I had the good fortune to be among friends at the SHOT show, albeit in my current normal state of over-tired, shell-shocked somnambulance. The conversations were great, the camaraderie excellent, and the mood was fairly upswing- especially considering the doom and gloom that has been flying around of late.

There was certainly a lot of discussion about what the enemies of the Constitution are trying to do, but instead of people laying down, buckling under, or running for the hills, well, there was a lot of fighting back going on. It was certainly a pleasure to hear that almost everyone who cared to join in the conversations had plans to work for political strength. In the face of adversity, the measure of men and women is whether they look the problem straight on, buckle up, and continue to do what is right, or whether they turn and run.

I don’t think that it is cowardly to make good tactical plans that sometimes require retreat, or even engineer a fake rout- the goals may require it. However, much of the firearms community’s response in the past has been dictated by the “Divide and conquer” mentality of our enemies. They have been quite successful in pitting the Trap shooters against the duck hunters, against the Cowboy Shooters, against the collectors, and EVERYONE against those nasty military gun “Nuts”.

There is a sea change in the air- the conversations that I was privy to had many converts to the understanding that it is not about “What” guns are bad, it is about “All” guns are bad, they simply want to get rid of each category as it rises to negative publicity. Some have been pointing this out since 1968. Now that the Anti-Second Amendment fanatics have started calling bolt-action rifles with good glass on them “Sniper” rifles, and talking about bans or restrictions, though, it has really started to get some attention.

We have spoken amongst ourselves about the “Camel getting his nose into the tent”, and discussed the obvious outcome of that, but many people didn’t know what a camel looked like. Well, here is one, for all to see. Gun Banners are just that- they want to ban all guns. In many ways, we have allowed the public opinion to be swayed against us, by playing into the media’s hands. Time to take that back. Stand tall, get the vote out. Don’t let lies stand in the media, nor in the legislatures.

I have said “Enemy” in this short essay. I meant it. If you can take a moment to read the hate that is inside the Anti- Second Amendment fanatic’s literature, or discretely listen to their private discussions when you happen to be around them. Many favor rounding up firearms owners and “Putting us away”. My unspoken mental response is that this is precisely “Why” I really don’t want to give up the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, nor will I surrender that Right being passed on to my children. God, in his infinite wisdom, save us from the omniscient do-gooders.

Again, preaching to the choir isn’t all that productive, but I personally want to see every man, woman and child that cares about Freedom out there, working to get the votes out this fall. This is the one that counts. This is the year that counts, perhaps more than many other elections in the past. Let’s stick together on this, and see if we can have a “Make a Difference Day” ourselves- on November 7th.

– Dan

Dear SAR,

About a year and a half ago, a WWII veteran approached a local class 3/collector with what you see in the photos, Imagine the dealer’s surprise when he saw a near mint MKb(H) 42, along with 500 rounds of ammo! (Ed- we didn’t have room for the photos at this point)

A quick inquiry revealed the sad news that the gun was never registered and therefore contraband. The gun was duly reported to ATF and turned over to them the following day, which coincided with our monthly shoot. ATF allowed all present to handle and thoroughly examine this rare and historic firearm. The condition, as I stated, is excellent. The serial number is in the 800’s range, (if my memory serves). Significant differences between this gun and the final product, (the MP44) are the full length gas tube, bayonet lug and a two lever safety/selector system, (as opposed to the safety level and push-through button selector on the MP44).

Our local ATF office has agents who, besides being firearms enthusiasts, are well aware of the significance of this particular weapon and went the extra mile to protect and preserve this unique piece of firearms history. Through the auspices of local agents and John Magaw, Director at ATF, the agency arranged for the gun, along with the history of the veteran who captured it, to be donated to the Springfield Armory Museum. The gun resides there today.

My point is the examples of good relationships between ATF and NFA community abound, you just never hear about them. Our local agents are professional, pro-gun for the most part and we have always had excellent relationships with them here in South Florida.

Sincerely, Doug Andrews

SAR: What a wonderful story. Unfortunately, it can be balanced very easily with many stories of the guns taken from the rightful owners and destroyed by the US government. It is a sad thing that so many war trophies, historic or exotic pieces, have been destroyed. It is cheering to hear about a group of government employees doing their jobs properly. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms is not supposed to be an advocacy agency- neither “Pro”, nor “Anti” firearms ownership- they are supposed to enforce the regulations and tax issues that are presented to them by the people of the United States, through the legislature. This is supposed to be done under the auspices of the Constitution of the United States.

I would suspect that the agents you dealt with were not “Pro-gun”, but that they were simply professionals doing a job, and may have taken pleasure in seeing such an historic piece placed in a museum. On a personal level, they may well have taken pleasure in this as well.

This writer’s opinions on the subject are pretty well known, but I will attest to them once again. While I do not expect to see one in the present political climate, a continuing Amnesty program is needed. Why should this heroic American citizen be stripped of his trophy from that battle for Freedom years ago? The answer is simple; he shouldn’t be. He should be allowed to register this firearm, and leave it to his lawful heirs. Do I object to the taxation of the National Firearms Act? Of course, but I acknowledge that it is one of the Constitutional tools that our legislature has chosen to use. We have to live with this situation every day, so we make the best of it. It is the 1986 act banning further manufacture, and the 1968 GCA that allowed the first Amnesty that need to be looked at. There have been around 32 years of injustice on this issue.

Why is it necessary for this wonderful piece of history to be ripped from the arms of its rightful owner, and placed into a government-affiliated museum, where Lord only knows if the general population or even the owner will ever see it again? Simply because there are some criminals exist who might misuse it if they found it? It is doubtful the basic crackhead could load and operate the gun, let alone use it to rob convenience stores. Certainly the law abiding citizen who owned the Mkb 42h was within his constitutional rights to own it. What possible reason could there be for him to not keep it? Why couldn’t the NFRTR be noted that this piece was in his possession? He certainly had it before the 1968 Amnesty.

I am preaching to the choir again. I don’t see there being a general amnesty right now, but considering the fact that the NFRTR has been demonstrated to be “Off” many times, perhaps a corrective measure would be to de-criminalize certain forms of paperwork non-compliance- in order to get things “Right”, and then allow for an on-going registration process at least for certain war trophies. I am going to keep working towards this. Almost all Class 3 dealers have had their transfer “Nightmares”- the notice from NFA Branch that “a firearm is not in your name- please prove that it is”. That’s why we all keep records as meticulously as possible. What could be wrong with treating the process like the tax collection registry that it is, and going for good data, and allowing legitimate war trophies to stay in the hands of the veterans and their families?

SAR has some VERY interesting articles coming up on the NFRTR and inaccuracies. Keep your eye on these pages.

And, thanks for the heartening story, to those of us who collect and study these firearms, seeing an Mkb go to a museum instead of the chopping block is kind of like a pet lover seeing a dog at the dog pound find a new home, and all of us are wishing we could have given that poor little Mkb a nice, safe, warm home ourselves.

– Dan

Second City Suit Against Industry Dismissed

The city of Bridgeport, Connecticut’s lawsuit against the firearms industry, part of the recent wave of suits by municipalities, has been thrown out of court. The decision follows the October 1999 dismissal of a similar suit brought by the city of Cincinnati, Ohio. Legal experts are predicting a growing trend against efforts by politicians to hold legitimate industry liable for the criminal actions of third parties.

The National Rifle Association hailed the Connecticut Superior Court decision. The ruling follows last October’s ruling to dismiss with prejudice a similar suit filed by the municipality of Cincinnati.

“All those mayors who jumped on the lawsuit bandwagon in order to get their names in the papers ought to buckle their seatbelts, because the bandwagon is starting to come to a screeching, judicial halt,” said James J. Baker, executive director of NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action. “Once again, just as in the Cincinnati case, the court has employed sound judgment and common sense. These reckless lawsuits have no place in our judicial system.”

In his written opinion, Judge Robert McWeeny dismissed the case and ruled that Bridgeport and other cities “…lack any statutory authorization to initiate such claims” of liability against the firearms industry.

Baker applauded the decision, noting a December 12, 1999 Houston (TX) Chronicle report of a Tarrance Group poll finding 84% of Americans feel those who illegally misuse firearms should be held responsible, while only 5% believe manufacturers or retailers should be held responsible for the criminal misuse of firearms.

“The idea of holding a lawful industry responsible for the criminal acts of third parties flies in the face of common sense and our system of jurisprudence,” Baker said. “Americans want to see the laws already on the books enforced to hold armed criminals directly responsible for their actions. They don’t support these suits, nor the greedy lawyers and mayors behind them.”

During the past year, fourteen states have adopted legislation to prevent municipalities from filing similar lawsuits against the firearms industry. Baker predicted more states would adopt such measures in coming months.

Clinton Administration To Sue

But the Clinton Administration is not getting the message. In an action intended to force changes in the way firearms are manufactured and marketed, but with no foundation in case law, The Clinton Administration has announced it is preparing to file a class action lawsuit on behalf of the nation’s 3,191 public housing authorities. The plaintiffs want gunmakers to distribute only to dealers who won’t sell at gun shows, to require dealers to sell only one-gun-a-month to each buyer, to cut off those dealers who sell a disproportionate number of guns later linked to crimes, and to make the industry develop “smart” guns that only authorized users (such as the gun’s owner) can operate.

The public housing authorities spend about $1 billion a year trying to keep their 3. million residents safe from gun violence, according to the Department of Housing and Urban Development. Author’s Note: Much of the violence, however, is committed by the authorities’ own residents. The department hasn’t yet decided how much to ask for in damages. The attack on the gunmakers is patterned closely on the tobacco campaign, and even involves some of the same lawyers.

Some manufacturers, such as Glock, Inc., were quoted as saying they would consider meeting with the Clinton Administration, while others, such as Sturm, Ruger & Co., indicated they plan to fight the matter out in court.

The problem with this latest ploy from the Clinton Administration is that it has no legal standing. Its requirement that firearms manufacturers build only “smart” guns, those only owners can fire, cannot be done as a reliable “smart” technology has never been developed. The idea of cutting off the source of supply of merchandise to legitimate licensed dealers who sell at gun shows would constitute a violation of federal restraint-of-trade regulations.

Using the court system to require dealers to sell only one-gun-a-month to each buyer is an abuse of the role of the courts. The courts do not exist to create laws, and lawsuits attempting to impose gun control through the judicial system have all been soundly rejected by the courts in the past.

Requiring wholesalers to refuse to supply firearms to otherwise legitimate dealers who sell a disproportionate number of firearms later linked to crimes cannot be done as the Dealers involved have done nothing wrong and thus committed no crime. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms has publicly stated the number of firearm trace requests can be influenced by many factors, including the store’s location. Stores in predominately African-American and often urban low income areas tend to sell more guns that are later linked to crime. Does this mean the federal government intends to prohibit the sale of firearms to African-Americans?

The final demand, change gun industry advertising so it appeals less to criminals is rather curious. This author, an avid reader of firearms publications for more years than he cares to recount, has never seen a gun advertisement specifically directed to criminals. This proposal also smacks of a violation of the First Amendment to the Bill of Rights guarantee of freedom of speech.

ATF NICS Warning

The industry’s regulator, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms (ATF) advises some retailers are not complying with the recordkeeping requirements mandated by the gun Control Act of 1968 by destroying Form 4473 in situations where a NICS (National Instant Criminal Background Check System) check has been initiated, but the transfer of the firearm is not completed. This practice is in violation of the Gun Control Act, the agency warns.

In general, regulations require licensees to retain each Form 4473 for a period of not less than 20 years after the date of sale or disposition. However, if a NICS check has been initiated, but the transfer of the firearm was not completed, the licensee must record any state or NICS transaction number on the Form 4473, and retain the form for a period of not less than 5 years from the date of the NICS inquiry.

This requirement includes denied transactions, as well as transactions that are approved by NICS, but where the firearm was never transferred to the prospective purchaser.

Forms 4473 for proposed transfers that were not completed should be retained in the licensee’s records separate from the Forms 4473 for completed transactions and should be organized alphabetically (by the name of the transferee) or chronologically (by the date of the transferee’s certification).

Gun Buyer Denials

From January 1, 1998 through November 29, 1998, approximately 70,000 rejections occurred among 2,384,000 NICS/state applications to acquire a firearm. About 63% of the rejections were for a prior felony conviction or a current felony indictment. Domestic violence misdemeanor convictions accounted for 10% of the rejections, and domestic violence protection orders caused 3% of the rejections.

Among the 18 states reporting complete data for the first 11 months of 1998, Georgia had the highest rejection rate at 8.4% of 74,977 applications. Connecticut had the lowest rejection rate at just 0.6% of its 26,981 applications. From March 1994 to November 1998, there have been 12,740,000 background checks with a 2.4% rejection rate, according to ATF.

Company News

Sturm, Ruger & Co., the nation’s largest overall producer of firearms, has reported second quarter net sales of $63 million compared to $60 million in the second quarter of 1998. Net income for the quarter ended June 30, 1999 totaled $7.5 million or 28 cents per share versus $8.4 million or 31 cents per share in the comparable quarter of 1998.

For the six months ended June 30, 1999, net sales were $125.9 million and net income was $15.9 million or 59 cents per share. For the corresponding period in 1998, net sales were $118.5 million and net income was $15.6 million or 58 cents per share.

Commenting on the quarter, Chairman William B. Ruger noted strong demand for firearms has continued. “Firearms sales, which increased by 23% during the first half of 1999, have shown improvement for five consecutive quarters. It is especially gratifying to note high demand for new products, like our Fiftieth Anniversary commemorative .22 caliber target pistol.

“Seven municipalities served the company with lawsuits during the quarter, alleging various theories which we believe to be ill-conceived and completely unfounded in both law and fact. The company intends to continue contesting such suits vigorously, and has filed motions to dismiss several of these cases. Suing the very companies providing the cities with quality firearms used by law enforcement needlessly diverts valuable resources away from fighting criminals into the pockets of trial lawyers, and is simply wrong,” Ruger concluded.

Sturm, Ruger was founded in 1949. Since 1950, it has never failed to show an annual profit and has never required financing from outside sources.

Hodgdon Powder Co. (Dept. SAR, P.O. Box 2932, Shawnee Mission, KS 66201) introduces the second version of the Blast Electronic Manual. It is loaded with features, including: Updated information from Hodgdon’s #27 Data Manual for rifle and pistol; Hodgdon, Alliant, IMR and Winchester powder data are includded with an in-depth selection of bullet weights; shotshell data for all gauges including bushing charts for the most popular loading presses; and, a Barnes external ballistic program including printable ballistic tables and loading data.

QuickLOAD and QuickTARGET for Windows are two new software programs for handloaders and commercial reloaders from U.S. International Defence Technologies, L.L.C. (Dept SAR, 5005 Chapman Highway, Knoxville, TN 37920). QuickLOAD is a computer program allowing the user to calculate loading data and the user can adjust for specific barrel length, rate of twist, chamber dimensions and case volumes. The QuickTARGET program can calculate graphs or simulate recoil influences for a specific rifle or pistol, canting influences, wind or sight adjustments, and the effect of atmospheric conditions.

Sierra Bullets (Dept. SAR, P.O. Box 818, Sedalia, MO 65301) introduces the INFINITY exterior ballistics computer software offering multiple trajectory charts and graphics. The bullet library includes many major bullet manufacturers as well as ammunition companies and allows for addition of new and custom bullets.

Shooters of the .50 Browning Machine Gun cartridge can begin handloading the big cartridge without searching for hard-to-find loading tools individually with the new .50 BMG Pack from RCBS (Dept. SAR, 605 Oro Dam Blvd., Oroville, CA 95965). The Pack includes the press, dies, and accessory items needed, all in one box. It not only offers convenience, but the shooter saves money over buying the parts separately.

The furnished press is the powerful AmmoMaster single stage rigged for 1 1/2 inch dies. It has a massive solid steel ram and plenty of height for the big .50. Also included is a set of RCBS .50 BMG reloading dies, including both full-length sizer and seater. Other parts of the kit are a shell holder, ram priming unit, and a trim die.

Michaels of Oregon (Dept. SAR, P.O. Box 1690, Oregon City, OR 97045) has added a new gloss finish to its Sidekick Professional Mirage nylon duty gear. Mirage Gloss duty gear is designed to provide the formal appearance preferred by many state patrols and police departments, yet deliver long-term durability and high performance in both street and dress situations.

Mirage Gloss is the latest Sidekick Professional pattern in Nytek, a non-woven material made of nylon microfibers 1,000 times finer than silk. It is extremely strong and abrasion resistant, will not rot, mildew or fade, and requires virtually no maintenance. The new finish features a mirror-polished sheen providing a classy appearance to complement the material’s proven durability. A full selection of duty gear, including holsters, belts and accessories are available in the new finish.

Michael’s of Oregon has acquired the “World’s Fastest Gun Bore Cleaner” product line from National Tech labs, Inc. of Boise, Idaho. Under the agreement, Michael’s acquires the patents, manufacturing and marketing rights to the line of flexible bore cleaners. Manufacturing of the bore cleaner line will be at the Michael’s’ Oregon City, Oregon headquarters plant.

The product will have its name changed to the Bore Snake™, World’s Fastest Gun Bore Cleaner, and marketed under Michaels GunMate family of products. The product is a flexible cleaning tool combining all cleaning steps into one. It has built-in bore brushes and a woven cord with 160 times more floss than a typical cleaning patch. It is available in sizes to fit most firearms.

H&K INTRODUCES REVOLUTIONARY NEW RIFLE

The new SL8-1 sporting rifle was recently introduced into the U.S. market by German firearms manufacturer Heckler & Koch. This high performance .223 caliber semi-automatic rifle is constructed almost entirely of a tough, carbon fiber-reinforced polymer material. Departing from the roller-locked bolt system design traditionally used in HK long guns, the new SL8-1 utilizes a proven short stroke, piston-actuated gas operating system, well known for simplicity and reliability. H&K has been absent from the commercial rifle market for several years but with the introduction of the SL8-1 that is all about to change. Designed and engineered to deliver the highest standard of shooting performance, the ergonomics and clean lines of the SL8-1 are functional and modern, imparting the look and feel of a 21st century firearm. Several modular sighting systems are available, including extended and short Picatinny rails with open sights, a 1.5X scope with an integral carry handle and a dual optical system that will combine a 3X scope with an electronic red dot sight. Other features include a cold hammer forged heavy barrel for precision accuracy, fully adjustable open sights, adjustable and removable cheek-piece ambidextrous safety/selector lever and a detachable 10-round magazine. (Editor’s note: I will be reviewing this exciting new rifle in an upcoming issue of SAR.) For more information contact: Heckler & Koch, Inc., Dept. SAR, 21480 Pacific Boulevard, Sterling, VA 20166-8903. Phone: 1-703-450-1900. Fax: 1-703-450-8160.

SPECIAL EDITION WINCHESTER SAFES BENEFIT DUCKS UNLIMITED

Meilink Safe Company, manufacturer of Winchester safes, announces the arrival of special edition Ducks Unlimited gun safes. A portion of the proceeds from the sale of these safes goes to Ducks Unlimited, Inc., an organization dedicated to the conservation of North American wetlands through protection, restoration and management. All Ducks Unlimited safes feature a Ducks Unlimited logo on the dial and image on the front, plus an embroidered Ducks Unlimited shield on the inside door panel. They are available in three models, three sizes each, with a number of interior choices available for each model. Ducks Unlimited has been involved in the conservation of over 8.8 million acres of wetlands in North America. Their mission is to conserve and protect wetland habitat, which not only supports the lifecycles of waterfowl, but also benefits over 900 species of wildlife including 160 that are threatened or endangered. Wetlands contribute to the overall health of our environment by purifying groundwater and reducing erosion and flooding. These efforts translate into benefits for all through more rewarding outdoor experiences. Meilink Safe Company, a subsidiary of Fire King International, makes Winchester Gun Safes under a licensing agreement with Winchester, one of the most famous names in firearms and ammunition. Winchester Ducks Unlimited SE Safes are manufactured and sold under license from Ducks Umlimited, Inc. For more information contact Meilink Safe Company, Dept. SAR, 111 Security Parkway, New Albany, Indiana 47150. Phone: 1-800-494-6723. Fax: 1-812-948-0437.

AEARO INTRODUCES NEW JUNIOR SAFETY PRODUCTS

Aearo, a world leader in the design and manufacturing of personal safety products, has just introduced two new safety products for use in the sport of shooting. The new products are the Peltor Junior earmuff and the AOSafety Junior safety glasses, specifically designed to fit youth and smaller adults, especially women. Unlike most shooting products available today, the Junior muffs allow youth and smaller adults to get a comfortable, better fit because they are designed specifically to fit a smaller head size. They do not size-up to fit most adults the way many products that are currently on the market are designed to do. The Peltor Junior earmuff features a padded headband and comfortable, low-profile ear cups that encourage youth to wear the protection they need over extended periods of time. The product provides appropriate noise reduction in a shooting environment, while still allowing range commands to be heard. Aearo also introduces AOSafety Junior safety glasses, again designed specifically to fit smaller shooters. The glasses feature a stylish, wraparound design for front and side impact protection, and adjustable temples for a secure and custom fit. The glasses are designed to protect against debris from powder discharge, as well as brass particles from spent shells. For more information contact Aearo Company, Dept. SAR, Indianapolis, Indiana. Phone: 1-317-692-6581.

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, FUTURE SYSTEMS, TRAINING & RELATED NEWS

LEI OFFERS SUPPRESSORS FOR SPORTING RIFLES: Law Enforcement International (LEI) in the UK cut its teeth on making laser aiming pointers, suppressors and suppressed weapons for military & law enforcement users. Now it’s offering its muzzle suppressors on the sporting market. Eight basic sizes are available, comprising standard (32.5cm long) and compact (25cm) models in each of four calibre ranges; the .223 suppressor is suitable for .17 to .223 calibres, the .30 model for .243 to .308, the 9mm variant for 8-9.3mm and the .45 suppressor for .375 to .458 calibres. The compact .223 model is also suitable for .22 rimfire and air rifles. Weights are approx 730g for standard and 570g for the compact suppressors. All models incorporate stainless baffles with a claimed life of over 10,000 rounds.

LEI is selling these suppressors under the title of ‘sound moderators’, which is the traditional term used in the UK. Their main benefit when used with standard-velocity (ie supersonic) ammunition is in suppressing muzzle blast, flash and recoil, as well as helping preserve the eardrums of firers and observers. .22 rimfire ‘sound moderators’, mostly from Parker-Hale, have been used in Britain for many years, but now UK police forces are gradually waking up to the fact that muzzle suppressors also make good sense on centrefire hunting weapons. And, unlike in the USA, the UK imposes no additional restrictions on their purchase (though police must enter them on firearm certificates). You’ll also need to have the rifle muzzle threaded, of course.

While there will always be some police agencies who persist in looking askance at any such innovations, the fact remains that quite a lot of suppressed weapons are now appearing on UK ranges, so the message is getting around. There can also be other bonuses – some users of suppressors actually report improved accuracy, though there may be a change of zero.

LEI Ltd, UK Tel (020) 8903-8305, Fax (020) 8903-8302, E-mail: lei@lei.co.uk

SMART GUNS NOW A CLINTON ‘BIG ISSUE’: Whatever the fate of Colt’s Smart Gun, AP noted in early Jan 2000 that Bill Clinton was to press Congress for a $10m National Institute of Justice FY 2001 budget allocation for further development of weapons of this type, a substantial increase on the $4m he earlier failed to secure in 1999. The agency said Clinton appeared to want to make Smart Guns an issue in the coming presidential election, though one could also read this as a sign that he doesn’t expect any great movement on more conventional ‘meat & potatoes’ gun control. Whilst this new fascination with Smart Guns is fully consistent with the ‘modern’ trend to throw technology at any & every problem, regardless of relevance, Clinton may nevertheless still be over-estimating the potential of firearm issues as a vote-winner for the Democrats.

The bottom line is that – while the gun control camp remains highly vocal – there seems to be no real appetite amongst voters for any truly draconian changes which would seriously limit the ability of the Ordinary Joe to own an effective weapon for home defence or hunting. We are sure Smart Guns are being used as a ploy to try to kid voters there is a new and magical non-prohibitionist alternative to limiting supply, and that there is a sanitary, all-electronic solution to firearm accidents in the home.

But, as we all know, this is illusory, since all Smart technologies so far seen – quite apart from restricting availability by price, would also tend to impose limitations on lawful use in the domestic environment for which most pistols are purchased. And – like the military – no home-owner is yet ready to gamble his survival on the reliability of a three-dollar button battery. Would you?

CHINESE 5.8MM BULLPUPS POPPING UP EVERYWHERE: we noted that Dec 99 press photos of the arrival of the PLA in Macau showed all troops carrying the new AUG-inspired 5.8mm Type 95 bullpup rifles first seen when China ‘recaptured’ Hong Kong in 1997. At that time – bearing in mind the press attention devoted to Hong Kong’s new PLA garrison – there was no doubt the subtext was to wow us with the Chinese army’s technical prowess, and the same is probably true in respect of the Macau handover. However, sources tell us that, during the 1999 celebrations in Peking of the 50th anniversary of the Revolution, substantial formations of troops were also seen there carrying the new bullpups.

This tends to suggest China does indeed plan, as earlier claimed, to move towards general replacement of its 7.62x39mm weapons, though – if so – we can expect this to be a lengthy & expensive process, and we’re still not quite sure why they’re doing it. During the prolonged period when China & Russia weren’t on talking terms, the Chinese went off down their own R&D path, developing a wide range of indigenous small arms designs, of which the 5.8mm family is just one. Ironically, now the leadership in Moscow, convinced that everyone else is gunning for Mother Russia, has patched things up with Peking, hoping to bolster its position in relation to Washington, suggesting that we can expect Sino/Russian technical co-operation to resume in the future.

NEW VEKTOR SMALL ARMS BOSS: we’re advised that the new Managing Director of Denel’s Vektor small arms division in South Africa is Leon Joffe (replacing Brian Tucker), Tel(+27)12-620-2616, Fax(+27)12-664-1905, E-mail: leonj@vektor.co.za.

EXPLOSIVE FUN & GAMES IN WW2: casting your mind back to Arms Tech’s incendiary paste (see previous issues), which can be also provided in toothpaste tubes, we noted from Daily Telegraph & other reports on British Special Operations Executive sabotage devices in WW2 that incendiary shaving brushes and soap were developed, both containing sodium which would combust when it came into contact with water.

Other novel ideas from the SOE’s Station IX gadget factory in Welwyn Garden City included exploding bicycle pumps, high-explosive dog turds and horse droppings (to burst the tyres of enemy trucks), chianti wine-bottle bombs, exploding coal, itchy powder, incendiary fruit & vegetables and ‘suntan’ cream designed to damage glass optics. Another significant invention was the acid-actuated time-pencil detonator, and the SOE section in Barnet even came up with explosive-filled dead boiler-room rats, which they hoped the enemy would toss on a fire. Many of these gizmos have only recently been revealed following the declassification of British WW2 government papers.

By the way, the prefix ‘wel’ was used for a number of devices (as in the ‘welmine’) to indicate they were developed at Welwyn, so you can deduce for yourself why the SOE’s integrally-suppressed .32 pistol, reportedly still in use today by British special forces, is known as the Welrod.

40MM HIGH-VELOCITY AMMUNITION WITH MECHANICAL SD FUZING: Chartered Industries (CIS) in Singapore is advertising a new 40mm S413 HEDP-SD grenade cartridge for automatic grenade-launchers like the Mk19 or Singapore’s own CIS 40 AGL. It is fairly unusual in incorporating a mechanical self-destruct fuze, something which has been sorely lacking in most previous 40mm HV designs (but not the 30mm Russian AGS-17). CIS claims the S413 meets US and NATO standards.

The actual mechanism of the S413 is not described, but in common with other self-destruct concepts it is presumably timed to explode the grenade after a pause simulating the flight time to at least the maximum range. Based on US 40mm HV performance, we deduce this will be at least 17 seconds.

Self-destruct fuzing caters for those soft impacts which might otherwise result in ‘blinds’ requiring EOD attention. It is much preferable for range safety & cleanup during training, and of course when operating in urban areas where unexploded grenades would risk harming uninvolved civilians.

Chartered Industries products are marketed by Unicorn International, e-mail: uintl@cyberway.com.sg

NO FRENCH HEAVY COUNTER-SNIPER DOCTRINE, DESPITE BOSNIA SUCCESSES: TTU Europe said in Nov 99 that, despite having received a general issue of the .50 Hecate 2 rifle, the French army had yet to establish any consistent doctrine for the use of .50 calibre rifles in the countersniper role.

However, it was not always so. In 1993/94, when based in Sarajevo, and acting on the initiative of a lieutenant, one of the French regiments there (the 21st Marines) formed a special anti-sniping unit comprising one 20mm VAB cannon, six 7.62mm FR-F2 sniper teams and two teams with the .50 McMillan. Though, prior to demanding the issue of the .50 McMillans, French forces had suffered 17 wounded from Serbian sniper fire, the new counter-sniping structure incorporating the 20mm and .50 weapons eventually reduced the threat. Operations were assisted by Mira cameras and Cilas sniper detection equipment. Reportedly, large-scale operations in urban areas, as were conducted in Bosnia, are no longer considered a priority by the French military – which suggests to us it may be harder in future to rope in French assistance in the event of a re-run of anything similar to the Bosnian capers.

OZ COMPETITOR FOR .50 TRIALS: Jane’s IDR gave details of the bolt-action .50 ATAS rifle from Precision Rifle Systems which is the home-grown competitor for the Australian heavy sniper/anti-materiel rifle requirement. It has a magazine capacity of six rounds and weighs a hefty 15.3kg (33.7 pounds) empty (or 13.5 kg with aluminium stock). Unusually, it also has a rear-locking bolt mechanism, which is claimed to do less damage to match cartridges. Apparently it can be set up for right or left-handers, and can also be adapted to side-feed. The sample shown had a steel ‘stock’ (stainless steel components are offered as an option) with skeletonized butt, adjustable cheekpiece and buttpad, a bipod, scope dovetails and a substantial muzzle brake. Rifling is the standard 15” twist, in an 80cm (31.5”) tube.

Reportedly the wooden stock components are simply plugged into the steel support structure, so one might say there is something of a ‘chassis’ system about this rifle, though the concept actually bears a closer resemblance to that of an unusual Namibian suppressed sniper rifle we tested some years ago.

A smaller-calibre Australian weapon of not dissimilar design to the .50 rifle was also shown, from which we deduce the company also offers sniper weapons in 7.62mm NATO.

SEATTLE PAINTBALL MYSTERY SOLVED: in a previous issue we noted that the Seattle Police had been spotted with conventional paintball guns during the riots which accompanied the World Trade Organisation summit meeting. However, no details were readily available. We are indebted therefore to a reader who raised the matter directly with the Seattle Police and was told that the guns were used with standard paintballs for marking, plus other balls filled with pepper dust or water. The idea behind the pepper was that rioters already sprayed with CS gas would rub their eyes, whereupon the pepper dust on their hands would make things worse.

US MANPOWER/CASH SAVINGS SINCE ‘THE WALL’ CAME DOWN: AP ran some statistics for the US military before & after the Berlin Wall came down a decade ago; these make quite interesting reading:-
a. Total active-duty forces: then 2.1m, now below 1.4m, of which:-

– US Army: then 760k, now 480k – US Navy: then 580k, now 373k – USMC: then 194k, now 172k – US Air Force: then 575k, now 360k

b. Defence budget: then approx $300Bn, now $270Bn, of which:

– US Army: then $80Bn, now $65bn – US Navy/USMC: then $100Bn, now $82Bn – USAF: then $100Bn, now $78Bn

(nb: total budgets also include costs for other defence agencies)

IRANIAN GUN EXCHANGE SCHEME: Reuters Tehran reported in Nov 99 that the authorities in Iran were trying to recover military assault rifles from nomadic peoples in the Iranian provinces, as part of national gun control efforts, but this is not a firearms ban – the government is actually providing hunting rifles in exchange. To date about 30,000 weapons have reportedly been exchanged. We assume the motives behind the scheme are not entirely altruistic, since the nomads presumably represent less of a threat to the established order if they have bolt-action guns rather than Kalashnikovs, M16s or G3s.

FBI’s WACO GUNS TO BE EXAMINED: the FBI, AP said in mid-Nov 99, is to hand over for testing ‘hundreds’ of firearms it carried at the Waco siege, so that investigators can finally establish whether any of them were actually fired there, which the Bureau denies. The testing is at the request of special counsel John Danforth, who was appointed by the US Justice Department to look into new accusations arising from the Waco sago. Presumably forensic staff hope to match or rule out empty cases or bullets found at the scene – Danforth is set to receive ‘a dozen’ recovered cartridge cases for examination.

REAL IRA GETTING KIT FROM SERBS?: in Nov 99 the Sunday People in the UK claimed that the Serbs were arming the republican breakaway group the Real IRA with ‘tons’ of free weapons & explosives; the paper added that Slobodan Milosevic had recently OK’d the supply of even more arms. Reportedly the paper was told by officials that Real IRA weapons captured in Eire had been traced to the Balkans. Republican sources confirmed Serbia was the donor, and that the Real IRA had gone over there in 1997 to set up the deal, though the flow of weapons only started after NATO attacked the Serbs in Kosovo.

WHITE HOUSE – WE KNOW WHAT’S GOOD FOR YOU, FORGET CONGRESS: when you’ve read the following extract (released on 15 Dec 99) from a recent White House press briefing on gun control, you might well feel – as we have done for some years – that the time has come to review the need for the President to have any ‘executive powers’ at all. We say this since he seems quite prepared to use them to override the will of Congress in pursuit of his own interpretation of what ‘the American public’ wants:

‘PRESS BRIEFING BY JOE LOCKHART (extract)

Q: Joe, can you talk at all about what the President is prepared to do next year to improve gun safety?

MR. LOCKHART: I think that we believe that Congress has frustrated the American public on the issue of gun safety, that we have more than enough evidence, that we need to take steps. So we’re going to move aggressively to work with Congress on issues that we’ve put before them, but we’re not going to rely on Congress. We’re going to find other avenues.

We’re exploring using both our executive authority invested in the President that we have discussed potential litigation against the gun industry, and I think it’s our overall sense that this is something the American public is demanding. And we’re doing a lot of work now to be ready next year to come out and move aggressively to make sure that we’re doing everything we can to make our streets safe, make our schools safe, and fight the problem we have with gun safety in this country.

Q: What type of actions can be taken by executive authority?

MR. LOCKHART: It’s something that we’re looking at now. I think as you know, we’ve had a series of meetings over the last few weeks here at the White House and we’re looking at things we can do, and I think you’ll hear more about this next year.’

Scope mounts. No matter how accurate your rifle or how precise your optics, if your scope is not mounted rock solid all is for naught. Ever since soldiers started mounting optical sights onto their rifles to successfully engage further than was possible with iron sights, the fly in the ointment has been how to properly mount them. And once mounted, how to keep them properly mounted. In his book ‘A RIFLEMAN WENT TO WAR’ H.W. McBride wrote about how he anchored a Warner & Swasey telescope onto his Ross sniping rifle, “I had to tinker up the mounting a bit to keep it from jarring loose; on my particular rifle I rusted all the screws in and spiked them with a center punch, then by ramming a thin wedge or “shim” (made from a safety razor blade) in between the sight base and its holding lug, I finally got it on so tightly I could not get it off. This “anchored” it properly and the sight thereafter worked all right.” I’m sure his method not only worked but made him right popular with his armourer.

Rifles and scopes have changed a lot from McBride’s .303 Ross straightpull with an offset mounted Warner & Swasey, but some problems remain timeless. The only country that apparently took the sniping lessons of World War I to heart was the Soviet Union. Dominated by German Scharfschutzen’s (sharpshooters) the Russians suffered dreadfully, but learned their lesson well. From 1932 to 1938 54,160 Model 91/30 Mosin-Nagant sniper rifles were manufactured. From the outset of the Great Patriotic War the Germans suffered alarming losses to Soviet snipers. In 1942 alone the Soviets produced 53,195 scope sighted sniping rifles of which the Germans reissued all they could capture. After the war the Soviets went on to produce the worlds first rifle designed from the ground up for sniping, and sniping only. Named after it’s designer, Evgeniy F. Dragunov (1920-1991), the SVD Dragunov entered Soviet service on July 3rd, 1963. With the SVD a rail mounted scope, the PSO-1, was adopted for service.

Since variants of Kalashnikov’s rifle, hereafter simply referred to as AK’s, became available in the U.S. people have searched for a way to mount optics on them. And since SVD’s in different forms (TIGR’s, Chinese, .308) came into the country, and with Romanian FPK/PSL’s available, shooters have wanted to upgrade their optics. It is now possible to do both, and with excellent results. Originally the only mounts generally available for AK’s were “trash” from China. Topcover mounts that adjusted your zero for you between shots, and clunky receiver mounts that were a take off from the 91/30 Mosin-Nagant mount. Some American companies quickly caught a whiff of money to be made and turned out some horrible trash, good only for separating you from your hard earned cash. While this garbage is still out there I am very happy to say that there are also some excellent options now available for the individual desiring to put optics on their AK, or upgrade the optics on their SVD or FPK.

The Holy Grail required for properly mounting optics on a Kalashnikov is the military rail mount that attaches to the left side of the weapons receiver. SVD’s and FPK’s of course have this rail already mounted, as do many of the semi-auto AK’s now being imported. However, if your favorite shooting iron lacks this important piece don’t despair as they are cheap, readily available, and easy to mount. Both Kalashnikov USA and K-VAR carry this important piece, so properly mounting optics onto your weapon can now be a reality. The rail comes with all needed hardware and a mounting template so that anyone who is not a hazard with power tools should be able to accomplish the task.

Why bother, you might ask? Why would someone want to go through the trouble of mounting optics on an AK? Well there are several good reasons. One is that not all AK’s shoot like a bucket. The AK-74 used for testing in this article hovers around 1.5 MOA for instance. The second is that you may wish to have the option to use optics or not to at your discretion as the situation calls. The third is that you may wish to install not a scope per say but a red dot sight for quick target acquisition. And the fourth may be that while your AK shoots like a bucket you just feel like doing it. All good reasons.

To show you what is available I contacted three companies and tested what they have to offer. Product from Kalashnikov USA, K-VAR, and I.O.R. Valdada were all put through their paces. For testing purposes a Russian SVD TIGR 7.62x54R and a Romanian 5.45×39 AK-74 from Tennessee Guns were used. The AK-74 was outfitted with a stock from Ace Tech to increase the length of pull. It is without a doubt the finest stock available for an AK. Patterned after an FN-FAL sidefolder they are available in both fixed and folding versions for legality. Testing was done at 100, 300 and for the SVD, 600 yards. Ammunition for testing purposes was Wolf Performance Ammunition from Tula Arsenal and supplied by Sporting Supplies Int. Inc.

Kalashnikov USA has an extensive line available at reasonable prices. A joint partnership with Izhmash Joint Stock Company of Izhevsk, Russia they import products of Russian design and manufacture. Founded in 1807, Izhmash JSC is where Mikhail Kalashnikov and Evgeniy Dragunov’s weapons were originally manufactured so they have plenty of experience with both AK’s and SVD’s. I tested three scopes, one red dot sight, and two mounts from Kalashnikov USA.

Kalashnikov USA carries a PSO-1 variant. Adopted in 1963 with the SVD the PSO-1 is still the standard issue sniping scope in the Russian Army. With a built in mount, the whole assembly simply slides onto the weapons side rail and locks with a throw lever. A fixed 4x with a 24 mm objective, BDC (Bullet Drop Compensator), battery operated illuminated reticle, sunshade, and finger adjustable target turrets. It comes with a post reticle, as the original military reticle is not allowed to be imported. With coated lenses and an exit pupil of 6mm it does a surprisingly good job of transmitting light. The optics are very clear, and the illuminated reticle is an excellent feature that once you get used to you’ll wonder how you ever did without it. While I at first did not expect that it would actually hold a zero, I can honestly say that my PSO-1 returned to zero flawlessly no matter how many times I dismounted it. The standard scope for an SVD, it makes a nice addition to an AK, but you will want to increase your length of pull.

Of interest to SVD and FPK owners is a 6x version of the PSO-1. At the extreme ranges encountered during the fighting in Afghanistan the Soviets found the PSO-1’s 4x lacking. This scope not only has increased magnification, but also a larger objective lens. Advertised as a 6x36mm the objective lens actually measures a full 40 mm and appears to be the largest lens they could utilize without a major redesign. In all other respects this scope is identical to the PSO-1. It does however have a different reticle. It uses an inverted chevron aiming point and a Zeiss style rangefinder. Optics are coated, surprisingly good, and very clear, better than my Leupolds. The BDC proved very accurate and with a 100 yard zero simply dialing the knob to “6” put me on a military silhouette at 600 yards. For me, 6x seems to be the perfect balance of magnification in a fixed power scope, even at 600 yards (at this range 4x was lacking however). For someone wanting to upgrade their SVD/FPK to more magnification and a larger objective lens without sacrificing ruggedness, durability, the illuminated reticle or BDC, this is the way to go.

Red dot sights have become very popular lately, and for good reason. Lightning fast and allowing accurate fire to be placed at reasonable ranges they work well for their intended purpose. Kalashnikov USA’s entry in this field is called the Cobra. A collimator sight, instead of having a tube it projects the aiming point onto a single lens. It has a built in mount that allows the whole unit to quickly and easily be attached or removed from the weapon. Powered by two 3-volt lithium batteries it has some outstanding features. Instead of just simply having a dot for an aiming point, the user has the option from choosing a dot, a post with horizontal stadia, or a combination of the two. Changes in reticle are accomplished simply with the push of a button. Brightness settings are changed easily and the unit has a memory feature so that when you turn it on it will automatically give you the same settings as when turned off.

Also offered by Kalashnikov USA is the PSO-2. A conventional looking 7×29 scope with a 1-inch tube, it comes with a mount. What is interesting about this scope is the reticle. Consisting of a vertical row of inverted chevron aiming points, each marked with the corresponding range. This allows the shooter to zero his weapon at 100 meters and then use his reticle hold over marks at all further ranges. Hold-over marks are given all the way out to 1100 meters.

For those of you who wish to mount their own choice of 1-inch scope they offer the MTK-75. This mount has integral rings and is angled forward to allow proper eye relief with most scopes. Sitting directly over the bore it seems to be the perfect height, not to tall so that your cheek weld goes out the window, but high enough that you can mount a scope with a 40-42mm objective bell on an AK, 56mm on an SVD. Like all the other mounts it attaches and detaches easily with the throw of a lever.

Another company that offers a mount is K-VAR. They have a wide selection of AK parts and accessories, Krinkov conversion kits, Romanian FPK magazines and mag pouches, to just scratch the surface. One of the neatest machineguns I have ever shot was an AKS-74U built on a K-VAR kit. Of interest here is their scope mount for AK’s. Extremely rugged and blocky, your receiver will flex before K-VAR’s mount does. It sports a standard Weaver rail so that you can use whatever rings you wish. Plus it’s high enough that any size scope bell, including 56mm, will fit without a problem. Mounting simply consists of sliding it onto the rail and locking it in place via a lever. Like the Soviet military mount, it is adjustable for a perfect fit to each individual weapons rail quickly and easily.

The last mount tested is from I.O.R. (Industry Optic Romania) Valdada. Almost unknown in the U.S., I.O.R. has been manufacturing precision optics since 1936. A supplier of optics to elite Warsaw Pact units, I.O.R.’s product line of state of the art military and hunting scopes and binoculars is now available through Valdada in the United States. Utilizing glass for their lenses manufactured in Germany these precision optics compare with anything Schmidt undt Bender, Zeiss, or Leica manufacture. In a phone conversation with Valdada’s president Valentine Leatu, he mentioned that although they don’t advertise it they also carry mounts for SVD’s, AK’s, and FPK’s. Like everything else they make I quickly noticed that their mount is very well thought out, well made, and rugged. Slightly offset to the left, this mount is very low to the bore, just barely high enough to allow the weapons top cover to be removed for maintenance. It features a rail that accepts both Weaver or Stanag rings for your convenience. No cheap junk here, this mount is definitely mil spec. Either mounted on the AK-74 or my SVD this mount proved to be an awesome performer.

I also tested three scopes from Valdada that will be of particular interest to AK/SVD owners. They offer two fixed 4x scopes with straight 30 mm tubes, BDC’s, Tritium illuminated military reticle with range finder, and matte finish. One is calibrated for the 7.62x54R/7.62 Nato and the other is calibrated for the 5.56/5.45’s trajectory. They both feature the Soviet military SVD reticle and the rangefinder is calibrated for a standing person out to 1000 meters. Of extremely high quality I tested one on my AK-74 out to 300 yards with excellent results. Also of interest to someone looking for a true Tactical scope for their SVD/FPK is Valdada’s 2.5x10x42. With optics that put my Leupold on the trailer, handsome good looks, and flawless performance at 600 yards this is simply an incredible scope. The clarity is good enough to allow you to easily spot .30 caliber holes at 300 yards. A modified mil reticle is utilized allowing ranging of a 6 foot figure past 1000 yards. The mil marks can be used for hold over points out to 1000 yards. Adjustment repeatability is flawless. I could go on and on, suffice to say you will be hearing a lot about Valdada and I.O.R.’s scopes in the future.

Throughout testing I was extremely impressed with the quality of the Wolf Performance Ammunition and I recommend it highly, it is definitely a cut above. Both their FMJ and HP 5.45×39 loads shot extremely well. High quality 7.62x54R ammunition is extremely hard to come by and I was incredulous when their soft point hunting ammunition shot into 3/4 of an inch at 100 yards. For someone looking for reloadable 7.62x54R I highly recommend Sellier & Bellot’s 180 grain FMJ. Inexpensive and reloadable it shot sub-MOA at 600 yards. I have had very poor results from their soft point load however. I also cannot say enough about Ace Technology’s AK stock, it simply must be experienced to be appreciated.

If you intend on putting optics on your AK do it the right way, the way the Soviet military did. There is no excuse for using cheap junk that uses the pistol grip or top cover to hold your scope onto the weapon. If the military rail will securely hold a huge Night Vision Device it will hold your scope. I have found all of these companies to be excellent to deal with from a customer’s point of view. Decide what your needs are and give them a call.

Acknowledgments:

Thanks to R&D Outfitters of Warren, Maine for allowing us the use of their 600 yard range during renovations, it was greatly appreciated. Also thanks to Gabe Sende of THE RUSSIAN STORE for providing the uniforms and field gear used in the photo’s and Paul J. Martin (The Red Rifle Man) for allowing us to pick his brain and Jim Mcloud for letting us shoot his Krinkov and RPD.

References:

A RIFLEMAN WENT TO WAR
by H.W. McBride,
Lancer Militaria, Mt. Ida,
Arkansas 1987.

THE GERMAN SNIPER
1914-1945
by Peter R. Senich,
Paladin Press,
Boulder, Colorado 1982.

SOURCES

KALASHNIKOV-USA-LTD
1-561-337-3398
(Scopes, Mounts, Rifles, Shotguns, Target Rifles, Parts, More!)

I.O.R. VALDADA
1-970-879-2983
(Scope Mounts, Tactical Scopes, Hunting Scopes, Binoculars, Rings)

K-VAR
1-702-364-8880
(Scope Mounts, Parts, Accessories, Krinkov kits)

SPORTING SUPPLIES INT. INC.
1-714-635-4246
(Wolf High Performance Ammunition)

WESTERN INTERNATIONAL
1-503-887-6921
(Sellier&Bellot Ammunition)

INTERNATIONAL MILITARY PUBLICATIONS
1-703-221-4339
(English Translation of Soviet SVD and other Russian Weapon Manuals)

TENNESSEE GUNS
1-423-577-1939
(Pre-Ban style AK-74’s, Guns, Ammo, More)

ACE LTD
1-530-346-2492
(U.S. made Pre and Post Ban AK Stock Conversions)

THE RUSSIAN STORE
1-818-999-1257
(Soviet Uniforms, Gear, Medals, More)

Progress isn’t always a step in the right direction; sometimes so-called “progress” can be a step backwards. The three-round burst mechanism of the M16A2 represents a prime example of this phenomenon, since it was added to satisfy bureaucratic bean-counters and not the needs of the individual rifleman. This trigger is the weak link in a battle-proven and otherwise outstanding weapon. For bean-counters concerned about excessive ammunition consumption on the battlefield, a two-round burst mechanism would have made more sense since the third round out of an M16 commonly misses the target anyway. For individual operators concerned about their own survival, an even better solution would be to use a selector on this particular weapon that does not limit burst length, so the operator can decide the burst length instinctively based upon the situation at hand. But burst length is not the most serious flaw of this trigger mechanism. The design’s primary liability is that it delivers one of three considerably different trigger pulls every time the weapon is fired with the selector set to SEMI. This degrades the operator’s ability to place a shot accurately, and accurate shot placement is normally the point of the exercise… unless one needs to break an ambush or obtain temporary fire superiority to cover movement. If the ability to establish temporary fire superiority is a requirement, then I would argue that three-round burst control is less suitable than the ability to dump the entire magazine if the situation calls for it.

While an M16A1-style trigger provides the operator with more tactical options than the M16A2-style three-round burst trigger, the Steyr AUG full-auto trigger pack is an even better approach to the problem to my way of thinking. Pull the two-stage trigger rearward a little for semiautomatic fire and pull it back fully for full-auto fire. No time is wasted manipulating a selector when full-auto fire is required, and the placement of every shot of semiautomatic fire benefits from a trigger pull that does not vary from one round to the next. The AUG trigger could not be incorporated into an M16 without completely redesigning the weapon. But now owners of any M16 variant can have an AUG-style trigger that represents an outstanding upgrade to weapon performance and actually outperforms the AUG trigger in my opinion. It is called the Tactical Select Fire Trigger System.

Developed by Terry Soper of TAC, Inc. (2501 Walter Lane, Las Cruces, NM 88005; URL http://www.zianet.com/tsoper), the patented TAC Trigger System replaces the selector and trigger components in any M16 variant. U.S. Patent Number 5,623,114 was granted to Soper on April 22, 1997 (the patent can be seen by visiting IBM’s Intellectual Property Network; URL http://www.patents.ibm.com). The SAFE and SEMI functions on any M16 variant remain unchanged when using the TAC Trigger System, but when the selector is set to AUTO, the two-stage trigger functions in a manner similar to the Steyr AUG. Pull back a little for semiautomatic fire and pull back fully for full-auto fire. The TAC Trigger System has two sequential sear release points when the selector is on AUTO; the semiautomatic release point breaks at 5 pounds (2.3 kg) while the full-auto release point requires 8 pounds (3.6 kg) to trip.

Before taking a detailed look at the design and performance of the TAC Trigger System, it would be useful to take a brief look at the design and performance of the three-shot burst mechanism found on the M16A2.

M16A2 Three-Round Burst Trigger

The best thing one can say about the M16A2’s three-round burst mechanism is that it uses fewer components than the more intricate burst mechanism found on Heckler & Koch weapons. The HK design is a ratchet-counting mechanism that holds the sear away from the hammer until the selected number of rounds (2RB or 3RB) have been fired. The beauty of the HK design is that any interruption—such as releasing the trigger or emptying the magazine—resets the counter, so weapon always delivers the selected number of rounds as long as ammunition is available.

While the M16A2 burst mechanism is both robust and less complex, it does not reset the counter when the trigger is released. The so-called “interrupted” ratchet and pawl mechanism always picks up wherever the count was interrupted, so a given burst might consist of one, two or three rounds regardless of the tactical exigencies of the moment. Such unpredictability could cost lives.

Some years ago, several Alaska State Troopers were hunting a man who was on a gruesome killing spree that seemed something like a modern version of the Klondike’s Mad Trapper of the Rat River. A friend and his partner were riding in a helicopter armed with M16A1 rifles, when they spotted the killer. As they approached, the man on the ground shot the trooper he could see through the open door of the approaching helicopter and then ducked behind a small tree for cover. My friend leaned over the body of his dead partner and began to empty a full magazine of tracers from his M16A1, capturing the burst and walking it into the tree. While I’m a great believer in the efficacy of two-round bursts for solving most problems appropriate for full-auto fire from an individual (as opposed to crew-served) weapon, this tactical situation clearly called for a long burst. I should note that it commonly takes 5-7 rounds for an operator of an M16 to capture a long burst and begin to walk the burst back into a target, which was a serial killer in this case. The tree did not provide adequate cover for the killer, whose career abruptly ended in the Alaskan taiga after several days of appalling mayhem. The burst mechanism on an M16A2 would have seriously undermined my friend’s ability to solve that particular problem.

The late Gene Stoner shared my lack of enthusiasm for the M16A2’s burst mechanism. Gene once confided to me, “Engineering a three-round burst into the M16 gives the worst possible burst length for this particular weapon.”

From a strictly engineering rather than an operator’s point of view, the nine-component burst control mechanism now used on the M16A2 is well designed. It is both simple and durable. The mechanism is based upon a six-notch ratchet with an overriding clutch that provides two three-round burst cycles per 360 degree revolution of the ratchet. Each cycling of the hammer turns the rotating cam 60 degrees. Assuming the cycle starts with the pawl in the first shallow notch (the so-called “stage one” notch), the third hammer cycle will move the ratchet a total of 180 degrees to a much deeper notch. The resulting greater movement of the trigger pawl allows the hammer to fall from the auto sear to the burst disconnector, which holds the hammer in place, thereby interrupting the full-auto burst.

From an operator’s point of view, the first thing one notices about the M16A2 three-round burst trigger is that the trigger pull with the selector set on AUTO is about 1 pound (0.45 kg) heavier than the M16A1 trigger. This is because the burst control requires two disconnectors and springs. The burst disconnector cycles the burst cam whether the selector is set to SEMI or AUTO. The design of the burst control’s rotating cam is such that it increases the trigger pull from a minimum of about 7.5 pounds (3.4 kg) to a maximum of about 9.0 pounds (4.1 kg), as the ratchet mechanism cycles from stage one to stage three. Setting the selector to AUTO prevents the semiautomatic disconnector from functioning.

In an age of dwindling marksmanship training in many military services, this variable trigger pull may not seem significant. But this is a proverbial thorn in the side of a rifleman worthy of the name. One of my mentors, Col. Jeff Cooper, has observed that “I have come to the conclusion that trigger control is the heart of the matter… and good trigger action… is the most important single aspect of hitting what you want to shoot at.” Variable trigger pull tends to negate other attributes of the M16A2 (such as adjustable 800 meter sights and heavy contour barrel) designed to improve the effective range of the weapon.

This is not armchair philosophizing. The U.S. Marine Corps, which continues to value rifle marksmanship as the cornerstone of combat effectiveness, experienced a drop in rifle scores when they began using the M16A2 with three-round burst mechanism, according to one published source. This drop in scores was attributed to the inferior and variable trigger pull delivered by the burst mechanism. Furthermore, a Marine unit participating in the Gulf War actually asked permission to deactivate the burst feature on their M16A2 rifles by bending the ratchet control pawl so it could not engage the burst cam. Not only did these Marines get permission, it appears that this field-expedient modification was made by others during Operation Desert Storm.

I should note, however, that many authorities make the case that “good trigger action is not important in weapons intended for combat” or even for the taking of dangerous game. I do not agree. Confidence in one’s ability to place shots well, and to do so quickly, are important factors in the equation that determines an individual’s likelihood of solving a problem under stress—whether that problem is stopping an armed Homo sapiens or a charging Ursus arctos horribilus. A good trigger not only makes a good rifleman more accurate, it makes him distinctly faster. A good trigger, therefore, should make anyone with a modicum of skill a more confident and more effective problem-solver. I believe the Tac Trigger System is a giant step in the right direction for making the M16A2 both more accurate and faster on target.

TAC Two-Stage Trigger

The drop-in conversion kit for the two-stage TAC Trigger System consists of a modified M16 trigger, disconnector, disconnector spring with transfer link, stainless steel pin, and selector. The three-round burst mechanism will be removed during the installation process.

Production of the Tac Trigger System is run by TAC V.P. John Mathis, who is a retired NASA ordnance specialist. The TAC trigger is manufactured from a “green” casting that is CNC milled and drilled, case hardened, and then blued. The TAC trigger includes a recess milled to accommodate a transfer link, which is CNC machined from tool steel. The rear of the trigger is drilled to accept the link pivot pin, which is stainless steel. The disconnector is CNC milled to shape from a stock unit; changes include shortening and reshaping the disconnector extension at the rear of the piece. A stock selector is CNC milled to ensure enough trigger motion and to provide the necessary contact point with the link. The stock disconnector spring is used, but its spring rate can be tailored to adjust the full-auto transition point if necessary. The kit comes with detailed installation instructions, so it is not necessary to be a gunsmith or armorer to install the system. I should note that TAC, Inc. will entertain licensing production to OEMs.

The one point I should emphasize, however, relates to installing this kit on a weapon with a three-round burst control. It is absolutely essential to remove and not reinstall the burst cam and spring. While no modifications are made to the receiver, end-users other than private collectors may wish to engrave a “+” or “+ SEMI” after the “AUTO” selector label.

The weapon with TAC trigger system installed works just like an unmodified weapon when the modified selector is set to SAFE or SEMI.

When the selector is set on AUTO, semiautomatic fire is achieved by pulling the TAC trigger back no farther than its median position. This enables the modified disconnector to perform its hammer engagement function, since the disconnector is not engaged by the selector cam. To obtain full-auto fire, the operator simply pulls the trigger to its extreme rearward position. The rear of the trigger pivots upward until the transfer link engages the selector cam. This pushes the distal link of the transfer link downward, thereby exerting a downward pressure on the disconnector extension. The disconnector pivots rearward, which prevents engagement of the hammer and middle hammer hook. The auto sear engages the upper hammer hook until it is struck by the forward-moving bolt carrier. This strike releases the hammer to fire another round. Full-auto fire continues until the trigger is released, which enables the lower hammer notch to re-engage the trigger nose, ending the full-auto burst.

Learning to use the Tac Trigger System is both easy and instinctive. With the selector set on AUTO, the operator can instantly choose to fire a single round or a burst of any length without the distraction and time necessary to reposition the selector, which takes about 1/2 second. This capability can pay substantial tactical dividends. Maintenance requirements are improved because the TAC system eliminates the two weak links of the three-round burst system: the burst cam and the burst cam clutch spring. The TAC system requires no special maintenance.

While the Austrian and Australian armies and a number of U.S. agencies are quite happy with the Steyr AUG’s two-stage trigger, one U.S. Army wag suggested that “our troops are not smart enough to handle a two-stage trigger” on an M16. I categorically disagree. Transition to this trigger would be fast and instinctive for anyone capable of tying shoelaces, let alone trained soldiers.

A final footnote relates to the use of the TAC Trigger System by private collectors. The TAC system cannot be used to convert a semiautomatic rifle into a full-auto weapon, so BATF has issued a ruling letter authorizing the distribution of the system for the purpose of retrofitting machine guns on the registry. The system will work on all Colt-brand and Colt-spec 5.56mm and 9mm variants. The system may or may not work in a given aftermarket receiver, depending on how far it varies from Colt specifications. The TAC Trigger System will also work in guns converted to full auto with registered drop-in auto sears, but it will not work with so-called Lightning Links. The TAC trigger will even work with .22 LR and 9mm conversion kits. If demand warrants, the patented trigger will also be produced for Kalashnikov-based weapons such as the AK47, AKM and Galil.

The Bottom Line

I believe the TAC Trigger System is an excellent and cost-effective upgrade for making the M16A2 and M4 both more accurate and faster on target when the selector is set to SEMI. With the selector set to AUTO, the weapon delivers semiautomatic fire or reliable bursts of any length the operator decides, rather than delivering a burst of arbitrary length decided—not by the operator—but by the happenstance of ratchet orientation within the rifle’s burst-control mechanism. The capricious nature of the three-round burst mechanism clearly subverts the operator’s full control of the weapon and therefore subverts his ability to control the tactical environment. Furthermore, the TAC system saves a potentially invaluable 1/2 second if an operator suddenly finds the need to go from semiautomatic to full-auto fire. This latter feature of TAC’s two-stage trigger would make it a valuable upgrade for the M16A1 and its variants, as well. Accuracy and speed are essential ingredients to the skilled use of arms, and the TAC Trigger System delivers

Automatic grenade launchers (AGL) have been a mainstay of light infantry support weapons since the Vietnam War when the US Navy’s 40x53mm Mark 19 was introduced for use in riverine warfare operations in the Mekong River delta. Since then, there has been a number of first generation 40mm AGLs produced. All are similar in concept, are relatively heavy with an overall system weight of 50 kg or more and all have relatively simple optical sights. Saco Defense, however, is in the final stages of development of what promises to be the next generation of AGL. This new AGL, called Striker, is presently under consideration for adoption by US special operations forces and will shortly be available for international sales. SAR’s intrepid reporter was recently afforded the opportunity to be the first journalist to actually fire the Striker at Crane Division, Naval Surface Warfare Center, where the weapon is undergoing test and evaluation by the US military.

The Striker was developed as a private venture by a consortium consisting of Saco Defense (gun and overall system integration), Computing Devices Canada (fire control) and NAMMO Bofors (programmable ammunition). The overall design goals for the weapon were to develop a new generation 40mm AGL that provided improved lethality and suppression capability, significantly lighter weight, enhanced reliability and increased lethality, combined with reasonable cost. It was with these goals in mind that we approached our informal evaluation of the Striker.

There are several features that differentiate the Striker from all other currently available AGLs. The Striker is considerably lighter than any other currently available AGL. The Striker has a computer controlled fire control system developed by Computer Devices Canada that not only automatically sets superelevation and windage, but also programs the air burst munition developed by Nammo Bofors and significantly enhances the probability of a first burst hit. We will discuss these features in detail below. Table 1 provides a comparison between Striker and currently available 40mm AGLs.

The Striker operates via delayed blowback using a toggle mechanism to delay bolt opening sufficiently long for pressures to drop to a safe level. Saco did not allow photography of the interior of the Striker at this point due to patent sensitivities. We were, however, permitted to examine the gun’s interior and field strip it. The overall simplicity of the Striker and its ability to be field stripped, to include barrel removal, without the use of tools is impressive. The Striker fires from the closed bolt and is fed from a standard disintegrating link belt via a sprocket driven by the recoiling parts. Ejection is straight down. The round counter on the gun we tested indicated that it had fired nearly 20,000 rounds. According to Saco representatives and Crane personnel, overall weapon performance has been excellent and will equal or exceed that of the Mark 19.

The reader will note that the “full-up” Striker with fire control and tripod in place weighs less than the gun alone in some other available systems and weighs dramatically less than any other currently available AGL configured with sights and tripod. Striker’s weight saving has been accomplished in several ways, while at the same time reducing recoil by 60 per cent compared to that of the Mark 19. The toggle link delayed blowback system, for example, allowed bolt weight to be reduced by 11lb (5kg) in comparison to that of the Mark 19. Toggle link delayed blowback has been widely used in the past and is in itself no great technological breakthrough, although its use in Striker is an ingenious application of the technique. A second factor that reduces recoil is the bi-directional hydraulic buffer that operates in both recoil and counterrecoil to reduce felt recoil and stabilize the gun. The buffer, which acts as in internal soft mount, can also be adjusted to vary the Striker’s cyclic rate from approximately 230 to 300 rounds per minute.

All unstressed components of the Striker are made of either light alloy or polymer. The receiver of the Striker, for example, receives little stress and is made of aluminum, while the top cover receives no stress whatsoever and thus is of polymer. The reciprocating components ride on steel rails in the receiver. In comparison to the Mark 19, the total number of parts in the Striker has been reduced by 33 per cent. Essentially, the entire Striker system was developed by innovative application and integration of existing technologies. This not only helped to achieve the weight and reliability goals, but also enhanced the achievement of cost goals. The Striker is light enough that the entire system can be easily carried and placed into action by a two-man crew, although a third man is desirable to carry the 40mm ammunition. The lightweight tripod collapses into a very compact and convenient package for transportation. Extending or collapsing the tripod takes only a matter of seconds.

The Striker is fully STANAG compliant and fires all standard 40x53mm ammunition, although the system is optimized for the programmable air burst munition. The Striker is made to be as safe as humanly possible for the user. The manual safety is configured in such a way that its position can be determined by touch. The weapon will not fire if the barrel or buffer are incorrectly installed. The backplate cannot be removed if there is a round in the chamber. Since removal of the backplate is necessary to field strip the Striker, the gun thus cannot be disassembled while loaded. In addition, the firing pin is blocked until the bolt is in the fully closed position. Short recoils are precluded by a ratchet mechanism. As previously stated, the gun has a built in round counter to indicate scheduled maintenance.

Another innovative element of the Striker is the weapon’s computer controlled fire control system, which allows the gunner to achieve a high percentage of first burst hits, rather than having to “walk” rounds onto the target as required with other AGLs. The 8x-magnification sight uses video image processing and ballistic computer technology to enhance target acquisition and first round hit probability. The sighting system also allows Striker to achieve a greater effective range than current systems. All current systems have an effective range of approximately 1,500 meters, but Striker’s effectiveness is multiplied by its accuracy. The sight incorporates a Gen III Image intensifier for night operations. The computer provides a full ballistic solution, can be used with virtually any 40x53mm cartridge, has air temperature and barometric pressure sensors, automatically compensates for ammunition temperature, senses cant and angle and is self-testing. In practice, all the gunner has to do is range the target using the sight’s laser range finder to designate his target. He then moves the corrected sight aim point to coincide with the target he has designated and the weapon can then be fired with virtual assurance of a first burst hit. The computer automatically computes superelevation, the weapon’s elevation angle above the line of sight to ensure that the projectile hits the target. Not only is this system simpler to use, it allows targets to be engaged much more quickly than with any existing system. In addition to rapid target engagement, the ballistic computer provides the ability to predesignate up to eight targets and store them in the computer’s memory. These targets may subsequently be engaged regardless of optical conditions. The ballistic computer further allows the gunner to prepare electronic range cards with lateral limits to automatically prevent engagements outside the range “fan,” although this feature can be manually overridden. Future upgrades to the computer fire control system include automatic calculation of the speed of moving targets and incorporation of a global positioning system into the fire control computer to allow automatic indirect firing.

The ballistic computer also provides a direct interface with the programmable ammunition developed by NAMMO Bofors. The programmable ammunition, while extremely innovative, again is manufactured using a maximum number of available components. The warhead, for example, was designed by Diehl with Bofors fuzing that provides air burst, point detonation and self-destruct, while the propulsion element is a standard NICO component. As ammunition is an integral element of accuracy, along with the gun itself, NICO’s propulsion system is specifically designed for low dispersion. The NICO cartridge case to projectile interface is threaded rather than crimped to provide a consistent release at a predetermined pressure to reduce dispersion. The air burst warhead is electronically programmed by the ballistic computer just prior to firing as the rangefinder determines the range and computes the trajectory and time of flight to the target. Use of an air bursting munition allows engagement of targets in defilade or behind obstacles. The lethal area of the 40mm air burst round is approximately 100 square meters.

Our overall firing impressions of the Striker were extremely favorable. We fired the weapon from a pedestal mount and found it to be easy to control and pleasant to shoot. We were able to use the computer fire control to quickly engage targets after only a few minutes’ orientation and “dry firing” practice. The cyclic rate was set to approximately 230 rounds per minute, allowing easy burst control or even single shots if desired. We were consistently able to achieve first round hits with the Striker by simply engaging the range finder, matching the gun to the sight’s indicated point of aim and pressing the trigger. With very little additional training, we could easily have made use of the remainder of the fire control unit’s sophisticated capabilities. We fired two containers of 48 rounds each without incident. The first rounds in each burst hit precisely where we aimed, with the remainder of the burst clustered closely around the initial hit, consistent with Saco’s dispersion claims. Had we been firing high explosive rather than training rounds, we could have easily destroyed hardened targets with very few rounds. We did not notice any appreciable recoil through the “hard” pedestal mount; had we been firing any other AGL, an external “soft mount” would have been a virtual necessity. Striker’s inherent low recoil and light weight will assuredly simplify adapting the weapon to vehicle mounts. We did not fire the Striker from the lightweight tripod ground mount, but given the lack of felt recoil on the rigid pedestal mount and Striker’s internal soft mount, we believe that the eight pound (3.6kg) tripod will sustain the weight and recoil of the gun.

In sum, we liked the Striker. We tend to approach all manufacturers’ claims with a very jaundiced eye, but in the case of the Striker, our “hands on” experience, albeit brief, indicates that the weapon will probably live up to its claimed performance levels. In closing, we should point out that the Striker is not yet a fielded system. It is undergoing final developmental testing and is currently scheduled to enter production in late 2000 with initial deliveries shortly thereafter. In Europe, the Striker is sold by Bofors/Carl Gustav as the CG40. In the remainder of the world, except Canada, it is sold by Saco under the Striker name. Canadian sales are handled by Computing Devices Canada. Those seeking further information on this system should contact one of these firms.

I make a habit of perusing European gun magazines. Not only do I get a different perspective of shooting and firearms, but I often get advanced information about new products before they appear on our shores. Several years ago I began to notice that a Swiss suppressor company called “Brügger & Thomet” was mentioned in more and more advertisements and articles. Cursory examinations of their suppressors (or as they are called in Germany and Switzerland “schalldampfers”) in Swiss gunshops showed they were very well made and robust in construction. However in all honesty I must admit that my interest, while somewhat piqued, was still not enough for me to investigate further. This all changed though when I read in gun publications such as Shotgun News, Gun List, and last but not least Small Arms Review, that not only were Brügger & Thomet (pronounced Brewger & Tommet) suppressors being offered for sale in the US, but that Heckler & Koch had adopted B&T suppressors after they passed a grueling 10,000 round endurance test. I happened to mention in passing to a Swiss friend of mine that I would like to visit their company. As luck would have it my friend (who is also a gun dealer) was acquainted with Messrs. Brügger & Thomet and arranged an appointment for me to visit their offices.

Brügger and Thomet was founded in 1992 by Karl Brügger and Heinrich Thomet and is located in Spiez, Switzerland. Spiez, about 50 kilometers southeast of Bern, is found in the heart of some of the most beautiful mountains and lakes in Europe if not the world. Herr Brügger and Thomet were long time automatic weapons enthusiasts and the liberal (in the classic sense of the word) gun laws of Switzerland allowed them to actively pursue their interest. In the late 80’s and early 90’s the MP-5 became a very popular submachine gun in Switzerland. Just as in the United States, most “MP-5’s” started out as Hk-94’s semi’s and were then converted to full auto as Heckler & Koch would not sell any factory MP-5’s to civilians. There was also a demand for the MP-5SD (the SD being an acronym for schalldampfer) and a number were converted to this version as well. Unfortunately many of the SD conversions were poorly executed and were a far cry from the Oberndorf models. Enter Messrs. Brügger & Thomet.

Karl Brügger and Heinrich Thomet felt this situation was intolerable and began to search for ways to fix the poorly converted MP-5SD’s. Before I go further you have to understand the following: Prior to January 1st, 1999, there were absolutely no restrictions whatsoever on suppressors in Switzerland. A Swiss citizen could just walk into a gunshop, buy a suppressor, and walk out. No tax, no paperwork, and no license. This freedom gave a steady market for suppressor sales and ready feedback on their performance. Through hard work, experimentation, and lots of sweat, Brugger & Thomet began to gain a solid reputation for quality and dependability. Gradually the partnership evolved and Herr Thomet became the Managing Director and Herr Brügger, who is by trade a mechanical engineer, the chief designer. As the firm grew, B&T created their own designs and continually improved upon them always searching for new techniques in manufacturing and materials.

While B&T worked on their line of suppressors they also became a retail firearms dealer selling rifles, pistols, ammunition, and accessories to the public. As time passed the firm evolved and grew from being a retailer to the sole Swiss distributor for companies such as Heckler & Koch, Beretta, Steyr, Trijicon, Eagle Industries, and others. Currently the Brügger & Thomet partnership has three divisions: The B&T Trading and Consulting Division which buys, trades, and sells obsolete/surplus weapons (B&T was responsible for exporting 50,000 Austrian StG-58 FAL parts kits to America), the Manufacturing Division which develops and manufactures suppressors and other accessories, and finally the Representing Division which represents the aforementioned companies.

Arriving on a sunny Friday afternoon in August I was greeted by Herr Thomet and sat down for a pleasant chat. He discussed the history of the company and how it had changed over the years. Every time I speak to someone like Heinrich Thomet I feel a little guilty and am very grateful for their time as I know just how busy a successful entrepreneur is. Phones and faxes were busy ringing away and employees were unpacking inbound crates and packing outbound ones. Later we were joined by Herr Brügger and they showed me some their current products.

I was particularly interested in their Impulse II-A suppressor as this model was adopted by the elite German KSK Commando’s and survived the aforementioned 10,000 round endurance test by Hk with no damage to the test pistol or suppressor. Hk was so impressed by the quality and durability of B&T suppressors that they entered into a contractual agreement with them and now sell Hk pistols matched and serial numbered to the B&T can. This acceptance by Hk was no mean feat as Hk has incredibly high standards. Karl showed me an Impulse II-A that was rejected by Hk for having nothing more than a slight scratch on the tube that was barely noticeable.

The Impulse II-A shares most of the same internal characteristics of other B & T suppressors. The tube is constructed from aircraft grade aluminum and the six steel baffles are made of a special Swiss ordnance steel called ETG-100. All told, the Impulse II-A weighs ten and one half ounces and is affixed to a threaded barrel with a locking ring. The II-A is designed for 9X19, 10 MM, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP handguns that utilize Browning style barrel locking designs. The impulse module (also called a Nielsen device) can easily be adjusted to change the impact point of the bullet without the operator going crazy adjusting the sights. This is a great feature as the pistol can shoot close to the same point of aim whether the suppressor is attached or not. The unit is simple and easy to disassemble for cleaning and the shooter needs no tools. The Impulse II-A has a sound suppression of -36 db wet and -26 db dry.

What I found intriguing with B & T suppressors was the unusual six fluted step cone baffle design. Karl told me he got the idea for this design while working as an apprentice in the Swiss Government Powder Factory (similar to our Rock Island or Picatinny Arsenal) in 1983. The basic concept had been developed at the factory but the Government had done nothing further with the design. Karl continued to refine the concept on his own after he left the factory and developed it into the present system.

Following the Impulse model Karl then showed me their MP-5 QD (Quick Detachable) model and it really lives up to its name. Karl produced an MP-5 and after a little practice I could pop it on and off in three or four seconds. Once on the weapon and locked down you would swear the can is welded to the barrel. The three standard protruding barrel lugs fit into a corresponding collar on the suppressor which in and of itself is sufficient to lock the can on the weapon. However there is a twist-literally. With nothing more than a spring lock to hold the suppressor it would be possible in CQB and other scenarios for the operate to inadvertently slam the weapon into an object (or lets be frank here-a hard contact shot to an enemy) which could dislodge the can. The B&T design holds the suppressor on the barrel by the spring loaded locking collar and a manually twisted locking ring. All you have to do is snap the can on the barrel, give the locking ring a twist and a half, and voila, it’s attached! If the shooter wants to drop the can and shoot loud, B&T has a quick detachable five prong flash suppressor that locks on the barrel in the same manner the sound suppressor does.

Heinrich let me have a sneak preview of a prototype suppressor and barrel for an M-249 SAW (FN Minimi to the Europeans) that was really neat. The can slides over an integral flash suppressor on the barrel so an operator isn’t blinded by the flash or gives away his position in a tactical situation when the can is removed. A similar system is used on their SOPS Assault Rifle Suppressor except the flash suppressor allows the use of rifle grenades. They also make several suppressors for 7.62 NATO sniper rifles and even have a model for a Barrett Light Fifty-a weapon that can really use one!

Currently B&T has sold over 11,200 suppressors worldwide which means they must be doing something right. Try as I might I couldn’t find out just which high speed, low drag units were using B&T suppressors. Part of this is do to the fact they sell their products wholesale to companies such as SIG and Hk who market them on their own. The other reason is that a number of their direct customers have non-disclosure clauses in the purchase contract and B&T is not allowed to reveal this information.

B&T also makes a number of scope mounts that allow the use of the Aimpoint and several other brands of holograhic sights on such diverse weapons as the AK-47 and MP-5. Complimenting their scope mounts is B&T’s line of tactical light mounts for ASP flashlights that mount on pistols, submachine guns (particularly the MP-5), and assault rifles. Karl also showed me the blueprints for a new design he created to mount an ASP tactical light to an MP-5 and then asked me, “Sam what are you doing this evening-would you like to go shooting?” (“oh gee, I don’t know, let me think for a moment, well,uhhhhhhh, I guess so” ). I immediately said yes and we made plans for a rendezvous later that evening.

After a fine traditional Swiss dinner with my wife, Karl picked me up at the hotel and off to the range we went. Arriving at a rather non-descript looking building, we entered and descended down a flight of stairs and I found myself in a modern underground shooting facility replete with pro shop, cappuchino/snack bar, and dining area. There was also a spectator gallery from which visitors could look out into a multi-lane 25 meter range. The range was divided in two sections: a 25 meter paper target range with automatic target placement and retrieval, and a 25 meter row of 10 inch falling plates with remote control reset. In all honesty I must admit that I have never liked indoor shooting ranges, however if all were as nice as this one I’d probably change my mind.

Karl opened his range bag and withdrew ammo, magazines, an Hk USP in 9 MM, one of B & T’s Impulse II-A suppressors, and we prepared to make ready. We ran a man sized silhouette target out to 15 meters and Karl handed me the USP now loaded and sporting the Impulse II-A. I squeezed off five rounds at the center of the target and immediately noticed the absence of any holes. Well, color me embarrassed. Now I know that when someone misses a target that badly a popular refrain is, “Well geez, it ain’t me! It’s gotta be the gun!”. But seriously I didn’t see how I could miss with all five shots-after all, I’ve earned four Expert Diplomas from Gunsite, at least proving that I can hit the floor with my foot once in three tries. Karl said, “don’t worry”, disassembled the suppressor, and adjusted the index ring. He then reassembled it, locked it once more on the USP, and handed it back to me saying, “Try it now”. I fired five more rounds and noticed a world of difference- five shots about three inches above point of aim at 15 meters falling roughly into a two and a half inch circle. Five more rounds fell in the same area and didn’t open the group any larger-now this was more like it!

All told I ran about 150 rounds through the USP both with and without the Impulse II-A and except for the reduction in sound, the only other characteristic I noticed was a decrease in the pistols cyclic speed. Accuracy and reliability appeared unimpaired. Moving on to something with a little more power Karl pulled out his MP-5/10 in 10 MM.

I’m a big fan (fan as in fanatic) of the full power 10 MM. For a number of reasons I think the 10 MM is the best pistol cartridge in the last 30 years. I mentioned this earlier to Karl whereupon he asked if I had ever fired the MP-5 in 10 MM. When I told him I hadn’t he brought his along. Perched atop his MP-5/10 was an Aimpoint holosight on a B&T mount. The nice thing about the B&T mount is that it rests very low to on the weapon and allows the use of the factory installed iron sights. Springfield Armory was so impressed by this mount they became the exclusive US distributors for it. At this point we moved to the falling plates side of the range and both Karl and I fired a number of mags through the “Ten”. The Aimpoint on the B&T mount coupled with the MP-5/10 made short work of the plate rows.

While Karl and I were taking turns on the MP-5/10 I noticed a gaggle of rubberneckers in the spectator area who were pointing their fingers at us and studying our every move. I was puzzled as to their behavior. I mean yeah, sure, we were shooting subguns and suppressors-but that’s not really that big of a deal in Switzerland. Karl noticed me staring at them and anticipating my query said, “German tourists, they can’t believe we can own these here!”. Mystery solved.

About this time the owner of the hotel we were staying at and a friend of Karl and Heinrich’s showed up at the range with his MP-5A3 also fitted with a B&T suppressor. We fired a number of mags through it, and, like the Impulse II-A, it worked flawlessly. I also must admit that I could shoot the falling plates faster and more accurately with the “Nine” than I could with the “Ten”.

Several weeks later I toured B&T’s factory and was very impressed. Almost every part and component, other than a few finishing processes, is done on state of the art CNC machines. The nice thing about CNC tooling from a diversification aspect is that a manufacturer is not strictly tied to one type of enterprise. For instance everything from prototype artillery shell components for the Swiss Army, to artificial hips (no joke), was being produced alongside suppressor baffles.

In conclusion I was very impressed by Brügger & Thomet. They have got the gun business down cold. That is they understand guns and business. How many times have we seen someone who knew guns and had a great product(s) go bankrupt because they didn’t understand business. On the flip side I have witnessed successful firearms firms and one major firearms training center lose money and respect because they acquired a bean counter at the helm who didn’t understand guns. Karl Brügger and Heinrich Thomet however are dialed in and a I predict a long and profitable future for their partnership.

Due to red tape caused by a plethora of bureaucratic barnacles, Brügger & Thomet suppressors manufactured in Switzerland are not available in the United States. However they are manufactured under license here by Capitol City Firearms (P.O. Box 29009, Richmond, VA, 23242, phone 804-740-4926, fax 804-740-9599) and follow the same strict tolerances and quality control standards as the Swiss models. If you want a suppressor with a new age design built with old world craftsmanship I strongly suggest you check out Brügger & Thomet.

During a recent small arms symposium in the UK in September Heckler & Koch released information on a new Personal Defense Weapon for the first time publicly.  Rumored for some time to be in development at HK’s “skunk works” in Oberndorf Germany, the existence of what some are calling a revolutionary weapon has been confirmed.

Little detailed information is available at this time and few photo’s. the new HK PDW is yet another totally new weapon from HK at a time when few other firearms companies are developing much of anything new. The PDW joins the ever increasing list of new HK’s along with the G36 and SL8-1 rifles, .45 and .40 caliber UMP submachine guns and various new pistol models like the USP Expert and a new centerfire .46 ACP carbine called the USC shown at the 1999 SHOT Show and expected to be available on the U.S. market later this year.

To describe the PDW as revolutionary as some may do may be stretching things a bit. As a bullet launcher this new PDW still kills by kinetic energy as firearms have been doing for centuries. Certainly this new personal weapon can be classified as a substantial development in this relatively new category of Personal Defense Weapons, small easily portable weapons about the size of a machine pistol or small submachine gun but a weapon shooting a non-pistol cartridge.

What is known about the HK PDW is that it is chambered for a new proprietary cartridge developed jointly by HK and Royal Ordnance, HK’s parent company and the UK’s premier small arms ammunition manufacturer. The PDW fires a small 4.6mm high velocity cartridge that looks more like a small rifle cartridge than that of a pistol round. The overall length of the round is 1.5 inches and contains a 25-grain projectile with a reported muzzle velocity of 2,378 feet per second. A copper-plated solid steel projectile develops @ 310 foot pounds of muzzle energy and is said to develop recoil far below that of 9mm handguns. According to the HK briefing presented in England the 4.6X30mm round will defeat threat body armor comprised of 1.6 millimeters of titanium and 20 layers of Kevlar at ranges beyond 200 meters with sufficient energy to inflict serious wounds after defeating the ballistic protection. Various types of rounds are under development to include a ball round, steel core penetrator round and a machined copper “CQB” cartridge for use in close quarters battle were over-penetration is unwanted. A tracer and frangible round for the PDW are also being finalized.

Actual firing prototypes of the PDW exist and have been appearing at the more recent U.S. defense expositions where the accompanying photographs were taken. Availability of production weapons is said to be scheduled for late 2,000 and ammunition is already in production and available from the Royal Ordnance factory in England. The weapon is very small indeed and resembles a large handgun. A briefing slide in fact compared the new HK PDW with the HK .45 ACP MK23 Pistol and while certainly larger the weight of the two weapons when fully loaded (20 rounds in the PDW, 12 rounds in the MK23) is nearly identical at 2.86 pounds. For sake of comparison the PDW is 1/2 inch longer than the HK 9mm MP5K without buttstock and just over two pounds lighter.

According to HK the PDW is designed to be fired effectively with one hand unlike the much larger and heavier FN P90 submachine gun, once referred to as a Personal Defense Weapon. The FN 5.7mm family of weapons that include the P90 and Five Seven pistol is clearly HK’s primary competitor in this relatively new weapons category. With its optional 40 round magazine fully loaded the HK PDW weighs in at 3.39 pounds compared with the P90 with 50 rounds loaded at over 7 pounds. The HK PDW is more than 6 inches shorter in length than the P90 as well making it far more portable as a true PDW must be.

According to HK’s data the 4.6mm round fired from the PDW provides the capabilities of a 5.56mm rifle or carbine out to ranges of just beyond 200 meters yet from a firearm that can actually be carried like a pistol. (SAR has not yet seen the gelatin tests or ballistics on this round) Shoulder rigs and thigh holsters offering quick deployment like that of a handgun holster are rumored to be under development by HK for their PDW. This looks like a head to head battle brewing between HK and FN in a weapons category that has yet to be embraced by many potential users but is slowly taking shape as future potential defensive armament for personal protection of military and law enforcement personnel.

What we know of the weapon is very interesting. A fold-down vertical foregrip is positioned forward of the trigger guard and below the barrel. This allows the weapon to be fired using one or two hands and in conjunction with a small slide-out buttstock concealed within the polymer receiver of the weapon. The fairly central location of the pistol grip, which houses the flush mounted 20-round magazine, allows for practical use as a one handed gun unlike most machine pistols.

The HK PDW is gas operated employing a clean shooting system rumored to be similar to that used so successfully in the HK G36 weapons system. A multi-lug rotating bolt head provides for a secure seal of the breech during firing. All operating controls of the PDW are fully ambidextrous to include the magazine and buttstock releases, the M16- like cocking handle and safety lever. The PDW provides the user with both semi-automatic and fully automatic modes of fire at a theoretical rate of @950 rounds per minute.

The HK Personal Defense Weapon provides the user with a forward assist, sling mounting positions and an integral Picatinny sight-mounting rail. The weapon is produced predominately from lightweight polymers and steel only when required. The PDW is said to require very little maintenance due to its unique short stroke gas operating system.

The sighting system for the PDW like the weapon itself is said to be still in the development stages. The sight pictured herein is being developed for Heckler & Koch by Hensoldt, a division of Zeiss, and like the dual sight on the HK G36 rifle uses a collector to capture ambient light and illuminate a small red aiming dot. This dot can be seen with both eyes open whether the weapon is fired at arms length like a pistol or when shot from the shoulder using the buttstock for additional support. A tritium source within the sight or a battery recharged by the solar collector is being considered to power the dot during periods of low or no light. This extremely small sight, like everything else about the HK PDW and 4.6mm ammunition, is designed for lightweight and portability. HK even designed their own simple rail grabber sight base for the PDW sight. The presence of the Picatinny mounting rail will allow a wide range of sights to be attached to the PDW using currently available rail grabbers. A fixed from sight pot is provided on the weapon as is an adjustable rear Patridge style sight.

Certainly this new Heckler & Koch Personal Defense Weapon marks a serious attempt to provide the true performance required of a personal weapon and in a package that can be easily carried and thus always available. If the weapon and new cartridge perform as claimed this new weapon could be the future choice of all categories of users. With a maximum effective range said to be somewhere between 200 and 300 meters the size of the weapon will allow it to be used effectively for VIP protection where the weapon must be concealed yet readily available It’s ability to defeat threat body armor and vehicle windshields and body panels would make it perfect for facilities defense where over-penetration and maximum range in urban areas might be of concern. Certainly in a classic role as a PDW for military pistols, drivers, artillery and armor crewman and behind the front line support personnel the PDW would be far better than a handgun and more portable and manageable than a rifle, carbine or smg, especially in confined spaces like vehicles, aircraft and within mobile communications trailers.

SAR will provide more detailed information on this newly emerging HK gun, as it becomes available.