By Kyle Shea

The Guns of the Lara Croft- Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life

Angelina Jolie as Lara Croft – Tomb Raider came out in June 2001. It did well at the box office, but was received poorly by critics, even getting a Golden Raspberry Award. It was certainly no Casablanca or Avengers, with an okay storyline and somewhat questionable acting. The action scenes were very good but could not save the film in the eyes of critics. Its sequel, Lara Croft – Tomb Raider: The Cradle of Life, did a lot better, though still not usually considered a classic.

The movie was based off of the video game franchise of the same name. The main character, Lara Croft, is a British archaeologist that travels the world looking for ancient relics. With more than fifteen games and two movies, she has become a video game icon and one of the most recognizable characters in that industry.

The handguns “Lara Croft” uses in the first movie are a pair of Heckler & Koch USP Match 9mm handguns. The USP Match was made for American markets and is quite well respected and popular. Designed for target shooters, it was discontinued in 1999. It was also used in other movies like Blade 2 and 3, Underworld, and The Transporter 2.

The two pistols made up for the movie are unique, with a custom made ambidextrous slide release for the one she was shooting with her left hand. This was for the scenes where she had to rapidly reload the pistol. Using her thumb, she released the magazine clip, letting it drop to the floor, and then reloading it with custom mag loaders attached to her belt.

The scenes where the USPs were used the most in the movie include the opening scene were Lara Croft is fighting a robot, shooting at it as it runs around her. One memorable scene is when she enters a temple and battles an army of living statues with a sword. After slicing down one statue, she turns to see another statue raising a weapon to attack her, where she promptly smiles, draws one of her pistols and shoots it in the face. Later, in the same temple, a large guardian statue with multiple arms comes to life and starts coming after her. She proceeds to shoot both guns repeatedly in its face, only for its head to turn and reveal another face on the side.

As mentioned before, the film is not considered a classic, but it is a fun to watch film. Angelina Jolie does an excellent job as “Lara Croft,” both in the first movie and in the sequel. The main villain is interesting, the special effects are now dated, and the story is nothing special- it’s made off of a video game theme. Still, it’s a fun movie with humor and good action.

“Lara Croft’s” two HK USP Match pistols from Bapty Ltd in London, the company that supplied the armorers and firearms on the set: Serial Numbers- 24063928 and 24063929.

By David Lake

Polymers and Composites

Drastic changes to tradition can be a hard sell- especially when that tradition finds deep roots in history and culture. If you’re reading this, then you are part of a very special culture- you’re a “gun guy”. And if you’re over 40, then you’ll recall the arrival of plastic pistols. You’ll recall the myths purveyed by the media and the doctrinal arguments hosted by the experts who either celebrate or condemn the idea of using plastic in the construction of a firearm. Despite early skepticism and trepidation, the merit of the concept has been well demonstrated, as now almost every small arms manufacturer offers a plastic gun. Hold-outs and traditionalists are hard-pressed to disprove the advantages in cost, weight, and resilience afforded by plastic.

Accurate terminology is important to this subject. When speaking of steel or aluminum, the generic names can be acceptably applied. Steel… is as strong as steel. And that’s enough. Or close enough as it makes little difference in idle conversation. Aluminum is understood to be very respectable stuff. Structures made of aluminum spend a lot of time performing extreme duties in exotic environments. However, when speaking of plastics and polymers and composites, one must use more specific designations, as all plastics are not created equal. In fact, the word “plastic” should be avoided, as it is not a correct descriptor designation of a type of material; it only refers to a distinct property of material. “Plastic” is not an adequate label for the superlative high-tech engineered materials used to replace steel and aluminum componentry in the firearms of today.

We should at least become familiar with the nature of a polymer. Poly means many; thereby a polymer is a compound built from many other compounds. Specifically, those compounds are called monomers and as it applies to this discussion, these monomers are formed from common hydrocarbons. Yes indeed, that means volatile gasses and liquids. As an example the basic hydrocarbon ethane can be made to repeat its base molecular structure- many thousands of times to form an enormous chain (speaking to the relative scale) that effectively entangles with neighboring molecules until the new material becomes a very strong solid. The common polymers are composed of very few elements; predominately carbon and hydrogen. We also find oxygen, chlorine, and nitrogen as small constituent parts of these compounds. There is a growing branch of material science that deals with something called a fluorocarbon. Fluorocarbons are manipulated to build fluoropolymers. These relatively new materials are still being discovered and explored. They promise strength and resistance that far exceed our current and common hydrocarbon polymers. These high-performance materials are the real future of polymer science. We should expect to see this stuff employed more and more in the near future. Hold your breath for the fluoropolymer pistol.

Material scientists can tailor a polymer’s properties to fill an exact requirement. If the material needs heat resistance, there’s a monomer structure for that. If a material needs increased elasticity, there’s a monomer for that. If a material needs resistance to stress fracture, there’s a monomer suited to impart that quality. The custom tailoring is performed by carefully manipulating of the way these elements combine. The subject may seem to be high science, and indeed it is, but the basic process can be well understood with the application of some Google. It’s an interesting field and its worth some study and familiarization.

Those gun companies that have ventured into non-metal construction have implemented technology beyond the basic polymer. These materials have been combined with small fibers or particulate of glass, carbon, or even certain minerals. Short fibers or particulate elements are evenly dispersed into a polymer to form a homogenous solid. This is known as “filled” polymer. This type of material generally does not give up any of the strengths and properties of the polymer to make room for the filler. The filler may be included to mitigate some inherent weakness or deficiency of the polymer. The filler may be used only to make the structure less dense, and thus, lighter. Most often, filling a polymer with an additive is done as a means to increase strength, hardness, or resilience. Sometimes polymers are filled with materials that have lubricating qualities to reduce operating friction on wear surfaces. Some polymer structures have even been infused with evenly distributed air bubbles to create structured rigid polymer foam. Though, not a filled polymer, the integration of air bubbles demonstrates how specifically these materials can be manipulated and improved. Filled polymers are cheaper to produce than machined metal, and are adequate for low to moderate load and wear surfaces. Polymer pistol frames are cast or molded into their final detailed form in a single step- a step that only takes a few seconds. This is the process used to create the frames of the HK, FN, Glock, XD and M&P pistols.

Though it was the first to claim broad commercial success, and still remains the front runner in the market, the Glock was not the first polymer framed pistol. Heckler and Koch released a polymer pistol almost 13 years before we ever heard of Glock. Almost 57 years ago, we saw the first rifle built on a polymer receiver- a .22 rifle from Remington. The proliferation of polymer framed firearms is proof that this technology is a good thing. The exact polymer recipes used by manufactures are tightly guarded industry secrets. Though, some authoritative independent research has been conducted to uncover the mystery of the exact composition of at least one of these guns. The Glock pistol frame is made of a type of nylon- that is easy to demonstrate. But even with the required lab equipment and some understanding of spectroscopy, we can only approximate the actual formula. Whatever be the details, we know that the Glock is a close cousin of stain-resistant carpet. The commercially present polymer that shares much with Glock DNA is called Nylon 6,6. We know that Glock has further manipulated the formula of Nylon 6,6 to increase its strength and hardness. Unique to Glock’s formula is an integrated fibrous, crystalline texture throughout the frame casting- though the Glock frame is not actually a “filled” polymer. The apparent fibrous structure is engineered into the polymer itself. Glock’s frame material makes a proud demonstration of our grasp and abilities in material sciences and engineering.

Given the similar requirements of all polymer pistol frames, we can assume that all firearm engineers have chosen similar polymer formulas. One feature common to all polymer framed pistols is the tendency of those frames to utilize an internal metal structure. Some feature a molded-in steel skeleton. Some just use removable metal structure that nests into the polymer frame. Both of these measures are affected to offer reinforcement at high-load and high wear areas. Filled polymers are found in long arms as well. Any designation of an item as “synthetic” usually refers to a rifle or shotgun stock that is made of a filled polymer. These materials are more resilient than wood- sometimes even considered indestructible. They are generally featured on entry level or “working” class rifles and shotguns. Long guns clad in polymer or synthetic furniture give up all points of luxury to remain totally utilitarian.

The other branch of non-metal construction involves layers of fabric woven from precisely oriented long fibers of glass, carbon, aramid, or spectra encapsulated and bonded by a polymer resin into a solid form. Aramid and spectra fiber are true polymers. Carbon fiber, though nearly 100% structured carbon atoms, begins life as a polymer film. The bonding or laminating resins used to encapsulate these fibers are also polymer, though of a special class. In theory, these thermosetting resins form one contiguous polymer molecule of the entire cured structure. The winning attribute of fiber materials like carbon and aramid is that they do not stretch- or they do, but very little. This means that a solid form made from these materials is very resistant to any change in shape. This type of structure, where linear fibers are encapsulated in a binder is known as “composite” structure. Composite manufacture boasts performance properties that far exceed the constituent parts. Though fiberglass had been popular and successfully used by gun manufacturers for many years, it has been outclassed by carbon fiber fabrication.

There are only two good reasons for carbon fiber’s popularity: it is impossibly strong and its visual appeal is timeless. As to the strength, it can bear loads and endure temperature fluctuation that could cause steel or aluminum to deform and fail. It nearly matches the strength of steel and aluminum at a fraction of the weight. This makes it good for shooter comfort. Its rigidity is far superior to that of steel and aluminum. It is less harmonic than most metals- that is, it does not propagate vibration. This is good for accuracy- as in repeatable and reliable day-to-day and shot-to-shot consistency. Composite manufacture, as it applies to gun manufacture, is usually used in high-power rifle stocks and barrels. The rifle stocks of McMillan and Manner’s are created using composite construction. The rifle barrels of Christensen Arms, Magnum and Proof Research marry carbon fiber with steel rifle barrels.

Composite construction is a very expensive and time-consuming method of construction. Complex machinery may be employed to wind fibers into a perfectly calculated pattern. Swatches of fabric are laid into a mold by hand to ensure proper alignment to achieve peak strength and beauty. Composite structures are cured for many hours under high pressure in massive ovens. Painstaking preparation, processing and finishing are required but the performance and appeal of the finished product is unmatched. The presence of bare carbon fiber garners envy at the gun range. The hypnotic weave of carbon textile or the random illusory texture of a filament wound structure adds a degree of interest and refinement to normally ordinary things. It’s inspiring and pride-inducing.

Healthy capitalism demands that all things meant to be sold should be accompanied by a fair supply of hype. The gun market is not immune to this tendency to exaggerate. Some manufacturers have labeled their filled polymer receivers “carbon fiber” and some even call simple plastics “high tech polymer.” All polymers are, generically speaking, forms of plastic, but all plastics are not polymers, and all polymers should not be considered high performance. A milk jug is made from polymer- with much science and study behind it. But it is neither high-tech nor high-performance by all standards. And when a manufacturer calls their product “carbon fiber”, it had better be made of laminated woven textile or filament wound. Both of these are easily identifiable by their unique appearance. A receiver made of an homogenous gray plastic is not carbon fiber- it is likely just a filled polymer. Even if carbon is used as filler, that material should not be described as carbon fiber. The consumer should be wary of fancy titles applied to the material from which a gun is made, and pay attention to the quality of what they can see and feel and know on their own. The overstatement of the facts is all too prevalent by advertisers­ and manufacturers. But we can also observe the modest understatement of facts as they apply to the capabilities and features of polymers. Most shooters don’t know that a Glock’s frame won’t melt until almost 500 degrees. Many shooters don’t believe that some polymer frames and stocks are totally chemical resistant- despite the existence of special cleaners made for “synthetic” firearms. Some just don’t believe the claims that the modern filament winding process used to replace some of the steel on rifle barrels, and the space-age resin used therein, can actually exceed steel’s tensile strength and heat-sinking abilities. Of course, this kind of peak performance asks that the barrel manufacturer exercise great care and attention to detail and perform exhaustive quality checks during and after manufacture. There are definite and distinct advantages to using new technologies in the gun market. Not all new trends should be immediately relegated as heresy. Excellence is possible, however not guaranteed when utilizing hi-tech materials. Be assured that there are indeed some promises and sales pitches that are simple farce.

One must not expect nor accept that a gun company can just replace some parts with carbon fiber or polymer structures thereby improving quality or performance of a gun. Any and all advantages afforded by the use of non-metals demand that the gun be re-engineered specifically to fully exploit a new material’s capabilities. Beware the polymer “version” of a pre-existing all-metal gun. One thing to be sure of, is that time will march on, and material science will open new possibilities. Guns will use metals less and less, and at the same time get stronger, lighter, and more efficient.

Melvin Johnson’s unconventional alternative to the M1 Garand did not see widespread use, but its innovative features were incorporated into Eugene Stoner’s AR-10/15 series rifle.

The Model 1941 Johnson Rifle is unique in many ways. It utilizes a short recoil mechanism whilst contemporaries are gas operated (short-stroke piston of the SVT-40, long-stroke piston of the M1 Garand, or direct impingement of the Ag m/42 Ljungman). It also uses a multi-lug rotating bolt that is part of the bolt group. Unlike other rifles which disassemble into the proverbial lock, stock, and barrel, it disassembles into upper and lower halves. This article delves into the technical details of the rifle, and how the innovations were adapted into Eugene Stoner’s AR-10/15, which will henceforth be treat as the same design for brevity.

History

The gestation period for the M1 Garand was not swift and smooth. John Garand started development with his Model 1921, with his T1E1 being ordered for tests in 1929 and production first delivered in 1937. These early “gas-trap” rifles have a chamber in front of the barrel to trap some of the pressure for use by the operating rod, similar to the muzzle booster of the MG42 and Vickers machine gun. Deficiencies in this system led to changes where gas pressure is tapped via a hole drilled in the barrel. In the midst of these challenges, Melvin Johnson set about to design an alternative with the prototype being completed in August 1936.

The Army Ordnance Board trials in December 1939 found the Johnson rifle unsuitable for service as it would not reliably function with the bayonet attached and the magazine too delicate. In contrast, the Marine Corp trials of May 1940 concluded the Johnson rifle to be superior to the M1 Garand in accuracy and potential efficiency; however, further tests in November 1940 found the Garand to only just edge out the Johnson. The Johnson rifle was officially turned down in favor of the M1 Garand which was already in full production by then.

Despite the setback, Melvin Johnson captured a contract with the Netherlands Purchasing Commission for use in the Dutch East Indies. These rifles were fortuitously chambered in 30-06 instead of the Dutch standard 7.92x57mm. As the Japanese invasion prevented the rifles from seeing service with their Dutch owners, the US Marine Corp procured them for use throughout the Pacific campaign. Notably, USMC Captain Robert Dunlap was awarded the Medal of Honor while thus armed.

Post WW2, Argentina expressed interest but the resulting M1947 auto carbine never went into production and Johnson’s company was absorbed into Winchester Repeating Arms Company. Around the time of the AR-10/15 development, Johnson worked at ArmaLite as a consultant.

Action

The Johnson rifle utilizes a short recoil action like that in the Browning A5 shotgun where the recoil force, instead of the expanding gas, is harnessed to cycle the action. As the projectile travels down the barrel, the recoil pushes the bolt group and the barrel rearward, compressing the barrel recoil spring and the main spring. The operation is illustrated below. From the Military Handbook of the Johnson Semi-Automatic Rifle published by the Johnson Automatic Trust, when the projectile is at the muzzle, the barrel recoils about 0.0156-inch (Step 1). As the projectile leaves the muzzle, the muzzle blast becomes “the primary operating force of the action”. With the projectile 2-feet from the muzzle, the pressure inside the barrel drops significantly while the barrel recoils about 0.125-inch. Here, the cam on top of the bolt engages the cam on the receiver to unlock the barrel from the bolt carrier group (Step 2). With the projectile 5-feet from the muzzle, the barrel reaches full 0.375-inch travel and the bolt fully unlocked (Step 3). As the bolt group continues further into the receiver to eject the spent case and pick up a new cartridge, the barrel returns forward under the barrel recoil spring (Step 4). Finally, the bolt chambers a new cartridge and returns to battery, ready for the cycle to start again (Step 5).

The barrel latch assembly, at the bottom of the handguard near the front sling swivel, keeps the barrel in place via the collar about half way along the 22-inch barrel. The barrel recoil spring is found in the barrel latch assembly. As with other reciprocating barrel designs such as the MG42, the Johnson rifle handguard, a perforated metal shroud integral to the receiver, is free-floated from the barrel. In contrast, fixed barrel designs such as the 1898 Mauser series feature a handguard that attaches directly onto the barrel.

As a consequence of the short recoil operation, reliability necessitates a calibrated reciprocating mass. Too little mass (e.g. from a short barrel) could lead to excessive bolt speed; too much mass (e.g. from fixing bayonet) could cause short stroking. To avoid that, a 0.5-lb triangular bayonet is utilized in contrast to the standard 2-lb M1 bayonet. Reliable cycling also requires little rifle movement under recoil. From an unconventional position where the user is unable to properly shoulder the rifle, short stroking can occur. When the rifle moves too much, there could be insufficient energy to cycle the action, similar to “limp wrist-ing” a handgun. While the author did not explicitly test for such behavior, the sample rifle did not fail when shot horizontally or when not properly shouldered. The lack of tapped gas means no fouling would accumulate at the piston (e.g. M1 Garand) or receiver (e.g. AR-15).

The actions of both the Johnson and AR-15 rifles are noteworthy in that they do not impart an off-bore-axis torque. When a gas piston actuates the bolt, the line of thrust is by necessity offset from the barrel as seen in the “carrier tilt” encountered by some gas piston AR-15s. This additional component adds to muzzle climb and wear. Both Johnson and AR-15 rifles feature reciprocating mass directly in line with the barrel. Indeed, Stoner further reduces muzzle climb in the AR-15 by placing the barrel in line with the user’s shoulder (similar to the FG42).

Bolt

Both Johnson and AR-15 rifles feature a bolt group with a multi-lug bolt. Unlike a one-piece rotating bolt (e.g. 1898 Mauser), the Johnson rifle bolt group can be split into the bolt and locking cam. The rollers guide the group to rotate the bolt and lock the breech. The same idea is seen on the AR-15 bolt carrier group.

The multi-lug bolt means that less rotation is necessary to open the bolt in comparison to the prototypical two lugged design. The bolt rotates about 90-degrees in an 1898 Mauser, about 45-degrees in an M1 Garand, and only about 20-degrees in the Johnson rifle. This theoretically promotes faster cyclic time and reliability because less energy devoted to rotation means more can be devoted to reciprocation. While the Johnson has eight lugs around the bolt head with the space for the ninth taken by the extractor, the AR-15 has seven lugs around the bolt head with the eighth on the extractor. As such, the AR-15 bolt rotates approximately 22.5-degress to
unlock the breech.

In keeping with most other military arms such as the M1 Garand and SKS, the Johnson rifle has a free floating firing pin. This means that the firing pin is free to move back and forth along the channel inside the bolt. As the bolt slams into battery, the forward momentum of the pin would slightly dimple the primer.

The Johnson rifle employs a control feed whereby that the rim of the cartridge slips under the extractor while the bolt is moving forward. The contrasting push feed method pushes cartridge into the chamber and ride the extractor over the rim as the bolt goes into battery. Both methods are successful. In bolt action, the Mauser 1898 uses a control feed while the Mosin Nagant uses a push feed; in semiautomatic, the FN-49 utilizes a control feed while the AR-15 utilizes a push feed. The control feed of the Johnson rifle is paired with a fixed ejector at the rear of the receiver like the Mauser 1898.

The Johnson rifle extractor is attached to the bolt via the bolt handle. The center stem of the bolt handle can be lifted out under spring pressure and the handle slid toward the bolt face. With the bolt handle removed, the extractor can then be separated
from the bolt.

Recoil Buffer

Unlike traditional designs where the recoil spring resides in the receiver, the Johnson rifle recoil spring and buffer is in the stock. As the stock is not directly in line behind the receiver, a link connects the bolt carrier to the buffer in the same manner as the Benelli inertia system in the M1 shotguns. In the M1941 Johnson Light Machine Gun, the buffer is put in line with the receiver above the stock, eliminating the angled link. The AR-15 also employs this arrangement, but puts the sights higher in order to bring the bore axis into the stock and further reduce muzzle rise.

The Johnson rifle stock has three cylindrical cavities with the bottom one holding the buffer tube. The top one can hold cleaning rod segments while the middle one is shallow and can only hold small items like brushes. The lack of a trap door forces one to remove the butt plate in order to access the storage cavities.

Magazine

The Johnson Rifle is equipped with an unconventional ten round rotary magazine that gives it a “pot belly” look. The traditional magazines are top loaded and feed vertically. The Johnson magazine is side loaded with each cartridge placed on the circumference, similar to the Ruger 10/22 rotary magazine.

Despite the prima facie similarity between the Johnson and Krag-Jørgensen magazines, they differ in the follower. The Krag user opens the loading gate which disables the follower and relieves spring tension; loose cartridges can be dropped into the magazine without effort. In contrast, the Johnson user must push the cartridge past the magazine cover, against follower spring pressure, into the magazine. After the magazine is emptied, the follower raises the bolt catch and holds the bolt open. To close the chamber on an empty magazine, one must hold the bolt back, push past the cover to depress the follower and allow the bolt to ride over it.

The Johnson rifle is distinctive in that, despite sporting a fixed magazine, it can be loaded and unloaded without locking the bolt back. The Johnson rifle utilizes stripper clips designed for the Springfield Model 1903 rifle and requires two to fully charge the magazine. The author found M14 stripper clips to work equally well. It can also be loaded singly with loose cartridges. To unload the magazine, the cover is fully depressed and the follower then forces the cartridges out.

The Johnson design does not allow the user to easily disable the follower spring pressure in order to clear a feed jam. If a magazine related malfunction occurs, the floor-plate of an 1898 Mauser or the detachable magazine of an AR-15 can be removed to eliminate the spring pressure. In contrast, the author experienced a double-feed with the Johnson rifle that took some effort to clear because of the need to fight the follower pressure.

Trigger Group

The trigger group is attached to the stock via two action screws like the 1898 Mauser. Unlike the Mauser, the action screws do not have smaller locking screws and the author found that they could walk loose under recoil on his sample. A notable feature of the Johnson rifle is that the hammer is placed farther forward of the trigger (about 1.5-inch) than other designs.

The Johnson trigger face is narrower (0.185-inch) in comparison to the Garand (0.2-inch). In addition, it feels more like a single-stage while the Garand is a two-stage trigger. The Johnson safety is a lever in front of the trigger guard that pivots around the vertical axis. The rifle is on safe with the lever pointing to the right (i.e., direction of case ejection), and on fire when the lever is pointing to the left. While both the Garand and Johnson safeties lack markings, the Johnson safety is less intuitive and lacks tactile feedback. In addition, it is difficult to manipulate from the firing grip. The author found these characteristics combine to give the Johnson rifle a less favorable impression in the fire control department.

Sights

The Johnson rifle features an aperture rear sight with a blade front sight protected by strong wings, combining to give a sight radius of 31.75-inches. While the front sight is non-adjustable, the rear sight uses a tangent adjustment for elevation. Each notch corresponds to two minutes of angle. The knob on the right side adjusts windage where a click every 180-degrees of rotation representing two minutes of angle. The rear aperture of the Johnson rifle is larger than that of the Garand, while the front posts of both are of similar thickness. The author found the Johnson sights quick and easy to both use and adjust.

Field Strip

Using only the tip of a cartridge, the rifle breaks down into two major components: upper and lower. The barrel is first removed, then the bolt group. Finally, the hammer block pin is removed to disassemble the rifle into the two halves.

To remove the barrel, the tip of a cartridge is pushed through a hole on the right hand side of the stock to depress the barrel latch plunger. After the barrel is unlocked from the bolt and the barrel latch assembly swung downward, the barrel can be withdrawn.

To decompress the mainspring, several components must first be removed. The bolt stop plate at the rear of the receiver is lifted vertically upward after the plunger is depressed; the author found this step troublesome and a second pair of hands immensely useful. The bolt stop is then removed from the receiver. Next, the plunger in the recoil buffer is compressed and the link between the bolt and recoil buffer removed. The bolt handle is detached from the bolt by lifting the central plunger and pushing the handle forward. With no more forward pressure on the bolt group, it can be moved rearward and withdrawn from the receiver.

The hammer block pin is located just aft of the stripper clip guide. Rotating the pin 45-degs back from the barrel using the tip of a cartridge allows the pin to be withdrawn. The author experienced some difficulty in removing the pin. The rear stock and trigger group, analogous to the lower of an AR-15, is removed by pulling the assembly to the rear. The group of receiver, magazine, and front handguard is analogous to the upper of an AR-15. The two halves mate via a rail between the trigger group and the lower edge of the receiver. Notably however, the Johnson rifle utilizes a number of screws while the Garand and the AR-15 do not.

Shooting Impressions

The Johnson rifle the author tested reliably cycled both Korean and Greek HPX surplus ball ammunition. Mildly unconventional shooting position without the stock fully planted in the shoulder did not produce any malfunctions. The recoil was notably softer than that of the M1 Garand because there is less mass to be stopped at both end of the bolt travel. However, the author felt that the short-stroke gas piston operated FN-49, also chambered in 30-06, has softer recoil.

After some frustrating moments with a number of users experiencing widely varying points of impact, the problem was traced to a loose rear sight. Despite a positive lock on the elevation ladder and the windage knob, the rear sight still wiggled. At 600-yard target, the disruption was about 10-feet. At the 100-yard target, the rifle managed to consistently hit a 12-inch diameter steel target. Unfortunately, this problem prevented a proper accuracy test.

Concluding Thoughts

Melvin Johnson designed a rifle with many innovative features. Although it did not see widespread adoption, it should not be consigned to the footnotes as an “also-ran”. The concentric recoil and bore axes, multi-lug bolt, usage of the bolt group to rotate the lug instead of an operating rod, and the disassembly into upper and lower halves are all features that were utilized on the AR-15. The most popular modern sporting rifle of America owes much to Johnson.

Due to the comparatively small number of Johnson rifles manufactured, they command a high price. The sample from this article costs around $4000. More pristine samples can cost double or more. Despite the price tag, it is an important piece of history worthy of a good home. However, like the BM-13 Rocket Launcher with the soubriquet of “Stalin’s Organ”, Johnson rifle owners should expect puns about the name.

Test firing E1R1 at Ft Benning 1941. The E1R1 is easily identified by the shorter pressure bottle and the fuel valve on top of the fuel tanks. The later standardized M1 had a pressure bottle the same length as the fuel tanks and a fuel valve on the right side of the tanks so the operator could turn on the fuel.

By Charlie Hobson

I was impressed with the accuracy and completeness of Robert Bruce’s “Current Status of Flamethrowers” in the October issue of SAR. I wasn’t surprised when I was contacted to present additional articles on the development and usage on both of the World War II flamethrowers, the M1 and the M2-2. The two models are diametrically very different, the M1 was a “Ninety Day Wonder” by a fire extinguisher company that had a multitude of problems, but the M2 was the culmination of extensive development efforts by the National Defense Resource Council, universities, manufactures and research think tanks. The totally unique M2-2 was very successful and a dozen or more are still working today. I don’t hesitate to say that the M1 was the worst flamethrower of any army but the M2 was the best and most successful flamethrower of WWII.

Development of the M1

The story of the first standardized US military flamethrower really begins with the US Armed Forces in WWI arriving on the French front in 1917. Germany had already developed five models for use with Blitzkrieg attacks by shock troops. French and English troops captured most models, copied the most useful and then used them successfully to break the trench stalemates. When the US tried to develop a flamethrower less than a year before the war ended, we had only one prototype model which was heavy and never tested in combat. All of the US examples were destroyed 1922 and all flamethrower development stopped until July 1940.

Strangely, between World War I and II, the Chemical Warfare Department denied that flamethrowers were effective and did not attempt to develop them. In fact the Chief of the CWS instructed personnel not to mention these unless asked and he also publicly stated that “flamethrowers did not work because of short range and you could simply duck under the flames”. Many Axis and Allied officers from WWI wrote him that this was not true and even supplied written proof that shock troops with flamethrowers had many successful attacks.

When WWII began in Europe, accounts of German and Italian flamethrowers began to come to the attention of US military personnel. In August 1940 the Secretary of War was convinced that there would be a need for flamethrowers and requested the Chemical Warfare Service to begin development. CWS put out the request for construction of a flamethrower with no specifications or guidelines and a deadline of 90 days. Only one company responded, The Kincaid Fire Extinguisher Company of Brooklyn, NY. This was the birth of the term “90 Day Wonder” which came to denote something slammed together quickly and not quite up to par.

In October 1940 the CWS received three E1 prototypes which they sent to the Engineer Test Board for evaluation. The Board rejected this first prototype as: “too heavy, ungainly, and lost pressure too quickly”. As CWS had no design criteria for flamethrowers, the E1 tanks were simply a two segmented tank (one for a compressed propellant gas and one for fuel) and a wand made up from a laboratory hydrogen tank with a battery powered model airplane ignition on a steel barrel with a lever gate valve. The gun was simply an assembly of parts “off the shelf”.

CWS retained the wand design but decided to simplify the fuel assembly using two tanks for fuel, a pressure bottle and a regulator to maintain constant pressure. They forwarded the recommendation back to Kincaid who agreed on the improvements. Kincaid welded two thin walled fire extinguishers together, clamped on a small pressure bottle with a welding regulator and used standard plumbing pipes and valves for the tank assembly. The new designation was the M1R1.

Kincaid presented the E1R1 in March 1941 and it was tested by both the Engineer Board and The Chief of Infantry. They quickly found that that gasoline burned way too fast, that the E1R1 had leaky valves and that connections wore out very fast. Both testing arms requested E1R1 flamethrowers with specific improvements. It is important to understand that virtually no one in the USA knew anything about flamethrowers, which meant the E1R1 was built with plumbing valves for low pressure water at 150 psi which were not compatible with petroleum fuels. In August 1941 the prototype E1R1 was accepted and standardized as the M1 with contracts let in April 1942 to Beattie Manufacturing and in July 1943 to EC Brown. Combined they would make 14,000 before converting production to the M2-2 later in the war.

The Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941 and the War in the Pacific began. In February 1942 the Japanese Army used flamethrowers against US forces on Baatan and in response US Chemical Warfare Service officers quickly requested flamethrowers. Flamethrowers did not come in time and it would be December 1942 before the first flamethrowers were use in combat on Buna Village, New Guinea. Because of rust, deterioration and the lack of knowledge to service them, they failed to light and only threw fuel a few feet. They were sadly ineffective. Manufacturing was plagued with multiple problems: parts needed to be shipped thousands of miles, responsibility was fragmented between Engineers, Infantry, Marines and CWS, the constant humidity shorted ignition and metal parts rusted causing pinhole leaks in tanks. The odds were terribly stacked against the USGI M1 flamethrower. But the intense need for a dependable US flamethrower against entrenched Japanese soldiers soon become apparent.

In August 1942 the Marines began the offensive on Guadalcanal where they encountered underground mutually connected fortification which they named “Spider Trenches”. The Japanese used a series of fortifications that were well camouflaged and mutually supported. They were difficult to eliminate because there was no way to flank and direct assaults were costly in lives. The need to burn off cover and to destroy personnel underground was desperately needed. By December 1942, CWS officers were training combat flamethrower operators on the effective tactics of flamethrowers. The first success came on 15 January 1943, when a Marine rifle squad with two flamethrower operators killed five Japanese in one Spider Trench. Two died after leaving the fortification and running a short distance, both of these Japanese soldiers had no burns, no wounds and no plausible reason to die. It would be until just before the end of the war before CWS understood that flamethrowers kill by asphyxiation and carbon monoxide poisoning. Flamethrowers literally shoot around corners and down into underground bunkers. The Marines went on to neutralize two more positions in twenty minutes. On the same day Army Infantry was not successful in any attacks, because they did not have properly serviced flamethrowers and they did not know how to act as a team to protect the operator and coordinated their attacks.

In some cases advance or neutralization took days and up to a week. As accounts of flamethrower successes at Guadalcanal and New Georgia circulated between the Army, Marines and Americal Division (National Guard), each service began their own training programs which led to even more successful assaults. Service groups in Australia, Pacific combat theaters, and at the CWS at Edgewood Arsenal, MD, also worked on making the M1 more reliable, fire greater distances and easier to manufacture. In August 1943 an upgraded model the M1A1 began to arrive in the Pacific theater. It was reliable enough that the requests for more flamethrowers far exceeded supply until the beginning of 1944. However the supply of repair parts and accessories never met demand before The War in the Pacific ended.

As The War in the Pacific progressed, the M1 Flamethrower became the weapon of choice against the tenacious Japanese soldier who was not afraid of dying but would run from flames. The flamethrower continued to be plagued by problems of service, supply of parts and humidity, but as skill with unified teams increased so did successes.

Problems in Combat

To understand the operation and service of the M1, I have restored four to working condition. Through repeated firings, some under simulated combat, I was able to understand the service problems related to the M1’s unrefined design. After years of firing I have experienced all of the reported problems and a few new ones.

The production pressure bottles had valves that leaked so that often times you could only fire a squirt a few feet. The regulator was simply a diaphragm type that has vents and was susceptible to moisture. Valves connecting the fuel tanks and hoses also tended to leak or not shut off completely. Hydrogen bottles for ignition often leaked and when received for combat were empty. The battery, coil and spark plug ignition systems were all prone to shorting and very sensitive to moisture. Even when the M1 was serviced the day before and the weather was sunny and perfect, the M1 would fail to light for no apparent reason.

Mechanical issues are number one but the second group of problems with the M1 flamethrower deal with the operator being very vulnerable because he is easy to see, armed only with a short range weapon and heavily burdened by the heavy flamethrower. Primary importance is that the flamethrower operator must work in conjunction with a well trained assault squad who protects the operator so that is kept out of the action until the target is defined and weapons can be deployed to protect his advance. Riflemen and heavy weapons must keep the enemy down to prevent the flamethrower operator from becoming a casualty.

I have been fortunate enough to work with Marines that still practice historical reenactments of flamethrower assaults. The Living History Detachment of the Parris Island Historical and Museum Society at the MAAM WWII Weekend in Reading, PA. recreates two Japanese firing positions and attacks them with two flamethrowers. From years of regular firings they have learned how to coordinate covering rifle fire, flamethrowers and demolitions. The demonstrations are given three times per weekend during the MAAM WWII Airshow weekend in June.

The flamethrower is a highly effective weapon for aggressive assaults on well camouflaged and underground positions. The Japanese learned early in WWII to dig underground with tunnels out to hidden firing places. The flamethrower is the only weapon that will kill by carbon monoxide poisoning no matter how deep the position. On Iwo Jima, a flamethrower using one shot killed 72 Japanese in one cave. Demolitions were used immediately afterwards to seal the position so that the Japanese could not reoccupy at a later date. Flamethrower assault teams would never use a single flamethrower but rather two or more, as the first flamethrower could burn off the vegetation hiding the enemy firing positions and also create a screen for the second flamethrower to move closer.

When the Marines went on the offensive in 1943 and 1944 they developed methods to service and waterproof the M1 and the tactics for a flamethrower based assault squad. The numbers varied but the ideal 36 man team was 30 riflemen, bazooka, two flamethrowers with four operators and demolitions for sealing up the underground positions. By the time we invaded Iwo Jima in Feb 1945, over 75% of our ground forces were flamethrower assault teams. Even though the M2-2 was becoming available by the end of 1944, the M1 was in service up until the end of the war.

The Chemical Warfare Service had flamethrowers from other countries early in the war and they incorporated the advantages of each into the next model US Portable Flamethrower. All of the shortcomings of the M1, the fact that Germany and Great Britain had converted from gas and spark to pyrotechnic chare ignition, and the fact the thickened fuel (Napalm) would triple the range of flamethrowers, all contributed to the downfall of the M1. Clearly a completely new model flamethrower was needed and development on the M2 began almost as soon as the M1 was tested in combat.

Author’s Bio

Mr. Hobson has been restoring and writing about flamethrowers for 21 years. He first restored and fired a flamethrower for a museum in 1993 and continues to be the only person authorized by the military museum system to test and rebuild flamethrowers for public firings. He developed the “Safety Rules for Flamethrowers” and has trained hundreds of operators in the operation of flamethrowers. In 2010 he published “The Illustrated Manual of US Portable Flamethrowers” with full color photos of all prototypes and models of USGI flamethrowers. He has been on numerous TV shows firing flamethrowers. He lives in a country home outside Binghamton, NY where he writes, collects, restores and fires flamethrowers.

By Christopher R. Bartocci

The last company in the industry this author would suspect would manufacture a direct gas impingement rifle would be Patriot Ordnance Factory (POF). This company has built their reputation and, in fact, lead the industry on the short stroke tappet operating system in the AR15/AR10 platform. You would think this company loathed the legacy operating system. After speaking with POF CEO Frank DeSomma, that is clearly not true. According to Frank he likes the direct gas system just fine but when he went into business he wanted to fill a new niche where he could stand out and not do the same thing everyone was doing. He liked the merits of the short stroke tappet system and went with it. He wanted to diversify his product line. He also looked at several ways to improve the system making it more durable and reliable. Just like those who swear by the external piston operating system, you have that part of the industry who are die hard direct gas system supporters. POF answered that call to the industry with the Old School rifle chambered in .308 Win/7.62x51mm NATO. Later he introduced the 5.56mm version called the Renegade but that, is a different story. DeSomma would take all of the enhancements of his firearm design and apply them to the legacy gas system making it one to stand out from the pack. The POF Old School was released at SHOT Show 2015.

The POF Old School is chambered in 7.62x51mm NATO/.308 Winchester caliber. The unloaded weight is 8.0 to 8.2 pounds. Barrel length is 16.5 -inches but it is also offered with a 14.5 or 20-inch barrel. The overall length with the stock closed is 34 inches and extended fully is 39.5 inches. MSRP for the Old School is $2649.99 for the black model and $2689.99 for the NP3 coated rifle.

Starting with the lower, the receiver extension has 7 positions for the stock. Most rifles in this category have 4 to 6 positions making this extremely modular to custom fit a soldier with or without body armor and allow for various thicknesses. The receiver extension is made from a 7075 T6 impact extrusion material per Mil-Spec. The tube also has anti-tilt technology. This prevents the bolt carrier from ever coming out of alignment with the receiver extension. The bolt carrier end is already in the receiver extension when the receivers are closed. The stock chosen is the Magpul CTR stock which has a locking lever to keep the stock from unintentionally moving. This is a durable and lightweight stock assembly. There is a Quick Detach mounting point on each side of the stock as well as traditional slots for a cloth sling. The lower receiver is precision made from a billet of 7075 T6 aircraft grade aluminum. The T&E rifle lower was flawless with no machining marks. The safety is ambidextrous. The bolt catch is also ambidextrous just behind the magazine release button. In front of the trigger is another useful gadget, this one allows the operator to push upward on a lever to engage the bolt catch. This allows you to manipulate and lock open the bolt with the use of your trigger finger. Regardless if you are left or right handed, it does not matter in using this bolt catch. The trigger guard is part of the receiver and is large enough to accept heavy winter gloves. The magazine well has a very nice flare making it easier to insert magazines in low level to no light. On the left side of the receiver there is an ambidextrous magazine release that is parallel with the one on the right side. The bolt catch has an enlarged paddle on the lower portion making it easier to manipulate. The pistol grip chosen is the very comfortable Magpul MOE pistol grip with no finger swell. The trigger group is held in place by KNS Precisions anti-rotation hammer/trigger pins. The trigger mechanism is also designed and manufactured by POF. It is there drop in trigger system which is factory. The T&E trigger broke at 5 pounds. The trigger group is assembled in an aluminum housing which drops into the receiver. Standard hammer and trigger pins will not hold this unit properly. The hammer, trigger and disconnector are heat treated to 70 Rockwell, case hardened and Nitride coated. It should be noted that POF helped to develop the Timney Trigger. Looking down at the inside of the lower receiver are two polymer hex screws located just behind the rear takedown pin. This allows the user to tighten the receivers so there is no movement.

The charging handle is also manufactured by POF. It is also manufactured from a billet of 7075 T6 aircraft grade aluminum. There are knurled edges on the rear of the handle as well as the latch itself. This helps the shooter grip under adverse conditions such as mud, water and so on.

The upper receiver is manufactured from a billet of 7075 T6 aircraft grade aluminum, It has the traditional forward assist, fired cartridge case deflector and ejection port cover. When open, the ejection port cover reads “God Bless America” on the left and an American flag on the right. This is sort of a POF calling card.

The handguard is the POF designed M.R.R. or Modular Railed Receiver. The one piece rail has a continuous top rail that attaches to the top of the upper receiver and also under the barrel nut. This is a complete free floating rail. The 6 and 12 o’clock rail have a two inch Mil-Std-1913 rail. The rest are made up of removable rail sections that are placed at the operator’s discretion. The top rail will sit higher than a standard Mil-Spec upper receiver flat top. The rail is 11-1/2 inches long.

The barrel is held on by a special barrel nut that doubles as a heat sink over the camber of the barrel. This heat sink draws heat out of the chamber to increase cook-off time substantially. The combination barrel nut/heat sink is 2 1/2 -inches long and fluted around the entire diameter of the outer surface. Giving 5x more surface area compared to the standard barrel nut and aluminum. This permits 17 times more heat dissipation over steel. This barrel nut ensures that if the rail is flexed with use of a vertical grip, it will only flex at the front of the barrel nut which is 3 inches from the most critical item on the rifle, the bolt and its lock up.

The T&E rifle was provided with a 16.5-inch barrel that is manufactured from chrome vanadium (Mil-V-11595) steel. Then the barrel is Nitride heat treated and case hardened to 68 to Rockwell . The rifling is a 1 turn in 10-inch right hand twist with 5 lands and grooves. The threads on the muzzle are 5/8×24 enabling a various array of flash suppressor, muzzle brake and sound suppressors to be attached. The rifle comes standard with the POF triple port muzzle brake. POF has found this muzzle brake permits flat shooting, low recoil and allows fast follow up shots. POF guarantee sub-MOA accuracy out of the box. Of course ammunition and shooter ability are a major factor
in this guarantee.

One of the real standout features found on all POF firearms is the E2 dual extraction technology. This consists of four channels cut into the neck portion of the chamber which permit gas from combustion of the propellant to follow the channels back and impart force on the shoulder of the cartridge case. This gives initial separation of the cartridge case from the chamber when the bolt unlocks. With this system, the extractor itself has very little work to do during the extraction process. The combination of the extractor and E2 technology gives the weapon a push/pull dual extraction rather than just a pull. This is a major improvement to rifles that are known to have extraction issues due to higher cyclic rates as well as extreme adverse conditions. There are four lines visible on the neck of the cartridge case but this will not affect reloading of the cartridge case. As of this writing, POF is offering this service to customers who have 5.56mm and 7.62mm caliber barrels as an upgrade for $179.99.

Introduced on this rifle is the DIctator low profile gas block. This was just released by POF in June of 2015. The operator dictates total control of how the weapon system operates. This is specifically designed for direct gas impingement rifles. On the rifle, the gas block was drilled and pinned. Any serious combat or duty type rifle should have this drilled and pinned. Clamp-on and screw secured gas blocks are known to move forward causing short stroking, and if not fixed complete gas shut offs can occur. Rifles, especially with sound suppressors, have an inconstant port pressure that over-gasses the system causing extremely high cycle rates. This can cause issues of premature parts wear and failures to extract. The DIctaor offers the shooter 9 positions to fine tune the rifle system. Whether the operator is shooting suppressed, unsuppressed, with heavy or light buffer, the DIctator regulated gas block allows the operator complete control for smooth operating. This increases reliability and durability while having a consistent cyclic rate of fire. The DIctator was designed as a low profile adjustable gas block that will fit inside a free floating rail with an inner diameter of 1.375-inches. The first run of the DIctator will be set up for .750-inch barrels in both carbine and midlength gas systems. Each DIctator comes with a stainless steel straight gas tube. Bends in the gas tube restrict and collect higher heat in those areas of the gas tube. Those restricted areas are failure points during high volume or sustained fire. Straight gas tubes are less restrictive than standard Mil-Spec bent ones. In fact the POD gas tube is an Inconel straight tube (alloy of nickel containing chromium and iron, resistant to corrosion at high temperatures) which will withstand nearly double the amount of heat as the Mil-Spec gas tube. Each DIctator assembly comes with an adjustment wrench to move carboned up gas valves. Also, the DIctator is available for sale as an upgrade to your rifle in both screw-on and pin-on configurations. The MSRP for the DIctator upgrade assembly is $179.99.

Another feature of the Old School is the enhanced direct gas bolt carrier group designed and manufactured by POF. This is also available as a drop-in for most AR10 type rifles, with an MSRP of $324.99. Also available is a .223 version of the bolt carrier for an MSRP $274.99. The NP3 plated carrier group has three major design improvements. First, the bolt carrier is one piece. The steel gas key screws into the face of the “tombstone” of the carrier and is pinned in place. What does this do? There are basically two places you get gas loss in a direct gas rifle. One is the front sight base and the second is the carrier key. If the carrier key was to break, the carbon seal is broke between the carrier key and the bolt carrier gas leaks and the rifle will short stroke. The POF carrier design completely eliminates the possibility of gas loss through the bolt carrier. The second major improvement is the use of the POF NP3 coated Roller Cam. The standard cam is square in shape. Some have the edges rounded, others do not. The square shape scrapes along the inside of the upper receiver which will cause wear on the aluminum receiver. This happens anytime two pieces of metal scrape and one is harder than the other. The roller cam eliminates the steel edges scraping the inside of the receiver, drastically reducing internal wear. This is even more prevalent in piston operated rifles. You will see a cut in the inside of the upper receiver just behind the cam notch. This is prevented for the most part with Roller Cam. This is also offered as an upgrade for all .308-type carriers. It is also offered for 5.56mm carriers. The kit comes with a carrier key (with notch cut to allow removal of Roller Cam) and Roller Cam. The third major improvement is the material the bolt is manufactured from; 9310 steel which is a 7% improvement over Carpenter 158 steel (Mil-Spec). The extractor has enhanced geometry for better support of the extractor.

The scope chosen is the NightForce BEAST. BEAST is an acronym for Best Example of Advanced Scope Technology. The BEAST is a 5-25 x 56 F1 with a tube diameter of 34mm/1.34 -inches. The objective outer diameter is 65mm with an exit pupil diameter of 5x 8.3mm and 25x at 2.3mm. The eyepiece outer diameter is 46mm. The field of view at 100 yards is 5x@18.7 ft and 25x@ 4.92 feet. Eye relief is 3.35 to 3.54 -inches. The internal adjustment range for elevation is 120 MOA and windage 80 MOA. Each click is .50 and .250 MOA. The parallax adjustment is 45 yd-∞. The optics are crystal clear. This would be a standard of excellence in long range rifle optics.

At the same time this T&E rifle arrived, so did a box of the new D&H Tactical SR25-type steel magazines in both 10 and 20 round capacities. D&H Tactical is out of Oconomowoc, Wisconsin and is the former LaBelle Industries who manufactured magazines in the early 1980’s. It was first sold to General Stampings and now D&H Tactical. Up until around 2010, D&H Tactical only offered 5.56mm AR15/M16 magazines. In the next five years D&H Tactical added SCAR16 & SCAR17 SOCOM magazines, 6.5 SPC magazines, 1911 45 Auto magazines, 300 Blackout specific magazines, SR25 pattern magazines, 7.62x39mm AR-type magazines, blank only magazines, free float handguards for AR-platform with more on the way. D&H Tactical has OEM contracts with Remington, Bushmaster, DPMS, Sig Sauer, O.F. Mossberg, Del-Ton, BCM, Windham Weaponry, Alexander Arms as well as CZ USA. They also have numerous US government and Law Enforcement contracts. They have a long standing 16-year relationship with the Israeli army as well. The magazines received were very high quality steel magazines with a non-reflecting flat black finish. There are witness notches indicating 5, 10, 15 and 20 rounds on the right side of the magazine and on the 10 round magazines there is a witness window for 5 and 10 rounds.

The ammunition tested in the rifle was manufactured by HPR (High Precision Range). This is a .308 Winchester Match 168gr Hornady boat tail hollow point projectile. The ammunition is manufactured by Advanced Tactical Armament Concepts, LLC out of Payson, Arizona. The ammunition was loaded in Winchester 7.62x51mm NATO brass with a muzzle velocity of approximately 2700 feet per second.

Approximately 200 rounds of Federal XM80 7.62x51mm FMJ was fired in the Old School for function. All ammunition was fired in two D&H Tactical magazines with no malfunctions of any sort. The gas valve was not changed from the factory setting due to 100% reliability. Recoil was moderate and extremely manageable, especially for a rifle in this caliber. The muzzle brake did its job well though the guy on the bench to my right was not happy about the muzzle blast! Accuracy tests were shot at 100 yards off of a bench vice. There were 4 groups of five rounds each of the HPR ammunition and the best group measured approximately .70 -inches in diameter.

There are many options out there in AR10 type rifles. Some tout theirs as Mil-Spec even when the only rifle out there in the US Government to have a Mil-Spec is the M110. Many rifles bought are commercial off the shelf. Many get hung up on the term Mil-Spec. The reality is this is a minimum standard the weapon must meet. Many weapons in the industry today meet and exceed Mil-Spec. They have actual improvements made to them to aid in reliability and durability of the weapon platform. The POF Old School is one of them. Major improvements to the bolt carrier group, trigger, gas system (for using suppressed ammo and fine tuning), ambidextrous controls, E2 Enhanced Extraction Technology to name a few. Most of the components on this rifle are designed and manufactured by POF to make a more durable and reliable rifle than the standard AR10-type rifle. If you are looking for a rifle that far exceeds the minimum standards and has all the major components improved, the Old School is an excellent choice.

By Dan Shea

National Defense Industrial Association’s Small Arms Group

NDIA started out in 1919 as the Army Ordnance Association and through various mergers over the last century, in 1997 was finalized as the NDIA. There are a variety of divisions, and the Small Arms Group has several Executive Board/Steering Committee meetings per year, and an annual meeting that rotates around the United States. The Small Arms Committee of the Armaments Division is dedicated to insuring that the U.S. Military men and women have the weapons they need for direct use on the battlefield. The small arms family of weapons extends from self-defense handguns to offensive, longer-ranged, crew-served systems. Through continuous interchange of information in regularly scheduled conferences and direct assistance to users and suppliers alike, the Committee insures the continued improvement of the weapons themselves along with their associated ammunition and support devices. The Committee’s primary concentrations are individual and crew-served weapons, ammunition, ancillary support equipment, training devices, and new technology. www.ndia.org

NDIA Small Arms Group’s Col. George M. Chinn Award:

“The George M. Chinn Award is presented annually to honor a government or industry individual who, in the opinion of the Small Arms Division Executive Board, has made significant contributions to the field of small arms and/or infantry weapons systems. A significant contribution is considered to be a creative invention, new design or innovative concept in small arms weapons, ammunition or ancillary equipment that provides an advancement in the state-of-the-art or capability enhancement that clearly benefits the warfighting or general military capability of the United States. The Chinn Award may also be conferred as recognition to an individual who has performed sustained superior service in a career field of science, engineering, test & evaluation, manufacturing, program management, academic study & research, publishing or maintenance relating to military small arms or infantry weapons. The Chinn Award is named in honor of Lt. Colonel George M. Chinn, a career Marine Corps officer who dedicated his life to the study, development and refinement of machine gun mechanisms. Lt. Colonel Chinn is remembered for his work as a gun designer and for having compiled a five volume reference work entitled, The Machine Gun.”

Past Recipients of the Chinn Award:

1988: Thomas E. Cosgrove
1989: James Ackley
1990: John S. Wood, Jr.
1991: Roderic A. Spies
1992: not awarded
1993: Edward C. Ezell
1994: Richard E. Brown
1995: Joseph Unterkofler
1996: C. Reed Knight, Jr.
1997: Robert A. Trifiletti
1998: George E. Kontis
1999: Vernon E. Shisler
2000: Salvatore A. Fanelli
2001: L. James Sullivan
2002: Ernst Mauch
2003: Phil Baker &
Georges Chauveheid
2004: Ronnie Barrett
2005: Rich Audette
2006: Richard Swan
2007: Bill Dittrich
2008: Troy Smith
2009: Joel M. Goldman
2010: Frank Puzycki
2011: Chuck Buxton
2012: Dan Haywood
2013: Rudy Nedelka
2014: George Niewenhous
2015: Jim Schatz

2016 Chinn Award goes to Dr. Philip H. Dater:

Dr. Philip H. “Doc” Dater started his military service as a physician in the early 1960s, but began his career in suppressor/weapon design much earlier than that. His first designs in the 1950s were rudimentary in nature, related more to suppressing his collection of machine guns than industry oriented work. In the mid-1970s, Doc started in seriously on improving the performance of suppressed 22 caliber pistols and rifles, and formed AWC- Automatic Weapons Company- in 1976. His intention was to improve performance in the suppressors, and he succeeded in that- rebuilding countless 1960-70 era suppressors that were in existing inventories with his newer, innovative designs. By the mid-1980s, AWC had expanded, and formed up into AWC Systems Technology, with the late Lynn McWilliams. He later formed up Gemtech with Greg Latka, and continues Antares Technologies, his R&D company. “Doc” was always a presence at military and civilian shows worldwide, wherever suppressors were being tested or sold.

Some Highlights of “Doc” Dater’s career regarding the small arms community:

Redesigned the Vietnam use, disposable MAC integrally suppressed .22 Ruger pistol for improved sound signature, significantly enhanced accuracy, made a more compact design, and added the ability for the end user to easily rebuild to new performance standards with simple tools and readily available materials. (1976-1977). Although archaic technology today, it remains one of the most compact and quiet integral .22 auto pistols. This was produced from 1977 through 1993.

Designed and built several prototype disposable (and flame consumable) suppressors in both .22LR and 9mm. The project never moved forward due to lack of demand in the civilian market with the $200 tax and the small military use possibility. All were destroyed by incineration after prototype testing and information gathering.

Pioneered the inclusion of a detailed use and maintenance manual for suppressor users, increasing awareness of how to extend the life and use of the suppressor.

Pioneered the use of high speed video cameras (capable of 150,000 frame/sec but usually shot at 5-10,000 frame/second with microsecond shutter speeds for best resolution) for analysis of the effect of suppressors on their host weapon and documentation of the effect of the suppressor on bullet flight. It was through the use of this camera that Doc verified how the recoil booster (Neilsen Device or Linear Inertial Decoupler) actually works, and analyzed the split chamber functioning of the Russian PSS captive piston assassination pistol.

”Doc” Dater has traveled extensively throughout the world and had access to numerous non-public collections to examine, study, and test silencers and silenced weapons. Many of these weapons had never been seen in the Western world and very few had been subjected to accurate sound testing utilizing equipment specified in MIL-STD-1474D.

He produced numerous papers describing the testing results of some of these weapons as well as basic silencer principles. Doc shared his knowledge and experience with many in the community, on the quality and effectiveness of foreign suppressed weapons our troops are facing, as well as using.

For the past nine years, Doc has conducted 2-day seminars several times per year, discussing the history and identification of various silencers. The seminars also include the principles of operation, testing protocols, material analysis, and issues involving the design process. The seminars target primarily forensic scientists, armorers (military and law enforcement), and procurement personnel, and numerous of Gemtech’s competitors have attended. In a true spirit of being an elder statesman, “Doc” taught all who came to the courses in the hope of serving the end users better, and shared the knowledge with all. The seminars do not instruct how to build, but rather emphasize the thought processes necessary for design, along with history, technology, and testing protocols. There is live testing involved.

In 1996 for a solicitation, Doc took a basic design with Gemtech partner Greg Latka and tweaked the design to significantly improve the sound signature and life expectancy on a major government competition, creating the M4-96D suppressor, one of the most popular M16 suppressors in use by police and foreign military groups. Although Gemtech did not receive the award on the US contract, this was their most popular 5.56x45mm quick-detach suppressor until it was replaced with a slightly lighter and more compact version in 2006.

Pioneered the concept of actual port peak pressure measurements in suppressor entrance chambers to determine suppressor safety factors when using various weapon/ammunition combinations and duty cycles. Gemtech will not release for production a suppressor that does not have a safety factor of at least 2 on what is determined to be the minimum barrel length of a host weapon, and “Doc” has championed the safety aspects for all manufacturersand end users.

Using his experience with port pressure measurements in suppressor entrance chambers, Doc undertook a study to determine the peak pressures of the 5.56 M855 round.   The studies determined that M855 performs best in a 20” barrel, and has less than ideal performance within a 14.5” barrel, confirming the results of a USMC study on the same issue.  Within the same study, the effects of port pressure, perceived muzzle blast (when measured in decibels) and the effects of a short barreled weapon was examined.  The outcome showed that short barreled rifle coupled with a suppressor require different physical requirements (of the suppressor) than a longer barreled weapon, thereby empirically confirming industry opinions on the issue.

“Doc” has also helped publicize and explain the debilitating effects on our veterans and police officers of firing weapons unsuppressed. It has been his mantra for many years now, to publicize the Veterans Administration’s issues with veteran’s hearing loss. Preventing loss through proper use of firearms sound suppressors is one excellent alternative, and “Doc” has been tireless in promoting this information to the benefit of our veterans.

“Doc” Dater has mentored many in the small arms community over the last three decades, and today is a senior partner of Gemtech working in Research & Development, and testing. He is the owner of Antares Technologies Inc. which consults in small arms and suppressor design, and is a writer for Small Arms Review and Small Arms Defense Journal. In the spirit of the Chinn Award’s namesake, Dr. Philip H. Dater has been a designer, innovator, teacher, writer, mentor, and explorer in the world of small arms. “Doc’s” willingness to share with others the knowledge he’s distilled of principles, history, and technology (including some of his competitors) over the last half century, and his ability to explain principles in a simplistic manner, is proof of this gentleman’s fitness for inclusion as NDIA’s 2016 Colonel George M. Chinn Awardee.

If you enjoy a good read, then go online to www.smallarmsreview.com and search for The Interview: Dr. Philip H. Dater. It’s in four parts and includes a rollicking, rambling world traveling adventure with Doc.

NDIA Small Arms Group’s Gunnery Sgt Carlos N. Hathcock Award:

“The Hathcock Award is presented to recognize an individual who, in the opinion of the Small Arms Division Executive Board, has made significant contributions in operational employment and tactics of small arms weapons systems which have impacted the readiness and capabilities of the U.S. military or law enforcement. A significant contribution is considered to be a superior performance of duties in an operational environment or the development of tactics or training. The Hathcock Award is named in honor of Gunnery Sergeant Carlos N. Hathcock, II, USMC, a career Marine who dedicated his life to the service of this country in both the military and law enforcement communities. He was honest, tactful, considerate, courageous, quietly proud and determined in all things and all places from the range to the battlefield. “The Gunny” not only distinguished himself in combat as a scout-sniper, but also as a competitive marksman and trainer. In his capacity as a trainer, he not only significantly impacted the current United States Marine Corps Scout-Sniper Program, but also influenced the sniper programs of the other military services and similar law enforcement programs nationwide.”

PAST RECIPIENTS OF THE HATHCOCK AWARD

1999: Carlos Hathcock
2000: Charles B. Mawhinney
2001: Bart Bartholomew
2002: Jim Owens
2003: Larry Vickers
2004: Steve Holland
2005: Pat Mitternight
2006: Allen Boothby
2007: American Snipers.org
2008: J. Buford Boone
2009: Lt. Commander Robert J. Thomas
2010: Jeff Hoffman
2011: SGM Jason Beighley
2012: MSgt Craig R. LaMudge, USAF (Ret)
2013: MSG Jim Smith
2014: not awarded
2015: SGM Pete Gould, USA (Ret)
2016 Hathcock Award goes to W. Hays Parks:

W. Hays Parks entered federal service as a commissioned officer in the Marine Corps. His initial service was as a reconnaissance officer. He served in the Republic of Viet Nam (1968-1969) as an infantry officer and senior prosecuting attorney for the First Marine Division. Subsequent assignments included service as a congressional liaison officer for the Secretary of the Navy, and as Chief, Law of War Branch, Office of the Judge Advocate General of the Navy.

Mr. Parks became the Special Assistant to The Judge Advocate General of the Army for Law of War Matters in July 1979. He has served as a legal adviser to U.S. Special Operations Forces since 1979. He was a legal adviser for the 1986 airstrike against terrorist-related targets in Libya. From 1978 to 2006, he was a United States representative for law of war negotiations in New York, Geneva, The Hague and Vienna, during which time he was the senior U.S. representative in international experts’ meetings and diplomatic conferences for military small arms ammunition issues, defeating every proposal by other governments or non-governmental organizations for new treaties to regulate or ban military small arms ammunition projectile design based upon ill-conceived or economically-driven arguments of proponents. He joined the International Affairs Division, Office of General Counsel, Department of Defense, in August 2003 as the senior DOD law of war subject-matter expert.  He chaired the DOD Law of War Working Group until his retirement in 2010.

Mr. Parks occupied the Charles H. Stockton Chair of International Law at the Naval War College for the1984-1985 academic year.  In 1987 he served as a staff member on the Presidential Commission established to examine security breaches in the U.S. Embassy in Moscow.  In 1989 he prepared the U.S. Government’s legal opinion defining assassination.  He has testified as an expert witness in cases against terrorists in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, including members of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, Provisional Irish Republican Army and, in 2015, former Russian Army Major Irek Ilgiz Hamidullin, captured in Afghanistan in 2009 while commanding Taliban forces. Tried and convicted in federal district court in Richmond, U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson sentenced Hamidullin to life imprisonment plus thirty years.  A retired colonel in the Marine Corps Reserve, he earned Navy-Marine Corps, Canadian and British Parachutist wings, U.S. Army Master Parachutist wings, and 82nd Airborne Centurion wings during his military career.

Mr. Parks has lectured on the law affecting military operations at the National, Army, Air Force and Naval War Colleges; the service staff colleges; and other U.S. and foreign military schools. In 2001 he became the sixth person in the history of the United States Special Operations Command to receive that command’s top civilian award, the U.S. Special Operations Command Outstanding Civilian Service Medal. In 2006 he was awarded the USSOCOM Major General William F. Garrison Award for a career of service to Special Operations Forces.

Notwithstanding the above resume, Hays has been a well-known figure in the small arms community, championing the cause of the warriors. His support and work behind the scenes has been a part of every major small arms ammunition improvement in recent history. But for Hays Parks’ efforts, there is a strong possibility our military and law enforcement snipers in harms’ way would not have gained access to “Open Tip Match” (OTM) ammunition.

Interestingly enough, the first military inquiry Hays answered regarding use of this type of projectile was for competition only. Hays’ approval included a strong indication that OTM would receive a favorable review for combat use, if requested. Once the DOD got around to asking for approval of the OTM projectile for combat use (a decade later), Hays wrote the legal opinion approving it. This was initially in 7.62×51 but has also spread to other cartridges. This review set the precedent that the American warfighter is legally entitled to use the most precise ammunition available in the military system, previously prohibited solely because of its appearance.

The projectile has an opening at the tip. This opening is a byproduct of manufacture. It had never been requested for combat because no one in the military (much less the JAG Corps) prior to Hays Parks had the combination of current and historical legal knowledge, extensive ballistic experience, bulldog tenacity and articulate grasp of the English language to “fix” a misapplied treaty standard not binding on the United States.

His fundamental philosophy: “To provide maximum support for the first Marine across the beach, the first assaulter through the door, the sniper taking the cold bore shot, and other US military and law enforcement personnel operating in or likely to operate in harm’s way.”

Colonel Parks set the groundwork for his later opinions regarding OTM versions MK248 Mod 0 and Mod 1, M118LR, AB39, MK262 Mod 0 and Mod 1, SOST, MK255 Mod 1 and many more, including several that some of our readers may have used but discussing in this arena is not appropriate. His work to make these rounds available to our troops has resulted in more effective fire on our enemies and fewer chances for those enemies to fire back or ever again pose a threat to US forces. These actions saved American lives. Hays did more than just answer paper requests. He encouraged innovation, provided careful guidance to those responsible for development, and used articulate, masterful analysis to meet our treaty and policy obligations, successfully defeating challenges to existing military small arms ammunition, such as the 1999-2000 challenge of legality by the International Committee of the Red Cross of the Raufoss 12.7mm Multipurpose Projectile, while at the same time giving the most effective, lawful ammunition to our troops, and confidence as to its legality.

He always sought personal challenges, such as infantry and recon command, airborne and similar schools. Serving as an infantry company commander at Camp LeJeune, he volunteered for Viet Nam and combat assignment when he could have avoided it. He volunteered for every school he could attend, and the tougher the school, the better. This philosophy continued even after his assignment to the Judge Advocate General’s Office, when rank and position might have made such schools seem superfluous. To Hays, it was important to know the job intimately. To do his job at the level his pride demanded, he needed the perspective of the guy on the ground, pulling the trigger. In summary, Hays Parks’ efforts have had a positive influence on the success of every U.S Military sniper in recent history.

He has had similar influence on the success of most of those of our closest Allies. For the above reasons, Hays Parks was chosen as deserving of the 2016 Hathcock Award and the eternal gratitude of all of us, especially those whose lives he saved. There are countless US servicemen alive right now because Hays Parks put more accurate, reliable and effective ammunition into their hands and the hands of their fellow warfighters.

W. Hays Parks is also one hell of a shot, and spends a lot of trigger time working out with like-minded shooters.

By Seth Nadel

The threads that weave the modern world sometimes make interesting connections. Here is one unlikely set of connections in our history that touches on fascinating, but unlikely spots.

First, the bazooka – it’s official name was the M6 rocket launcher, but a popular comedian of the 1940’s had a homemade ‘musical instrument’ he called a “bazooka”, that looked vaguely like the rocket launcher, so the name stuck.

At the start of World War II, the United States did not have any portable anti-tank device. Tanks were opposed by other tanks or anti-tank guns, first of 37mm and later of 57mm. These were large, cumbersome, required a vehicle to tow them, and a crew to employ them. The 57mm gun and carriage weighed 2,810 pounds, and the gun without carriage was 117 inches long. Obviously, something smaller and lighter, that troops could carry, was needed.

With the advent of the German “Panzerfaust” ( tank fist) using a hollow or shaped charge, the Germans led the way. We developed an anti-tank hand grenade, which was too large and heavy to throw any distance. The danger zone was greater than the distance the ordinary troop could throw the device – obviously a negative outcome. A young 2nd Lieutenant in the Ordnance Corps at Aberdeen Proving Grounds was assigned the task of developing a way to launch the grenade to a useful distance.

That Lieutenant, Edward Uhl, is said to have found a piece of pipe in a scrap pile that fit the 2.36” diameter of the grenade. Uhl ’acquired’ a simple solid fuel rocket motor, which he attached to the grenade, along with some tail fins. Bent wires welded to the pipe served as sights, and he was ready to test his invention.

The legend is that Uhl was headed toward the ranges, and found a range where testing of other anti-tank devices was about to begin. The stands were filled with high ranking officers, all with high expectations that the Ordnance folks had something to show them. Uhl and his assistant joined the end of the line of test units with his pipe. One by one the other devices were tried – and they all failed either to hit the target, or to penetrate it. Finally, Uhl took his position, fired his first rocket, and hit the target – with complete penetration! He then fired his second (and last) rocket, with the same result! As the other test teams sulked off the range, Uhl was surrounded by the Brass, and the 2.36 inch rocket launcher was adopted with little delay.

Proof that a single, inventive mind could skip all the protocol and still be a hero.

The Bazooka stopped many German tanks, and blew up countless German, Japanese, and Italian bunkers. It was produced in a ‘takedown’ two part version for paratroops, and in Korea was scaled up to 3.5”, a size that would stop the Communist T-34 tanks. Incalculable numbers of American troops survived because of Uhl’s invention.

After World War II, Uhl left the military, and joined Fairchild Aircraft. He rose to be the President of Fairchild, which created a small division to apply “space age” technology to the manufacture of firearms. Their special interest was very light weight weapons, utilizing aluminum and plastics rather than steel and wood for low or no stress components. At a time when a standard infantry rifle weighed 9 to 12 pounds, they eventually dropped the weight to 6 to 7 pounds – a big difference when you have to carry the rifle long distances day after day.

The branch was called ArmaLite, and the principal designer was, of course, Eugene Stoner. They developed the AR-7 .22 survival rifle, the AR-10 (7.62 NATO), AR-15 (5.56) and AR-18 (5.56) rifles which reached mass production. The AR-7 has waxed and waned through several manufacturers; the AR-10 is in limited production, the AR-18/180 has faded from the scene but reappeared as the British SA80 series; but the AR-15 lives on as the M16 series, which has morphed into the M-4 and its clones. Today it seems everyone is making a semi-auto AR rifle, and it has been our service rifle, in various configurations, for 50 years!

So what does this have to do with the Man on the Moon? As President of Fairchild, Uhl lead the company into space related products, including design and manufacture of early satellites. In the process he became friends with a scientist, a naturalized American of German descent, a former Nazi (when you are “invited” to join the party by the head of the SS, you better sign up!). They went hunting in exotic locals together, and became close. When the scientist decided to leave Government service with NASA, Uhl convinced him to go to work for Fairchild.

The scientist was, of course, Wernher von Braun, the face of the American space program, and part of the team that put America on the moon!

So Edward Uhl became the link between the Bazooka, the M-16, and the man on the moon!      

24 September 2012, Fort Bragg, North Carolina. During the 2012 Annual Special Agent Training exercise, law enforcement personnel react to gunfire and escort a VIP during a scenario at Gryphon Group’s Combat Training Center. Delays and restrictions on certain civilian police and contract security entities in acquiring military-grade M4 series carbines for special tactical missions drove development of the Joint Project Rifle series at Freedom Forge Armory. Credit: US Army Photo by Sgt. 1st Class Carlos J. Lazo

By Robert Bruce

(Editor’s note: There are a lot of start-ups making rifles, and quite a few of them are led by veterans of the recent Afghan and Iraq wars. We don’t have the space to cover every product, but we chose the Joint Rifle Project because it was a real requirement from a real end user, and a veteran owned company took a chance on building their concept and are beyond prototype and are marketing the end result now. We hope you enjoy this glimpse into the changes in the abilities in the firearms community today- Dan)

“The original customer was local law enforcement, looking for an M4 type carbine for tactical and high risk work. But standard military and commercial versions just didn’t fit their application, would have required extensive modification and were nearly impossible to get at the time in the post-Newtown industry meltdown.” Brandon Pritchard, owner of Freedom Forge Armory

Also known as Sergeant Pritchard in his career as a full time administrator with an aviation battalion of the Virginia Army National Guard, he has double duties as a UH-72 Lakota helo crew chief. He carried an issue M4 Carbine in a decidedly hazardous tour of duty deployment to Iraq crewing a UH-60 Black Hawk, noting firsthand the weapon’s strengths and weaknesses.

A skilled gunsmith and competitive shooter, Pritchard was approached in 2013 by a respected LE entity (anonymity required by contract) with an interesting request.

“They wanted a version of a well-recognized manufacturer’s special purpose rifle, modified with ambidextrous controls, different barrel lengths for specialized tasks, quick-disconnect suppressor attachment, and nickel boron bolt and carrier,” Pritchard told SAR.

“I suggested that — instead of waiting months for the basic SPR and then having me modify it — I could build rifles to their specs, right out of the box.”

Armed with the customer’s specifications and following in-depth conversations on how the various versions including Designated Marksman Rifle and compact Carbine would be employed, Pritchard set to work designing, building and testing.

“The AR15 is the ‘Mister Potato Head’ of the firearms world,” he is not alone in noting. “You can change it any way you want it. Kits with the proper tools to change everything from barrels to buttstocks are affordable, and aftermarket parts of all kinds are plentiful.”

The process moved forward through several design changes and the third version – the E1 Carbine seen in this feature – was the one that was accepted.

The practical adaptability of Pritchard’s improvements on the AR’s basic mechanism to Freedom Forge’s efficient versions from long to short gave rise to what has become known as the Joint Rifle Project.

Anatomy of the Joint Rifle AR-15 E1

We visited Freedom Forge in rural Quinton, Virginia, amicably and efficiently sharing a colorful old west themed storefront with Sodan Armament. Together, their customers enjoy one-stop shopping for new and used firearms including Class 3 weaponry, ammunition, accessories, militaria, and full service gunsmithing.

As Pritchard field stripped one of the original E1 SBRs we recorded his observations on its inner secrets, presented here in necessarily
abbreviated form:

This early prototype uses a Spike’s Tactical lower receiver. The lowers on the production model are made by Aero Precision with Freedom Forge Armory markings.

Inside the JR is very different from inside the standard semi auto AR15 or even M16. We use a Geissele SDE Enhanced Trigger group for crisp and consistent touchoff. In this version it’s their flat faced trigger for best semiauto performance.

The ambidextrous Battery Assist Device for locking the bolt open or letting it run forward is accessible with either hand’s trigger finger without having to break your firing grip. Ambi fire selector and ambi sling attachment at the rear of the lower.

Standard carbine spring and buffer. If the customer wants to run the gun suppressed I recommend upgrading those components to a heavy buffer and spring combo along with a gas buster charging handle.

The upper receiver is a Cerro Forge Red X A3 AR15 or M4. It has the M4 style feed ramps for reliable feeding and function. And standard forward assist just like most any other AR15.

The bolt and carrier assembly in this E1 is from Spike’s Tactical. It‘s nickel boron coated which is incredibly hard yet very slick so it doesn’t need to be lubed or cleaned as frequently and much less temperamental to sand and dust. It’s also been lightened with these machined cuts to make lockup times faster. Even in semi auto it’s a pretty quick firing rifle. The later production versions don’t have these cuts but they do have a Ni-Bor surface on the carrier and bolt.

The barrel is one of the best, most accurate mid length types on the market; a Spike’s Tactical 14 ½ inch with a 1-in-7 inch twist for heavier bullets. They’re hammer forged for Spike’s by FN Manufacturing and are chrome lined and finished to M-249 specs for durability. They’re MPI (magnetic particle inspected) and high pressure tested.

It’s important to note that this one is not technically an SBR (Short Barrel Rifle with need for BATFE approval) because its flash hider is permanently pinned and welded, giving it the required 16 inch minimum length. While not an issue for the LE client, most civilian customers appreciate being able to avoid the government paperwork and approval time.

It has a hybrid contour that offers the best weight savings and accuracy. It has a mid-length gas system as opposed to carbine length, tapping the gas closer to the muzzle. This was driven by reliability and balance. Mid lengths tend to be the most reliable. Carbine length (closer to chamber) cycles strongly but very violently. In rifle lengths the gas has longer to travel so it cycles more smoothly but not quite as strong for positive function in adverse conditions. The mid-length kind of gives you the best of both worlds.

Our standard version rifles and carbines are equipped with AAC’s T51 flash hider for compatibility with the AAC M4-2000 and Mini4 suppressors. They can be set up by special order for the Gemtech HALO or others.

The barrel is free-floated for accuracy so we have a Yankee Hill Machine, twelve inch, free-floated hand guard with M1913 Picatinny rails all the way up for multiple accessory mounting.

There’s a big free-float barrel nut back here at the barrel junction with the receiver. It has threads on the inside that lock the barrel to the upper receiver and threads on the outside to attach the tubular steel hand guard. So the only thing touching the barrel is the barrel nut. The fore end is held in place on the barrel nut by two capture screws and a lock ring, so you have friction and tension for exceptional rigidity.

This is a lot of what allows the gun to achieve the accuracy it does, even with a shortened 14 inch barrel.

The ‘perforated doughnut’ at the muzzle end of hand guard is Yankee Hill Machine’s ‘End Cap Protector,’ a request from the prototype customer to protect the gas system. It’s optional on production carbines.

Our Joint Rifles have Troy Industries or Magpul back up iron sights that fold down out of the way. We can supply customers with an Aimpoint red dot, Trijicon ACOG, or EOTECH Holo sight at competitive prices.

Production versions have a black oxide finish with DuraCoat as an option. It’s applied with an HPV gun to the individual parts prior to assembly of the rifle. As tough as any finish I’ve found.

It comes in many different colors so the rifle could be any one of, or a combination of colors, and camo patterns. The primary DuraCoat finish options will be MAGPUL Flat Dark Earth — the version you fired and photographed — OD Green, and Tactical Grey.

On the range

We spent a pleasant afternoon at a private range for a hands-on evaluation of one of Freedom Forge’s original Joint Rifle AR-15 E1s.

While showing plenty of evidence of a hard life with lots of range time (both the carbine and the shooters), the test subject proved flawlessly efficient in the able hands of its proud creator and the somewhat less distinguished evaluator.

Ammo consisted of several hundred rounds of mixed type 5.56 x 45 mm, including US military 55 and 62 grain ball, with Russian steel case stuff and some soft point hunting loads tossed in for good measure. All fed and fired without fail from a selection of ordinary standard aluminum GI magazines as well as Magpul’s superlative P Mags that Freedom Forge recommends.

Function firing was done from a verity of positions from prone supported to moving CQC. The first style underscoring remarkable accuracy from the crisp Geissele trigger and the free floated, hammer forged 14 inch barrel. The other end validating a ruthless tactical tool for urban SWAT operatives and high stakes security situations.

Of course it’s this kind of “move close and shoot fast” scenario where this SBR takes a starring role. With a quick handling profile and excellent balance. It is uncannily right for quick reaction shooting from any stance and while on the move.

With these characteristics and a decidedly competitive price, it’s a great choice for Three Gun matches, enhanced police patrol carbine, SWAT, and no-compromise home defense.

And, we’re told, the latest E1s and Designated Marksman version have attracted attention for certain serious contract security duties in arenas way beyond their initial LE fielding….

Economical S1

Derived from the E1 for LE and security, Freedom Forge’s Joint Rifle AR-15 S1 with Mil-Spec trigger, bolt group and furniture, delivers comparable accuracy and durability for more budget conscious shooters. Notably, its tough and accurate 16 inch hammer forged barrel and detachable A2 flash hider requires no special paperwork. List price for the basic model is $1115. Add-ons and upgrades are available for custom tailoring to client preferences.

Joint Rifle AR-15 S1

Manufacturer: Freedom Forge Armory, Quinton, VA
Caliber: 5.56mm NATO
Operation: Stoner system direct gas,
semiauto only
Barrel: Spikes Tactical 16 inch, rifling twist 1 in 7, tipped by M16A2 flash hider (QD for Gemtech HALO suppressor)

Note: Available as SBR to qualifying agencies and individuals

Future Developments

As Freedom Forge Armory enjoys steady growth in its Joint Rifle Program, Pritchard is hard at work on the design testing phase of the Joint Rifle PD5 and PD9, a short barreled version (10”) of the JR in 9mm and 5.56 for use as a PDW (personal defense weapon) or security detail weapon.

Contact

Freedom Forge Armory, 3300A New Kent Highway, Quinton, Virginia 23141.
Telephone 804-869-8960
Email freedomforgearmory@comcast.net
Web www.freedomforgearmory.com

The left side view of the DoubleStar STAR10B rifle. Notice the ACE Hammer Aluminum stock assembly, Hogue pistol grip, US Optics scope and ATLAS bipod.

By Christopher R. Bartocci

The AR-10, although thrown on the scrap heap by the U.S. Ordnance Corps in the late 1950’ and early 1960’s, has been resurrected and with a vengeance. Who would have known that in 2016 there would be dozens of companies making this rifle, and all with their own spin on it. Some of the rifles are basic copies of the same thing and a few companies have taken it a little farther. DoubleStar has been known for their 5.56mm and .300 Blackout rifles and now they have entered the 7.62x51mm/.308 Win market as well with the introduction of their STAR10B.

In 1978, Jack and Teresa Starnes started an AR-15 manufacturing company with a very simple plan; provide their customers with quality American made firearms parts and accessories and outstanding customer service. 38 years later, this same family continues to do just that. From a small house in Winchester, KY to a multi-million dollar facility, DoubleStar Corp continues to grow by leaps and bounds. DoubleStar started as J&T Distributing; stocking AR15 parts and accessories from all the major manufacturers, such as Knights Armament, Ergo, and the list goes on. J&T’s bread and butter was their quality barrels, lower parts kits, stocks, and of course the combination of those parts, the AR15 build-it-yourself kit. J&T kits were so popular, customers demanded a complete AR-15 rifle from the Starnes family. That is when DoubleStar was born. Teresa and son Jesse Starnes (two Starnes=DoubleStar) started the rifle company while Jack maintained the parts side of the business. In 2007, DoubleStar Corporation purchased California based Ace Limited and moved it to Kentucky. Adding Ace to the thousands of parts J&T Distributing already stocked not only added more quality, but also more options for great rifles using Ace stocks. With shelves full of the most popular and high quality parts and accessories, there isn’t much that DoubleStar can’t build for their customers.

DoubleStar offers a diverse line of AR-type rifles. They offer Short Barreled Rifles, pistols, as well as standard rifles in both 5.56mm and the popular 300 Blackout. They offer military grade right up to match grade platforms. The latest addition, released in December of 2015 is the 7.62x51mm/.308 Win caliber Star10B. The rifle has been manufactured using some of the finest parts in the industry to give a match performing semi-automatic rifle.

The rifle weighs in at 9.8 pounds without any magazine or accessories. With the stock extended the rifle has an overall length of 41 inches and with the stock closed 37 1/2 inches. Starting with the rear of the rifle and lower receiver, the stock chosen is the aluminum ACE Hammer stock. Both the receiver extension and stock assembly are manufactured from aircraft grade aluminum. The dimensions are Mil-Spec in length using the cut/short buffer. The receiver extension has 7 positions and the positions are laser engraved on the left side of the receiver extension. The latch has 5 spring-loaded ball bearings to ensure smooth function. The stock itself has an adjustable cheek piece to adjust the shooters eye to align with the optic. There is a sling cutout for a cloth sling on the top rear of the stock. On top of that is a machined quick-detach mounting point for a sling swivel. There are gripping grooves on the rear and bottom of the stock to ensure against slippage. According to DoubleStar, they chose the ACE stock because “The Hammer” is one of the strongest buttstocks on the market, but weighs the same as the Magpul UBR stock. With the “meat tenderizer” on the toe of the Hammer stock, “if you are out at a shooting event and you are served a tough piece of meat, you are good to go!” The stock is one of the slickest and highest quality that this author has come across. It is not by any means light, but it is on a long range sniper platform and not a CQB entry rifle. The lower receiver is manufactured from a billet of 7075 T6 aircraft grade aluminum. This lower is where the rifle really stands out above the rest. When they fire Black Rifles, many people like to hold it with their non shooting hand gripping on the front of the lower receiver (magazine well) and magazine. Not the most comfortable position due to the smooth rounded edges. What DoubleStar did was extend the magazine well down significantly and put checkering on the front of the magazine well making for a comfortable grip. According to DoubleStar “The front of the mag well is the balance point of the rifle. That is where I place my hand, and the extensions prevent disrupting the magazine feed angle and protects your hand in case of an out of battery event. The extended lip can be used on barricades as a rest or the face of the mag well can be pressed against a barricade.” There is a nice flair on the magazine well. Curious as to whether this change would have any effect on magazine compatibility, a good selection of the most popular magazines were put together to test. These magazines included Knight’s Armament, D&H Tactical, Magpul Gen 2 and 3, Advances Storage Components, C-Products, C-Products Defense, X-Products drum and Lancer Systems. The only issue was with the Lancer Systems and X-Products drum. Due to a lip on the front of the Lancer magazine it would not insert. The drum stopped the magazine from being inserted with the extremely long front of the mag well. All others seated and locked perfectly and held the bolt back on the last shot. The trigger guard is part of the receiver and is large enough to use with heavy winter gloves. The pistol grip chosen is the Hogue Over Molded Rubber pistol grip. The safety and bolt catch are standard.

The trigger is the CMC Flat Trigger. This is a drop in unit which comes as a trigger pack. The trigger is two-stage and the trigger pack is held in place by CMC anti-walk hammer/trigger pin set. One end of each pin is held in place via a C-clip. The trigger itself is flat to the pull. This author does better with a curved trigger but this is really a matter of preference. Both work well and it is up to the individual which feels better. The T&E rifle trigger broke at 3 1/2 pounds with literally no creep and a clean break.

The charging handle is the proven VLTOR produced Gunfighter 7.62mm. It has an extended latch on the left side. The extended latch comes in handy when the back of the scope overhangs the charging handle. The latch is what makes the charging handle accessible.

The bolt carrier group is the basic DPMS pattern bolt carrier group. The carrier group is finished with Nib-X. This is an extreme use nickel-boron coating. It has a hardness of 70 Rockwell and a CoF of .08. This coating can be applied to all ferrous and non ferrous alloys except magnesium, providing a hard, lubricious surface to complex geometries. NiB-X conforms to material standards ASTM B607 and AMS2433C and is applied in an NADCAP accredited facility (highest process control standard achievable in the aerospace sector). The advantage to this finish is that it is harder than Tennifer, Melonite, nickel Teflon and hard chrome. It is environmentally corrosion resistant and very lubricious. The finish is easy to clean, requires less maintenance and offers higher reliability and enhanced performance.

The upper receiver is also manufactured from a billet of 7075 T6 aluminum. There is a fired cartridge case deflector as well as an ejection port dust cover. The upper does not have a forward assist assembly. This is good in this author’s opinion. The AR10 was designed by Gene Stoner without it. The forward assist causes far more problems than it cures. From a mechanical stand point, you should never force a round into the chamber. If the bolt does not lock, in law enforcement we call that a clue! Something is wrong, get that round out of the chamber/rifle. Some people use it in the loading process and others to verify the rifle is loaded, these are training applications that have nothing to do with the mechanical operation of the rifle.

The barrel itself is manufactured by Wilson. This rifle has an 18-inch fluted stainless steel barrel with 5 lands and grooves and a 1 turn in 11.5 inch right hand twist. The barrel is air gauged at the factory. This is a match grade barrel capable of firing the heavier M118LR 175gr OTM projectile giving the rifle a maximum effective range of over 800 yards. The muzzle device is the DoubleStar designed and manufactured BULLSEYE muzzle brake. It was designed with accuracy, speed and precision in mind. What makes this muzzle brake unique is the “V” shaped baffle system. There are three chambers which are slightly offset to the bore’s centerline which allows gases to escape in the perfect direction for optimal muzzle control. It also has a pilot hole that can be adjusted for a left- or right-hand shooter. The gas block is low profile and is held on by set crews on the bottom side of the gas block. The rifle uses a rifle length gas system.

The handguard chosen for the STAR10B is the Samson Evolution free floating handguard. The handguard is rifle length (15 inches) and is manufactured from 6061 T6 aluminum. The rail weighs 13.4 ounces with an inner diameter of 1.56 inches and a outer diameter of 1.8 inches. The rail system includes Integrated Anti-Rotation Tabs. The rail is Type III Mil-Spec Hard Coat Anodized. The top rail permits a constant rear to front continues Mil-Std-1913 rail. The rail is provided with a 303 stainless steel barrel nut. There are various length removable Mil-Std-1913 rail segments which may be installed by the end user wherever they are needed.

As previously stated the new magazine well was tested with various types of magazines. The industry standard AR10/SR25-type magazine is what the STAR10B was designed for. This would include the most popular magazine in the industry and what the rifle is provided with, the Magpul PMag 20LR. This magazine has all the Magpul proven features and has the constant curve shape of the 7.62x51mm ammunition stack. The rifle was tested with both the Gen 2 and Gen 3 PMags. The steel magazines tested were the Knights Armament Company, D&H Tactical, CProducts and CProducts Defense. All are straight magazines. The D&H Tactical has witness holes to let the shooter know how many rounds are in it. The Knights Armament is the military issue for the M110 Semi Automatic Sniper System (SASS) rifle. That same magazine is issued to British Sharpshooters with their LMT L129A1 rifles. These all functioned perfectly in the STAR10B. However there were two magazines found to be not compatible. The Lancer polymer magazine and the X-Products 50 round drum. The Lancer magazine has a magazine stop to prevent over insertion. This is on both the 10- and 20-round variants. This stop prevented insertion into the magazine well of the STAR10B. The X-Products is a drum magazine. The drum magazine is designed to begin right outside the basic industry standard magazine well. With the longer magazine well of the STAR10B, the drum magazine will not seat into the mag well at all. These were the only two magazines found not to fit in the STAR10B.

The bipod chosen was the Atlas BT46-LW17 SPR bipod with the ADM 170-S standard lever. This is a very well built bipod. It is manufactured from 7075 T6 aluminum, just like the rifle receivers. The adjustable legs have a height range of approximately 4.75 to 9 inches. It also has a 15 degree ± of preloaded pan, and 15 degree ± preloaded cant. The legs may be stored locked at 45° rearward, or 90° or 45°forward. It has fore and aft picot limiting bosses with non rotating legs. The unit weighs 13.61 ounces. The mount is a throw lever with lock and mounts to a Mil-Std-1913 rail. It comes in black only. The precision manufacturing and quality is exemplary. The bipod has an MSRP of $319.99.

The optic chosen to test the STAR-10B is the US Optics ER-25 5-25x scope. Though not a small scope, measuring 18-inches in length and weighing 2.50 pounds, this scope is capable with the proper rifle and shooter to take accurate shots out to 2,000 yards. The eye relief is 3.5 inches and field of view of 16.6-5.3 with an objective lens 58mm in diameter. The scope is manufactured from 6061 T6 aluminum and then Type III hard coat anodized to a matte black finish. The reticle is illuminated by a push button to turn the reticle bright red for low level light shooting. The intensity is selected by the shooter by either hitting the increase or decrease button on the illumination control of the scope. The knob elevation is adjustable by EREK 1/10 Mil 110 clicks and windage by US#3 1/10 Mil 100 clicks (right). Optics are crystal clear. The MSRP of the optic is $3,301.00 for the basic optic. The scope is mounted to the rifle with an ARMS, Inc. #22 High-throw lever rings. These allow for quick detach. These are the newest version which has an adjustable mount so if the rail does not conform to the proper Mil-Std-1913, the mount can be either increased or decreased to compensate for the manufacture of the rail being out of tolerance. The rings have an MSRP of $129.95 for the set of two.

The rifle was tested with some different types of ammunition. The first is the Black Hills Ammunition 7.62x51mm 175gr OTM. Second is the Remington .308 Win 168gr Match OTM. Third was Barnes Precision .308 Winchester 175gr OTMBT and last is the Winchester .308 Win 168gr Matchking HPBT. All these are excellent precision long range cartridges. There were a total of 300 rounds fired through the rifle. There were no malfunctions with any of the magazines or ammunition. The best group at 100 yards was .55 inches with Black Hills Ammunition 7.62x51mm M118LR loaded with a 175gr OTM projectile. All of the ammunition tested was sub MOA. All averaged around .75 inches. The rifle was not unreliable with any of the ammunition and had neither mechanical nor accuracy issues.

The DoubleStar STAR10B is a very accurate and reliable rifle for whatever you may ask of it. The precision target groupings are clearly qualifiers as an LE sniper rifle, DMR, and for target shooting, hunting or as a self-defense rifle. The main components are all industry standard so there is an excellent supply of parts available as well as options to accessorize. DoubleStar did very well with their initial entry into the ring of .308 Win caliber semi-auto rifles.

By The Small Arms Review Editorial Staff

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Faxon Firearms

Model: ARAK-21
Species: AR-Compatible Upper Receiver & Complete Rifle
Manufacturer: Faxon Firearms
Website: www.faxonfirearms.com
NRA Show Booth Number: 2458
Caliber: 5.56 NATO, 300 BLK, & 7.62×39
Russian (Others Coming)
Overall Length Standard
Model, Stock extended: 32” w/ 16” Barrel (Folding Stock Compatible)
Barrel Lengths Available: 12.5”, 16”, 20”
Weight, Standard Model: 7.5 lbs, Unloaded (XRS Rifle)
Rate of Fire: ~1150 RPM (Cyclic)
MSRP: $1199 (Upper Only), $1899 (XRS Complete Rifle)

AR-15 + AK-47 = ARAK-21. The ARAK platform is a self-contained, long-stroke, fully ambidextrous, multi-caliber upper receiver compatible with all mil-std AR-15s. With a monolithic upper rail, adjustable gas, and either right of left-hand ejection, the ARAK is a heavy-duty ready platform for any need.

Model: Houlding Wraith
Species: AR-15
Manufacturer: Houlding Precision by Faxon Firearms
Website: www.faxonfirearms.com
NRA Show Booth Number: 2458
Caliber: 5.56 NATO
Overall Length Standard Model, Stock extended: 33” w/ 16” Barrel & Carbine Carbon Fiber Stock
Barrel Lengths Available: 16” and 18”
Weight, Standard Model: 6.0 Lbs, Unloaded
Rate of Fire: ~800 RPM
MSRP: $1199 (Upper Only), $1899 (XRS Complete Rifle)

The perfect balance of precision, machining, performance, and versatility. The Houlding Wraith features a 15” carbon fiber handguard (full M-LOK compatibility) along with a carbon fiber stock for quick handling and a svelte allure. Featuring Faxon’s renowned FLAME barrels, the Wraith puts rounds downrange fast, accurate, and in-style.

DoubleStar

Model: STAR 10B
Species: AR-10
Manufacturer: DoubleStar
Website: www.star15.com
NRA Show Booth Number: Booth 4409
Caliber: .308
Overall Length Standard Model, Stock extended: 41”
Barrel Lengths Available: 18”
Weight, Standard Model: 9.8 lbs
Rate of Fire: Semi-Auto
MSRP: $2566.69

DoubleStar’s new STAR10-B™ in .308 merges supreme accuracy, unfailing reliability and blazing-fast operation. Destined to rule the range, match and hunting field, the STAR10-B™ elevates the power and precision of the AR-10 platform to a new level. Featuring a billet upper and lower receiver, ACE™ Hammer™ stock and Bullseye™ muzzle brake, this beast is a real heavy hitter.

Model: Always Ready
Carbine (ARC)
Species: AR-15
Manufacturer: DoubleStar
Website: www.star15.com
NRA Show Booth Number: Booth 4409
Caliber: 5.56
Overall Length Standard Model,
Stock extended: 35.5”
Barrel Lengths Available: 16”
Weight, Standard Model: 6.8 lbs, unloaded
Rate of Fire: Semi-Auto
MSRP: $1370.74

Everything changes over time including your patrol rifle. New for 2016 is the ARC™ (Always Ready Carbine™). Starting with a 16” lightweight, Nitride barrel wrapped with a 15” Samson Evolution handguard for the ability to put rails where you need them. An Ergo Sure Grip ensures a sturdy grasp and the ACE™ Socom™ stock is designed with door breaching in mind. The ARC™ comes equipped with Samson Manual Folding Front and Rear sights.

Ohio Ordnance Works, Inc.

Model: H.C.A.R. (Heavy Counter Assault Rifle)
Species: Tactical BAR
Manufacturer: Ohio Ordnance Works, Inc
Website: http://www.ohioordnanceworks.com/hcar
NRA Show Booth Number: 6047
Caliber: .30-06
Overall Length
Standard Model, Stock extended: 38.25 in. (16” Barrel); 42.25 in. (20” Barrel)
Barrel Lengths Available: 16”/20”
Weight, Standard Model: 11.75 lbs. (16” Barrel); 12.5 lbs. (20” Barrel)
Rate of Fire: Semi-automatic
MSRP: $4,399.99

The H.C.A.R. combines the best of Browning’s ideas, today’s tactical options and accessories, and cutting edge engineering to deliver the most versatile .30-06 weapon system to date:

Rugged 8620 steel receiver is relief cut for weight reduction
Flat-top picatinny rail allows custom optic choices and back-up sights
Industry standard 5/8-24 barrel thread allows for flash suppressor/muzzle brake
Hand-guard’s four picatinny rails provide abundant accessory options
Includes thirty-round, high capacity magazines
For MORE visit: www.ohioordnanceworks.com/hcar

POF USA

Model: Renegade (+)
Species: AR-15
Manufacturer: Patriot Ordnance Factory
Website: POF-USA.COM
NRA Show Booth Number: 2753
Caliber: 5.56 NATO
Overall Length Standard Model, Stock extended: 33.5” Collapsed/37.5” Extended
Barrel Lengths Available: 16.5” Barrel
Weight, Standard Model: 6.4 lbs
Rate of Fire: Semi-Auto
MSRP: $1,899.99

What really sets the Renegade + apart is the Gen 4 POF-USA billet lower receiver and POF-USA Ultimate Bolt Carrier Group. This receiver is completely ambidextrous and includes our flat 3.5lb match grade trigger with KNS Precision anti-walk pins – match ready right out of the box. The magic in the upper receiver is held within our Ultimate Bolt Carrier Group. NP3 coated for maximum protection & reliability, integrated gas key and the POF-USA Roller Cam Pin upgrade installed from the factory. If there ever was a direct impingement rifle that exceeds all expectations, the Renegade + is it.

CZ

Model: CZ 805 Bren S1 Carbine
Manufacturer: CZ-USA
Website: cz-usa.com
NRA Show Booth Number: 2759
Caliber: .223/ 5.56×45
Overall Length Standard Model, Stock extended: 39”
Barrel Lengths Available: 16.2”
Weight, Standard Model: 8.02 lbs
MSRP: $1,999

The Bren is now available in carbine form with a 16.2” barrel. Equipped with the factory’s folding adjustable stock, it also has a new set of flip-up adjustable iron sights. Chambered in .223/5.56 and using the ubiquitous STANAG magazine from the AR16/M16, it easily accepts optics and lights on its top and bottom Picatinny rails. An effective two-port muzzle brake helps keep the Bren solidly on target and reduces recoil and muzzle flip.

Model: CZ Scorpion Evo 3 S1 Carbine
Manufacturer: CZ-USA
Website: cz-usa.com
NRA Show Booth Number: 2759
Caliber: 9mm
Overall Length Standard Model,
Stock extended: 34.75”
Barrel Lengths Available: 16.2”
Weight, Standard Model: 6.1 lbs
MSRP: $999

Available in two variants, the Scorpion Carbine is a whole new animal. Building on the lauded submachine gun platform that first hit the US civilian market in pistol form in 2015, the Carbine has a 16.5” barrel fitted with either a two-port compensator or a faux suppressor built specifically for CZ-USA by SilencerCo. Fit with the factory’s folding adjustable stock, the Carbine features a number of US-made parts to make it fully 922(r) compliant. The newly-designed forend, covered in M-LOK attachment points keeps the profile slim while still big enough to swallow most pistol-caliber suppressors.

Ruger

Model: 8500
Species: Ruger AR-556
Manufacturer: Ruger
Website: http://www.ruger.com/products/ar556/models.html
NRA Show Booth Number: #: 4323
Caliber: 5.56 NATO/ 2.23 REMINGTON
Overall Length Standard Model,
Stock extended: 35.50”
Barrel Lengths Available: 16.0”
Weight, Standard Model: 6.5 lbs
Rate of Fire: Semi-automatic
MSRP: $799.00

The American-made direct impingement Ruger AR-556™ features forged 7075-T6 aluminum upper and lower receivers and a cold hammer-forged chrome-moly steel barrel with M4 feed ramp cuts. The AR-556’s carbine-length, flat-top, M4 design includes Ruger® Rapid Deploy folding rear sight, milled F-height gas block with post front sight, forward assist, dust cover, and brass deflector. Other features include a telescoping six-position stock, improved trigger-reach grip, enlarged trigger guard and one 30-round Magpul® PMag®.

DRD Tactical

Model: CDR15
Species: QUICK TAKE DOWN AR15 TYPE RIFLE
Manufacturer: DRD TACTICAL
Website: WWW.DRDTACTICAL.COM
NRA Show Booth Number: NA
Caliber: 5.56 NATO & 300BLK
Overall Length Standard Model, Stock extended: 34.5”
Barrel Lengths Available: 7.5”, 10.5” & 16”
Weight, Standard Model: 6.8 LBS
Rate of Fire: SEMI-AUTO, FULL AUTO(GOV SALES ONLY)
MSRP: $2091

DRD TACTICAL Designs and manufactures patented quick take down rifles in 5.56 Nato, 300BLK, 7.62 Nato, 6.5 Creedmore, 6.5×47 Lapua and 338 Lapua calibers.

Perfect for easy transport/travel in brief case or back pack for that long hunt. All DRD rifles are made with USA made components.

556 Tactical

Model: SPR (Special Purpose Rifle)
Species: AR-15
Manufacturer: 556 Tactical
Website: www.556tactical.com
Caliber: .223 Wylde Match
Overall Length Standard Model, Stock extended: 35”-38.5”
Barrel Lengths Available: 18”
Weight, Standard Model: 6lbs 7oz
Rate of Fire: Semi – automatic
MSRP: $1,595.00

Model: Stryke-X
Species: AR-15
Manufacturer: 556 Tactical
Website: www.556tactical.com
Caliber: .223 Wylde Match
Overall Length Standard
Model, Stock extended: 33”-36.5”
Barrel Lengths Available: 16”
Weight, Standard Model: 6lbs 7oz
Rate of Fire: Semi-Automatic
MSRP: $1695.00

We at 556 Tactical LLC are pleased to release our Stryke-X and SPR rifles. Both feature our match grade 416R stainless 1:7 twist .223 Wylde barrels in 16” Hex Fluted (Stryke-X) and 18” Standard Fluted (SPR). We guarantee under 3/4 MOA accuracy using match grade ammo. Free float rail systems, competition triggers, and muzzle brakes, helps you stay on target faster, longer, and comfortably.

Beretta

Model: ARX100
Species: ARX100
Manufacturer: Beretta USA Corp.
Website: www.beretta.com
Caliber: Booth #5222
Overall Length Standard Model, Stock extended: 5.56mm
Barrel Lengths Available: 35.75″
Weight, Standard Model: 16″, 10.25″
Rate of Fire: 6.8 LBS
MSRP: Semi Automatic
MSRP $1,950

The ARX100 takes the concept of a modular rifle to new levels, while maintaining an absolutely simple operation that make it ultra-reliable. With ambidextrous controls and ejection, easily-replaceable cold hammer forged barrel, lightweight polymer construction, and virtually endless possibilities for customization, the ARX100 is adaptable to any firing scenario and is perfect for today’s most demanding tactical shooter.

Battle Arms Development

Model:   BAD556-LW
Species: (AR-15, etc.)  AR-15
Manufacturer:  Battle Arms Development, Inc.
Website:     www.battlearmsdevelopment.com
SHOT Show Booth Number:  6206
Caliber:  .223 Wylde
Overall Length Standard Model, Stock extended:  33.75″
Barrel Lengths Available:  16″ Standard (7.5″, 10.5″, 14.5″, 16″, 18″)
Weight, Standard Model:  5.5 lbs (without sights/optics & mag)
Rate of Fire:  750rds/min
MSRP: $3,350

Model:   BAD-PDW
Species: (AR-15, etc.)  AR-15
Manufacturer:  Battle Arms Development, Inc.
Website:     www.battlearmsdevelopment.com
SHOT Show Booth Number:  6206
Caliber:  Multi / .223 Wylde
Overall Length Standard Model, Stock extended:  21″ Collapsed to 26″ Extended
Barrel Lengths Available:  7.5″ (10.5″, 14.5″, 16″ available)
Weight, Standard Model:  Approx. 6lbs w/o Optics and Mag
Rate of Fire:  750rd/min
MSRP: $2,800 (without sights or optics)

Battle Rifle Company

Model: BR4 SPECTRE
Species: AR15 Style Rifle
Manufacturer: Battle Rifle Company
Website: www.battleriflecompany.com
NRA Show Booth Number: 2911
Caliber: 5.56mm, also available in 6.8 and 300 blackout 
Overall Length Standard
Model, Stock extended: 37 inches
Barrel Lengths Available: 11.5, 14.5 16 inches
Weight, Standard Model: 6.7lbs
Rate of Fire: Semi- 200 rpm
MSRP: $1195.00- 1295.00 in FDE

The BR4 SPECTRE is our free float version of our combat rifle. It is the #1 rifle we sell to Law Enforcement. The Extended rail allows for more area to attach lights, laser and optics. It’s tough construction allows it to stand up to the rigors of daily use and comes with features like ergo grips, over molded stock and single point backplate. Cost effective and full featured, this rifle is ready to go.

Model: BR4 TRIDENT
Species: AR15 style rifle
Manufacturer: Battle Rifle Company
Website: www.battleriflecompany.com
NRA Show Booth Number: 2911
Caliber: 5.56mm
Overall Length Standard Model, Stock extended: 37 inches
Barrel Lengths Available: 10.5, 16 inch
Weight, Standard Model: 6.6 lbs
Rate of Fire: Semi 200rpm
MSRP: $1595

The BR4 TRIDENT is our rifle specifically designed for Maritime Security (MARSEC) operations. Designed from the ground up to withstand months on the open water it’s lightweight and practical for its intended application. Specifically designed for wet weather operations, this rifle is perfect for Coastal Operations, Riverine Operations, for Service on Islands and working in a fish and game environment.

Armalite

Model: M-15™ LTC 16
Species: M-15™ (AR-15)
Manufacturer: Armalite
Website: www.armalite.com
NRA Show Booth Number: 5447
Caliber: 5.56x45mm / 7.62x39mm
Overall Length Standard Model, Stock extended: 35.3”
Barrel Lengths Available: 16”
Weight, Standard Model: 7lbs
Rate of Fire: Semi Auto
MSRP: $999 / $1099

New for 2016, Armalite’s Light Tactical Carbine provides shooters with a durable, hard-hitting, modern sporting rifle in a streamlined and affordable package. With features like Armalite’s own free-floating tactical KeyMod handguard and low profile gas block, the LTC carries a modern profile in a light & scalable package. Weighing in at just 6 pounds, the M15LTC16 is the perfect choice for anyone appreciating simplicity, value, quality, and up-to-the-minute features in their AR. Also available in 7.62x39mm and 6.8SPCII configurations.

Model: AR-10® PRC-260
Species: AR-10®
Manufacturer: Armalite
Website: www.armalite.com
NRA Show Booth Number: 5447
Caliber: .260
Overall Length Standard Model, Stock extended: 41.3”
Barrel Lengths Available: 20”
Weight, Standard Model: 11.4lbs
Rate of Fire: Semi-Automatic
MSRP: $3500

The all-new Armalite AR-10® PRC-260 is designed to be the ultimate semi-automatic precision rifle on the market. Using technology developed in partnership with Surgeon Rifles and AWC Silencers, this precision rifle offers a consistency in suppressed and unsuppressed configurations that aren’t available anywhere else. A proprietary selectable gas block makes optimization for suppressed or unsuppressed applications a breeze. The Giessele Two Stage trigger provides crisp trigger pulls and reset that you expect out of a precision rifle.

*Image shown includes optional Cerakote and optional AWC Suppressor, available at an additional cost.

YHM

Model: YHM-8030 – 300 Blackout Pistol
Species: 300 Blackout Pistol
Manufacturer: Yankee Hill Machine
Website: www.yhm.net
http://yhm.net/300blk-pistol.html
NRA Show Booth Number: 5940
Caliber: 300 BLK
Overall Length Standard
Model, Stock extended: 14”
Barrel Lengths Available: 9.1”
Weight, Standard Model: 5lbs
Rate of Fire:
MSRP: $1,205.00

The YHM .300 BLK Pistol comes standard with a Phantom Flash Suppressor. The firearm incorporates our KR7 Carbine Keymod Handguard that bridges the gap between the upper receiver and handguard for a seamless look. It also is “T” marked for position on the top rail.

Model: YHM-8309 – 9mm KR7 Carbine
Species: 9mm AR
Manufacturer: Yankee Hill Machine
Website: www.yhm.net
http://yhm.net/9mm-kr7-carbine.html
NRA Show Booth Number: 5940
Caliber: 9mm
Overall Length Standard
Model, Stock extended: 36”
Barrel Lengths Available: 16”
Weight, Standard Model: 6.75lbs
Rate of Fire:
MSRP: $1,400.00

The light recoil of the 9mm KR7 makes it a sound choice for new shooters or those looking for self-defense applications. The velocity of and accessibility of 9mm ammunition also makes this a solid and economical choice at the range. This firearm incorporates our KR7 Mid-Length Keymod Handguard that bridges the gap between the upper receiver and handguard for a seamless look. It also is “T” marked for position on the top rail.

Model: YHM-HRC-160 – Camouflage Hunt Ready Carbine
Species: AR
Manufacturer: Yankee Hill Machine
Website: www.yhm.net
http://yhm.net/5-56mm-camouflage-hunt-ready-carbine.html
NRA Show Booth Number: 5940
Caliber: 5.56mm
Overall Length Standard
Model, Stock extended: 36”
Barrel Lengths Available: 16”
Weight, Standard Model: 7.5lbs
Rate of Fire:
MSRP: $1,531.00

YHM Hunt Ready Carbines arrive ready right out of the box. Not only are they coated nearly completely in RealTree AP ®, but they arrive sighted in at 100 yards so all you have to worry about is buying the ammunition. The Hunt Ready brings the comfort, ergonomics and control of the AR15 family of rifles into the realm of hunting. Each rifles comes standard with a Grovtech padded sling and Busnell scope.

Cobalt Kinetics

Model: EDGE
Species: AR-15
Manufacturer: Cobalt Kinetics
Website: cobaltkinetics.com
NRA Show Booth Number: 2307
Caliber: 223 wylde
Overall Length Standard Model, Stock extended: 36.25”
Barrel Lengths Available: 16” or 14.5” custom ordered
Weight, Standard Model: 6.9 lbs
Rate of Fire: Semi
MSRP: $2,995.00

The Cobalt Kinetics B.A.M.F. EDGE is a reckoning on the AR15. Cobalt has not simply enhanced the performance but instead reinvented it. When you pick up the EDGE you will immediately feel the quality of machining from butt stock to the compensator. Cobalt has incorporated their Dual Drop technology into the rifle for even faster performance. You are guaranteed sub M.O.A. right out of the box.

HK

Model: MR556A1
Species: Semi-automatic Rifle
Manufacturer: Heckler & Koch
Website: www.hk-usa.com
NRA Show Booth Number: 3215
Caliber: 5.56mm
Overall Length Standard Model, Stock extended: 33.90–37.68 in
Barrel Lengths Available: 16.5 in.
Weight, Standard Model: 9.10 lb
MSRP: $3399

A direct descendent of the HK416, the MR556A1 is a semi-automatic rifle developed by Heckler & Koch as a premium level civilian firearm with match rifle capability. Like the HK416, the MR556A1 is a major product improvement over conventional AR-type carbines and rifles. The MR556A1 uses the HK proprietary gas piston operating system, employing a piston and a solid operating “pusher” rod in place of the gas tube normally found in AR15/M16/M4-style firearms.

Model: MR762A1
Species: Semi-automatic Rifle
Manufacturer: Heckler & Koch
Website: www.hk-usa.com
NRA Show Booth Number: 3215
Caliber: 7.62mm
Overall Length Standard Model, Stock extended: 35.94–39.10 in
Barrel Lengths Available: 16.5 in.
Weight, Standard Model: 9.84 lb
MSRP: $3999

Like its 5.56mm counterpart, the MR762A1 is a direct descendent of the HK417, only in a semi-automatic rifle configuration developed for civilian users. Using the HK-proprietary operating system, the MR762A1 is gas operated and uses a piston and a solid operating “pusher” rod in place of the common gas tube normally employed in AR15/M16/M4-style weapons.