December, 1999. End of the Century, end of the millennium. Perhaps there are those that will argue this whole thing is off a year or two due to calendar differences, etc., but the whole “Y2K” computer thing sort of throws this into perspective. January 1, 2000, is the date we will all consider to be the “Big one”, perhaps until January 2nd. At SAR, we are preparing in a big manner. Woodpiles are split, MRE’s are under everyone’s desk, our special black helicopter identifying binoculars on the windowsill. Lots of ammo is stowed, and I personally have been hoarding the rare parts sets “Just in case”. I see myself needing a 1910 Russian Maxim in the worst way. And some more night vision stuff, and some more DSHK ammo, and some more 308 Galil magazines… Oooh yeah, I need another barrel for my ZK383…

Just kidding. I sound like I’m making a Christmas wish list. We are watching out for this, as best we can. We are hoping to have the January SAR out well before December 31, and on the way to your hands. We also have been going through computers to make sure we won’t have Y2K problems. Hopefully that will be the extent of our problems to solve.

Y2K is probably the least of our problems as gun owners. On the heels of this crisis, or non-crisis, depending on your point of view, is a very real spectre. There are oily black clouds spewing out from the foundries in the land of Mordor, and they are headed this way. You got it, I am talking about the growing encroachment of the anti- Second Amendment fanatics into the Free Zones. Reports are coming in from almost all of the States about a massive build up of these fanatics. Disguised as caring, nurturing people, they are part of a well coordinated assault on the Second Amendment.

If I had a Christmas message other than one that was delivered about 2000 years ago, it would be about the message that was delivered about 200 years ago. That one came from blood and suffering, and hard earned lessons, and left us with a legacy of freedom. That is, if we can keep it.

The infighting in our groups is incredible, and very counter-productive. We need a united front. I back the NRA, all the way. I back the GOA, all the way. I back the JFPO, all the way. There are others as well. I don’t care about infighting, keep it in the closet. This election year coming up could be the most important one that this country has ever faced.

November of 2000 is going to be too late to start caring. If you value your freedoms, then start now. I am not going to try to dictate “Who” or “Which party” someone should be in. I am a big hairy cheerleader for the voting process, which starts NOW. Not on the day you cast a ballot, but NOW. If we value our freedoms, then we must fight for them. Many of us involved with SAR may have served in the military. I hate to say it, but that was then, and it might not have been enough sacrifice given today’s “Give away the freedom” climate. We all need to get active, today. Call the different gun groups. Call your congressmen. Go to the formative rallies. And GET THE VOTE OUT!

– Dan

Dear SAR,

I just had to pass this information on to you. I am stationed with the U. S. Army in Germany, and have been for many years. I just got a letter from the Provost Marshal, indicating that the German government is withdrawing the permits that U.S. service men and women had for their firearms. This places U. S. military personnel in the position of breaking German law if they continue to own any of the firearms that have been rescinded. My firearms are kept on post, but they will still be illegal, and the units are requiring us to turn them in for safekeeping. I am disgusted by this. (This letter was sent with attached letter from the Provost Marshal requiring the turn in of the firearms, and some news reports on the issue.)

Name with held on request

I am flabbergasted as usual by the U. S. Military stance on personal firearms. The freedom of our military personnel on their posts should echo the freedom that they have within our borders here. I fear that political correctness is eroding away at our military’s backbone, and this is just one more case. Lest anyone think I don’t understand the freedom that is surrendered when you enter the military, I was Regular Army way back when, and I know that Uncle Sam owns you. HOWEVER, firearms ownership is as American as Apple Pie, and traditionally the military has encouraged marksmanship and firearms ownership in its regular forces. In the last ten years or so, firearms have been becoming a bugaboo, and disturbing situations like (Name withheld’s) are getting more common.

Why would a young man who has the warrior’s spirit go into today’s military? I am not getting caught up in the gender battle here- simply pointing out one of the major impediments to modern recruiting. If you want to be part of a fighting force, to enjoy the esprit de corps, be part of something bigger than yourself, then you by nature are involved in firearms use. Because some country that we have posts in has strict regulations regarding firearms ownership, does not mean that our military personnel on our base should be restricted.

Guidelines For NFA Transfers In Decedents’ Estates

Since licensed dealers are often involved in assisting executors in disposing of National Firearms Act (NFA) firearms (i.e. machine guns and destructive devices), the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms (ATF) has issued guidelines to help dealers in these situations.

While the registration information ATF maintains on such firearms is classified as tax data and thus severely restricted on who it may be released to, the agency can provide such information to the executor of an estate. So, if there is any question regarding the registration status of the firearms in the estate for which a dealer is assisting the executor, the executor can contact ATF directly for the information.

If there are unregistered NFA firearms in the estate, such firearms are considered contraband and cannot be registered by the estate. The executor should contact the local ATF office to arrange for abandonment of the unregistered firearms.

For registered NFA firearms in the estate, the executor should take action as soon as possible to arrange for the proper re-registration of the firearms. Possession of an NFA firearm not registered to the possessor is a violation of federal law and the firearm is subject to seizure and forfeiture. ATF allows the executor a “reasonable time” to arrange for the transfer of the registered firearms in a decedent’s estate. This generally should be done before probate is closed.

It is the responsibility of the executor of the estate to maintain custody and control of the firearms and to transfer the firearms registered to the decedent. The firearms may not be provided to another party, such as a licensed dealer for consignment sale. Such an action would constitute a “transfer” under federal law, requiring the filing of federal paperwork and the payment of a transfer tax. The dealer may, however, assist the executor by identifying purchasers and acting as a broker.

The firearms may be transferred on a tax-exempt basis to any beneficiary (heir) of the estate. To do this, the executor would apply on ATF Form 5, Application for Tax- Exempt Transfer and Registration of a Firearm, for a tax-exempt transfer to a lawful heir. A beneficiary for this purpose is anyone named in the decedent’s will or, in the absence of a will, anyone entitled to inherit under the laws of the state in which the decedent last resided.

NFA firearms may be transferred directly interstate to a beneficiary of the estate. When a firearm is being transferred to an individual heir, his or her fingerprints on FBI Forms FD-258 must accompany the transfer application. However, if any federal, state or local law prohibits the heir from receiving or possessing the firearm, ATF will not approve the application.

ATF Form 4 is used to apply for the tax paid transfer of a serviceable NFA firearm to a person outside the estate (not a beneficiary). ATF Form 5 (mentioned above) is also used to apply for the tax-exempt transfer of an unserviceable NFA firearm to a person outside the estate. As noted previously, all requirements, such as fingerprint cards for transfers to individuals and compliance with state or local law, must be met before an application can be approved.

If an NFA firearm in the estate was imported for use as a “sales sample,” this restriction on the firearm’s possession remains. The NFA firearm may only be transferred to a federal firearms licensee who has paid the special (occupational) tax to deal in NFA firearms, or to a government agency.

For more information, contact: Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms, National Firearms Act Branch, 650 Massachusetts Ave., NW, Washington, DC 20226. Telephone: (202) 927-8330.

Shotgun Registration Holdouts

Apparently there are still owners of revolver cylinder and one type of semi-auto shotgun that are not aware these firearms must be federally registered. ATF Rulings 94-1 and 94-2 classified three shotguns as destructive devices pursuant to 26 USC, Chapter 53, the National Firearms Act (NFA), on March 1, 1994. These shotguns are the USAS-12, Striker-12, and the Streetsweeper.

The NFA requires registration of certain types of firearms, such as machine guns, sawed-off rifles and shotguns, and destructive devices. The NFA defines destructive devices to include shotguns with a bore of more than one-half inch in diameter which are not generally recognized as particularly suitable for or readily adaptable to sporting purposes. ATF has determined these shotguns fall within this definition.

Classifying these guns as destructive devices under the NFA requires the current possessor to file an ATF Form 1, fingerprint cards, and a current photograph to effect the registration of the firearm. It is not necessary to complete the law enforcement certification on the reverse side of the form. The initial registration is tax-exempt. Any subsequent transfer must be approved in advance and would result in transfer tax liability of $200.

The possessor must register the gun as soon as possible after learning of the registration requirement, e.g., within thirty days. Firearms not registered within the allowable time frame are subject to seizure and forfeiture, and the possessor is subject to a criminal fine of up to $250,000 or up to 10 years in prison, or both. Any questions regarding these shotguns should be directed to ATF’s NFA branch at the telephone number and address provided above.

Company News

The hottest set-up for carry handle AR-15/M-16s is SSK Industries’ T’ SOB red dot sight. The product mounts between the iron sights and can be used over the peep sight. The iron sights can still be used by sighting through the sight tube while the dot sight is turned off. When sighted in one to two inches above the top of the 4-minute dot at 100 yards, the bullet strikes at the bottom of the dot at 300-400 yards. To install, the carry handle must be cut by a qualified machinist.

Sierra has unveiled a new 77-grain MatchKing bullet. Over the last five years, AR-15/M16A2 rifles have come to dominate the service rifle category of HighPower rifle competition. In response to requests for a magazine length bullet of higher ballistic coefficient for this type of shooting, Sierra offers this latest Matchking manufactured with a small meplat, elongated boattail and an ogive compatible with the magazine feed requirements. With a ballistic coefficient of .372, the new bullet is designed to give long-range, wind-bucking ability for the 300 yard line, and even for the longer range Infantry Trophy match. A 1×7 inch or 1×8 inch twist is required in the rifle used with this bullet.

ArmaLite Inc.’s July production levels of AR-15 type rifles were substantially below planned levels due to continued late vendor deliveries. With supplies of parts tight throughout the industry, ArmaLite’s supplies on hand at the beginning of August were substantially above July’s levels and a stronger shipping record was anticipated. The armsmaker reports it has reviewed vendor capacities and has reduced its 1999 production plan until new suppliers can be added during the fourth quarter of the year.

With orders continuing to pour into the factory, April, 2000 delivery dates are currently being quoted for new orders. Capacity is being added to production lines but prices for some key components have risen and the production capacity increases are resulting in the incurring of expenses that must be covered by the end of the first quarter of the year 2000. Increased gun prices are a likely result of the supplier and production problems.

Michaels of Oregon, the world’s largest manufacturer of nylon holsters, has
introduced Duty Suspenders, designed for both uniformed officers and special units. The black nylon web suspenders join the extensive selection of SIDEKICK PROFESSIONAL duty gear currently offered for law enforcement and security officers.

The 1-1/4 inch wide straps transfer the weight of a duty rig from the hips to the shoulders for greater long-term comfort and, in tactical situations, for greater load-bearing capabilities. An innovative breakaway snap design helps defeat attempts at snatching or grabbing, while the fully adjustable front and rear hardware, coupled with a unique cross piece in the back allow the user to tailor the suspenders to fit any situation.

Other News

In the not too distant future, it may be possible for law enforcement officers to ride down the street in a vehicle equipped with a device able to detect firearms and explosives within buildings in three-dimensional real-time video.

Sound far fetched? InVision Technologies, Inc. of Newark, California has announced its wholly-owned subsidiary, Quantum Magnetics, has received three research grants totaling $1.05 million to develop a new passive magnetic sensor technology capable of detecting the presence of metallic objects, locating their positions in three dimensions, and tracking their movements in real time.

Under these contracts, Quantum will develop prototype systems to detect and track concealed weapons, locate underground structures such as bunkers and hidden arms emplacements, and to detect buried mines and unexploded ordnance. Future commercial applications of the sensors and software may include passive detection of guns in public places such as banks, airports and train stations.

An Arlington, Virginia gun owner has successfully challenged a local police chief’s policy requiring a home inspection for county residents who want to obtain a permit to own fully-automatic firearms. Chief Edward Flynn instituted the home inspection policy to ensure county residents who apply for the transfer of Class 3 firearms have a safe and secure place to keep their arms.

Jim Kadison, a member of the Virginia Citizens Defense League, a state gun rights group, intentionally challenged the policy by purchasing a submachine gun and refusing to allow Arlington police to inspect his home as required by Flynn. Kadison asserted Flynn had no statutory authority to enact the policy. Kadison wrote of his concerns to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms and reportedly got the purchase approved without Flynn’s signature. “The very idea that this was an excuse to enter a home without a warrant infuriated me,” Kadison was quoted in the local press as saying.

Polish authorities have exposed a smuggling operation responsible for illegally shipping nearly US $6 million worth of light weapons and ammunition, some to countries under United Nations arms embargoes. Five former and current directors of two Warsaw- based arms export companies were arrested in connection with the case and sources say the case is only the tip of the iceberg.

The case raises questions about the ties between the accused companies and Polish officials. Cenzin, a state-run arms trading company, owns 80 percent of Cenrex, a major arms exporter and the largest of the Polish companies involved in the illegal deals. Steo, the other company implicated in the scandal, belongs to a private owner. A Polish newspaper reported Steo has links to Polish intelligence.

The illegal activities are reported as growing out of legal transfers of surplus Polish stocks to Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia in the early 1990s. Some arms intended for the newly independent Baltic states were diverted by middlemen and never reached their intended destinations. In Poland, Cenrex and Steo filed the appropriate paperwork and secured official approval to transfer the weapons to a Latvian company. While an official in the Latvian Ministry of Defense confirmed receipt of the shipments, the arm never in fact reached Latvia. Instead, while at sea, the arms were off-loaded to other vessels and transported to Somalia and Croatia, both subject to UN arms embargoes at the time, while others were shipped to the Sudan.

From 1992 to 1994, Cenrex allegedly exported 1,000 AK-47 rifles, 14,000 TT handguns, 160 grenade launchers, 100 Taurus revolvers, and millions of rounds of ammunition. During 1995 and 1996, the Steo company allegedly smuggled 2,000 rifles, 10,000 TT handguns, and one million rounds of ammunition through Latvia into Estonia. From there, the arms were reportedly sold on the black market to mafia-type groups. Some of the handguns have since been recovered in Russia, Germany, Poland and Japan.

Authorities were first alerted to the trafficking in May 1996, when two men who claimed to be transporting food were stopped at a border crossing between Estonia and Latvia. They were arrested after border officials discovered their Volvo van in fact contained 1,600 handguns.

Mortars are indirect fire area weapons. They are to be used in defilade fire against targets (by employing defilade fire, the chance of the enemy targets engaging the mortar emplacement with direct fire weapons is greatly reduced). Most mortar missions’ (or fire missions) are the result of either a forward observer spotting targets of opportunity and reporting the location to the mortar team or the mortar team itself spotting a target for a fire mission. If a forward observer is the one that spotted the target, the observer is responsible for adjusting fire on the target area.

The Model 1940 mortar is a pretty simple straight forward conventional design. It has a barrel, baseplate, bipod legs, and a simple sight system. The barrel was a smooth bore design and is 21.0 inches in length. The barrel cap in the base contains a fixed fire pin. There is no trip or trigger mechanism for firing the mortar shells, it is strictly a muzzle loaded dropped fire system. The bipods are made out of pressed steel and can be easily folded together then back against the tube for transport. The legs can be secured in the open position by a small metal ring or it can be pushed over the lip of the legs when in the open position. The bipod legs also have traverse and elevation gears which control the angle of the barrel during firing. The elevation gear allows the elevation to be set between 45 and 75 degrees. The traverse can be adjusted to 9 at 45 degrees and 16 at 75 degrees. Between the bipod legs and the barrel is a very unique device, a recoil buffer assembly. The recoil buffer system was used for taming the recoil of the mortar when being fired. This feature was discontinued in the Model 1941. To be honest for a weapon firing this small and light of a shell, there really is no use for this feature.

There are six vent holes at the base of the mortar tube. The range of the round being fires can be adjusted by simply opening or closing the vents at the bottom of the tube. To help the firer, there is a range a scale located on the base of the tube. Rotating the bakelite band to the right closing the vents for maximum range. Rotating the band to left opens the vents, decreasing the range. The minimum range of the Soviet M40 was 50 meters and the maximum was 800 meters. Rate of fire is listed in texts at thirty rounds per minute (the rate of fire is the maximum number of rounds per one minute of firing, the sustained rate of fire is 5 rounds per minute) personally I have never fired that many rounds out of my Soviet M40. The most I have ever fired in one minute was eight rounds. The mortar’s overall finish is a flat painted green.

The most common round available for the M1940 today is the standard High Explosive round (inert). The round weighs roughly 1.5 pounds and is in the standard configuration of most mortar rounds; tear shape. The shell is 8.25 inches in length. There are three sets of tail fin sections (each section contains two fins, for a total of six fins). The sections have been welded directly to the body of the mortar round.

Around the tail assembly are a total of ten exhaust holes, roughly 0.166 in size. The holes allow gas from the propellant to escape, launching the round from the barrel. The fuze assembly located in the top section of the round is a non-mechanical type (non-mechanical means there is no delay mechanism for the fuze) so the round was impact detonated.

The fuze assembly can be screwed from the body by rotating the assembly counter-clock wise. All the rounds in my collection and the ones I have seen in museums and at collector shows all have a bakelite ring that the fuze mechanism screws into. Then the bakelite ring screws directly into the body of the projectile. The price of rounds runs between twenty-five to a hundred dollars at this point in time. The price is based more on these rounds being antiques and collectibles of World War II, than on practice rounds for shooting purposes.

The Soviet M1940 mortar was used throughout the opening days of the war, consequently large numbers were captured by the German Forces. Germany soon started using Soviet M40’s in place of and with their own 50mm mortar the Granatwerfer 36. The Granatwerfer 36 was a short, very well built light mortar. However, the effective range of the Granatwerfer 36 was 500 meters maximum. Around 300 meters less effective range to the Soviet M40, this shortage in range in comparison to the Soviet model led to the use of the Soviet mortar when ammunition was in significant numbers. In 1941, the Soviet M40 was redesigned into the Model 1941. The Model 1941 was basically a Model 1940, but with the following changes: the baseplate was hinged to the barrel, and the recoil buffer mechanism located between the barrel and bipod was dispensed with. In the early parts of the war, a normal infantry division had roughly 84 50mm mortars. This would change as the war progressed, in the final years of the war the 50mm mortar was obsolete and almost completely replaced in the field with the larger M 41/43 82mm Mortar. The Soviet M41/43 in 82mm could fire a much larger shell (HE 7.4 pounds) at longer distances (3100 meters).

The Soviet M1940 mortar is considered a destructive device. This entails having to undergo the same process of buying any other National Firearm Act firearm, two sets of fingerprint cards, either a Form 4 or Form 1 ( a Form 1 if your activating a Dewat See details on Form 1 in SAR Vol. 1 No. 10 ), law enforcement signature, two passport photos, and of course the two hundred dollar transfer tax. The main problem with acquiring destructive devices is that if you order a destructive device from a dealer out of state, you must have a destructive device dealer in your state to transfer it to. This sounds easy enough, but the reality is there are not that many dealers out there that have a destructive device license. The reason is there are not too many people interested in buying destructive devices to make it lucrative for the dealer to pay the fee and acquire the license. If you have a Federal Firearms license you can do the paper work done up front (like a normal Form 4) and have the device shipped directly to you. If one has the Curio & Relics license, you can have devices listed as Curio & Relics on the register shipped directly to you as well on a tax paid Form 4.

As collectors and shooters of automatic weapons know, keeping and maintaining these machine guns in working order is no easy task, particularly the classic, tired pre-1945 models. And with the rarity of some models, physical external appearance is just as important in determining collectors value as is the operational aspect. How many times have we all seen the results of improper tools applied and used on guns which ultimately scar and mar the gun’s finish, strip screw heads and break key parts? How many Thompson submachine guns have we seen with screwdriver scratches and pry marks on the frame and pivot plate assembly where well meaning, but ignorant, people thought they could completely disassemble the gun using common household tools? How many barrels have we encountered that show the ugly tell tale scars of vise, channel lock or just plain old pliers marks forever deeply gouged into the metal? Horror stories abound. As ridiculous as it sounds, the common household screwdriver (one size fits all), the steel claw hammer and pliers are the tools of choice and convenience in the majority of do-it-yourself styled hobbyists. This is truly a recipe for disaster in devaluing your expensive and rare weapon.

Manufacturers of these firearms produced a number of specialized tools to support the take down and maintenance of these weapons. Sometimes extremely simple such as a specific sized wrench to the more elaborate combination tools that utilized a number of specific tools “combined” into one unit. These often had such tools as exact sized screwdriver, barrel wrench, muzzle gland wrench, flashider wrench, pin punch and gas regulator key. These tools provided a quick and easy means of servicing the weapon for either routine maintenance or expedient field repairs. These tools were meant to be used in the field by the soldiers. Depot tools, gages and jigs are another subject and for use by only truly qualified gunsmiths or armorers.

Other simple but necessary field tools include ruptured case extractors of various designs, oil cans or bottles, gauges for measuring headspace, timing and chambers and, of course, the lowly but very important cleaning rod. Headspace and timing gauges are particularly important for Browning type heavy machine guns since the headspace and timing can be adjusted by the gunner particularly after field stripping. Woe to the shooter who fires his Browning out of battery. Proper lubrication is also an absolute necessity to keep wear and tear to a minimum. It is wise to keep all working parts well oiled but remember that too much oil can be just as harmful as no oil at all. Too much oil can attract and retain dirt and grime which acts like sandpaper to grind your moving parts down to unacceptable tolerances.

While the tools mentioned are carried by the machine gunner for expedient repairs in the field, there were also elaborate armorer kits that contained even more specialized tools to patch holes in water jackets or repair cloth belts as well as containing some spare parts that were likely to wear out after heavy use or were prone to loss or breakage.

The old adage “Proper tools will produce proper results” is very true. Changing a barrel with a properly sized and function specific barrel wrench on a Colt Model 1914 “Potato Digger” or a Model 1909 Benet-Mercie is a snap versus the all to often disastrous results of using a pair of vise grips. Most of these weapons are pretty tired after all these years. They have had hard use and abuse in the military and in many cases have survived actual combat usage. Treat them with respect and take care of them. Using the proper tools will help keep the value of your gun and not turn it into a piece of junk. Try and find the proper tool or combination tool for your treasured machine gun. It may take a little work but they are there. And by all means invest in a set of quality gunsmith screwdrivers. You will never be sorry you did.

The .22 rimfire is the world’s most popular cartridge. It is economical to shoot and is generally easily to suppress due to its reduced muzzle blast. Most connoisseurs of suppressor technology eventually get around to owning a quiet 22LR pistol sooner or later. Fortunately for the buyer, there are a lot of integrally suppressed pistols on the Class III market. With the reporting of Al Paulson and others, some of the past articles in Small Arms Review have helped provide base-line comparison of sound reductions between the various manufacturers. I was curious as to what level of practical accuracy one could expect with one of these suppressed pistols, and wanted to know if it would be possible to have a quiet pistol compete with some of the rifles on the market as far as accuracy is concerned. Although I have heard that a rifle is said to be approximately 15-times more accurate than a pistol due to the way it is held and sighted, the smaller handgun package has some advantages. Reduced size and weight are the most noted conveniences. I decided to do some testing to see how one of the popular, integrally suppressed pistol units performed with a variety of ammunition. Having a few extra boxes of ammo laying around, I headed out to the range to generate some data. As usual, one thing led to another, and it turned into a fairly extensive ammo evaluation as well.

For those not familiar with suppressor technology, an integrally suppressed pistol is quite different from a muzzle can. A muzzle can is a sound-muffling device, which is usually detachable from the host weapon, and generally produces higher velocities than those produced by the ported barrel of an integral suppressor. My experience has shown that a muzzle can does not reduce muzzle velocity. The barrel porting in integral units serves to slow down most high velocity ammunition to subsonic velocities. Subsonic velocities are required to avoid the ballistic crack produced when the bullet surpasses the speed of sound. Which is better? It depends upon what the shooter wants and needs. I’ve used both over the years, and have found that both types have their own unique advantages. I prefer to keep a detachable muzzle-can dedicated to my 10/22 rifle for discreet target practice and shooting without the need for hearing protection. The unit may be easily removed from the rifle and used on other weapons if required. The integral unit, on the other hand, allows some extra latitude in ammunition selection, as just about any high velocity fodder can be used to enjoy quiet shooting activities. Most .22LR ammunition is subsonic out of a pistol barrel, in any event. The muzzle can on a rifle usually works best with subsonic ammunition, which in some cases, costs a little more than other types. With the integral unit, your standard Wal-Mart variety high velocity ammo will be bled down below the subsonic range, hence producing a quiet report while maintaining reliable functioning in a semi-auto. Whenever possible, a velocity of 1,000 fps is optimal.

For the target shooter or plinker, the use of either suppressor design can help in allowing one to safely and economically fire thousands of rounds a year. It allows one to practice often, without traveling to distant ranges or hunting grounds. Whether used for target shooting, pest elimination, hunting (where allowed by law), or general skill improvement, the suppressor and an accurate .22 pistol is a versatile tool. The low discharge sound and negligible recoil makes shooting a flinch-free endeavor. All sports require frequent practice, and the suppressed firearm can be used to teach the elements of marksmanship, which carry over to almost all firearm shooting. The rigors of special licensing, fingerprinting, background checks, and a one-time $200 tax payment is enough trouble to keep many folks from obtaining a suppressor, but it is worth it for those who persevere. The use of a suppressor for hunting is not permitted in most states; however, they are usually legal for varmint and/or pest elimination. With less and less area available for shooting these days, a quieter gun allows one to shoot in areas that would otherwise be unavailable. I shoot in my back yard year round; sometimes firing up the Massey-Fergeson tractor in the winter months to generate a little background noise so the neighbors don’t hear the mild report of the weapon. The summertime brings out the leaves on the trees and lots of grass and undergrowth to absorb the noise even better.

One of my favorite pastimes at the range is shooting clay birds placed along the backstop at 100-yards. I routinely set out 40 or 50 spread across the backstop. The clays are 4 inches in diameter, and make great targets. A solid hit usually provides the shooter with immediate visual feedback. After ones’ rifle accuracy improves to the point where hitting the clays is easy, it’s time to challenge your skill at the same distance with a pistol. I started migrating to the use of a 22 pistol for busting clays about a year ago. I had purchased one of Sound Technology’s integrally suppressed Ruger MkII’s, and quickly discovered that even with iron sights, the bull-barreled pistol was capable of hitting the 4-inch disks with some reasonable success on occasions depending upon ammo selection. The selection of ammo seemed to be a major factor in the hit ratio, so it was obvious that a little testing would pay off in determining which brands produced the best groups. For high volume shooters who buy ammo by the brick or case, the payback dividends of up-front tests are well worth the initial effort.

The Sound Technology’s MkII Pistol

Over two million of the Ruger autoloader pistols have been produced since 1949. Its rugged design has been extremely successful, since it is ideal for any shooting activity suited to full-sized .22 rimfire pistol use. It is also a perfect platform for modification into a suppressed firearm, and continues to be the industry standard. For the Ruger pistol, Mark White of Sound Technology usually recommends that the individual send him the host weapon in the 51/2-inch bull barrel configuration. There is an advantage in sending him a previously tested weapon. It allows the owner to ensure proper functioning and accuracy prior to being modified. Mark will then permanently install a 1 x 8, or 1 x 10 inch blued or stainless steel integral suppressor unit or a Millennium muzzle can depending upon the users needs. According to Mark, the longer integral tube provides up to 46-dB sound reduction, with an average sound level of 115 dB with high velocity ammunition. One can expect as little as 112 dB with subsonic ammunition. Mark’s muzzle can is not quite as effective, but burns cleaner and promotes more positive functioning with an unported 5.5-inch barrel. At 50 yards, the action noise can scarcely be heard.

Like many integral units on the market, the suppressor unit itself resembles a factory bull barrel, and most curious observers can’t tell the difference. The original barrel is cut to about 4.4 inches in length, and is ported around 2.8 inches from the breech. The ports and drilled, reamed, and a 45 degree bevel is machined where the ports intersect the bore. The porting is done in such a way that the expansion chambers all drain towards the muzzle, so there are no areas to catch crud from the firing process. The suppressor is designed such that the unit may be cleaned and drained by immersion in solvent. Mark TIG welds the muzzle cap, then carefully grinds and polishes the surface to make it look like a factory finished unit. Mark tells me that many of the units he does end up being more accurate after he suppresses the weapon. This, he explains, is due to the fact that the reduced muzzle blast has less impact on the base of the bullet as it travels down the barrel. The Sound Technology integral suppressor is a utilitarian design, and the dominant sound heard from 30 yards away is the noise of the action cycling.

Sights/Optics:

When using iron sights, 1 or 2 clays hit out of 10 at 100-yards was the norm. Sometimes, if luck was on my side, I could hit 3 or 4. Deciding that a good quality scope would be needed to extract maximum accuracy for the tests, I installed B-Square’s MkII Dovetail mount as the base platform. The mount positions the centerline of the scope about 2-1/8 inches above the pistol’s bore. It also allows the shooter to see through the unit and to use iron sights if required, which I found a handy feature to have. I then installed a Pentax 2.5-7 pistol scope for accuracy testing. The Pentax would provide the higher power magnification needed for long range shooting, and would be set to 7 power for 50-yard testing. The addition of the scope turned the pistol into a true 100-yard competitor. With the selection of the right ammunition, one can typically hit 8 out of 10 clays at the same distance. Optical clarity and resolution was excellent out to the ranges that I was shooting the pistol. Optimum eye relief was about 12 inches.

The Pentax scope does not have a bullet drop compensator (BDC), or target knobs for the longer ranges. Typically this feature would not be a requirement for the average pistol shooter who shoots out to 50-yards. However, when using an integrally suppressed pistol, muzzle velocities can be bled down to between 750 and 850fps, so there is a fairly large bullet drop out past this range. With an unported, 5-inch pistol barrel, expect velocities to range between 870 and 1120 fps. When zeroed at 50-yards, a 10 to 12 inch drop at 100 was the norm. Although a bullet drop compensator would be a great option, the Pentax does incorporate a zero-setting adjustment. Once the windage and elevation adjustments are set, all you have to do is know the bullet drop for the particular ammo you’re using, and perform the necessary “come-ups” to compensate. One other trick is to use the top of the bottom post in a duplex crosshair as a long-range sight. I found the pistol accurate out to 50-yards, and elected to maintain the 50-yard zero for simplicity. At this setting, 25-yard impacts were about 1/2 to 3/4 inches high. At 100 yards, the transition in the bottom post is about right.

Ammo Considerations/Test Data:

My search for accurate and quiet ammunition started with the economically priced Russian Jr. Brass and CCI Standard. It soon escalated up the price range to the Federal Ultra Match and Eley Bench Rest Gold. There are those who pay for this kind of performance, so some of these more expensive rounds are included in my evaluation. I performed baseline testing with 26 different loads. All tests were done with the scope set at 7 power, and were fired from a solid bench rest with sandbags. Muzzle velocities were measured with the ProChrono-Plus chronograph. Groups were measured center-to-center with digital calipers. I averaged five, 5-shot groups and came up with the following charts depicting the baseline accuracy performance of the firearm. Good quality rimfire ammo has a wax or wax/moly coating on the bullet that aids accuracy. It sometimes takes 10 or more shots to lay a good coating of it down in the barrel. I tried to shoot 5 practice rounds of each brand prior to the measured groups to allow some stabilization and settling down. I believe that if 50 or 100 rounds were fired initially with a particular brand, the subsequent groups would have been even tighter. As one would expect, the more expensive match grade ammo usually performed the best, but there were a few surprises in the less expensive varieties. The extreme spread (lowest velocity subtracted from the highest) must be consistent for maximum accuracy at longer distances as it will affect bullet drop and trajectory. This is a function that relies heavily on ammunition quality, and is probably one of the most important factors for repeatable accuracy. There were really no losers in the ammo tests. All of the brands performed acceptably. These test results are recorded in table 1.

Outside air temperature was about 65F during my initial tests. All of the ammo tested remained subsonic, with the exception of one round of CCI’s Mini-Mag +V. This particular round produced a muzzle velocity of 1083 fps, and the familiar sound of the ballistic crack was heard. The +V averaged 1049 fps, and were the loudest of all brands tested. At 65F, the speed of sound is around 1123 fps. My shooting observations over the years have noted that as long as muzzle velocities are less than 97% of the speed of sound (Vs), the ballistic crack will not be heard. The one round at 1083 fps was very close to this 97% level, about 96.4-96.5% to be exact. Assuming my temperature and MV readings were correct, this is what should be expected. Another 10-degree F rise in temperature and all the +V would most certainly be subsonic. To put some perspective on velocity, 1083 fps equates to about 330.1 meters/second, 738.41 miles/hour, or 0.21 miles/second. For estimates of the speed of sound at various temperatures, I use the following approximations:

Overall, the pistol averaged 1.24-inch groups with all 26 brands of ammo at 50 yards. Best groups were obtained with RWS Target, Eley Bench Rest Gold, Winchester T22 Target, Federal Ultra Match, and Geco 22LR Rifle. The RWS Target and Winchester T22 were a surprise in that they are reasonably priced and yet produced excellent groups. Virtually all of the ammo produced vertical strings, hence validating the importance of extreme spread between fastest and slowest rounds. I then took the top five group producers, and fired 10-rounds each at 100-yards. The 100-yard groups overall averaged 3.84 inches, with Eley Bench Rest Gold producing the best group measuring just under 3 inches. Being produced by a suppressed pistol with a 4.4-inch barrel, I considered this excellent performance. I then mounted the excellent Baush & Lomb Elite 4000 36X scope on the pistol to retest at 100-yards. The Elite 4000 is a high performance optic, and usually accompanies me on prairie dog hunts out west. It is obviously designed for rifle target shooting, but I wanted to see what kind of groups I could produce with the pistol. I had a hard time shooting offhand with the Pentax, and usually resorted to iron sights when using the gun in the field. When not shooting from the bench, the B&L was virtually impossible to hold steady. The B-Square mount definitely is a plus in these cases since iron sights can be used for offhand shooting conditions. Taking the top ten ammunition performers from the previous test, I produced the 100-yard groups indicated in table 2.

Eventually, the optics chosen for daily tasks was a 1X Tasco Pro-Point red dot sight. This unit provides very fast target acquisition and also allows the gun to produce good accuracy out to 50 yards. It’s a little easier to carry in a holster than with a full-length pistol scope, and is much easier to hold steady while shooting offhand. Beyond 50 yards, practical accuracy is still better than iron sights, but is not quite up there with the higher-powered scopes.

Ammo Performance Observations

Typically, a 20% reduction in muzzle velocity over advertised rifle velocities was noted while testing the pistol. As expected, the pistol generally produced the best accuracy with the more expensive target grade ammunition. Over the long run, target grade ammo would probably provide the best performance for those who demand the best. I personally preferred the clean, moderately priced CCI and Winchester ammunition for general shooting activities due to the price/performance ratio. These two brands do not have the heavy wax coating on the cartridge typically used by some manufacturers. RWS Subsonic HP has always been one of my favorites due to its accuracy and quiet performance, but their wax coating is a little messy and probably necessitates additional maintenance. The same goes for RWS Target, although it came out on top for the 50-yard tests. RWS is also importing the new Geco 22LR Rifle and Pistol, which seems to have less wax coating than the Subsonic HP and Target loads. CCI and Winchester ammo is very clean on the outside and also burns cleanly, which equates to less maintenance and more shooting without downtime. My sources at CCI tell me that the +V round is going to be discontinued due to lack of sales. Their subsonic HP is still an export-only item that is unfortunately not readily available here in the states. CCI Green Tag and Standard are good solid performers as well. In the hollow point design, the Winchester Power Point was an excellent performer with a large cavity for rapid expansion. This round should be ideal for quiet pest elimination needs around the farm. T22 was moderately priced and very accurate. These two Winchester loads, along with CCI Standard, produced the best groups at 100 yards.

Maintenance of Sealed Suppressor Units:

I use Aerokroil or Du-Lite’s Kwikseal Firearms Lubricant for almost all maintenance on the integral unit. Being somewhat lazy (just ask my wife), I generally don’t clean my guns unless they are not working reliably or become excessively dirty. My normal procedure consists of blasting the chamber and internals with oil, and allowing the residue to drain down to the muzzle. Firing a few shots blows out and disperses the oils, and keeps things working well for a long time. Once a year, I plug the end of the barrel, place muzzle down, and fill the entire suppressor unit full of Aerokroil. I let the gun sit for 2 weeks or so and occasionally shake it to dislodge some of the internal gunk. After soaking, I remove the plug, drain the unit, and blow it out with compressed air. The drained cleaning fluids are usually not overly dirty, indicating that the internals are remaining fairly clean. The next task is test firing several magazines to disperse the oils.

When firing the gun after a thorough cleaning, the heat energy generated will also cook off whatever oils are left internally and produce a fair amount of smoke for the first box of ammo. It also helps make the gun quieter for a period of time until all the oils are evaporated out of the unit. Accuracy will usually be degraded until the bullets “lay down” enough coating in the bore. This can sometimes take several boxes of ammo. Obviously there are those who will disagree with my philosophy on cleaning. Many would recommend a thorough cleaning after every shooting session. This is the maintenance path I have chosen, and it seems to work well for me. Mark told me that he has taken his firearms apart which have been cleaned by immersion insolvent every 1000 rounds, and the insides were very clean. He is confident that the pistols he suppresses will remain functional indefinitely, as long as they are soaked and blown out as scheduled. His extra effort in cleaning up the porting holes in the barrel probably attribute to this.

When using AeroKroil, care should be taken when used indoors. Some family members may not agree with some of us who think that solvents don’t smell so bad, and AeroKroil is definitely not aromatically pleasant. The smell does not bother me, but most people would want to use it outdoors or in well-ventilated areas. Someone in my workplace recently used some in an office area. Two people in the office panicked and called the Safety Department thinking they were under some kind of chemical attack. This situation escalated up the chain of command and ultimately resulted in OSHA getting involved and doing an investigation! The work space area was actually closed for several months while all this was going on. All that unnecessary commotion was the result of a few sprays of AeroKroil.

Carry Options:

Once the scope was mounted on the pistol it became quite a bit bulkier, and a holster/carry system was then needed. The folks at Uncle Mike’s can provide a good holster option for this unit. Their size 13 Sidekick bandoleer-hunting holster fits the gun perfectly. This model is designed to fit the scoped 14-inch barrel Thompson Center Contender. It can be used to carry the weapon across the chest or across the back. I used the holster while hiking in the north Georgia mountains for a 2-day trip, and it worked out fine. It is definitely not a quick-draw rig, but I was able to carry the gun on my back with reasonable comfort. It also protects the gun reasonably well when not carrying in a hard case.

Conclusions/Observations:

A suppressor design must be carefully thought out depending upon the user requirements. The modifications to the firearm produce a lot of changes in the muzzle blast energy as it travels around and through the barrel ports, baffles, and other components. Since shot placement is a critical requirement for the serious target shooter, the modifications to the firearm must be done in a way which does not affect accuracy. On this particular pistol, reliability proved to be greatest with the hotter rounds. The cleanliness of the gun is probably a big factor here, as rimfire ammunition is quite dirty, and easily fouls up the chamber area just ahead of the bolt. Integral systems are notorious for fouling actions. All the high velocity ammo cycled the action with 100% reliability. Some of the subsonic brands did not cycle the action with the same success, but they did produce less noise as a trade-off. It has been discussed among gun writers over the years that the temporary bond between the bolt and receiver can make the first round to go 2-3 inches high at 50-yards. The high first round syndrome was not a problem with this gun, although it may be with others. I sprayed some lubricant on the bolt face between some of the tests, and noted no such phenomenon. Overall, I was pleased (and somewhat surprised) with the accuracy results. The gun was more accurate than I initially thought it was. Although not as accurate and repeatable as a target-grade 22 rifle, the Sound Technology MkII definitely outperformed many 22 rifles I’ve owned over the years.

During one of my test sessions at the range, I met a gentleman who was quite proud of his rifle skills, and was not shy about bragging about it. After listening to him talk for a while, I challenged him to a little friendly competition, pitting his rifle against my pistol. He scoffed when I displayed the MkII, but was soon amazed when he heard how quiet the Winchester T22s were. He thought it was an air pistol, and I spent the next 15 minutes explaining the legality of suppressed firearms since he had no experience or knowledge about them. We then proceeded with the shootoff. I allowed him the first shot at each clay placed on the backstop 100-yards away. Each of his misses was followed by the quiet report of the pistol, and (usually) a broken clay. After shooting about 50 birds, I suppose the competition was essentially a draw, with the pistol seeing a slight advantage in number of hits. The gentleman was truly amazed (and somewhat disgusted) that the pistol was as about as accurate as his 22 rifle at the same distance. He was however, very impressed with the quietness of the pistol, and went away with the knowledge that suppressors are a legal and fun category of the shooting sports. The fact that it can make things happen at a distance quietly just adds icing on the cake.

Sources:

Sound Technology
Mark White
PO Box 391
Pelham, AL 35124
205-664-5860

Pentax Corporation
35 Inverness Drive East
PO Box 6509
Englewood, CO 80155-6509
303-799-8000

Bushnell Sports Optics Worldwide
9200 Cody Street
Overland Park, KS 66214
1-800-423-3537

B-Square
PO Box 11281
Fort Worth, TX 76110-0281
1-800-433-2909

Michaels of Oregon Co.
Uncle Mike’s
PO Box 13010
Portland, OR 97213
503-255-6890

Kano Products
AeroKroil
1027-R Thompson Lane
Nashville, Tennessee 37211-2627
615-833-4101

Du-Lite’s / Kwikseal
The Du-Lite Corporation
171 River Road
Middletown, CT 06457
203-347-2505

Tasco
7600 NW 26th Street
Miami, FL 33122-1494
305-591-3670

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

1. WEAPONS, EQUIPMENT, TRAINING & RELATED NEWS

SINGAPORE CLONES THE AUG: as Helen of Troy’s face reputedly launched a thousand ships, so Steyr-Mannlicher’s AUG seems set to spawn a truckload of imitators. Latest example, following earlier attempts by Taiwan, Israel and South Africa (and probably others, including China), is from Singapore, in the form of the 5.56mm SAR-21, recently publicised in the DSEI Show Daily. Visually the SAR21 is the closest to the AUG of all the other weapons inspired by the Austrian rifle; however we assume that internally it is yet another SAR80 (aka AR18) derivative simply re-packaged as a bullpup.

By definition, all imitators get a handy opportunity to add a few bells & whistles the original designer left off. The SAR21, which is said to be gas-operated, incorporates a pressure switch on the left side of the polymer handguard, activating a visible or IR laser aiming pointer obviously concealed beneath the barrel, within the handguard itself. The cocking handle has also been placed centrally above the receiver, directly beneath the AUG-style optical sight, theoretically making the SAR21 ‘ambidextrous’, though since the sole ejection port appears to be on the right side of the buttstock, it is probably not possible to fire from the left shoulder, unless an effective case deflector has been incorporated.

Magazines for the SAR21, holding 30 rounds, also resemble the Austrian ones, and the juxtaposition of metal to polymer components also suggests CIS has used the same system of plugging the barrel into the front – and the bolt into the rear – of a central stress-bearing cast or forged receiver. It’s not yet known whether SAR21 barrels are interchangeable.

Also like the Austrian rifle, the high-mounted optics are reportedly offered in 1.5x magnification (or 3x), with rudimentary open sights fashioned in the top of the scope housing. Empty weight is said to be 3.82kg (8.4 pounds) and overall length 80.5cm (31.7”). Barrel length appears standard and cyclic rate is listed as 450-650 rpm.

It’s claimed that the SAR21 will be adopted by the Singaporean forces after the millennium, though we recall similar local aspirations for the various earlier derivatives of the SAR80 (originally sold to CIS by the UK’s SMG manufacturer Sterling Engineering) were not, in the event, fulfilled.

Imitation being the sincerest form of flattery, we doubt Steyr-Mannlicher will be unduly fazed by this newest, very competent-looking clone of its own highly-successful AUG. But – unless the SAR21 can be made at an exceedingly competitive price – we guess most export buyers may still prefer to go with the Austrian original, or rather to take a Steyr manufacturing licence, which is the way many purchasers nowadays like to buy.

NEW 1000-YARD .50 BMG RECORD: on 3 Jul 99, Paula Diercks in the USA set a new 1000-yard world record for the .50 BMG cartridge with a five-round benchrested group measuring just 3.064”.

The location was the NRA’s Whittington Centre near Raton (New Mexico), and the occasion the 3-4 Jul 99 Fifty Caliber Shooting Association (FCSA) annual World Championships. Paula, shooting in the first relay of the day, was using a 125-pound FCSA Unlimited Class bolt-action rifle belonging to Skip Talbot. This result is something to idly throw into the debate the next time conversation turns to how ‘inaccurate’ the .50 can be. In fact, with good quality components and the right weapon, the .50 appears to be potentially among the most accurate of all long-range systems.

HECKLER & KOCH 4.6x30mm PDW: ever since Royal Ordnance (RO) acquired Heckler & Koch, the two companies have been working on a Personal Defence Weapon (PDW), not to be confused with the small, caseless PDW which H&K earlier developed as a companion to the ill-fated 4.7mm G11 rifle. Oberndorf has developed the latest weapon, and Royal Ordnance Radway Green its 4.6x30mm ammunition. Over the years the ammunition concept has undergone some changes, not least to take into account NATO’s revised penetration requirements which today include titanium sheet as well as Kevlar.

The cartridge is conventional and boxer-primed, with a rimless brass, bottle-necked case 30mm long. Base diameter is 8mm, and the shoulder length is similar to that of the 5.56mm cartridge. Weight of the 4.6mm case is 3.8g (58.64 grs). The bullet, 15.3mm long and weighing 1.7g (26.23 grs), is a solid 4.65mm diameter plug of hardened steel with copper plated finish – we wonder what the barrel wear implications of this design might be. Loaded rounds have an overall length of 38mm and weigh 6.3g (97.22 grs). On the ballistics front, notional MV is 2,378 fps (725m/s) and muzzle energy 330 ft lbs (447J). The weapon itself is 34cm (13.4”) long, 4.2cm (1.7”) wide and 17.2cm (6.8”) high, with an 18cm (7”) chrome-plated barrel and a flip-down forward grip, making it look rather like a truncated version of the Polish Wz63 machine pistol.

Though not specifically documented, there also appears to be an MP5-style telescoping buttstock (not included in the dimensions above); we note the PDW is described as ‘for shoulder supported and hand-held applications’. In essence it is a machine pistol with shoulder-fired capability.

Both optical (red dot-style) & iron sights are available, for use out to 200 metres, and capacity of the twin-stack magazines (which are inserted into the pistol grip) is 20 or 40 rounds. The mechanism, which offers both semi-auto and burstfire modes, is gas-operated with a rotating bolt locking the breech. Rate of fire is around 950 rpm and system weight is 1.6kg (3.5 pounds) empty. Like all its conceptual predecessors, the H&K PDW is designed for use by ‘personnel whose primary task does not involve an assault against the enemy, but who require a close-range self defence capability’. The European Staff Target for PDWs reportedly also requires such weapons to be ambidextrous and suitable for use while troops are wearing goggles, respirators, body armour, NBC suits or heavy winter clothing.

It also says that hand-held PDWs shall be effective against protected human targets to 30 metres (50m desirable). Fired from the shoulder these specified ranges increase to 100m and 200m respectively. Weight limits (loaded) for the hand-held gun are 1kg (700g desirable) and 3kg for a shoulder-fired PDW. H&K’s test data shows the 4.6mm round penetrating to a depth of 28cm in an ‘unprotected’ 20% gelatine block 30cm deep when fired at a range of 50 metres. The ‘comparative system’ shown in side-by-side data is not named, but we assume it to be the FN 5.7x28mm. Either way, the rival system achieves 23cm penetration, though with a rather larger temporary wound cavity.

In terms of ‘energy transfer’, the 4.6mm, fired at 50 metres into 20% gelatine through 20 layers of Kevlar and a 1.6mm titanium sheet dumps 220 Joules in the target, as opposed to 180J for the comparison system. At 100 metres, fired against an ‘unprotected’ 20% gelatine block 15cm deep, ‘energy transfer’ for the 4.6mm is 170J, and 200J for the rival weapon, with full penetration in both cases. And, at the same range, but with the Kevlar and titanium protection described above, the respective ‘energy transfer’ figures are 115J and 65J, though the steel-tipped bullet from the comparison system makes it only halfway through the 15cm gelatine block.

Maximum range for defeat of the Kevlar (20 layers) and titanium sheet (1.6mm) is claimed to be in excess of 200 metres for the 4.6mm but only about 140 metres for the comparison system.

Fired at 18 metres against a 30cm deep block of 20% gelatine protected by a laminated car windshield at 45 degrees (and 45cm from the block), the 4.6mm achieves 18cm penetration, but the the bullet from the rival system, breaks up, with the deepest penetration achieved by the most energetic fragment just 14cm.

All quite impressive from such a small weapon as the H&K gun, however we can’t help concluding that (as with the FN P-90), what H&K has actually developed is – based on its performance – more of a limited-range individual combat weapon than a substitute for a pistol. ‘Close-range self defence’ does not mean 200 metres, nor even 100 metres. Twenty-five to fifty metres would be more like it. That said, based on H&K own claims, the 4.6mm appears to offer conspicuous performance improvements over its rivals in this category. Yet we must again question the real need for burstfire.

The PDW is still in development, but shootable weapons & ammunition already exist, and finalisation of the project is expected within a few months. Primary target of the new PDW is currently still the UK MOD’s written requirement, though the mere existence of such a document is no guarantee of adoption – of H&K’s or any other design. Most significantly, of course, H&K’s choice of an entirely new cartridge around which to develop its PDW will – by any standards – make the progress of this weapon an uphill struggle. The FN 5.7mm contenders (both the P-90 SMG and the FiveSeven pistol) are still going the rounds, and are now likely to be joined by the 4.6mm.

It will take a great deal to persuade any army to adopt – and tool up for – a brand-new calibre, though, against all odds, and contrary to all predictions, the .338 Lapua sniping round finally made it.

On the other hand, if any company can pull it off, it’s probably H&K, which has already notched up a string of resounding successes, particularly with its G3 & HK33 rifles, the MP5 SMG family, the USP pistols and most recently the 5.56mm G36 system. Innovative but rather less successful designs include the P9S and P7-series handguns. The only two ‘lemons’ were the 5.56mm G41 and the caseless G11, though in the later case German politics were the problem, not weapon design. And we suspect the G41 crashed simply because the HK33 was already quite satisfactory.

EXCLUSIVE! Firing the unlocked rifle… dangerous to whom? The elusive story of the W.W.II German ‘People’s Rifle’ makes the weapon highly coveted.

Improvised firearm designs usually arise when a nation is faced with the threat of foreign invasion and formal weapons manufacture proves unattainable. Shortages of raw materials and a lack of elaborate manufacturing facilities during war create the kind of weapons that are typically very crude and unreliable. Yet some designs were effective, and that is all a grunt ever asked for. One such example is the Volksgewehr, or People’s Rifle, design from the German firm Gustloff Werke (Suhl), the VG 1-5.

Careful study of improvised and quickly manufactured weapons designs naturally brings the Volksgewehren and the Volkspistole (People’s Pistols) of World War II Germany into sharp focus. Material losses during the war combined with the need to arm domestic home guard units meant that manufacturers needed to produce great numbers of cheap and quickly built firearms. Several prototype firearms were developed under this program. Nearly all of these designs were crude and ugly, but they worked and were cheap and that is all that was required.

In the last few months of 1944, the German High Command urgently needed to replace the great volumes of weapons lost on the Eastern Front. There was a simultaneous demand for cheap firearms for irregular territorial defense troops, the Volkssturm (Home Guard) and others. At this stage of the War, most weapons plants could no longer cope with the demand for quality weaponry, such as the Mauser Infanteriegewehr 1898 rifle, the Walther P.38 handgun or the older Luger P-08. So various firms began to design firearms from the ground up which could be made quickly, simply and cost effectively. Critical to the design of any full-powered rifle or pistol was how to delay the opening of the breech long enough for the residual chamber pressure upon firing to lower to safe limits. This is not a problem in locked breech firearms like the Walther P.38 or those within the Browning family, since recoil unlocks the barrel from the slide assembly after the bullet leaves the muzzle. It is not a concern in a bolt action rifle or in a submachine gun either, the latter usually using bolt mass and spring strength to effect a delay. To solve this perplexity, various engineers began to look at something entirely new. They tapped a minute portion of the expanding gases of discharged ammunition to momentarily delay opening. On that account, the first gas-delayed blowback firearms came from the weapons factories of Nazi Germany.

Theory of Gas-Bleed Delay

The theory behind the ‘gas-bleed delay,’ is that part of the gas propelling the bullet seeps through ports in the barrel to impinge on the inner surfaces of the slide (or reciprocating cylinder). The breech stays closed until the bullet has passed from the muzzle, by which time, the pressure has dropped sufficiently to allow the breech block to move rearward in normal blowback manner. The breech block is not positively locked during the entire duration of the bullet’s passage up the bore. It is essentially a blowback system in which the rearward movement is momentarily delayed.

Several drawbacks of the design were identified early: first, the slide/barrel contact point required rather close tolerances or the gas would escape, making it blowback action, something it was not designed to be. Second, gas residue soon fouled the inner wall and plugged the gas port and needed frequent cleaning. Third, case warping and splits and rim separations occurred since there is a possibility of the bolt moving backwards while the case is still expanding against the chamber wall by gas pressure.

From an engineering perspective, overcoming the last problem is achieved by “fluting” the chamber, whereas thin grooves are cut longitudinally from in front of the case mouth to about one third of the case length from its base. Fluting is adopted to allow high-pressure gas to flow outside the case and thus ‘float’ it on a layer of gas and reduce friction during the initial movement of the bolt. The process prevents the cartridge case from sticking to the walls of the chamber on extraction but as a result, the mechanism is fouled to a black color after firing.

The evolved gas-delay system worked well in pistol form and could even function with the stout 7.92mm Pist. Patr. 43 ‘intermediate’ rifle round moving at 2150 fps! The German gas-delayed blowback VG 1-5 semi-automatic rifle was part of the Primitiv-Waffen-Programm of 1944 and was intended for the Volkssturm troops.

VG 1-5 Semiautomatic Carbine

The history of the VG 1-5, an arm made at Gustloff Werke (Suhl), is rather elusive because not many documents concerning it or actual weapon specimens survived the war. A letter to Suhl regarding the VG 1-5 exchanged hands many times before Elke Weiss, representative of the Suhler Jagd- und Sportwaffen GmbH weapons firm wrote:
“All materials about military guns and materials that were produced during the war in the Gustloff Werke were destroyed after the war. Since 1948 hunting guns and rifles have been produced in the former Gustloff Werke – now Suhler Jagd- und Sportwaffen GmbH so that we do not have a close connection with (the) military.” There ends the official trail.

What is known is that the VG 1-5 can be termed in various ways: “Selbstladegewehr”,“Selbstladekarabiner”, “Volkssturmgewehr 1-5”, “Volkssturm-Maschinenpistole45”, “Gustloffvolkssturmgewehren”, “Volkssturm-Selbstladegewehr, Gustloff-Werke”, “Selbstlader mit Kurzpatrone 44”, as well as the “Versuchsgerat 1-5.” [EDITOR: The ‘a’ in the last word, gerat, has double dots over it, an ‘umlaut’.] Note that the Volkssturm weapons were never adopted or assigned official nomenclature. The simple term “Volksgewehr” was used by the Germans as a general reference and the various other names were applied after the war.

At the time, perhaps about 10,000 of the semiautomatic carbines were manufactured for civilian resistance use. Today, the VG 1-5 is exceedingly rare and is primarily found only in noted arms museums. It is not known how many remain in private collections. What is known is that a VG 1-5 Title 1 deactivated war trophy was recently advertised in this magazine for $8200 – certainly not a cheap piece. Originally, the Volkssturm drew the bulk of its weapons from materiel captured by the Wehrmacht, but soon that supply was exhausted. In response, German industry showed remarkable resourcefulness by manufacturing serviceable weapons from basic materials and eminently simplified production techniques. Machining and heat treating was kept to an absolute minimum and steel tubing and pressed metal with welding, pins and rivets were used for component assembly. The alternate weapons program was initiated to field basic shoulder arms chambered for both the 7.92x57mm long cartridge and the 7.92x33mm short (Kurz) cartridge. The designs included single-shot and magazine-fed bolt-action rifles and semiautomatic carbines. Participating weapons firms included Appel, Berliner-Spandau; Bergmann KG, Velten; Gustloff Werke, Suhl; Walther, Zella-Mehlis; Deutsche Industrie-Werke AG, Berlin; Rochling, Wetzlar (Coenders); Berliner-Lubecker Maschinenfabriken; ERMA, Haenel, Hessische Industrie-Werke, Mauser, Rheinmetall-Borsig, Ruhrstahl, Spreewerk and Steyr.

Early development efforts climaxed during the autumn of 1944 and the weapons were demonstrated to Adolf Hitler during November 1944, according to Albert Speer’s writings. Among the models demonstrated to the Fuhrer “leader” [EDITOR: Fuhrer always has an umlaut (double dots) over the u] was a retarded blowback self-loader for the Kurz cartridge, with a 30-round magazine, a model from the Gustloff Werke, Suhl.

Karl Barnitzke, the chief designer at Gustloff Werke, designed the VG 1-5 to feature a barrel permanently assembled to the receiver. A sheet metal design, the receiver was formed in separate halves and then welded together. Surrounding the barrel and extending behind it over the receiver is a thick-walled, machined operating cylinder (.175-inch-thick, 15.5-inch-long steel tube, approx. 1.420-inch in diameter.) At its front, the cylinder is closed by a long cylindrical collar. To the rear, a half-cylindrical bolt is pinned directly to the long cylinder and a recoil spring is mounted around the barrel. The operating cylinder reciprocates and carried the bolt with it. Upon firing, normal blowback action begins until combustion gas escapes through four radial gas ports in the barrel 2.5 inch behind the muzzle to act upon the forward cylinder collar. This gas is trapped in the space formed by the operating cylinder collar and the barrel. The gas pushes forward against the collar and rearward against a shoulder on the barrel, thus retarding the opening of the action. After one-inch rearward travel, the ports are exposed and normal blow-back continues. Loading is achieved by the returning recoil spring.

After examining each firearm, Hitler rejected all single shot models and indicated that the VGs should have a magazine of about 10-rounds to facilitate prone position shooting. The longer 30-round MP 44 magazine was not to be used. The Gustloff self-loading model was snubbed by Hitler due to its expense, excessive ammunition consumption and because the MP 44 was already in production with about the same use of material and cost.

Indeed, while workable, the VG 1-5 was never highly regarded compared to the MP 44. There is no reliable information concerning the field performance of the VG 1-5, but it is assumed that it suffered from the most typical problem of gas-delayed blowbacks – fouling. Since it was machined to somewhat close tolerances, unless the surfaces were habitually cleaned and carefully lubricated, the combined effect of accumulating gas residue and barrel expansion would occasionally cause the weapon to jam. Yet the VG 1-5 did work and it is likely that Allied Intelligence reports would have declared that it was “presumed to be effective.”

Post-War Developments

Much has changed since some of the first German designs were field tested. Today the wartime method of breech locking, using expanding cartridge gas to delay a blowback action, has become accepted by several noted military and police forces.

Following the war, gas-delayed rifles were mostly abandoned but other forms of mechanically delayed blowbacks were attempted, all of which used W.W.II German technology and experience in one form or another. Early post-war variants of the delayed blowback system included the Spanish Fusil d’Assalto Cetme Modelo 58 7.62x51mm NATO, the French AAT modele 52 7.62x51mm machine gun, and the Swiss Sturmgewehr Modell 57 7.5x54mm rifle. To illustrate how war-time innovation carries on to date, take a look at the French 5.56x45mm FAMAS “bullpup” rifle. It is a delayed blowback that uses a fluted chamber, and the same can be said about the German G3/HK33/MP5 family. Since the War, the gas-delayed blowback pistol design has continued with several modern entries. They have overcome the aforementioned drawbacks of gas-delayed designs in various ways, including fluted chambers, an insistence on jacketed ammunition (never lead bullets), and precise, quality manufacturing. In fact, the manufacturing practices and standards for gas guns are the same as those for conventional designs. The newest gas guns are both reliable and generally inexpensive to produce, something the original German engineers vigorously sought after.

These include the Austrian Steyr Model GB, the German Heckler & Koch P7 variants, Network Custom Guns’ M1911 drop-in gas gun conversion kit, the Heritage Manufacturing Stealth pistols, and the South African Du Plessis ADP pistols. These designs will safely fire 9x19mm subgun ammo and the newer and hotter .40 S&W rounds. Indeed, so successful has been the P7 entry that it has become standard issue to several military and police units including the armed forces of Germany and the New Jersey State Police. Further, the P7M13 (high capacity version) was initially a candidate for the Joint Services Small Arms Program in the early 1980s as a replacement for the older .45 ACP service pistol. That is, however, another story.

The VG 1-5 gas guns certainly started out on the drawing board as a cheap improvised design, but it has nevertheless earned its place in weapons history. Its collectability is as unquestioned as the certainty that firing this rifle with its unlocked breech would have been infinitely more dangerous to our GIs than to its user. Author’s note: I would like to thank Z. Frank Hanner, Andrew Phillpotts, Steve Galloway, Elke Weiss, Randall Sinclair and Peter Kearns for their considerable help in compiling graphics and data for this article and for its critique.

Editor’s note: Warren Ferguson is a former Weapons Technician with the Canadian Army’s Electrical Mechanical Engineers and is now a freelance writer. He can be contacted at: wfpaddy@hotmail.com.

References

Hogg, Ian V. and Weeks, John. Military Small Arms of the 20th Century, 5th ed. DBI Books, Inc., Northfield, IL, 1985. Markham, George. Guns of the Reich: Firearms of the German Forces, 1939-1945. Arms & Armour Press, London, U.K., 1989.

Senich, Peter R. The German Assault Rifle 1935-1945, Paladin Press, Boulder, CO, 1987

Fall ’98 gave us a rainless weekend. We enjoyed four dry days. Were we always so lucky, we would be playing the lottery. That being said, KCR gave us some winning numbers. In the following the reader will learn winning numbers like ’18, 75, ’99, and the ever popular ’98.

Before I blew Northward on I-75 still grieving for my beloved Atlanta Braves, author William Smedlund gave me two winning numbers. Bill pointed to I-24 west of Chattanooga stating that the Battle of Hoover’s Gap occurred between mile posts 99 and 100. At Hoover’s Gap the Spencer rifle first saw combat. I viewed the Gap in moonlight just as the soldiers did so many years ago. Traveling through the towering bluffs one senses the bravery on both sides.

The Doctor Operates

I crossed the Salt River rolling into Shepardsville by dawn’s light. As is his custom, Tom Bodet had kept the light on for me. Near KCR’s ticket booth old friends had staked out camping spots and deployed their colorful awnings. We threw up hands in greetings, “It looks like a great weekend!”

I motored to the Range House and backed into a parking space thanks to Kenny Sumner and Mr. Biff’s hospitality. The KCR T-shirts arrived shortly after I did. Georgians sent orders for six. That half dozen went to my vehicle. I had forgotten a photograph picked up in Gibsland, Louisiana and would mail it later. Ms Marie Barrow had autographed to Kenny a 1934 8 x 10. In it a well dressed man stood beside her. Should anyone wish to know who Ms. Marie Barrow was, the other one was Clyde.

Outside the Range House I ran into Dr. Ed Weitzman. I congratulated him on his fine Vickers article (see SAR July ’98). Dr. Ed explained that he had brought some historic weapons to the shoot. We agreed to meet Friday morning. I then headed to the spot between the Range House and the Pole Barn. Twice a year this spot becomes the Class 3 crossroads of America.

I saw the Michigan shooters gathered near the Ohio Ordnance tables. Forbes Mathews rounded the Range House and joined us. Kent Lomont, Karl Krotz, and Robert Landies came over to say hello. I told Bob Landies about the Bonnie and Clyde Festival in Gibsland on May 23, 1998. Jimmy Gillman of Reenactors Early Thirties Crime had obtained a prototype of the Ohio Ordnance 1918 Classic BAR. I told Bob that Jimmy used the gun in three reenactments at the Festival. The ’18 was the hit of the show.

Thursday night we spent late at El Rio. Sleep could wait until Monday. On Friday morning I joined Dr. Ed and his brass Maxim. We had participated in different episodes of Greystone’s ‘Tales Of The Gun’. During ‘Dueling Pistols’ Dr. Ed made one of the show’s finest on air comments. On English duelers, he stated that a craftsman worked six months to make a gun. Greystone then showed the back side of an English dueler’s lock. The incredible workmanship would have pleased any craftsman at Boss or Purdey.

Dr. Weitzman then showed me around the brass gun that puts brass on the ground. We examined the 98’s craftsmanship. When spectators came onto the main line, Serial #96 drew a crowd. Dr. Ed gave lessons on the scope before the next shooting session. With the Zeiss scope, I picked out a plastic bottle and moved it around. This fine weapon crafted during the twilight of the Guilded Age made even me look good. I thanked Dr. Weitzman and headed for the Gun Show.

Pole Barn Adventures

Just in front of the Pole Barn I encountered Mr. Neal Smith and the comely Andrea standing beside a Pack 75. Andrea commented on how easily Neal had reassembled the gun after transport. I knew of the Pack 75 from my father’s description of its use by the 101st Airborne in World War II. I thanked Neal for the fine exhibit. Those who viewed Neal’s gun at KCR will find it useful in future SAR articles.

This writer’s father and I now crafted a series of articles on WWII 101st gun work. We were relating the series, where applicable, to ‘Saving Private Ryan’. We center around ‘Ryan’s’ Regiment, Col. Howard Johnson’s 501. The man upon whom ‘Ryan’ is based loosely served in H Company, 3rd Battalion. My father lead Col. Johnson’s 1st Regimental Recon and Intelligence Team for 501. Author Mark Bando loaned SAR exclusive photos for the ‘Johnson’s Boys’ series. In the second article, this writer’s father discusses the Pack 75s as tank killers at Bastogne.

Thanking Neal and Andrea, I then moved into the Pole Barn for some history. A nice BAR and a brace of machine pistols sat on LMO’s tables. Stan Andrewski pulled out a Star with stock and a transferable 45 auto machine pistol. Stan really knows his business. While examining the BAR someone asked, ‘You know anything about that gun?’ I turned to view the trademark snap brim of Jim Ballou. The reply stated, ‘About the gangsters and lawmen who used it — yes. Otherwise I usually ask some guy named Ballou. How are you Jim?’ Jim declared himself more than fine. He announced that Collector Grade Publications would publish ‘The BAR’ in the Winter of 1999. I then told Jim about Greystone Communications.

‘The Tommy Gun’ debuted as the 4th episode of the History Channel’s ‘Tales Of The Gun’. After episode 5, Andrew Nock telephoned. I took it as an omen that Andrew carried the surname of one of Dr. Weitzman’s favorite duelist gunsmiths. Mr. Nock asked for more material to propose new episodes. One week later a package landed on Mr. Nock’s desk. I thoughtfully included issues of SAR. Mr. Nock telephoned to thank me for the package and commented favorably on SAR. I told him that if he was telling gun history, he might as well read what the intelligent readers read.

I then told Andrew — ‘If you decide to drop the hammer, this gun’s for hire.’ Mr. Nock telephoned again two weeks later. The History Channel had approved 13 additional episodes. Andrew asked for names of other writers. The first name that Andrew got was that of Jim Ballou. I then pointed him toward writing compadres in Reenactors Early Thirties Crime.

I said to Andrew Nock that we should speak well of men like Frank Hamer of Texas and Melvin Purvis, head of the Chicago Office of what would become the FBI. I considered Mr. Purvis to be arguably the finest Federal agent who ever pinned on a badge. We should do honor to him and the other lawmen. ‘We’re not doing a show that praises criminals.or the irresponsible use of firearms.’ Mr. Nock fired back, ‘I agree.’ Greystone’s Tom Jennings filmed the Georgia part on December 6, 1998 (see SAR April ’99). He filmed in Texas in January 1999.

At the Omega Weapons Systems tables I contacted Don Bell. A friend wanted BREN parts. Forbes Mathews and two Midwest friends walked up. They engaged Dolf Goldsmith in Vickers conversation. Kent Lomont joined us. Forbes asked me to accompany his friends to look at M-16s. Kent offered to take the BREN parts to his table and departed. We went to the tables of Mark Mann to examine three 16s. I found all to be in good shape. I went through the transfer drill, advising the brothers to take their time. The brothers gave thanks and departed to view other guns.

Before the Creek, I had encountered a shooter from Marietta. ‘You know John Ross don’t you?’ He stated that he wanted an autographed copy of ‘Unintended Consequences’. I stated that I knew within about six feet of where to contact Mr. Ross twice a year. ‘Give me a pair of twenties and your business card. I’ll drop off the book and change on the way back.’ At the Lomont tables, I joined John’s fans.

As Kathy, Tom, and Brian looked on, John regaled us with ‘The Best Third World Hotel in Las Vegas’. John’s well-crafted descriptions of the off beat staff and the hotel’s human occupants and lower life forms kept us in stitches. Forbes and Michael Mathews rolled up in their golf cart, arguably the ultimate Creek vehicle. As Forbes packed the BREN parts amongst the Summit and Navy ammunition, the Midwest brothers appeared. They delivered an apocraphyl line about the gun purchases — ‘We just bought a car!’

Brass On The Ground

I ran into a valued friend from Minnesota who invited me to the line for some shooting. As we moved, he talked of John Hunt Morgan’s Raid into Ohio. When asked if I knew of Morgan, the reply came as a rough quote from lines delivered by Levon Helm in Steven Seagal’s ‘Fire Down Below’. ‘..lot of history. Folks down here don’t forget about history.’

On the line, my friend produced a Jap ’99 kit almost as rare as Morgan’s holsters — one of the Chinese 762×39 conversions imported by Don Bell. Don once talked of the time before the recent shutdown. He had developed solid business connections along the Chang Jiang. Mr. Bell stated that during his first China visit he was ‘green as grass’. The Chinese could have taken advantage of him. Don found the Chinese officials to be knowledgeable, honorable, and extremely helpful. More than once, they went the extra mile to assist him. As for the conversions, don’t call Omega Arms. Like Morgan in Ohio, they vanished long ago. Look for a later article on this particular ’99.

Paul Mahoney of KRINKS hailed me. Pauly announced that he had crafted a gun using material that I had sent him from Tom Swearengen. He unwrapped his replica of Clyde Barrow’s ‘scattergun’ for a test drive. At shooting’s end I told Pauly of Greystone. SAR writer Steve Hyde had signed up to bring a Stan Andrewski crafted Barrow replica. Pauly’s BAR would give us two Barrow customs in commentary and live fire never before seen on film. I told Pauly that we wished to represent the Title 2 community well, especially those who come to KCR. In December, Mr. Mahoney took his welcomed place amongst The Usual Suspects and RKIs.

At cease fire I moved down to Dr. Ed’s shooting slot. Forbes had broken a Vickers pin and asked for help. Dr. Ed put on a clinic (see SAR July ’98). We gathered around as they sat down on a blanket. Dr. Ed conducted this clinic with the same attention to detail that he gives his patients and employs in his articles. New pin installed, Forbes stood up and said, ‘Thank you Dr. Weitzman.’ The reply came, ‘You are most welcome sir.’

Epilogue

Fall ’98 ended as it began, with good conversation and lessons from Dr. Weitzman. We all shook hands on Sunday promising to return in Springtime. As I once again crossed the Salt River, I made a mental note to send Marie Barrow’s picture to Kenny Sumner. At three places near the Chattahoochee, I dropped off parts, T-shirts, and the John Ross book.

As I rolled past Braves Stadium I nodded and said, ‘We’ll get them next year’. I continued motoring Southward remaining confident of two things. First, I knew that I would return to KCR. There I would see old friends and probably make some new ones. Second, something would happen for me in Kentucky twice next year, twice the year after that, and on into the next millennium. That second something remains as solid as a handshake from a Knob Creek friend. I remain confident that, twice a year in Kentucky, Tom Bodet will leave the light on for me. He will do so until I die.

Thanks to Don Bell, Dolf Goldsmith, Navy Arms, and Don Thomas for their kind assistance. Those who rent ‘Fire Down Below’ should not rewind as the credits roll. Steven Seagal crafted this film in Kentucky. Mr. Seagal pays deserved tribute to Kentucky’s proud people within the overlay for John Prine’s ‘Paradise’.

Intellect and diverse interests remain two of the great strengths of the Title 2 community. Our readers will appreciate, in the best sense of the word, the following dedications. First, KCR vendor William Davis of Westville, Florida has passed away. He will be missed. Second, a great man in another arena also left us — namely The Mongoose, the legendary Archie Moore.

J.D. Farmer, Jr. co-owner of Hard Times Armory of Kennesaw, Georgia, a Class 2 manufacturer, died in late August at the age of 52 from complications of diabetes. Known for his full-auto conversions of a wide range of semi-automatic firearms, he may be best remembered from his suit Farmer v. Higgins, wherein he sued the federal government over the 1986 freeze on new machine gun registrations.

The ban effectively created a sellers’ market for existing registered guns, but spelled doom for Farmer’s activities, which depended upon the government’s willingness to accept new machine guns into the federal registration pool. He initially won in district court, but the ruling was overturned at the appellate level. The U.S. Supreme Court later declined to hear the case, thus allowing the ban to stand.

Farmer, who did not have a first name other than the initials “J.D.,” died at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Decatur, Georgia. A graveside service was held at the Oak Hill Cemetery in Newnan, Georgia. Survivors include his wife, Linda, and his son, Jeremiah. The 1986 federal “Firearms Owners Protection Act,” prohibiting the further manufacture of fully-automatic firing firearms intended for sale to private individuals, greatly diminished most of the business Farmer and his wife Linda, had started in 1980, Hard Times Armory, Inc., on Bank Street in Smyrna, Georgia.

In 1997, Farmer lost a leg to adult diabetes after having been diagnosed with the disease in 1995. At that point, Farmer, who had always used his phenomenal mechanical ability to earn a living, told doctors he just wanted to drive his Jeep and go fishing. His health continued to deteriorate in the ensuing years.

“He was something else,” commented Cobb County, Georgia attorney John D’Orazio, a friend for 15 years. “Farmer was soft-spoken, unassuming and thoughtful-a great person to spend an afternoon with. His customers learned about him through his reputation. He did not promote himself. The customers were law enforcement officers, foreign governments, licensed gun dealers and the television and movie industries, which used guns he converted to fire blanks.”

His blank-firing guns were featured in such films as “The Swamp Thing”, “Return of the Swamp Thing,” and “Reno Williams”. In addition, Farmer’s guns appeared in the television series, “Miami Vice,” several Chuck Norris productions and the mini-series “Amerika,” featuring Kris Kristoferson.

After he lost his suit against the federal government, Farmer continued to honor warranties and make repairs on earlier sales, but the bulk of his work was outlawed. Standing 6-feet tall, and weighing 250 pounds, he was barrel-chested with wide shoulders and huge arms-physical traits which served him well when he played football for North Clayton High School, graduating in the class of 1965. He passed up a college scholarship to work for Georgia Power Company, interrupted by a stint in the military.

The U.S. Army sent him to Key Largo, Florida as a nuclear missile technician when he was only 18 since he scored high on technical exams with his IQ of 136. He served in the military from 1966 to 1968, then returned to Georgia Power, investigating and helping to prosecute those who stole power. Co-workers recognized his mechanical abilities and brought guns for him to repair.

With that expertise, Farmer left Georgia Power to work for Wayne Daniels, owner of RPB Industries, a producer of MAC-style machine pistols. When that firm closed in 1980, Farmer and his wife went into business for themselves opening Hard Times Armory.

The business name was derived from the Farmer’s experiences in trying to obtain an initial bank loan to finance their new business venture. Bankers repeatedly turned down their loan applications, stating it was not good to start a business, “in these hard times.” While not stating it outright, the Farmers believed the bankers turned down their initial loan requests due to the nature of their business in working with machine guns. Financing was obtained later on when the business became more established.

After the city of Smyrna forced them to sell their business property through the law of eminent domain to make way for the building of a community center, Farmer set up shop in the basement of his home. He also later worked for Southern Tea Co., Superior Optics, and Ball Corp. “I had planned to buy J.D. an M60 machine gun for Christmas back then, but due to the federal manufacturing ban we just could not afford it,” Linda laments.

Business Start-Up

“When we first started Hard Times Armory, it was with just a $500 investment,” recalls Linda. “We entered a virgin market as the average firearms enthusiast didn’t know they could legally own a fully-automatic arm. J.D. did not offer new designs, but rather worked with existing firearms designed by others. He was a conversion expert. We offered high-quality conversion at a reasonable price, with an education on the legal aspects of owning such arms.

“We spent very little on advertising, probably not more than $2,000 in the years we offered the conversions, and built up our trade through word of mouth. An intensely loyal customer base soon developed, and the average client bought six guns. At our peak, we were probably offering conversions on 35 different semi-auto firearms and while there were a few employees, J.D. personally worked on each gun before it left the shop. This practice slowed production so that we usually had a one-year backlog of orders to fill. The commitment to quality, usually meant he had to work 18-hours a day, 7 days a week,” Linda explained.

To help build the business, Hard Times Armory offered to repair any non-functioning gun that had been converted to full-auto by competitors for a flat fee of $35 plus shipping costs. “Sometimes this took 20 minutes, other times it took weeks,” Linda says. “When the dealer, after testing the gun, would call us back and ask how much he owed us for the repair, we would say ‘just $35, but there is one catch-if we can do this to guns converted by others, think what we could do on converting new guns to full-auto for you.’ Before they hung up the phone, I could hear them pulling guns off the shelves and packing them into boxes,” Linda chuckled. Perhaps as many as 5,000 firearms were converted to full-auto by J.D. Farmer during Hard Times Armory’s active years.

Farmer’s wife, Linda, was not a firearms enthusiast at the outset. “We were married back in 1970, after an introduction by my roommate. I was a typical mousey little girl from Florida and knew nothing about guns. I was actually shocked by the 30 or so hunting guns J.D. stored under our bed in our first apartment. But, in time, after he took me out shooting, I came to know and understand firearms and later worked side-by-side with him in the gun business. While he had great mechanical ability, he did not have much business acumen and I assumed the role of interfacing with customers while he worked on guns in the back room.”

The Lawsuit

Linda describes the period when the suit, Farmer v. Higgins (Higgins was the name of the director of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms [ATF] at the time) was brought and litigated against the federal government as a “five-year odyssey of intense pain and suffering,” but worth the effort to attempt to preserve citizens’ firearms rights. “If Americans do not have access to owning fully-automatic firearms, then they are not really in a position to serve their country,” she says.

The suit began in 1989 by Farmer making an application to ATF as an individual to convert a semi-automatic Heckler & Koch Model 94 rifle into a fully-automatic firearm. The agency turned down the application on the ground that the Firearms Owners Protection Act banned private possession of newly-made machine guns. Farmer responded by challenging ATF’s decision in district court, alleging ATF had misinterpreted the law, which provides an exemption for arms transferred or possessed “under the authority” of a government agency.

He argued this exemption included machine guns registered with ATF. Further, Farmer alleged that a machine gun ban is unconstitutional, since it would violate the Second Amendment’s guarantee of a right to keep and bear arms. Further, he argued, the U.S. Constitution does not give Congress a blanket power to prohibit possession of things it does not like. Previous federal gun control legislation had been based on the Constitution’s granting of the power to Congress to regulate interstate commerce or the congressional taxing power, neither of which seemed to apply in Farmer’s case.

U.S. District Judge J. Owen Forrester agreed that the ATF’s interpretation of the law was unreasonable and therefore an abuse of discretion. He noted that “defendant’s proferred interpretation presents the particularly unattractive possibility of constitutional infirmity” on both Second Amendment and Commerce Clause grounds. Forrester ordered the agency to process Farmer’s application.

The government appealed, and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit took a narrow view after hearing the arguments from both sides when it declared, “the sole issue is whether section 922(o) of the Firearms Owners Protection Act prohibits the private possession of machine guns not lawfully possessed prior to May 19, 1986,” and found that the statute had indeed banned private ownership of automatic firearms. “We have considered Farmer’s remaining arguments and find them to be without merit,” the court asserted in reversing Forrester’s order.

The landmark case, handled by noted firearms civil right attorney, Stephen P. Halbrook, saw anti-gunners picketing the Supreme Court before the justices decided not to hear the case in January 1994. Only about one in one hundred requests for review are granted by the Supreme Court. “This case would have been a golden opportunity for the court to address the black sheep of the Bill of Rights-the one amendment that they don’t want to talk about,” Halbrook commented.

“J.D. honestly believed the Supreme Court would hear the case and see it his way as he had great faith in the judicial system. Had the case been heard by the Supreme Court and decided in favor of the plaintiff, my husband would have been the most revered man in the pro-firearms community.” Linda says. “Had the justices ruled against him, saying in effect there is no constitutional right to keep and bear arms, he would have been the most hated man in the gun community. But J.D. was willing to take such risks.”

Although the Supreme Court’s decision not to hear the case was fatal to Hard Times Armory’s conversion business, the firm continued on by manufacturing a variety of silencers and doing a lot of brokering. It still is active today, primarily in the brokering end of the business.

HTA’s AK-22

In a review of Hard Times Armory’s AK-22 conversion, appearing in the November 1993 issue of the now defunct publication, Machine Gun News, the author reviewed one of the approximately thirty Mitchell Arms AK-22’s that Hard Times Armory had converted to full-auto.

While the stock AK-22 fires from a closed bolt, Farmer added a moving “anti-bounce” weight on the bolt, similar to John Norrell’s Ruger 10/22 full-auto conversion. To enhance reliability, Farmer lengthened the bolt’s travel by 1/2-inch and slowed the timing of the hammer’s release until the bolt bounced once and returned to the fully closed position.

During test-fire, feeding failures involving bullets striking the face of the breech just above the chamber occurred. These were traced to the location of the magazine lock notches on some of the magazines tested. The problem was easily corrected with a few judicious file strokes. There were also stoppages caused by a light firing pin blow. Exchanging the hammer spring cured the problem.

The gun was found to be very controllable. So much so that a long burst could easily be held on a bowling pin-sized target. With high velocity ammo, the AK-22’s average rate of fire was 790 rounds-per-minute, slow enough to allow firing a single shot on full-auto when desired.

HTA’s Future

J.D.’s 23-year old son, Jeremiah, was fully apprenticed into the gunsmithing trade although he is no longer active in the business, preferring instead to work as an automotive technician specializing in the Dodge Viper. Linda hopes that someday her son will take up his father’s gunsmithing trade.

Linda is writing a book to be entitled, “Confession’s of a Gun Nut’s Wife.” The book will take a humorous look at her marriage to J.D. and the many talented people they met in the gun business. She notes J.D.’s extensive collection of MAC and RPB full-auto firearms, including many one-of-a-kind pieces, may be offered for sale in the early part of the year 2000.

Both J.D. and Linda have served on the board of directors of the National Firearms Association, the governing organization for the national machine gun matches. Linda asks that those desiring to make donations in J.D.’s memory send such contributions to the NFA at 2891 Indiana Street, West Melbourne, Florida 32904, or, in the alternative, the National Rifle Association’s Firearms Civil Defense fund.