Any readers who have attended any of the Solider Of Fortune Conventions in Las Vegas should be familiar with the Desert Sportsman’s Rifle & Pistol Club. All of SOF’s Firepower demonstrations and Three gun shooting competitions have been held there. We are located just outside the beautiful Red Rock Canyon recreational area off W. Charleston Blvd. on the outskirts of Las Vegas. The club facilities cater to several shooting disciplines, Benchrest, Silhouette, IPSC, Cowboy, IDPA and Hi.Power. We have several different range areas to cater to their needs. What you may not know is that we also conduct a monthly Machine Gun match. In fact we have been conducting these regularly scheduled matches longer than any other club in the country. I have been the match director for the past two years and would like to share one of our recent matches with you. We meet on the first Sunday of the month and usually set up some sort of tactical course. We use a wide variety of targets and props that are available from the clubs large assortment. We like to use a mix of steel, paper and bowling pin targets to keep it interesting. We are very fortunate here that several of the shooting disciplines share their resources so there is always something new to challenge the contestants. This particular match was a six stage assault course in which the shooter started sitting with an unloaded gun. Upon signal the shooter loaded the gun and moved to what we call the Mousetrap. This prop was built from a similar one seen in a earlier edition of MGN. The shooter had to engage a bowling pin sitting on a platform and doing so activated a falling door. The shooter had a very short time to engage the two exposed targets without hitting the door. The shooter then moved to a three position barricade and had to engage a variety of targets through each of the openings. From there the shooter moved to a barrel and engaged a variety of steel plates shooting through the barrel. The shooter then moved to a doorway and upon opening the door a turning target was activated and the shooter had to engage it before is moved out of sight. The shooter then engaged a steel plate which activated a hostage target that moved in front of a bad guy. Needles to say the bad guy had to be neutralized before the hostage obstructed its path. The shooter then moved to a mailbox and engaged several pepper poppers interspersed with good guys. Next were several bowling pins and finally a falling plate to stop the timer. Penalties are given for targets that are not neutralized with the fastest time being the winner. We usually have a team match at the end of the regular match and awards are given at all the matches.

We have a large Class III community here in Las Vegas and we always try to promote these weapons in a positive manner. I always have a gun available to anyone who wants to take part in a match free of charge. Just bring ammo.

Another aspect that has been present here in Las Vegas for several years is that there are a few gunshops in town that rent subguns for use on their indoor ranges. One of the oldest and the best, (I work there) is The Gun Store on East Tropicana Ave. They offer 10 different guns to rent. These are a big hit with our tourist community and make for some lasting memories of this fabulous city. If you should find yourself in Las Vegas be sure and look us up you’ll be glad you did.

Desert Sportsman’s Rifle & Pistol Club, Inc.

Post Office Box 517
Las Vegas NV 89125-0517
702-642-9928

The Gun Store

2900 East Tropicana Ave
Las Vegas, NV 89121
702-454-1110

A very interesting occurrence is on the table this month- for the first time in 32 years, the Great Western show will not be held in Pomona, California at the Fairgrounds. This is due to the pressure from the Anti Second Amendment zealots who tried to make an end run around the law, by banning the sale of firearms on LA County property. This effectively ruins any gun shows that would be happening at the Fairgrounds, although one brave promoter is still making it happen.

The promoters of the Great Western did a good job of fighting this in court, and got an injunction so that the last few shows were held in a normal manner, but a lot of people were holding their breath. While they can still hold the show there, the promoters voted with their feet, and moved the show to the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. This effectively took about $10 million dollars out of the local community in Pomona, as well as $600,000+ out of the coffers of the LA County Fairgrounds. Good Show! Your faithful correspondent here would very much like to see more of this type of thing. Since the day the NRA kept the Convention in Philadelphia, and we had to run the gauntlet of Democratic controlled union workers who harassed the exhibitors- no, of course they weren’t instructed to because the Democratic mayor of Philly had just filed suit against the firearms manufacturers, that could NEVER happen…. And the day that we went to the SHOT show in Atlanta to be greeted by unfriendly actions by another mayor who was participating in this frivolous yet debilitating politically motivated suits… I have wanted to see this happen.

Let’s start smacking these ideologues in the pocketbook, and do it publicly as much as possible. Get the word out that playing politics here is going to be costly. The April Dates are the 28th, 29th, and 30th, which are the normal Spring dates. The Fall dates have been changed to the weekend of September 15th, 16th, and 17th. You can contact them at: Great Western, P.O. Box 51510, Irvine, CA 92619 or call at (949)261-5700.

While there is always some question about “What will attendance be like” or “Will the exhibitors show up”, a far more beneficial scenario is likely to occur. Nevada is Class 3 friendly, and doesn’t dance to the same politically correct tune that the Californians do. Many of the Class 3’s that I have spoken with have indicated they are booking tables, and SAR will be there as well. It’s a good chance to get together at a huge show, and do business with like minded people, and to hang in Vegas a little instead of under the cloud of despotism that is engulfing California. See you there!

-Dan

Dear SAR,

Kudos to SAR and Robert Bruce on the two-part Ma Deuce articles- I really enjoyed them and found a lot of useful information in both parts. I do have one problem, however, and that has to do with the section on headspace. Headspace is not the distance between the base of the cartridge and the bolt face, and I was surprised to see you let that go through in the description. It is very misleading to make that statement, and I expect better from SAR- love the magazine and thanks for polybagging it so my mailman doesn’t read it first!

BK

This is going to sound like I am splitting hairs, but I am not. Robert Bruce and I both know that headspace is not the distance between the cartridge base and the bolt face, which is why the sentence is written the way it is. If you go take another look at it, you will see it says “Headspace is observed as the distance between the face of the bolt and the base of a fully chambered cartridge”. That word “Observed” was selected very carefully, so as to not have to get into a dissertation on headspace, and to be able to easily and clearly explain what the individual is doing with the gauge. I immediately had the same thought you did when I proofed it, but on reflection, the sentence is absolutely correct and I let it go.

SAR has a series in the basket that gets more deeply into headspace and timing in various guns, but it is more related to interior ballistics in scope. That is just fine by us, and we will be bringing it out later this year. We also have some series coming on various systems of locking, as well as gas take off. It should all be quite helpful and interesting, but we can’t fit it all in one issue. For those who wish to delve deeper into the subject, Hatcher’s work is an excellent place to start, or Robert Rinker’s excellent book on Understanding Ballistics is outstanding as well.

Gagging the Bill of Rights
By Larry Pratt
Executive Director, Gun Owners of America

One of the most insidious and outrageous attacks on the Second Amendment right of individuals to keep and bear arms is the attempt to exercise so-called “prior restraint” by denying a person a firearm when there is no reason whatsoever to do this.

One such case we at Gun Owners Foundation (the litigation arm of Gun Owners of America) are involved in, a very important case, involves a citizen in Texas. This case is before the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit (No. 99-10331). It’s known as United States v. Emerson. We’re on the side of Timothy Joe Emerson, the defendant.

Under federal law, Emerson was indicted for possessing a firearm while under a routine restraining order issued in the course of a Texas divorce proceeding between him and his former wife.

The district court dismissed the indictment on the grounds that the statute was unconstitutional under both the Second and Fifth Amendments. The U.S. Government appealed this dismissal.

Our argument is very clear: The Second Amendment codifies a fundamental—we would say a God-given—right, and individual right to keep and bear arms, independent of and unrelated to any power of the States to create and maintain a military force, and independent of and unrelated to any power of government to regulate commerce.

Thus, this right is severely infringed when the mere passive possession of a firearm is criminalized by the issuance of a boiler-plate domestic relations restraining order not based upon any evidence or finding of a threat directed toward the person protected by the order.

In our legal brief defending Emerson, we document in detail, with scores of references, the fact that the Second Amendment says that it ,means what is says. And we note that what is most impressive about this almost total academic consensus is that may of the scholars we quote are either self-identified “liberals” or unconnected with the pro-gun movement.

But, in a tribute to the intellectual honesty of these scholars, they tell the truth about the Second Amendment and what it means-even though some of them are for gun control.

And by agreeing with the true meaning of the Second Amendment, these scholars are in line with members of the US Supreme Court who from 1857 to 1990 have said, in what is known as dicta, that the right to keep and bear arms is a personal and individual right of free citizens.
And this brings us back to Timothy Joe Emerson who is, obviously, a person, and individual. As we argue, his personal, individual Constitutional right to possess firearms was not merely infringed. At the instant the state court judge entered a domestic relations restraining order against him, his Second Amendment right to posses firearms was destroyed, negated, nullified.

Emerson was instantly transformed into a Federal felon and — this must be repeated — this was done even though there was no evidence and no judicial finding that he was a threat to his wife.

The Second Amendment is unfairly and repeatedly singled out for “prior restraint” attacks that would be found totally unacceptable — and have been so found by the courts — if they were launched against any other amendment.

For example, nobody would even think of going to court to try and deny, in advance, someone’s First Amendment free speech right because of what that individual might say if allowed to speak — whether that person was a public speaker, a preacher in a pulpit, a talk show host, and editorial writer or even a judge.

The courts have stated that one cannot use his “freedom of speech” to yell “Fire” in a crowded theater. Andy yet, no one argues that officials should gag everyone who goes into the theater, thus placing a prior restraint on movie-goers.

The proper response is to punish the person who does yell “Fire”. Likewise, citizens should not be “gagged” before exercising their Second Amendment rights, rather they should be punished if they abuse that right.
In defending our freedoms guaranteed in the Bill of Rights, we must tell the Congress “No prior restraints”!

We of course, have no idea how the US Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals will rule. But, we hope and pray they will uphold the true meaning of the Second Amendment. This is a bell tolling for all of us.

The Gun Owners Foundation brief, along with the Emerson opinion by Judge Sam Cummings can be found on the web at http//www.gunowners.com/legal.htm.

Larry Pratt is Executive Director of Gun Owners of America in Springfield, VA

With the onset of the technological advances promises of the dawn of the new millennium, Laser Devices, Inc., a technological leader in the optics field for the past several years, has developed some new products very worthy of note.

Two new laser boresighting systems, the MBS1-A and the MBS-1 WE allow the alignment of an arm’s sights in the field without the need to fire any rounds. This capability allows the user to take a new gun out-of-the-box and mount a scope with confidence, knowing it is properly aligned with the gun’s bore.

The boresight systems may also be used to check the sight alignment of an arm that has been dropped. The manufacturer believes the MBS system will appeal to special weapons teams, firearms dealers, and gunsmiths who need to check or confirm sight alignment. As mentioned, two models are offered.

The MBS1-A boresight is pre-aligned by Laser Devices and sealed in place so ordinary handling will not affect the alignment of the boresight. This unit is ideal for making a quick check of the arm’s sight alignment. This unit is also available with a shorter bore rod that can be used to align pistols and submachine guns.

The MBS-1 WE boresight can be adjusted for windage and elevation. This additional capability allows the user to fine tune the boresight for a variety of arms up to .50 caliber. In addition, if the boresight is ever knocked out of alignment, the user can quickly true or realign the laser without returning the system to the manufacturer.

Another new product from Laser Devices is the ARTAC-2 Tactical Light for the AR-15 family of rifles. This new product replaces the venerable TL-8 light with a more robust unit designed for the law enforcement and military markets. This new 6-volt flashlight offers a bright white (95 lumen) focusable light. Moreover, the unit is waterproof and shock resistant.

The ARTAC-2 mounts on the Laser Devices, Inc. AR-2 mount that fits inside the front sight cage of the AR-15. This keeps the unit off the barrel and does not require the user to purchase an expensive rail system for the rifle. Likewise, the mount does not interfere with the open sight and can be used with a top rail-mounted reflex sight or scope. The light also works with the AR-2 aiming laser that has proven popular with law enforcement and home defense markets.

Laser Devices has also developed a Las/Tac system for the new Glock pistols with built-in accessory rail. This new laser and tactical flashlight system allows the user to clip the laser or the flashlight onto the pistol as needed. Emitting a bright white light, the unit is available in either a 3-volt or a more powerful 6-volt configuration.

There is also a new clip-on Las/Tac design for the HK Mark 23 (SOCOM) pistol from Laser Devices. It allows the user to interchange a powerful 6- or 3-volt flashlight for the laser sight. Like the new Las/Tac for Glock, the HK system allows the user to carry the pistol with the laser and flashlight detached.

Finally, Laser Devices has started production of its new ITAL/OTAL system. The ITAL is a military-style In-line Tactical Aiming Laser in a very small package. The unit offers maximum versatility in mounting locations and can be mounted on any Weaver base or Picatinney Arsenal rail system. The ITAL sister unit known as the OTAL (Offset Tactical Aiming Light) can be mounted behind the front sight of an M-16 or M-4 type rifle. OTAL is waterproof to 30 meters, will not be degraded by salt water and is suitable for marine and special operations. A precision glass lens offers the best quality beam and a very small laser point (7.5cm) at 100 meters. The OTAL system is activated using a positive on/off lever switch or a momentary on/off pressure pad switch. OTAL is available with either a visible Super Power PointTM (635nM) diode, infrared(835nM) diode, or eye-safe infrared (1500nM) laser diode offering unmatched versatility for a variety of tactical and covert operations. Infrared and high infrared laser diodes are available to military and law enforcement customers only.

The OTAL system is powered by a single 1.5 volt AA battery. Tactile click windage elevation adjustment knobs allow precise (within 2cm at 100 meters) repeatable adjustments in the field. The defiladed adjustment knobs are protected from impact from the front and rear and can be adjusted without tools.

Sturm, Ruger’s Sales Up

Sturm, Ruger & Co. Inc., the nation’s largest overall producer of firearms, reports 1999 third quarter net sales of $55.4 million, compared to $43.4 million in the third quarter of 1998. Net income for the quarter ended September 30, 1999 totaled $7 million or 26 cents per share versus $2.5 million or nine cents per share in the comparable quarter of 1998.

For the nine months ended September 30, 1999, net sales were $181.4 million and net income was $22.9 million, or 85 cents per share. For the corresponding period in 1998, net sales were $161.9 million and net income was $18 million, or 67 cents per share.

Commenting on the quarter, chairman William B. Ruger noted, “This marks the sixth consecutive quarter of firearms sales growth. The 48% increase in the quarter and the 30% increase year-to-date reflect strong demand for our broad product line. These results, achieved in our fiftieth year, are a testament to our longevity and our leadership in this oldest American industry.”

On October 7, 1999, a lawsuit brought against the company by the mayor of Cincinnati was dismissed. This was the first dismissal of the over two dozen lawsuits filed by certain mayors alleging firearms manufacturers should be held legally responsible for the intentional criminal misuse of their products.

Stephen L. Sanetti, the company’s vice president and general counsel, remarked, “This was the correct decision. Courts have uniformly held on many prior occasions that manufacturers of lawful, non-defective products which are sold legally cannot be held liable for subsequent misuse of these products. To hold otherwise would have serious implications for all sorts of products which can be criminally misused. As the judge in the Cincinnati case correctly observed, complex social and constitutional issues such as firearms regulation should be decided by legislatures, not by individual juries.” Motions to dismiss other such lawsuits are pending.

Regarding the castings business, Ruger expressed guarded optimism. “While I am disappointed in the decline in outside castings sales, I am pleased that our success in addressing the challenges that emerged a year ago have resulted in significant improvement of this business segment’s margins in the third quarter.” Sturm, Ruger casts golf club heads and other products for a variety of clients.

During the three months ended September 30, firearms sales came to $42,651,000 or 76.9% of sales. During the same period in 1998, firearms sales totalled $28,812,000 or 66.4% of sales. Casting sales during the third quarter of 1999 came to $12,793,000 or 23.1% of the sales total. During the same period the year before, casting sales amounted to $14,561,000 or 33.6% of total sales. After making a deduction for cost of goods sold, the gross profit of combined firearms and castings sales during 1999’s third quarter was $15,618,000 or 28.2%, versus $7,933,000 or 18.3% in 1998.

For the nine months ended September 30, Ruger’s firearms sales amounted to $139,518,000 or 76.9% of the sales total, compared to the same period in 1998 when gun sales totalled $107,598,000 or 66.5% of all sales. Casting sales for the first nine months were $41,835,000 or 23.1% versus $54,293,000 or 33.5% during the same period in 1998.

News Briefs

Firearms Training Systems, Inc., (FATS) of Suwanee, GA, is awarded contracts with a total approximate value of $9,650,000 in backlog, plus options for about $6,400,000. The British Ministry of Defence awarded FATS a support contract with an estimated value of $3,800,000 to provide for two years of repair and maintenance of the 163 systems used to train the UK armed forces throughout the world.

FATS was also awarded two support contracts by the Singapore government to operate, train and maintain that country’s army and police coast guard systems with a total value of about $5,300,000 over three years and options for a three to nine year extension. Additionally, the company advised that the Bahrain Defence Force has purchased small arms simulators valued at $550,000 with options to procure an equal amount in the future.

The Venezuelan Army has selected FATS to provide small arms simulators to train their forces by awarding a contract value at about $1,400,000 with opportunity for additional systems and components. FATS was recently selected after a demanding competitive process to provide small arms simulators to support the Greek Army training program with an initial contract value in excess of $500,000 and options to expand the program.

FATS reports revenue for its second quarter fiscal year 2000 ended September 30, 1999 was $8,328,000 versus $12,111,000 for the same period of the previous year. Second quarter net loss was $3,812,000 or 18 cents per diluted share, compared with a net loss of $826,000 or four cents per diluted share for the same period of fiscal year 1999. Revenue for the six months ended September 30, 1999 was $23,524,000 versus $24,376,000 for the same period of the previous year. Net loss for the six months ended September 30, 1999 was $4,007,000 or 19 cents per diluted share compared with a net loss of $2,844,000 or 14 cents per diluted share for the same period of fiscal 1999.

In response to the second quarter financial results, management consolidated several senior level management positions. The organization as a whole was streamlined to optimize operations and to focus on core competencies. While the marketing and engineering operations were given additional resources, the company’s overall operating cost was reduced substantially, according to management. The company has also unveiled a lower cost, portable system for law enforcement customers which includes the latest information system technologies. This new product is expected to contribute to increased revenue in the near future.

The year of 1998 was a good one for firearms sales, according to government excise tax figures supplied by American Firearms Industry Newsletter, a trade publication. The excise tax figure for 1998 is $15 million from the 10% tax on handguns and 11% on long guns. The comparable total for 1997 was $144 million, representing a significant increase the following year.

The newsletter further notes some gun industry insurance companies are trying to get out of their policies with the industry. Beretta is reportedly suing their insurance company, Chubb Corp. over a coverage disagreement. A judge has reportedly ruled American Financial Group did not have to pay a $19,000 Hamilton case expense for Brazas Sporting Arms, but a New Orleans judge ruled National Mutual Insurance did have to cover the National Shooting Sports Foundation.

Paul Rochelle has been named as the new sales manager for firearm importers, KBI, Inc. Rochelle’s past experience includes stints at Stoeger, Nationwide Sports and RSR Wholesale. Steve Cohen, who formerly held the same position at KBI, resigned to pursue a new career as a stock broker.

Armalite, a producer of AR-15 style rifles, has implemented price increases, with the most significant being on the AR-10(T) carbine models. Accessories and parts prices are also being increased.

Numrich Gun Parts Corp. of West Hurley, New York, recently purchased all the remaining inventory of parts from Lorcin Engineering formerly of Mira Loma, California which has ceased operations. Included in this large purchase are factory original replacement parts and magazines for the Models L22, L25, LT25, L32, L380, L9mm, and LH380.

In early December, Gary, Indiana mayor Scott King announced that a retailer, Fetlas Trading Co., named in the City of Gary’s lawsuit against the small arms industry, has agreed to settle with the city, according to the Firearms Litigation Clearinghouse, an anti-gun group.

In particular, Fetlas has agreed to: stop purchasing any more guns for resale; stop selling handguns when its present inventory is exhausted; continue to provide each handgun purchaser with a trigger lock, free-of-charge; and, contribute $10,000 to the City of Gary to be used by the City “to help minimize handgun violence in Gary and its negative impacts on its citizens.”

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.

FUTURE OF THE UK MOD PATTERN ROOM: latest reports, emanating from well-placed sources, regarding the future of the Nottingham-based UK MOD Pattern Room, suggest that government ministers are currently considering options for dissolving and relocating the collection. The sole need to act at all results from a long-standing dispute between Royal Ordnance (RO) and the MOD over RO’s rental charges for the Enfield Building in which the Pattern Room is located, though we are amazed things have ever been allowed to get to this point; the ministry should simply pay up and quit penny-pinching.

As we hear it, the official preferred solution would be to transfer the modern weapons to the Army’s School of Infantry at Warminster, the ‘historic’ weapons to the Royal Armouries at Leeds (itself under threat) and those items of particular scientific interest to the Science Museum in London. If this happens, the Pattern Room would close in Mar 2001. Some sources still suggest a fourth option (which we would most favour), that of transferring the collection en bloc to the Royal Military College of Science (RMCS) at Shrivenham, which already holds a much smaller number of interesting small arms for instructional purposes, is still a possibility. That said, we were recently told that pundits in the Home Office are already unhappy about the College holding any ‘prohibited’ Section 5 weapons.

Maybe it should be reminded that Shrivenham, which admittedly has an agreement with the civilian Cranfield University to run its academic activities, is still a military unit, and can thus keep whatever it likes. Last time we looked, it was still the MOD, and not the Home Office, that was responsible for national defence. Undeniably, any break-up of the Pattern Room will be regarded as a highly retrograde step by the entire small arms community, and we can expect that access to any of the weapons for study purposes will probably be far more difficult if they are dispersed from Nottingham.

The Pattern Room was given the opportunity to respond to these reports but has not yet done so. Closure of the Pattern Room is something we feel many readers might well want to protest about to the MOD – if so, the address for correspondence is:

Rt Hon Geoff Hoon Esq, MP
Secretary of State for Defence
Ministry of Defence Main Building
Whitehall
London SW1A 2HB
United Kingdom

Be polite but firm. Type all envelopes, and mark them, ‘Personal for’, so as to give them a better chance of actually being opened by the man himself.

UK MOD ANNOUNCES POSSIBLE PDW PURCHASE: as predicted in earlier issues, the UK MOD has now announced a possible requirement for around 15,000 Personal Defence Weapons (PDW) and appropriate ammunition, the first batches to enter service in 2003, with the rest in 2005-2005. No calibre details are specified, chiefly because no-one yet has any fixed idea of what these might be, but the Ministry is calling for weapons which can defeat the CRISAT-specified ‘protected human target’ at 150 metres. PDWs should also be under 50cm long and weigh a maximum of 3kg loaded.

The MOD will be assessing potential designs in Jul 2000 and will invite shortlisted potential suppliers to tender early in 2001 for comprehensive trials. Expressions of interest are sought by 31 Mar 2000, with details of candidate weapons, ammunition calibre and ability to meet the CRISAT target criteria.

UK contact: Tel (0117) 913-3670, Fax 913-1900, e-mail dcccb1@dpa.mod.uk.

It’s important to realise that the UK MOD has already been playing with the idea of a PDW for a number of years, and has only now come up with anything approaching a firm requirement. And anyone who has followed earlier procurements of this type will know that it may well take a considerable time for the ministry to make up its mind what it really wants, particularly if it involves adoption of an entirely new cartridge. So, the planned deployment date of 2003 could still be very optimistic.

Currently the front-runners for consideration from the home side still appear to be the .224 BOZ system from Civil Defence Supply, the 9x19mm IDW (Bushman) from Parker Hale (licensed from DTL in the USA) and Heckler & Koch’s 4.6x30mm PDW jointly developed with Royal Ordnance.

Though we understand the MOD to have been unimpressed by its hard target performance, we certainly cannot overlook the chances of the 5.7x28mm FN P-90 either, since it already meets the specified CRISAT human target requirement, and there is also a NATO STANAG covering this calibre. Other possibles could include MTE’s new .224VA PDW from Switzerland firing the Czech-designed 5.56x23mm round, also known as the .224 VOB. The MOD is understood to have already tested the BOZ and 9mm IDW, as well as the P-90. Other aspirants may well emerge from the woodwork once they hear of the MOD’s plan.

Of the known contenders, only the 9x19mm weapon from Parker-Hale is technically ready for production, but – on the face of it – would be highly unlikely to meet the CRISAT requirement (to defeat a man protected by 20 layers of Kevlar reinforced with 1.6mm of titanium alloy) without special ammunition. On the other hand, we consider the 150 metre range bracket specified by the MOD is wildly excessive in relation to the likely role of a PDW, which is, when all’s said and done, merely a pistol substitute. Troops expecting to routinely engage the enemy at 150 metres should be using rifles.

PDWs are only needed for 25-50 metres at best, and at these short ranges 9mm AP (or maybe even the latest version of the Swedish 9mm HP?) should do the job. Sticking with 9x19mm would also mean commonality with the Browning pistol and avoid Royal Ordnance Radway Green having to tool up for a new calibre. However, in view of its stated PDW performance requirements, our ten-cent suggestion is that the ministry should take another hard look at the ‘old but bold’ 5.56mm HK53, which is the same size as the popular 9mm MP5 but chambered for a more effective round than any of the new offerings officially designated as PDWs.

MAUSER M2 ROTARY-LOCKING PISTOL: in Dec 99 New Gun Week in the USA reported the arrival of the M2 pistol family, a new handgun line from Mauser’s small arms division, now owned by Sigarms. New pistols under the Mauser banner are a distinct rarity; in recent years Mauser has simply re-badged other brands like FEG. The M2 design is reportedly striker-fired and incorporates a rotating barrel lockup. Versions will be offered in .40, .357 SIG and .45 ACP calibres.

Safety features are said to include a novel safety catch on the rear of the slide, a loaded chamber indicator and a magazine disconnect, a generally unwelcome addition we guess we could now see returning with a vengeance to placate the safety fanatics. Magazine releases are ambidextrous, night sights are an option and weight of the .45, which is 7” long, is around 26 ounces. Magazines hold eight rounds of .45 or ten rounds in the other calibres. Frame material was not specified. http://www.sigarms.com/

The M2 was not at the Jan 2000 SHOT Show and, as an aside, we can’t help thinking now is perhaps not the ideal time to be introducing any entirely new handgun designs aimed primarily at the US market. Despite the pre-Y2k gun sales splurge, the industry still faces some major hurdles which must first be overcome before its future size & shape can be confidently predicted. Without the US outlet, of course, some European handgun makers would already be in dire straits.

40MM CASED TELESCOPED AMMUNITION IN THE NEWS AGAIN: Janes IDR reported that a 40mm CT2000 cannon firing cased, telescoped ammunition (CTA), with a linkless 124-round feed system, was being trialled in the USA mounted on a Bradley IFV. The developer of the system is the French-based Royal Ordnance/GIAT Industries joint venture CTA International (CTAI), with United Defense covering the vehicle side and – for ammunition handling (in place of Alliant Techsystems) – Western Design.

CTAI is hoping the US military will select the CT2000 to replace the Bradley’s 25mm Bushmaster cannon; trials are also taking place in the UK using stabilised mounts designed to allow firing of the CT2000 on the move. IDR said CTAI is also talking with Alliant with a view to co-operating on development of that company’s fuzing for the OICW’s 20mm HE projectiles, hoping to spin it off to 40mm telescoped ammunition. Let’s hope they discover the cause of last year’s OICW ‘bore premature’ first.

Much has already been written about prospects for cased telescoped ammunition, a concept which has been around since the 1950s with no adoption anywhere to date. Its chief selling point is packaging, since cylindrical cartridges (often called ‘beer cans’) with their projectiles concealed within are much less bulky to store and theoretically easier to handle within a gun mechanism, typically using rotating-breech, push-through feed systems whereby the next round to be fired pushes out the previous fired case while the breech is rotated 90 degrees away from the bore. However, design experts critical of CTA claim that the extra propellant which can be loaded around the projectile, inside the ‘beer can’, merely increases pressures without adding much to velocity, and say that – as evidence of this – if these voids are filled out with inert material, pressure falls. And pressure is clearly an issue if one is contemplating the use of unusual materials, such as plastics, for cartridge cases.

Overall, CTA is something of a compromise between caseless or liquid propellant systems and the conventional bottlenecked, cased ammunition still in general use today. In order to shift potential users away from what they already know & love, CTA’s advantages would have to be overwhelming, but we’re by no means sure this point has yet been reached.

REAL IRA STOCKING UP IN ASIA, YUGOSLAVIA: according to the Sunday Times, the Real IRA republican breakaway group, now calling itself Oglaigh na hEireann, has established new sources of illicit arms supply in the Far East, France and the rump of Yugoslavia. It is thought to be stockpiling for new campaigns in the UK. Police have reportedly tracked republican arms shoppers around the world who are believed to have obtained detonators, explosives and AK-pattern small arms on their travels. The Times noted that, in another Irish find, following the recent discovery of an underground republican firing range and weapons cache in Eire (see previous issues), a Russian RPG-18 anti-armour weapon was discovered, a first, together with Semtex and pre-assembled bombs.

JAPAN DESTROYING MINE STOCKS: a JDW short in Jan 2000 said that Japan was embarking on the destruction of its 1m anti-personnel mines held in military stockpiles. Companies reportedly involved in the disposal are Asahi Chemical, NOF Corporation & Nippon Koki Co Ltd.

GREAT WESTERN GUN SHOW MOVING TO VEGAS: having been given the cold-shoulder by Los Angeles County, the Great Western Gun Show, staged four times each year, is moving from Pomona to the Las Vegas Convention Center in Nevada, the LA Times reported. This will reportedly cost the Pomona Fairplex about $600,000 a year (some 33% of its annual income), with a possible further $8 million annual economic impact on the Pomona area. We suggest aggrieved Pomona residents take this up with LA County – gesture politics also have a price tag.

By Chris A. Choat

Heckler & Koch’s New Lock Out for USP and SOCOM

Beginning in October of 1999, German manufacturer Heckler & Koch started shipping their popular Universal Self-Loading Pistols (USP) and Mark 23s with a groundbreaking internal lock feature known as the Lock-Out. Comprised of a small polymer component, the Lock-Out installs easily and unobtrusively into the USP’s grip frame, effectively locking the handgun’s action by blocking any movement of the trigger, hammer and slide. Employing the clean and simple design for which HK products are renowned, the Lock-Out component is easily engaged by the turn of a two-pronged key. Once engaged, the handgun will not fire until unlocked. Although unobtrusive, the locked or unlocked position of the Lock-Out device is clearly discernible to the user. While HK will ship both the USPs and the Mark 23s in a locked position, the user may determine whether or not to engage the Lock-Out. “HK does provide external locks with every firearm sold in the U.S., however, the unique design of the USP and Mark 23 enabled our engineers to specifically develop the Lock-Out device for use in storing and securing these handguns” commented Eoin Stafford, H&K president. “This feature serves to underscore HK’s commitment not only to firearm quality, but also to safety”. Existing USPs and Mark 23s may be shipped to HK for Lock-Out installation. While the Lock-Out is user-friendly, HK policy requires the part to be installed by a competent gunsmith. Installation will be available via authorized dealers and at HK’s Sterling, VA gunsmithing department. Suggested retail of the Lock-Out is $14.95. 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.

STREAMLIGHT INTRODUCES LINE OF TACTICAL LIGHTS

Streamlight, Inc., a manufacturer of high-powered lighting equipment for professional and consumer applications, has just introduced a new line of gun-mounted flashlights. This new line of Streamlight products, including Models VLI, M-3, M-4, M-4 Pro and M-5 allows users to aim and illuminate simultaneously, making the gun-mounted lights ideal for tactical use and law enforcement. Streamlight now provides a full range of tactical lights for law enforcement and professional use with both ambidextrous, momentary or constant-on switching. The new gun-mounted flashlights will join forces with Streamlight’s other tactical flashlight, the Stinger XT. Designed and engineered in cooperation with Insight Technology, Inc., of Londonderry, NH, all five lights feature technology currently being used by U.S. special operations in military applications. Streamlight’s gun-mounted lights offer many advantages over night vision equipment and lasers. Tactical lights are more compact, easier to handle and most importantly, provide significantly clearer identification of the target. All five gun-mounted flashlights attach and detach instantly from a wide variety of gun types. Each is constructed with a non-conductive and chemical-resistant polymer case. The lights also offer adjustable beams and easily replaceable lithium or alkaline batteries. The Streamlight VLI can be either mounted or hand-held, is waterproof up to 66 feet, weighs 7.19 oz., offers 1 plus lumens and will fit all tactical rifles and carbines with either Mil-Spec Picatinny rails or Weaver bases. The M-3 is designed to fit Glocks and other popular weapons, including some shotguns with the use of adapter. The M-5 fits Smith & Wesson Model 99 and TSW handguns and the M-4 and M-4 Pro is designed to fit many popular brands including Smith & Wesson Sigma series. For more information on the Streamlight tactical lights contact Streamlight, Inc., Dept. SAR, 1030 West Germantown Pike, Norristown, PA 19403. Phone: 1-800-523-7488. Fax: 1-800-20-7007. On the web at www.streamlight.com.

PROFESSIONAL ORDNANCE RELEASES NEW ENTRY RIFLE

The Professional Ordnance reputation for quality and reliability is again revealed in their much anticipated .223 short-barreled rifle. Using state of the art designing procedures, the seasoned engineers at Professional Ordnance have developed what law enforcement personnel and enthusiasts are calling “the answer to all their needs and desires.” Designed specifically for Law Enforcement applications, the CM15m is primarily constructed of Carbon Fiber Composite-the same material as in the popular Carbon 15 product line. Carbon Fiber is not only much lighter than conventional construction, but is also more durable. In addition, Carbon Fiber is self lubricating, non-corrosive, and it dissipates heat better than aluminum. Standard features of the C15m include carbon fiber upper and lower receiver, hard chromed bolt and bolt carrier, quick detach stock, stainless steel match-grade fluted barrel, Mil Spec 1913 optics rail, ergonomically designed rubberized grip, carbon fiber handguard and a quick detach compensator. The C15m rifle joins a growing family of state of the art Professional Ordnance, Inc. Carbon Fiber firearms, which set the standard for the new millennium. For more information contact Professional Ordnance, Inc., Dept. SAR, 1070 Metric Drive, Lake Havasu City, AZ 86403. Phone: 1-520-505-2420. Fax: 1-520-505-2141. Professional Ordnance has also just launched their new website. They can be contacted via this site at www.Carbon-15.com.

By Robert M. Hausman

Real-World Survival!: What Has Worked For Me
By Walt Rauch
Published by Rauch & Co., Ltd.
P.O. Box 510,
Lafayette Hill, PA 19444
Price $15.95 plus $4 s&h
Reviewed by Robert Hausman

Drawing upon a lifetime of experiences in U.S. Army Intelligence, the U.S. Secret Service and as an investigator with the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Fugitive Squad (where he made over 2,000 felony arrests), the author presents an overview of the serious business of surviving lethal encounters that is well worth reading. Beginning with developing the proper state-of-mind necessary if one chooses to respond pro-actively to lethal threats, Rauch properly defines combat mindset as overcoming one’s natural instincts and reaching the point where one no longer fears death or injury. This is essential in order to respond simultaneously to an attack. It is not necessary to dispel one’s emotions entirely (an impossible feat except in the most pathologic of minds), but rather to control the natural feelings of fear long enough to respond to a threat effectively. A good analogy offered by the author is the act of eating dinner. “You don’t consciously think about putting the fork to your mouth or swallowing the food. You let your mind do what you have trained it to do without interference. This is how you fight when ‘fight’ is the only option. This is how your weapons must be used…”. A later chapter tells where to get such training in a review of some of the top self-defense training schools in the country. Not being a proponent of the, “When in doubt, shoot it out,” crowd, the author includes chapters on methods of lethal encounter avoidance to prevent becoming involved in a dangerous situation. Staying alert to what is happening in one’s environment, and recognizing the tell-tale danger signs that a mugging may be eminent are presented through the recounting of real-life occurrences. The concept of “hidden weapons,” those everyday objects such as screwdrivers, golf clubs, hockey sticks, and sharp-pointed pencils, that can be used to stop an attack when employed as an improvised weapon, or to perpetrate one. Since firearms represent the most effective means of repelling an attack, several chapters are devoted to firearms choices to enable novice gun users to determine what might be the best choices for their particular situations and lifestyles. A chapter focusing on the “aftermath,” details the legal, emotional and financial nightmare the person who used lethal force in defense of life can expect to be subjected to – even if the killing was later ruled justified. Overall, Rauch provides a fairly comprehensive basic primer for those considering the employment of lethal force as part of their security plan.

AKS & MAK 90 Type Armorer’s Course and Technical Manual
by American Gunsmithing Institute
1325 Imola Ave. West #504
Napa, CA 94559
(707) 253-0462
Video 1 hr 34 min
Course #105
$29.95 plus $4 S&H
Reviewed by David M. Fortier

The American Gunsmithing Institute is well known for their excellent instructional videos. Featuring a master gunsmith who takes the viewer step by step through the history of the weapon, its design, how it operates, disassembly, troubleshooting, and reassembly, they are a great learning aid. There is nothing quite like actually watching someone take something apart to learn from. This is enhanced by being able to hit the pause and rewind buttons to see them do it again. Covering the semi-automatic versions of the AK family this video would be handy for someone being introduced to this family of weapons. While not as comprehensive as I would have liked, it would be a great video for someone who had no experience with AK’s or for teaching your kids. How the Kalashnikov rifle operates is explained and shown step by step in a clear and easily understandable manner. Field stripping, routine maintenance, and reassembly are taught in a clear and concise manner. Modifying your AK is covered and this is one strength of this video. While it does not cover barreling or headspacing, it does cover in detail modifying the trigger pull. The viewer is shown step by step how to adjust the trigger pull, what to look out for, and how to do it correctly. I have seen several Yugoslavian and Romanian AK’s and RPK’s that were surprisingly accurate, but that had gritty triggers. This would cure that problem nicely, all in the comfort of your own home. I have seen a few of AGI’s videos and have found them all to be quite handy. They are quite a bit more useful then a simple tech manual. You’ll want to skip this video if your looking for deep in-depth information on the fully automatic versions of the Kalashnikov family, or barrel/headspace information though. Other than that you will find this video a useful addition to your reference library.

Military Rifles Of Japan
By Fred L. Honeycutt, Jr.
and F. Patt Anthony
Published by Julian Books
5282 Ridan Way
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33418
ISBN 0-9623208-5-4
Price $ 42.00 plus $ 4.50 s&h
Reviewed by Stephen Stuart

Japan is an island nation in the Pacific, first discovered by the Portuguese during the colonization period of Europe. As with all colonization and trade expeditions in the 17th century, the Portuguese brought firearms to the island nation. Since their invention, firearms have become more and more common in combat. It was the musket that helped end the days of the sword wielding samurai in warfare. Fred Honeycutt, Jr. is no stranger to the field of Japanese military firearms. In his book, Military Rifles Of Japan, the author begins by introducing the reader to the Meiji period (around 1880) rifles, namely the Type 13 rifle in 11mm. From this humble start, the modern rifles of Japan were born. The next series of rifles produced were the Type 18 and Type 18 Cavalry rifle, also in 11mm. The first rifle produced in 6.5mm was the Type 30. It was from this rifle that the evolution of the World War II Type 38 and Type 99 can be readily seen. The really nice thing about this book is that it not only covers the usual rifles of Japan (Type 30, 38, 99, and the cavalry versions of these rifles) it also includes all the variations of these and the other not so common Japanese rifles. These rifles include the Type 44 Carbine, Type 100 Paratroop rifles, Type 1, Type 2, and the Type “I” rifle. Foreign rifles used by Japan are also listed is the Czechoslovakia VZ-24 and Manchurian Mauser. The other really important feature of this book is that it includes pictures and descriptions of the different accessories of Japanese rifles such as; grenade launchers, muzzle covers, monopods, rifle slings, dust covers, cleaning rods, and cleaning kits. As a collector of Japanese military equipment and firearms, I consider this one of the ‘best’ books in the field today. If you collect Japanese equipment, this book should be on your bookshelf, the pictures of the accessories alone are worth their weight in gold to a collector. I recommend this text without in reservations of any kind.

By Capt. Tom Dresner

His breathing was labored as he tried to inhale deeply. Every breath was like sucking air through a straw. Same with the exhale. Small drops of sweat trickled from his temples, yet he was unable to wipe them away. The shape of the mask prevented it. He glanced down at the MP5 held in his hands at his well practiced low-ready. The Navy group was selected to full, finger off trigger. He was very familiar with the ritual. He had done it countless times before.

His vision blurred as he awaited the start signal, and he thought to himself, “They sure named this course of fire correctly— Foggy Gasmask Blues.” He wondered how bad the fog would be by the end of the course. Would he still have a clear enough sight picture to prevent a hit on a closely placed no shoot target?

After it was over, the he let the MP5 hang against the sling, then safety on, bolt back, mag off, physically and visually inspect the chamber. Clear. One event down, three more individual events, one two man team event, and the four man team event left to go.

The Second Annual Midwest Police/SWAT SMG Championships is now in the history books. It was held at the Green Valley Rifle and Pistol Club/Chapman Academy of Practical Shooting, in Columbia, Missouri. On March 27, 1999, 60 tactical officers from units in Missouri and Kansas police departments joined to hone their MP5 skills while competing for some very exciting prizes this year. Officers competed individually for a tactical school of their choice, compliments of Heckler & Koch, and first place individual officer was able to claim a .40 caliber USP Compact pistol with night sights as a reward for his efforts.

13 four-man teams competed for the most coveted prize of all, an actual MP5 for their department’s tactical unit. We budgeted $1300 toward the cost of the winning team’s variant of choice. With the stakes this high, not to mention the bragging rights, the competition was intense.
This match was conceived by members of our tactical unit as a fun way of combining training and competition featuring the submachine gun as it was intended to be fielded in actual operations. Though probably the most versatile weapon that can be chosen by SWAT units in contemporary operations, it is most useful in entries for encountering hostile targets between contact and 10 yard distances, fired from the shoulder and on full automatic. Thus we designed our rules around those parameters.

Because civilian police tactical teams are expected to have a zero casualty rate for innocents and themselves, accuracy is of the utmost importance. Therefore, we designed the courses to demand the utmost accuracy, and to severely punish hits on no-shoot or hostage targets. Last year’s champion, Lt. Mitch Brim of the Shawnee, KS Police Department knows first hand of what I speak. Mitch took fifth this year, and would have recaptured the title, and the USP40C, were it not for only one hostage target hit. First place to fifth with one shot. Losing the gun was extra painful I am sure, but only a shadow of the consequences of it occurring in real life.

We use a scoring system that rewards accuracy over speed, and makes it impossible for someone to blaze peripheral shots on a target faster than an officer who tears out the center. Quite simply, the officer who shoots the most accurately, the fastest, will win any given event. The scoring is called Chapman Count, and is by far the most easy of all scoring systems to use. It is named for Ray Chapman, the great practical shooting patriarch who used to own the facility we shot on that day. He is now retired, and living in Texas. Score minus time, with targets scored 10-5-2 on standard IPSC targets.

IPSC was born in Columbia, Missouri in 1976 at the Columbia Conference. IDPA, the newest practical shooting sport was born in Arkansas, founded largely by Bill Wilson, one of the original IPSC founders. IDPA was born out of a sense of frustration at the space gun arms race and gamesmanship that IPSC gave rise to over the years, and IDPA successfully addresses many of those problems by strict rules on equipment for a more “practical” feel. Quite disappointingly however, they fall short in the most important aspect of the sport, no matter what type of firearm is used. Scoring. In IDPA, a faster shooter with peripheral hits can still beat someone who is more accurate, but slower, even with shots that miss the target. With Chapman count, every point is a second, and that means one miss will cost 10 seconds for each shot off target. That is impossible to recover from, and discourages indiscriminate blazing.

The match consists of four individual events, one two man team event, and one four man team event. The aggregate of the individual matches determines the individual champion, and the team events are scored separately.

To keep things operationally authentic, we require the competitors to wear full tactical gear, to include body armor, ballistic helmets which are ubiquitous among American SWAT units currently, BDUs, boots and one event fired with the gas mask. We do not allow the use of double magazine clamps, since they are seldom used operationally, due to how heavy the MP5 becomes with 60 rounds on the gun. Though there are some units in the Midwest who use the Colt SMG, none were present at the match, and all guns present were some variant of the MP5, some in .40 caliber, with SD and PDW models in evidence as well. The MP5SD causes our range officers fits, because often the gun is too quiet for the electronic timers to “hear” the shots being fired.

Our tactical team is a member of the Midwest Tactical Officers Association, a regional cadre of teams dedicated to sharing information, training opportunities, seminars and debriefs. It allows different teams to work together and share information about how we do things. It also allows us to host a match like this, mindful of the capabilities of the units represented, yet still not push the safety envelope into a hazardous area. The members of this association are all quite competent, and safety rules are enforced vigorously.

Throughout the day, individual officers hammered away at the solo events, each studying other techniques, and grilling teammates on strategies to shave seconds here or there. The natural competitiveness of the American SWAT officer was in plain view throughout the day.

Because of a function close by in time and location, Mark Kunnath from the Heckler & Koch International Training Division was able to stop by with his “candy wagon” and demo some of the latest from HK during lulls in the shooting. A crowd of officers gathered quickly as Mark demo’d the new UMP, the first .45 caliber SMG from HK combining the parentage of the defunct prototype MP2000 with the polymer technology of the G36 series. At the time, it was one of only seven units in the United States. By the time you read this, it should be widely available.

Speaking of the G36 series, also present was the G36K carbine. I predict hefty sales of this new “wundergun” as word of its performance characteristics spreads in the world tactical community. I think it will give the venerable M16 serious competition in the years to come. The officers took turns firing the guns and commenting on how much they liked them, the only negative comment being that they could not buy one for themselves.

By 2:00 p.m., the ranges fell silent as the four individual and two man team events had been fired by all officers. Our range officers scrambled to assemble the event everyone waited for all day, and to see who would win the MP5. I named the match “The Long Road Home,” and made it so that the officers would be sucking wind and tearing off their armor at the end. I guess I wanted to see some work for that MP5.

The stage began much as last year, with the four team members seated in our raid van with a designated door breacher and this year with a designated NFDD deployer. NFDD stands for Noise Flash Diversion Device, the correct name for what is more commonly known as a “flash-bang”, and registered with the NFA Branch as destructive devices. We provided each of the 13 teams with one, which they deployed through the door prior to “entry” and beginning the actual firing sequences.

After “entry,” the officers fanned out into designated firing lanes and simultaneously advanced on their respective series of targets, all firing on the move. They were then met with a moving target, with four small balloons embedded in each. They had a total of six seconds to hit all four balloons before reloading and then advancing to a gantry and the next stage. After crossing the gantry, the officers went to pre-strategized shooting positions to maximize their economy of movement, and thus the saving of time.

The first of two allowed semiautomatic shots of the day was taken to “clear” a bridge of a lone hostile target, a falling plate with a no shoot target directly behind it to place additional pressure for accuracy on the shooter. This shot allowed the other three officers to advance across the bridge to the final shooting stage about 200 yards away. Safe gun handling was the rule as the officers made their way to engage the final series of targets. Upon completion of that series, they had to rejoining the “sniper” and advise him that he was clear to fire the final shot that stopped the timer.

Safety was enforced throughout the day, and it resulted in the disqualification of three teams, one on the two man team event and two teams on the four man team event, for violations of rule two, the laser rule.

Top three standings for “The Long Road Home” were as follows:

•1.Shawnee, Kansas Police Department (Winner of MP5)
•2.Lee’s Summit, Missouri Police Department
•3.Springfield, Missouri Police Department

By the conclusion of the four man team event, the guns were stowed, and the gear went back to the trunks of the cars. The clubhouse came alive with the sounds of tactical officers and their families enjoying the evening, waiting for dinner and discussing what they should have or could have done on a particular stage, and how they would all include more gas mask training for the most difficult MP5 shooting of all, with a mask on.

The awards were presented and the top three two man teams and top five individuals are listed below:

1. Mitch Brim and Rob Maser, Shawnee, KS Police Department
2. Vaughan Baker and Rod Scoffer, Lee’s Summit, MO Police Department
3. B.J. Johnson and Joey Mattock, Christian Co., MO Sheriffs Department.

The top five individuals are as follows:

•Champion and winner of HK USP40C: George Gardner, N. Kansas City, MO Police Department
•Second place and winner of HK IT School: Aaron Driscoll, Christian Co. MO Sheriffs Department
•Third: Jerry Greens, Columbia, MO Police Department
•Fourth: Frank Bunny, Independence, MO Police Department
•Fifth: Mitch Brim, Shawnee, KS Police Department

This individual victory was particularly sweet for Officer Gardner. He had asked his chief prior to coming to the match for training time for the match and was told, not only no training time, but do not use any department equipment, to include uniforms, vest, MP5 or anything else. He borrowed an MP5 and helmet, and bought an Eagle TAC vest with his own money and wore personally owned gear to round out what he needed. He had commented to me about this story early in the day, and how he had hoped that he could win something to take back and make the department proud anyway. He did that, and a lot more. As you can see, backing for SWAT is not universal, yet the caliber of individual officers who choose it transcends sometimes flagging support, and brings out the best in us anyway.

The Third Annual Midwest Police/SWAT SMG Championships will be held again in early April, 2000.

By Dr. Ed Weitzman

When I fired my first water-cooled MG, I looked the same way I did after my first swimming lesson, as there was very little left of the original packing material to keep the water in the gun. Attempts at finding a suitable replacement for the asbestos twine (wouldn’t want my MG declared a toxic waste site by the EPA) led me to a modern alternative, the O-ring. This has proven to be a reliable, inexpensive and effective substitute for asbestos packing.

A Browning 1917, and a MkI Vickers were converted to O-ring barrel seals. It has shown to be superior to the traditional methods of keeping the coolant in the gun. No modification to the gun is required but access to a lathe will be needed.

The first step is to obtain the proper size O-rings. Both the Browning and the Vickers take the same size rear O-rings. I use a double seal, Buena-N O- ring (shaped in cross section like a 4 leaf clover ) dash No. 119 (3/32 x 15/16 x 1 1/8). For the front, I recommend the use of Viton as these withstand high temperatures better than neoprene. The Browning muzzle requires a dash No. 115 O-ring (3/32 x 1 1/16 x 7/8) and the Vickers, a dash No. 208 (1/8 x 5/8 x 7/8).

The packing groove in the barrel is wide enough to accommodate two rings side by side but not deep enough. Here is where our lathe comes into play. First remove and discard the old packing, then, with a sharp cut-off tool, you must deepen the packing groove until the barrel with the O-rings in place is a sliding fit in the trunion of the gun. It should just slide out when the gun is vertical. Take it slow, just taking a few thousandths at a time and the proper fit will be obtained. Apply a coat of high temp grease to the O-rings before attempting to fit them to the gun.

Don’t turn off the lathe yet, you still have a front spacer to make. The original front packing is much wider than the O-ring that will replace it and the spacer fills in the void. The easiest material to use is brass. The Browning spacer is .8175 OD x. 6875 ID x .280 wide. The one for the Vickers is .825 OD x .640 ID x .280 wide. You may have to experiment with the width to obtain a size that just compresses the O-ring when the muzzle gland is tight. The edge of the spacer that contacts the O-ring should have a 45-degree bevel.

The old front barrel packing is removed and the barrel is placed into the gun .The proper size greased O-ring is then placed on the muzzle of the barrel followed by the brass spacer. These are pushed into place and the muzzle gland is then tightened until it is snug. With the Vickers gun, the O-ring is placed in the packing cavity before the barrel is put into the gun. Next, the water jacket filled with water (or a coolant mixture of soluble oil and water), and your shooting session can begin. This shouldn’t leave you looking like you just had a swimming lesson.

All materials except the spacer, are available from McMaster-Carr Supply Co, PO Box 440, New Brunswick, N.J. (732-329-6666) nj.sales@mcmaster.com

Viton O-ring 115 #9464K28
Viton O-ring 208 #9464K67
Buena N O-ring #90025K248
Water soluble oil #1310K1
Hi temp silicone grease #1252K32

By Rob Krott

“No, no, los mercenarios were Yanquis…not Cubanos!” This was just one of the small bits of propaganda I heard on my first visit to Cuba. With me (and sharing my incredulity at such statements) was my old friend, Jerry Lee, a paratrooper and military police reservist. “The Guner,” as he’s known works in the auto industry and moonlights as a rock n’ roll radio D.J. A talented machinist he has legally built his own 1919 Browning and can be counted on to troubleshoot any Class III weapons mechanical problems.

Death to the Yanqui Imperialists!

Having read our history including Jerry’s copy of The Bay of Pigs: the Leaders’ Story of Brigade 2506 by Haynes Johnson, we wanted to see the landing site first hand. Slipping the driver and the tour guide $10 each we were happy to leave the other tourists behind. While they were swimming at Playa Larga, which sits at the head of Bahia de Cochinos, the Bay of Pigs, we took a dip in Cold War history. It was a twenty minute drive to the Bahia de Cochinos, known to most Cubans as Playa Giron after Gilbert Giron, a French pirate who landed there in the 17th century. We skirted the Parque Nacional de la Cienega de Zapata (Zapata Marshlands Park) a largely unspoiled wilderness home to 80% of Cuba’s fauna, including large numbers of crocodiles. Playa Larga sits at the head of the Bay of Pigs. It was here that a CIA backed Cuban-exile force, Brigade 2506, invaded Cuba on April 17, 1961. Denied sufficient air support by President Kennedy, the invasion failed. Most of the men of Brigade 2506 were either killed or captured. Many were subsequently executed. A few attempted to traverse the crocodile infested salt water marshes of the Cienega de Zapata and perished. After the invasion a subsequent attempt by the Soviets to emplace nuclear capable medium-range ballistic missiles in Cuba provoked the Cuban Missile Crisis of 1962.

The government built a museum, the Museo de Giron to commemorate the Cuban victory over the American imperialistas and their Cuban “mercenaries.”{The Cuban exiles of Brigade 2506 are identified in the museum exhibits as belonging to the “Organizacion de la Brigada de Asalto 2506 (mercenaria).”} Along the side of the road on the way to Playa Giron is a propaganda billboard commemorating the Bay of Pigs invasion. “Playa Giron, primera gran derrota del imperialismo en America Latina” (Playa Giron, the first great defeat of imperialism in Latin America). An inset depicts a famous scene of Castro jumping from his Soviet self propelled-assault gun – a popular motif in the area. Parked in front of the museum is a British made Sea Fury prop-driven fighter plane used by Castro’s air force to attack the Cuban-exile invasion force on the beach during Bay of Pigs. They also played hell with the B-26s meant to support the invasion.

Walking past the Sea fury and a Cuban flag fluttering in the breeze we bought a ticket and entered. We toured the museum along with a group of Cuban school-kids wearing red scarves of the Communist Party’s Young Pioneers. More than one tugged a schoolmates sleeve and whipered “Yanquis” or Imperialistas.” Here, away from the tourist traps of Varadero Beach and Vedado (Havana) the Cubans take their political history very seriously.

Photographs of the Cuban soldiers (actually local militia men) killed in the fighting dominated the exhibits, taking up one whole wall. Display cases were filled with many of their personal effects; uniforms, sidearms, berets, and insignia. Weapons captured in the invasion and those used by Cuban forces along with various items of field gear filled the rest of the museum. So, as small arms aficionados who collect uniforms and militaria we were in heaven. Jerry was pleased to confirm from a display that the Cubans of Brigade 2506 wore 1950s USMC issue 13 star button “Duck Hunter” camouflage uniforms while I ogled an authentic 2506 insignia (a Cuban flag superimposed on a white cross) with tab. Studying the photos of militia men being issued weapons still covered with packing grease Jerry and I determined that the Milicias, Nacionales Revolucionarias were armed with a hodge-podge of Beretta M-1 Garands, Springfield 1903s, Krag 1896 rifles (#31640 is on display at the museum), early FN FAL 7.62mm rifles, and even a Remington .45 auto pistol. Mainstays were 7.62 Model 52 Czech rifles, Soviet PPSh-41 submachine guns, and Model 23 Czech 9mm subguns – all hastily “purchased” by Castro’s government from the Warsaw Pact and hurriedly issued to the mostly untrained milicianos of the Cuban Militia. While not the best choice of available combat small arms at that time, they were well suited for use by illiterate peasants. The PPSh-41 is a simple design and even simpler to operate while the Model 52 and model 23 are both excellent designs. The Model 23 submachine gun shares many unique design features with the Uzi. With its extremely simple assembly / disassembly sequence it could be issued to untrained militia men with only a brief period of orientation and instruction. A 9mm submachine gun doesn’t require much in the way of marksmanship training either!

Similar to the German MKb42(W), the Czech Model 52 (Czech 7.62mm) – the Czechs copied the Walther designed MKb42’s unique gas system – is semi-auto and thus not a true assault rifle. However, with its 10 round detachable box magazine and heavy caliber it was a match for the Brigade 2506 soldiers equipped with .30 caliber M-1 carbines and 8 round M-1 Garands.

Of course there were also a number of M-2 carbines, M-1 rifles, and Colt .45 auto pistols courtesy of the U.S. Army via Fulgencio Batista’s armory in use by the Cuban militia men. Colt .45 ACP 1911 pistols were used extensively on both sides of the Cuban revolution and were much admired and coveted. Castro is known to have carried a .45 during the revolution (along with a Model 70 Winchester hunting rifle) and supposedly had the same piece with him at the Bay of Pigs. A photo taken by Lester Cole in Havana a few days after Castro’s triumphant overthrow of the Batista regime shows Castro wearing a .45 M1911. The robust, dependable pistols continued to be pressed into service by many Cuban soldiers until widespread issue of Soviet weapons began. Several of the M1911’s which I’ve seen in Cuban museum collections boasted custom grips and were well maintained – not an easy job in the tropics.

But, the invading exiles were armed with more than carbines and pistols. Since the Brigade’s task was to secure a beachhead and move inland, eventually driving on to Havana (how this was envisioned given the poor roads and distance to the North coast still puzzles me) the weapons platoons were all equipped. Heavy weapons captured in the invasion and now on display included an M-30 4.2 “Four Deuce” mortar, a 75mm recoilless rifle for anti-tank work, and a Browning .30 caliber machine-gun. A heavy automatic weapon used by the Cuban militia, a Czech model 37 (ZB53) 7.92mm heavy machine gun – the forerunner of the British-made Besa tank machine-gun – got me in trouble with one of the museum matrons when I disengaged the quick change barrel handle/barrel locking mechanism. “Just czeching”, I told her.

It’s no wonder Model 37s were used by Castro’s forces on the beach at the Bay of Pigs as the Model 37 was manufactured in large numbers expressly for export. The ZB-37, also known as the Model 53 (ZB-53) has a slow rate of fire (500 rpm) or a faster (700 rpm) rate of fire depending on the selector. With a right-hand feed of 100 or 200 round metallic link belts this 7.92mm heavy machine-gun proved itself a dependable work horse in combat theaters around the world. Also on display was a four-barreled anti-aircraft gun (which I believe was an early ZSU-23-4) – it would have been a real terror in the ground support role if it was used to sweep the beach. It may also have contributed to the shoot down of the B-26s lost during the invasion, although that is only speculation. The caretakers of the museum were very helpful and surprised to see the amount of time and attention we paid to the exhibits. I don’t think they get too many American military veterans down here.

On the way back to Varadero we stopped in Australia, a town named for its sugar mill’s parent company. We jumped out of the minivan and started looking for Castro’s old command post during the Bay of Pigs. We knew it was here in Australia from the history books and because there was a billboard along the side of the road announcing it. “aqui esta comandancia de las FAR”(FAR-Fuerzas Armadas de Revolucion – armed forces of the revolution). Finding the actual building used as Fidel’s command post took a little wandering, though it was only a block from the sign. Everybody, except our tour guide, knew where it had been. There we found a small collection of old rifles including two Winchesters and a Remington rolling block. Both were probably used in the Spanish-American War.

I thoroughly enjoyed my first visit to Playa Giron. Besides visiting the museum and walking along the beach, there was an inherent thrill just being there – on the ground in the country which is America’s last, closest and most defiant cold war foe.

Rob has made 3 subsequent visits to the Playa Giron Museum. For additional reading on the Bay of Pigs see: The Bay of Pigs; the Leaders Story of Brigade 2506, Haynes Johnson, et al W.W. Norton Co. 1964, 1st edition.