called it, had few real competitors, and those armed with substitute standard handguns often complained. It is important to remember that Webley also produced solid frame revolvers for police and civilian use. Among the large numbers of Belgian and Spanish Ironmongery are a great many Webley copies. Some are well fitted, others are best suitable for use as fishing weights, and none are as well made or robust and the genuine Webley. Properly called Webley and Scott revolvers, these revolvers proved reliable in hostile environments including World War One trenches. Interesting to note, the obvious advantages of speed loads for the fast loading Webley revolver was developed as early as 1889 with some speed loaders issued by 1902. My research is imperfect but it seems that speed loaders were never issued in great numbers. The Prideaux speedloader is a complicated all metal device that when found commands as high a price as the handguns themselves.

Immediately after World War One, there was a hue and cry to replace the Webley .455. The Mk VI was larger and heavier than the original revolver but quite comfortable to fire and use. Just the same, the Army called for a smaller caliber revolver. Ease of training was one reason for the adoption of a .38 caliber revolver. Many other nations have regretted going to a smaller caliber handgun, but the British seem to have hit the magic number with the .38 and the loading they used. Restrictions upon the length of cartridge that could be used left little choice. The .38 Short Colt or .38 Smith & Wesson were the only likely choices. The .38 Smith & Wesson was chosen as a base line, with an unusual bullet. The British felt that by using a 200 grain bullet some measure of stopping power would be retained. The original loading was a 200 grain round nose lead bullet at 650 fps. The new cartridge, actually a special loaded .38 Smith & Wesson, as distinct from the longer .38 Special, was termed the .380 or .38/200. The Mk IV Webley revolver is a basically a downsized .455 but also based upon the .38 caliber police revolvers. It is interesting that after expressing much interest in the Webley product, the government deigned it appropriate to develop their own handgun at Enfield Lock Small Arms Factory. The Revolver, No. 2, Mk I is similar in outline and operation to the Webley. It is a break top revolver with simultaneous ejection. Many of the detail changes are primarily for ease of production. As the story goes, after an accident in which a tank driver suffered a self inflicted wound, the Enfield was changed to the Mk I*, denoting a spurless hammer. Essentially, these were double action only handguns. Webley and Scott felt that the situation was more than unfair and brought suit against the government for their actions. The government did pay Webley, but also ordered great quantities of the Webley during World War Two as the Enfield Lock location was not adequate alone to meet the needs of the British Army. Some half a million Webley .38/200 revolvers were produced. This number is approximately four times the production figures for the .455 revolvers.

The revolvers illustrated in this report are typical Webley revolvers. The MK III .455 was produced prior to the Boer war. It is in the original caliber. Quite a few have been altered to accept the .45 Automatic Colt Pistol cartridge with the use of moon clips. This was done as an expedient when Webley ammunition was difficult to impossible to obtain. While the .455 frame has been able to contain this pressure, common sense tells us there is a disparity in pressure. The .455 Webley with its 265 grain RNL bullet generates 650 fps at 12,000 pounds per square inch pressure. The .45 ACP cartridge with a 230 grain RNJ bullet generates 820 fps at 18,000 pounds per square inch. Today, good quality ammunition is available from Hornady. This relieves us of the necessity of facing off the cylinder and recoil plate in order to fire our Webley revolvers – but converted handguns WILL NOT accept the .455 ammunition.

The MK III is very comfortable to fire. While it looks ungainly compared to modern revolvers, the Webley is far from it. The grip feels good in the hand, the double action trigger is smooth, and the sights are good for close range combat shooting. Our extractor spring is weak, which limited the experience, but overall this is a handgun that must have given officers much confidence. Recoil with the .455 Webley is insignificant. The lighter .38 revolver is impressive in fit, finish, and fast handling. This revolver was delivered from Southern Ohio Guns packed in Cosmoline. After the heavy grease was removed and the revolver examined, it was pronounced as new and appeared unfired. Balance is excellent. The Webley .38 is lively in the hand and it gets on the target quickly. The trigger is smooth and the combat style sights are excellent. We were able to obtain a small quantity of Winchester produced .38 Smith & Wesson loads. The 146 grain RNL bullet averaged 580 fps from the revolver’s four inch barrel. Accuracy is problematic in the target sense but good in the true sense of marksmanship, in hitting the target on demand. We fired a four inch group at 15 yards with all six chambers. While the caliber is questionable for combat use, the handling of this revolver is first class. I attempted to duplicate the original loading with a combination of RCBS dies, Starline premium quality new cartridge brass, Winchester primers, WW 231 ball powder, and the Magnus cast bullet at 198 grains. I was able to work up a loading that exhibited 667 fps. The thump in the hand remained pleasant but noticeably stronger than with the 146 grain loading. The British believed that a heavier bullet at lower velocity working over a target over a longer time would be more effective than a lighter higher velocity bullet. There may be something to it. The Webley revolvers are a piece of history that is both interesting and tangible. At present, Webley revolvers are affordable and readily available. They are also shootable, given an example in good condition.

The Erma EMP submachine gun was designed by Heinrich Vollmer in the mid thirties. Production only occurred from 1935 to 1938 and while a few guns were used by the German army and police, most of the guns were sold for export.

Like many submachine guns designed during this period (Schmeisser, Suomi, Steyr-Solothurn, etc.), the main use was during the Chaco War in South America between Bolivia and Paraguay (1932-1935) and the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939).

Many Erma EMPs were used by Spanish Republican troops and kept by the French when the Republicans come back to France after their defeat. Like many other foreign submachine guns seized, they were kept in a French Army Ordnance plant in Clermont-Ferrand in the center of the country.

After nearly twenty years of development of a national submachine gun, and trials of various foreign models, the French Army was not able in 1939 to choose a submachine gun. So when they entered the war with the German, no submachine guns were issued for the French troops.

On November 1, 1939, 3,750 Thompson 1921 and 1928s were ordered from the United States but they did not arrive until February 1940. Because of the urgency of the situation, the army looked at the guns stored in Clermont-Ferrand and several of them were tested. They included the Labora 38, a Spanish gun shooting the 9mm Largo cartridge, the F.A.I. Spanish copy of the Schmeisser MP28, also shooting the 9mm Largo, and the Suomi, a Finnish submachine gun in 9mm Luger.

But the most numerous and important weapon in the French arsenal was the Vollmer Erma. 3,250 were present at this time but only 1,540 magazines. A same gun coming from the Swiss Company Etablissements Mécaniques de Précision was also submitted to trials. Because of the lack of magazines, only 700 to 800 Erma submachine guns could be used. They were given to the Corps Francs, commando units fighting at the rear of enemy front each night to get information and take prisoners. Some other Erma Vollmers were used by the Gendarmerie. A provisional user manual was published on December 26, 1939, and another edition is dated January 6, 1940. Some war photographs exist showing the Erma Vollmer in the hands of French troops and some others later in the hands of the small Vichy Government army.

Several copies of the Erma Vollmer EMP were made in Spain that included the Modelo 1941/44, manufactured by Fabrica de Armas de La Coruna and the V.P.K., without cooling sleeve. Both fired the 9mm Largo cartridge.

The gun works on the blowback system. It has a wooden stock with a short forend and a vertical front grip. The frame is cylindrical and the barrel is mounted inside a tubular cooling sleeve with oval holes. The cocking lever is on the right side. The bolt is cylindrical with an independent firing pin, and there is a small diameter recoil spring with telescopic guide rod. For safety, the cocking lever can be placed in a recess of the frame. Some models have a device to lock the bolt, located in the rear of the ejection port. A selector is located on the right side, just over the trigger. In vertical position (A or D), it permits full automatic fire, and in the horizontal position (T or E), single shots.

The front sight is on the top of the cooling jacket and the tangent rear sight is graduated from 50 to 1,000 meters. The gun has a horizontal magazine located on the left side.

Disassembly

Remove the magazine and clear the gun. Put the selector in the full auto position and press the trigger. Hold the cooling jacket and turn it to the right or left with a movement to the front. Separate the frame and the stock. Extract the recoil spring and bolt from the frame. To reassemble operate in the reverse order.

Erma Vollmer

Caliber: 9mm
Ammunition: 9mm Luger
Overall length: 0.895 m (32.23 inches)
Barrel length: 0.250 m (9.84 inches)
Weight w/o magazine: 4.150 kg (9.16 lbs)
Cyclic rate of fire: 500 rpm
Magazine capacity: 20 or 32 cartridges

The M-41 pulse rifle is the all-purpose workhorse for U.S. Army as well as Colonial Marine Expeditionary Forces deployed across the entire spectrum of battlespace. From classic low-intensity conflicts and peacekeeping deployments to military operations on a planetary scale, the M-41 does yeomen’s duty as a general-issue small arms platform.

The original M-41 was developed nearly twenty years ago by Alliant Techsystems in response to a joint services request to replace the venerable M-28 flechette gun. The M-28 had soldiered on reliably in one form or another for more than forty years but its relatively bulky tactical footprint and near-notorious lack of one shot stopping power demanded a new small arms solution for the modern light infantry soldier. The M-41 represented the right melding of technology and practical ergonomics, bringing today’s soldier or marine a lightweight, versatile, and imminently lethal weapon that was equally effective in environments ranging from steaming jungles to the vacuum of space. The key to the success of this revolutionary weapon was the perfection of its caseless ammunition technology.

Caseless ammunition had been a pipe dream for more than two centuries. The Victor-Heddon caseless rifle marketed commercially in the United States in the 1960s represented a marginally-successful rudimentary effort. This weapon was a single shot .22 caliber plinking rifle that employed then-revolutionary caseless rounds incorporating an unjacketed .22 caliber projectile attached to a pellet of carbide-based propellant. The weapon itself was little more than a heavily-modified air rifle. The gun’s air piston was charged via a long lever underneath the forearm. When the trigger was actuated the piston released a jet of high-pressure air that generated sufficient friction to ignite the propellant charge. The weapon produced ballistics comparable to a conventional .22 long cartridge and, obviously, ejected no spent cartridge cases. While technically successful, the ammunition was fragile and sensitive to moisture and rough handling. After a brief commercial run the weapon was discontinued and relegated to the status of collector’s item.

Prior to the collapse of communism in the late 1980s the then West German government embarked on an aggressive program to produce a viable caseless military arm. The resulting Heckler and Koch G-11 was a recoil-operated weapon that fired a 4.7mm bullet mounted atop a pressure-formed propellant grain of square cross section. This cartridge was treated to make it moisture resistant and incorporated a proprietary consumable primer. The G-11 fed from a top-mounted fifty-round disposable box magazine and incorporated a novel rotary operating system.

The bolt on the G-11 was a fairly large rotating cylinder that incorporated an integrated chamber design that turned through a full ninety degrees to chamber a round and align it with the barrel for firing. This mechanism, while complex, was sealed from the elements and facilitated some fairly unique performance specifications. The G-11 had a four-position selector that allowed a full-auto cyclic rate of 600 rounds per minute and a rate in three-round burst mode of 2,000 rpm. In burst mode the intent was to have all three rounds launched prior to the recoil impulse being transmitted to the firer. In this regard the design was both unique and successful.

The G-11 had great promise. The ammunition was indeed fairly robust. One of the designers for Dynamit Nobel was said to have carried a round in his pocket with his keys for more than a year and then successfully fired it with no ill effects. However, the peaceful collapse of communism and the reunification of Germany negated the mission for the G-11 and the program was cancelled.

The early part of the 21st century saw the acceptance of polymer-cased military ammunition as well as the perfection of telescoped-case technology. These technological milestones served as stepping stones to the 10mm caseless ammunition employed so successfully on the M-41.

The M-41 Pulse Rifle is so designated based upon its ingenious cartridge ignition system. Caseless rounds are fed into the chamber by the piston-driven, gas-operated recoil mechanism and then detonated via electrical pulse from a cold-load lithium ion battery. This power cell is installed at the factory and is rated for fifteen years of continuous operation. The system is effectively environmentally-sealed to allow operation in any conceivable tactical environment. The electronic circuitry on board the weapon is also hardened against the electromagnetic pulse from a nuclear detonation. The M-41 will actually function and fire reliably both underwater and in the vacuum of space. In must be noted, however, that accuracy is spotty at all but point blank range when fired underwater. Additionally, I am told by some operators who have tried it that managing recoil in a weightless vacuum can make for some exciting zero-G gyrations.

Ammunition for the M-41 comes in a variety of flavors. Standard general issue combat rounds incorporate a small point-detonating high explosive charge along with a tungsten light armor penetrator. This general-purpose combat round is effective against most man-portable body armor out to its accepted maximum effective range of five hundred fifty meters. Combat experience has shown this round to retain its lethality out much farther than that, however. There has been at least one confirmed one-shot kill at more than 1,200 meters undertaken by a Marine Designated Marksman equipped with a stock M-41 outfitted with gyrostabilized optics.

Tracer rounds and inert training variants that mimic the trajectory of the standard explosive-tipped caseless light armor-piercing rounds but lack their H.E. payload are available as well. Obviously, civilian owners of sporterized M-41 variants only have access to the training rounds. Live firing of combat ammunition requires specialized range facilities to accommodate the possibility of UXO or unexploded ordnance. Though detonation rates in excess of 99.99% have been documented against backstops ranging from earth to snow to water, the risk of dud rounds still mandates that most training be conducted with solid tipped training ammunition.

The M-41 is clearly a weapon designed with operator’s input from the very outset. The controls are intuitive and the center of balance is perfect. The integrated carrying handle and sighting rail provides a handy carrying point for long ruck marches while the sling attachment points are fully ambidextrous. The shoulder stock adjusts to accommodate various physiques as well as body armor. Fire controls and magazine releases are mirrored on both sides of the weapon and the caseless nature of the design makes it equally comfortable for both right and left handed shooters. The cyclic rate of fire in fully automatic mode is 700 rounds per minute. The nature of the caseless ammunition combined with the weapon’s novel hydro-pneumatic buffer system keeps recoil mild and burst firing controllable.

The M-41 feeds from an ingenious quad-stack disposable magazine available in both fifty and hundred round versions. Ammunition is issued pre-loaded in these robust polymer magazines and the spent mags are subsequently discarded. The use of disposable polymer magazines negates the potential for weapons malfunction due to magazine wear, a common failure point for weapons employed under hard use conditions.

The one addition to the M-41 platform that makes it most popular with troops in the field when compared to the older M-28 family of weapons is the integrated 30mm over-and-under pump-action grenade launcher. This weapon is lightweight, easy to operate tactically, and profoundly effective. The integrated grenade launcher brings each individual soldier or marine the capability to defeat light armored vehicles as well as targets behind mild cover. Additionally, the operator equipped with the M-41 also possesses the capability of engaging targets behind heavy cover via indirect fire. This weapon carries five rounds in its ready configuration and the high-low pressure system incorporated into the ammunition keeps recoil manageable.

There is a wide selection of tactical loadings available for the grenade launcher component of the M-41. Standard Mk-118 general-purpose grenades are of the High-Explosive Dual-Purpose (HEDP) variety. These rounds provide a five meter bursting radius against unprotected targets as well as the capability to defeat up to three inches of rolled homogenous steel armor. In addition, the operator may remove the gold cap from these rounds and actuate the fusing mechanism manually. In this configuration the Mk-118 incorporates an electromechanical four-second time delay and serves as the standard issue hand-thrown antipersonnel grenade.

The Mk-192 thermobaric grenade incorporates a friable explosive thermobaric warhead designed for use against buildings and similar enclosed targets. The Mk-192 is designed to punch a hole through a structure’s outer skin and then destroy it from within via overpressure from the friable explosive warhead. Many troops in combat will actually load their grenade launchers alternating Mk-118 and Mk-192 rounds and then engage each target twice as a matter of protocol. As the Marines are wont to say, in combat there really is no such thing as overkill.

Another popular loading is the Mk-151 antipersonnel canister round for Military Operations in Urban Terrain (MOUT) use as well as Close Quarters Battle (CQB). The canister loading incorporates three tungsten disks nested within a matrix of a dozen plated lead pellets. At close ranges these canister loadings turn the M-41 into the equivalent of a large-bore pump action shotgun and are absolutely devastating against lightly armored targets.

Other specialized rounds include incendiary loadings, star clusters for signal purposes, and bounding rounds that rebound off of a target surface to detonate at a fixed distance above the ground though these specific rounds are used more for specialized operations and are not commonly issued.

On the range the M-41 is clearly a rifleman’s weapon. The total weight of the system fully loaded is just shy of three kilos and the composite housing on the weapon is devoid of sharp corners that might otherwise gouge one’s anatomy on a long forced march. The top rail provides a handy interface for gyrostabilized optical sights and there are mounting points alongside both sides of the barrel shroud for white lights, laser designators, or infrared illuminators.

Though only ten inches long, each carbon fiber composite barrel is rated for more than 30,000 rounds before required gauging or replacement and is capable of excellent combat accuracy. Groups at 100 meters were consistently two inches or less from a rest. The composite material used in the barrels does a great job of dissipating heat from extended firing sessions and the combustible insulative polymer coating applied to the ammunition during manufacture makes the rounds more resistant to cookoffs than more conventional brass, steel, or polymer-cased ammo.

The issue trigger is sharp with no discernible creep and very little take-up, an intended consequence of the pulse rifle’s electronic ignition system. Head shots at 300 meters on the range were easy with the M-41 even for my old eyes. Burst firing is manageable so long as even rudimentary tactical technique is employed with all rounds from a 3-5 round burst consistently remaining on a standard tactical silhouette out to fifty meters or so. Even neophyte shooters who fired the M-41 for the first time found that they could consistently hit targets out to at least two hundred meters with minimal instruction. Small-framed female shooters also performed well with the weapon, clearly an intentional component of the design given the large percentage of female soldiers and marines serving in the combat arms these days.

The grenade launcher was both effective and fun to shoot. Recoil is more of a push than a jolt and all five rounds could be fired and cycled in less time than it takes to describe. Firing the 30mm grenade launcher really does give the shooter a feeling of near-invincibility on the range. Minimum arming distance for all explosive rounds is twenty-five meters while the effective bursting radius of Mk-118 standard HEDP combat rounds was found in practice to be in excess of the publicized five meters.

The original M-41 has gone through two major upgrades during the course of its service life. The M-41A was four ounces lighter than the original M-41 and incorporated a new electronic round counter on the right side of the magazine well that allows the operator to keep an exact tally of his or her ammunition remaining on board the weapon in any lighting conditions. The electronic round counter is powered by the same lithium ion battery that powers the weapon’s ignition system.

The M-41B is essentially the same weapon as the M-41A with a few engineering changes aimed at speeding production. The composite stock system on the weapon can be had in black, white, olive drab, coyote tan, or any one of a variety of camouflage patterns. The bolt of the grenade launcher is now hard chromed for durability and corrosion resistance.

It has been more than one hundred years since the machine gun ban of 1986 so factory fully automatic versions of the M-41 series of weapons are not available to the civilian shooting public. While there are a few post-sample conversions floating around that are available only to licensed NFA dealers and law enforcement, original factory fully automatic and burst firing variants of the M-41 are only available to the military and certified law enforcement organizations. All is not lost, however, for the civilian shooter who wants to own what is essentially the same weapon carried into battle by our Colonial Marines.

Several enterprising manufacturers have constructed their own aftermarket stock sets and conversion systems to transform the Alliant Techsystems M-41S Sporter into something more akin to the Mil-Spec variant. Advanced collectors with deep pockets can even land an operational grenade launcher though the resulting composite weapon requires two tax stamps for transfer, one as a short-barreled rifle for the host weapon and another a destructive device stamp for the grenade launcher. Sadly, civilian owners will likely never even see live high explosive rounds. As previously discussed, stringent range requirements would preclude safe firing even if the rounds were available legally.

The M-41B pulse rifle represents the state of the art in contemporary small arms technology. The result of literally countless hours and millions of dollars of research combined with operator input and a steady and focused product improvement program, the M-41 series of weapons stands poised to satisfy the small arms requirements for all five U.S. armed services for many years to come.

Many thanks to Captain Cynthia Becker, Public Affairs Officer for the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, United States Colonial Marines, for her invaluable assistance in the preparation of this article. Without the generous assistance of the Corps and subsequent access to M-41 variants and high-explosive ammunition operated solely by the military services this article would not have been possible. Semper Fi.

(Editor’s note: APRIL FOOLS!)

For collectors of machine guns, especially the old classic machine guns, accessories are as much of the “hunt” as are the guns themselves. More often than not, certain accessories are rarer than the gun it is associated with and a collection that includes rare accessories can greatly increase the value of the entire collection. Searching the tables and bins at gun shows, Knob Creek and the SAR West show, collectors are always on the lookout for that special or rare accessory to compliment their collection. Sometimes the seller doesn’t know the rarity and value of such an item and it can be bought for a song: however, most times that is not the case. Nevertheless, finding that rare accessory is a thrill and a source of enjoyment that compliments the collecting experience.

One such rare accessory is the cast brass Lewis gun adapter for the Vickers Mk IV tripod. When the Lewis gun was adopted (LoC §17484, October 15, 1915), the British were quick to introduce an adapter for mounting the Lewis gun on the Mk IV Vickers tripod. While the Lewis gun is a light machine gun that utilizes a bipod, it still fires the full power of the .303 rifle caliber cartridge. There were times when it was pressed into service in the medium/heavy machine gun role where a more stable platform was needed for firing over the heads of advancing troops, or for longer range indirect, enfilade and defilade fire – particularly if one or more Vickers guns were out of action. However, it was not well suited for this roll as it was an air-cooled light machine gun and could not sustain the volume of fire that the Vickers could put out. It was actually a little better suited when used in the anti-aircraft roll. Nonetheless, there were other, better, field expedient means in which to put the Lewis in action for that purpose.

Ultimately, the adapter found little usage and was discontinued and the remaining stock most likely melted down to reclaim the valuable brass. No production figures are currently available, but this Lewis gun accessory is very rare with only a handful known to exist in museums and private collections and commands a high price on the collectors market.

Consumer demand for user serviceable .22 LR silencers is at an all time high and Gemtech revealed two brand new .22 LR silencers at the 2010 Shot Show in Las Vegas. In this study, the Alpine and the G5-22 as well as the Outback II were tested. The Outback II was used as a reference as its one of the most popular, best selling silencers on the market today. In order to bring the reader the broadest possible spectrum for these silencers, three pistols and four rifles were used in testing. The pistols include the Walther P22, the SIG Mosquito and the Ruger MKIII with Tactical Solutions Pac-Lite upper. The four rifles used were the CZ-452, M&P15-22, Ruger 10/22, and Colt M4 with 16 inch barrel with Atchison conversion.

Facts and Myths about .22 LR silencers

It was once widely believed that user serviceable or “take down” design silencers were many decibels louder than their sealed brethren. Recent testing has shown that this is merely a myth as two of the top three .22 LR silencers tested on a pistol were take down designs. Take down designs also took the top 3 on a Ruger 10/22 as well. It was also believed that sealed up silencers never got louder as they clogged up. One school of thought was they actually got quieter when dirty. This is all nonsense and has been proven false. Each time a .22 LR round is fired, a tiny amount of molten lead and carbon adheres itself to the baffle stack, and over time the baffles simply become clogged up and cannot function properly. Much as is the case with a muffler on an automobile. Silencers that are sealed do get louder with use and if used enough will require a rebuild by the manufacturer. Host weapon, barrel length, rate of fire and other factors will dictate how fast a silencer will become clogged up and lose efficiency. Pistol and rifle use on a sealed silencer will usually allow between 10 and 15 thousand rounds to be fired before cleaning is necessary, but use on a .22 LR machine gun will cut round count to one third. I would never recommend using a sealed silencer on a .22 LR machine gun.

Gemtech Alpine

The Gemtech Alpine is manufactured from 7075 series aluminum and is hard coat anodized. The thread insert is titanium to help prevent galling. Weighing in at only 3.7 ounces one hardly notices the weight on a pistol and it’s nearly impossible to detect when used on a rifle. It doesn’t occlude the factory sights on any of the pistols tested. One of the best features of this silencer is the fact that the powder gas (which generates molten lead and carbon deposits) is not allowed to reach the outer tube. This is an ingenious design feature that makes disassembly of the silencer much easier than traditional K baffle silencers. Few other silencers on the market offer this feature. The silencer can be disassembled with a U.S. coin and a wooden dowel. I personally used a plastic writing pen to push out the stack. Reassembly after cleaning was a snap. Instructions are provided with the silencer including drawings.

Gemtech G5-22

This silencer was created to allow the end user to get the same look as a 5.56mm rated G5 on the new, popular .22 caliber AR-15 look-a-likes, such as the M&P15-22, GSG AK-47 and a number of others. The silencer comes with one quick attach mount and you can purchase others. It works exactly as the Bi-Lock does on the full sized G5. The silencer is 7075 aluminum hard coat anodized and can be disassembled for cleaning by the end user. A tool is supplied but is not required in a pinch. I disassembled the silencer without the tool without any trouble. If you don’t like the look of a 1-inch silencer on your AR-15 conversion or one of the new AR-15 .22’s then the G5-22 is a great option.

Sound Testing the Silencers

Sound testing was conducted with two Bruel & Kjaer 2209 impulse sound meters equipped with Bruel & Kjaer 4136 1/4 inch condenser microphones and calibrated with a Bruel & Kjaer 4220 pistonphone. Testing was done at two locations as per Mil-Std 1474D. One microphone was placed 15cm from the shooter’s left ear and one was placed at what is known as the “reference” location which is 1 meter to the left of the weapon’s muzzle, 1.6 meters over the ground. The reference location is more commonly used in silencer testing.

Host Weapons Tested

The Walther P22 has become the gold standard in silencer testing in recent years as it is readily available and can be adapted to accept a silencer cheaply and quickly. Adapters that fit the already threaded factory barrel are available for around $40, which represents less than half the price of a custom threaded barrel. The Ruger MKIII is a bit more pricey, but I really enjoy the feel of the weapon when equipped with the Tactical Solutions Pac Lite threaded 4.5 inch barrel. The Pac Lite is a super accurate upgrade to any Ruger pistol. The SIG Mosquito can also be adapted to accept a silencer with the correct adapter. While the Mosquito has had mixed reviews from users, I have had no problems from the weapon. The Ruger 10/22 is also the gold standard of silencer testing as they are so popular and one can either have a factory barrel threaded or one can buy any number of pre-threaded aftermarket barrels that are accurate. In this study, I used a factory barrel that I threaded. The CZ-452 is a very nice traditional bolt action .22 LR host weapon. This particular one was factory threaded and with the use of an inexpensive adapter you can affix your silencer right away. The Colt M4 used for this test has a 16 inch barreled upper and I used a drop in conversion kit that is available from a number of sources including Ceiner, CMMG, and others. The magazine used in the Colt M4 was the reliable Black Dog Machine plastic magazine designed to work with the conversion and it even has a bolt hold open feature. The M&P15-22 was also tested as the G5-22 was developed to fit this type of weapon. I threaded the barrel on this weapon myself. It needs to be understood that the general industry standard in the USA for .22 LR silencers regarding barrel thread length is around .4000″. Many factory threaded barrels that are being offered today use the .6000″+ thread length that is for flash hiders. This creates a situation that allows the silencer to be screwed to far onto the host weapon’s barrel and the barrel becomes dangerously close to the first baffle. This can seriously damage the silencer and the crown on the barrel. It is therefore highly recommended that you use a spacer to alleviate this problem when using barrels that are threaded beyond .4000″. These spacers are available from a number of sources, including www.thesilencerstore.com.

Final Impressions

At the reference location using the Walther P22 and the Ruger 10/22, the Outback II and Alpine produce virtually an identical sound signature. At the ear, the Outback II sounds quieter as shown in the charts. The G5-22 is quieter on the M4 with the Atchison conversion kit at the reference location than the M&P15-22 is. However at the ear the meter shows there is no discernible difference as one decibel is required for the human ear to notice a difference. I did find it interesting to show that the CZ-452 was considerably quieter at the ear than the Ruger 10/22 showing a near 8dB difference. I believe Gemtech has hit a home run with the new user serviceable .22 LR units and I think they offer excellent sound reduction for anyone looking for a quality .22 unit.

The first U.S. machine gun patent was issued to Samuel L. Farries of Middleton, Ohio in 1829. Eli Whitney progressed from his cotton gin invention, Samuel Colt started thinking full auto from the deck of a ship in international waters, John Browning (and his father) from a small workshop, and David (Carbine) Williams did it from a prison cell. All in the great American tradition of rugged individualism….

Once upon a time there were a handful of licensed firearms manufacturers (Class 02 SOT) who never reached the heights of Colt, Winchester, Remington, etc. Nor did they particularly aspire to. However, they played by the same rules, paid the same fees and taxes, held the same licenses, did the same paperwork and complied with the same baffling array of Federal, state and local laws. They were self-financed, self-employed, and self-driven. This cadre started a revolution in the early 1980s within the firearms community and some made a mark for themselves and their wares. They were a testimony to the classic American entrepreneur trying to build a better mousetrap. They daringly offered custom services to a marketplace that was closeted, secretive, largely ignorant and very, very small. That marketplace was what we call the NFA Community, or the Class 03 community. Good and bad, glad and sad, full of passion and insight, they climbed a mountain only to fall to the sea.

What these Knights did was full auto conversions on semiautomatic firearms. Specifically, they applied their own individual hands-on re-engineering techniques customized to a selection of firearms – some which have even escaped the most recent media-induced misnomer of “semiautomatic assault weapons.” Going where few had publicly dared go before; each had his unique handle on firearms technology. Each Knight figured out a conversion technique and refined it as best as a small production machine shop equipment would take them. Most had no training, or manuals, instructions or factory parts to work with. It was frequently seat-of-the-pants work.

Collectively we might call them “custom conversion military weapons experts,” which would be an over-simplification. Some may have been gunsmiths or armorers. Most were inventors. Some had military experience. Most had few real world credentials as firearms designers. But in reality, most could actually take a block of raw steel and cut away everything that didn’t look like a gun and it would shoot when they were done. Every conversion was an adventure and a new challenge. Largely, they had to re-invent the wheel. If parts were needed, they made them, often carving out the bits and pieces by hand. Later, molds were made to cast perfected sear designs or other pieces of their conversion techniques. Every customer had to be educated because they had forever been told, “All machine guns are illegal,” and all believed it. Everyone knew it was very, very, expensive. Except what our Knights were offering wasn’t.

Almost every collector and shooter could now have affordable rock n’ roll. What a concept – be still my heart! The start of my instructional talk to potential customers who were almost always misinformed went something like this: “If you don’t run dope, horses, or women, if you pay your taxes and back alimony, have been a good boy all your life and are not a known ne’er-do-well in your neck of the woods, you too can own one of these fine machine guns!”

Back in The Day, if you could sign a yellow (then) sheet Form 4473 and not lie to any of the questions and could get the local sheriff or police chief to sign the law enforcement section (not a certainty at all), could paste a photo on the Form 4 which didn’t make you look like a miscreant and could acquire a gun and the money to get it converted to full auto by one of the aforementioned Knights, then Yes! You could come to the party and bring your own fast gun and put out a heart-thumping, flame-spewing, put-hair-on-your-chest, singe your eyebrows and bloody your nose glorious exhibition of firepower.

These little no-name Knights had to be ferreted out. You had to know someone who knew someone who heard it from a guy at work, etc. When you finally stumbled across the threshold of their machine shops, usually hidden discreetly in out-of-the-way places, you were beside yourself with glee. You had entered the domain of genius, daring-do, and joyful noise.

Greeted by a test-firing rat-a-tat-tat staccato of 9mm or .223, you paused for breath and prayed you could get past the gnarly security barrier. Rarely did you encounter anyone other than The Man Himself. This fellow likely greeted you from across his lathe or from behind his milling machine hollering he’d “be with you in a minute.” Wiping his brow and hands on a greasy shop rag, he would shake your hand and ask what he could do for you. Oh, My! (Breathe slowly, please.)

In due course, you would hand over your AR-15, your sleek H&K, or maybe an Uzi or an AK type. Any one of three-dozen or so likely conversion candidates. Your investment was in steps: buy a gun, pay for the conversion, pay the tax stamp, and buy ammo & accessories. Workable money for most people. After months of anticipation and frequent high anxiety attacks, you would receive The Call. Your gun is ready, your paperwork has cleared, and yes, a case of ammo is being held for you. You had attained the headiest of all firearms acquisitions – your first NFA firearm.

Yes, there was almost always a second and a third, ad infinitum. Potato chips have nothing on these goodies for not being able to have just one. It wasn’t about addiction. It was the unending thrills …of the hunt, of successfully negotiating the morass of lawful acquisition, the expenditure of significant monies from a working man’s budget, the lawful ownership of that which many people aspire to and would never obtain, and the lawful and necessary commitment to becoming the ultimate gun owner. Thrill-seekers abound, because you got to shoot it!

Our motley Knights did not have the support of the firearms industry, nor of the proclaimed “traditional” gun owning public. (Yes, you surely detect my aggrieved sneer at the memory of those who looked away with distain. They didn’t “get it” about how important it is for Americans to own military firearms… Bless their hearts.) Many Americans including “traditional” gun owners just refuse to understand that the Second Amendment outlines that Americans have a citizenship duty to come to the defense of the nation, bearing the arms of the day (i.e. military weapons being used by the military of our times. See: M1, M14, M16.). Furthermore, we are to be fully equipped to take care of business and be fully trained. That’s not something you do after 3 days at boot camp with the first real gun you ever saw. Our Freedoms in the First Amendment stand on the shoulders of the Second. Without adherence and exercise of the Second, we got diddily, friends. Our American Republic becomes a toothless on-paper-only tiger and we can only cower under our beds and hope nobody wants a piece of us. While the idea of making these conversions and owning them in the early 1980s is discussed as “fun,” the fact is that martial enthusiasts have always coincided with free, strong populations.

The Knights weren’t schlepping hunting guns, or shiny engraved collectibles, or respectable vintage 6-shooters. What they worked on had mostly black finishes, often less than perfectly manufactured (to the point of ugly); and were the semi-auto civilian versions of business guns. Not even that mighty behemoth, the NRA, acknowledged either the converted guns or the Knights’ existence, until much later when forced to acknowledge their contributions …both good and bad.

In May 1986, the infamous statute 922(o) of the McClure-Volkmer Firearms Owners Protection Act took all the fun out of it. The door that was slammed closed hit the collective noses of future NFA would-be owners. (And undermined, desecrated and negated the Second Amendment for what has seemed like an eternity.)

The Knights of the Black ‘N Ugly Armories created some of BATF’s worst nightmares. They managed to “paper” some of the oddest items… as there were few rulings on what made each particular firearm an NFA weapon. BATF had to make it up as things rolled along as new techniques reared their ugly heads. Mired in a morass of arcane and hard to understand laws created by our elected representatives, filtered through decades of regulatory rulings and assorted confusing muck, the BATF and the NFA manufacturers were frequently adrift in uncharted waters. Various Class 02s declared everything from a shoelace used to convert a Mini-14 to buckets of unfinished FA sears as “machine guns.” There were few firearms experts at BATF and frequently they had to accept the word of the 02 manufacturers as to what made a particular gun a machine gun. Some items were papered simply to protect the 02 from possible BATF adverse action. If an 02 deigned to declare a gum wrapper or piece of tin foil as an NFA weapon, BATF had to accept it as such. This was not the free ride it sounds like. Conversely, if it could be used to do the deed, you had to paper it or risk the consequences of committing an illegal act. There was bickering, squabbling, hassles and the occasional integrity issue to be dealt with. No industry support and no free legal backup protection or rights organization protecting Class 03 were available. Some Knights knew what they were doing, some were wily, some were very good at their inventiveness, and some were butchers.

Collectively, our Knights produced tens of thousands of affordable, shootable, NFA Class 03 guns and hardware. Class 03’s will never be boring, same-same, or cheap to shoot. Once upon a time, these were cheap(er) to own. Now, alas, it is a rich man’s hobby. Due to the unholy aberration in 1986: Pioneering… MIA. Expertise… aging. Availability… mostly gone into some collector’s “Black Hole” – that’s “where guns go in and don’t come out.” Affordability… get serious. This is the laugh that hurts.

From our Knights came forth ingenuity and invention, progress and new design. They did everything the hard way. They sacrificed and they pioneered. Nobody financed the R&D. Projects gone awry, mistakes, false starts, dead ends, and losses were absorbed by them, not some giant conglomerate owned by foreign investors. They got their hands dirty and rarely made any real money for themselves. They crossed the lines drawn in the sand. They stood against the tide. Each Knight was on his own. As independent thinkers and doers, it should make it hard to throw stones at them now, yet people do.

I am no sideline observer to all of this. I can claim to be an eyewitness, a participant, a supporter, and a partner. I have labored on the Class 02/03 line since 1982. From the firing line, I occasionally still dance with the one that brung me, an RPB SMG M-1l/.380 ACP. I have shot more than my share of all kinds of guns. Trust me; cold dead fingers are not very useful with any of them. However, I submit to you that if it’s not black n’ ugly, 850 RPM or more with an 8 pound trigger pull, it’s not real shooting!

So if you own an NFA firearm or even its semi-auto counterpart, you likely need to thank the small, mostly unknown and unlauded, Class 02 Licensee. These are folks who carry the American Warrior Spirit within and forward. I applaud our modern Knights who are responsible for keeping faith with the Second Amendment and using their expertise, skills and talents to progress forward firearms technology, our military might and our civilian readiness. They are indeed the real traditionalists.

(Linda and the late J. D. Farmer, Jr. worked together as Hard Times Armory, Inc. now in Kennesaw, GA. Converting a considerable selection of semi-autos to NFA select-fires and producing suppressor and silencer designs, Mr. Farmer was the plaintiff in Farmer vs. Higgins seeking to overturn the 1986 ban. Linda remains in the business and continues to be infamous for her opinions.)

The Valkyrie BSR-Mod1 combines the simplicity and technology of the early, original ArmaLite/Colt belt-fed AR-15 designs with today’s modern materials and manufacturing methods to provide end users with an accessory they have desired for years. The ability to have your own AR-15 type rifle converted for a reasonable price and back in your hands in under a month.

Those of us who are heavily involved with military-style rifles live in a universe where new accessories are created for many popular platforms with extreme speed. Thanks to the lightning fast abilities of the Internet, the social network mediums and the many boards and blogs where like-minded people gather to chat, ideas spring up daily. People who are enthusiastic about a new acquisition can immediately link up with others with the same interests and a think tank can be formed in minutes. We no longer live where we can only “talk shop” at the occasional range outing, organized shoot or gun show, but almost immediately. Ideas are shared at extreme speed and entrepreneurial builders and tinkerers can get to work right away. For all the faults we can find in the Internet, there are certainly plenty of positive uses we can find as well.

Much slower than the speed of the Internet, our beloved printed gun magazines still play an important part in the ingenuity of shootists. At times they are even very complementary of each another. That is where this story begins.

In the January, 2010 issue (Vol. 13, No. 4) of Small Arms Review magazine we published a very in-depth test of the long out of production Jonathan Arthur Ciener commercial version of the Colt belt-fed prototype AR-15/M16 rifles. Within days of the magazine hitting the newsstand, the websites and blogs started buzzing. This design that has roots going as far back as the 1950s and lived a very short commercial life in the late 1980s into the early 1990s was again “discovered” by many people who may not have been involved in the shooting community at this earlier time. Several questions about its viability today and the perils or pitfalls of manufacturing of a similar rifle started popping up in numerous conversations. Paying close attention to all the chatter was George DeLury and Bill Grieve of Northridge Tool and Machine, soon to be Valkyrie Armament, LLC.

George was one of several people who called shortly after the article was published to say he was working on a similar design with a few upgrades. I told George, like I told the others, that if he got to the point where they started manufacturing a production version for sale, I would be happy to evaluate it for our readers. About 3 months later I received a second call from George that started with “Hey Jeff, it’s George. Remember me? I have something you may want to look at.” Within a very short amount of time a large box arrived and that was the first time I saw the BSR-MOD-1 belt-fed AR-15.

The Evolution Continues

Upon initial inspection of the BSR-MOD-1 it looks very much like the currently fielded, higher-end M4s given the use of current furniture and accessories. The base rifle is a Colt Law Enforcement Carbine. The front handguard is a Daniel Defense EZ CAR 7.0 rail with a SAW-type carry handle and E-3 upper receiver topped off with YHM 2-position BUIS folding sights. The rear stock is a 7-position collapsible M4S Ace Ltd. with cheek riser. A Hogue pistol grip and side-mounted sling swivel in the front sight round it off.

Looking at the belt feed mechanism of the Valkyrie BSR-MOD-1 from the outside there are several similarities with the earlier rifles we have examined and tested. It is quite similar in the way it is driven by capturing the energy from the bolt carrier on the recoil (reward) stroke and the feed pawls are also similar. It has the ability to feed from a belt or a standard box magazine with removal of the belt-feed mechanism. It is fed with a modified M27 SAW link in a similar manner to the earlier models as well. There are currently 4 patents pending on this system thus far.

While the basic function seems to mimic the earlier system there are several subtle differences upon closer examination. A favorite design difference of this writer is the addition of a bolt release that protrudes through the feed system. It is a “V” shaped, serrated arm that toggles the bolt release to either hold the bolt back or release it, keeping the shooters fingers far from the feed mechanism. (For those who did not see the test of the Ciener belt-fed rifle, the author ended up with his thumb caught in this extremely tight space during a moment of severe judgment lapse). Another difference is in the belt drive mechanism where the linkage connects to the bolt carrier. Where the original was a fixed pin, the Valkyrie is a removable pin allowing the shooter to completely remove the drive unit when the gun is used with standard box magazines or drums. This serves two purposes. First, the shooter no longer has a reciprocating shuttle in the exterior drive unit when the magazine is being fired. The second benefit is that by removing the link-pin and drive unit, a standard bolt carrier can be used for box magazines including subcaliber units, which was not an option in the earlier versions. Of course the shooter can simply remove the belt-feed unit and be firing from a standard box magazine with the installed bolt carrier in less than a minute without removing the drive pin as well. There are also several other machining differences used in the process of manufacturing that may not have been available 25-50 years ago when the original units were designed.

In the area of feeding, a downfall of this system has always been the lack of excess and residual energy to capture and assist in pulling the belt into the mechanism. This necessitated a belt box so the length of pull was kept short. Colt designed (and Ciener later utilized) a very nice box that pinned on the bottom of the rifle and doubled as a link chute, which captured the expended links and stored them in a separate compartment for reuse. The Valkyrie BSR-MOD-1 uses an adapter for standard NATO SAW boxes. While the Ciener feed box is very nice and even doubles as a link catcher as a big advantage, SAW Boxes are readily available and multiple boxes can be preloaded and stored or taken out at the same time. We like both designs for their individual advantages. Valkyrie Armament will be releasing a detachable link chute and box in the very near future but it was not available for testing at the time this went to print. We understand it is made of Kydex and will hold 200 links.

Serious Business

While Valkyrie Armament’s key market is geared towards recreational shooters at the current time, it isn’t being built as a “one off” or custom order only project. Even though they are pleased to convert your own gun to utilize their belt-feed system, they are manufacturing and stocking complete rifles of numerous configurations for immediate shipment. Spare parts are all on hand and are available for purchase. Custom builds certainly are available, such as conversions on registered M16s, piston-type rifles and they even manufacture a special line for the MGI Hydra MARCK-15 system taking full advantage of the quick change barrel (QCB) system. To date they have even converted a water-cooled M16; so if you think your project is “outside the box” please don’t discard it without calling them first. While Colt manufactured rifles are preferred for conversions due to their consistent tolerances, they have not found any rifles they could not convert at the time of this writing. Some that take longer, requiring additional custom fitting may incur additional fees and Valkyrie Armament is happy to quote special jobs on request.

Range Time & Operation

The rifle was an instant hit out of the box, but the proof is always in the performance and not the looks. Since this writer is very familiar with these types of belt systems it was found to be very easy to operate. The rifle comes with a starter tab and an end tab to be linked to each belt. Additional tabs are available for purchase as well as extra links. As mentioned before, the links are a modified, slotted M27 SAW link so factory belted 5.56x45mm ammo will not run in the gun as is. It must be linked with the special links available from Valkyrie Armament, LLC. The current price at this writing is $35 per 100 and they are certainly reusable like any other link.

Rather than go into great length and spend several pages explaining the operating system, since it is so similar to that of the early ArmaLite/Colt/Ciener systems, this writer would urge you to pick up a copy of Vol. 13, No. 4 (January, 2010) issue of Small Arms Review for extremely detailed information about the operation and feed system. (If they become difficult to obtain we will make every effort to post a PDF of the article on the Small Arms Review website in the near future.)

The shooting debut of this system for our initial function testing was at a large invitational machine gun shoot held at the Williams Machine Gun Range in North Anson, Maine. Since we are very familiar with Murphy’s Law we knew if we made a big announcement that we had one to test it would be destined to not function properly. It was concealed as well as it could be until the first few belts, but we were sniffed out and a small crowd had gathered to watch even though the majority of the firing line had no idea what we were doing. Since all we needed to do this day was determine if it functioned properly we loaded several small belts and were very pleased it ran them without a hitch.

Further firing was conducted (and continues as of this writing) at the Small Arms Research Test Range in central Maine. The bulk of the testing has been function testing and it has allowed several other tests to run concurrent. We wanted to see if the extra duty the bolt carrier needed to perform had any effect on the accuracy and found no difference in either group size or point of impact when switching between the box magazine and the belt. Since the ejection was very positive and consistent we decided to conduct a belt pull test. The early guns are known for a weakness in this area so we had limited expectations. We started with a short length of 20 rounds and kept adding 7 rounds after firing 2 rounds to give us a 5 round net addition each time until we found the point it would no longer pull a hanging belt with reliability. This system didn’t prove to last but a few cycles when we switched to adding ammo in 50-round lengths. We started the new protocol at 50 rounds and fired 3 rounds. This continued to 100 rounds, 150 rounds and 200 rounds. The length of the belt was so long that we needed to utilize a ladder to keep it from dragging on the ground. At 200 rounds we found it would not function reliably. It would fire 2 or 3 and stop. We cut back to 150 rounds and found the same result. 3 or 4 or 5 rounds and it would stop. At this point we started removing 25 rounds instead of 50 and continued testing with a 125-round belt. The result was the end of the belt pull testing as it easily cycled through the remainder of the hanging belt with ease. Remembering we were shooting a dry gun around the 100 round mark we stopped long enough to lightly lubricate the bolt carrier where it interfaces with the drive pin and continued to empty the belt. Since we were evaluating a semiautomatic this time we couldn’t take belt whip into consideration, which can create additional forces under fully automatic fire. We found the number of rounds it would fire from a hanging belt was an amazing 125 rounds, which was far more than the original designs would reliably handle. The weight of 125 belted rounds, using 55gr Federal XM-193 ammo was approximately 3.75 pounds. Considering the length of pull is only between 8 rounds and 20 rounds when using a standard SAW box (depending on the number of rounds in the box), and the hanging weight of that belt is between 3.9 ounces and 9.6 ounces, having the ability to feed and function reliably with approximately 600% of the normal feed forces, we found to be a huge reliability margin.

Conclusions

The Valkyrie Armament, LLC BSR-MOD-1 was a hit, right out of the box. It was meticulously manufactured and the fit and finish matched the host gun very well. It looked like it could have been completely manufactured by Colt given the strait, clean receiver cuts and feed mechanism. It was a perfect match to the host firearm. The function was everything we had hoped it would be, not failing in any form of feeding, firing and ejecting except for when we purposely overloaded the weight of the belt for the hanging belt test to find the point of failure. It is fun to shoot and when compared to similar firearms, although this one is quite unique in its availability as a modification to your own host firearm the price seemed like a bargain for a modern belt-fed. At the time of this writing the retail pricing for a conversion on your host gun is $3,300 with approximately a 3-week turn around time. Since it has an 85% parts compatibility with any regular AR-15 type firearm, parts are readily available and even specific parts to this conversion are in stock and available from Valkyrie Armament, LLC. If you are a Black Rifle aficionado and need a new model to kindle the fire, we think you will enjoy this conversion. If you live in an area where you can’t own machine guns, a belt-fed semiautomatic AR-15 rifle is pretty high on the fun meter. For those with lightning links and registered Drop In Auto Sears, yes, this will run fine as long as you get the proper bolt carrier.

At $35 per 100 links at the current time, it is expected that this price will go down as they continue to increase the quantity of links they manufacture. Make sure you police your links and it will keep the cost of shooting way down. If only it used a standard link…

But Wait, There’s More!

As we are going to press we have been notified that several variants are being tested with standard M27 SAW links. This is an exciting development and definitely raises the bar on the usefulness of the system and the cost of operation. Not only are standard links very inexpensive, it can be purchased already linked. The best part has yet to be told though – if you have one of the current models (MOD-1) you will receive the “Standard Link Upgrade” (MOD-2) for free so you don’t have to stand on the sidelines and wait for the latest gun in fear of the next generation passing you over. And just in case the whole “Belt-Fed .223” concept doesn’t catch your attention, we thought we would mention the .308 AR-10 prototype being tested and prepped for production and release in early 2012.

Valkyrie Armament, LLC
Email: sales@valkyriearmament.com
Website: www.valkyriearmament.com

For more information please visit:
www.beltfedar.com

There were a number of accessories and accoutrements manufactured for the Reising guns. Virtually all Reising accessories found today are rare, and generally expensive. The accessories were originally intended for military or police use.

Carrying Cases

There were two types of devices manufactured for the transportation and storage of Reising guns. The first was the hardcase manufactured much like those for the Thompson submachine gun. The Reising cases were made of a black vulcanized fiber, reinforced with metal corners and fittings. The case dimensions were 37 3/8 inches long, 4 5/8 inches wide and 8.5 inches deep and the empty case weighed 13 pounds. The inside of the case provided space for a Reising Model 50 submachine gun, four magazines and two fifty-round boxes of .45 caliber ammunition. The interior of the cases were lined with felt, usually blue in color. A local subcontractor manufactured the hardcases exclusively for Federal Laboratories of Pittsburgh, PA who marketed the cases for police and commercial sales. The original retail cost of the Reising hardcase during 1942 was $16.50. At one time, Reising hardcases were inexpensive. Unfortunately, the situation has changed for those collectors who might desire an original case. Today, when the original cases can be found in mint condition, they command a premium. Most of the hardcases were sold to police departments for storage of the gun and, as it often turned out, the hardcase was a bad choice for long term storage of the weapons because of moisture. Many Reisings that were stored in the cases for many years without attention eventually rusted from dampness that formed inside the case.

The Canvas Carrying Case

Few of the Reising canvas carrying cases have survived. Offered to police departments in the 1940s by Federal Laboratories, the cases were made from a brown color canvas. The stress areas of the cases were reinforced with light brown leather. Four pockets were provided for storing spare magazines. The flap designed to secure the gun, also covered the magazine pockets. The soft cases were not very popular and are less common than the hardcases.

Military Cases

The only known military cases for the Reisings were the ones used by Marine paratroopers. The cases were made in two styles, both for carrying the folding stock Model 55 during a parachute jump. One was a “holster” style case designed for attaching the weapon to the jumper’s leg. The other style, made of canvas with a camouflage pattern, was for carrying the weapon above the reserve chute. There were reports that when the Reising was carried above the reserve chute, the weapon would often strike the jumper in the face when the main chute opened. Both of these cases were manufactured at the U.S. Marine Depot of Supplies in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Magazine Pouches

The early commercial magazine pouches were advertised as a “magazine belt” with pockets for carrying spare magazines. There were several types manufactured. One style was designed to hold five twenty-round magazines. This rare pouch had a large single cell for holding the magazines. It had only one flap with two snap type retainers. These pouches were made of dark green color canvas. Another type of commercial magazine pouch had separate pockets for carrying three magazines. This three-cell pouch had separate flaps for each pocket. The flaps were manufactured of light brown canvas, with a dark brown color trim sewn around the outside edge of each flap. The flaps were secured with painted round metal snap-type buttons.

Another magazine pouch manufactured for the Reising was very similar to the military five cell pouches, originally made for carrying the Thompson submachine gun magazines. The Reising pouches were dark green or brown in color and had a separate flap for each of the five cells. Like the aforementioned three cell pouches, the five cell pouches had a different color trim sewn to the outer edge of each flap. The five snaps on this pouch were similar to the military pouch “lift the dot” style snaps. Original commercial Reising magazine pouches are rare.

The khaki-colored military issue pouches intended for the Reising magazines were very similar to the common five cell pouches that were issued for carrying the Thompson submachine gun twenty-round magazines. However, the pouches that were issued with the Reising had slightly longer cover flaps and the studs for the snaps were located slightly higher than those on the Thompson pouches. Reising magazines are too long to readily fit into the Thompson pouches, although the 20-round Thompson magazines will fit into a pouch designed for the Reising magazines. It is believed that the original Thompson pouches were reconfigured to be issued with either weapon. Pouches procured by the Marine Corps were manufactured by The Russell Manufacturing Company of Middletown, Connecticut under contract NOm 35935 at a cost of $1.44 each.

Slings

The very early Reisings that were originally intended for police use were manufactured without any provisions for attaching a carrying sling. In later production, some of the Reisings were fitted with sling swivels, either on the left side of the stock or on the right side. The later “military” style guns had them mounted on the bottom of the stock. The slings intended for use with the Reising were manufactured in two styles. One was a heavy tan leather sling, with brass fittings produced for the police market. The Marines were issued mustard colored slings that resembled the M1 carbine sling. All of the Reising slings that were examined were marked “U.S.M.C. BOYT – 43 -” Boyt being the contractor that manufactured the slings. Although these slings resembled the common carbine sling the space between the snaps was considerably wider. The M1 carbine slings were commonly utilized on the Reisings as well.

Flash Hider

A device intended to conceal the muzzle flash of the Reising when fired at night was mentioned in the early H&R literature. This device was a metal tube that could be slid over the compensator and secured with a small screw. The overall length of the device was nine inches and had a threaded cap on the muzzle end. A short two and one half inch, three piece insert with four carefully spaced, separate baffles was fitted to the inside of the tube. This insert decreased the inside diameter of the tube body. The purpose was to break up and disperse the explosive flashes from a fired cartridge. A patent was filed on July 16, 1942 and Patent 2,356,728 was awarded August 22, 1944. The flash hider was only shown in the very early Reising literature. Although depicted in later parts breakdown photographs, it was not mentioned in the text of later manuals. Apparently there was little market for the device and it was discontinued.

Muzzle Compensator

All Model 50 Reisings were fitted with a compensator or “climb arrester” intended to keep the weapon’s muzzle from rising up when being firing in the full automatic mode. Early literature indicated that the compensator was an option, but all known production M50s and early production Model 55 Reisings were fitted with the device. The Reising compensator was 3.25 inches long and was manufactured from thin .060 inch metal tubing that had six lateral slots cut into the top. The two front slots were longer than the four rear ones. On the front of the compensator, the top half was cut away leaving a half circle shelf on the bottom. The device was internally threaded with 7/8-24 threads and screwed onto the end of the barrel. After the compensator was properly indexed on the barrel it was then center punched at the bottom to secure it in place. A patent was filed on January 6, 1941 for the Reising compensator and Patent number 2,313,669 was granted for the device on March 9,1943. The compensator shown in the patent drawing has fewer slots than the actual production version. The design was similar in design to the Cutts compensator fitted to Thompson submachine guns. The Reising compensator’s effectiveness in controlling muzzle rise was limited. Early Model 55s were fitted with compensators, but the Marines requested that the guns be manufactured without them to keep the overall length of the weapon to a minimum.

Brass Catcher

Federal Laboratory salesman Edward E. Richardson designed a brass catcher for the Reising submachine gun. A patent was filed on June 28, 1943. The device was also designed to be used on the Thompson submachine gun. No examples of the brass catchers are known to exist – only the patent drawing.

Magazines

The .45 caliber magazines produced for the Reising fit the M50, M55 submachine gun models and the semiautomatic Model 60. The magazines were manufactured in a twenty-round and a twelve-round configuration. The magazine body was fabricated from .030 inch sheet metal. The magazine follower and floor plate were also constructed of sheet metal. Some later Reisings had magazine wells that were designed to only accept the twelve-round magazine. The twenty-round magazines were originally blued, and the twelve-round magazines were finished in a colorless Parkerizing.

All original magazines were marked H&R – REISING over MODEL 50 – CAL 45 MAGAZINE over HARRINGTON AND RICHARDSON ARMS CO. over WORCESTER, MASS. USA. Some of the original twelve- and twenty-round magazines have the markings NE-1 numerically ascending up to NE-9 stamped on the front lower portion of the magazine. The NE markings represent the primary contractor of the magazines, the New England Small Arms Corporation (NESA); the dash number represents the magazine contractor or subcontractor. The U.S. Ordnance Department required that all parts and magazines have some type of contractor’s code or marking on them.

The Reising twenty-round capacity magazines were the double stack, single feed design. This design has often come under criticism as being unreliable and susceptible to jamming. These magazines were manufactured for H&R in two slightly different configurations. One version had five holes located on the right side of the magazine. These holes allowed the operator to visually check the number of rounds that were loaded in the magazine; the other style had no holes. Early magazines were finished in a semi gloss blue, while later production had a dull brush blue finish.

The twelve-round magazines, introduced in October of 1942, were designed to fix some of the feeding problems encountered with the earlier twenty-round double stack design. The twelve-round magazines were manufactured with indentations in the bodies to allow the rounds to be stacked in a single row, rather then the double stacked row of the twenty-round magazine. The followers in the twelve-round magazine were flat on the top. After the twelve-round magazine was in production, manufacture of the twenty-round design was terminated. The Marines contracted with H&R to convert all of their existing twenty-round magazines into the twelve-round type at a cost of forty cents each. Some of the late manufactured twelve round magazines have reinforced feed lips.

During the post-war years the twenty-round magazine were no longer mentioned in Reising manuals, advertisements or literature. Many of the Reisings produced in the 1950s were fitted with magazine wells that had an indented rib at the center, which prevented twenty-round magazines from being inserted. The downside of this design is the obvious limited cartridge capacity.

Today, original Reising magazines are expensive when compared to those of similar weapons. The original retail cost of a commercial Reising magazine in 1942 was $2 and the Marine contract price was $1.50.

Dairt “Oilite” .45 Caliber Ammunitionbr

The Dairt ammunition is of interest to Reising collectors because of the statement on the box that reads: “These cartridges are specifically adapted for the .45 caliber Harrington & Richardson Reising Sub-machine gun.” The Dairt Company reloaded spent cartridge cases using special Oilite Bullets made for them by the Amplex Oilite Products Co., a part of the Evansville Chrysler Corporation. Oilite is a sintered, porous, copper alloy impregnated with lubricant. The bullets are one solid piece, having no separate core or jacket. The ammunition was intended for issue to Defense Plant security personnel.

Reproductions

Reproductions of Reising accoutrements have recently appeared on the market. These items (so far) include slings, magazine pouches and H&R marked twenty round magazines. Unfortunately, on occasion, reproduction items are passed off as originals. Most original Reising accessories are over 60 years old and if an item is encountered that looks like it was made yesterday, it probably was.