Dear Dan,

After just missing you at the Firearms Trade Expo Show in Columbus, OH, (In May), I was pleased to finally meet you at the NRA Annual Convention in Philadelphia. I realize that you don’t remember, but our correspondence dates back to your MGN Days (“Tung oil NOT TUNA Oil”). Now to the point – have you noticed the enthusiastic response to NFA displays at major gun shows recently? (especially in these “Politically correct” times?)

— Sept 1996 – The First Annual NRA Gun Collectors (Nashville, TN) Convention: The Thompson Display took 2nd place presented by Tracie Hill, Michael Free, L.J. Warren and others).

— May 1997 – The First Ohio Gun Collectors Assoc.’s Collector’s Display: The Thompson Display took 1st place as voted by the members (presented by Tracie Hill, Michael Free, L.J. Warren, myself and others)

— Sept. 1997 – The Second Annual NRA Gun Collector’s (Pittsburgh) Convention: The Thompson Display took 3rd place (presented by Tracie Hill, Robert Klein, Jim Poff, Michael Free*, and others) Michael Free also did a display of automatic weapons of the Third Reich, at the same time.

— May 1998 – The Second Ohio Gun Collectors Association’s Collector’s Display: Automatic weapons of the 3rd Reich took 2nd place (as voted by the members). (Presented by Michael Free).

— June 1998 – The NRA Annual Members Convention in Philadelphia: The Thompson Display took Best of SHOW (1st Place). (Presented by a group of eleven Thompson collectors, group photo in the latest American Rifleman).

It has been interesting to note the evolutionary development of the displays (in terms of better presentation, signage, etc) Also interesting has been the response of the crowds to the displays – at Philadelphia it was certainly a crowd stopper.

I hope some other folks inside the NFA fraternity will consider displaying their collections in the future.

B. Sutton

Dear B. Sutton

I saw several of those displays, and they were outstanding. The fact that June 1998 NRA Convention awarded 1st place to the Thompson display says a lot about their mindset. I think we are going to see an increase in NFA items as part of displays- I also noted the Browning display had a 1917, a 1919, and a Benet Mercie in it along with the proverbial BAR. We should probably get together a “Show” of our own for the NFA people….

Dan

Dear SAR,

I was reading my September SAR yesterday and noticed a potentially dangerous error in the article on “The Twin MG 42/22. California has, I believe you will find, outlawed all “trigger activator” type devices and the described weapon, along with BMF “activators” are ILLEGAL in that state. This makes the statement that this gun is, “legal in all 50 states” dangerously misleading. I was very concerned by the new bill detailed in “the legal side” in the October issue. This bill would ban all private sales of “large capacity ammunition feeding devices” regardless of when manufactured. This would essentially ban all future sales of machine guns! (Who wants to buy a MAC-10 with only 10 round magazines?) I am surprised you did not make a bigger thing of this since, it will end our hobby!

Perhaps the best way to water this down would be to have a pro-gun member of congress introduce an amendment to allow sales “with the guns these magazines are made to fit”. At least that way there would still be a market for all the transferables out there. It sounds like we are dying.

Bob

Dear Bob,

Prices are going up, but I don’t see us “Dying”, not by a long shot. Thanks for bringing up the California law glitch on these activators. It is possible that at the time the article was written, they were legal. Thankfully, that effort to ban the high capacity magazines was defeated. The MAC with the ten round magazine does sound pretty horrible, doesn’t it? Better work on the speed of mag changes… then, there is the Mexican Trejo 22 caliber machine pistol, that uses an eight round magazine. It was for use by the Mexican police forces. “Alto! Alto! Brrrrrrrp” and you are disarmed! Well, they did make a larger mag, but most were supplied with the eight rounders.

Dan

Dear SAR,

Congratulations on a terrific first year. The difference between Vol 1 #1 and Vol 1 #12 must make you, your editorial and production staff very proud. You took a very provincial topic and widened it to gather many more readers. Your intelligent approach to what could be considered “fringe” has fattened and put lots more advertising pages in the book. Keep up the good work, illigitmus non carborundum and God speed.

Chris

Dear Chris,

We are proud of the growth SAR has had, and we do appreciate our readers. Fortunately, most of us share an interest for military firearms, so we can cross over our interests between civilian, law enforcement, and military users. This gives SAR a broader base.

We get asked by many of the readers how they can help. Our stated goal is to make this a stable, long term platform for our common interests. There are three ways you can help. First- fax, mail, or email us with the things you want more coverage of, we have a list and are supplying it to the writers to work from. Second- if you see something advertised in here, and call the advertiser, let them know you saw it in SAR- we need to keep our advertisers aware of what their exposure here does. Third- if you are a newsstand buyer and have to travel to get SAR, ask for “The Small Arms Review” at your local newsstand. All of these will help us with our base building.

Dan

The inventive genius of American industry was shown to be alive and well at the fifteenth annual Tactical Resources Exposition (TREXPO) held in mid-August in Northern Virginia. The meeting was divided into three segments, namely a conference, a product exhibition and a live fire demonstration.

The conference presentations led off with The Media and S.W.A.T. during which Larry Glick of the National Tactical Officers Association took a look at the media’s perception of Special Weapons and Tactics units’ role in current community policing concepts. Guidelines for dealing with the media were given for S.W.A.T. members and/or police administrators in attendance. Lt. Jim McGinty of the Philadelphia, PA Police Department detailed Crisis Management During Explosive Incidents. McGinty’s presentation was designed to install confidence and safety measures for first responding law enforcement personnel when dealing with violent offenders who use explosives and booby traps.

The FBI’s Domestic Terrorism unit provided the latest information on domestic terrorist groups and their methods of operation. Similarly, Brock Simon, formerly of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, provided an overview of contemporary policing tactics and techniques when dealing with domestic terrorism groups. Dr. James A. King of the International Association of Personal Protection Specialists detailed how to establish effective security for an executive’s residence and office.

Other seminars included: non-deadly force training; the use of robots in high-risk incidents; aviation support for low and high risk corporate operations; and, an analysis of ways to protect executives in the U.S. and abroad.

The tactical equipment demonstrations and live-fire sessions were held at the Fairfax County Police Department firearms training range in Chantilly, VA. A variety of firms gave seminars and demonstrations on the use of their equipment. The most widely attended presentation was that put on by Heckler & Koch in which the officers’ in attendance lined up for their chance to fire a magazine or two in the full and semi-auto modes from the array of firearms produced by this innovative gunmaker.

Equipment Exhibition

Upgrading of the Personal Armor System Ground Troops (PASGT) helmet to provide threat level II ballistic protection is offered by Aetco, Inc. (P.O. Box 458, San Dimas, CA 91773). Manufactured using a proprietary process, the ballistic shell exceeds military requirements and has the ability to stop the penetration of the helmet from bullets such as the .357 Magnum.

The PASGT helmet’s retention system is also improved for tactical operations with an adjustable, integrated chin/nape strap with left and right side quick release buckles and a leather lined plastic chin cup. Manufactured of tubular nylon webbing, the retention system combines with a neoprene impact pad in the rear of the helmet to improve stability during tactical and emergency response operations.

Aetco also showed its riot face shield available in kit form for assembly to any U.S. military PASGT ballistic helmet manufactured to military specifications. The high strength .187-inch thick polycarbonate material is designed to protect the eyes from thrown objects. Two wing nuts (one on each side) allow the face shield to be quickly attached to, or removed from the helmet as required. The wing nuts also adjust the attached face shield for tension as the shield is raised or lowered.

The booth set up by Heckler & Koch (21480 Pacific Blvd., Sterling, VA 20166) attracted a lot of attention as the firm had a briefcase mounted MP5K submachine gun on display. The specially designed briefcase allows the MP5K to be fired from inside the case with trigger and safety buttons mounted on the briefcase’s carry handle.

The Wilcox Industries Corp. Night Stalker “So Smart™” modular special operations laser sighting system that maintains laser boresight when moved among weapon platforms, was shown by DeMilt Associates (P.O. Box 731, Olney, MD 20832). The factory calibrated laser sight is furnished in a modular mounting bracket unit to fit a variety of commonly used military and police handguns, rifles and shotguns. The bright red laser is coupled with both an infra red illuminator lamp unit as well as an incandescent flashlight. The unit has both blink rate and power indicators and contains a selector switch to set its mode of operation. The sight is waterproof to 66 feet below sea level and is corrosion resistant to facilitate use in salt water applications.

Image Stabilizer binoculars were shown by Canon, U.S.A., Inc. (One Canon Plaza, Lake Success, N.Y. 11042). Available in configurations of 15×45, 12×36, and 10×30, the image stabilizing technology has already been proven highly effective in Canon video camcorders and professional lenses. The system employs a novel vari-angle prism that instantly and continuously makes adjustments to maintain a steady image.

The eyepiece lenses on Canon’s Image Stabilizer binoculars employ a Doublet Field Flattener, working to dramatically reduce curvature of field so there is none of the image distortion and blurring at the periphery typical of high-magnification binoculars. The design also provides long eye relief, which enables eyeglass wearers to view the entire field without vignetting. The binoculars work without the aid of a tripod and can even be used from within moving vehicles.

Less Lethal Devices

Several firms displayed devices intended for use in ending confrontations without killing the perpetrators. It should be noted there is always the chance that such “less than lethal” devices can produce a lethal result depending on their method of employment and the physical condition of the subject. Mace Security International (MSI) of 160 Benmont Ave., Bennington, VT 05201) showed its new 37/38mm Thunder-Bolt™ diversionary device shell that can be launched to a distance of 50 yards. The shells produce a brilliant flash and loud report with very little smoke. At 5 feet the sound level is rated at 175db while the flash level is measured at 2,500,000 Candela. The shells are intended for outdoor use only as they may cause fires if directed into buildings.

MSI also showed its rubber ball cartridges that are available in a variety of configurations. Rounds containing either one rubber ball or nine balls are available for use in 12 gauge shotguns. Rounds containing either 120 or 200 rubber balls are available for 37mm launchers. The rounds are designed to be skip-fired in a ricochet fashion to strike subjects. These progressive munitions can be used for a variety of police, tactical, and correctional response team applications including crowd control, hostile inmate clearing from yard areas, and in riot control.

MSI’s 37mm Baton rounds are loaded with the purchaser’s choice of one to five wooden or rubber batons. The Han-Ball™
pyrotechnic grenade loaded with CN or CS gas, is configured to ‘skitter’ along the ground when thrown, minimizing the possibility of being thrown back. Its spherical shape makes it easy to grasp and throw, and is activated by pulling a ring with a 0.7-2.9 seconds fuze delay time.

A rubber ball gun with the capability of firing 70 rounds per minute was found at the booth of Royal Arms International (P.O. Box 6083, Woodland Hills, CA 91365). These lightweight (at 3 lbs.) units fire 69mm balls from a 140 shot magazine hopper and are powered by a rechargeable CO2 tank. Target grade accuracy can be achieved up to 35 yards and the balls (which travel at 350 fps) can cause severe pain to the struck subject and thus end the encounter without deadly force.

“The master key for every door,” was shown by Fenrir Industries, Inc. (P.O. Box 2027, Stamford, CT 06906). The In-Forcer works to prevent busts from going bad because cops get shot and evidence gets destroyed. While successful raids rely on surprise, if the cops have to hit the door more than once they are, in effect, telling the unseen suspect on the other side two dangerous pieces of information: (1) where you are, and (2) you are not friendly! In the process, the suspect is thus handed two dangerous options: (1) flush and run, or (2) lock and load!

The In-Forcer ram system is designed to deliver 3 to 5 times the power of conventional door rams and with an optional power head, can boost its power up to 12 times the power of most other ram systems, according to company reps. Measuring just 30-inches in length allowing it to be used in narrow hallways, the unit weighs just 45 pounds. Its patented 16 pound internally sliding shuttle is powered by a 33 pound spring resulting in no recoil as the unit delivers all its power against the door. The unit’s delivered force can be boosted by the addition of an accessory unit powered by a .45 Win. Mag. shell.

Ammunition

The Sauvestre SHOCKWAVE shotgun slug, billed as the most advanced (and expensive) such projectile in the world was shown by its importer, Keng’s Firearms Specialty (875 Wharton Drive South West, Atlanta, GA 30336). The slug employs many of the same design principles used in modern tank munitions such as fin stabilization, a gas flow chamber to promote longer combustion, and use of aerospace-quality polymers. Shaped similarly to an aerodynamic flechette arrow, its narrow cross-section is designed to focus kinetic energy in a concentrated area, thereby creating deep and wide wound channels. With virtually all its weight oriented near the front, the slug is less sensitive to brush and other obstructions in its path and less susceptible to ricochet.

Keng’s also handles the Hirtenberger ammo line. Among the offerings is a 7.62 NATO-match load utilizing the 190gr. Sierra MatchKing HPBT bullet. A subsonic version for use with suppressor equipped rifles is also available. Hirtenberger 9mm rounds include the 124gr. Defender +P, developed for European police agencies. With its dual core construction, the Defender provides consistent tactical penetration in such materials as heavy clothing and angled automotive glass. The Hirtenberger 9mm EMB-MonoBlok +P round employs a 77gr. solid-copper alloy bullet with a radial cavity to deliver expansion with moderate penetration. Low mass and a ball-like ogive give the EMB unmatched cyclic reliability and accuracy and is ideal for use in compact 9mm autos, such as the Glock 26 and the Kahr MK9.

Thompson Emertac Vehicles (1245 Bridgestone Blvd., Lavergne, TN 37086) displayed its tactical civilian HUMMER chassis featuring the Thompson personnel body. A multi-purpose vehicle designed to transport and support an eight member SWAT team or emergency search and rescue unit and their gear, it is furnished with internal weapon-mounts and ammunition compartments.

MAC-Waffle Cook Off at Knob Creek

The second semi annual SAR/NFA list, MAC-waffle cook off at Knob Creek was an unprecedented success. The grand prize (dinner for two at Mark’s Feed Store) was hotly contested by no less than TWO entrants, in contrast to only one entry last spring. The two contestants could be seen early in the evening tuning up their MAC- waffle irons for the final cook off. A little digression here would be in order to enlighDr. Ed Weitzmanten the readers as to the origins of this, the “Creedmore” of the MAC-waffle competitions.

About a year or so ago, a thread was being bandied about the Internet regarding the public sale of unfinished MAC frame flats. There was a question raised as to the suitability of the use of MAC frame flats for anything other than making an illegal or an equally useless, post 86 MAC. One astute participant in the exchange pointed out that the MAC frame flats could, in the hands of a skilled Class 2, be transformed into a perfectly legal MAC waffle iron, thereby making their sale perfectly legitimate. At that point in the discussion the eminently distinguished editor of SAR and world renowned waffle connoisseur, Dan Shea, spoke up and offered a prize to the person creating the best MAC waffle at our traditional KC computer geek Bar-B-Que.

At the spring cook off, Mark the Serbu unceremoniously snatched the coveted award out Dan’s hands. His lone entry was determined to be a real MAC waffle iron only after a rather pancake looking thing came out from between the frame flats. In deference to Mark, however, it must be noted that the thing did actually taste something like a waffle (with a slight Hoppes #9 aftertaste).

At the fall cook off, two magnificent MAC waffle irons were entered to compete for the coveted award. David Wigands entry was a MAC shaped waffle iron accompanied by a pre ban LCFD waffle iron. The other equally impressive entry by Jay Lottaguns was a massive quatro-waffle iron hinged together by MAC frame flats. After a suitable inspection by the contest officials, to ensure that actual MAC frame flats were used in the construction of the irons, both irons were preheated to the proper temperature on the grill, then a prepared waffle mix was poured into each MAC-waffle iron. Without any further coaching or assistance the contestants proceeded to the cook off. After what seemed like an eternity, Dave was the first to remove his entry from the grill, followed in about 2 minutes by Jay’s iron. Both MAC-waffle irons were opened to reveal (to everyone’s surprise) waffles. The waffles were then coaxed out of their grids and presented to the chief judge, Edward (doc) Weitzman. Who, at great personal risk, actually tasted the first entry. After rinsing out my mouth with some handy home brew, the second entry was tasted. Unable to decide on one entry over the other and their being only one prize, an alternate judge was called in. Jos. Faggiola, the world renowned Epicurean, after being made an offer he couldn’t refuse, agreed to cast the tie breaking vote. After tasting both MAC-waffles in turn, Joe proclaimed Dave Wigand the winner. The only visible flaw in Daves MAC-waffle was that the rear end of the MAC was broken off as it was removed from the iron (Serbu, did you have a hand in this?). However, cosmetics were not a factor in this contest, only taste counted.

Dan’s note: This obscure cult of machine gun geeks who simultaneously exist in cyberspace and IRL, very seldom physically meet. When they do, it is usually at one of the Class 3 world’s shoots. There are several of these groups…and most participate in Bar-B-Que’s similar to the above described NFAlister event. The gauntlet has been thrown down, that at the April Knob Creek Shoot, there will be an “open” class as well as the semi-annual MAC-waffle cookoff. This open class will allow other entries than the MAC flats, as in the talented individuals who create something out of these peculiar items, ie. Sten tubes, MAC flats, or any other “Unfinished dummy receivers” creating something of exquisite or at least interesting culinary design, will be eligible. Let your creative juices flow! SAR will bring more reporting from the cutting edge of small arms as it happens.

AR STOWAWAY PISTOL PLUG FROM DPMS

DPMS, Inc. is proud to present their new AR Stowaway Pistol Plug. You can now convert your existing AR-15/M-16, A2 pistol grip into a Stowaway Pistol Grip. Their new AR Stowaway Pistol Plug allows you to store your extra firing pins, springs, etc. and is a less costly option than the Stowaway Pistol Grip. The new “plug” is made of 70 durometer rubber and is friction fitted into the bottom of your existing A2 pistol grip. The AR Stowaway Pistol Plug fits snugly and removes easily. For more information or to place an order, contact Defense Procurement Manufacturing Services, Inc., Dept. SAR, 13983 Industry Avenue, Becker MN 55308. Phone: 1-612-261-5600. Fax: 1-612-26-5599. On the web at www.dpmsinc.com.

CRIMSON TRACE LASERGRIPS FOR THE SIG P228 AND P229

Fresh from Crimson Trace Corporation is the newly developed LASERGRIPS for the Sig Sauer P228 and P229 pistols. The internal circuitry and electronic components that power this masterfully engineered laser gunsight are housed within both grip panels, with a sturdy link completing the electrical connection. Within the left grip panel, a pressure sensitive activator switch is perfectly positioned for instinctive, instantaneous activation with either hand. The switch rests directly beneath the tip of the middle finger of a right-handed shooter, providing optimum control. A brilliant, continuous laser beam emanates from high and to the rear of the slender and perfectly contoured right grip. A master on/off switch at the base of the grip allows complete system override. The laser equipped weapon fits easily into holsters that are designed for the Sig pistols. Overall size of the grips is virtually indistinguishable from stock grips. In addition to the Sig model, LASERGRIPS are available for the S&W J-Frame, Beretta 92/96, 1911 Government Model and Commander as well as the Ruger MKII. As many as thirty other LASERGRIP models are planned for the near future. For more information contact Crimson Trace Corporation, Dept. SAR, 1433 NW Quimby Street, Portland, OR 97209. Phone: 1-503-295-2406. Fax: 1-503-442-2406. On the web they can be reached at www.crimsontrace.com.

SPEEDWELL INTRODUCES WEBSITE

Speedwell, the leading provider of targets and range equipment for law enforcement and civilian sport shooting markets, presents its website, entitled WWW.SPEEDWELL-ROCKWOOD.COM. Check out this site regularly for great specials and new product offerings. Speedwell offers over 700 high-grade products at reasonable prices through its catalog, or by calling directly toll-free, at 1-800-243-8274 for those who can’t get online. Speedwell, Dept. SAR, 136 Lincoln Boulevard, Middlesex, NJ 08846.

“LONGBOW” T-76 TACTICAL RIFLE FROM DAKOTA ARMS

Dakota Arms, long known for manufacturing some of the finest, most durable and accurate hunting rifles in the world, has brought its expertise to the law enforcement and military arenas with the introduction of its new “Longbow” T-76 engagement rifle. The Longbow was developed from the ground up at the request of the world’s most sophisticated governments, seeking a tactical rifle of unprecedented accuracy, power, and flexibility. Based upon Dakota Arms’ renowned 76 hunting action, the Longbow offers range and power vastly superior to .30 caliber tactical rifles, without the weight and bulk of .50 caliber weapons. The Longbow is available in .338 Lapua Magnum, .330 Dakota Magnum and .300 Dakota Magnum. Dakota Arms guarantees 1/2 MOA in any caliber. The T-76 weighs less than 15 pounds, has a matte finish and is stocked with an ambidextrous A-2 McMillan fiberglass stock in either black or olive green. The rugged action features Dakota’s controlled feeding, 3-position firing pin block safety, a claw extraction system, positive mechanical ejector and a Model 70-style trigger that will not seize from dirt or freeze in rain. The barrel is a high integrity LW-50 stainless steel design, proprietary to Lothar Walther. It includes a high efficiency tuned muzzlebrake. The Longbow comes with a Picatinny one-piece optical rail installed and a complete deployment kit, including bipod, case and tool kit. Retail price for the rifle is $4250. For more information contact Dakota Arms, Inc., Dept. SAR, HC 55, Box 326, Sturgis, SD 57785. Phone: 1-605-347-4686. Fax: 1-605-347-4459. Their web site is at www.dakotaarms.com

NEW LINE OF PREMIUM-PLUS AMMUNITION FROM TRITON

Triton announces the release of the QUIK-SHOK=99 Premium Plus line of centerfire ammunition. QUIK-SHOK features a patented, high velocity hollow point bullet developed by Tom Burczynski, the designer of the Hydra-Shokr and Star-Firer bullets. The QUIK-SHOK round was designed to provide controlled fragmentation on impact. During penetration, the bullet expands very rapidly and then splits into three sections, which continue to penetrate in three directions over an over-widening area within the target. This dynamic terminal action results in maximum energy distribution and multiple wound channels. This unique bullet technology provides extreme accuracy and delivers a new level of stopping power, which far exceeds that of conventional hollow point ammunition. The QUIK-SHOK ammunition is packaged in boxes of twenty and features nickel-plated cartridges cases. Triton also announces the release of the Lite series of Hi-Vel ammunition. Hi-Vel’s Lite ammunition is designed specifically for shorter barrels where recoil is a problem. Through the use of rapid-expanding bullets you get all the ballistic performance expected from the Hi-Vel name without excessive recoil. Hi-Vel Lite is available in .357 Magnum, .44 Magnum and .45 ACP. For more information on this and other innovative ammunition contact, Triton Cartridge Corporation, Dept. SAR, P.O. Box 50, Wappingers Falls, NY 12590. Phone: 1-800-861-3362. Fax: 1-914-896-4607. Visit their web site at www.triton-ammo.com. SAR

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

1. NEW WEAPONS & EQUIPMENT

STEYR ANNOUNCES NEW PISTOLS: at the Feb 99 SHOT Show in Atlanta, Steyr-Mannlicher will debut a pair of new semi-auto pistols, the .40 Steyr M40 and the 9mm Steyr M9, which are forecast for first deliveries in Jul 99. Only outline details have so far been released; however Steyr says the pistols will be compact-sized, with synthetic frames, ‘innovative’ sights, a loaded chamber indicator and a new trigger mechanism designated ‘Reset Action’. Significantly, the company says they will also have an ‘integrated deactivation lock’.

In recent decades, Steyr has been unlucky with pistols. The big, gas-braked 9mm GB-80 lost out to the Glock in Austrian army trials and did not survive very long in the marketplace. After that Steyr said it would only bring out another handgun if it was something really innovative.

Well, they did. It was the 9mm TMP machine pistol, though unfortunately TMP sales were intended to be underpinned in the USA by the semi-auto SPP version, which was soon after caught by US restrictions on the importation of ‘assault pistols’. So far the TMP itself has attracted only a limited military & security market.

Clearly Steyr has had its thinking cap on for a while – the open reference to a ‘deactivation lock’ suggests the company has been sniffing the air again in the USA, where political pressure is growing for handguns with integral child-safety features. The acid test will be whether prospective purchasers here & now in the USA are ready to accept what some may see as an imposition on their freedom to keep weapons instantly ready for use. And of course the price, which must be competitive, since purchasers may not be ready yet to pay a premium for additional safety features they may psychologically resent.

FN IN RELAUNCH MODE WITH NEW PRODUCTS & POLICE SALES PUSH: FN recently held a press gathering at its FNMI subsidiary in the USA, to which we were noticeably not invited. The company reportedly pushed out the boat, big-time. However, our physical absence does not prevent us reporting some of the highlights. FN is forming a new law enforcement division, via which it plans to pursue the police market in a more vigorous fashion by dint of both a new organisation and new products.

This first of these is its polymer-framed ‘Forty-Nine’ pistol which has a stainless slide & barrel and a DAO trigger which a colleague reports is the best he has yet encountered. At around eight pounds pull, he says the trigger mechanism is smooth and ‘very slick’. Initial calibre is .40 S&W, with 9mm to follow in 1999. It will also be sold on the commercial market. Grip angle apparently resembles that of the Glock and the pistol is said to point very well. Its modular trigger mechanism is patented, like other aspects of the design.

As far as the US police market is concerned, Glock remains the weapon to beat, but the Austrians have already made such huge inroads into US law enforcement that one wonders if a sizeable police market still exists at this time, alongside all the SIGs, Berettas, Rugers, Colts, S&Ws, USPs and so forth (now to include Steyr), for yet another new brand.

In fact, we imagine that if the Forty-Nine pistol is to succeed, it will chiefly have to carve itself a niche on the US commercial market, with police sales a bonus. This appears to have been the case with most other well-known brands, Glock maybe excepted.

As to the FN law enforcement re-launch per se, the company has always had a European police sales outlet in the form of Browning SA, and presumably all the new arrangements actually amount to is an extension of this system to the USA, where hitherto Browning USA appears to have focused chiefly on private purchasers.

NEW RM GHILLIE SUITS TRIALLED: a Sunday Telegraph story said that the Royal Marines were trialling a new ‘chameleon suit’ which could replace the current ghillie suits used by snipers. Currently troops make their own, and Karrimor, manufacturers of the chameleon suit, say the ghillie suits are very heavy when wet.

The Karrimor product is described as a ‘thick foliage of realistic-looking polyester ‘leaves’’, each one attached to a fine mesh. It provides head to toe coverage. The ‘leaves’ will move independently in a breeze, adding to the camouflage effect. A face mask, gloves and overboots complete the kit, which is available in standard camo (with seasonal variations), jungle and snow designs. An undersuit of activated charcoal cloth is provided to wear beneath the chameleon suit, in order to mask human body odour.

STEYR SCOUT ‘TACTICAL’ MODEL: IWM in Switzerland reported that Brugger & Thomet over there was offering a special Tactical version of the Steyr Scout rifle, with a black stock, a longer and rather heavier barrel and the ability to attach a muzzle suppressor.

The barrel is 51cm (20”) long, as opposed to 48.3cm (19”) on the standard weapon, and has a tighter 1:10” twist (standard twist is 1:12”) to allow for the use of subsonic ammunition. Apparently some Swiss cantons don’t allow hunting rifles with barrels shorter than 50cm. Weapon weight is 100g (3.5 ozs) greater than for the basic Scout. The threaded muzzle (16.5mm diameter) of the Tactical rifle is protected by a screw-on thread guard. Brugger & Thomet supplies suitable suppressors at SFrs 790, where still legal. These points apart, the rifles are essentially the same, and fitted with identical 2.5x Leupold long-eye relief scopes.

IWM’s testers shot below 27mm at 100m – and under 85mm at 300m, with both rifles, using 168gr Swiss SM commercial ammunition from Thun, and could not determine any obvious difference between performance from the two barrel lengths. MV differences were minimal, only about 25fps.

SM 200gr subsonic ammunition in the suppressed Tactical model grouped to 32mm at 100m. All groups were five shots. The Tactical rifle is priced at SFrs 3,590 with case (standard model is SFrs 3,450) and SFrs 200 less without. (Brugger & Thomet AG, http://www.brugger-thomet.com/, e-mail: bruto@ibm.net)

UK 155GR 7.62MM NATO TARGET ROUND: we finally received from Royal Ordnance Radway Green (RG) the technical data on the new ‘Bisley 155gr Target Ammunition’ Radway is producing. It replaces the selected batches of Radway ‘Green Spot’ sniper ammunition previously used by UK target shooters.

Velocity at 24m from the muzzle is 845m/s and energy 3210 Joules. Chamber pressure is 4,000 Bar max and gas port pressure (only of interest for self-loading weapons) is 550 Bar min. Action time is 4 milliseconds max and bullet pull 265 Newtons min. Operating temperature range is -54 degs C to +52 degs C, and the waterproofing of cartridges will withstand 50 Kpa vacuum in 50mm of water for 30 seconds. Primer sensitivity (drop test with a 112g steel ball) is 356mm for all fire and 76mm for no fire. Propellant is double-base cut tubular and primers may be either Berdan or Boxer, non-corrosive.

Listed hit probability is 94% at 550 metres for a target 25x25cm, though Radway points out that this is the minimum acceptance criterion, and in practice significantly better proof results are obtained. The factory also shows considerably better accuracy with the 155gr round than with Green Spot.

Despite the specification changes, the 155gr cartridge still complies with NATO STANAG 2310 and accordingly headstamps still include the NATO homologation symbol (a cross within a circle, meant to represent a four-leafed clover). All the UK MOD needs to do now is get this ammunition out to snipers! (Radway Green Business Director, E-mail; Sam.hughes@bae.co.uk)

USMC SHOWS DMR: the US Marine Corps has finally revealed a specimen of its Designated Marksman’s Rifle (DMR), which we anticipate will also be issued to the No 2 men in USMC Scout/Sniper teams, Marine security police and to free up M40A1 sniper rifles currently held by other Marine units.

As anticipated, though the Corps trialled several commercial weapons, including the semi-automatic H&K MSG-90 and Stoner SR-25, it has, in the end, opted for an in-house Quantico solution, using a scoped 7.62mm NATO M14 rifle in a McMillan composite M14E2-style pistol grip stock, complete with wraparound ambidextrous cheekrest and a Harris bipod.

The DMR requirement actually started out as something very simple – a flat-topped, scoped Colt M16A2 HBAR with which the USMC planned to equip ‘known good shots’ in the infantry squad in order to take better advantage of their marksmanship skills. But the issue soon became clouded by a second requirement, for a Sniper Support Weapon to issue to the No 2 man in each Scout/Sniper team.

The philosophy on that was that the No 2 ought really to have a weapon in the same calibre as – and with similar range capabilities to – the M40A1 bolt-action carried by the No 1, rather than just an M16A2.

Eventually the two requirements simply merged. A reversion to 7.62mm NATO is in keeping with known USMC reservations about 5.56mm in certain operational roles, and a semi-automatic 7.62mm rifle in the Scout/Sniper team allows the possibility of rapid long-range fire to cover a withdrawal if the sniper is spotted. As readers will know, the Corps prides itself on its ability to accurately engage targets at rather longer ranges than the army – in fact the 800 metre rearsight on the M16A2 was adopted solely at the USMC’s insistence. Note also the US military’s rejection of the 5.56mm Minimi Squad Automatic Weapon in the sustained fire machine gun (MMG) role, in favour of the 7.62mm NATO FN MAG 58.

COUNTERPOISE SYSTEM & OTHER M16 ENHANCEMENTS: in the SADW Aug 98 issue we ran the following item:

‘GWINN ‘COUNTERPOISE’ SYSTEM: Mack Gwinn, boss of the MWG Company in Miami (Florida), has released details of his new counterpoise system for the 5.56mm M16 rifle and M4 carbine. It is intended to reduce the peak recoil in semi-automatic fire by 50% and to deliver recoil in burstfire as a mild, steady push, resulting in greater controllability.

The counterpoise kit includes a replacement buffer and recoil spring, plus a rebound weight which is installed in the rear tube of the bolt carrier.

Gwinn says the kit increases the force of the recoil spring, the effective weight of the bolt group and the offsetting impetus of the gas system to the point where the gas system transfers half of the recoil impulse into the bolt group weight which then slowly (throughout the entire cycle) returns that missing impulse into the weapon body through the force of the recoil spring.’

In fact, designer Jim Sullivan in Arizona now tells us that both he and Mack Gwinn are actually equal partners and joint inventors of the Counterpoise system. Sullivan describes the system as follows:

‘Counterpoise is a kit that with one small change to the gun just drops into the M4 carbine or M16 rifle and thereafter cuts the semiauto recoil spike in half and fragments full auto recoil into mini spikes that spread throughout the cycle and blur into a low force steady push.

It is as controllable on full auto as the Constant Recoil system I developed with the Ultimax but it’s a new and different invention which allows closed bolt firing for semiauto accuracy. In contrast Constant Recoil requires open bolt firing which cripples semiauto accuracy with open bolt lurch.

Furthermore, Counterpoise requires less weight, force and cycle distance so it works in the relatively short stroke of the M16 without redesigning the gun. The kit even eliminates extraction failures, the most common malfunction in the M4.

The same Sullivan/Gwinn team is also developing a stronger and faster-radiating barrel and gas tube combo for the M4/M16 weapon family with the encouragement of US special forces, who insist that any gun issued to them be able to rapid fire all the ammunition they can carry.

Sullivan says that thick wall barrels fail by ‘plastic ballooning’ when too hot, but thin wall barrels (which generally include assault rifle barrels) fail by splitting, with the bullet and barrel shards endangering the shooter and anyone nearby.

Assault rifles compound this problem with their reduced power ammunition which is half the size and weight so the man can carry twice as much, yet each shot generates as much barrel heat as the full power ammo it replaces.

MORE ON SUPPRESSORS & SUBSONICS: Sound Tech in the USA wired us with further comments of the question of maintaining subsonic bullet stability when fired from suppressed weapons. The gist of its comments is as follows:

Sound Tech says tumbling can be caused by at least four factors, the largest of which is if an asymmetrical blast baffle is used. Gas overtaking the bullet at the muzzle is deflected off the first asymmetrical surface it hits, striking the bullet as it enters or leaves the first (blast) baffle in a suppressor, causing the projectile to yaw excessively.

The bullet then begins to tumble inside the suppressor, striking other baffles in the process, and that’s the end of any semblance of accuracy.

The fix Sound Tech applied was to use only symmetrical blast baffles, which cured the problem but unfortunately degraded sound performance of the suppressor. The company also made the holes in the baffles much larger than necessary.

As a result, Sound Tech’s suppressors tend to be larger than many others to maintain equal or greater suppression, but it claims it doesn’t have tumbling or accuracy problems.

It says it believes its suppressors may well be used in harsh conditions, so it builds in large tolerances to prevent accuracy problems. It is possible to have tight baffle apertures, but Sound Tech won’t do it for fear of other problems. In some cases, it uses two symmetrical blast baffles, one in front of the other, just to make sure that accuracy problems don’t develop.

It has tested Engel’s .308, 220 grain subsonic bullets on one of its suppressed rifles with a 1:12” twist, and achieved excellent accuracy. It then tested the same bullets in other rifles it had suppressed, with similar results.

Sound Tech says the most stable bullets are those with round noses, as a spire point tends to “hunt” in flight. This is due not only to aerodynamics, but also to weight distribution. The more weight towards the front, the greater the stability. Tumbling on contact is an effective concept, but achieved only at the cost of accuracy and inherent stability.

Work is currently being conducted in the US on bullets which expand more effectively and more uniformly. The Black Hills .308 LP (limited penetration) round is said to be in great demand at present.

CARL GUSTAF 5.56MM EXPORT FAMILY: a couple of years ago, when Carl Gustaf in Sweden was still chasing the Norwegian 5.56mm re-equipment contract (now deferred until 2005 or later), it developed as a candidate weapon an upgraded CGA5 variant of its local AK5 licensed version of the FN FNC.

Since then we note that Carl Gustaf has expanded this export venture to include a short C2 carbine and even a Light Support Weapon (LSW), now making the CGA5 the basis of a family system.

Main differences are the addition of a scope rail on which detachable optical or iron sights can be mounted, and there is also provision for attachment of laser aiming pointers and other sighting aids at either side of a specially modified handguard. The optical sight shown rather reminds us of that on the German G36 and has an integral M16-style carrying handle with an aperture formed in the front to prevent obscuration of the vision field. This approach also permits a lower sighting plane than on M16s with fixed carrying handles.

An M203 or similar grenade launcher can also be added beneath the handguard, and the skeletonised buttstock can be adjusted to provide the best cheek weld with either iron or optical sights. There also appear to be compensating slots in the flashhider to control muzzle jump. The C2 carbine is intended for non-infantry users, while the LSW variant has a heavier barrel and will accept a drum magazine, allowing more regular use of burst fire.

ARMS MORAVIA 9mm PISTOL: Arms Moravia Ltd of the Czech Republic this year showed details of a 9×19 mm PS97 pistol. This is an SA/DA weapon externally resembling the CZ75. It has a 15-round magazine, plastic grips and is offered in blued or nickel finishes. Empty weight is 1120g and barrel length 11.4cm. Length overall is 21cm. Accessories (supplied with the gun, we understand) include a spare magazine & wooden grips. (Arms Moravia: Tel (+42) 69-611-7325, Fax (+42) 69-611-2202, E-mail: arms.cz@ova.pvtnet.cz)

MULTI-CALIBRE SA CANNON: Vektor in South Africa has a new GAMA (Gun Automatic Multi-Ammunition) cannon which can fire .50 Browning, 12.7 & 14.5mm Russian, 20x82mm Mauser, 20x102mm Vulcan, 20x114mm or 20x119mm cartridges using a 60-second conversion system. It can also handle both mechanically and electrically-primed ammunition. Various configurations are possible to suit ground tripods, aircraft pods, vehicles and naval mountings. Gun weight in the various calibres ranges from 47 to 53kg and cyclic rate from 500-850 rpm.

NEW AUSTEYR MOUNT OPTIONS: our sources down under report that Australian Defence Industries (ADI) has shown a short F-88C AUG carbine with four mounting rails butting up against the gas block at 90 degrees to each other around the barrel, intended to facilitate attachment of shotguns, grenade launchers, lights & laser pointers, along the lines of the Knight’s Armament RIS or US army MWS.

And the F-88SA1 variant of the full-sized AUG as currently being factory upgraded for the army by ADI has additional accessory mounting slots either side of the Picatinny-compatible scope adaptor rail. Australia has selected the Canadian 4x ELCAN scope as its Enhanced Optics for the AUG with Picatinny rail.

The Australian government’s DSTO research establishment has reportedly also developed yet another AUG adapter for the 40mm M203 PI grenade launcher. Trials of 40mm launchers were slated for Oct 98.

We’re advised that the basic Australian service rifle nomenclature is as follows (though there are a few inconsistencies twixt ADI & army designations):-

a. F-88 – AUG rifle with a 508mm barrel & integral optics.
b. F-88S – AUG rifle with ‘special’ receiver & Steyr proprietary mount
c. F-88C – AUG carbine with 407mm barrel
d. F-88T – .22LR training rifle – not yet selected
e. F-88SA1 – rebuilt F-88S AUG with Picatinny rail adaptor

(nb: It’s assumed the last batch (2000-odd) of F-88Cs with Picatinny mounts will be designated F-88CA1)

NEW IRISH COMBAT KIT: after many years of plain olive green combat trousers & jackets which look very much like the pre-camouflage British kit, the Irish army is adopting a multi-layered uniform system along current British lines, and in DPM camouflage, to replace present working & combat dress. And if we could still lay hands on the relevant papers we could probably tell you more!

INLAND TECHNOLOGY WEAPON CLEANING EQUIPMENT: in Georgia recently Inland Technology Inc of Tacoma (Washington) was demonstrating its IT-48WC weapons cleaning & partswasher system, which it says is being fielded throughout the US forces for cleaning of all weapons from small arms to field artillery.

The system, which looks like a large metal sink, uses the EdgeTek filtration system which will filter down to a tenth of a micron and can extend the use of Inland’s Breakthrough ‘environmentally compliant’ cleaning solvent for several years.

Inland says the IT-48WC drastically reduces cleaning time, to about 8-20 minutes per weapon, and after cleaning weapons need only to be wiped down, lubricated and reassembled. User figures cite 5-7 minutes for cleaning an M16A2 rifle (Contact: Tel(253)383-1177, 1-800-552-3100, E-mail: inland@inlandtech.com)

DENEL/VEKTOR 5.56mm CR-21 RIFLE: this new design, whose title is short for ‘Combat Rifle for the 21st Century’, was recently written up by International Defense Review (IDR), but it has been around for some while. It is essentially a South African 5.56mm R4 rifle reconfigured and re-housed in a synthetic black polymer bullpup stock.

It is strongly inspired by the Steyr AUG, right down to the outsized ‘trigger guard’ – and possibly also by a similar bullpup IMI came up with in Israel a couple of years ago – and it shows all the design hallmarks of the same outside team that came up with the Vektor CP-1 pistol.

The dramatically rounded, flowing lines certainly suggest the same hands at work, though sources say it’s nevertheless awkward to strip. When we tested the CP-1 pistol, we found it looked much better than it worked, so slick styling must always be kept in perspective.

A source who has handled the CR-21 says the ergonomics are good, likewise the surface finish of the polymer stock, though some of the joints could evidently be improved.

Apparently the stock is very strong, as an impromptu drop test verified, but our source was not too enamoured of the crossbolt safety and had some initial reservations about the location of the twin fire selectors, one each side of the rear of the stock. If the 5.56mm SA80 is anything to go by, this may prove a bind.

A non-magnifying reflex optical sight (also drop-proofed) is installed on the CR-21. It appears to have started out as a Trijicon design, but has been further refined by Denel, who are now manufacturing it. An improved version was also due.

The sight reticle is an orange triangle, visible in all conditions which allow a target to be seen. It is apparently unaffected by high ambient light levels.

We’re told the SA forces experimented with magnifying optics but determined (as we would have expected) that these were all slower to use than unity-power sights. As far as we’re aware, there is no plan or provision to swap day for night sights on the CR-21 in dark conditions.

IDR suggested there are both right and left-ejecting versions of the rifle, but since the CR-21 is merely a ‘re-wrapped’ R4, that would be difficult.

Our sources say however that a case deflector has been fitted for use by left-handers (or for right-handers shooting round right-hand cover), bouncing the cases 30 degrees forward; this is said to work very well and, if so, gives the CR-21 a distinct edge over the SA80 and AUG.

IDR gives the loaded weight of the CR-21 as 3.8kg and length overall 76cm with a 46.5cm barrel (1:229mm/9” twist). Magazines are reportedly polymer, of 20 & 35-rounds capacity, and the full-auto cyclic rate is 600-750rpm.

According to our South African sources, The CR-21 began life as what the army mysteriously called the User Requirement System (URS).

It apparently results from an international trawl by army experts of defence shows and manufacturers, plus, we understand, a two-week sojourn in the UK MOD Pattern Room. The army may also have taken advice from amongst the small arms technical writer community.

Subsequently, we’re told the army went to Armscor, who responded to the effect that there were no funds for this sort of development, but subsequently Denel was somehow persuaded to proceed with it.

The CR-21 has clearly been developed with a view to general adoption in South Africa, despite the fact that – in the wider order of things – a new personal weapon would not appear to be a pressing priority for the SA Defence Forces right now.

We know that another designer with a significantly more creative bullpup design was also trying to secure funding in South Africa, but sense that the CR-21 has now pushed out any opposition, probably for good.

It’s understood the South African Infantry School at Oudshoorn, together with the Army Intelligence Unit, was issued with CR-21s well over a year ago, and that they have resulted in a dramatic improvement in shooting standards – presumably due to the reflex sights.

We should like to know, however, whether these improvements relate primarily to formal range firing (where optically-sighted weapons almost invariably score better) or across the whole spectrum of scenarios anticipated in combat.

Additionally, some 300 CR-21s are said to have been supplied to Latin America, including 100 to Ecuador, all apparently for evaluation. Jane’s Defence Weekly also mentioned that a police version, about 10cm shorter, had been trialled.

Isn’t it interesting how so many designers, confronted today with the creation of a ‘new’ bullpup, come up with something like the AUG, which has already been in Austrian service for 20+ years? It’s a definite feather in Steyr-Mannlicher’s cap.

H&K’s Navy Silencers: Part I

As the U.S. Navy gained experience with the Mark 3 sound suppressor on the 9x19mm Mark 3 Mod 0 pistol after the system’s introduction to the SEAL Teams in 1967, it became obvious that the so-called Hush Puppy suppressor and modified Smith & Wesson Model 39 pistol had some notable shortcomings. Qual-A-Tec in Oceanside, California, developed a suitable replacement in the 1980s. By this time, the Navy had a requirement for a suppressed pistol that could be fired immediately upon exiting the water or even underwater. The new suppressed weapon from Q (as industry insiders refer to Qual-A-Tec), which employed the Heckler & Koch P9S pistol with extra-length threaded barrel, was the only system that could meet this requirement. After the Navy procured a limited number of the silenced pistols from Q (which was an R&D firm with extensive prototyping but limited production capabilities) and the Navy decided to buy this system in quantity, Qual-A-Tec licensed Heckler & Koch GmbH to manufacture the suppressor.

The Teams adopted the H&K P9S pistol with novel suppressor designed at Q but manufactured under license by H&K in Virginia. Simultaneously, the Navy also discovered that the otherwise outstanding aluminum silencer built in Germany for the MP5SD integrally silenced submachine gun was subject to severe saltwater corrosion. So Qual-A-Tec developed a stainless steel suppressor for the MP5SD-N, which H&K also built under license. This is the story of the Navy’s silenced P9S pistol and the special silencer developed for the Navy variant of the MP5SD submachine gun.

The story really begins with the Navy’s experience with the MK 3 suppressor and MK 3 MOD 0 pistol, which were manufactured by Smith & Wesson from 1967 through the early 1970s. The suppressor was based closely upon contemporary German silencers designed by Siegfried Huebner of Carl Walther Waffenfabrik in Ulm-Donau.

The MK 3 suppressor and MK 3 MOD 0 pistol were commonly used in Vietnam by SEALs for quietly eliminating noisy village dogs, hence the weapon quickly became known as the Hush Puppy. The point man on a Navy patrol might also carry the Hush Puppy so he could quietly eliminate a hostile contact. Some of these silenced pistols may have seen anti-personnel service with Project Phoenix.

While the Mark 3 suppressor was remarkably small and light for a centerfire pistol suppressor, it achieved these qualities with the use of elastomer wipes. The act of the bullet pushing through the wipes—which closed behind the bullet and trapped combustion gases normally perceived as a gunshot—adversely affected accuracy and limited the effective range of the suppressed pistol. This was an important consideration because the 158 grain (10.3 gram) FMJ round issued with the pistol would not reliably put down a hostile human or noisy dog with a center of mass shot. A CNS (Central Nervous System; i.e., brain) shot was necessary to instantly incapacitate a target. This is a tough shot to make with the limited accuracy delivered by the Mark 3 suppressor. Furthermore, this round would not always reliably cycle the suppressed Smith & Wesson pistol. Therefore, many operators employed the pistol with its slide lock engaged, the lever locking into notches cut on the sides of the slide. While using the slide lock made the Hush Puppy much quieter and avoided jamming the weapon with a partially extracted fired case, this practice had several distinct disadvantages. It eliminated the ability for a quick follow-up shot despite the potential usefulness of a follow-up shot when using FMJ pistol ammunition. The repeated recoil of a notched slide against a slide lock quickly cracked the slides at the notches, requiring a replacement slide after as few as 150 rounds.

Despite these liabilities, the Hush Puppy remained popular among the SEALs operating in Vietnam. But missions and technology moved on. The rise of global terrorism expanded the mission of some elite military units into the realms of counter-terrorism and hostage rescue. Since the Mark 3 suppressor used wipes, it could not be employed with the new high-performance hollow point rounds being developed in the mid-1980s. Clearly, a more robust pistol and a wipeless suppressor were needed to provide improved accuracy for the maturing tactical doctrine related to close quarter battle and hostage rescue. And a system was also needed that could use subsonic hollow point ammunition in order to achieve improved terminal ballistics for in extremis missions. Finally, the suppressed pistol had to cycle more reliably than the Hush Puppy with its original 158 grain ammunition. The innovative P9S pistol developed by Heckler and Koch proved to be a worthy successor to the MK 3 MOD 0 pistol.

The P9S Pistol

Introduced by Heckler and Koch GmbH in 1968 as an improved variant of the P9 pistol, the P9S might be viewed as a “delayed blowback” pistol, although H&K doesn’t like this term. A roller locking mechanism derived from H&K’s G3 rifle was used to provide a brief delay upon firing, until the chamber pressure dropped to a safe level. The P9S pistol was also noteworthy in its day for the weapon’s polymer frame, fixed barrel, double/single-action trigger, and extensive use of stampings in its fabrication.

Operation of the P9S is relatively novel for a pistol. Two rollers on a two-part breech block engage recesses in the barrel extension when the slide is closed. The heavy rear portion of the breech block pushes against the light forward portion, forcing the rollers outward. Upon firing, expanding combustion gases push the base of the fired case rearward against the light forward portion of the breech block. The slide’s inertia slows inward movement of the rollers, which must disengage from the recesses in the barrel extension before the breech block can begin to move rearward and begin the extraction and ejection sequence.

When a round is chambered, the extractor stands out and serves as an indicator. When the hammer is cocked, a pin protrudes from the rear of the slide. Both indicators can be seen easily in daylight or verified by touch in the dark. The internal cocked hammer can be released be depressing the decocking lever on the left side of the grip behind the trigger. Polygonal rifling provides a tighter gas seal between the projectile and bore (which produces slightly higher projectile velocity than conventional rifling), reduced bullet deformation (which should enhance accuracy at least in theory), less barrel fouling, and longer barrel life.

The standard commercial 9x19mm variant of the P9S pistol is 7.6 inches (19.2 cm) long, has a barrel length of 4.0 inches (10.2 cm), weighs 1.9 pounds (880 grams) empty, and features a nine-round single column magazine. A .45 ACP variant was made for commercial sales chiefly in the United States, but the Navy did not use this variant. While Heckler & Koch GmbH assembled the last P9S in 1989, Hellenic Arms Industry (EBO) SA of Athens, Greece subsequently manufactured the weapon under license, as recently as 1996. The Greek variant is called the EP9S pistol.

The Navy variant of the P9S with extra-length barrel was 8.2 inches (20.8 cm) long without the suppressor and 15.4 inches (39.1 cm) with the suppressor fitted. With the suppressor, the unloaded pistol weighed 3.2 pounds (1.7 kg). A loaded magazine would add 0.45 pounds (200 grams). All of the H&K P9S pistols delivered to the U.S. Navy included two standard barrels and one extra-length barrel threaded 1/2×32 TPI for mounting a suppressor. This latter barrel was issued with a thread protector. The Navy pistols also featured the target sights used on the Target and Competition Models since these sights were higher than normal and would extend above the suppressor. Fitting the suppressor to a P9S pistol with standard sights required a different sighting strategy. Since the suppressor was a grit-blasted matte stainless finish and the pistol sights were black (albeit with colored inserts), there was generally enough contrast to align the front and rear sights against the pale suppressor. Then with both eyes open, the operator could superimpose that sight picture over the target, rather like using an occluded gunsight. This strategy is neither as fast nor as accurate as using sights that see over a suppressor, which is why the Navy pistols featured the higher sights.

The fixed barrel design of the P9S is ideally suited for mounting a suppressor, since the silencer’s length and weight will not adversely affect the reliability of the weapon’s cycling. The typical semiautomatic pistol of centerfire caliber is hard to silence because the weight of the suppressor retards the rearward movement of the barrel, which provides energy to cycle the slide. Thus, the Smith & Wesson Model 39, its incarnation as MK 3 MOD 0 pistol, the Beretta 92F, or any other pistol that depends on the rearward movement of its barrel is more likely to malfunction with a suppressor than the H&K P9S, which does not require barrel movement.

The P9S is also well suited for amphibious operations since it features both a fixed barrel and a single-column magazine. A swimmer, for example, can lock out of a submarine with the Model P9S suppressor mounted and the single-column magazine loaded in the gun. The swimmer then rotates the gun until all the air bubbles disappear, and then chambers a round. The operator could then shoot the gun underwater or poke the suppressor out of the water if, for example, he needed to take a target off a boat, platform or beach. The single-column magazine of the P9S is crucial when the operator must traverse the surf zone off a beach, where suspended sand in the water works its way into the pistol. The P9S will cycle reliably in semiautomatic after being immersed in surf; the Beretta M9 (92F) will not.

As far as I know, the P9S is the only 9mm pistol suitable for amphibious operations. The Navy, for example, tested the H&K P7 pistol before selecting the P9S. The P7 did not work well when carried though the surf and sand zone, since sand that worked its way into the mechanism would prevent the cocking lever from moving freely. The double-column, single-position feed magazines of pistols such as the Beretta, SIG and Glock jam, so the swimmer only gets to use the round that was manually racked into the chamber. A second magazine may be inserted, but it will also cease to function after the first round is manually racked into the chamber. While the H&K P9S magazine design provides much of its reliability in this environment, the gun itself is also toleranced very nicely for this application.

The U.S. Navy SEALs usually issued the H&K P9S pistol with the H&K “Stainless Steel Suppressor, Small, 9mm”, which was referred to by H&K personnel simply as the Small Suppressor to distinguish it from the “Stainless Steel Suppressor, Large, 9mm” which Qual-A-Tec designed and H&K manufactured for the MP5SD-N. The Small Suppressor was designed to work with the MP5-N and MP5K-N submachine guns as well as the P9S pistol. The P9S pistol and Small Suppressor system became standard issue in the 1986, replacing the MK 3 suppressor and MK 3 MOD 0 pistol. The older suppressed pistols were retained, however, in reserve. Production of the Small Suppressor and Large Suppressor continued until 1992, when H&K began to develop a relationship with the Knight’s Armament Company for suppressor technology.

H&K’s Small Suppressor

Designed by Qual-A-Tec but manufactured by H&K, the Small Suppressor was based on the patented designs of Charles A. “Mickey” Finn (U.S. patent 4588043). Finn also holds patents on these designs in Europe, Australia, and South Africa. Manufactured entirely of stainless steel, the Small Suppressor measures 7.75 inches (19.7 cm) long and 1.38 inches (3.5 cm) in diameter. The suppressor weighs 19.7 ounces (1.23 pounds; 558 grams).

While originally designed for the P9S pistol, the unusually robust and effective Small Suppressor proved to be an effective submachine gun suppressor as well. Therefore, the Navy did not purchase the Small Suppressor specifically for the P9S pistol. A given Navy purchase order might specify, for example: 1,000 MP5-N, 1,000 MP5K-N and 1,000 MP5SD-N submachine guns, plus 800 P9S Navy pistols and a quantity of Small Suppressors. The Navy did not purchase suppressed pistols per se, but rather would issue suppressors with one of the aforementioned H&K weapons when needed. The versatility of the Small Suppressor meant that the Navy needed fewer cans in inventory to meet their requirements.

The P9S suppressor incorporates baffles of the slanted sidewall type, which are welded together in a sealed unit. The slanted sidewall is a diagonal slot of similar radius to the bullet passage, centered on the bullet passage, that creates a diagonal channel at a 45 degree angle to the bore going from one side of the rear surface to the opposing side on the front of the baffle. Each slanted sidewall baffle creates a gas jet to push against the stream of combustion gases following the bullet. The gas jet dumps significantly more energy inside the suppressor than the same number of similarly spaced conventional baffles.

An unusual feature found on the 5.56mm prototypes of this basic design is that the slanted sidewall is used in the front end cap of the silencer as well as in its baffles. While one might think that a slanted sidewall would be counterproductive on the front end cap, this feature does actually enhance the sound reduction delivered by this can. The slanted sidewall was not used in the front end cap of either 9mm suppressor, however.

Finn’s patent includes three very different slanted sidewall baffles. Finn’s Type 3 baffle (called the “Third Embodiment” in the patent) is used in the Small Suppressor. Each of the six rearmost baffles in the Small Suppressor features an integral conical spacer in front of it with the apex pointed rearward. The conical spacer features a mouse-hole in its apex adjacent to the forward edge of the slanted sidewall, which directs its gas jet into the coaxial expansion chamber, formed by the spacer. The patent shows a second hole at the front (wide part) of the conical spacer, which directs gases back into the gas stream following the bullet. This hole at the front (wide part) of the cone has two functions: (1) the vent allows gases directed into the outer coaxial chamber surrounding the conical spacer to continue forward through the suppressor, and (2) the release of gas pressure from the front of the coaxial chamber prevents the buildup of back pressure that would neutralize the effectiveness of the coaxial chamber by preventing more gas from entering the rear of the coaxial chamber. Deflecting the gases away from the central axis of the suppressor slows the expansion process within the suppressor and provides additional surface area for cooling the gases. This reduces the amount of energy that would be perceived as noise. The seventh (front-most) baffle does not have a conical spacer.

The production variant of the Type 3 baffle incorporated into the H&K Small Suppressor eliminates the hole at the front (wide) part of the conical spacer. The cut-off chord in the rear face of the baffle (discussed later in this manuscript) indirectly serves the same function, so this hole could be eliminated in the final design.

A portion of the gases passing through the slanted sidewall in the center of the baffle is directed outward along the inner surface of conical spacer. Designing the conical spacer so its radius is less than the radius of the slanted sidewall facilitates this process. Gases flow from the inner surface of the spacer’s apex, forward at an acute angle from the central axis of the can, until striking the rear face of the next baffle. The rear face of the baffle generates more turbulence, robbing the gases of some energy. Two long slots milled perpendicular to the cut-off chord (one slot on either side of the bullet passage) vent combustion gases from the central core of the silencer through the rear baffle face into the annular expansion chamber milled into the outer edge of the baffle. These slots are 0.75 inch (19.1 mm long) and 1/8 inch (3.2 mm) wide.

The rear face of the baffle is machined to a slightly smaller diameter than the front face, enabling the front lip of the conical spacer to slip outside the rear two-thirds of the next baffle, abutting against the front rim of that baffle and forming the outer wall of the annular expansion chamber cut into the edge of the baffle. Gas from the outer coaxial expansion chamber formed by the conical spacer vents into the annular expansion chamber via a cut-off chord milled into the rear face of the baffle. Gas from the cut-off chord runs into gas from the two slots, creating turbulence that robs the gases of energy that would be perceived as sound. These commingled gases from the silencer core and the outer coaxial expansion chamber vent from the annular chamber through three outlets into the slanted sidewall bullet passage. These outlets have a diameter of 1/8 inch (3.2 mm) and are created by drilling radially inward from the annular chamber toward the geometric center of the baffle. All three outlets vent gases into the bullet passage at right angles to the gas stream following the bullet. The central of the three outlets is oriented 180 degrees from the cut-off chord that vents gases into the annular chamber. These three outlets add energy to the gas jet created by the slanted sidewall to push across the gas stream following the bullet. The diagonal gas jet is directed into the mouse-hole at the apex of the conical spacer (which is integrally machined in front of the baffle).

During fabrication of the unit, six baffles with integral conical spacers are welded into a single unit with each mouse-hole aligned with every other mouse-hole. A single (i.e., seventh) Type 3 baffle minus its integral conical spacer is added to the front of the baffle stack, which is welded to a cylindrical spacer that forms a coaxial chamber around the primary expansion chamber at the rear of the suppressor. Here the cut-off chord communicating between the annular groove and the slanted sidewall works in inverse fashion to the rest of the baffle stack. Gas vents from the bore, into the annular chamber, and then out the cut-off chord milled in the rear face of the baffle into the coaxial chamber surrounding the primary expansion chamber to the rear of this first baffle. A very short cylindrical lip on the front end cap fits tightly against the outer suppressor tube and holds the front-most (seventh) baffle in place.

The entire baffle stack is welded together and then inserted into the outer tube as a unit. Then the end caps are welded to the suppressor tube. Finally, the suppressor is line-bored to assure a perfectly aligned bullet passage.

In the next issue, we’ll wrap up the discussion of H&K’s Small Suppressor and conclude with a look at the Large Suppressor designed for the MP5SD-N integrally silenced submachine gun.

The recent introduction of Steyr’s Scout Rifle has created a great deal of interest in the world’s firearms community, mostly among firearms aficionados. The fact is, however, that the rifle has definite capabilities for use by military scout-sniper teams and for law enforcement. In this article, SAR evaluates Steyr’s new rifle and its military/law enforcement potential.

The scout rifle concept dates to the Second World War when the German Wehrmacht introduced the Karabiner 98k mit Zielfernrohr 41 (Model 98k Carbine with Model 41 Telescopic Sight -Kar98k-ZF41). The ZF41 telescopic sight was not intended to be a precision sight, but rather a sight for quick shots in combat. Its magnification was only 1.5 power and the rifle-telescope combination was very popular with the German military; nearly 90,000 were produced and plans called for 370,000 more when wartime exigencies caused telescope orders to be canceled. After World War II, the scout rifle idea lay dormant until it was resurrected by one of the firearms fraternity’s legends, Col. Jeff Cooper. Col. Cooper set the requirements for the modern scout rifle which differ somewhat from the WW II original. Before examining the scout rifle concept, however, we must understand the advantages of an intermediate eye relief low powered telescope mounted on a lightweight rifle.

Shooting a rifle well is a true challenge, especially when using open sights. Traditional “V” or “notch” rear sights are especially challenging because the shooter must concentrate on three points at once – the rear sight, the front sight and the target. The aperture or diopter sight ameliorates this problem somewhat, but the challenge of achieving correct sight alignment and sight picture remains. Sight alignment, particularly, is critical when using open sights of any type. Optical sights eliminate the need for obtaining correct sight alignment and picture, but introduce another set of problems all their own. When using optics of any magnification greater than approximately four power, target acquisition is slowed, with the difficulty of target acquisition in direct proportion to the degree of magnification. Probably the best of both worlds are “collimator” or “red dot” sights, such as Aimpoint, which have no magnification whatsoever. Many of these require batteries for power, however, and thus do not fit within the guidelines for a scout rifle because of the propensity of batteries to fail at the worst possible time as a corollary of Murphy’s Third Law. (Anything that can potentially go wrong, will – at the worst possible time!) Low power optics require no external power source, however, and thus are as reliable as such a device can be. From a shooting standpoint, their effect is to decrease the target acquisition time of the shooter while enhancing his accuracy. The method of using such sights is easy to learn and essentially requires only that the shooter keep both eyes open and on the target as he brings the rifle to his shoulder. As he shoulders the rifle and attains his shooting position, the crosshairs of the optic fall almost directly onto the center of the target, essentially where the shooter’s eyes are focused. This system is far superior to open sights in this respect. The sole disadvantage to the use of an intermediate eye relief, low power telescope is the fact that it is more fragile than open, or “iron” sights. Most quality modern optical sights are fairly rugged, however, and unless dropped directly onto a hard surface they can be expected to weather most exigencies. The scout rifle is envisioned as a general purpose rifle, suitable for any use from sport to combat and thus must be of a caliber suitable for killing any living target up to about 1,000 lb, eliminating current military calibers of 5.56x45mm (.223 Remington). The scout rifle will thus be chambered for a “full-power” 7.62mm (.30 caliber) cartridge, which for military use virtually mandates 7.62x51mm (.308 Winchester). Other points with regard to the ideal scout rifle are as follows:

A -The rifle should be a “repeater.” It should permit successive shots to be taken without reloading. The rifle will probably be a bolt action, as semiautomatic rifles tend to fall above the established weight limitation.

B -The rifle should be handy. That is, it should not be excessively heavy or overly long. Length should be no more than one meter (approximately 39 inches) and weight should be no more than about 3.1kg (seven pounds), the weight that most persons in relatively good physical condition can comfortably carry in one hand for an extended period. Rifles beyond these parameters are considered too cumbersome.

C -The buttstock of the scout rifle should not be too long, which renders the rifle slow and unwieldy. An adjustable stock is not mandated in Col. Cooper’s requirements for the scout rifle, but it is clear that an adjustable buttstock would be ideal.

D -The rifle should be “friendly.” Essentially this implies good ergonomics, with a line of sight as low as possible over the bore and the position of the shooting hand when ready to fire no more than three inches below the bore axis. A third component is the relationship of the bore axis to the stock. If the bore axis is above the stock, recoil forces are directed down, increasing felt recoil and making follow-up shots more difficult. Thus, the bore and stock should be as close as possible to straight line alignment.

E -The rifle should have a functional sling, preferably a “Ching Sling,” probably the best of its class due to its three-point attachment.

F -The rifle should not be intimidating. This implies that recoil is manageable and muzzle blast not overly loud.

G -The trigger should break like a “glass rod.” That is, there should be no perceived movement in the trigger as the sear is released. This is not to say that there should be no “slack” as is the case with all two-stage triggers. Once the slack is taken up, however, the trigger should release the sear without the shooter feeling any movement whatsoever.

As the military established a requirement to meet a perceived shortcoming, we have explored the perceived shortcoming and what qualities a scout rifle should have to fill it. This begs the question of how well Steyr’s new rifle meets the need and Col. Cooper’s vision. To preclude suspense, and so the reader can avoid slipping to the end of this article, we will go straight to the heart of the matter. This writer can think of only one word to describe the Steyr Scout Rifle – excellent, with one reservation. Now, let’s see what attributes justify such high praise from one who was a true skeptic about the entire scout rifle concept until he actually shot Steyr’s latest product.

First, the Steyr meets or surpasses all of Colonel Cooper’s requirements. It is light at only 3.1kg (7 lb) with telescope. It is handy, with its 748mm (19 in) barrel and overall length of just over one meter (39.57 in). The trigger is two-stage military style and once the slack is taken up there is no “creep” whatsoever and it truly breaks like the proverbial “glass rod” at 1.7kg (3.75 lb) on SAR’s test rifle. An English saddle leather “Ching Sling” accompanies each Scout and the rifle is set up with ambidextrous quick mounting points, so the sling can be quickly mounted and dismounted as desired. And finally, the recoil and blast of the rifle in 7.62x51mm (.308 Winchester) are not at all intimidating, at least not to this writer. This is attributable to the rifle’s design as much as to the cartridge, as we will presently see.

Other attributes of the Steyr that surpass the original concept are the detachable box magazine that has a double detent which allows it to be positioned so that single cartridges can be fed while maintaining a full magazine of either five or optional ten rounds. A spare magazine is carried in a buttstock well for quick reloading. Although the 2.5x Leupold telescope is mounted forward of the receiver ring, there is provision for accommodating a conventional telescopic sight using standard NATO mounting. Backup open sights are folded down out of the way until they are required. The cold hammer forged barrel is fluted for extra stiffness. The non-slip Zytel buttstock features spacers for adjustment of the length of pull to suit shooters of any conceivable size and has an integral fold away bipod, plus an accessory mounting rail beneath the forearm. Fit and finish of all parts is excellent, although it must be noted that this rifle is made for hard use, not to decorate the gun case of an admiring collector.

Recoil is managed in several ingenious ways. The 7.62mm NATO cartridge does not recoil excessively and can be handled by most shooters, but many smaller framed shooters might find the recoil of any full-power cartridge excessive, so the Steyr Scout incorporates a virtually “straight line” design which aligns the barrel and stock in such a way that recoil forces are directed straight back to the shooter’s shoulder. This not only reduces felt recoil, but facilitates quick recovery for successive shots. The trigger guard is “faired” at the rear to ease the forces on the shooter’s middle finger and the butt incorporates a recoil pad. Atop the receiver, controls such as bolt handle and ambidextrous safety are placed so that they will not impact the thumb of the shooter in recoil, regardless of how the rifle is held. The rifle comes ready to shoot upon delivery. It is pre-zeroed at the factory and although this writer was very skeptical, we found the Scout to shoot nearly at point of aim at 100 meters using Black Hills or Remington 168 grain and Cor-Bon 125 grain match ammunition. Bringing cross hairs of the Leupold telescope to the exact center of the target required only one click adjustment in windage and elevation. The shot groups were within minute of angle (MOA) at 100 yards using all three brands of ammunition in the (unfortunately) limited firing time that we had available in preparation of this evaluation.

Our sole complaint about the Steyr Scout is that our test rifle initially produced several misfires with each brand of ammunition we fired in it. We queried Steyr’s US. representative regarding these unexpected malfunctions and found that it was the fault of the factory striker spring setting. The striker tension was lightened because some members of the American firearms press complained about excessive resistance when lifting the bolt handle of pre-production models of the rifle. Rectifying the problem was very simple and involved no more than removing the striker assembly, which is covered in the operator’s manual, and then adjusting the striker spring tension. After tightening the striker spring, we found no discernable difference in effort required to lift the rifle’s bolt handle and the misfire problem disappeared. Those who encounter misfire problems should contact their Steyr representative to obtain exact procedures for making the adjustment. This was our sole complaint about the rifle’s performance while we had it for evaluation. It would also be welcome for a left-hand version to be made to accommodate the approximately 20 per cent of the population who are forced to operate an otherwise superb rifle essentially backwards.

What is the military or law enforcement usefulness of the bolt-action Steyr Scout in this day of fully automatic military firearms? Colonel Cooper claims that one of the primary roles of this rifle is its use by a military scout, although the traditional lone military scout has been replaced by reconnaissance teams, long range patrols, or scout-sniper teams, however it should be noted that some snipers occasionally operated alone during the Vietnam Conflict. Lone snipers would not, however, arm themselves with a scout rifle, but with a purpose-built sniper rifle. The long range patrol or reconnaissance team will have a variety of fully automatic weapons available should it encounter enemy forces of any size and be forced to fight. For such missions, the Scout Rifle is clearly not suitable. It is for the spotter member of a scout-sniper team that Steyr’s Scout Rifle is suited. It is the same caliber as most standard military sniping rifles and has the requisite accuracy to serve as a scout-sniper team’s “backup” rifle. Two man scout-sniper teams move by stealth and avoid firefights at all costs. Even if they were armed with fully automatic weapons, a two man scout-sniper team caught in enemy territory would be quickly overwhelmed. Indeed, current military thinking is for the spotter member of the scout-sniper team to be armed with a semiautomatic 7.62x51mm rifle, sometimes termed a “Designated Marksman Rifle” (DMR) while the sniper is armed with a heavy precision built bolt-action rifle. The role of the spotter is to back up the sniper and provide covering fire if necessary using a rifle of somewhat less accuracy and range than the sniper’s high – precision rifle, but capable of delivering a higher rate of fire. The Steyr Scout with optional 10 round magazine could fill that role and would be as reliable as any semiautomatic rifle of equivalent accuracy. Indeed, some military forces have already purchased the Steyr Scout rifle, although they have not disclosed the purposes for which the rifles were purchased.

For law enforcement, the Steyr Scout is a very viable option as a patrol carbine, although we would recommend either frangible or limited penetration ammunition if it is used in this role due to the possibility of overpenetration and ricochets in an urban environment. Typical police encounters are at under 150 meters and at this range 120 grain frangible bullets would be more than adequate for use against any perpetrators, even those wearing body armor. At the same time, frangible ammunition such as that manufactured by Longbow does not overpenetrate or ricochet. Limited penetration ammunition is also an option for urban use in a 7.62mm NATO rifle such as Steyr’s Scout. Limited penetration 168 grain match grade 7.62mm NATO ammunition such as that manufactured by Black Hills will typically penetrate body armor and then break up in the target without exiting. In fact, such ammunition will not overpenetrate a target without body armor. In addition, the attributes of the Scout Rifle’s optical sighting system that simplifies target acquisition and sighting while enhancing accuracy should be a major attraction to law enforcement officers whose opportunities for regular shooting practice are almost nonexistent.

We can sum up, then, by stating that the Steyr Scout Rifle we tested was a very pleasant surprise, save for the easily corrected misfires. It is light, accurate and appears to be sufficiently robust for consideration as a scout-sniper backup rifle and for use in law enforcement. Military customers will probably wish to add some modifications, such as camouflage buttstock and perhaps a flash suppressor, but Steyr’s little Scout Rifle is excellent as it is. Although we were initially skeptical about the entire idea of the scout rifle, the Steyr product convinced us of the concept’s efficacy. We believe that the Steyr Scout Rifle deserves consideration as a candidate for the spotter member of any military scout-sniper organization and by law enforcement as a patrol carbine in combination with the appropriate ammunition.

It’s RKI Quiz Time.

1.) What looks like a fat, oversized zip gun?

2.) Although less than 2800 were produced, what handgun killed far more German officers in WWII than the millions of our 1911A1 .45s?

3.)What ancient originals are the UK’s SAS lads still using to “quietly operate” in Northern Ireland?

A. THE WELROD!

That’s not some modern soldering technique, it’s the name of this heavy, ugly, silenced single shot pistol of WWII vintage that has been accountable for the demise of a lot of Britain’s enemies, in war, peace and semi-war. Although primarily a British weapon, the Welrod was also used by our OSS people in WWII.

The OSS description of the 9mm Welrod was delightfully enigmatic, calling it “a silent single shot pistol intended for use by specially trained operators for specific tasks”. According to the British product literature, i.e, their user’s manual, their Welrod is quite the special mission pistol:

This weapon…is silent, reliable in action and easy to conceal. It is accurate up to 30 yards in daylight or 20 yards on a fairly light night, but is most effective when fired in contact with the target.

The last line, gentle reader, means in direct contact with the target, as in an ultra close-up assassination.

Their user manual goes on to instruct, “..with the muzzle directly against the target…there is no question of any special training.”

A colleague of mine with dirty war credentials introduced me to an elderly British Para who knew the Welrod well, having used it during WWII when he was an SOE operative in Yugoslavia, then later when he was with SAS during the unpleasantness in Malaysia.

“It’s a killer’s pistol, nothing very glamorous or exciting. You get in close to your target, tight as you can, and let him have it,” he said with blunt reality.

“The farthest I ever hit with one was 10 meters, but the old Welrod worked fine. People could hear the bang, but it never gave me away. That sound moderator is a good disguiser of where shots come from. Never any ball-ups; it’s a good, simple, workable rig.”

So, what is this over-aged pistol all about? The Welrod is a manually operated single shot, WWII pistol built around a baffled, integral suppressor unit and magazine.

The suppressor itself is a series of self-sealing metal, plus fiber, leather or rubber washers. The non- metallic washers close after each round passes through, effectively delaying the passage of noisy gases. Although the sound reduction system is very effective, somewhere between 25 and 35 dB, the efficiency of the original system deteriorates quickly after twenty shots or so due to the enlargement of the washer holes from the rounds passing through.

The pistol is designed for replacement of the worn-out parts or the entire weapon can be discarded. According to operational stories, though, that latter case is very rare.

“When I was in Northern Ireland in 1980, our section had a Welrod that dated to field use in 1944,” says one former SAS officer. “The original baffles had been replaced by a newer composition material and there’s no way of telling how often that had been done. We used that weapon and it still worked very effectively.”

According to the international ordnance expert, consultant and icon Jack Krcma, who has extensive experience with the Welrod, “On being fired, the gun produces a report about equal to a .22 short being fired from a rifle. This report is followed either by a prolonged hissing sound as the gas escapes through the cork in the suppressor, or by a more rapid, duller hiss when the gas under pressure remains trapped in the suppressor and escapes upon opening the bolt.”

A WWII brainstorm of Winston Churchill’s so-called “Black Toy Box” special warfare scientists, the Welrod was produced both in 9mm and .32 caliber, with the 9mm version known as the Mk I and the smaller model, the Mk II. The physical dimensions of the 9mm Welrod include a 14 3/8-inch length with a weight of 42 1/2 ounces. The suppressor unit is 5 inches long, with a 1 3/8-inch diameter. The weapon has a magazine containing six rounds of 9mm ammo. This pistol’s muzzle velocity is 1000 fps.

The Welrod Mk II is a .32 caliber model with an overall length of 12 1/2 inches and weighing 32 ounces. Its magazine holds five rounds, and the weapon has a muzzle velocity of 920 fps. According to British data, the accuracy of this model is sufficient to give 5-inch groups at ranges up to 10 yards. According to the manual, the recommended operational range is 5 to 7 yards.

There was little about the Welrod that was fancy, Jack Krcma says, “The rifling is five groove with a left hand twist. The unit I first examined had a fixed square notch front sight with luminous centerline and a rear sight with a fixed blade and luminous spot. The standard finish for all Welrods is a Parkerized one.”

Each Welrod’s sights were coated with a radioactive paint for night use, while the silencer’s muzzle endcap was hollowed to a depression to further reduce sound signature when the weapon was fired in direct contact with the target.

The only major external differences between the 9mm and 32 caliber Welrods are the smaller physical size of the .32 and the fact that it does not have a trigger guard. Internally, the two pistols are quite different, though, as the 9mm model has a two-part suppressor barrel section, while the .32 has a single section.

The 9mm original production Welrod’s suppressor contains two rubber baffles, while the .32 model has three. Internally, these are beyond the pistol barrel. The barrel has a series of 20 holes drilled around its periphery, which are positioned in the five rifling grooves and vent to the surrounding expansion chamber. This chamber is separated from the front suppressor section by a baffle that has 12 holes. The suppressor section, extending beyond the barrel muzzle, is 4 inches long and contains a series of intermittently spaced metal and rubber baffles.

The 9mm Welrod suppressor consists of two sections, front and rear. The rear portion contains the gun barrel, which has sixteen bleed holes at its breech end. The gun barrel is surrounded by a tube that, together with the threaded front bushing, forms an expansion chamber for the gases escaping through the bleed holes. The front portion of the pistol barrel is essentially the weapon’s suppressor, attaching to the pistol by means of a threaded bushing. The inside of this suppressor section contains a series of metal, rubber and felt baffles separated by a perforated spool-like steel spacer.

The initial washers for the WWII suppressors were stamped from oil-soaked leather. However, this was soon stopped as tests showed that oil heated by the weapon firing produced smoke. Later washers were made of rubber, cork or of bronze screening.

One of the purposes of the Welrod was to be a weapon that could be issued to indignant local resistance fighters on assassination missions in occupied territories. Thus, the weapon’s basic operation had to be uncomplicated, which is why the Welrod is a simple, bolt action, single shot pistol.

To operate the weapon, you insert a loaded magazine all the way home. Twist the knurled knob at the breech a quarter turn to the left and pull it back. When you push this knob forward it tips a cartridge from the magazine into the chamber. Lock the Welrod’s bolt by turning that knob one quarter to the right. The closing stroke of the bolt also cocks the weapon. After the Welrod is fired, you withdraw the bolt, which extracts and ejects the fired case through the top of the weapon. Repeat the simple process, and that’s how it works.

Generally, a professional will use two hands to fire the Welrod, except for extremely close-in targets. One hand grips the outer silencer tube as far forward as is convenient or comfortable, while the pistol grip is held in the firing hand, just tightly enough to compress the safety catch. For distances beyond 10 yards the manual suggests the operator tuck the outer arm elbow as close to the body as possible.

That’s the what, the why, and the how. The rest is a bit more complicated. The actual ancestry of the Welrod still remains buried in the classified murk of British wartime security, even now, nearly 60 years of history later. Possibly, though, this is because these antique weapons are still killing people, e.g. in northern Ireland.

Efforts to research the genesis of this classic piece of military ordnance mostly arrive from personal contacts rather than official records, which remain “sealed, destroyed, or lost.” In a conversation some years ago with Major Frank W.A. Hobart, a retired British officer and premier ordnance scholar, he told me “The original models were produced in one of our factories near Wells, and since your OSS was going to use them as well as our chaps, someone tagged the American slang word ‘rod’ (meaning gun) on the end of it. Thus, the Welrod.”

The term Welrod also has a genesis with England’s Welwyn Herts Laboratories, where many nasty weapons and gadgets were developed for the SOE. The Welrod’s designer was a British ordnance officer who was assigned the wartime code name of “Major Dolphin.” Neither Frank Hobart nor Jack Krcma knew the real name of this man.

In his well researched book THE PUMBER’S KITCHEN, Don McLean reports, “They (the British) had a Station IX where they established a rather large machine shop for the purpose of carrying out research and small scale production of a number of silent weapons. From this group a notable silent gun was forthcoming, namely the Welrod.”

Jack Krcma also confirmed that Station IX was located in Wells, just as Frank Hobart had said.

The actual tooling, production and assembly of the Welrod pistols was performed under great secrecy at the Birmingham Small Arms Company factory in Small Heath, Birmingham. There are no specific identification marks on the weapons except for a 5 pointed star and small square which indicated the BSA firm. The small marks are located at the rear bottom end of the cylindrical receiver portion along with the weapon’s serial number.

A British military critique of the Welrod during field trails at BSA concluded, “The weapon is excellent…having been designed around the silencer unit it eliminates much of the objectionable noise. It does require two hands for operation as it is a heavy weapon, also it is cumbersome in the reloading, and subsequent shots cannot be taken rapidly.” On the whole, the evaluation was good, concluding, “It is felt that his weapon has a great deal of merit to organizations such as the commando units and the SO(E).”

Although the Welrod was a British weapon, the U.S. did purchase and use some quantity of the pistols. There is no consensus as to when the first Welrod was brought into the States for trials, but there is some evidence it was early Spring of 1943. The Welrod did not appear in official U.S. reports until that Summer, when it was tested in July at H.P White’s Research Laboratory near Aberdeen Proving Ground. An excerpt from the report for that day notes:

Following a delicious lunch of goat, the group adjourned to a firing range and the same weapons used at Aberdeen were demonstrated again.. Major Fairborne (sic) and Commander Bird were most impressed.. The silencer cut the sound down by about 35 dB.

“Fairborne” was the famed British Major W.E. Fairbairn of police and commando reputation who had more than a passing interest in silent weapons. According to the British military historian William Leathers, “Fairbairn was most likely the high ranking British government courier for the weapon… a man who could understand it, use it and probably sell it to your people (the OSS).” Leathers reported that a test Welrod was brought to the USA in April or May of 1943 by “a field grade officer of some repute.” Fairbairn?

The official American record, though, picks up when this British contribution to special warfare weaponry is noted. In the OSS, responsibility for the acquisition of silenced weapons was assigned to Division 19, headed by Dr. Harris M. Chadwell. Dr. Chadwell was Chief of the National Defense Research Committee, the official cover name for the folks who provided the nasty killing weapons.

On 16 August 1943, a meeting of the British liaison and American OSS researchers held at the Maryland Research Laboratory covered silenced weapons, and the Welrod rated high in the minds of all participants. The report concluded, “It was felt that for that special type of mission, it was the best available design and the U.S. should proceed with purchase of production model Welrods rather than trying for a home-built version”.

Most of the operational responsibility for these weapons was held by Vannevar Bush and Stanley Lovell, an OSS legend in his own right. Given the silenced pistol need, Lovell had been working with an old Army friend. Col. R.R. Studler, a noted small arms authority, on silenced weapons procurement. Although Bush, Lovell, and others had been working on obtaining silencer-equipped weapons since early in the war, this was the first official “blessing” for the particular search…a quiet assassination weapon.

A large scale, formal test was made at MRL late that September. According to unofficial reports, the Welrod did very well in the competitive firings and a limited procurement was ordered, as Bush, Chadwell and Lovell had requested weeks earlier. Always the practical engineer, Lovell wrote. “There seems little sense in wasting time or effort as the British obviously have a superior design here…(The Welrod)…Suggest we provide funds for additional experimentation on our .22 silenced pistols and on the submachine gun models.”

In a memo dated 18 September 1943, Dr. Bush wrote, “Welrod very satisfactory as silenced weapon… British have 1000 in production.” He requested immediate procurement of 200, followed by a run of 50 per month by the U.S. Bureau of Ordnance. He asked that these future U.S. produced weapons be modified to .45 ACP. He also noted it would be satisfactory to purchase the modified weapons from the British if production would be more efficient there.

However, as other OSS Division 19 scientists were already at work on several projects involving modified .45 caliber pistols, e.g., “The Bigot,” that modification request was dropped.

On 8 October 1943, the British Security Co-Ordination’s Engineering officer, Maj. W.M. Fox, arranged orders for “hand delivery to Doctors Bush and Chadwell by safe, armed courier” of a copy of “description and operational instruction for the Welrod, which my be of interest and use to you.” The model involved was the .32 caliber MkII, which the OSS was testing.

Chadwell, Bush and Lovell praised the test Welrod and its performance over other units, including three OSS models. They reported, “A completely independent line of investigation has been carried out through Dr. King on silencing guns… You will notice that the Welrod is mentioned on page 3. The model fired at that time was furnished by Colonel Studler of Army Ordnance.”

Indeed, the Welrod was tested, re-tested and continues to be tested, even years later, as seems to be SOP with silenced weapons. In one 1943 test, conducted by Division 19 personnel, under the supervision of Stanley Lovell and Col. Studler, their Welrod recorded a 118 dB pulse. A 1965 test of a rebaffled Welrod by officials at Aberdeen Proving Ground recorded a 115 dB reading, a drop of 35 from the unsilenced model. The lowest figure I have noted was conducted with a rebaffled Welrod Mark I in 1977. The reading was 110 with the 9mm model. The lowest reading I have noted for the .32 caliber Mark II is 103 dB.

According to a U.S. Army report on a Welrod test in 1985, “On one unit was recorded a drop of 30 dB.”

In a less scientific but reliable field test, the effectiveness of the suppressor is such that at 50 meters from the weapon, I could not readily identify the sound as a gunshot when my associate fired the Welrod some 30 feet over my head and down range. Also, we tested a vintage WWII model in 1980, replacing the original packing with as nearly the same baffling material (cork) as we could utilize. The result was a 35 dB drop.

When the Department of the Army scientists tested another totally original Welrod at the Frankford Arsenal in 1968, their report noted a maximum sound pulse of 122 dB, then described the sound signature as “a sharp, snappy crack.”

I asked an OSS veteran who had used a Welrod in Europe about this, and he said the rubber baffles in the Frankford test weapon were probably old and brittle with large blow holes, instead of having a tight wipe fit. “I’d have to describe the operational Welrod of that period (WWII) as having a sound signature more like the primer ignition of a .22 short followed by a slight hiss,” he said.

Back in 1943, when it really mattered to the special mission hungry OSS, the Welrod passed all its official tests easily. The OSS officials concluded that silenced weapons had a definite role in their arsenal. In England, this conclusion was academic, considering that both SOE and the various British Commando units had already been using these silenced pistols in the field for nearly six months.

The only rap the American officers who used the Welrod leveled at it was that it required two hands for ranges over 10 yards, plus the slow, manual reloading. Lovel’s response noted, “Please consider what missions the user of the Welrod is assigned and at what ranges he will be firing. It is not an ordinary combat gun; it has special mission use where some limitations exist to allow for other advantages. Please think this through operationally.” Bush was more pithy when he wrote to Chadwell, “This (the Welrod) is a nice weapon for gangsters. Think about that.” He knew, of course, of its murderous intent.

Because the missions in which silenced weapons are used generally are not the types of action personnel, units, or countries desire to share in the public spotlight, it is rare that cameras, reporters, or other talkative sources are around to record these deadly moments. Action photos of silenced weapons in the field are rare. Only somewhat less rare are the war stories of their use.

“The mortality rate is awesomely high among people who go on the types of mission in which silenced weapons are used,” says former Special Forces NCO Ted Bell, a two-tour Vietnam vet who has done attached service with other organizations and has a personal appreciation for these jobs.

According to the military historian Maj. Frederick Myatt, there are situations, missions, and times when relative silence is not only desirable, but also deadly. As Maj. Myatt writes about WWII, “…special operations people..sometimes need a silenced pistol and it was for their use that the Welrod was produced.”

The men and women who used the Welrod had praise for it. A man who knew many of these users, the last Canadian intelligence operative, John A. Minnery, noted, “The favorite weapon of the day was the silenced Welrod in .32 caliber and 9mm. Both these weapons were quite effective and took their toll in France and the low countries.”

Len Jameson was an SOE officer in Europe during 1944-45 and knew the Welrod well. Now retired in Australia, he writes, “We used crossbows and quieted rifles mostly for sentry work. The Welrod was a fine weapon to send into town with an agent if you wanted to bump off a German officer or a Gestapo bully. Our Resistance allies made good use of the ones we gave them.”

One Jameson story involved the elimination of an informer, whom they took out in a crowded inn in German-occupied France. “We’d given a Welrod to one of our most loyal boys and he smuggled it into the inn at great risk to himself,” Jameson told me. “A bunch of his mates crowded around talking, then bellied up to the bar, surrounding the mouthy mark we were hitting. The lad stuck the Welrod right up into the collaborator’s chest and put a round through his heart. Honest to God, they said nobody heard a sound. They propped the body into a chair and left by ones and twos during the next ten minutes. The Herberts (Germans) didn’t notice anything was wrong for hours.”

Another Welrod pistol, now in the collection of the Nationalmuseet of Denmark, was used by a Danish underground group to liquidate Nazi officials and local collaborators during the war. Code-named Holger Danske, the group was very successful in their use of arms dropped by the British. One of their foremost leaders during the highly dangerous and deadly Welrod missions was Capt. Ole Geisler, an SOE agent who carried the British code name “Axel.” His personal Welrod, a MkII, is on display in the Danish museum today. It took out nearly two dozen German officers and officials in 1944 and 1945.

A former OSS agent, Col. John S. Wood, said he had carried a Welrod in France and used it to eliminate several German officers.

In this line, the OSS supply list is interesting. The “normal” OSS ordnance materials issued to OSS agent William J. Morgan for his assignment behind German lines included the following; A .32 Welrod pistol; an M1911A1 .45 pistol; a .22 caliber silenced HD pistol; an ordinary blackjack; a spring-snapper cosh (blackjack); a lapel dagger; cameras and lots of film; two sleeping bags; a large box of time pencils and other detonating devices; an army blanket; a switchblade knife; a commando knife; a plastic pouch to cover explosives, and condoms to cover the detonators.

According to cogent military officers, Welrods are still on active duty in the continuing dirty little wars. Retired SAS Sergeant Brian Sykes told me, “I know for a fact they were used in Ireland and Korea because I was there and saw them. I know some of our observers in Vietnam had second-generation, locally made Welrods when they went on the black missions with your Special Forces people”.

Yet, according to two sources in Britain, the Welrod has not been operational for years. Noted ordnance research Colin Greenwood wrote in the 80s. “The Welrod is not in use today”. Another source, a weapons expert from the Imperial War Museum in London says, “I don’t think the Welrod has been used ‘officially’ for some considerable time, certainly not in Ireland or the Falklands. It is relatively obsolete compared to recent, more sophisticated weapons.”

By contrast, though, that combat veteran of WWII, the OSS, CIA, and only God knows how many other operations, Jack Krcma notes, “I am certain Welrods saw action in Korea, Malaysia, Ireland, Vietnam and in the Falklands. It is still a very fine, very effective weapon.”

It is also a very rare collector’s item, as few as 30 may still exist outside of museums and special mission armories. According to Krcma, “There are very, very few original Welrods on the market today, even for official collection curators to purchase. The prices will range from $4000 to $25,000 for each weapon”.

With that in mind, did you wonder about the price to produce each Welrod during WWII? Estimates range from $15 to $25 per weapon. Today, that pistol sells for up to $25,000.

That’s not bad price appreciation for an ugly, old pistol.

WELROD BIBLOGRAPHY

I PUBLICATIONS

Foot, M.R.D.
SOE IN FRANCE HMSO, 1966

Huebner, Siegfried F.
SILENCERS FOR HAND FIREARMS
Paladin Press, 1976

Ladd, James and Keith Melton.
CLANDESTINE WARFARE
Guild Publishing, 1988
Lovell, Stanley,
OF SPIES & STRATAGEMS.
Prentice Hall, 1963

McLean, Donald B.
THE PLUMBER’S KITCHEN.
Normount Technical Publications, 1975

Minnery, John A.
FIREARMS SILENCERS, Vol II
Desert Publications, 1981

The Silent Canadians,
THE GUNRUNNERS,
June 1973

Joe Ramos,
AMERICAN TOOLS OF INTRIGUE
Desert Publications,
1980

Myatt, Maj. Frederick,
MODERN SMALL ARMS,
Crescent Books, 1978

Office of Scientific Research & Development Various Technical Reports, Maryland Research Laboratory. Office of Strategic Services, 1943-1945.

Skochko, Leonard W. and Harry A. Greveris,
REPORT R-1898, SILENCERS.
Department of the Army, Frankford Arsenal, 1968

Truby J. David,
QUIET KILLERS,
Paladin Press, 1973
SILENCERS, SNIPERS & Assassins
Paladin Press, 1972

Ward, Donovan M.
THE OTHER BATTLE
Ben Johnson & Co. 1946

II CORRESPONDENCE & INTERVIEWS

Correspondence between American OSS officials and British Security Co-Ordination Unit, September, October and November 1943

Memorandums between Dr. Vannevar Bush and Dr. Harrison Chadwell, Office of Scientific Research and Development, 1943 and 1944

Personal correspondence and interviews with:

Ted Bell, USA
Colin Greenwood, UK
Edward Hine, UK
Maj. Frank W.A. Hobart, UK
Leonard Jameson, Australia
George B. Jarrett, USA
Bob Koch, USA
Jack Krcma, Canada
John A. Minnery, Canada
Joe Ramos, Canada
Donald G. Thomas, USA
Col. John S. Wood, USA

Occasionally, the summers get hot down here in Georgia. Today, it’s about 97 degrees. My shooting buddies want to head out to our favorite “after work” shooting area to burn-up some ammo and relax from the day’s stress. The news on the radio says that the heat index is 105 to 110 due to the 90% + humidity. In my book, that is not what I call “relaxing” conditions for shooting. Our range is in the middle of a wide open area which has no shade, and outside temperatures can feel about as hot as your M16 barrel does from a 30-round burst. Blame it on El Nino, Al Gore, or cigarette tobacco smoke, the fact remains it cuts into our shooting time.

Class III machine gun enthusiasts in the Southeast now have a full-auto indoor range option when contemplating their next shooting excursion, and it’s air conditioned. The Firing Lane in Athens, Georgia has a full-auto approved range for any caliber running up to 4000 fps. The owner, Dudley Calfee, is a Class III dealer and manufacturer as well. He provides on-site rentals of full-auto firearms to those who don’t own their own, or for those who would like to try out a different weapon system. With fewer areas available for full-auto shooting these days, an indoor range is a convenient and viable option to enjoy testing out different guns or various ammunition in a particular firearm.

The Firing Lane is open to the general public, and is located in Athens, Georgia. It’s about a 50-60 minute drive from Atlanta. They offer a variety of safety and firearms classes, as well as league shooting. The range is open 7 days a week, with hours of 12-9 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and 1-6 p.m. on Sunday. A retail shop is also located on the premises.

I visited the Firing Lane during their grand opening celebration weekend. It was a hot Sunday afternoon in late July, and it was reported that 300+ people had visited the facility the day before. My main complaint about using indoor ranges has always been poor ventilation, so I wanted to try out theirs first-hand to see how well it handled the smoke from full auto firearms. The last time I used an indoor range was a few years ago when I was sent to the Glock Firearms Instructors course in Smyrna, Georgia. It was a three day event, and I burned about 1500 9mm rounds prior to completion of the course. Dudley’s range is very similar to the Glock range, only bigger. The ventilation was more than adequate, and no one complained about that aspect.

I fired about 200 rounds through an M16 carbine to get a feel of the range and its layout. The targets are retrievable, and allow one to practice short and long bursts as well as dumping a fully loaded magazine if one so desire. Due to the relative confinement of the room, muzzle blast concussions are obviously magnified somewhat, but are not uncomfortable. This range provides an excellent environment to experience the spectacle of full auto firepower, sight, and sound.

While I was there, Dudley’s staff provided a firepower demonstration with an M3 aircraft 50 BMG shooting blanks. This particular gun was used in the movie “Tora, Tora, Tora” and was definitely a showstopper. Range staffers Chris Neufeld and Will Frisch were on the gun. Dudley dimmed the range lights, and I positioned myself just behind the gun during firing. The muzzle flash and sound was definitely an experience I will not soon forget. On the opposite side of the range, a father was teaching his daughter the art of full auto shooting with the AK-47. He told me that she had fired his MAK-90 many times, and was there to let her experience the thrill of shooting a full auto. After firing her first magazine, the smile on her face told the whole story.

If requested, Dudley will have one of his friendly and knowledgeable employees stay with a shooter to ensure the proper safety and weapon operating procedures are observed. Once a shooter has demonstrated the proper weapons handling, they are then allowed to shoot at their leisure. Safety is the main concern, and obviously should be. People new to full auto shooting are welcome as his staff is willing to provide the proper instructional help related to all aspects of the sport. The range has a family-type atmosphere, and all types of shooters would feel welcome.

Certain nights are dedicated to different shooters. Classifications include an auto-loaders combat league, personal defense classes, a subgun league, a bowling pin league, a PPC league, and a ladies night (which includes free handgun and machine gun rental). The personal defense classes are taught two times per month, and are presented by the Chief Firearms Instructor at the Northeast Georgia Law Enforcement Academy.

It was refreshing to see a place dedicated to Class III shooting which is geared towards the new shooter, as well as the seasoned veteran. The Firing Lane provides everything needed to enjoy the thrill of shooting in a safe and fun atmosphere. Visit their web site for more information. Dudley and his crew want your visit to be an enjoyable one and they are there to help make that happen. See you on the range…

The Firing Lane

Address: 115 Mill Center Blvd., Bogart (Athens), GA
Phone #: 706-546-6111
Web Site: www.firinglane.com/
Number of Lanes: 2 rifle/10 pistol
Range Length: 25 yards
Target Types: Retrievable overhead
Hours of Operation: 12-9pm Mon.-Sat, 1-6pm Sun
ID requirements/age: Drivers license. Must be 18 or older to shoot unsupervised. 17 and younger must be accompanied by an adult.
Range Time (members)$3/30-minutes (non-members)$8/30 minutes
Regular Membership Rate Range Time $100/yr
Membership (Unlimited Range Time) $200/yr
Handgun Rental (Unlimited Range Time) $5
Machine Gun Rental $10/per weapon
Suppressed Weapons Rental – 22 Cal. $5/per weapon, Other Cal. $10/per weapon
Ammunition (Price depends on Caliber) $8.88-14.88/per 50 rds., Range Safe Tracer Ammunition $20/50 rd. box
(On site MG renters must buy ammo from the range)
Eye Protection $0.50
Hearing Protection $0.50
Self-Defense Class (Gun/Ammo provided) $35
Gun Cleaning $10/weapon
Scoped Rifle Sight In $10/weapon

Class III rental guns includes the following:
HK MP5, HK MP5SD, HK33, Swedish K, M3A1 Grease Gun, MP40, 1928 Thompson, M1A1 Thompson, Glock 18, M16, Uzi, MAC 11, Suppressed Ruger MkII & 10-22, American 180, M60 Belt-fed, MG42, H&R Reising, 1919 A4 Belt-fed, Bren Gun, BAR, AK-47
Owners of their own Class III firearms are welcome

Change the outcome of armed conflict. Heroic exploits against overwhelming odds. Valiant efforts versus dastardly deeds. Knights in shining armor battling dragons or saving a beautiful princess (yuck!). Cowboys and Indians in their never ending struggle for control of the west and the great battles in exacting detail of the Civil War. Marching bands, regiments passing in parade and soldiers of the two World Wars. These are but just some of the vast historical images of the toy soldier that provide hours of entertainment using just the imagination.

In simpler times, (before Political Correctness) these military figures could transform children into the true military masterminds that were really lurking in their little heads. It did not matter if the figures were two dimensional cheap cardboard or plastic soldiers that could barely stand up or heavy lead soldiers that were intricately painted and exceptionally detailed. It was the imagination that mattered: the glory and the horror of armed conflict and the ability to change historical outcome at ones whim. Over simplified? Yes! But a fertile field for any child whose only limits were the imagination. Sometimes very quiet and orderly, they would play for hours on the living room floor never thinking of turning on the TV and other times, outdoors, the child would be a willing participant in the ensuing conflagration using such effects as BB guns, firecrackers, matches, sticks and rocks to add to the realism or mayhem depending on their ever changing mood.

What modern battle would be complete without the firepower of the machine gun? Whether it was from the World War I era or a more modern day conflicts, the machine gun was an integral part of the play. As readers of this magazine are particularly interested in the real thing, it is noteworthy to look at automatic weapons as used and portrayed by the toy soldier and how it helped shape your interests of today. Sometimes depicted as a generic weapon but unmistakably automatic, to the highly detailed rendering of the actual gun, the toy soldier using an automatic weapon embodies the firepower and strength that their real counterparts possess.

Some of the examples shown here are quite old and some were made “yesterday”. But to the shooter, collector, hobbyist or historian of automatic arms they command a second look. For those that love automatic weapons, this is a side trip down memory lane that rekindles the child in all of us yet at the same time triggers an adult appreciation for the reproduction that it represents. All it takes is a little imagination!