ZEISS INTRODUCES STAINLESS STEEL RIFLESCOPES

As the popularity of stainless steel rifles continues to increase, more and more hunters are looking for superior optics that complement their centerfire or rimfire rifle of choice. Because of this Carl Zeiss Optical, Inc. announces the availability of the popular Z-series1.5-6×42, 2.5-10×48 and 3-12×56 riflescopes in a stainless finish and the C-series 3-9×36 in both the stainless and silver finishes. The newest additions to the premium line of Zeiss riflescopes combine rugged, all-weather durability with a touch of elegance. The stainless steel finish provides the perfect balance of color with the rifle, while the protective finish is considerably harder and more resistant to abrasion and mechanical damages than laquer finishes. Engineered for strength and reliability, all optical elements in Zeiss’ stainless and silver finished riflescopes are fully coated with the exclusive T* multi-coating. The result is a sharp, clear, well contrasted, well-detailed image in low light conditions such as dawn or dusk when game is most active. A nitrogen filling ensures these riflescopes do not fog up due to extreme fluctuations in temperature. As with all Zeiss products, these stainless steel riflescopes are guaranteed to be waterproof and shockproof. This is backed by the best warranty in the industry, Zeiss’ Limited Lifetime Transferable Warranty. For more information contact Carl Zeiss Optical, Inc., Dept. SAR, 13017 N. Kingston Ave., Chester, VA 23836. Phone: 1-800-338-2984. Fax: 1-804-930-8315. On the web at www.zeiss.com.

COLD STEEL® KOBUN™ CARBON V®

Cold Steel, one of the world’s leading manufacturers of quality knives, has announced a new version of the popular Kobun™ fixed blade boot knife. The new version of the Cold Steel Kobun integrates a black epoxy powder coated Carbon V® steel blade for added corrosion and scratch resistance. This innovative steel provides durability and ruggedness, yet holds an edge for an extended period and is easy to resharpen when necessary. The blade is 5 1/2” long and 1/8” thick. Cold Steel’s new Kobun-Carbon V features a durable, checkered Kraton(r) handle that provides unsurpassed comfort and balance, as well as a positive grip, wet or dry. Overall, the Kobun is 9 7/8” long and weighs 4.5 ounces. Each is supplied with Cold Steel’s exclusive Quick Draw Concealex(tm) sheath that incorporates an integral belt/boot clip. Like all Cold Steel fixed-blade knives the Kobun Carbon V is protected by Cold Steel’s exclusive five year warranty. Manufacturers suggested retail price for the new Cold Steel Kobun Carbon V is $99.00. Cold Steel manufacturers a full line of knives and tools optimized for hunting, outdoor recreation and self defense. Cold Steel is the inventor of Carbon V(r) Steel, Kraton(r) molded synthetic handles and the San Mai III(r) laminated blade. For more information on the Cold Steel Kobun(tm) Fixed Blade Boot Knife, contact; Cold Steel, Dept. SAR, 2128-D Knoll Drive, Ventura, CA 93003. Phone: 1-800-255-4716. They can be located on the web at www.coldsteel.com.

TASCO’S PROPOINT OPTIMA 2000

It’s new. It’s revolutionary. It’s the smallest red dot sighting device making the biggest impact on the industry. Professional shooters are calling Optima 2000 the most revolutionary development in optical sighting devices in the last 25 years. The newest and perhaps most innovative Tasco Propoint red dot sight is aptly named the Optima 2000. It provides optimum performance and is engineered with the kind of advanced turn-of-the-century technology that has never been seen in this millennium. The Optima 2000 is smaller (only 1 1/2” long) and lighter in weight (only 1/2 ounce) than any other sighting device. It is extremely durable and rugged. Thousands of test rounds had no effect on it. It held its point of aim and its one-piece, dovetailed-style, slide mount remained immovable. The red dot is always on. There’s no time lost in activating it and it can be seen in all ambient light conditions. While primarily use on pistols, the Optima 2000 can be mounted on shotguns for skeet and trap shooting or for duck hunting. It also works well on rifles for sport or hunting. And its value for law enforcement is undeniable. Optima 2000 is available with a bright, in-focus 3.5 or 7 M.O.A. dot on the same plane as iron sights allowing for fast target acquisition. Battery operated, the unit is supplied with a cover which puts the dot in a “sleep” mode extending the battery like for years of use. The latest in a long line of highly regarded and rated ProPoint sighting devices, Optima 2000 is covered by the Tasco 2-year No Fault, No Hassle/Limited Lifetime Warranty. For more information on this any other great Tasco products contact Tasco, Dept SAR, 2889 Commerce Parkway, Miramar, FL 33026. Phone: 1-888-GET-TASCO. Fax: 954-252-3705. Website: www.tascosales.com.

RIMFIRE BULLET TRAP

Malvern Products has just introduced their new bullet trap designed specifically for all rimfire cartridges including .22 Magnum. The new trap features 1/8” construction with 1/4” thick material at all critical areas. The revolutionary conical design of the new trap causes impacting bullets to hit a sloped surface no matter how they enter the trap. Unlike “flat & deflect” traps, the conical shape causes the bullets to spiral in with a minimum impact to the center where it is deflected down by a 90 degree elbow. The trap has a built-in balanced carry handle as well as a stand to set it upright. The front inlet to the trap is a large 18 inches. Retail price of the trap is $299.00. For more information contact Malvern Products, Dept. SAR, 176 Pennsylvania Ave, Malvern PA 19355. Phone: 1-610-647-1717. You can also contact them via their website at www.malvernproducts.com.

WOLF PERFORMANCE AMMUNITION

Wolf Performance Ammunition has just introduced another caliber in their line of high quality ammunition. Wolf Performance .45 Auto ammunition is their new caliber and features a 230 grain copper jacketed FMJ projectile with a steel case. The steel case allows Wolf to produce the most economical and highest quality .45 Auto cartridge available today. Wolf is the only Russian ammunition available with Cooper Jacketed Projectiles in all calibers which results in less barrel wear As with all Wolf products, the .45 Auto comes with a Performance Guarantee. Wolf Performance Ammunition is produced in the city of Tula, Russia’s oldest industrial city. This city is the home of Tula Cartridge Works (TCW) which manufactures Wolf Ammunition. Sporting Supplies International (SSI) of Anaheim, California is the exclusive importer of Wolf Performance Ammunition. Currently Wolf ammo is available for rifles in 7.62×39, .223-55 grain, .223-62 grain and 5.45×39. All of these calibers are loaded with boat tail bullets for match grade accuracy. It is also available in the following pistol calibers; 9mm Luger, 9×18 Makarov, .380 Auto, .40 S&W and the new .45 Auto. The case mouth and the primer pocket feature a mil-spec sealant ensuring consistent and reliable operation no matter what the weather conditions. In addition, a green lacquered case ensures the best function cartridge in adverse environmental conditions, and it also extends storage life. All Wolf ammunition is newly manufactured and non-corrosive. For more information on this fine ammunition contact Wolf Performance Ammunition, Dept. SAR, 2201 E. Winston Road, Suite K, Anaheim, CA 92806. Phone: 1-714-635-4246. Fax: 1-714-635-9276. Their website is www.wolfammo.com.

Major James Gebhardt does it again in this valuable translation of the Soviet manual on the SVD sniping rifle. Designed by Evgeniy Fedorovich Dragunov and adopted by the Soviet Army as their standard sniping rifle in 1963, the SVD has been shrouded in mystery. The first rifle ever designed from the ground up specifically for the task of sniping, it is still standard issue in the Russian Army. Russia has a long tradition of employing snipers that dates all the way back to the Crimean War of 1854. Even the Germans played catch up to the Soviets throughout the Second World War when it came to sniping. Using this vast wealth of practical wartime experience, they designed the SVD Dragunov sniping rifle and PSO-1 scope.

While instantly recognizable, there has not been a lot of information on the Dragunov or its scope available, and some of what has been written is incorrect. With numbers of these rifles in the U.S. (and the Romanian FPK/PSL sniper rifle based upon the RPK but still utilizing the 7.62x54R cartridge), this manual will be of great interest and a great help. Not only does it teach stripping, maintenance, troubleshooting, and firing positions with the Dragunov, but also much more. All the little accessories for the rifle AND the scope are covered. Ammunition is covered, as well as using the PSO-1 scope, and there is a vast array of excellent ballistic charts for the 7.62x54R cartridge. From zeroing the weapon to leading parachutists, there is a lot of interesting and valuable information here.

This book also dispels some false information. It has been stated that the Russians never taught the use of the sling as a shooting support- incorrect. The same goes for the Russians never issuing special sniping ammunition. The manual not only talks about it, but also tells you how to identify it (I have fired some of this ammunition out of my SVD and it grouped into 2 3/4 inches at 300 yards). Anyone who has an SVD or Romanian FPK should have this manual- it will answer all your nagging questions.

HANDGUN STOPPING POWER
The Definitive Study
By Evan P. Marshall
Edwin J. Sanow
Published by Paladin Press
P.O. Box 1307
Boulder, Colorado
80306
1-800-392-2400
$45.00 plus S&H
Reviewed by David Fortier

What actually happens when someone is shot with a handgun? Do hollowpoints work? Is it true that ‘they all fall to .45 ball’? What’s the best handgun load for self defense? What IS stopping power, how does it work, and how much is enough?

Only 12 or 15 years short years ago the above questions did nothing more than stimulate endless debate. There were lots of opinions, but little for hard facts. Evan Marshall and Edwin Sanow changed all that in this landmark book. For the first time the results of thousands of actual shootings were recorded and compiled by caliber and load. Years in the making, the author’s goal was to provide accurate unbiased wound ballistics and ammo information that street cops and civilians alike could use. The information gathered was compiled from police reports, autopsies, and victim statements. Through this information we can see how well individual loads actually worked in real life shootings. Or, how poorly they did.

For anyone who carries a handgun, this is a must read book. In 224 pages the authors explain the medical mechanisms of collapse, previous theories of stopping power, and why they don’t work, actual street shootings, tissue simulants, new ammo developments, predicting stopping power using street results, and more. This book contains a lot of information, and once you start reading you won’t want to stop. The chapter on actual street shootings that goes over actual incidents by caliber and load is impossible to put down. I loaned this book out and had a hard time getting it back.

For too long we guessed at what the best caliber and load for defensive use was. The arguments seemed endless and heated. Untold quantities of duct seal, phone books, paint cans, and even chickens were perforated in an attempt to ‘prove’ one theory or another. Those days are over. Now you can find out how well the load in your pistol actually works, or doesn’t. Read this book.

Japanese Explosive Ordnance
(Army Ammunition, Navy Ammunition)
TM 9-1985-5, Department
Of The Army
Reprinted And Published by
Julian Books,
5282 Ridan Way
Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33418
Price $25.00 plus 4.50 S&H
Review by Stephen Stuart

While walking around the tables at Knob creek this past April, I noticed the immense amount of inert ordnance on the dealer’s tables. Everything from American practice hand grenades to Russian anti-tank rocket launcher tubes. The only thing missing were books detailing to ordnance collectors what exactly they were purchasing. Being a Japanese collector of militaria, I always wished I could find a good copy of the rare two-part U.S. training manuals describing Japanese ordnance published by the U.S. Army. As luck would have it, I found a copy of the second volume at a gun store the week I got back from Knob creek.

Volume two is now being offered by Julian books in Palm Beach Florida. The person reprinting the manual is none other than Fred Honeycutt, Jr. Mr. Honeycutt is well known in the Japanese military arms field with two small arms works under his belt, Military Rifles of Japan and Military Pistols of Japan.

The manual begins by covering the basic firearm cartridges of Japan; the 6.5mm, the 7.7mm rifle rounds, and the 9mm, 8mm Nambu handgun rounds. The text then goes on to describe rockets, mortars, and projectile fuses used by the Japanese Army and Navy. The reprint is clear with easy to understand text and line drawings. The ammunition is also shown in cross section, detailing the internal components. The only thing I can say about this book is, that it is excellent. If you like ordnance or Japanese ammunition, buy the book. And maybe, just maybe, if there is enough response, Mr. Honeycutt might decide to reprint volume one on mines, grenades, and sabotage devices.

We found the H&K PDW to be very pleasant to shoot, despite the fact that the pistol grip is nearly vertical, which we thought would make the weapon awkward to handle, but this was not the case. The controls are well-placed, fully ambidextrous and intuitive to use. The sliding buttstock retracts easily into its fully extended position and the foregrip aids in maintaining control in fully automatic fire. Our only possible complaint about this little weapon is the fact that its barrel is so short that the potential exists for a user to place his or her hand over the muzzle under stress. We should note, however, that H&K has placed a “hook” at the forearm tip to prevent one’s hand from overriding it and inadvertently covering the muzzle with the hand. New prototypes will have threaded barrels to extend the muzzle by adding quick detachable flash suppressors, compensators, blank firing adaptors, or sound suppressors. That said, we preferred to shoot the little PDW using the folding foregrip. The PDW was easy to control both in rapid-fire semiautomatic and full automatic. Felt recoil was negligible and muzzle rise virtually nonexistent. We fired the weapon at ranges of 25 and 50 meters, the latter distance representing about the limit of the realistic effective range of such a weapon and found that we were able to place a high percentage of bullets in the center of mass of our silhouette target. The reader will note from our discussion of the 4.6x30mm cartridge below that the PDW can be used effectively to a range of at least 100 meters. Shooting H&K’s PDW can best be described as pleasant and uneventful, which is a tribute to the overall excellent design of the little weapon and its diminutive 4.6x30mm cartridge.

Field stripping the little PDW for cleaning and maintenance is simple and can be accomplished without tools, unless one counts a cartridge as a “tool.” The cartridge is used to press out pins that retain the upper and lower receiver sections and the buttstock assembly, which retains the recoil mechanism and bolt carrier assembly. The cartridge is also used to disassemble the bolt carrier assembly when required. The photo of the stripped PDW shows the simplicity of the little weapon.

A key element of H&K’s PDW design is the 4.6x30mm nontoxic cartridge, which has not been standardized by any NATO country as of the time of this writing. The cartridge fires a solid steel copper plated 24.7gr bullet at a muzzle velocity of 2379 fps, resulting in a muzzle energy of 312 ft-lb. For comparison, the standard British military 9x19mm cartridge has a muzzle velocity of 1299fps and a muzzle energy of 430 ft-lb. These simple numbers, however, are somewhat misleading and do not fully explain why a smaller, lighter projectile may prove superior to a larger, heavier one. The 4.6mm bullet has a high ballistic coefficient and is fired at a higher velocity than the 9mm, which gives it a flatter trajectory and greater range. The 9mm bullet, for example, will not defeat the standard NATO CRISAT target (1.6mm of titanium and 20 layers of Kevlar(r) at 50 meters. The 4.6mm bullet, on the other hand, will defeat it at over 100 meters, with sufficient velocity to transfer 85 ft-lb. of energy into and completely perforate a 150mm thick block of ordnance gelatine behind the armor barrier. This greater terminal performance also has to do with the fact that the 4.6mm bullet is copper plated solid steel while the 9mm bullet is copper with a lead core. We should note that H&K states that the PDW’s 4.6mm bullet will also penetrate NATO’s CRISAT armoured personnel target at 200 meters. Although we cannot dispute the claim, the ability of so light a bullet to inflict an incapacitating wound after having passed through 1.6mm of titanium and 20 layers of Kevlar(r) at 200 meters range is questionable. H&K and Radway Green are also developing tracer, frangible, JHP, training (Solid copper bullet), blank and plastic training ammunition for the PDW.

In sum, H&K’s new PDW is an excellent overall design. It is handy, lightweight and can be fired either as a carbine or a pistol. Despite the fact that the 4.6x30mm cartridge offers improved penetration in comparison to standard NATO 9mm pistol ammunition, some may object to the cartridge on the basis that adopting H&K’s PDW will force adoption of an additional small arms caliber into an already complex ammunition logistics system. Only time and the acceptance of PDWs as a class of weapons will tell whether H&K’s latest product will be a success.

G36C

H&K’s recently announced miniature assault rifle, the G36C (Commando) is based on the G36 assault rifle which IDR test-fired in late 1998, so we will not go into any great detail on the description and functioning of the rifle, as the principal features of the parent rifle are well-known. The basic G36 is a gas-operated select fire assault rifle for general issue to infantry soldiers. It is noted for its reliability under adverse conditions and its simplicity of operation. The G36C is intended primarily for special operations units that require an extremely compact carbine for close range engagement (CRE) ranges to 50 meters. (The G36C is truly a carbine in the classic sense because it is a short barreled version of a full-sized rifle.) Whatever it is termed, the G36C carries all of the best features of the G36 into an extremely compact package. Simply stated, we liked the original G36 and we like the G36C. It is comparable in size to a 9x19mm MP5A3 submachine gun (See accompanying photo.), yet fires a 5.56x45mm cartridge which totally outclasses any pistol caliber round (9x19mm, 10mm or .40 S&W) fired by the MP5. It is compact carbines like the G36C that are spelling the demise of the submachine gun in many military special operations units. Pistol-caliber submachine guns simply do not have the effective range, terminal ballistics, or versatility of compact carbines and so are beginning to be phased out of many major military special operations forces. The G36C is one of the best compact carbines we have encountered. It is lightweight, versatile, and easy to operate and like most H&K firearms that we have encountered, pleasant to shoot. If its parent G36 is any indication, the G36C will also prove to be extremely reliable.

The G36C incorporates MIL-STD-1913 rails on the upper carrying handle and lower forearm to mount optics and other accessories. The example we test fired was equipped with a Knight’s Armament foregrip that clamps to the adapter rail. This foregrip makes the weapon easier to control on full-automatic fire. The G36C is also equipped with an advanced design Vortex-type flash suppressor that virtually eliminates muzzle flash, which is always a problem with short-barreled carbines due to incomplete combustion of powder in the shortened barrel. Although the G36 has a short sight radius, we did not find that to be a problem in our shooting. Whether we fired semi- or full automatic, the little G36C was easy to control and keep on target. There was slight muzzle rise, but it was easily controllable.

Although it is commonly accepted that velocity loss in compact carbines such as the G36C reduces the muzzle velocity to approximately 1800 fps, we wish to emphasize that this is most definitely not the case either with the G36C or with any other compact carbine. Standard SS109 (M855) ammunition has a muzzle velocity of 3051 fps when fired from a 20 inch barrel. The same cartridge fired from the 8.9 inch barrel of the G36C has a muzzle velocity of 2369 fps – a loss of some 656 fps velocity. At close range engagement (CRE) ranges at which carbines such as these are intended to be used, there is more than sufficient velocity and energy to maintain desired levels of lethality.

In the final analysis, we found the G36C is a very satisfactory weapon, based on our brief experience with it. The reliability and ruggedness of the parent G36 rifle is well established. If this new addition to the G36 family approaches its parent rifle in these areas, it will appeal to any organization seeking a compact carbine for close range engagements. The G36C will enter full production and will be available in September 2000.

The LRT was delivered with a 16-page owner’s manual. One of the first manuals I’ve seen delivered with a scope- it was most informative. It covered items such as mounting, sighting in, zeroing the dials, maintenance, and trouble-shooting tips. Most people never read an owner’s manual for anything, much less one for a rifle scope, but this one is worth the read. One item of discussion includes understanding parallax. Parallax is the apparent movement of the target relative to the reticle when you move your eye away (sideways) from the center point of the eyepiece’s exit pupil. At short distances, the parallax effect has virtually no impact on shooting accuracy. Using a 4-power scope at 100 yards, the maximum parallax error would is less than 0.2 inches. For target shooting, varmint hunting and tactical long-range scenarios however, the scope must remain free of parallax. By adjusting for parallax, you actually move the objective lens closer to, or further from, the reticle. This allows the target to be focused precisely on the same plane as the reticle, which equates to optimal accuracy potential for any given distance. Most scopes utilize a rotating objective lens for adjusting the parallax, while the LRT features a simple side-adjustment knob. The knob does not have any distance marks like conventional rotating objectives, but it does have graduated marks for calibrations at different distances.

The scope optics are computer designed to optimize sharpness, resolution, and low-light visibility. All lenses are treated with Multicoat 4 anti-reflective coatings (Leupold proprietary) to reduce light scattering and other reflections. They should be cleaned as carefully as one would a camera lens. The body of the scope is made of 6061-T6 aircraft-grade aluminum alloy. There are no mechanical differences between the standard Vari-X III and the Tactical Vari-X III. The Tactical is matte finished, with target style adjustment knobs, and has a black matte ring in lieu of the traditional Leupold golden colored ring. The larger 50 mm lens allows more light energy to reach the eye in low-light conditions. No lubrication is ever required on any of the parts. The LRT is 100% waterproof, even without the turret caps in place. All Leupold scopes feature a full lifetime guarantee. No warranty card is required and no time limit applies. It can’t get any simpler than that.

The overall length of the scope is 12.1 inches. Optimum eye relief is 4.4 inches at 4.5 power. When set at 14 power, the eye relief drops to 3.6 inches. The scope weighs 17.5 oz. Field of view at 100 yards is 18.9 inches when set at 4.5 power. When set at 14 power, field of view shrinks to 5.9 feet. Leupold’s Mark 4 has some advantages in extreme ruggedness and increased elevation and windage adjustments, but optics quality is essentially the same in the LRT as it is in the Mark 4. The price of the LRT is about half of what a Mark 4 runs. The LRT is provided with a 30 mm tube, which provides increased strength and adjustment ranges for windage and elevation over a conventional 1 inch tube. The increase in windage and elevation is about 20% more than a standard model. This feature helps to compensate for a greater bullet drop in long-range shooting situations. The 30 mm tube does not provide any additional light gathering capability, as this is a function of lens coating and the diameter of the objective. The LRT’s are available with either the Duplex or Mil-Dot reticle pattern.

After using the scope for several weeks I came to a few conclusions. Number one, the quality and clarity of the optics are the major selling point for this scope. Better optics results in decreased eye fatigue and less distortion for long-range shooting. This factor alone really helped to keep eye-strain to a minimum. The easy manipulation of the side focus parallax knob is easier to use than standard objective lens rotation found on other scopes due to its proximity to the shooter. The elevation and windage knobs are easy to see and to use. It may seem like a small detail, but the markings on the dials are easy to read from the shooter’s position. The up (U () and right (R ®) scribe marks are engraved 5 times around the circumference of the appropriate dial. This allows adjustment without having to get close to the dials to see which way to turn them. All of the adjustments can be conveniently reached by the shooter without having to reposition one’s hold on the rifle. These details may not seem like much, but when used in the field, they save a lot of time and energy.

Throughout the training sessions, the elevation adjustment knob was used extensively due to the wide variety of ammunition I was shooting. Once zeroed, the elevation dial has a horizontal scale that informs the shooter the number of revolutions the dial has been turned when used in extreme long-range shooting. The 1/4 minute clicks are positively heard and felt, and can therefore be manipulated in very low light conditions without visually confirming. The LRT incorporates a backlash elimination system, and this allows 100% repeatability from click to click, and back again. This was validated many times during the shooting trials.

Confidence in the quality of anything I test is something that has to be earned in my book, and it is usually earned over a period of time. Careful evaluations require prolonged use in the field, under various tactical scenarios and environmental conditions. My summary here is that the LRT is one great piece of engineering. I believe it sets the industry standard for ruggedness, reliability, and quality in rifle scopes. Leupold’s approach to making scopes is simply stated: “Made right, made here.” They have an absolute lock on the law enforcement scope market, and I can understand why.

Source:

Leupold & Stevens
PO Box 688
Beaverton, OR 97075
503-526-5195

Known officially as the Snaiperskaya Vintovka Dragunova, the Dragunov is highly sought after by both shooters and collectors. Yet only a handful have come into the country from Red China, Russia, and now Romania. What most people don’t realize is that finding and buying a Dragunov is the easy, although expensive part. If your heart is set on rimmed cartridges, see-through stocks, and punching holes far, far away, then all you need to do is open your wallet, wide, real wide. The hard part is tracking down all the odds and ends you need to let the rifle perform to its full potential. This includes Match grade 7.62X54R ammunition (I’ve seen people feed Dragunov’s junk M.G. ball that would make a Mosin-Nagant puke, and wonder why it would only group into 2 MOA!), batteries for the illuminated scope (an easy one now that Kalashnikov USA has them in stock, call 1-800-784-5677), and ten round magazines. Magazine availability for Dragunovs has been on and off but always expensive.

Recently, magazines for the Romanian FPK/PSL version of the Dragunov have come onto the market at a reasonable price, usually around $39.99. I ordered 5, danced a happy jig when the Brown truck of Happiness arrived and snapped one into my Soviet Tiger Dragunov. It locked right in and looked perfect. When I performed a function check with dummy rounds however, it refused to feed. Confused, I tried another, and another. None would work. Upon closer examination, the Romanian magazines proved to be close enough to the Soviet mags to lock into the weapon, but different enough not to work. Our happy jig turned to cursing and fist shaking. Why are they different? Who knows, but they are different.

So I sat down with one of my cohorts, Donald Heald, and we compared the Romanian magazines to Soviet built ones. We could make them work, we decided. If they were built like flimsy M-16 magazines we would have shipped them back. The Com-block countries generally made their magazines so incredibly tough though there was plenty of meat to work with. Modifying magazines is NOT something I recommend as all to often they simply won’t work. In this instance I was pleasantly surprised. The modified magazines lock in and out of the weapon properly, and they feed FLAWLESSLY!

So if you or one of your friends is wondering why those darn Romanian magazines don’t work, relax. All you need is access to a Mig welder and someone who can run it. Other than the Mig it’s just basic hand tools, and a little patience(a pizza helps too!). So follow along as we show you how to keep your Dragunov happy as we give it a taste of Romanian food it’s sure to like!

SOURCES

K-VAR
1-702-364-8880

KALASHNIKOV-USA-LTD
1-800-784-5677

The M-66 SP sports a 24.5” barrel with the last three inches composed of a rather beefy muzzle brake/flash hider. The cold forged chromium vanadium barrel is heavy and free floating-like one would expect from such a rifle and has a 1 in 12, four groove, right hand twist. The bore was in outstanding condition- a round mirror from throat to crown. The muzzle brake has ten vertical slots, five on each side with a transverse slot just behind the exit hole angled rearward at 45 degrees, and is serial numbered to the gun. I can’t imagine why a group of snipers or armorers would get together and decide to remove their muzzle brakes and mix them up, but then again more inane things than that have occurred.

The thumbhole walnut stock is massive. As stated earlier, these guns were built by Mauser in 1980- not all that long ago to preclude the use of a synthetic stock. There is a bit of gunsmith wisdom that goes, “the tree is not dead until it is burned”. Apparently to avoid some of the problems with impact shift and warpage the good folks at Oberndorf decided to make the stocks oversized to compensate. There is a large spring-loaded adjustable cheek piece that is held in place by a large set bolt. The adjustable cheek piece is a moot point as the rifle is most comfortable when locked all the way down. At one time there was sharp stippling in the forearm and pistol grip area reminiscent of that found on some Olympic target rifles, but has been smoothed out from use. The free- floating action is held in the stock with three large hex bolts. The sporting versions of the M-66 have barrels that are easily removable and interchangeable with no other tool than an Allen wrench. The SP model however, was not designed with this feature and I didn’t even contemplate trying to lift the action.

The action is well, different-not bad by any means, just different . Yeah, it’s a Mauser, but it’s greatly removed from the Model 98. It still uses the venerable two front locking lugs found on most bolt guns, however the bolt is guided on the receiver by a sleeve which in turn moves back and forth when the action is worked. Bolt length is short, just over five inches, and the bolt travel is four and a quarter inches. I would rate the action as being smoother and the lock time quicker than that of a standard 98k, M1903 Springfield, or the current M-24. The safety is located on the right rear of the bolt and is easy to manipulate. Pushing it rearward makes the weapon safe and the opposite motion enables it to fire. There is no bridge on the rear of the receiver, nothing at all like you’d find on a 98’. Since there’s no bridge the ejector is a spring-loaded plunger in the bolt ala’ the M-1 Garand or M-24. The bolt handle is the safety lug as it fits down into a notch in the right side of the receiver when the rifle is in battery. To remove the bolt you lift up on the bolt handle, press down on a stamped button on the right side of action, and remove the bolt and sleeve. That’s it. Assembly is in reverse order.

While we’re on the subject of the action, I should mention that the M-66 SP only holds three rounds of 7.62 NATO. In order to increase rigidity in the stock a blind magazine is used. I’ve never owned a centerfire rifle that held so few rounds but I guess if you’re one of those guys that grabbed the pebble from the Master’s palm on the first try and are really into the Zen of the one shot hit, then three rounds is probably enough.

But what’s a sniper rifle without a good scope? The IDF Mauser comes with a really top of the line glass: a Swarovski 6X42 MM with a 200-1000 meter range finding scale in the field of view somewhat like you find on a SVD PSO-1 scope, but much simpler. The crosshairs are the traditional Teutonic design of a heavy cross hair at the 3,6, and 9 o’clock position, and thin crosshairs in the middle and at 12 o’clock. This is a really nice tube and the clarity is like looking through clean mountain air on a cold day. The elevation drum at the top has positions on it corresponding to the range scale on the reticle, and has “M118” engraved on it so there was no mystery as to the kind of ammo it was designed for. The objective bell of the scope is sheathed in a thick rubber jacket to help protect the piece from the inevitable dings and bangs that are drawn to any precision instrument designed for troops. The scope tube itself is standard European in diameter- 30 MM. The scope rings and mounts are solid steel, extremely beefy, and appear to be just about bulletproof. My only complaint about the sighting system is that there are no emergency iron sights.

To test the rifle I grabbed a bucket full of match ammo and went to one of the premier ranges in the southwest, the Rio Salado Sportsman’s Club in Mesa, Arizona. Due to time constraints I was only able to set up on the main range that goes out to 335 yards, but that was enough distance to see what the rifle is capable of. Starting out at 100 yards and dipping into my stock of M118 Lake City Match I was able to get three shot groups that measured just under an inch. Yeah I know, not spectacular as even my SVD can beat that. Switching to Federal Gold Medal Match though, brought much better results. Groups began running from just one-half to three-quarters of an inch. Usually two shots would pair into one hole and the third would break formation a quarter or half-inch away. A lot of this was due to the wind picking up and starting to gust at 10-20 knots as the morning wore on. Just for the heck of it I threw some standard Austrian military ball down the barrel and my groups still weren’t much larger than an inch.

Once I got the rifle dialed in, no target on the range was safe from a one shot hit. Of course, all shooting was done from the bench so the credit belongs to the rifle and not to me. At two hundred yards the rifle easily got center head hits on a pepper popper. A ten- inch hanging steel plate at three hundred yards was easy prey. The furthest target at 335 yards, a life size, self resetting, steel prairie dog, had the snot knocked out of it (OK, I did miss a couple of times-my fault not the guns). The M-66 SP’s excellent three and half pound trigger pull was also a large factor in achieving this accuracy. During the test, I fired a tad over 100 rounds and as expected encountered no difficulties. At each ten shot interval I ran a brush dipped in solvent and five or six patches down the barrel to clean it out. I didn’t detect any difference in group size after these cleanings, but a rifle like this should be given a little extra attention.

It should be no surprise that I heartily recommend and endorse this rifle. In fact, after shooting this sucker I did what no gunwriter should do if he wants to turn a buck in this business-I bought the test rifle. This is a once in a lifetime chance to own a real piece of history that can also be taken to the range and shot without guilt. Of the 360 SP’s that Mauser produced only 100 went to Israel.

Now if you absolutely can’t live with a bolt gun or would like to have a really awesome collection of IDF sniper rifles, Springfield has also imported the parts sets from the 600 M-14 sniper rifles the IDF also used in combat and assembled them on their excellent M1-A receivers. In 1984 I was with IDF for a short time in South Lebanon at Beaufort Castle and saw one of these M-14’s in the hands of an IDF sniper. Like the M-66 SP, these IDF M-14/M1A’s are also special guns. The Israeli’s built up the cheek piece on the wooden stock and added a rubber recoil pad. They also added a steel scope mount that held a 6X40 Israeli “Nimrod” scope and fitted the weapon with a Harris bipod. Springfield offers the same rifle with an AN/PVS-2 night vision scope. Price of the IDF Mauser M-66 SP is $2225.00 retail with the IDF M-14/Nimrod scope going for $1875.00 and $2229.00 for one with an AN/PVS-2 night vision scope. For more information contact Springfield, Inc., 420 West Main St., Geneseo, IL, 61254 telephone 309-944-5631.

The 20th Annual Soldier of Fortune Convention & Consumer / Trade Exposition was held September 22-26, 1999. As many times before, this particular event was hosted in Las Vegas, but in a different location than usual. Regular attendees who have become accustomed to visiting the show at the Sands Expo Center were in for a surprise this year. Unlike years past this event was held at the Cashman Center, which is located on North Las Vegas Blvd., a short drive North from Freemont Street. The location may have changed this year, but the convention remained better than ever.

To those who have not had the pleasure of attending the convention, it is divided into many different aspects taking place over a five-day period. There is a great gun show, many seminars, shooting matches, manufacturers demonstrations, a banquet, an auction and the world famous SOF Firepower Demo. If there was ever chance of running out of things to do in Las Vegas (not even remotely likely), the SOF Convention will assure you have plenty to do.

The Gun Show

This gun show is a gathering of the Who’s Who of the Gun World. You will have the opportunity here to meet many of the people you read about in the trade publications. Those who have a booth at this show may be manufacturers, distributors, designers, or authors. A few of the display categories covered are ammunition, firearms, knives, military equipment, police equipment, preparedness, security and training. Chances are pretty good that if you are looking for something related to the above you will find it here. A few of the more notable folks who were in attendance at the 1999 show included; Johns Guns, Lancer Militaria, Lomont Precision Bullets, Bushmaster Firearms, Barrett Firearms, H&K, Benchmade, Gemtech, and many others (SAR was there of course!). This gathering is a great place to talk with many of the people who build the products we use every day.

Seminars

There is a wealth of knowledge and information to be tapped at this portion of the convention. Topics range from the mild to the wild and many of the speakers are people who have been there and done that. The seminars are usually divided among the entire convention with none overlapping allowing the conventioneer to sit in on as many topics as desired. A few of the 1999 topics included; Anti-Poaching In South Africa, Building The Low Cost Shoot House, The Future Of Gun Rights, Marine Snipers In Vietnam, Urban Traps And Trapping, and many more. Some of the speakers in charge of the seminars were; Jim Fotis, Col. Jeff Cooper, Peter G. Kokalis, and Ragnar Benson. The seminars were split up between the Cashman Center and the Palace Station Hotel.

“Other Participatory Events”

The convention provides a “hands-on” opportunity for those interested in learning new arts and sharpening their skills in many areas. These sometimes require an amount of physical conditioning and may not necessarily be for the beginner. The topics, skills and arts have covered many disciplines in years past, and a few those available for 1999 were; Combat Martial Arts and Weapon Retention, Hand to Hand Combat, Street Knife Basics, and even Underwater Escape Techniques using an underwater crash simulator brought all the way from Alaska by Learn to Return Training Systems.

Manufacturers Demo

This year the manufacturers demo was broken up into 3 days. New for the 1999 convention, a group of manufacturers brought out their new products at the Desert Sportsman’s Range for a little hands on T&E. If you were a conventioneer or competitor, you were welcome to do your own hands-on live fire evaluation at no cost. The ammunition was provided by Hornady Ammunition for this event. Manufacturers in attendance at the Demo included; John’s Guns, GSI Steyr, L.A.R. Manufacturing, SIG Arms, Robar Co., Armalite Inc, Olympic Arms, Vector Arms and others.

The Firepower Demo

This is one of the most popular events of the convention. It is both educational and entertaining and is certainly one of the authors favorite parts. Peter Kokalis is the annual Emcee and the demo is put on with a lot of hard work and preparation by the Arizona Emma Gees. Upon reporting to the range this year I was met by Peter almost immediately. He gave me a little input on the articles I have done in the past on this event and brought me out on the firing line. “Look at this” he said pointing to a beautiful Polish BAR. “This is what your readers want to see.” He took me up the line, pointed out a few more nice guns and got ready to start the noise.

The event started with an introduction of each firearm, a little history about the caliber, origin, conflicts it may have been involved in and we are treated to a short burst to hear the cyclic rate as compared to others. We are introduced to each shooter at the same time. After this brief introduction, the line is opened up and the thunder of machine gun fire combined with pyrotechnics can be heard for miles around. The firepower demo portion of the convention usually runs an hour to an hour and a half and judging by the faces of the crowd, it is enjoyed by all.

The 2000 Convention

This year, Soldier of Fortune is celebrating their 25th Anniversary so you know this will be a convention you won’t want to miss. It is happening again at the Cashman Center in Las Vegas, October 11-15. To inquire about the convention you can reach SOF at (303)449-3750 ext. 300.