A manufacturer that is developing into a noteworthy force in the US for all firearm categories, albeit sporting, competition, tactical or personal defense, is Sturm, Ruger & Co. This epiphany was caused by the recent introductions of AR style rifles, a .300 Blackout Mini 14 and most recently the bolt action Precision Rifle. This bolt action is unlike any other offered by Ruger. The Precision Rifle is Ruger’s take on creating a highly accurate long range bolt action detachable magazine rifle; all the while keeping it affordable.

The Ruger Precision Rifle will surely be considered by any department or individual pondering a precision bolt action tactical rifle; its reasonable price will only reinforce this. It is available from the factory in various calibers, .308Win (tested herein), 6.5 Creedmore, and .243Win. The Precision Rifle arrives with many notable features including fully adjustable folding rear stock, threaded muzzle, Picatinny rail running along the upper receiver out to the end of the forend, and Ruger’s adjustable Marksman trigger. One thing that distinguishes the Precision Rifle, functionally and aesthetically is the ability to accept multiple types of detachable magazines. Ruger has devised a patented Multi-Magazine Interface (MMI), allowing them to greatly increase magazine compatibility beyond only one type. The Ruger Precision Rifle can use DPMS, M110, SR25, PMAG, AICS and some types of M14 magazines. Two 10-round Magpul PMags arrive with the Ruger Precision Rifle.

The Precision Rifle evaluated herein is chambered .308Win with 6.5 Creedmore and .243Win available. Many are already salivating at the thought of a long action version chambered in .300WinMag or even .338Lapua appearing in the future. The Precision Rifle is centered on a modified Ruger All American bolt action. Overall length is 38.25 to 41.75 inches with the 20 inch hammer forged 4140 chrome-moly steel free-floated medium profile barrel (.75 inches at muzzle) featuring 5R 1:10RH rifling. According to research for this article 5R rifling places a land opposite each of the barrel’s grooves, resulting in less aggressive upset and distortion of the bullet as it engages the rifling, thereby aiding in accuracy. The 5R rifling also features less sharp edged lands than those present in conventional-style rifling, reducing powder fouling and jacket failures. The company further optimized the Precision Rifle’s accuracy by utilizing the tightest possible chamber while also taking extra care to ensure a centralized chamber and minimal headspace. The muzzle is 5/8×24 threaded. A Ruger provided thread protector can be removed to make room for installing other muzzle devices. The Precision Rifle weighs in at 9.7 pounds when empty.

The Precision Rifle’s lower magazine well is machined from aerospace-grade 7075-T6 aluminum Type III hard coat anodized for maximum durability. The upper receiver and bolt are CNC-machined from pre-hardened 4140 chrome-moly steel. The upper receiver has an integral 20 MOA Picatinny rail secured with four, #8-40 screws for increased long range elevation capabilities. The three lug full diameter All American bolt has a 70 degree throw along with dual cocking cams. A bolt disassembly tool is stored in the bolt shroud. The bottom bolt lug is ideal for stripping rounds from the detachable magazines. Ruger decided to go with an oversized threaded on bolt handle for easier rapid working of the action; after all you have a high capacity magazine worth of ammunition available. If a user so chooses, a different bolt handle can be installed.

Ruger has chosen a different path from typical bedded stocks or even the chassis systems that seem to be gaining in popularity. The Precision Rifle utilizes a linear in-line recoil path to maximize accuracy potential by directing unwanted movement and vibration straight back into the buttstock. This minimizes impact on barrel harmonics when the rifle is fired; the key here is consistency during the firing impulse. The stock is threaded into the rear of the receiver in effect becoming a part of it.

The AR influence is hard to escape for any rifle nowadays-even bolt actions. Any AR style stock can be used over the buffer tube like projection if a user feels the MSR stock is not to their liking for some reason. The Precision Rifle’s barrel can be easily changed using techniques and tools common with AR15 rifles. Ruger is using a 15 inch free floated Samson Evolution KeyMod AR handguard. As with the buttstock most AR style forends can be used if a user wants to retrofit with one. The same can be said of the AR style pistol grip and fire selector switch.

The 1:10 twist hammer forged barrel gets the most out of the various wide ranging .308Win loads on the market i.e. 147 grain to 175 grain. The Precision Rifle’s relatively light weight, compared to other precision rifles on the market, gives improved portability and above average handling characteristics for a precision tactical bolt action rifle. Many tactical rifles, while accurate, resemble boat anchors when it comes to handling due to weight and stock configuration; not the Ruger Precision Rifle.

One has to be impressed with Ruger’s design work in getting the Precision Rifle to accept and feed via popular detachable magazines. Reliability is something that can not be compromised. The oversize bolt and smooth passage of the bolt in the raceway allows for minimal disturbance of the rifle when the bolt is worked. The Precision Rifle’s oversized bolt handle and detachable magazine are features that lend themselves to performing in a tactical environment and serve to maximize the Ruger’s potential.

Many will wonder what is the purpose or niche for the Ruger Precision Rifle. Why not just use a tuned semi-automatic AR in lieu of the bolt action Precision Rifle? The answer lies with individual or department preference for a bolt action. This could be based on cost, public perceptions, or myriad of other reasons. Ruger has designed a rifle that is rock solid with characteristics making it conducive to accurate shooting from a variety of positions. The forend handles bipods or sandbags with equal aplomb. The Ruger Precision Rifle is not exclusively designed for shooting from the supported prone or bench position. The stock allows for offhand and other types of supported fire if needed. Think hood/trunk of a squad car or other field expedient positions. The ergonomics of the adjustable length of pull Ruger MSR buttstock allows for a comfortable, repeatable cheekweld. This is combined with a Magpul AR pistol grip making hand placement conducive to pulling the Ruger Marksman trigger smoothly to the rear.

The first requirement of a tactical rifle is precise accuracy. A Leupold Mark IV 3.5-10x50MM scope with mil dot reticle was mounted on the one piece Picatinny rail above the Precision Rifle’s receiver via Leupold Mk IV rings. It has the typical great Leupold reliability, clarity, and image quality with a near perfect variable power range for a precision .308Win rifle. Importantly, Ruger provides the Precision Rifle with an integral Picatinny rail to that optics can be mated right up to the action for a solid zero maintaining connection between rifle and optic. Champion tripod front rest and sandbags were used to support the Ruger Precision Rifle during bench testing phase of evaluation in conjunction with bipod.

Various .308Win loadings from Black Hills Ammunition, Federal, Winchester, and Hornady provided the basis of accuracy tests. The Black Hills Match loads tested consisted of 168 grain Match bullets. The Federal chambering was the venerable 168 grain Match load that still serves as the benchmark for performance. 168 grain TAP from Hornady along with Winchester 168 grain Match was also used. The Precision Rifle’s 20 inch barrel produced velocity in the low 2600 feet per second (fps) range with the 168 grain loads. The Precision Rifle’s 20 inch barrel maximizes portability and handling while maintaining .308Win ballistics and terminal performance. As to be expected with quality ammunition, velocity figures within the different loads deviated very little from round to round as witnessed shooting over a RCBS AmmoMaster chronograph. The Precision Rifle produced MOA or smaller groups with several different ammunition brands—an important logistic consideration. The accuracy figures are based on firing five five-round groups and averaging group sizes.

Steel targets were smacked with ease out to 320 yards using field expedient rests at Echo Valley Training Center’s Range #1 stepped berm system. While by no means rivaling a semi-automatic for pure fire power, the detachable magazines were handy to recharge the Precision Rifle after the last empty case was flipped out on the ground. The Precision Rifle’s action was “slick” and smooth as it emerged from the box. The Magpul magazines that arrived with the Ruger Precision were used as well as the recently introduced Brownells’ AR 308 20-round magazine. The Precision’s bolt would function over the Magpul follower when the magazine was empty; however not with the Brownells due to follower configuration. This is not a criticism of either magazines or rifle. Just an observation so that different user’s can explore on other magazines they choose to use. This does not impact use of the rifle as laying cartridges in the raceway to single feed rounds did not work no matter magazine used. It is required to first click the rounds under the magazine’s feed lips for chambering properly.

The Ruger Marksman trigger is a huge part of the phenomenal accuracy to cost ratio factor derived from the Precision Rifle. The Marksman trigger is just as important to accuracy as the Ruger bolt action and quality barrel. A rifle’s trigger is the interface between shooter and rifle and must be right or accuracy will suffer. From the box it measured just below 4 pound pull weight. Ruger Marksman trigger is externally adjustable with a pull weight range of 2.25 to 5.0 pounds. Conveniently, Ruger has stowed the trigger adjustment tool in the bolt shroud with the previously mentioned bolt disassembly tool. This allows the Marksman trigger to be adjusted by the user without having to resort to an armorer. Without going into minutia, the Marksman distinctive “trigger blade” release lever in front of the trigger proper is the secret to maintaining minimal trigger weight, without creep, while keeping the system safe. The “trigger blade” must be activated (i.e. moved rearward into the trigger) before the sear will move firing the cartridge. A sudden drop or impact will not do this, even if the safety is off. The Marksman trigger’s contribution to precise accuracy can not be overemphasized.

In an effort to demonstrate the Ruger Precision Rifle’s flexibility in use, a Yankee Hill Machine Phantom flash suppressor was threaded on. The YHM Phantom flash hider allows for easy mounting of the YHM 7.62 Phantom suppressor. YHM’s Phantom 7.62 Sound Suppressor is a .30caliber suppressor utilizing Mike White’s Sound Technology Inc.’s patented baffle design. The Phantom 7.62 Sound Suppressor is manufactured from Chrome-Moly steel and features a matte black Parkerized finish. Its overall length is 8.5 inches with a diameter of 1.6 inches and weighs 25ounces. Hand tightening is all that is needed with the Phantom Flash Hider to hold the suppressor firmly in place. Conversely the suppressor can easily be removed via hand pressure when no longer needed. The Phantom Flash Hider supports the suppressor in two places helping to ensure bore alignment. A patented gas seal keeps the Phantom Flash Hider threads clean so the suppressor will not bind when removed from a weapon no matter how many rounds are fired.

Some time ago Engel Ballistic Research (EBR) subsonic ammunition was discovered as a primary source of quality sub-sonic ammunition due to the variety of calibers and loadings offered. Another reliable source for .308Win sub-sonic loads is Corbon. The Ruger Precision Rifle combined with YHM suppressor and Engel Ballistic Research or Corbon sub-sonic .308Win loads is eerily efficient out to 100 yards. Furthermore tactical modification of the Precision Rifle into a lowlight/dark role is satisfied by mounting an American Technologies Network ATN PS22 Night Vision device in front of the Leupold scope. This multiuse ability keeps day scope constantly zeroed, yet allows for quick adaptation night use. The PS 22 is attached or detached with no impact on the day optic’s point of aim and parallax is not an issue. Another benefit of the PS 22 is that a scope’s reticle does not need to be illuminated or IR compatible for it to be visible when using the PS 22. This differs from NV products that mount to the rear of the scope. These kinds of uses are outside the realm that most user’s require from a weapon.

The ability to adjust the Ruger MSR stock in a myriad of ways further supports its accuracy potential. Length of pull (LOP), check riser height, even cant of the buttpad is adjustable to user preference. The ability to fold and lock the Ruger MSR stock eases transport. An Eberlestock G2 pack proved a natural companion to the Precision Rifle during T&E. The G2’s combination of being a top loader pack and accessible front panel means that the main compartment is hassle free to access. There’s no digging and wrestling with your pack to free an item–its quick at hand. It’s a great combination. If you carry your weapon on your back, you’re much more agile and effective than if it’s stuck in your hands or on a shoulder sling all of the time; simply no better way to move about in an organized fashion. By having the pack carry the rifle, your hands are free for all of the things you need them for when you are traversing terrain. Further more, Eberlestock makes it so that you can get your weapons off the pack without having to un-strap everything that you’re wearing. Most importantly the pack must be comfortable considering all the time spent with it out in the field. The Gunslinger II (G2) has all these characteristics. It’s a mid-sized pack with a full-width scabbard to better accommodate weapons with larger cross-sections or bulky optics; weapons up to 60 inches long can be accommodated. Eberlestock’s “Control Clips” at the top of the G2’s Backscabbard compartment are used to segregate the scabbard and also to securely hold a rifle. The Control Clips are also used to hold the top cover onto the scabbard locking your gun into the pack. The G2 offers 2,700 cubic inches of space measuring 22 inches high, 10 inches wide, and 8 inches deep. The G2 can be generalized as a Three-Day pack in terms of what it can carry afield. The G2 is waterproof with the 1000d Cordura Nylon material polyurethane coated.

Even though a bolt action and imminently qualified to serve a precision tactical weapon, the Ruger Precision Rifle should not be pigeon holed into solely a sniper rifle role. There many jurisdictions and/or private users that will appreciate its non-assault rifle bolt action persona while maintaining its high capacity capability. Misconstrued prejudices may arise when it comes to Ruger Precision Rifle stemming from elitist sentiments based on price. Some individuals, not to mention industry competitors, will want you to believe that the moderately priced Precision Rifle, $1399 MSRP, must somehow be deficient when compared to rifles costing two to three times more. The Ruger Precision Rifle takes a back seat to no rifle in terms of repeatable accuracy, ergonomics, reliability, trigger, and capacity.

SITES OF INTEREST

Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc
www.ruger.com

Black Hills Ammunition
www.black-hills.com

Winchester Ammunition
www.winchester.com

ATK/Federal Cartridge Company
www.federalpremium.com

Echo Valley Training Center
www.echovalleytrainingcenter.com

Leupold & Stevens Inc
www.leupold.com

HornadyMfg.Inc
www.hornady.com

ATF Publishes Rulings on Electronic Records And Consolidation of Records

On May 3, 2016, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) published on its website three ATF rulings addressing requirements for maintaining electronic records and consolidating manufacturer records with disposition records. ATF Rul. 2016-1, 2016-2, and 2016-3 are available on ATF’s website, www.atf.gov.

The three rulings authorize federal firearms licensees to use more modern methods of creating and retaining records required by the Gun Control Act of 1968. The practices authorized include cloud storage for acquisition and disposition records and electronic signatures on e-Form 4473. An overview of each ruling is provided in this article.

ATF Rul. 2016-1

This ruling addresses the requirements for federal firearms licensees (“FFLS”) to maintain their acquisition and disposition records electronically rather than on paper. The ruling supersedes ATF Rul. 2013-5, which also addressed electronic acquisition and disposition records. The ruling allows FFLs to use software to create and maintain their acquisition and disposition records without applying for and receiving an approved variance, as long as all the requirements specified in the ruling are met. We have underlined the requirements of ATF Rul. 2016-1 that differ from those in ATF Rul. 2013-5 below:

1. The software must record all acquisition and disposition information required under the regulations in 27 C.F.R. Part 478, Subpart H. The software may record information beyond that required in the regulations in additional columns as long as the information is separate from the regulatory information and required information is “readily apparent.”

2. The software must track corrections and changes utilizing one of the following methods:
a. By retaining corrections as an entirely new entry without deleting or modifying the original entry. The software must be able to quickly and easily change views of the bound book to show only original entries, only corrected entries, and both original and corrected entries in the same bound book;
b. By printing corrections as a separate report containing the same information as a paper bound book. The correction report should follow the bound book format specified in the regulations or another column format as long as the necessary information is included in the report (may be in a notes column); or
c. If a spreadsheet program, such as Excel, is used, the system must track edits and corrections in a notes column. The corrections may overwrite the original entry as long as the notes column explains what was changed, who made the change, and why the change was needed.

3. The software cannot rely on invoices or other paper records to provide required record information. If an FFL chooses to use an electronic record keeping system for any of its acquisition and disposition records, then all such records must also be electronic records that comply with the requirements of ATF Rul. 2016-1.

4. The software must allow queries by firearm serial number, acquisition date, name of manufacturer, name of importer, name of purchaser, address of purchaser/transferee, and Form 4473 transaction serial number, if any.

5. FFLs who utilize electronic record keeping systems must download all records to a physical storage device (hard drive, CD, DVD, flash drive) at the FFL’s premises or print and maintain the records at the licensed premises. The downloads/printing
must take place:
a. At least semiannually, but if the records are downloaded from a remote storage
location (discussed in Item 9), they must be downloaded daily. The records must be downloaded in unencrypted form with required information “readily apparent;”
b. Prior to discontinuance or change of software, database system, or host facility; and
c. Prior to discontinuance of the FFL’s firearms business.

Downloads or printouts must include all firearms in inventory, firearms transferred during the period covered (sequentially by date of acquisition), and be limited to display only information required by the regulations. Additional information may also be displayed/printed as long as required information is “readily apparent.”

6. If records are downloaded to a physical storage device, the download must be retained on such device until the next download is prepared. FFLs must be able to present the most current version of the records in printed format at ATF’s request.

7. If the FFL prints out the records, the printout must be retained until the next printout is made.

8. Downloads and printouts may include antique firearms but not other merchandise.

9. Electronic acquisition and disposition records may be stored on an off-site server or device provided:
a. The records are readily accessible through a computer or device located at the licensed premises during regulation business hours; and
b. The FFL’s server is located within the U.S. or its territories OR if a host facility is used, the facility must have business premises within the U.S. or its territories and be subject to U.S. legal process.

10. Changes in remote storage location or cloud storage providers must be reported to the local ATF office within 30 days. The name and address of the facility must be included in the report.

11. FFLs must maintain acquisition and disposition records on a separate/partitioned database that cannot be intermingled with records associated with another federal firearms license.

12. Software must back up the acquisition and disposition records at least daily.

13. FFLs must retain all records in accordance with 27 C.F.R. 478.129, ATF Rul. 2010-8, and ATF Rul. 2011-1.

14. Upon discontinuance of business, FFLs must send required records to the ATF Out-of-Business Records Center in accordance with 27 C.F.R. 478.127. FFLs must print out records or download them to a physical storage device.

ATF Rul. 2016-1 does not supersede or revoke previously approved variances covering the use of electronic acquisition and disposition records.

ATF Rul. 2016-2

This ruling addresses electronic versions of the Form 4473, Firearms Transaction Record. This is the form that must be completed when an FFL transfers a firearm to an unlicensed transferee. Regulations in 27 C.F.R. Part 478, Subpart H, require that FFLs prepare Form 4473 in paper form with handwritten entries. The ruling specifically requires as a condition to use of an e-Form 4473 that Section A of the form be completed by the transferee while physically present at the seller’s premises. This new requirement is consistent with an instruction ATF recently proposed to the paper version of the Form 4473 (Federal Register notice of April 7, 2016, 81 Fed. Reg. 20424) and is apparently intended to prevent licensees from conducting this portion of a firearms transaction at offsite locations.

ATF Rul. 2016-2 supersedes ATF Rul. 2008-3 and all previously approved variances authorizing the use of an electronic Form 4473. The changes from ATF Rul. 2008-3 are underlined below:

1. The FFL must download from ATF’s website the most current electronic version of ATF e-Form 4473 OR acquire other software for this purpose.

2. The software must display clearly all the Notices, Instructions, and Definitions on the version of the Form 4473 approved by the Office of Management and Budget (“OMB”).

3. The software must create and populate the fields on the Form 4473 for each transaction and cannot populate Section A of the form based on previous transfers to the same transferee.

4. The transferee (buyer) of the firearm(s) must answer questions for Section A while physically present at the seller’s premises (including a qualifying gun show or event). The questions that appear on the computer screen must be legible and have identical wording as that on the OMB-approved Form 4473.

5. The software must allow the transferee/purchaser to revise his or her answers until such time that he or she completes the certification statement on the form. Once the certification is completed, the software must not allow further revisions to Section A.

6. The transferee/buyer must confirm answers in Section A with a signature and date, certifying that answers are true, correct, and complete and that he or she has read and understood the conditions, notices, definitions, and instructions on the form.

7. The transferor/seller then enters information into the computer for Sections B and D of the e-Form 4473. The questions must be legible and contain the same wording as the current OMB-approved Form 4473.

8. The transferee and transferor signature on the form may be electronic signatures captured via an electronic signature pad prior to printing or may be handwritten signatures on the printed copy of the e-Form 4473.

9. If the electronic signature pad does not operate properly, the FFL must obtain handwritten signatures on the OMB-approved Form 4473 or the printed copy of the e-Form 4473.

10. If the transferee/buyer cannot read and/or write, another person, excluding the FFL or its employees, may complete Section A of the e-Form 4473. Two persons, other than the FFL or employees, must then sign as witnesses. The transferee/buyer may electronically sign or mark the e-Form 4473. The two witness signatures must be handwritten in ink on the printed e-Form 4473. [NOTE: This requirement was not in ATF Rul. 2008-3 but has been ATF policy for many years. See ATF Form 4473, Notices, Instructions, and Definitions, Section A, Question 1.]

11. All NICS or State POC information must be entered accurately in the e-Form 4473 in the appropriate fields. These entries may be auto-populated or manually entered. The information may also be handwritten on the form after printing.

12. FFLs must contact FBI/NICS or the appropriate state agency to request authorization to transfer NICS data from e-Check into the computerized e-Form 4473.

13. Exceptions to NICS and State POC check requirements must be recorded on the e-Form 4473 in the appropriate fields.

14. FFLs who wish to maintain e-Forms 4473 for pending transactions must download the transactions to a physical storage device at the licensed premises as follows:
a. At least daily in an unencrypted format with the required information readily apparent;
b. Upon request of an ATF officer, within 24 hours of request;
c. Prior to discontinuance or change of the software, the database system, and/or the host facility; and
d. Prior to the FFL’s discontinuance of firearms business.

15. FFLs who wish to maintain e-Forms 4473 for pending transactions may store them on a computer server or device owned and operated by the FFL or through a host facility, provided that:
a. The e-Forms 4473 are readily accessible through a computer server or device located at the licensed premises during regular business hours;
b. The e-Forms 4473 documenting a pending transaction must be printed out upon request by any ATF officer;
c. The e-Forms 4473 documenting a pending transaction must be searchable by the transferee’s last name, address, and by firearms information, such as serial number, manufacturer, and importer.
d. The licensee’s server is located within the U.S. or its territories, or if a host facility is used, the facility must have a business premises within the U.S. or its territories and be subject to U.S. legal process;
e. FFLs must maintain stored e-Forms 4473 on a separate/partitioned database that cannot be intermingled with another licensee’s records; and
f. The system must back up the stored e-Forms 4473 on at least a daily basis.

16. FFLs who change a host facility must, within 30 days of the change, notify the local ATF area office of the name and address of the host facility.

17. If the transfer of the firearm(s) takes place on a different day that the transferee signed Section A, the transferee must complete Section C immediately prior to the transfer of the firearm(s). The software must not allow the electronic signature of the transferee to be automatically populated from the signature previously provided.

18. The e-Form 4473 must be printed, including instructions, at the time the transfer of the firearm is complete and prior to the transferee departing the licensed premises. The transferor must verify that the signature and date are present and in the appropriate fields on the printed ATF Form 4473.

19. In the case of denied, no sale, or cancelled transactions, the Form 4473, including instructions, must be printed and retained in accordance with the regulations.

20. If the transaction is not completed within the 30-day period after contacting NICS, the ATF Form 4473, including instructions, must be printed and the printout retained in accordance with the regulations.

21. FFLs must print all Forms 4473, including instructions, on 8-1/2” x 11” white paper. Pages must be stapled together and the copy must be an exact image of the current OMB-approved Form 4473. Pages may be printed single-sided or double-sided.

22. Printed Forms 4473 must be retained at the licensed premises in accordance with the regulations.

ATF Rul. 2016-2 states that the ruling does not apply to FFLs who use software that gathers information other than that set forth on the current OMB-approved Form 4473.

ATF Rul. 2016-3

This ruling addresses two separate record keeping issues. The first is consolidation of records of manufacture and records of disposition. The second is how to record changes to firearms that have already been logged into the acquisition and disposition records. Both issues were previously addressed in ATF Rul. 2010-8. ATF Rul. 2016-3 supersedes and replaces ATF Rul. 2010-8.

Regulations in 27 C.F.R. Part 478, Subpart H, require licensed manufacturers to maintain records of their manufacture or other acquisition of firearms and that those records be maintained separate from records of dispositions of firearms to nonlicensees. Comparison of ATF Rul. 2016-3 and ATF Rul. 2010-8 indicates no changes to the conditions for consolidation of manufacture and disposition records. ATF Rul. 2016-3 allows consolidation of these two types of records as long as the following conditions are met:

1. Within 7 days of the date of manufacture or other acquisition, the licensed manufacturer must record the following information for each firearm:
a. Date of manufacture or other acquisition;
b. Name of the person from whom the firearm was acquired;
c. Address of the person from whom the firearm was acquired if the transferor is a nonlicensee OR the complete 15-digit license number of the licensee from whom acquired;
d. Name of the licensed manufacturer (to include the licensed firearms manufacturer making the entry-discussed in more detail below) and licensed importer (if applicable);
e. Model;
f. Serial number;
g. Type; and
h. Caliber, size, or gauge.

2. Within 7 days of the date of sale or other disposition, beside the corresponding line item record of manufacture or other acquisition, the licensed manufacturer must record the following information:
a. Date of sale or other disposition;
b. Name of the person to whom the firearm was transferred (to include the licensed manufacturer-discussed in more detail below); and
c. Address of the person to whom the firearm was transferred if the transferee is a nonlicensee OR the Form 4473 serial number of the forms are filed numerically OR if transferred to a licensee, the licensee’s complete 15-digit FFL number.

3. For firearms dispositions to another FFL, the commercial record of the transaction must be retained separately from other commercial documents maintained by the licensed manufacturer and must be readily available for inspection on the licensed premises until the transaction is recorded in the acquisition and disposition record.

4. For firearms dispositions to a nonlicensee, the Form 4473 must be retained separately from the FFL’s Form 4473 file and be readily available for inspection until the transaction is recorded in the acquisition and disposition record. After the transaction is recorded, the Form 4473 must be retained alphabetically (by name of purchaser), chronologically (by date of sale), or numerically (by transaction serial number).

The ruling also sets forth the procedure to be followed when a licensed manufacturer makes changes to the model, type, caliber, size, and/or gauge of a frame or receiver, or assembly of a firearm. The ruling is a significant improvement to the procedure outlined in ATF Rul. 2010-8, because it requires that the firearm be logged in as inventory during the entire time the firearm is on the premises of the manufacturer. ATF Rul. 2010-8 required that the firearm be logged out of the acquisition record as a disposition to the licensed manufacturer, modified or assembled, then logged in as a new acquisition. FFLs were concerned about having firearms on their premises that were not in the acquisition record during the modification or assembly process. ATF Rul. 2016-3 addresses that issue by keeping the firearms logged in as acquisitions during modification and delaying the disposition entry until the modifications are complete.

ATF Rul. 2016-3 sets forth the following procedure for FFLs to use when adding parts to frames/receivers, changing caliber or gauge, or making other changes that change the type of the firearm. We underline the changes from ATF Rul. 2018-8 below:

1. The firearm must remain logged into the acquisition and disposition record until the changes or conversions are complete.

2. Once the change and/or conversion is complete, the licensed manufacturer then logs the firearm out of the acquisition and disposition record as a disposition to itself using the license name and license number appearing on its FFL. The date of the disposition is the date the change, conversion, or assembly is complete.

3. The same date the disposition entry is made the licensed manufacturer must record the new firearm on a separate line of the acquisition and disposition record as an acquisition from itself.

Conclusion

The three rulings ATF published on May 3, 2016, make significant revisions to record keeping requirements imposed by the Gun Control Act and clarify ATF’s policies. The rulings authorize record keeping more consistent with modern business practices used by other industries and are a step in the right direction. FFLs should study the rulings carefully to determine whether their software systems and procedures are consistent with the rulings and take appropriate action.

***The information contained in this article is for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended to be construed or used as legal advice or as legal opinion. You should not rely or act on any information contained in this article without first seeking the advice of an attorney. Receipt of this article does not establish an attorney-client relationship.

About the authors

Johanna Reeves is the founding partner of the law firm Reeves & Dola, LLP in Washington, DC (www.reevesdola.com). For more than ten years she has dedicated her practice to advising and representing U.S. companies on compliance matters arising under the federal firearms laws and U.S. export controls.

Teresa Ficaretta is one of the country’s foremost experts on ATF regulations under the Gun Control Act, the National Firearms Act, the Arms Export Control Act and federal explosives laws. Before joining Reeves & Dola in 2013, Teresa served as legal counsel to ATF for 26 years, followed by two years as Deputy Assistant Director in Enforcement Programs and Services. They can be reached at 202-683-4200.

AMERICAN TACTICAL INTRODUCES GSG FIREFLY

American Tactical, a world-wide importer of firearms, ammunition and tactical equipment to the USA, is proud to introduce the GSG Firefly. Together, American Tactical and German Sport Guns (GSG) have brought numerous .22LR firearms to American gun enthusiasts over the years, and the Firefly is the latest in these offerings. The Firefly brings lightweight versatility with its polymer finish available in black, green and tan. It has a total length of 7.2 inches, total height of 5.3 inches, and is just 1.5 inches wide. The Firefly weighs under 25 ounces with the magazine. Its 4” steel barrel is available threaded or non-threaded. The GSG Firefly features a wear-resistant alloy frame outfitted with an integrated accessory rail. The slide features adjustable sights, and along with the rugged blowback system, fixed barrel and superior ergonomic grip, the GSG Firefly delivers exceptional accuracy. Additional safeties include an internal locking device and slide mounted ambidextrous safety. The Firefly comes with a 10-round capacity magazine and has a retail price of $269.95. For more information on American Tactical, visit www.americantactical.us.

COMBAT UNICORN UNVEILS THE 9MM BELT-FED BRACELET

If you are a belt-fed fan then there is a new piece of jewelry that you need to have. Made by a company called Combat Unicorn, it is a bracelet made from a 9mm belt-fed belt such as is used in the Freedom Ordnance FM-9 upper. The new bracelet is loaded with dummy ammunition that is available in several different finishes along with several different bullet styles and links that are available in chrome, black nitride or even gold finish. The bracelets can be instantly sized to fit the wearers wrist by simply adding or removing rounds and links. By mixing the black and gold links in the black mirrored finish 9mm ammunition you can have a very good looking bracelet that any shooter would be envious of. Combat Unicorn makes all styles of the bracelets in many different color options. The company also makes some great refrigerator or toolbox magnets out of either 9mm or 5.56 mm rounds. For more information or to place an order contact them at www.combatunicorn.com.

NEW BUSHNELL LRHSi 4.5-18 X 44MM RIFLESCOPE BOOSTS ACCURACY

Bushnell, an industry leader in high-performance optics for more than 65 years, now offers its proven Elite Long Range Hunting Scope (LRHS) with an illuminated reticle to help hunters quickly put their aiming point on target in all light conditions, even at extreme distances. Like the original LRHS, the new LRHSi 4.5-18x 44mm riflescope is built specifically to give long-range hunters unparalleled accuracy. It features a first focal plane G2H-i mil-based illuminated reticle, which allows hunters to range targets at any magnification and easily make critical hold adjustments with .1 mil clicks. Plus, the low-profile, target-style elevation turret with RevLimiter zero stop allows shooters to quickly return to zero without dialing past. The LRHSi also offers a fast-focus eyepiece and side-parallax adjustment to retain a crisp, clear sight picture at any range. Aiding in visual performance, the lens’ patented RainGuard HD coating creates a permanent barrier that beads water to scatter less light and give a clear view in conditions that would render untreated optics unusable. The scope is also Argon-purged for ultimate waterproof integrity. Additional accuracy-enhancing features include a 30mm tube diameter for increased adjustment travel; light-saving, fully multi-coated optics with Ultra Wide Band anti-reflection lens treatments; and resettable, capped windage turret. With an overall length of 14.2 inches and 3.94-inch eye relief, the LRHSi weighs in at just 26.5 ounces, making it a lightweight yet critical addition to your long-range shooting platform. For more information please go to www.bushnell.com.

CCI AMMUNITION INTRODUCES ACCURATE AND RELIABLE COPPER-22

CCI Ammunition is proud to announce a new 22 Long Rifle offering with new Copper-22. Its non-lead bullet is suited for plinking, target-shooting and small game hunting. Shipments of this new product are now being delivered to dealers. The Copper-22 projectile is constructed from a unique mix of copper particles and polymer compressed into a potent, 21-grain hollow-point bullet. Combined with CCI’s reliable priming and propellant, Copper-22 loads achieve a muzzle velocity of 1,850 fps and provide superb accuracy. The new ammunition is slated to retail at $10.95. Find out more at www.vistaoutdoor.com.

DANIEL DEFENSE SETS NEW BAR WITH INTEGRALLY SUPPRESSED WEAPON SYSTEM

Daniel Defense, manufacturer of some of the world’s finest firearms and accessories, has taken suppressed weapons to the next level with the release of their new DDM4ISR rifle. This new rifle, designed for fulltime-suppressed fire and optimized for the .300 Blackout cartridge, features a fully integrated suppressor attached to its barrel, so it’s ready for suppressed service right out of the box. This revolutionary rifle simplifies suppressor usage by eliminating variables and uncertainty. There’s no need to attach a suppressor and wonder if it’s mounted correctly and properly aligned. Also there is no need to re-zero the weapon for suppressed vs. unsuppressed fire. The suppressor is literally part of the barrel. The high-performance suppressor-constructed of durable, heat-resistant metal alloys and coated with a protective high-temperature Cerakote-C finish-features a user-serviceable baffle core that can be easily removed for cleaning and maintenance. It is permanently attached to a 9-inch Cold Hammer Forged fluted barrel with a target crown for superb accuracy and reliability. Because the suppressor is a permanent part of the barrel, extending the barrel to the NFA-required 16 inches, the firearm is not classified as a Short Barreled Rifle (SBR) and only requires a single tax stamp, for the suppressor. Everything else about the DDM4ISR is classic Daniel Defense. It features a pistol-length gas system and comes standard with an MFR XL 15.0 modular handguard, which features a continuous 1913 Picatinny rail on top and Keymod attachment points at the 3, 6, and 9 o’clock positions. This longer handguard, in conjunction with a DD Buttstock and Pistol Grip, make this ergonomic rifle highly maneuverable and as versatile as the .300 Blackout rounds it fires. A resilient Mil Spec + Cerakote finish protects the rifle from the elements and adds to its overall aesthetic. Available in states where suppressor ownership is legal, the DDM4ISR has an MSRP of $3049.00. Learn more or purchase this rifle by visiting www.danieldefense.com or an authorized dealer.

NEW KOOL HAND SUPPRESSOR COVERS

When shooting suppressors on rifles, especially long range precision rifles, most shooters want to install a thermal suppressor cover. These covers offer hand and rifle case protection from extremely hot suppressors. But in the long range precision game the suppressor does more than offer protection. It blocks the heat waves coming off of the suppressor tube from floating up in front of your optic and causing a wavering mirage effect that makes it hard to see that far away target. These covers are made from heat resistant fabric of some other temperature resistant material that surrounds the suppressor much like a small jacket. One of the problems with most suppressor covers is that most of them start at about the $100.00 range depending on what they are made of and how they are made. Now, a company called Kool Hand is offering the next generation of suppressor covers that are available for less than half of that price. The Kool Hand KHSC-II covers are made from a premium patent-pending silicone compound that endures extreme temperatures and will not melt. At this time the new covers are made to fit 1 ½ inch diameter suppressors only but that is the industry standard anyway. They are shipped with a 7 1/4 inch length but can be trimmed to fit your suppressor. The cover weighs just a little over seven ounces so once installed you can’t even tell it’s there. The covers will not crack, dry out or deteriorate from sun , UV, or ozone exposure. Using a KH Suppressor Cover will greatly minimize heat mirage when using optics. KH Suppressor Covers provide protection from scratches and damage to suppressors, and feature a rifled interior to combat forward movement during rapid fire. They can handle up to 1000 degrees F and semi-auto fire up to 180 rounds. The new covers come with a small bottle of lubricant to help install the cover. You simply coat the suppressor tubes’ outer surface with the lube and then forcefully push the cover onto the suppressor. The covers are available in black, flat dark earth, FDE camo, olive drab, desert tan, DT camo and Navy camo. For more information please contact them at www.koolhand.com.

Aimpoint

These two products, when paired together are perfect for multiple applications. The Micro T-2 (AR Ready version refers to the type of mounting systems it comes with – a 39mm spacer and LRP, Lever Release Picatinny, base attachment), has on 1x optical magnification but increases to 6x when paired with the 6X Magnifier (6XMag-1). The 6XMag-1 is great for use mounted on a rifle or carbine or as a handheld observation device.

Product Name: Micro T-2 AR Ready (Red Dot Sight)
Optical Magnification: 1x
Eye Relief: Unlimited
Exit Pupil: N/A
Field of View: N/A
Adjustment Range: 1 yard at 100 yards
Reticle Color: Red
Solution Calculation Time: N/A
Menu: N/A
Power Supply: 3V lithium battery, type CR2032
Ranging Laser: N/A
Visible Laser: N/A
Aperture: Clear aperture, 18mm
Range: Variation
Minimum range: Zero
Range Accuracy: 2 MOA
Dimensions: 2 5/8” x 3 1/16”
Weight: 3 oz, 84g. (sight only)
MSRP (USD): $971.00

Product Name: 6XMag-1 (Magnifier)
Optical Magnification: 6X
Eye Relief: 70 mm
Exit Pupil: 3.3 mm
Field of View: 3 degrees
Adjustment Range: Diopter -3 to +3
Reticle Color: N/A
Solution Calculation Time: N/A
Menu: N/A
Power Supply: N/A
Ranging Laser: N/A
Visible Laser: N/A
Aperture: N/A
Range: N/A
Minimum range: N/A
Range Accuracy: N/A
Dimensions: 6” x 1 13/16”
Weight: 8.8oz
MSRP (USD): $878.00

ATN

Product Name: X-Sight II HD 5-20
SKU#: DGWSXS520Z
Thermal Sensor: ATN L130 Sensor
Optical Magnification: 5
Eye Relief: 65mm
Field of View: 5 degrees
Adjustment Range: 1/8″
Reticle Colo: Multiple Color Options (7 colors)
Menu: Yes
Lithium rec: 4AA (Lithium recommended)
Ranging Laser: NO
Visible Laser: NO
Objective Lens: 85 mm
Range: Day 500 m / Night 200 m
Minimum range: 25 m
Dimensions: 11.36″ x 3.5″ x 3.45″/ 289 x90 x 8 mm
Weight: 2.55 lbs/ 1.15 kg
MSRP (USD): $699

Product Name: ThOR HD 2.5-25x, 640×480, 50mm
SKU#: TIWSTH643A
Thermal Sensor: 640×480
Optical Magnification: 2.5
Eye Relief: 65mm
Field of View: 12.5×9.7
Adjustment Range
Reticle Color: Multiple Color Options (7 colors)
Menu: Yes
Lithium rec: 4AA (Lithium recommended)
Ranging Laser: NO
Visible Laser: NO
Objective Lens: 50 mm
Range: 1500 m
Minimum range: 25 m
Dimensions: 8.81″ x 3.16″ x 3.14″ / 224 x 80 x 80 mm
Weight: 1.85 lbs/0.83 kg
MSRP (USD): $4,999

Barrett

BORS (Barrett Optical Ranging System) is an integrated ballistics computer that mounts directly on the riflescope and couples to the elevation knob.  Drawing from several tables and taking into account a number of real-time external factors, it automatically gives the shooter the exact yardage at which a bullet will hit.  Once the distance to the target has been estimated,  the computer can be put into action by simply turning the elevation knob until the LCD displays the target’s range.  Three internal sensors automatically calculate the ballistic solution. BORS compensates for temperature, changes in air pressure, and aiming at an upward or downward angle. BORS even determines if the rifle is canted. BORS kit includes the proprietary Barrett Ballistic Software  (requires Windows XP or higher, and is not directly MAC OS compatible) that’s pre-programmed with a library of common projectiles and velocities selected by Barrett. It also includes a BORS data cable that allows the user to program custom loads on a personal computer and transfer them directly to BORS.

Weight: * 13 oz (370 g)
Height Above Centerline of Scope:: 2.49” (6.32 cm)
Width: 3.25” (8.26 cm)
Display: 2 lines, 12 character LCD
Operating Temperatures: 32° F thru 158° F (0° c thru 70° c)
Operating Altitude: -1,000 thru 20,000 ft (-300 thru 6,100 m)
Tilt Range: -90° thru 90° (2-degree resolution)
Battery: CR-123
Life: 30 hour minimum (with 1,500 mAh battery)
Buttons: 4 button
Optical Magnification: n/a
Eye Relief: N/a
Exit Pupil: N/a
Field of View: N/a
Adjustment Range: N/a
Reticle Color: N/a
Solution Calculation Time: Instant 
Menu: n/a
Power Supply: CR-123 battery
Ranging Laser: N/a
Visible Laser: N/a
Aperture: N/a
Range: 2500 yards or meters
Minimum range: 100 yards or meters
Range Accuracy: N/a
Dimensions: See above
Weight: 13 ounces
MSRP (USD): $1,400 to $1,800

DRAGON-S (Sniper) In-line Thermal Sight is designed for use with a range of optical dayscopes and provides snipers with a 24Hr surveillance and target engagement capability. DRAGON-S is factory set to eliminate the need for rezeroing when used in conjunction with the dayscope. A light seal is provided between the In-line Thermal Sight and the dayscope.

DRAGON-S is part of the DRAGON family of uncooled thermal products from Qioptiq that utilize the latest in uncooled thermal camera, electronics and optical technologies to deliver world leading performance and reliability.

DRAGON-S can be adapted for use on a variety of weapons mounting to either a Picatinny or NATO rail.

DRAGON-S thermal sight is designed specifically to meet target engagement and surveillance requirements for military customers and law enforcement agencies providing high performance within a lightweight, compact and rugged military qualified design.

DRAGON-S delivers a capability to detect man and vehicle targets 24 hours a day, even in poor visibility, in total darkness and through battlefield obscurants.

DRAGON-S can be fitted with Qioptiq’s LO GLINT coating technology to reduce sunlight glint and reflection as an option.

RIGIDITY – All aluminum construction for structural rigidity and EMC sealing properties ensures good integration and compatibility with surrounding systems.

STABILITY – Boresight stability guaranteed through state of the art optical design and lens mounting techniques.

SIMPLICITY – Controls have been designed and positioned for ease of access and MMI designed for ease of use across all roles.

Dragon (S) Sniper – In-Line Thermal weapon
Optical Magnification: X 1 (in-line sight)
Eye Relief: Day sight eye relief
Field of View: 7.4º HFOV
Adjustment Range: Day Sight
Reticle Color: Customer specific
Solution Calculation Time: Day sight
Menu: Customer specific
Power Supply: 4 x 1.5V AA Lithium Disulphide (LiFeS2 )
Ranging Laser: Customer specific
Visible Laser: Customer specific
Aperture: Day sight
Range: Detection – 3080m
Orientation – 1540m
Recognition – 780m
Identification – 400m
Minimum range: 5m to Infinity
Dimensions:Weight:

MERLIN-LR (Long Range) is a lightweight night vision adaptor for military and law enforcement operators who want to retain the use of their existing day scopes.

MERLIN-LR is part of the MERLIN family of Night Vision Products from Qioptiq utilising the latest optical technologies to deliver world leading performance and reliability.

It can be fitted with a wide range of standard and autogating image intensifier tube variants from US and European manufacturers.

MERLIN-LR is a high resolution collimated night sight for use in front of an existing day sight, providing the user with a 24 hr capability.

It can be installed and removed without the need for re-zeroing and ensures a high night time first round hit probability.

It attaches via a quick release mount onto either a primary or secondary picatinny rail attached to the weapon (other mounting options are available) and the controls are easily accessible by the user.

It’s powered from 2 commercially available 1.5V AA batteries which provide over 90 hours.

MERLIN-LR – In–Line Weapon Mounted Night Sight
Magnification: x1
Field of View: 9°
Detection Range – Man: 2040m – Quarter Moon, 2940m – Moonlight
Weight (excluding lens cap, rubber boot & batteries): Dimensions: 250mm (L) x 86mm (W) x 105mm (H)
Batteries: 2 x 1.5V AA
Battery Life: >90 hours continuous operation @ 20°C Alkaline
Image Intensifier Tube: 18mm XR5
Boresight Alignment::Accessories:: Weapon mount, Lens Cap, Carrying Pouch, Transit Case Instruction Card, User Manual, Carrying Strap, Lens Cleaning Kit

Schmidt & Bender

Model: 5-45×56 PM II High Power
Optical Magnification: 5,0-45
Eye Relief: 90mm
Exit Pupil: 8,8-1,2
Field of View: 7.8-0.9 (m/100m)
Main Tube: 34 mm
Parallax adjustment: 30 m – infinity
Elevation adjustment: 270 cm // 66 MOA
Windage adjustment: ± 60cm  // ± 15 MOA
Click mechanism: 1 cm // 1/4 MOA
Reticles: H2CMR // P4LF
Dimensions (length mm): 434
Weight (g): 1106
MSRP (USD): 5616,29

Model: 5-25×56 PM II
Optical Magnification: 5.0-25.0
Eye Relief: 90 mm
Exit Pupil: 11.0-2.3
Field of View: 5.3-1.5
Main Tube: 34 mm
Parallax adjustment: 10 m – infinity
Elevation adjustment: 260 cm // 64 MOA
Windage adjustment: ± 60cm  // ± 16 MOA
Click mechanism: 1 cm // 1/4 MOA
Reticles: P4F,  H58, MSR
Dimensions (length mm): 417
Weight (g): 1129
MSRP (USD): 3645,44

Sightmark Pinnacle

Sightmark Pinnacle 5-30×50 TMD Riflescope (SM13029TMD) is a precision first focal plane optic with .1 MRAD adjustments, TMD-HW illuminated reticle and a 34mm tube. Turrets can be capped or left exposed using included turret-thread protecting rings. The 5-30x50TMD is a traditional long-range precision riflescope. Parallax is from 30 – Inf, while max range is dependent upon how far out you can see and adjust to your target, as well as ballistics. Certainly, right rifle/right shooter you should be getting sub-MOA accuracy.

Optical Magnification: 5-30
Eye Relief: (in/mm) 3.8-3.7/97-96
Exit Pupil: (Diam.) 8.8-1.7mm
Field of View: (ft. @ 100 yds) 3.4-2.2
Adjustment Range: 18 MRAD (Wind) & 26 MRAD (Elevation)
Reticle Color: Black with red & green illumination
Dimensions: (in/mm) 14/357L x 3.65/92.9W x 3.14/79.9H
Weight: 34.5 oz.
MSRP (USD): $1,799.99

Trijicon

Optical Magnification: 1-6 
Eye Relief: 4in
Exit Pupil: 0.41-0.15
Field of View: 18.0-3.0
Adjustment Range: 90 MOA total travel
Reticle Color: Red and green
Power Supply: AA battery
Dimensions: 10.05×2.51×2.73in
Weight: 23.2oz
MSRP (USD): $2800.00

I had first become aware of IRAC when I was looking for a primary provider of simulated weapons for Threat Tec, our company that provides highly realistic training to military and security clients.  During my search, I kept hearing about this company called IRAC and how they produced the best simulated weapons money could buy.  J.T. Crawford, President/CEO of IRAC, Highgate, Threat Tec and Pariri.

While some small arms purists might be tempted to dismiss replica guns as “toys for big boys,” we believe the best of these of this category have long served important roles in a wide variety of situations.  Think “Rubber Duck” M16 rifles and other weapons; realistic full size/full weight, non-firing models made from durable epoxy reinforced with steel rods.  These have proven a damn good alternative to beating up real guns (or the nightmare of losing them) in tough training like parachuting and waterborne exercises.

But they don’t go BANG. 

Or consider the cost, complexity, safety concerns, logistical hassles, and legal compliance issues of using blank-adapted versions of actual weapons by OPFOR (opposing force) elements in training scenarios.  Most often more trouble than worth.

These were among many obstacles confronting J. T. Crawford’s Threat Tec teams in carrying out highly realistic, demonstrably effective “threat emulations” under Department of Defense contracts.  He needed to find a good source for working replicas that were tough, reliable and looked and sounded right.

In the interview that follows, conducted earlier this year during a visit to the group’s headquarters in Hampton, Virginia, the 46 year old Crawford explains how he found International Replica Arms Company (IRAC).  And how he was able to make it a perfect fit in his group of closely-connected business entities.

A conversation with J. T. Crawford

SAR:  Tell us about yourself.  Where you came from and some things about what happened along the way to your highly successful group of companies. 

Crawford:  I’m from Kentucky and I grew up in the greater Cincinnati area of Ohio, right across the Ohio River where my paternal and maternal grandparents lived. 

I started shooting when I was probably 11.  I hunted from the time I was a small boy.   Probably for two years with my grandfather before I was allowed to carry a gun.  He would carry the gun and eventually I was carrying the gun with him.  We were avid outdoorsmen and loved to hunt and fish.  I have four sons.  All of my sons have been to the range multiple times.  Shot everything from the 1911 to the Barrett .50 cal. 

After high school, I enlisted in the Army for three years and served in the 101st Airborne Division;  2nd Battalion 187^th Regiment “Rakkasans” and 1^st Battalion 506^th Regiment “Currahee,” the Band of Brothers group of WWII.   I was a sniper in South Korea from 1987-88 under the 2nd Infantry Division.

Entrepreneur afterward, back to college later for an MBA, then work as a consultant to a number of companies.  I started Threat Tec in October 2013, finding early success as a DoD (Department of Defense) contractor and we started to recognize opportunities to vertically integrate some of those needs we have within Threat Tec.  ‘Vertical integration’ is bringing in things we would have to go out to third parties to bring into our mix, to provide the client with.  In this case weapon simulators from IRAC and battlefield effects from Highgate. 

SAR: How did your Army service influence development of Threat Tec?

Crawford:  In Korea there was a sort of mobile training team coming in setting up some simple sniper training for us.  Not anything like the realism of what we do today.  I don’t want to minimize the quality of the training back then because the tools they had to work with were limited. 

But now, we do work with the Army Sniper School, bringing realism into the picture for our clients.  They were able to refocus some of their existing training models and capture better complexity to their training set.  So, as opposed to having a sniper team go and observe a crossroads where maybe nothing will happen, they can now go observe a village where we have built some key vignettes that are happening in the background.  And we want to see if they pick those up. 

When you see role players go out in different exercises, lots of times there are folks on the low end of the scale for realism.  Only because they aren’t given a great deal of detail as to their mission set.  Our folks from Threat Tec receive our own internal training set to understand not just the verbal cues, non-verbal cues, body language, how different cultures will stand.  It really does give our soldiers a real chance to see a different lifestyle when they’re peering into that village.

SAR:  The evolving realities of warfare and the Rules Of Engagement have demanded that?

Crawford:  They have.  Certainly the 24 hour news cycles produce a lot of information very quickly so mistakes or mis-reads are really amplified.  I’ll tell you our service men and women do an extraordinary job of trying to understand the enemy, the enemy mindset, including identifying the enemy on the battlefield.  So it’s pretty encouraging to come back 30 years later and see these young men who are going thru the sniper program now and how dedicated they are to really learning and … becoming professional soldiers. 

SAR:  Your favorite weapons back during that time in the Army?  What was the standard sniper rifle?

Crawford:  The Remington 700 – M24 – had just come into view and the units were very protective in those days of certain sensitive items getting out because we weren’t used to employing snipers.  So more times than not I would go out with my M16A2 because what we looked at was another of the real missions of a sniper; the ability to collect and report data.  I think they called the course back then the “Scout Sniper Course.”  It was a five week long course with precision shooting, of course, but also man-tracking, hide building, and a lot of collection skills from memorization to terrain analysis. 

SAR:  A favorite gun at the time?

Crawford: From my perspective – even having been a sniper  – my favorite gun back then would have been the M249 (5.56mm Squad Automatic Weapon).  So light and so much firepower that I really had a love for that one.  I didn’t carry it much at all but I loved going to the range with any of the light automatic weapons.

SAR:  Personal weapons now ?

Crawford:  I have many.  My favorite now?  I have the Barrett MRAD and I really like that but it’s really hard to pick a favorite.  I have a .300 Blackout AR15  from Daniel Defense that is just outstanding.  Probably one of the smoothest shooting guns I’ve ever owned.  Lots of them, the Barrett M82A1  .50 cal. that I really enjoy shooting.  I’ve been to the Barrett factory, met Ronnie in passing, shook his hand.  They were friendly and knew that we were a DoD contractor, bringing anti-materiel rifles to our Threat Tec side for live training.  They worked hard to make the deal great for everyone.    Barrett is incredibly supportive of the military and its mission. 

SAR:  Tell us more about how Threat Tec’s work led to purchase of IRAC.

Crawford:  The main driver for our purchase of IRAC, finalized in September 2014, was how nicely it fit with our Highgate and Threat Tec brands.  Our DoD partners had been raving fans about our products and we knew IRAC would go a long way towards strengthening our value proposition.

SAR:  What’s a “value proposition?

Crawford:  (Chuckles)  A value proposition is ‘how does this make sense to our customers?  So, why buy IRAC?’  And what is the value we bring to the marketplace that they’re not getting from others?”  That was what we were trying to do.  You could just say it was an added value to our customers that now we have these capabilities in house.  So when you’re trying to do a live event and you’re bringing out – frequently with Threat Tec – I’ll bring a full OPFOR (opposing force).  We have a number of retired Colonels, retired senior NCOs and we’ll set up an operation to fight the BLUE FORCE – the good guys.  We fight using threat tactics, techniques and procedures, along with threat weapon systems.

Let me give you a little deeper analysis. Threat Tec did need some battlefield effects to help direct movement in some of the more constricted lanes we were working in.  And we were looking for a solution that would be very realistic, that would provide some value to the soldier going down the lane as in weapons identification.  If I’m in a scout sniper mode and I can see the position and I can say there’s a ‘Dishka’ (.51 caliber DShK heavy machine gun) on the ridge, I’m able to report that back.  So we were looking for someone who could make them.  And we knew we had seen these sort of things in Hollywood movies.  We searched but couldn’t seem to find the manufacturer.  So in my despair that I couldn’t find them, I decided to do what any country boy from Kentucky does, I consulted YouTube and I said let’s build one ourselves (laughs).  And while I was going thru layers of YouTube videos I stumbled upon IRAC.  They were doing a quad or dual mount Fifty in the back of a jacked up WW2 vintage military truck.  And I said ‘that’s the guy I need.’  And at the very end of that video, it was a television show, the guy gave a plug to IRAC.  And I found ’em.  After that Steve Carter, the owner, and I became fast friends and we certainly developed a whole lot of new R&D efforts for DoD.  Things like the RPG-29 (Russian antitank rocket launcher) we started building.  According to Steve, Threat Tec became his best customer.

Threat Tec began using IRAC as the primary provider of simulated weapon systems. From the very first time we used an IRAC product, we were impressed with just how good these simulators truly were. Our teams train military personnel in some of the most demanding environments in the world. IRAC simulators not only looked the part, but they consistently performed day in and day out, which was invaluable to us.

SAR:  ‘Most demanding environments in the world.’  More demanding than Ft. Benning, Georgia?

Crawford:  Yes, we do some great training environments.  Let me be clear:  We are not training in theater (overseas).  We’ve had some opportunities to do that but we’ve made a decision as a company we’re too old for that (smiles).  We really focus on where we think we can deliver the most impact to the troops, places like Ft. Benning.  We do a tremendous amount of training simulations at places like Ft. Leavenworth (Kansas) and live OPFOR at Ft. Bliss (Texas). 

SAR:  Another catch phrase in Threat Tec promotional materials references “’high fidelity operational environments.” 

Crawford:  For us this means a really good example.  High fidelity because they are very close to the original.  So we’re talking about really honest representations of operational environments.  Right down to the food they might be making.  So the smells, the sights, the trash piles, the vehicles driven.  You can see out back one of our technical vehicles still has an Iraqi license plate.  Not something we have in the states.  A little truck driven with a three cylinder motorcycle engine.  But they’re everywhere in Asia.

SAR:  Getting back for a moment to Steve Carter and why he was open to you purchasing IRAC.

Crawford:  Steve actually brought up the idea.  I think he had been approached by a competitor to buy him out.  And we felt it was so important to have IRAC as part of our business model that we did not want to see it go to a competitor where we could possibly lose access to all the things we had developed.  So in turn we made an offer.  Several discussions.  Over a year’s time we had discussed it, toyed around it.  There was probably just a day it became, ‘that sounds like a good idea,’ and it moved very fast after that.  Steve has retained a similar set of tools that we have here so he’s able to do some things wherever he is.  He built a facility in Tennessee that will operate under a no-competition agreement. 

Through my dealings with IRAC, I had developed a very strong relationship with Steve.  As our relationship progressed, it became apparent that we had very similar perspectives of how an acquisition could improve IRAC’s position in the market. I think with Steve there were a couple of things going on.  He was thinking of moving to Tennessee from Cincinnati and he looked at this as an opportunity to have a fresh start.  Do some things differently.  Quite honestly, I think he was ready to move on to a different business or take some well-earned time off.

SAR:  IRAC was physically located in Cincinnati and your headquarters in Hampton, Virginia is quite different from Tennessee.   

Crawford:  A couple of things have changed in his life since then.  Steve remains on as one of our advisors and one of our technical guys.  He comes in when we’re doing a major run of systems and he’ll be right here with us developing.  Steve will continue on with the R and D (research and development) role.  He’s known this company and treated it like a baby.  So IRAC turns 40 years old this year.  Steve was, I think, the third owner of IRAC and I’ll be the fourth.  We want to continue to expand and see some real growth opportunities in the different systems we develop.  And I’ve got Steve geared up to help create these new models.  We have a big goal for this coming year to see some new systems rolling out on a fairly regular basis. 

The primary reason why the transition of IRAC included the relocation to Hampton, Virginia was to consolidate IRAC resources and have them under the same roof as Threat Tec HQ and Highgate HQ. As a result, collaboration among our specialists is more fluid and natural, which leads to more innovations and higher quality products, and we have greater access to our prospective markets.

SAR:  Advantages anticipated and now realized ?

Crawford: The greatest advantage, as we saw it, was the ability to innovate and rapidly develop battlefield systems quickly and accurately.  Highgate Systems has developed a number of systems that have been used to build high fidelity operational environments for DoD in the test and evaluation space. Highgate”s rapid prototyping capability and the IRAC toolset have merged nicely.

So, think of Highgate as the rental company that rents those battlefield effects, the props, and provides some subject matter expertise to non-DoD customers.  So if you’re shooting a film and looking for somebody to advise you on, for example, how was the Battle of Tikrit?   Let’s get specific into DoD capabilities.  We have 28 Colonels on staff.  Those folks are really a ‘who’s who’ among warfighters.  We have a Navy Cross recipient, lots of Silver Star and Bronze Star recipients.

SAR:  That’s a nice video on YouTube for Threat Tec with Colonel John McCarthy pointing to its location in Hampton giving “greater access to our prospective markets.” 

Crawford:  Certainly TRADOC (Army Training and Doctrine Command), only five miles away at Fort Monroe.  So we have had the opportunity to share our developmental products, some of the things that are tried and true.  MCOE (Maneuver Center of Excellence) Ft. Benning, Georgia would certainly fall in that category.

SAR:  In addition to the Army’s TRADOC, any interaction with other services?

Crawford:  We do look for opportunities because they’re so close (the Hampton Roads area is heavily military) and some other venues.  Not so much on the live side.  We do have some small watercraft – Boston Whalers with gun mounts and things like that – so we can challenge some of those riverine, ‘brown water’ forces.  We have some fantastic tools.  Our Boston Whaler is a navy ‘red dot’ hull (reinforced for rough use) so it’s really capable of doing a lot, it’s a high performance boat.  But I can’t think of anything we’ve done locally.  Perhaps some of our Navy friends will read this feature and check us out.   

Inside TRADOC we also have the opportunity to work in the Joint community.  So some of the testing and evaluation efforts will include all of the services.  We’re always looking for the opportunity to help so wherever we can throw our weight in to help with the training venue or to help develop a concept, that’s a strong suit for us.  We work on a lot of concept development, innovation of training programs and simulations. 

We’ve done some really cool things by way of Mobile Training Teams and even mobile devices as training tools.  Using iPads and iPhones with applications that allow some training to go on.  We are able to put some very cool things in those digital environments that really make a difference and save a lot of money.

Let me go back a step.  The old concept where we have to load up a mobile training team, go out and see the soldiers face to face and teach them how to do things….

SAR:  But in the digital world you can employ apps rather than live instruction?

Crawford:  That’s right.  And also on an IRAC instructional method for today’s soldiers – ‘digital natives’ — the young guys who are so accustomed to using tools like smart phones to learn.  We take things like a .50 cal. and explode the parts, show them how to assemble, disassemble, functions, and clear jams.  On a phone or pad.  You can do it on a truck while waiting to move out on a convoy.

We’re trying to find things like that to really connect with our service members so they’re getting the training they need, whenever they’re able to do it.  We’re part of a contract at MCOE ( Army Maneuver Center of Excellence, Ft. Benning) that does mobile device training.  We have people in our Illinois office and MCOE who are working on that.

Let’s talk about that IRAC mobile app, called the IRAC Knowledge Vault.  What we’re doing is taking our simulated systems and providing all our buyers, customers with something powered by an app called VEZI which we own through our Parari Group.  It allows someone to take a smart device, hold it up, tap it to a tag, and it will explode to a user’s manual.  Everything from the history of the system, like an M2 machine gun. And then go to specifics of the system.  How do I set it up.  (Not as detailed as an old Technical Manual because the simulated system is simpler).  Our end users need to know what are the preventative maintenance steps and how do we service this thing.  How do we clear jams if there’s an issue in the field.  We’re simplifying that so our customers no longer feel the need to send it back, although that rarely happens.  Generally we’re able to talk someone thru it on the phone.  (like oxygen/propane mix).

SAR:  Way back in the day it was a laminated ‘cheat sheet’ and now it’s digital?

Crawford:  That’s right.  But you can hold their attention much longer than the ‘sage on the stage with the PowerPoint’ or a handout.

SAR:  What is your vision for the “new and improved” IRAC in selection of product line, manufacturing, customer service, etc. ? 

Crawford:  We started making changes right away.  Steve has built a firm foundation, and now we want to see our client offerings expand and our market presence grow.  The first big change was the new and improved website.  This gives our customers and channel partners a way to see what products are available, prices and even online ordering.  We have some big surprises to announce at the MVPA show in June.  I can tell you that they will include some mobile tools for our customers, new packaging and several new products.  We intend to offer a new replica each quarter for the next 24 months.  It’s a huge order but we have really great and dedicated people who can do just about anything.

SAR:  Who uses IRAC replicas ? 

Crawford:  Government Contractors, Hollywood, DoD, DHS, museums, and many collectors and military enthusiasts.  Our service members use IRAC systems for training and in the development of a realistic battlefield.

Many of the country’s best known war museums have an IRAC system or two.  Our systems are in use internationally and chances are you can see one at a parade near you!  We have a number of solutions and do a lot of customized systems for vintage aircraft and military vehicles.

Yesterday I took a phone call from England and the guy has a Loach, an Apache and a Huey (helicopters).  All, over the years, outfitted with IRAC systems.  He wants to outfit a (sim-fire) Minigun on the Loach.  The movie folks love the sim-fire 60s on the Huey.  When you have a conversation with Steve, he’ll frequently say, ‘oh yeah, we made those guns.  I forgot about that.’

You know that dinosaur thing that goes around to monster truck rallies?  It also has IRAC machine guns.  A company called us with a Vietnam era vehicle and said they were going to fight this fire-breathing dinosaur and we need to know if we can buy some of those.  And he bought five (sim-fire) guns; Mk19s, M2 .50s, really did a nice job on the vehicle.   

SAR:  Movies and television ?

Crawford: You can see IRAC systems on the Batmobile; the two 30mm cannons that came out of the hood.  Also guns on the Green Hornet’s car and in the Transformers movies.  Saving Private Ryan, We Were Soldiers, Battle of LA, Red Dawn, Terminator Salvation, and a lot more including Dreamworks’ WWII television series The Pacific. 

Hollywood prop companies would call and say ‘I need this.’  We sell to a lot of those guys now.  They may not say for what movie for fear we might try to go direct – which we don’t do.  But they will come in and say here’s what I need.

SAR:  What’s coming up next?  Promotional materials note a goal of eight new replicas in the next two years. 

Crawford:  The first two coming on line – we already have our alpha types – are the RPG-29 and the Kornet.  Those are really for our DoD market; training aids for Russian anti-tank missile launchers that a soldier is likely to find in multiple theaters today. Kornet is a nasty tank killer and the RPG 29 has a 105mm warhead.  We had a conversation with some foreign soldiers, I think from Israel, and they were talking about some of the recent battles and the devastation that was caused from these systems.  Our replicas are MILES (laser-based hit identifier) capable.  Not only an effective simulator, but has reported MILES “kills.” 

SAR:  Do you have anything in the works for other markets along the lines of traditional small arms?

Crawford:  We sure do.  For the public market, like military vehicle collectors, we’re planning on bringing online the M240 (GPMG), unveiled at MVPA (Military Vehicle Preservation Association) in June.

For the public market, like military vehicle collectors, we’re planning on bringing online the M240 (GPMG), unveiled at MVPA (Military Vehicle Preservation Association) in June. We now have a sim-fire M60, built on one of the receivers we’ve been selling.  Part of the issue is tooling and finding the right available components when we want to add some furniture.  I think you’ll see us reconstituting a lot of the things that Steve did in the early days of IRAC that were really successful.

What we are looking for now in the development of 3D printers and the resins and things we can get our hands on allow us to replicate things that we couldn’t do easily before.  So when we think static models, that’s a huge opportunity. 

SAR:  Anything older, like from WW2, to join those existing replicas ?

Crawford:  We have a number of systems we’re looking at.  Not ready to announce a winner but I can say keep your eyes peeled.  A lot of our folks from MVPA and reenactors have some things they’ve been looking for and we’re trying to discover where that itch is the most for them.  We already have Thompson and BAR receivers, and make full replica M2 .50 cals and also .30 cal. water cooled and air cooled Brownings.  

SAR:  Why not a Tommy Gun?  Didn’t IRAC once do a full replica Thompson?

Crawford:    We already offer an M1A1 receiver and we could do a static replica. Sim-fire (simulated firing) is not so simple in a Tommy Gun.  Steve made one of the Thompsons that Tom Hanks carried in “Saving Private Ryan.”

SAR:  Do IRAC’s highly realistic replicas give rise to problems with local laws and police agencies?

Crawford:  No difficulties.  Our systems are not made for kids, we’re not making toys. They’re really a training aid or static device.    But we do send out some with the orange tips required in some jurisdictions or if that’s what the customer wants. 

SAR:  Comment in the apparent “synergy” among your three business entities.

Crawford:  Primarily, the IRAC acquisition makes sense for us. Highgate, our family of companies, has always been very focused on delivering value beyond the purchase to our clients. Because IRAC had been built on similar values, it was easy to spot how IRAC was a natural fit.  The systems are all built with a great deal of pride, care and attention to detail, which are values each of our companies share. 

Highgate is essentially three things; renting rent props, costumes, effects.  So if your police station wants to do some IED training, we have IED devices, we have explosive device simulators, we have radio controlled detonators, we can help you work with your law enforcement folks, your fire departments, your first responders.

SAR:  Some of these devices are 3D printed?

Crawford:  No 3D printing by the three companies.  There is a fourth company, Parari Group, which has some capabilities in prototyping, rapid prototyping and such.  We have a number of things we want to do.  We have machinists in Hampton and modelers out in our Illinois office who are already 3D graphic artists whose strong set is building the language for those 3D printers.   

SAR:  We note the announcement of BATFE approval for manufacturing.  Now making real guns ?

Crawford:  Not real guns, but our IED simulators are technically classified  as ‘destructive devices.’  There’s a future version of us that will probably make some small arms.  Small batches.  Maybe specific runs that could be for something like a Thompson that we would want to make a commemorative semiauto.  I can see that in our long term future.  Very small quantities.  I don’t think we’re ever taking on FN, Remington, Winchester, or Barrett.  Any of those.

SAR:  Back to the ‘destructive devices,’ are these movie style pyrotechnics ?

Crawford:  There could certainly be movie style pyrotechnics, rocket launchers.  But we have another interest in unmanned aerial vehicles.   And potential warhead development for those sorts of tools.  That’s a bit out in the distance.  We’re right here in Hampton by the NASA facility.  There’s a very large group of aerospace engineers in the area who are very interested in UAV and UAS development.

SAR:  You’re buying semiauto AKs and making them blank only, right?

Crawford:  Yes and no.  We do modify the weapons so they’re only capable of firing a blank.  We can also undo that so we don’t really lose the ability to make it a firing weapon.  We simply, through some adaptation, make it so it can’t fire a live round while we’re doing training events.  As to what’s next, when you talk to Gethyn Jones (IRAC GM) he’ll have a thousand ideas of what he’d like to do.  Gethyn would love for us to do nothing but build real weapons.  From a business perspective I see that as a real uphill battle for us.  Not because we don’t have an interest in it, not because we think it’s a bad idea, but just because its a fairly saturated market.  And prior to the election of our current president, individual weapon purchases were on the decline.  Now they’ve taken a pretty good upswing.

SAR:  Some parting thoughts ?

Crawford:  The addition of IRAC into the Highgate family has been great.  IRAC is a solid brand and is capturing some recognition internationally.  We have static systems going into some Threat Tec channel partners in June.  This will be great for IRAC and expose the brand to an even larger audience.  Our Highgate customers are  excited to have access to the IRAC products and development team.  The integration couldn’t be more positive and I see huge potential in linking the brands.

SAR:  How do you keep track of all this?

Crawford:  Great people !  It’s a busy day (laughs) .

A conversation with IRAC’s Gethyn Jones

At Crawford’s invitation, we did enjoy the opportunity to talk at some length with Gethyn Jones, IRAC’s General Manager and multi-role problem-solver.  Jones’ professional resume includes extended time as an NCO with British Land Forces to include some “specialized” assignments that he’s not free to discuss.  Critical to performance in these was a 6 month stint in the precision machinist training program conducted by British Aerospace.  Little imagination is required to speculate on how this likely fit into “specialized” small arms for certain high-stakes military applications. 

SAR:  We’re in the Threat Tec arms vault with Gethyn Jones, IRAC’s General Manager, and right now he’s showing us a Romak (Romanian) AK that started life as a semiauto.  Did you do the conversion ?

Jones:  (Holding and demonstrating the rifle)  Yes.  We put our proprietary blank fire device on the muzzle.  That’s to maintain the correct gas pressure.  So the working parts will operate to extract and feed a fresh round.  We leave in the original piston and original bolt carrier group because we’re firing cartridge blanks.  What I do inside is to upgrade the recoil spring and locking pin system because the blank actually puts a lot more strain on receiver than the live round.  Blank rounds kill live weapons like nothing else.  We try to keep the function as close to the original.  So all you’ve got to do is insert a magazine loaded with blanks, cock it a you’ve got your mechanical safety lever to place on fire.  So the weapon handles exactly as the original.

SAR:  Adaptable to MILES (standard US military Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System for realistic force-on-force training) ?

Jones:  Yes, the MILES adapter laser box on the side of the barrel and we can either use an optical sight aligned with where the laser beam strike is – this is all done in their test units – or we can adjust our mechanical sights.  Very simple collimation.  Uses the same MILES box as M240 because its closest to  the ballistics of the 7.62 x 39mm round.

(Gets Russian bolt action sniper rifle from rack)  This is the Mosin-Nagant that everybody knows of.  Jim (Crawford) asked me to convert two of them to blank fire only for when the threat emulation scenario calls for a sniper.  We’ll put on a MILES unit that equates to the strike of the 7.62 NATO round, registering as a kill or a wound.

That MILES system, now geared with these makes it extremely safe and very effective training.  You can do sniping from buildings.  You can engage in a more realistic environment.  You could hire a mall for the weekend and – provided you pick up your empty cases – you could take these systems geared with the MILES and train right in the mall.  It’s safe.

SAR:  Getting back to the AK, what keeps it from firing live ammunition?

Jones:  First of all we seriously regulate ammunition when we’re on the range or training scenario.  When we’re running any scenario in conjunction with the Army, no live ammo.  We do a physical check.  Because the standard military blank for 7.62 x 39 mm rifles is slightly shorter than the live cartridge, our second line of defense is to use magazines with a blocking spacer that make it only capable of putting a blank in. 

SAR:  What about hand feeding a single live round?

Jones:  We can’t deal with fools all the time.  Some of the regulations, they want a barrel welded up.  If you hit that with a live round I can’t tell you where the projectile will go.  But with our baffle system blank adapter the barrel is going to ‘banana.’  This is going to come off, but the projectile won’t get thru.  It’s a hardened like driving the round into a steel wall.

SAR:  Going back to make sure we understand the AK’s modifications.  First of all the BFA is a proprietary design.  You start with a military BFA but there are internal modifications to prevent a live round from exiting the barrel.  Also “tuned” in its opening diameter to ensure the right amount of gas into the piston system for reliable operation.

Jones:  Yes.  We’ve done modifications to the support pins and recoil systems.  But selector; safe and semiauto settings are the same, as are sighting, magazine release, stripping, cleaning operations the same.  I’m working on a drum magazine for the RPK.  The SVD operates on the same system as the AK, firing blanks as well.

Highgate, Threat Tec, IRAC, and Parari
34 Research Dr. Hampton, Virginia 23666 Tel: 757-240-4968

J. T. Crawford’s four companies are headquartered in a large industrial park near Langley Air Force Base and NASA Langley. Eighteen key employees work comfortably in a modern, spacious 24,000 square foot facility. Close to a hundred others – mostly Threat Tec personnel – work off site in Illinois, Georgia, and Texas.

Crawford, characterized as an “intuitive entrepreneur” in some recent business profiles, provided some specifics on his coordinated business ventures and how they compliment one another.

Highgate Systems LLC. (Props, costumes, battlefield effects, consultation)

The overarching company in our group, Highgate rents props, costumes, and battlefield effects, and also providing some subject matter expertise to non-DoD customers. So if you’re shooting a film and looking for somebody to advise you on, for example, the Battle of Tikrit, we have many retired senior military personnel on staff; really a ‘who’s who’ among warfighters. And, if your law enforcement or security agency wants to do some IED training, we have realistic IED devices, explosive devices and radio controlled detonators. We can help your work with police, fire departments and other first responders. Web: highgateco.com

Threat Tec, LLC (Learning solutions, Red Teaming, support, equipment)

Certified ‘Red Team’ exercise support and immersive training environments from Threat Tec enhance U.S. military training and rehearsal exercises, as well as wargames, experiments, and operational tests and evaluations. We closely simulate the chosen Operational Environment (OE) with realistic host nation roleplayers, clothing, weapons, and battlefield effects. Threat Tec’s pool of Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) and Threat Emulators (TEs) are able to support simultaneous exercises at multiple locations across the country.

One of the things we have inside of Threat Tec is development of tools and solutions to the human domain in training. We have a training village down at Ft. Benning that can be tailored to a variety of operational environments. In Sniper School there, for example, students can actually observe a village and do a real life mission set where they’re trying to find out if there’s a ‘bad guy’ in there. This is high quality training using what we call ‘Threat Emulation’ – not the less-realistic ‘role play’ that others offer. Web: threattec.com

International Replica Arms Co., LLC (Design and manufacturing of BATFE-approved non-guns)

The main driver for our purchase of IRAC – celebrating its 40 year anniversary – was how nicely it fit with our Highgate and Threat Tec brands. IRAC has been a recognized leader worldwide in the design and production of the finest replica, display and simulated-fire machine guns. From receivers for combat classics like the Browning Auto Rifle, to complete, modern-era weapons like the Mark 19 Grenade Machine Gun and MILES-capable Russian Kornet tank killer, each one is made in our cutting-edge manufacturing center. Our specialists use a combination of computer-aided machines and experienced craftsmanship to make sure every part fits perfectly and performs as intended. While other companies choose to piece their guns together using cheap parts, our passionate team incorporates world class tools, materials and expertise to construct each replica machine gun and reach the highest quality possible at an affordable price. Web: iracllc.com

Parari Group (Business strategies and design)

Our fourth company is Parari, combining traditional business strategies with innovative design processes to help companies create and deliver new products and services. These strengths are applied to the other three members of our group and readily available to outside clients. Capabilities include branding, web design, video/audio, and print media. Web: pararigroup.com

I had first become aware of IRAC when I was looking for a primary provider of simulated weapons for Threat Tec, our company that provides highly realistic training to military and security clients.  During my search, I kept hearing about this company called IRAC and how they produced the best simulated weapons money could buy.  J.T. Crawford, President/CEO of IRAC, Highgate, Threat Tec and Pariri.

While some small arms purists might be tempted to dismiss replica guns as “toys for big boys,” we believe the best of these of this category have long served important roles in a wide variety of situations.  Think “Rubber Duck” M16 rifles and other weapons; realistic full size/full weight, non-firing models made from durable epoxy reinforced with steel rods.  These have proven a damn good alternative to beating up real guns (or the nightmare of losing them) in tough training like parachuting and waterborne exercises.

But they don’t go BANG. 

Or consider the cost, complexity, safety concerns, logistical hassles, and legal compliance issues of using blank-adapted versions of actual weapons by OPFOR (opposing force) elements in training scenarios.  Most often more trouble than worth.

These were among many obstacles confronting J. T. Crawford’s Threat Tec teams in carrying out highly realistic, demonstrably effective “threat emulations” under Department of Defense contracts.  He needed to find a good source for working replicas that were tough, reliable and looked and sounded right.

In the interview that follows, conducted earlier this year during a visit to the group’s headquarters in Hampton, Virginia, the 46 year old Crawford explains how he found International Replica Arms Company (IRAC).  And how he was able to make it a perfect fit in his group of closely-connected business entities.

A conversation with J. T. Crawford

SAR:  Tell us about yourself.  Where you came from and some things about what happened along the way to your highly successful group of companies. 

Crawford:  I’m from Kentucky and I grew up in the greater Cincinnati area of Ohio, right across the Ohio River where my paternal and maternal grandparents lived. 

I started shooting when I was probably 11.  I hunted from the time I was a small boy.   Probably for two years with my grandfather before I was allowed to carry a gun.  He would carry the gun and eventually I was carrying the gun with him.  We were avid outdoorsmen and loved to hunt and fish.  I have four sons.  All of my sons have been to the range multiple times.  Shot everything from the 1911 to the Barrett .50 cal. 

After high school, I enlisted in the Army for three years and served in the 101st Airborne Division;  2nd Battalion 187^th Regiment “Rakkasans” and 1^st Battalion 506^th Regiment “Currahee,” the Band of Brothers group of WWII.   I was a sniper in South Korea from 1987-88 under the 2nd Infantry Division.

Entrepreneur afterward, back to college later for an MBA, then work as a consultant to a number of companies.  I started Threat Tec in October 2013, finding early success as a DoD (Department of Defense) contractor and we started to recognize opportunities to vertically integrate some of those needs we have within Threat Tec.  ‘Vertical integration’ is bringing in things we would have to go out to third parties to bring into our mix, to provide the client with.  In this case weapon simulators from IRAC and battlefield effects from Highgate.   

SAR: How did your Army service influence development of Threat Tec?

Crawford:  In Korea there was a sort of mobile training team coming in setting up some simple sniper training for us.  Not anything like the realism of what we do today.  I don’t want to minimize the quality of the training back then because the tools they had to work with were limited. 

But now, we do work with the Army Sniper School, bringing realism into the picture for our clients.  They were able to refocus some of their existing training models and capture better complexity to their training set.  So, as opposed to having a sniper team go and observe a crossroads where maybe nothing will happen, they can now go observe a village where we have built some key vignettes that are happening in the background.  And we want to see if they pick those up. 

When you see role players go out in different exercises, lots of times there are folks on the low end of the scale for realism.  Only because they aren’t given a great deal of detail as to their mission set.  Our folks from Threat Tec receive our own internal training set to understand not just the verbal cues, non-verbal cues, body language, how different cultures will stand.  It really does give our soldiers a real chance to see a different lifestyle when they’re peering into that village.

SAR:  The evolving realities of warfare and the Rules Of Engagement have demanded that?

Crawford:  They have.  Certainly the 24 hour news cycles produce a lot of information very quickly so mistakes or mis-reads are really amplified.  I’ll tell you our service men and women do an extraordinary job of trying to understand the enemy, the enemy mindset, including identifying the enemy on the battlefield.  So it’s pretty encouraging to come back 30 years later and see these young men who are going thru the sniper program now and how dedicated they are to really learning and … becoming professional soldiers. 

SAR:  Your favorite weapons back during that time in the Army?  What was the standard sniper rifle?

Crawford:  The Remington 700 – M24 – had just come into view and the units were very protective in those days of certain sensitive items getting out because we weren’t used to employing snipers.  So more times than not I would go out with my M16A2 because what we looked at was another of the real missions of a sniper; the ability to collect and report data.  I think they called the course back then the “Scout Sniper Course.”  It was a five week long course with precision shooting, of course, but also man-tracking, hide building, and a lot of collection skills from memorization to terrain analysis. 

SAR:  A favorite gun at the time?

Crawford: From my perspective – even having been a sniper  – my favorite gun back then would have been the M249 (5.56mm Squad Automatic Weapon).  So light and so much firepower that I really had a love for that one.  I didn’t carry it much at all but I loved going to the range with any of the light automatic weapons.

SAR:  Personal weapons now ?

Crawford:  I have many.  My favorite now?  I have the Barrett MRAD and I really like that but it’s really hard to pick a favorite.  I have a .300 Blackout AR15  from Daniel Defense that is just outstanding.  Probably one of the smoothest shooting guns I’ve ever owned.  Lots of them, the Barrett M82A1  .50 cal. that I really enjoy shooting.  I’ve been to the Barrett factory, met Ronnie in passing, shook his hand.  They were friendly and knew that we were a DoD contractor, bringing anti-materiel rifles to our Threat Tec side for live training.  They worked hard to make the deal great for everyone.    Barrett is incredibly supportive of the military and its mission. 

SAR:  Tell us more about how Threat Tec’s work led to purchase of IRAC.

Crawford:  The main driver for our purchase of IRAC, finalized in September 2014, was how nicely it fit with our Highgate and Threat Tec brands.  Our DoD partners had been raving fans about our products and we knew IRAC would go a long way towards strengthening our value proposition.

SAR:  What’s a “value proposition?

Crawford:  (Chuckles)  A value proposition is ‘how does this make sense to our customers?  So, why buy IRAC?’  And what is the value we bring to the marketplace that they’re not getting from others?”  That was what we were trying to do.  You could just say it was an added value to our customers that now we have these capabilities in house.  So when you’re trying to do a live event and you’re bringing out – frequently with Threat Tec – I’ll bring a full OPFOR (opposing force).  We have a number of retired Colonels, retired senior NCOs and we’ll set up an operation to fight the BLUE FORCE – the good guys.  We fight using threat tactics, techniques and procedures, along with threat weapon systems.

 Let me give you a little deeper analysis. Threat Tec did need some battlefield effects to help direct movement in some of the more constricted lanes we were working in.  And we were looking for a solution that would be very realistic, that would provide some value to the soldier going down the lane as in weapons identification.  If I’m in a scout sniper mode and I can see the position and I can say there’s a ‘Dishka’ (.51 caliber DShK heavy machine gun) on the ridge, I’m able to report that back.  So we were looking for someone who could make them.  And we knew we had seen these sort of things in Hollywood movies.  We searched but couldn’t seem to find the manufacturer.  So in my despair that I couldn’t find them, I decided to do what any country boy from Kentucky does, I consulted YouTube and I said let’s build one ourselves (laughs).  And while I was going thru layers of YouTube videos I stumbled upon IRAC.  They were doing a quad or dual mount Fifty in the back of a jacked up WW2 vintage military truck.  And I said ‘that’s the guy I need.’  And at the very end of that video, it was a television show, the guy gave a plug to IRAC.  And I found ’em.  After that Steve Carter, the owner, and I became fast friends and we certainly developed a whole lot of new R&D efforts for DoD.  Things like the RPG-29 (Russian antitank rocket launcher) we started building.  According to Steve, Threat Tec became his best customer.

Threat Tec began using IRAC as the primary provider of simulated weapon systems. From the very first time we used an IRAC product, we were impressed with just how good these simulators truly were. Our teams train military personnel in some of the most demanding environments in the world. IRAC simulators not only looked the part, but they consistently performed day in and day out, which was invaluable to us.

SAR:  ‘Most demanding environments in the world.’  More demanding than Ft. Benning, Georgia?

Crawford:  Yes, we do some great training environments.  Let me be clear:  We are not training in theater (overseas).  We’ve had some opportunities to do that but we’ve made a decision as a company we’re too old for that (smiles).  We really focus on where we think we can deliver the most impact to the troops, places like Ft. Benning.  We do a tremendous amount of training simulations at places like Ft. Leavenworth (Kansas) and live OPFOR at Ft. Bliss (Texas). 

SAR:  Another catch phrase in Threat Tec promotional materials references “’high fidelity operational environments.” 

Crawford:  For us this means a really good example.  High fidelity because they are very close to the original.  So we’re talking about really honest representations of operational environments.  Right down to the food they might be making.  So the smells, the sights, the trash piles, the vehicles driven.  You can see out back one of our technical vehicles still has an Iraqi license plate.  Not something we have in the states.  A little truck driven with a three cylinder motorcycle engine.  But they’re everywhere in Asia.

SAR:  Getting back for a moment to Steve Carter and why he was open to you purchasing IRAC.

Crawford:  Steve actually brought up the idea.  I think he had been approached by a competitor to buy him out.  And we felt it was so important to have IRAC as part of our business model that we did not want to see it go to a competitor where we could possibly lose access to all the things we had developed.  So in turn we made an offer.  Several discussions.  Over a year’s time we had discussed it, toyed around it.  There was probably just a day it became, ‘that sounds like a good idea,’ and it moved very fast after that.  Steve has retained a similar set of tools that we have here so he’s able to do some things wherever he is.  He built a facility in Tennessee that will operate under a no-competition agreement. 

Through my dealings with IRAC, I had developed a very strong relationship with Steve.  As our relationship progressed, it became apparent that we had very similar perspectives of how an acquisition could improve IRAC’s position in the market. I think with Steve there were a couple of things going on.  He was thinking of moving to Tennessee from Cincinnati and he looked at this as an opportunity to have a fresh start.  Do some things differently.  Quite honestly, I think he was ready to move on to a different business or take some well-earned time off. 

SAR:  IRAC was physically located in Cincinnati and your headquarters in Hampton, Virginia is quite different from Tennessee.   

Crawford:  A couple of things have changed in his life since then.  Steve remains on as one of our advisors and one of our technical guys.  He comes in when we’re doing a major run of systems and he’ll be right here with us developing.  Steve will continue on with the R and D (research and development) role.  He’s known this company and treated it like a baby.  So IRAC turns 40 years old this year.  Steve was, I think, the third owner of IRAC and I’ll be the fourth.  We want to continue to expand and see some real growth opportunities in the different systems we develop.  And I’ve got Steve geared up to help create these new models.  We have a big goal for this coming year to see some new systems rolling out on a fairly regular basis. 

 The primary reason why the transition of IRAC included the relocation to Hampton, Virginia was to consolidate IRAC resources and have them under the same roof as Threat Tec HQ and Highgate HQ. As a result, collaboration among our specialists is more fluid and natural, which leads to more innovations and higher quality products, and we have greater access to our prospective markets.

SAR:  Advantages anticipated and now realized ?

The greatest advantage, as we saw it, was the ability to innovate and rapidly develop battlefield systems quickly and accurately.  Highgate Systems has developed a number of systems that have been used to build high fidelity operational environments for DoD in the test and evaluation space. Highgate”s rapid prototyping capability and the IRAC toolset have merged nicely.

So, think of Highgate as the rental company that rents those battlefield effects, the props, and provides some subject matter expertise to non-DoD customers.  So if you’re shooting a film and looking for somebody to advise you on, for example, how was the Battle of Tikrit?   Let’s get specific into DoD capabilities.  We have 28 Colonels on staff.  Those folks are really a ‘who’s who’ among warfighters.  We have a Navy Cross recipient, lots of Silver Star and Bronze Star recipients.

SAR:  That’s a nice video on YouTube for Threat Tec with Colonel John McCarthy pointing to its location in Hampton giving “greater access to our prospective markets.” 

Crawford:  Certainly TRADOC (Army Training and Doctrine Command), only five miles away at Fort Monroe.  So we have had the opportunity to share our developmental products, some of the things that are tried and true.  MCOE (Maneuver Center of Excellence) Ft. Benning, Georgia would certainly fall in that category.

SAR:  In addition to the Army’s TRADOC, any interaction with other services?

Crawford:  We do look for opportunities because they’re so close (the Hampton Roads area is heavily military) and some other venues.  Not so much on the live side.  We do have some small watercraft – Boston Whalers with gun mounts and things like that – so we can challenge some of those riverine, ‘brown water’ forces.  We have some fantastic tools.  Our Boston Whaler is a navy ‘red dot’ hull (reinforced for rough use) so it’s really capable of doing a lot, it’s a high performance boat.  But I can’t think of anything we’ve done locally.  Perhaps some of our Navy friends will read this feature and check us out.   

Inside TRADOC we also have the opportunity to work in the Joint community.  So some of the testing and evaluation efforts will include all of the services.  We’re always looking for the opportunity to help so wherever we can throw our weight in to help with the training venue or to help develop a concept, that’s a strong suit for us.  We work on a lot of concept development, innovation of training programs and simulations. 

We’ve done some really cool things by way of Mobile Training Teams and even mobile devices as training tools.  Using iPads and iPhones with applications that allow some training to go on.  We are able to put some very cool things in those digital environments that really make a difference and save a lot of money.

Let me go back a step.  The old concept where we have to load up a mobile training team, go out and see the soldiers face to face and teach them how to do things….

SAR:  But in the digital world you can employ apps rather than live instruction ?

Crawford:  That’s right.  And also on an IRAC instructional method for today’s soldiers – ‘digital natives’ — the young guys who are so accustomed to using tools like smart phones to learn.  We take things like a .50 cal. and explode the parts, show them how to assemble, disassemble, functions, and clear jams.  On a phone or pad.  You can do it on a truck while waiting to move out on a convoy.

We’re trying to find things like that to really connect with our service members so they’re getting the training they need, whenever they’re able to do it.  We’re part of a contract at MCOE ( Army Maneuver Center of Excellence, Ft. Benning) that does mobile device training.  We have people in our Illinois office and MCOE who are working on that.

Let’s talk about that IRAC mobile app, called the IRAC Knowledge Vault.  What we’re doing is taking our simulated systems and providing all our buyers, customers with something powered by an app called VEZI which we own through our Parari Group.  It allows someone to take a smart device, hold it up, tap it to a tag, and it will explode to a user’s manual.  Everything from the history of the system, like an M2 machine gun. And then go to specifics of the system.  How do I set it up.  (Not as detailed as an old Technical Manual because the simulated system is simpler).  Our end users need to know what are the preventative maintenance steps and how do we service this thing.  How do we clear jams if there’s an issue in the field.  We’re simplifying that so our customers no longer feel the need to send it back, although that rarely happens.  Generally we’re able to talk someone thru it on the phone.  (like oxygen/propane mix).

SAR:  Way back in the day it was a laminated ‘cheat sheet’ and now it’s digital?

Crawford:  That’s right.  But you can hold their attention much longer than the ‘sage on the stage with the PowerPoint’ or a handout.

SAR:  What is your vision for the “new and improved” IRAC in selection of product line, manufacturing, customer service, etc. ? 

Crawford:  We started making changes right away.  Steve has built a firm foundation, and now we want to see our client offerings expand and our market presence grow.  The first big change was the new and improved website.  This gives our customers and channel partners a way to see what products are available, prices and even online ordering.  We have some big surprises to announce at the MVPA show in June.  I can tell you that they will include some mobile tools for our customers, new packaging and several new products.  We intend to offer a new replica each quarter for the next 24 months.  It’s a huge order but we have really great and dedicated people who can do just about anything.

SAR:  Who uses IRAC replicas ? 

Crawford:  Government Contractors, Hollywood, DoD, DHS, museums, and many collectors and military enthusiasts.  Our service members use IRAC systems for training and in the development of a realistic battlefield.

Many of the country’s best known war museums have an IRAC system or two.  Our systems are in use internationally and chances are you can see one at a parade near you!  We have a number of solutions and do a lot of customized systems for vintage aircraft and military vehicles.

Yesterday I took a phone call from England and the guy has a Loach, an Apache and a Huey (helicopters).  All, over the years, outfitted with IRAC systems.  He wants to outfit a (sim-fire) Minigun on the Loach.  The movie folks love the sim-fire 60s on the Huey.  When you have a conversation with Steve, he’ll frequently say, ‘oh yeah, we made those guns.  I forgot about that.’

You know that dinosaur thing that goes around to monster truck rallies?  It also has IRAC machine guns.  A company called us with a Vietnam era vehicle and said they were going to fight this fire-breathing dinosaur and we need to know if we can buy some of those.  And he bought five (sim-fire) guns; Mk19s, M2 .50s, really did a nice job on the vehicle.   

SAR:  Movies and television ?

You can see IRAC systems on the Batmobile; the two 30mm cannons that came out of the hood.  Also guns on the Green Hornet’s car and in the Transformers movies.  Saving Private Ryan, We Were Soldiers, Battle of LA, Red Dawn, Terminator Salvation, and a lot more including Dreamworks’ WWII television series The Pacific. 

Hollywood prop companies would call and say ‘I need this.’  We sell to a lot of those guys now.  They may not say for what movie for fear we might try to go direct – which we don’t do.  But they will come in and say here’s what I need.

SAR:  What’s coming up next?  Promotional materials note a goal of eight new replicas in the next two years. 

Crawford:  The first two coming on line – we already have our alpha types – are the RPG-29 and the Kornet.  Those are really for our DoD market; training aids for Russian anti-tank missile launchers that a soldier is likely to find in multiple theaters today. Kornet is a nasty tank killer and the RPG 29 has a 105mm warhead.  We had a conversation with some foreign soldiers, I think from Israel, and they were talking about some of the recent battles and the devastation that was caused from these systems.  Our replicas are MILES (laser-based hit identifier) capable.  Not only an effective simulator, but has reported MILES “kills.” 

SAR:  Do you have anything in the works for other markets along the lines of traditional small arms?

Crawford:  We sure do.  For the public market, like military vehicle collectors, we’re planning on bringing online the M240 (GPMG), unveiled at MVPA (Military Vehicle Preservation Association) in June.

For the public market, like military vehicle collectors, we’re planning on bringing online the M240 (GPMG), unveiled at MVPA (Military Vehicle Preservation Association) in June. We now have a sim-fire M60, built on one of the receivers we’ve been selling.  Part of the issue is tooling and finding the right available components when we want to add some furniture.  I think you’ll see us reconstituting a lot of the things that Steve did in the early days of IRAC that were really successful.

What we are looking for now in the development of 3D printers and the resins and things we can get our hands on allow us to replicate things that we couldn’t do easily before.  So when we think static models, that’s a huge opportunity. 

SAR:  Anything older, like from WW2, to join those existing replicas ?

Crawford:  We have a number of systems we’re looking at.  Not ready to announce a winner but I can say keep your eyes peeled.  A lot of our folks from MVPA and reenactors have some things they’ve been looking for and we’re trying to discover where that itch is the most for them.  We already have Thompson and BAR receivers, and make full replica M2 .50 cals and also .30 cal. water cooled and air cooled Brownings.  

SAR:  Why not a Tommy Gun?  Didn’t IRAC once do a full replica Thompson?

Crawford:    We already offer an M1A1 receiver and we could do a static replica. Sim-fire (simulated firing) is not so simple in a Tommy Gun.  Steve made one of the Thompsons that Tom Hanks carried in “Saving Private Ryan.”

SAR:  Do IRAC’s highly realistic replicas give rise to problems with local laws and police agencies?

Crawford:  No difficulties.  Our systems are not made for kids, we’re not making toys. They’re really a training aid or static device.    But we do send out some with the orange tips required in some jurisdictions or if that’s what the customer wants. 

SAR:  Comment in the apparent “synergy” among your three business entities.

Crawford:  Primarily, the IRAC acquisition makes sense for us. Highgate, our family of companies, has always been very focused on delivering value beyond the purchase to our clients. Because IRAC had been built on similar values, it was easy to spot how IRAC was a natural fit.  The systems are all built with a great deal of pride, care and attention to detail, which are values each of our companies share. 

Highgate is essentially three things; renting rent props, costumes, effects.  So if your police station wants to do some IED training, we have IED devices, we have explosive device simulators, we have radio controlled detonators, we can help you work with your law enforcement folks, your fire departments, your first responders.

SAR:  Some of these devices are 3D printed?

Crawford:  No 3D printing by the three companies.  There is a fourth company, Parari Group, which has some capabilities in prototyping, rapid prototyping and such.  We have a number of things we want to do.  We have machinists in Hampton and modelers out in our Illinois office who are already 3D graphic artists whose strong set is building the language for those 3D printers.   

SAR:  We note the announcement of BATFE approval for manufacturing.  Now making real guns ?

Crawford:  Not real guns, but our IED simulators are technically classified  as ‘destructive devices.’  There’s a future version of us that will probably make some small arms.  Small batches.  Maybe specific runs that could be for something like a Thompson that we would want to make a commemorative semiauto.  I can see that in our long term future.  Very small quantities.  I don’t think we’re ever taking on FN, Remington, Winchester, or Barrett.  Any of those.

SAR:  Back to the ‘destructive devices,’ are these movie style pyrotechnics ?

Crawford:  There could certainly be movie style pyrotechnics, rocket launchers.  But we have another interest in unmanned aerial vehicles.   And potential warhead development for those sorts of tools.  That’s a bit out in the distance.  We’re right here in Hampton by the NASA facility.  There’s a very large group of aerospace engineers in the area who are very interested in UAV and UAS development.

SAR:  You’re buying semiauto AKs and making them blank only, right?

Crawford.  Yes and no.  We do modify the weapons so they’re only capable of firing a blank.  We can also undo that so we don’t really lose the ability to make it a firing weapon.  We simply, through some adaptation, make it so it can’t fire a live round while we’re doing training events.  As to what’s next, when you talk to Gethyn Jones (IRAC GM) he’ll have a thousand ideas of what he’d like to do.  Gethyn would love for us to do nothing but build real weapons.  From a business perspective I see that as a real uphill battle for us.  Not because we don’t have an interest in it, not because we think it’s a bad idea, but just because its a fairly saturated market.  And prior to the election of our current president, individual weapon purchases were on the decline.  Now they’ve taken a pretty good upswing.

SAR:  Some parting thoughts ?

Crawford:  The addition of IRAC into the Highgate family has been great.  IRAC is a solid brand and is capturing some recognition internationally.  We have static systems going into some Threat Tec channel partners in June.  This will be great for IRAC and expose the brand to an even larger audience.  Our Highgate customers are  excited to have access to the IRAC products and development team.  The integration couldn’t be more positive and I see huge potential in linking the brands.

SAR:  How do you keep track of all this?

Crawford:  Great people !  It’s a busy day (laughs) .

A conversation with IRAC’s Gethyn Jones

At Crawford’s invitation, we did enjoy the opportunity to talk at some length with Gethyn Jones, IRAC’s General Manager and multi-role problem-solver.  Jones’ professional resume includes extended time as an NCO with British Land Forces to include some “specialized” assignments that he’s not free to discuss.  Critical to performance in these was a 6 month stint in the precision machinist training program conducted by British Aerospace.  Little imagination is required to speculate on how this likely fit into “specialized” small arms for certain high-stakes military applications. 

SAR:  We’re in the Threat Tec arms vault with Gethyn Jones, IRAC’s General Manager, and right now he’s showing us a Romak (Romanian) AK that started life as a semiauto.  Did you do the conversion ?

Jones:  (Holding and demonstrating the rifle)  Yes.  We put our proprietary blank fire device on the muzzle.  That’s to maintain the correct gas pressure.  So the working parts will operate to extract and feed a fresh round.  We leave in the original piston and original bolt carrier group because we’re firing cartridge blanks.  What I do inside is to upgrade the recoil spring and locking pin system because the blank actually puts a lot more strain on receiver than the live round.  Blank rounds kill live weapons like nothing else.  We try to keep the function as close to the original.  So all you’ve got to do is insert a magazine loaded with blanks, cock it a you’ve got your mechanical safety lever to place on fire.  So the weapon handles exactly as the original.

SAR:  Adaptable to MILES (standard US military Multiple Integrated Laser Engagement System for realistic force-on-force training) ?

Jones:  Yes, the MILES adapter laser box on the side of the barrel and we can either use an optical sight aligned with where the laser beam strike is – this is all done in their test units – or we can adjust our mechanical sights.  Very simple collimation.  Uses the same MILES box as M240 because its closest to  the ballistics of the 7.62 x 39mm round.

(Gets Russian bolt action sniper rifle from rack)  This is the Mosin-Nagant that everybody knows of.  Jim (Crawford) asked me to convert two of them to blank fire only for when the threat emulation scenario calls for a sniper.  We’ll put on a MILES unit that equates to the strike of the 7.62 NATO round, registering as a kill or a wound.

That MILES system, now geared with these makes it extremely safe and very effective training.  You can do sniping from buildings.  You can engage in a more realistic environment.  You could hire a mall for the weekend and – provided you pick up your empty cases – you could take these systems geared with the MILES and train right in the mall.  It’s safe.

SAR:  Getting back to the AK, what keeps it from firing live ammunition?

Jones:  First of all we seriously regulate ammunition when we’re on the range or training scenario.  When we’re running any scenario in conjunction with the Army, no live ammo.  We do a physical check.  Because the standard military blank for 7.62 x 39 mm rifles is slightly shorter than the live cartridge, our second line of defense is to use magazines with a blocking spacer that make it only capable of putting a blank in. 

SAR:  What about hand feeding a single live round?

Jones:  We can’t deal with fools all the time.  Some of the regulations, they want a barrel welded up.  If you hit that with a live round I can’t tell you where the projectile will go.  But with our baffle system blank adapter the barrel is going to ‘banana.’  This is going to come off, but the projectile won’t get thru.  It’s a hardened like driving the round into a steel wall.

SAR:  Going back to make sure we understand the AK’s modifications.  First of all the BFA is a proprietary design.  You start with a military BFA but there are internal modifications to prevent a live round from exiting the barrel.  Also “tuned” in its opening diameter to ensure the right amount of gas into the piston system for reliable operation.

Jones:  Yes.  We’ve done modifications to the support pins and recoil systems.  But selector; safe and semiauto settings are the same, as are sighting, magazine release, stripping, cleaning operations the same.  I’m working on a drum magazine for the RPK.  The SVD operates on the same system as the AK, firing blanks as well.

The bulky, big, plastic/metal pistols command a utilitarian following. The classic Kalashnikov boasts military aficionados. But great things also come in small, aesthetically pleasing packages. That’s why I class the Sidewinder as a sub-subcompact or miniature pistol. It’s one of the smallest concealable backup handguns available.

It’s a gun you can carry when and where you can’t carry a gun.

When you Google the .22 Sidewinder, manufactured by North American Arms, you can almost hear the virtual happy verbal applause of fans from various online forums.

“I think that the Sidewinder is the best NAA mini-revolver platform yet, offering more convenience with few negatives,” Randy Wakeman, Guns and Shooting Online senior editor wrote, “…If you are looking for maximum convenience in an extremely small, well-crafted package, the Sidewinder will delight you.”

“I want the Sidewinder like you wouldn’t believe,” online commenter D.J. raved. “NAA made a great revolver and it will retire my Wasp to a show piece.”

Even though it’s not much bigger than a box of 50 .22 cartridges, its name is inspiring. “Sidewinder” is the demarcation for two species of venomous reptiles, at least two military aircraft, a short-range surface-to-air-missile, a baseball pitcher, Dodge and Kia concept cars, three roller coasters, and a handful of diverse musical groups and songs of varying quality. But the design of this pistol is simply unmatched for shooters needing this specific genre of pistol.

The basic specs for the Sidewinder are that it is a five-shot, .22 (both LR and Magnum cylinders available), with a one and a half inch barrel and five inches overall. The height is just less than three inches, width is just over an inch and the unloaded weight is 6.7 ounces. Trigger pull data are in the five to six pound range and most shooters describe the recoil as surprisingly moderate.

The revolver features marbled wood grips and clean lines. But besides being a pretty piece of hardware, why do people like the Sidewinder so much? That’s easy, it is both plain, simple, plus it’s easy to load and unload the five-shot revolver. The “swing-out” style cylinder assembly is similar to most modern revolvers. This miniaturization of a traditional technology is what sets the Sidewinder apart from other smaller handguns. In a typical miniature firearm, first you must pull a pin here, scoop out the cylinder there, and reload. By the time you’ve fumbled the cylinder back into position, taking care not to accidentally pinch off your thumbnail, the Sidewinder has long been ready to shoot. Best of all, the spent shells shake loose easily, or the extractor allows you to pick spent brass out from the side.

Not only is the design simple, clean, functional and totally dependable, but the Sidewinder is also very safe to carry, thanks to NNA’s exclusive safety notch cylinder. It is also a very “easy on the eyes, and great to handle firearm, too,” as Conti Industries & Black Ops Tactical executive Heidi Conti told me. “Plus, with the proper ammo, you’ve got a great little pistol in your power.”

The self-defense effectiveness of the Sidewinder was greatly boosted with the introduction of Hornady’s purposefully designed 45 grain FXT Critical Defense .22 magnum load. It rips out of the barrel at 1000 fps and has penetration of test gel better than most .380 loads. Speer offers a 40 grain Gold Dot load which also has major target punch, real or test, as well.

NAA strongly suggests that you do not use any PMC ammo, long rifle or Magnum, in their pistols due to double discharge possibilities. Extensive testing shows that only PMC ammunition has this hazard with NNA .22 revolvers.

Interestingly, NAA’s General Manager, Ken Friel, told me that some Sidewinder owners have used the CCI Shotshell load in their pistols. The load has 52 grains of #12 shot in each round. When fired at three yard range, the coverage is group is a 9-inch square. I imagine a load of that in the face of a bad guy at that range would stop most any assault.

The pistol’s safety mechanism is ingenious, so there’s a lower risk of accidentally nicking a finger when preparing to fire. What the Sidewinder lacks in stopping power when compared with other, more intimidating calibers, it makes up with more utility. You can slip it into a pocket or a purse much more easily than its larger handgun brethren and be on your way, unseen by our new world’s highly suspicious eyes and all powerful video surveillance.

The accuracy is admirable for its class, too. In his firing tests, J B Wood noted that his Sidewinder performed really well. He reported, “In classic encounter range of 7 yards, it kept all five rounds centered in the black on a Champion VisiShot target.” Likewise, Heidi Conti came away from their Conti Industries range totally impressed with the Sidewinder.

“I tested five shots on a printed groundhog target from fifteen feet away. Three shots punctured the body just below the target spine. The other two hit solidly within the crosshairs, while two of the outer three shots grouped tightly together, as you see in the photo. Not bad for paper varmint disposal duty,” she added with a chuckle.

Most commendably, the recoil won’t knock your hand off-balance, so you can squeeze off a second shot,” she added. Sadly, though, it is a single action revolver, meaning you have to cock it for each shot.

Ms Conti also said, “But, do pay attention to the sight radius when aiming as it is tiny and it doesn’t take much tremor to mess up your aim.”

Yet, as Randall Kari, an LEO with whom I used to work, said, “You don’t hunt deer with it at 50 yards out, but when and where it counts at close range defense, it’ll hit where you aim. It’s a great back up and a very easily concealed defense pistol.”

Part of the Sidewinder’s factual legend is the narcotics agent who did a buy on a Florida beach wearing only a Speedo. No room for a standard piece, so the agent hid his NAA Sidewinder in a drinking cup.

As an aside, for those of you considering a .22 for maximum conceal self-defense, I suggest you read Richard Mann’s article in the June 2013 issue of AMERICAN RIFLEMAN; good reportage there.

Though industry rumored for weeks, the first public hint of the Sidewinder came in March of 2012, when NAA CEO Matthew “Sandy” Chisholm said, “The Sidewinder will be a single-action mini-revolver, solidly built on our stainless steel magnum frame, whose cylinder is mounted on a side-releasing crane, just like most revolvers…an easy loader, too.”

And, just as everything else in our hyper-online lives, the young, traditional Sidewinder is subject to change, too. Even as Ken Friel and I were ending our interviews today, he told me about the new model 4-inch barrel Sidewinder coming to market late summer of 2015.

Phew!

But, as with everything, NAA gets it right and shares that with the rest of us users. Their NAA instruction book includes photos with the detailed printed instructions for loading, unloading and using the Sidewinder. There’s also a video showing the entire process on NAA’s
very elaborate website.

It’s no surprise, then, that the current Sidewinder models remain somewhat back ordered. Yet, you don’t have to stand in a backed up waiting line at major retailers to own the old fashionedly modern Sidewinder. In my case, a quick trip down the road to Bee’s Guns, a truly old school kind of small town real gun shop in Saltsburg, PA made it all happen, thanks to owner Ken Bee and very knowledgeable assistant Jesse Syster. Within the week, my Sidewinder was there.

Fortunately, gun shops aren’t left waiting for a slow boat from overseas for Sidewinders. These stainless steel mini-revolvers and other small pistols manufactured by North American Arms are handcrafted and manufactured in Provo, Utah. And they carry a lifetime warranty.

As Chisholm predicted, NAA’s Sidewinder actually made its debut in 2012 to much hoopla and fanfare, all quite deserved.

North American Arms started as the short-lived Rocky Mountain Arms, and then became a subsidiary of an aerospace manufacturer, that was absorbed by Teleflex.

In the late 1980s, Philadelphia business man Matthew “Sandy” Chisholm III was working in mergers and acquisitions for Teleflex, which owned NAA at the time. The company wanted to get out of the small arms business, but was having a hard time finding a buyer. For one thing, according to Chisholm, the business was profitable, self-sufficient, and Teleflex wasn’t budging on their selling price or terms.

So Chisholm decided to become a small [arms] business owner. He explained, “…I saw first-hand the capabilities of their management team and the opportunities available to the business, given just a modest investment of time, love and money. So, in a ‘Victor Kiam/Remington moment,’ I chose to leave the corporate world and become a small business owner in November of 1991.

“Shortly after the purchase, I built a new home for the business in Provo, where it has remained ever since. I have respect for and confidence in Ken Friel and his team and their ability to responsibly and successfully make the operational decisions regarding our business. I add my value on the legal, accounting and strategic planning issues.

“Things have worked exactly as we planned. And with remarkably few exceptions, both the management team and work force are exactly as they were when we began.”

Others in the field agree. According to NRA Board Member and publisher of SOLDIER OF FORTUNE magazine, Robert K. Brown, “Sandy Chisholm, General Manager Ken Friel and Sales Manager Ken Barlow are, “Three of the truly ‘Top Good Guys’ in the shooting sports Industry.”

Oh, and why did NAA name their tiny revolver The Sidewinder? As Ken Barlow explained, “It’s simple, it is a revolver with a swing out cylinder and someone in a John Wayne western called those guns ‘Sidewinders’.”

Thus, exactly like their expertly designed Sidewinder, North American Arms also has a very smooth and on-target operation.

The M16, or in the early days of the Vietnam War, the XM16E1, had very mixed reviews with the troops. In the early part of the war around 1965 the Black Rifle first went to war with the 7th Cavalry in the battle of the Ia Drang Valley. The rifles were in-country prior to this battle with advisors but this is the first time the rifle would be used by a US military unit in direct combat with North
Vietnamese regular troops.

Joe Galloway was born in Refugio, Texas and is a journalist by profession. He is best known as a United Press International (UPI) combat correspondent who covered the early days of the Vietnam War. He covered the Battle of the Ia Drang Valley where he and now-retired General Hal Moore would eventually write a book titled “We Were Soldiers Once, and Young”. That book would be made into one of the finest war films of all time, “We Were Soldiers.” On 14 November, 1965 approximately 450 soldiers from the 7th Cavalry Air Mobile Division landed in Landing Zone X-ray located west of Plei Me in the Central Highlands of South Vietnam (precisely at the foot step of the Chu Pong massif). They unknowingly landed under a base camp of an entire North Vietnamese Army Regiment (nearly 4000 men). Joe Galloway flew in on a helicopter the 1st night of the attack. Joe Galloway is in a position to give SAR readers his first impression of the rifle, tell from his first hand experience how the rifle performed during the battle as well as the soldier’s perception of the rifle- being this was the first battle not only between US and NVA regular Army forces but also the US forces’ first major battle using the new rifles.

SAR: When did you arrive in South Vietnam?

Galloway: I arrived in South Vietnam early in April 1965 after the 1st Battalion of 9th Marines landed at Da Nang, and was immediately sent to Da Nang to cover the Marines. (Editor’s Note: 1st Battalion, 9th Marines are the fabled “Walking Dead).

SAR: Do you recall what weapons the Marines were carrying at that time? When did you first see the M16/XM16E1?

Galloway: They all carried M14 rifles and continued to do so for much of 1965 and into early 1966. My first close look at the new M16 rifles came in encounters with/coverage of Special Forces troops and 173rd Airborne troops in the Summer of 1965. I don’t recall any specific complaints about the weapon from those units at the time. My first thoughts were that it was light, easy to carry and easier to carry a whole lot more loaded magazines than the M14.

SAR: What was your first close encounter with the new rifle?

Galloway: My close acquaintance with the M16 came in October 1965 when I wangled a chopper ride into Plei Me Special Forces Camp in the Highlands as it was under siege by a Regiment of NV Regulars. Maj. Charlie Beckwith (Creator of Delta Force) was temporary camp commander. He ordered me to man a .30 cal. Air-cooled machine gun, saying he had “No vacancy for a goddam reporter.” After the siege was lifted and I was about to join a 1st Cavalry battalion sweeping the hills around the camp I went to say my goodbyes to Maj. Beckwith. He said: “You ain’t carrying a piece, Son.” I said: “Technically speaking, in spite of the use you made of me these last days and nights, I am a civilian non-combatant.” He said: “Ain’t no such thing in these mountains. Sergeant, go get this guy a rifle and a sack of magazines.” The sergeant came back with an M16 and 20 loaded magazines. I slung the rifle and marched off with the Cav.

SAR: Do you recall any conversations with then Lt Col Hal Moore and SGM Basil Plumley about their thoughts of this new weapon they were taking into battle?

Galloway: LTC Hal Moore liked and carried an M16 and I never heard him say anything but good things about it. SGM Basil Plumley thought it was a “plastic toy” and wouldn’t carry one. He wore a Colt 1911 .45 pistol throughout his first year in RVN.

In 2007 while working on a project for Picatinny Arsenal this author had an opportunity to interview Retired General Hal Moore regarding his thoughts of the new rifle. He had stated that he was fond of the rifle. He felt that most of the weapons that malfunctioned during the battle were from excessive operation. They were in constant battle for three days and two nights with little let up. He said he was not a weapons expert but he believed that the new rifle was superior to the M14 particularly in the close quarter fighting of the battle in the Ia Drang Valley.

SAR: Upon your arrival to the battlefield, did you notice- either see or hear of anyone complaining of malfunctioning weapons, or worse did you see anyone laying dead next to a jammed rifle?

Galloway: On arrival in LZ XRAY in the Ia Drang on 14 November, 1965 I saw a lot of Americans dead from the afternoon of bitter combat. I heard no one say that any of them had died due to failure of their rifles, then or later. LTC Moore credited his brave soldiers “and this rifle” in comments to reporters after the fight ended. Later I would hear from LT Rick Rescorla (B Co. 2nd Btn 7th Cav) say that his troops suffered a number of jammed M16s—so many that he assigned three men to each foxhole; two shooting and one with a steel rod clearing jams and reloading for the shooters. His was the only complaint about that rifle that I heard about.

At the time of this battle the XM16E1 rifles were fairly new. They did not have chrome plated barrels. The ammunition they had would have been the original IMR propellant the rifle was designed around. Ball propellant and the problems it caused would be after this battle. General Moore also stated that there was an issue with the supply of the ammunition for the rifles. He said they should have dropped in loaded magazines instead of ammo that had to be removed from a box and loaded into magazines. They had few lulls in combat for weapons maintenance as well as reloading magazines.

SAR: I am sure this is really difficult to remember but can you recall seeing riflemen holding the trigger down and spraying ammunition and then running out of ammo in battle? This question comes from the 1980’s M16A2 program where the Marines wanted to remove the AUTO position in favor of a 3-round Burst mode. They claimed it would help conserve ammunition so a Marine would not shoot up all his ammo at once and be left with empty magazines unable to fight. Also similar to World War II with the adoption of the M1 Garand with the 8 shot stripper clip instead of a box magazine. Detractors from this theory felt ammunition expenditure was a matter of troop firing discipline.

Galloway: I do not recall any of what I would call wild automatic firing. Those troops were disciplined and acutely aware that if they ran out of ammo they would end up dead. The chopper that brought me in at dark on first day of the battle contained ammo and grenade resupply in cases, as well as 5 gal plastic water jugs. The choppers would keep us well supplied with ammo as the battle went on. When it was all over the choppers had to haul out excess supplies of ammo that had gone unused. Ammo resupply was in cases of boxed loose rounds, not preloaded magazines. The troops had to reload their magazines during the lulls.

SAR: Do you recall anyone complaining about the stopping power of the 5.56mm round during the battle. As you may or may not know the rifle was given the nickname “poodle shooter” due to its .224 diameter projectile.

Galloway: No one complained in my hearing that the M16 had less stopping power vs. AK47. The troops were killing the enemy all around us.

SAR: During your time in-country or at any time covering the war, do you recall hearing of the rifles having serious malfunction issues and If so what do you recall they were?

Galloway: Referring to late 1966 early 1967 and complaints of M16s jamming? I heard this from the Marines primarily; that they hated the M16 and wanted their M14s back. I also heard that the primary problem was the M16s were handed out with little or no instruction on cleaning the weapon. Therefore the Marines cleaned and oiled the M16 exactly as they had done with the M14: Lots of oil, which in turn led to lots of jammed rifles. Once they learned to use dry graphite lube in place of gun oil the rifles worked better. And once the rifle was redesigned around 1968 the complaints faded away.

SAR: You had said that you had carried a M16 and that you had used it during the battle of Ia Drang. What were your personal experience with the rifle you carried?

Galloway: I carried the M16 that Maj. Beckwith gave me throughout the rest of my first tour in Vietnam. I made very sparing use of it because that was not my primary job. I did use it in the Ia Drang when things got very hairy the 2nd day of battle. Mine worked fine. Near the end of my tour I traded the M16 to a Marine PAO lieutenant who later complained that it jammed on him during a firefight. Possibly a cleaning or oiling problem.

Author’s Notes and opinion in closing: Over the past 50 years the M16 has been loved by some and hated by others. In those early days, the Army felt the end would justify the means and the Army would just stay with their home-grown M14. Even though their “means” was basically sabotaging the rifle and putting a rifle that did not work properly into the hands of American soldiers in a foreign land, and they knew it. You do not conduct engineering trials in the field, period. Army tradition and keeping the government arsenals pumping out M14 rifles and protecting all those jobs and high ranking officers clouded the judgment of what was in the best interest for the American soldier; which is what should have been their top priority and a solemn duty. The rifle as presented by ArmaLite was an excellent weapon but it was not fully developed. It is the job of the Ordnance Corps to get it in order to issue to the troops. After the Congressional hearing in 1968 and the Army being determined to be “borderline criminally negligent” the Army corrected the issues and those serving after 1968 had little trouble. The M16A1 proved to be the ideal rifle for the War in Vietnam. It has gone on to evolve to the M16A2 and now to the M16A4 serving n both Iraq and Afghanistan. The Vietnam era XM177-series of carbines has evolved to the M4 carbine which has become general issue throughout the US military. Controversy still follows the rifle today. The M16/M4 series has been attempted to be replaced with the Advanced Combat Rifle Program as well as the more recent Individual Carbine competition. According to the Army there is nothing after more than 50 years that offers a “significant leap in technology” over Gene Stoners design. The Army has just ordered a significant number of M4A1 carbines from FN and Colt. The M16A4 demand is dwindling as the M4A1 is the weapon of choice.

SAR would like to thank Joe Galloway for this interview. In this author’s opinion Joe is one of the finest combat correspondents ever. His character and credibility are top rate. His life has been dedicated to honoring the Vietnam soldiers and keeping the memory alive of the men who fought and died in that valley of death. Joes work along with Hal More have forever immortalized the men of the 7th cavalry into the hearts of the American public with the book and movie “We Were Soldiers.” Joe’s point of view is very credible and reliable on the early days of the M16. Joe has no dog in the fight. He is not an arms expert nor an army ordnance officer. He was there with the men and saw from unbiased eyes what happened from the soldier’s perspective. For the soldiers who experienced fatal stoppages and the ones who witnessed them, they will not care what mechanically went wrong and why. All they know is the rifle failed and it cost lives. The story does not end there. There were causes both political and economic that went into those fateful decisions. Once investigated and the Congressional hearing calling out and getting the Army to fix the rifle, the family of weapons has served with distinction for more than 50 years and is in no danger of being replaced any time soon.

Since the company’s inception in the 1980s, Barrett Firearms has made leaps and bounds from the former garage that Ronnie Barrett used to make the first M82 anti material rifles. Today the company is expanding into the AR market, machine guns, and precision rifles with their MRAD design. Taking that momentum into the 21st Century is Christopher Barrett, the current president of the company. Chris was kind enough to sit down with SAR as we interviewed him about his history with the company, and where he wants the company to go in the near future.

SAR: Were you involved with Barrett Firearms from the beginning?

Chris: My earliest memories were of my dad shooting, and his firearms interests. He had machine guns in the 1980s, was a big time hobbyist, always shooting in sub-gun matches. He just had the coolest things in the world to a little boy. I’ve always been a part of the culture of this industry. I was around four years old when dad really came out with the company in 1982. I was shooting at a very young age, which a lot of people might not agree with these days, but it came naturally to our family. It helped make me the shooter I am today, and also helps with the designing aspect. I mean, people who actually shoot a lot, can identify what works and what doesn’t, and we put that into our designs. You could call it the Barrett “DNA” of the company, a lot of us are shooters, and we use the products we make. As an example, we don’t make submachine guns, but we still learn things from them that we can put into our other designs. If you are always in tune with that sort of thing, it makes you a good designer.

SAR: How did the company develop, throughout its history?

CHRIS: Well we started with the garage years, we lived in two different houses, with two different garages that dad was putting the rifles together in. The first house was in downtown Murfreesboro, and it was literally a wood walled garage, with gravel on the floor. They rolled out carpet over the gravel, and they realized that if they dropped a pin or other small part, they couldn’t find it. So they took the carpet and turned it over, and you were walking on the back portion of a carpet. But dad made a lot of guns out of there. Then from the garage, we actually leased a building because we outgrew it, out on Manchester highway. It was a former bus repair building where they fixed Bluebird school buses. It was owned by a man in Murfreesboro who invested in the company early on. We had that building for several years, during the 1990s. Then in the early 2000s, we moved over to this building. We built every M107 of the initial contract in that old building. We quickly outgrew that new building, and then built an extension to it, which is where we are today, connected by a ramp and it was a much higher ceiling for the running of CNC machines. Very thick concrete floors because these machines have to be on a very stable base, because of the vibration and harmonics.

SAR: When did you really start getting involved with the company?

CHRIS: Even as a young teenager and a child, I was tinkering at the plant. I remember being a kid, around 10-12 years old and I was operating acetylene torches, and doing stress relieves on welds. When you see your dad doing stuff like that, you always want to be a part of it. Another thing that helped was that we worked on cars together, we restored cars together. When I was 14, he bought a 1964 Corvette and we restored it together. I did the small jobs while he did the big stuff, but what you learn about metal working, fiberglass working, engine building, playing with gears in a transmission, you really take with you for the rest of your life. Most people just don’t have that opportunity anymore. We were doing that as the company was growing from the very early times. I went to High School, took computer aided drafting as a class, specializing in AutoCAD, working with two dimensional drafting. We don’t really even do that anymore, we do all our work in three dimensions now. When I graduated High School, I had no aspirations to attend university or go to college whatsoever, didn’t even occur to me. I wasn’t a good student, so I came right out of high school and that summer I came to officially work for the company full time. I got to work in the back, doing some of the jobs that I was already doing as a teenager, sand blasting, operating a band saw, sawing up raw stock. Every job I did, I wanted to improve immediately. For example I said, “Hey, let’s get a new sandblasting cabinet, let’s automate this sawing process”. So I got to move around the company and do a number of these jobs. This was around 1997 or so. After having this spot for a while I started realizing that this was all still on paper, there was no automation to it. We needed to make a revision to this. Chris Vaser, one of our oldest employees, was still drafting designs on paper for the company. Absolutely phenomenal draftsman, old world type with the lead pencils and putting things on paper. But this was what our technical data package was at the time, and this in the 1990s! It was on pencil and paper. It is beautiful and romantic when you think of it, but the technology of the industry at the time had far surpassed this. I mean, as a high schooler in 1995, I was working with AutoCAD programs. As an example, it automatically verifies geometry, with a pencil and paper, you could “cheat” and could get away with making mistakes. Computer aided drafting has really changed this industry in ways that we can’t imagine. I mean, we are in the golden age of firearms design. There is nothing like a brand new off the shelf rifle, a $400 hunting rifle that can outshoot the sniping rifles from the Vietnam War. A lot of this is because of computer aided modeling.

SAR: What role did you play in this computer revolution?

CHRIS: I bought the first engineering computer for the company, I remember it was a monstrosity of a tower and a monitor which was probably only 18 inches at the time, and we thought it was huge. We spent almost five grand on it, and in that day it was considered a major investment, along with the Pro Engineer software package. At the time it was the leading computer modeling software, so I sat there and learned how to use it. Not the most intuitive thing in the world, but after about a year or so, I designed the very first Model 98 on that. The prototype was actually a semi automatic .338 Lapua. Up to that point, it was the most radical departure we had made from our .50 caliber designs. The .338 Lapua Magnum was just starting to really gain some traction in the U.S. in 1997/98.

SAR: Accuracy International was becoming successful with their .338 Lapua and the Swedish contract in the early 1990s.

CHRIS: I hate to throw a bone to a competitor, but that rifle, at the time was recognized for there being nothing like it outside of AI. We heard the buzz about .338, and through that we kept plugged into our community of military and police buyers, so we knew there was beginning to be a need for the cartridge in a sniper rifle. It was sort of the thing in 98, but then it went dormant. We then heard of military solicitations for a .338 rifle in 2008, about 10 years later. At the time, we only had the Model 82A1 series, and the Model 95 and that was it. We only had two products back then, and they came in one color, and in one caliber. We essentially had two fixed products, like Henry Ford with the Model T, just coming in black. They were of a certain architecture at that time, and stamped sheet metal. They were .50 caliber, and were actually precision limited, in some part due to the ammunition. The .50 BMG round is not developed like a .338, a .308, or even a .223 is. It’s a machine gun round. Getting into the world of precision shooting was tough because we really didn’t build things like that.

SAR: Essentially they were 3 MOA anti material rifles.

CHRIS: Exactly, I mean even the Model 95, you probably could get an inch, inch and a half group out of it, depending on handloading. At the time we knew we needed a precision rifle. We did like semi autos, but we looked at what was the most accepted, most accurate, and precise rifle at the time. And it was the Accuracy International line. So dad bought one of their AWs for testing and evaluation. And we were looking at certain things, about what made it shoot so well and we found out it had some principles that we liked. But we wanted a semi-automatic, and were thinking along the lines of what would a semi auto version of the AW look like. So in the Model 98, you can see some of that inspiration with a strong rigid, bedded chassis, a flat bottomed receiver that looks a lot like a bolt action. A free floated barrel with a handguard beneath it. There was some influence there, but on the inside it was one of the most novel things ever. Although we never put that design into production at the time, we were able to take certain design elements from it and use it in our current rifles. Aside from that, when it comes to firearms design in general, you have to learn to only take the good elements from other designs, and make sure to reject the bad. However, I hate novelty for novelty’s sake; I want to design things for a practical purpose. But moving on, we weren’t and aren’t financially managed. We don’t have a list of share holders to report back to, we essentially do what we think is best for the company. Thus, the Model 98 project was sort of shelved until 2008. We noticed other companies were starting to produce their own single shot .50 caliber rifles, but no one was really getting into the .338 production. So that is where we focused our efforts on production and design. Looking back on it now, the original design we had for the Model 98, was interesting and forward thinking, but it wasn’t designed for production. And that goes back to our Advanced Research Group, a term that I prefer to R&D. Ideally those designers back there should be dreaming, not developing. They should be building up a design library, coming up with concepts such as the Model 98, that although might not be feasible to produce, will all us to come back to them in the future when we might actually see the potential for such products. Separate from this we have a product development team, that does that product development, because that has to happen, in order to keep the company on track.

SAR: So what kicked off development of the single shot Barrett?

CHRIS: We saw all these cheap single shot fifties springing up all over the market, and it really hit us because we established that lead with semi-automatic .50 caliber rifles. We didn’t want to lose that edge we had in the .50 caliber rifle market. We developed the Model 99 immediately. That was entirely new architecture as well. It looks much like a Model 95 on the outside, but it is entirely different. The Model 95 and Model 82 series are all sheet metal, fabricated, and welded. The Model 99 was really the first use of the architecture that became everything that we build now, in the Model 98B and MRAD series. It is made from a single piece of aluminum extrusion that forms the foundation of the receiver, with the barrel rigidly affixed to that. The Model 99 is really the genesis of what I believe has become the new defining architecture for precision rifles. The 98B and the MRAD basically are really different. When they came out, people were still just taking sporting rifle actions and solidly bedding them into fiberglass stocks that mimic wood stocks. We called it “B” because it was a revival of the 98 program, B for bolt action. But it was a head scratcher to people when they first saw it because they would look at it and say, ‘Where’s the action? Where is the stock?’. Well, there isn’t an action or stock in the way that you know it, like a Winchester Model 70, or a Remington Model 700. That doesn’t exist in the Model 98. It is a barrel rigidly affixed into an aluminum chassis that surrounds the barrel, and puts the bore axis really low, and gets the scope up higher. Then a lower receiver that separates from the upper like an AR does. So I think it really set a new course in the industry because after that I started seeing a lot of chassis going around. Another thing that is significant about the Model 99 is the breech mechanism, it has that interrupted thread that has been a significant design feature of the 98B and MRAD series.

SAR: What motivated Barrett’s movement towards the AR15 platform?

CHRIS: It started with the Barrett M468 in around 2003, and prototype production in 2004. What got us into the 6.8 SPC experiment was that the Army Marksmanship Unit, and some other entities at 5th Special Forces Group, specifically Master Sergeant Steve Holland, came to us back then and were showing us all this 6.8 stuff. It wasn’t even SAAMI standardized yet, AMU was hand loading these cartridges out of .30 Remington cases. They also had a .22 SPC, a 6mm SPC, a 6.5mm SPC, and a 7.62mm SPC. People don’t realize just how extensive this testing was. They were shooting all these odd cartridges, and they finally settled on 6.8mm. They came to us with a Mark 12 Designated Marksman’s Rifle, and said, ‘We need this, in 6.8, or a Recce sort of rifle, also in 6.8mm. We had no interest in getting into the AR game at the time, it wasn’t even a blip on our radar. But this whole 6.8 thing piqued my interest, the fact that it goes on a standard 5.56 lower receiver. We shot some of it and realized it was significantly more powerful, and it wasn’t some sort of niche that fills a gap between two cartridges that you can’t tell the difference between. So we started looking at it and that is how the M468 came along. I made some enhancements to it, such as the larger gas block because of the increased bore size. But we made a novel front gas block that had a flip up front sight and a suppressor interface for a suppressor design that would surround the barrel and actually attach to the gas block. If you look at an M468, you will see a ratchet on the gas block that attaches to a suppressor. The idea doesn’t really work nowadays because people are wanting suppressors to be modular and have the ability to be put on different rifles, but it was just something we were experimenting with. We built a good amount of M468s, probably put more into civilian circulation in the U.S. than any other company.

SAR: Development of the M468 then led to the REC7?

CHRIS: We started looking at the viability of a piston operated AR because of that, although the M468 itself was a mid-length direct gas impingement rifle. At the time there wasn’t much of a choice when it came to piston operated ARs. 2007 was the official release date, and we came up with REC through Reliability Enhanced Carbine, and 7 for the year 2007. The piston system on it, in my opinion, is the finest piston operated system on an AR out there today. It is one piece, it comes out the front of the rifle with one other part that holds it in. A lot like an FAL really, but the handguard doesn’t have to come off, and it doesn’t separate into seven different pieces. It is indicative of what we strive for at Barrett, making it well, but not overly complicated in a smart design. Anyone can make something complicated, but a good designer will strive to make something simple.

SAR: What sort of inspiration did that piston design take from?

CHRIS: I would say it is a hybrid of the FAL and the AK. The gas plug is a little like the FAL but doesn’t have this spring loaded mechanism like the FAL does, to retain it or switch it to a grenade position. The piston design takes a little from the AK, but we patented the fluted cylinder that is in there. This is important because a lot of other piston operated AR designs try to trap the gas in there, using gas rings, etc… We wanted the REC 7 to be simple, and hard to break. Ours runs without gas rings, like an AK. We found out a way to let the gas out of the gas block by incorporating a fluted cylinder. Early prototypes weren’t allowing enough of the gas out of the system and the piston was actually getting stuck in there from the carbon build up. We then put four flutes in the back of the gas block cylinder, cut with an end-mill that took away surface area at the rear, but we left it sealed at the front, where it needed the power stroke, then when the piston gets to the rear, it enters an open area, similar to an AK. These flutes allow that gas to blow around the piston and not allow it to clog up. The gas will then flow into the handguard, and this is why on REC7s with thousands of rounds, you’ll see some soot underneath the handguard. One of our earlier prototypes went 22,000 rounds without any sort of cleaning. From there we advanced the design to a Gen 2, with a better handguard system, and built-in steel QD mounts.

SHOT Show 2016 spawned many new innovative forearms. The Black Rifle Market is thriving as the AR15 continues to gain popularity and is still America’s rifle of choice. Lewis Machine & Tool continues to be on the cutting edge of Black Rifle developments and enhancements. Leading the industry with their Monolithic Rail Platform, LMT continues to add to their lineup in 2016 not only their new MARS rifle or Modular Ambidextrous Rifle System but their first complete PDW (Personal Defense Weapon). According to LMT, this is the shortest overall length of any rifle in the industry that uses a 10.5 inch barrel with an overall length of 24.3 inches with the stock fully collapsed and 27.6 inches with the stock fully extended. The PDW weighs 7.34 pounds empty! The PDW comes with a 10.5 inch barrel chambered in 5.56x45mm or 300 Blackout/Whisper. SAR was given a first look at the new LMT PDW. Our readers will be the first to look at and examine this exciting new development from Lewis Machine & Tool.

The lower receiver is offered in four different configurations. First is the standard Defender 2000 which is the standard semi-auto only mil-spec lower receiver. Next is the Guardian 2000 selective fire mil-spec lower receiver. Now it is available in the new MARS-LA which is the new fully ambidextrous selective fire lower receiver as well as the MARS-LS which is semi-automatic only. The rifle provided to SAR is the PDW with the MARS-LA lower receiver.

Starting with the upper receiver, the PDW uses an LM8CQB. The LMT MRP and LM8 series monolithic upper receivers are the only true monolithic upper receivers in the industry. Starting life with a solid 7075 T6 aluminum forging the upper receivers both have a continuous Mil-Std-1913 rail from the charging handle to the end of the upper receiver. The MRP has Mil-Std-1913 rails at 3, 6 and 9:00. The LM8 has removable rail segments which permit the user to only include rail where it is needed. This not only saves some weight but also width. There are rubberized grip pads that fit in the slots to provide a gripping surface for the hands. The upper receiver assembly has the forward assist, fired cartridge case deflector as well as ejection port dust cover. There are four quick-detach sockets for a sling adapter on the LM8CQB upper. The upper receiver is also equipped with LMT’s new folding back up sights. The front sight is the standard A2-type square front sight post. The rear sight is adjustable for windage as well as elevation out to 700 yards (also offered in metric). There is a “L” shaped aperture for short and long range. The windage drum is ambidextrous.

The charging handle is all new as well. LMT has introduced their ambidextrous charging handle. The Tactical latch is on both left and right side. There is also a gripping surface on the rear of the charging handle giving extra grip in harsh conditions.

The barrel in the test and evaluation rifle is the 10.5 inch CQB barrel for the MRP. This is the quick change barrel used in the MRP/LM8 weapons system. The front bolt is removed and rear loosened and the barrel assembly pulls straight out. The barrel assembly consists of the barrel, gas block, gas tube, barrel extension, crush washer and compensator. The barrel provided is the 5.56x45mm barrel with a 1 turn in 7 inch twist with 6 lands and grooves and a right hand twist. The barrel is chrome plated and test fired with a 70,000 PSI proof cartridge and then magnetic particle inspected to guard against stress fractures. Also offered is the 300 Blackout/Whisper barrel also. Same specification except 1 turn in 7 inch twist with 5 lands and grooves and a right hand twist. The faster spin is necessary to stabilize the 220 grain subsonic loads. Of course with the PDW using the LM8CQB upper, barrels can go from 10.5, 11.5, 14, 16 and 20 inches in length. The rifle can shoot 5.56x45mm, .204 Ruger, 300 Blackout/Whisper and 6.8mm Rem SPC.

The bolt carrier group is the first component we will discuss that makes the PDW different from anything else in the LMT line up. The receiver extension is significantly shorter than the standard receiver extension so this will require a much shorter buffer. There are some problems that arise with the shorter buffer. First is the action spring has to be altered also. Shorter buffer means shorter distance before the action spring will fully compress. The second issue is the shorter buffer will not have the space for the additional needed weight to cycle properly on fully automatic without bolt carrier bounce issues. So LMT figured out how to deal with all these issues. To deal with the recoil spring and shorter buffer, LMT switched to a flat recoil spring which allows more compression with less wire thickness and is stronger. So the combination of the new spring and shorter buffer took care of that issue. Now to deal with bolt carrier bounce. LMT designed a small insert that is inserted into the back of the carrier. This contains a large tungsten weight which absorbs the bolt carrier bounce like a standard H buffer would. This insert may go in any mil-spec bolt carrier without issue. It is held in the carrier by a rubber “O” ring. The PDW has been tested thoroughly on semi-automatic and fully automatic as well as suppressed with utter reliability. The cyclic rate of the PDW is 725 to 875 rounds per minute according to LMT.

As previously stated there are some options when getting a lower receiver. This rifle came with the brand new MARS-LA lower receiver introduced at the 2016 SHOT Show. This lower receiver is a natural product enhancement step but goes a little further for LMT. It has been accepted by the New Zealand Defense Force on their new general purpose rifles that are manufactured by LMT. The lower receiver has been reworked in several ways. Starting with the magazine well, it is flared and beveled to assist in low level to no light magazine insertion. The trigger guard has been made larger to accept heavy gloves in arctic environments. The rear of the receiver extension cap has a QD socket for a detachable sling swivel. The rifle has the LMT manufactured ambidextrous selector lever (safety lever). The ambidextrous magazine release is identical to their LM308MWS rifle. The button sits in front of the trigger on the left side of the rifle. The ambidextrous bolt catch sits right behind the magazine release on the right side and is easily reached by the right-handed shooter’s trigger finger. The ambidextrous bolt catch works very smoothly and is easy to use. The design of this lower is so that the shooter, whether right- or left-handed never has to release the firing hand from the pistol grip when reloading. The trigger in this lower is LMT’s proprietary selective fire 2-stage trigger mechanism. LMT makes these in-house with their newly acquired wire EDM machine. The trigger broke at 7 3/4 pounds on the T&E rifle. The pistol grip on this lower is the LMT Ergo grip which is the standard on all LMT rifles. This lower receiver is not a moment too soon, LMT now offers the most advanced upper receiver in the industry with the most advanced lower in the industry.

The receiver extension is part of the PDW system. Even being significantly shorter (2.75 inches) the receiver extension still has six positions as well as a drain hole. When the stock is fully extended it extends a total of three inches. The stock itself is a modified version of the famous LMT SOPMOD stock. The stock has been cut down and has eliminated the battery tubes. There is no rubber end plate to cut down on the overall length. The stock has two sockets, 1 on each side for a detachable sling swivel.

Not only does LMT offer this stock assembly on a complete rifle, they will be offering the subcompact PDW stock as an upgrade kit to mount on any lower receiver. Unlike the other sub-compact stocks on the market, there is no proprietary bolt carrier group. You just drop the weight pack in the back of your existing bolt carrier group. No special tools are needed for assembly. Just use a standard receiver extension nut wrench. LMT cut down on proprietary parts as much as possible. The same barrel extension plate and nut are used. The conversion kit will consist of the receiver extension, stock, buffer, action spring and carrier weight pack. The kit has an MSRP of $420.

LMT conceived the PDW to be ideal for VIP protection as well as military and law enforcement agencies in need of a smaller profile and increased maneuverability but with the accuracy and reliability of the AR-design. With a suppressor, the 300 Blackout/Whisper cartridge would rival any 9mm SMG on the market. The design was executed with a major emphasis on standard components with a combat system LMT has sold in over 35 countries.

The only product tested with the PDW was an Aimpoint Mod T-1 2MOA red dot scope. This is a miniature and lightweight optic ideally suited for such a small rifle. The site offers 1x magnification and the operating principal is a Reflex Collimator sight with an LED. The peak wavelength is 650± 10nm. The sight is night vision compatible and has a clear aperture of 20mm. The sight is powered by a CR123 battery with 5 years; 50,000 hrs of continuous use on position 8. The length of the sight is 2 7/16 inches in length with a diameter of 1 9/16 inches. The weight is just 3 ounces. The sight housing is manufactured from high strength aluminum and is anodized black. The LMT back up sights co-witness through the optic without issue.

The rifle was tested with a number of magazines to check for the compatibility with the new magazine well. The PDW was tested with Magpul Gen 3, Lancer AWM, Surefire 60 round, X-Products 50 round, Ultimag, Hera Arms, GI aluminum, Bulgarian IK-510, Hexmag and Elite Tactical systems. All magazines were loaded with the Mitusa USA Magazine Pump loader. When loading multiple magazines, it can get hard on the fingers. The magazine pump makes loading simple and easy. This author has been testing this loader for better than a year and loaded well over 10,000 rounds.

The LMT PDS was tested with several types of ammunition to ensure the short gas system with new buffer, action spring, bolt carrier weight and receiver extension worked properly. Ammunition was provided by Black Hills Ammunition, ZQI and HSM (Hunting Shack Ammunition). The Black Hills ammunition was 100 rounds of their .223 Rem 55gr FMJ new production ammunition as well as 50 rounds of their 5.56mm 77gr OTM (Mk262 Mod1). The 77gr is perhaps the most accurate factory loaded ammunition in the industry and most sought after load in SOCOM. The ZQI ammunition is manufactured by MKE in Turkey. It is 5.56x45mm NATO (62gr FMJ with penetrator core). This ammunition is quite popular and is competitively priced. There were a total of 100 rounds fired. The HSM ammunition is manufactured in Montana and they are known for high quality ammunition. They offer a large selection of loads in numerous calibers. This is new ammunition loaded to 5.56x45mm NATO specifications with the 62gr FMJ with steel penetrator core. The ammunition was loaded in Winchester primed military brass.

The PDW was tested on a 25 and 50 yard range. This is the basic close quarter battle distance. Anytime you have a short barrel you will get a large muzzle blast, the PDW was no exception. However it was not overpowering. The small size really made this weapon maneuverable. Much more so than a 14.5 inch rifle. For anyone mounted in a vehicle, this would be heaven sent. Many manufactures have gone with shorter barrels. LMT decided against this. The 10.5 is the shortest barrel you would want to go without sacrificing excessive terminal performance/penetration as well as reliability. Shorter barrels require shorter gas systems. This is hard on the components of the rifle due to higher cyclic rate and port pressures. LMT is very familiar with this issue due to Karl Lewis being the designer of the SOCCOM Mk18 10.5 inch barrel. Much research and development went into getting this reliable in all conditions.

During test firing, there were no malfunctions of any kind with either ammunition or magazines. LMT does not release a product until it has been thoroughly tested. The PDW functions as advertised and fits the roles for which it was designed. Now whether you are military or law enforcement, you have a new option for a super compact M4-type rifle. For commercial customers, they can get the exact same weapon in a semi-auto only configuration with either the standard Defender 2000 or MARS-LS lower receiver. Providing they get the proper NFA paperwork and tax stamp they can have the 10.5 inch barrel. Also, any of the mentioned customers can purchase the conversion kit and retrofit their existing rifle with the stock kit. It will function with any barrel length and most any bolt carrier variation as long as it is manufactured to mil-specifications. LMT continues to be on the leading edge of AR product development and we always look forward to seeing what Karl Lewis will come up with next.

The compact Soviet AKS74U is one of the more fascinating and successful developments of the Kalashnikov platform. Conceived for one usage, but actually deployed in another, the AKSU spawned an entire genre of short barreled Kalashnikovs, currently in use all over the world, and especially popular in the United States under the name “Krink” or “Krinkov”. This essay will example the history of the compact assault rifle, actual use in combat, etymology of the moniker, and current interest in the historical reproduction of the platform in the United States.

Conception and Experimentation

This story begins with a submachine gun design that was designated the AO-46, and prototyped in the 1960s. Small arms designer Peter Tkachev headed the project. It featured an over folding stock, curved magazine that served as a pistol grip, and was chambered in the round that was to become the basis for the 5.45x39mm 7N6 service cartridge, the commercial 5.6mm. This design was innovative, but there wasn’t any practical purpose or competition that suited it. However it did prove the usefulness of a compact weapon system chambered in an intermediate cartridge.

Running concurrent with the design and adoption of the new 5.45x39mm 7N6 round, the attempt to create a compact assault rifle was introduced under Project “Modern”. The stipulations for the competition called for a compact assault rifle, that with the stock folded, would not fit outside the profile of the soldier carrying it (no longer than a shoulder width or ruck sack). It was envisioned as a short rifle for infantry roles that required a defensive weapon while carrying their main weapon system, i.e, RPG gunners, machine gunners, and mortarmen. Additionally it would ideally become the rifle of choice for the Spetsnaz.

The competition began in 1973, and there was little doubt that the Kalashnikov lead design bureau would take the lead, as the new Soviet service rifle, the AK74 was being adopted, and it would make sense for the new compact rifle to have interchangeability and familiarity advantages with the rifle that the rest of the military was using. Nevertheless, prominent Soviet small arms designers submitted a number of designs to the competition. In 1976, Kalashnikov’s design was chosen as a final prototype, going on troop trials in Azerbaijan, and finally being adopted in 1979 as the, “5,45-????????? ? ???????? ????? 74”, or abbreviated, “???-74?”.

As adopted, the design remained relatively the same albeit a few changes. Initial production was at Izhevsk, but once full production became underway, the tooling was moved to the Tula Arms Factory, as Izhevsk was at full capacity producing AK74s, and AKS74s. Very few of these Izhevsk AKSUs have survived until today. In 1982 the design of the muzzle brake threads was changed, as experience in Afghanistan revealed the previous design did not lend itself well to high rates of fire. In late 1985/early 1986, the design of the handguards was changed from the two slots cut for better ventilation, to more straightforward handguards with no slots. This design change makes identification of the AKSU in photographs especially helpful. Production continued until around 1992/1993 when production of working variants stopped. From 1993 to around 1997 and according to some sources the 2000s, we see production of a line of demilitarized AKSUs for the European civilian market.

Combat Use in Afghanistan

The interesting twist in the AKSU tale is that the rifle was actually not really used at all in the spirit that it was adopted in. Despite a number of prototypes and variants of the AKSU specifically for the Spetsnaz, to include enormous NSPU night sights that were the length of the rifle, suppressed under barrel 30mm grenade launchers, screw on PBS suppressors for the actual 5.45x39mm barrel, 20 round magazines, the Spetsnaz special forces actually wanted nothing to do with the rifle. This was due to the combat they were facing in Afghanistan where engagement distances tended to be 300 meters and beyond. At 100 meters, the AKSU would fair decently, but beyond that, it became much harder for an accomplished shooter to hit a man-sized target. In addition to this, the rifle would heat up much faster than a standard issue AK74. Thus, the Spetsnaz ditched the rifle in favor of the standard issue rifles, which were much more adequate for the engagements that they found themselves in. The Soviet troops that were actually issued the AKSU turned out to be vehicle crewmen, the Hind pilots, and the BMP drivers. The reason for this is that these men needed a compact rifle that wouldn’t hinder their duties inside the confined space of a vehicle, but yet needed an enormous amount of firepower if their vehicle were downed, and they had to defend it against Mujahedeen fighters attacking them from all sides. Thus, in many pictures from the era, we see AKSUs with 45 round RPK74 magazines attached to them, or 30 round magazines taped together for ease of reloading. These troops didn’t have to worry about the additional weight as they weren’t on foot patrols, but instead stayed in their vehicles on operations. The Hind pilots even had special polymer scabbards that they carried the AKSUs in, on their thighs.

Variants and Design Changes

Apart from the previously mentioned Spetsnaz configured variants, there were a number of different configurations that the AKSU saw itself in over its service life. One of the more popular ones is the suitcase configuration that the KGB used it in. This consisted of removing the muzzle device, and fashioning a sort of extended carrying handle onto the receiver cover. Once placed inside a suitcase, the KGB operator could depress the carrying handle, which would detach the case away from the gun, and with a 30 round magazine inserted, the operator would be ready to utilize the AKSU. There was also a simpler grenade launching mechanism that attached to the muzzle device, and fired a standard issue Soviet hand grenade from a blank round. These were more experimental and were not pressed into service very much.

With the collapse of the Soviet Union, production of the AKSU slowed down until 1993 when production stopped altogether. In fact, as a sort of business enterprise, in around 1992 AKSUs were being produced in deactivated forms for the European deactivated weapons market. However, this wasn’t the end of the rifle as Bulgaria was able to get ahold of the technical data package and has been producing the rifle since the early 1990s. The data package was based on the most current design, the post 1986 rifle without the heat vent holes in the hand guards. Thus, all the AKSU copies coming out of Bulgaria are without the vent holes, which in addition to the “Circle 10” stamp, makes identification of these clones relatively simple. Outside of Bulgaria a number of countries began making their own short barreled AKs, some of the most significant manufacturing taking place in the region of Peshawar in western Pakistan. These models sometimes very closely resemble the AKSU but might be built on AK74 or even AKM receivers, in addition to numerous other minute differences.

“Krinkov”

Perhaps the most enduring legacy of the rifle is in the nick name for it, the “Krinkov”. A name that has come to be the moniker for any short barreled Kalashnikov platform rifle or pistol in the United States today. The entomology of the name has a complicated history but the most important part is that it isn’t Russian at all. Soviet soldiers never used this name, but instead used the word, “Suchka” which translates to “Little Bitch”. In fact, the word “Krinkov” isn’t Russian at all, and really doesn’t even exist in the Russian language or dictionary.

Instead, the name originates from the Mujahedeen side of the Soviet-Afghan War and is a Pashtu word. In the 1980s and even unto today, the short rifle was and is seen as a status symbol among the mostly Pashtun tribes of eastern Afghanistan and western Pakistan. This was due to the fact that only Soviet vehicle crew members carried them. Capturing a Soviet AK74 was certainly a good find, but being able to capture a weapon that only the most brutal and vicious of Soviet tactics utilized against the Mujahedeen was a mark of a brave warrior. During the war, the Soviets used their Hind helicopters to devastating effect on the Muj fighters, and it was rightly feared by them. So the ability to be in possession of an AKSU was tangible proof that a Muj fighter would have been able to shoot down one of these Hinds, or at least be in the company of the group that shot it down.

We have accounts from the first published Western article about the weapon, the July 1984 edition of “Soldier of Fortune.” In it, David Isby, an SoF writer, investigates the mysterious “Krinkov” in Pakistan. While he is there, he learns that the rifle is selling for the amount of 10,000 dollars, or equivalent to the sale of 4 Soviet .51 caliber Dushka heavy machine guns. This status symbol was even used by Osama bin Laden when he was recording videos in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Local Pashtuns wouldn’t understand his take on Islamic fundamentalism versus the Western powers, but they would absolutely understand the AKSU fitted with a 45 round magazine always present either on him, or in the background of his video speeches.

But because of this status symbol, Isby reports that he heard several names for it, “Krinkov”, “Shrinkov”, and “Sheskov” (Isby heard about the rifle through Ian Hogg, while he heard about it through Peter Jouvenal, a news cameraman in Afghanistan at the time, whom deserves the credit for bringing the word to the U.S.). “Sheskov” hasn’t been used since that time frame, but the word “Krinkov” is currently used in modern day Afghanistan and Pakistan to refer to the AKSU. In addition, another word, “Kalakov” is also used, but this is used to refer to AK74s, especially the AK century series of rifles, some of which have made their way into the gun markets of Dharra in Peshawar, Pakistan.

Going back to the entomology of the word “Krinkov”, among Pashtuns then and today, it was and is a popular tendency to add an “ov” to any word, to Russianize it. Inferring that a product is Russian, a “tractor-ov”, a “truck-ov” means that the product is probably of superior quality compared to a similar Chinese or maybe Pakistani product. However, we have this “Kri” in the name that has nothing to do with “Kala” from Kalashnikov. An explanation for this is that there is a certain Pashtun sub tribe in eastern Afghanistan that instead of saying “Kalashnikov” as most Pashtuns do when referring to an AK platform, they instead say, “Krishnikov”. And this is possibly the closet we will come to finding out the exact origins of the word “Krinkov”, by combing the first part of this tribes name for it, and the popular “-ov” that is added to words, to Russianize them. The “Shrinkov” and “Sheskov” that Isby heard referred to it as well, have faded away in the usage of the language, leading to “Krinkov” becoming the dominant term for the weapon in modern day Afghanistan and Pakistan.

But how did any of this immigrate to the United States? The 1984 “Soldier of Fortune” article certainly produced some communal buzz about the topic, but the AK platform was not nearly as popular then as it started to be in the 1990s, and where it certainly is in today’s firearms community. The name was probably reinforced by intelligence officers and people who knew about the platform, and were keeping current with what it was referred to in Pakistan, in which “Krinkov” became the dominant moniker for the AKSU. The famous senator Charlie Wilson of “Charlie Wilson’s War” fame even received one as a gift from the Mujahideen that he was aiding through the CIA’s Operation Cyclone. Again, we see this as a status symbol. However, the name didn’t gain popular traction among the American firearms community until a store opened up in Naples, Florida by a certain Paul Mahoney, who named his store “Krinks” specifically because he specialized in converting and building short barreled AK rifles, and AK pistols for the firearms market. His builds weren’t anything like the quality that we see today from many modern day AK companies in the United States, but for the early 1990s they were some of the only kind of their type.

Thus, through Paul Mahoney, the word entered into the American firearms community lexicon. “Krinkov” or “Krink” has come to mean any AK platform, of any rifle caliber, with a hinged receiver cover, in an SBR rifle or legal pistol configuration. “Draco” is similarly used but refers more to those AK platforms that do not have a hinged receiver cover, and instead have a traditional AKM rear sight base, with the tilting lever keeping the gas tube installed. The AKSU doesn’t have this design feature because it uses a pin that the receiver cover keeps compressed to keep the gas tube in place. Opening the receiver cover on an AKSU allows the user to disassemble the gas tube.

Modern Day Builds in the United States

Despite their complexity to build, a number of collectors in the United States, to include the author have managed to build reproduction AKSU rifles, albeit without the full capabilities of their original select fire option. Building one requires a Russian AKSU parts kit. These are somewhat mislabeled as being from the Tula arsenal, which is misleading because every single AKSU in service in the 1980s came from the Tula production plant in Russia. The prices for these de-milled kits have gone up very high since their importation. They used to be imported with original Russian 8.5 inch barrels, and sold for a few hundred dollars. However today, one would be lucky to even find a Tula parts kit without a barrel, below the thousand dollar mark. Many of these parts kits seem to have come from the later years of the war, 1986 onwards, but there are decent amounts that come from the early war years, the pre 1986 designs with the heat vent holes in the hand guards.

The largest problem for collectors is finding an 8.5 inch barrel to match their parts kits. Original Russian barrels are extremely rare to come by in the current market so that leaves collectors with one of two options. The first is to find a Bulgarian 8.5 inch barrel, which is perfectly fine for a reproduction parts kit because the Bulgarian designs come directly from the technical data package of the post 1986 AKSUs. However, these are also drying up, and in their place comes a name called Blue Jack.

Blue Jack is an online username used by an individual in New York, who contracted with a barrel making company in Montana in around 2008 to 2010. The problem with making a proper AKSU 5.45x39mm barrel is that the twist rate needs to be correct, or else the bullets will tumble in flight. Many early AKSU builders found this out the hard way by simply substituting a virgin AK74 barrel and cutting it down to length. Not only does the gas port have to be re-drilled but the barrel itself is of a far slower twist rate because it has a longer barrel to work with in the full length AK74 design.

Thus, the company in Montana built functioning AKSU barrels to the correct dimensions, and the individual “Blue Jack” paid upfront for them, and marketed them over internet forum sites and selling sites thereafter, under his moniker Blue Jack (which he based in West Virginia). They initially sold for one to two hundred dollars, but this price soon rose as demand increased and their reputation became spectacular for actually working in AKSU builds. He then made them better by batches and assigned a number to them, as in Blue Jack Version 2, then Version 3, and so on. All of a sudden, this Blue Jack stopped having them made, and nowadays there isn’t a company on the market that produces 5.45x39mm 8.5 inch barrels for the AKSU. Blue Jack’s virgin barrels are now upwards of five hundred dollars.

Solving the parts kit situation, and the barrel conundrum, a collector still needs an American made fire control group, and a receiver in order to be 9.22r compliant. Most any AK trigger group works in an AKSU parts kit, be it a Tapco G2 or an ALG aftermarket trigger. Receivers are not hard to come by either, with Nodak Spud being an especially good manufacturer of stamped AK74 receivers. The important point here is to make sure the stock latch is included, and the rear trunnion is for a rifle build and not a pistol build as these two are very different versions. Many of these AK manufacturers also engrave their serial number and information on the bottom side of the rifle, just ahead of the magazine well. This is useful because it would otherwise detract from the historical quality of the AKSU when viewed from the sides. Important to note about the receiver is that this is the actual firearm and serial number, and thus requires an FFL to ship to.

Once all the parts are accounted for, and the proper ATF paperwork is completed, finding a builder is the crowning task. Going with a high quality builder is absolutely essential as there are a number of steps in the process that an inexperienced AK builder can make mistakes on, from riveting the trunnion in place, to pressing the barrel in place as well. But once the project is completed, collectors will have a firearm that almost completely resembles the rifle it was in the 1980s.

The Soviet AKS74U might not have changed the battlefield, or revolutionized small arms design, but it has a fascinating history that is very unique to it, from its inception, experimentation, actual use, and the convoluted history of its popular name, “Krinkov”. Indeed, it is an artifact of history from the Soviets, the Afghan Pashtuns, and today the American firearms community.