State of the Industry Report

The show featured a well-attended “state of the industry report” at which Delfay explained that, “the foundation is in place.” to empower all segments of industry to determine their own future.

“How many rifles, shotguns, ammunition, reloading dies, telescopic sights and apparel will be sold next year is not already preordained by some nay-sayer, some demographic trend or some anti-gun politician,” Delfay said. “We can impact these sales this year and next. The foundation is in place to do this.”

Among the blocks in the “foundation” that Delfay and other speakers described are the industry’s multi-faceted efforts in public outreach, participation, political action and legal responses to municipal lawsuits.

“As proof of the industry’s strength and growth potential, you need to look no further then the nearly one mile-long floor of this 23rd annual SHOT SHOW – once again the largest in our history. It is an extraordinary success and a tribute to your association, to our industry and to the strength of what we stand for. The foundation for growth is in place,” Delfay emphasized.

As usual, the SHOT SHOW attracted many organizations associated with the shooting sports. “This is good exposure for us,” said US Biathlon Team Summer Program director Mark Sheppard. His purpose in exhibiting at the show was to raise awareness about and generate support for both summer biathlon and traditional Olympic biathlon. An electronic shooting simulator at the USBA booth allowed attendees to test their skills with a biathlon rifle.

The SHOT SHOW also featured well-attended seminars that brought together firearms retailers and representatives from the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms to discuss important issues. These included the National Instant Criminal Background Check System and “Don’t Lie for the Other Guy,” the joint NSSF- ATF developed program that helps prevent illegal straw man purchases. More on these seminars will be presented in future “Industry News” columns.

The SHOT SHOW continues to grow and its success in New Orleans mirrors the overall strength of the small arms industry. “Twenty-three years ago, another trade show did not share our industry’s vision about the future of the shooting sports and so we left that show and started our own,” said Delfay. “Today, that other show no longer exists, but the SHOT SHOW is the largest show of its kind in the world and the 35th largest trade show in the US. We attribute that to hard work, great products and a growing industry unity – all of which were on display at the SHOT SHOW.

Litigation Update

In other news, the arms industry has won several victories recently in its battle against the lawsuits filed by various municipalities. The U.S. District Court for the District of New Jersey, sitting in Camden, has dismissed the Camden County Board of Freeholders’ (“the County”) attempt to sue Colt’s Manufacturing Co. and 15 other firearms manufacturers.

In doing so, the court rejected all three remaining legal theories advanced by the County as the basis for its lawsuit – including claims of public nuisance, negligent entrustment and negligence in marketing and distribution. All of the County’s other claims had been abandoned or dismissed earlier, including claims of strict liability and fraud.

District court Judge Jerome B. Simandle dismissed the lawsuit on December 5, finding the County “lacks constitutional standing to assert its negligence claims because its injury – increased governmental costs – is too attenuated from the distribution policies of the manufacturers, and the negligence-based claims therefore fail to allege that the County’s expenditures are caused by or fairly attributable to the defendants’ negligence.”

Judge Simandle also dismissed plaintiffs’ allegation that defendants’ businesses represented a “public nuisance” on the grounds that “the County has sought to extend the limits of public nuisance law so far as to eliminate the requirement that the defendants control or participate in the harm to be abated” and noted that the County had “failed to state a viable theory for linking the defendants with the criminal acts that constitute the end harm.”

The judge noted, “ While the court does not fault the County for seeking new and creative methods of combating gun-related violence within its borders, public nuisance law does not sweep so broadly as to impose liability on manufacturers of a legal product, who follow relevant regulations, and who do not control or participate in irresponsible secondary and tertiary acts that are more directly responsible for the end harm.”

The District Court of New Jersey in Camden is one of the latest to rule against plaintiffs in the rash of litigation by city and other governments against makers and sellers of firearms in more than 20 pending lawsuits around the country.

Other recent decisions include: City of Chicago v. Beretta U.S.A. Corp. et al, No. 96 CH 15596 (Cir. Ct. Cook County, Il, Sept. 15, 2000), notice of appeal filed (dismissing plaintiff’s First Amended Complaint with prejudice for failure to state either a negligent entrustment or public nuisance claim under Illinois law) and Mayor James H. Sills, Jr. and City of Wilmington v. Smith & Wesson Corp. et al, CA No. 99C-09-283-FSS (N.J. Super. Ct. New Castle County, Dec. 1, 2000,) motion for reargument pending (under Delaware law, City’s negligent distribution and marketing and unjust enrichment claims dismissed; City found to have no independent public nuisance claim).

Carlton S. Chen, general counsel of Colt’s Manufacturing Co., Inc. noted these decisions reinforce the views of several other courts – including courts in Miami, Bridgeport, Cincinnatti and Detroit that also dismissed similar suits by other municipalities or most of the purported support for such suits. A suit by the City of Camden is pending.

Meanwhile, U.S. District Judge Berle N. Schiller has dismissed the City of Philadelphia’s lawsuit against gun manufacturers, stating that the city was trying to control members of the firearms industry through litigation, because it was unable to do so by imposing new ordinances.

Schiller cited the 1995 Pennsylvania Uniform Firearms Act and a 1999 amendment to the Act, as well as judicial precedent in his decision.

He stated: “Under Pennsylvania law and by unequivocal Pennsylvania Supreme Court precedent, the power to regulate firearms within the state now lies exclusively with the state legislature.”

Schiller also stated that the 1999 amendment was specifically intended, “to prohibit this very case.” City Solicitor Kenneth I. Trujillo said the city is “quite likely” to appeal.

The judge in the Wilmington, Delaware case, meanwhile, has issued a split decision. The court in the City of Wilmington case against the industry, dismissed the city’s marketing, distribution and public nuisance claims, but will permit the city to try to prove its general negligence claims. The court also denied the industry trade associations’ separate motions to dismiss.

Gunmaker Smith & Wesson has announced a settlement with the City of Boston. According to Boston Mayor Thomas M. Menino, the agreement is “a pact to reduce illegal guns.” In turn, S&W will be dropped from that city’s lawsuit against the firearms industry. According to the Mayor’s media release, the key components are:

S&W handguns will be sold with external safety locks. Within two years, its handguns will have an internal locking device.

– S&W will commit 2% of its annual firearms sales revenues to developing technology that will allow handguns to be used by only authorized persons.

– S&W will only do business with dealers and distributors who will track their inventory, secure S&W firearms, and train employees who handle or sell S&W firearms.

– Dealers will make no sales of S&W firearms at gun shows unless all sales by any seller are made after completion of a background check and a valid firearms license is shown.

– S&W handguns will be re-designed to effectively preclude an average 5-year-old from operating them. Such design changes include raising the pressure needed to pull the trigger and adjusting the mechanics so they are too large for an average 5-year-old’s hands to operate.

– S&W’s pistols will have either a magazine safety disconnect or a chamber load indicator.

– S&W will provide warnings about risks of firearms with each firearm that it sells.

Mayor Menimo said the city had no intention of dropping its case against the other manufacturers unless they also agreed to this same settlement.

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors has approved an ordinance to hold firearms manufacturers and retailers financially responsible for injuries and deaths resulting from their products, even though the firearms are not defective.

Saying the legislation, “should serve as a model for other jurisdictions,” Supervisor Alicia Beceril, who introduced the measure, said it would apply to all gun makers, dealers and importers who would be liable for “all direct and consequential daamges” of injuries and deaths in the city that result from their firearms. The ordinance would allow, for example, a robbery victim to sue the maker of a gun that was used in the crime or permit the family of a suicide victim to sue.

The new law exempts firearms with an “internal personalized safety feature, and cases where the victim was shot by the police or shot committing a crime.”

J.M.B. DISTRIBUTION INTRODUCES NEW 76/45 SUBMACHINE GUN

J.M.B. Distribution has just introduced their new 76/45 sub gun as well as several accessories for it. The new sub gun is an S&W 76 look-a-like only in .45 ACP! The new gun is full-auto only and fires from an open bolt. The 76/45 weighs 6.5 pounds and has a 7 inch barrel. They feature a parkerized finish and a baked-on epoxy finish is available as an option. The new guns use the tried and true Grease Gun magazine and have a side-folding stock. The cyclic rate is a very manageable 700 rounds per minute. The 76/45 is in stock and ready to ship at the time of this writing. JMB also has several accessories for their new gun. The first is an optional “push-in” stock that can replace the side folding type stock. The new stock is a Grease Gun style stock that can be pushed straight in instead of folded. The stock locks up rigidly, is very strong and is quick to deploy. The stock can be ordered at the same time as a gun is ordered or can be user installed. Two caliber conversions are also available for the 76/45. A .22 L.R. and a 9mm conversion help to make this a very versatile firearm. The next accessory is a Weaver rail style rear sight. This allows the user the ability to use scopes, red-dot sights, night -optics, etc. JMB is also offering a line of suppressed barrels for the 76/45. The suppressors are easily disassembled for cleaning and feature dry graphite coating on the internal parts. For more information contact Jim Burgess at JMB Distribution, Dept. DEPT. SAR, , 4291 Valley Quail South, Westerville, OH 43081. Phone: 1-614-891-5784.

SPRINGFIELD ARMORY’S NEW INTEGRAL LOCKING SYSTEM

Springfield Armory has announced that its innovative and patented Integral Locking System (I.L.S.) will be a standard feature on every Springfield factory 1911 pistol produced after January 1, 2001. The I.L.S. is a totally internal, completely passive locking system designed to function within a 1911 mainspring housing. A retrofit kit will soon be available for the 2 million plus 1911’s now in use without modification to the pistol. The new I.L.S. completely disables the movement of the slide and trigger components, while not affecting the regular function of the firearm. The I.L.S. is enables by an unobtrusive key-activated control located midway between the grip safety and the butt on the rear of the grip. The inconspicuous, tamper-resistant I.L.S. will not interfere with the grip or shooting action. Utilizing the provided I.L.S. key, a quick one-quarter turn will either activate or unlock any 1911. By design the new I.L.S. functions as an integral part of any make or model 1911. It allows gun owners to choose when and where they determine activation is necessary, without incorporating a bulky and obvious locking system which is highly visible when used-particularly in a home security or self-defense situation. For more information contact Springfield, Inc., Dept. DEPT. SAR, , 420 West Main Street, Geneseo, IL 61254. Phone: 1-309-944-5631. They can be found on the web at www.springfieldarmory.com.

MIL-DOT SCOPE ADDED TO BUSHNELL ELITE RIFLESCOPE SERIES

The Mil-Dot reticle, which has become the standard in tactical scopes because of its through-the-scope ranging capability, is now available in a 6-24x40mm matte Elite 4200 Series riflescope. The reticle is calibrated so that at 12 power, each dot will be 3.6 inches apart (or 1 mil) at 100 yards. The Mil-Dot reticle is ideal for range estimating and to determine holdover on long shots. This scope also features RainGuard®, a permanent water repellant coating system which prevents cold temperatures and moisture from obscuring the lens. Coupled with fully multi-coated optics, RainGuard delivers 95% light transmission providing maximum clarity under all conditions. For more information contact Bushnell, Dept. DEPT. SAR, , 9200 Cody, Overland Park, KS 66214. Phone: 1-913-752-3400. Fax: 1-913-752-6112.

Well before daylight there were vehicles lined up at the gate. The writer has never understood the reasoning behind holding the shoot two weeks before Christmas, but perhaps this timing gives participants a break from the enforced cheerfulness and chores of the holiday season. At any rate, several hundred hardy souls temporarily escaped Christmas shopping to make noise, have fun, and think about something else. No rain yet, just heavy clouds.

Everything seemed to come together part way through the shoot as event director Mark Cook briefly interrupted shooting long enough to inform everyone that the U.S. Supreme Court had overridden its Florida counterpart and had stopped the most recent recount in the Endless Election, our period of electile dysfunction in which the highest court in the land, in George Will’s words, “signaled checkmate against Al Gore’s protracted search for a way to get a court to make him president.” The result was a loud cheer that put everyone in an even better mood. About that time the heavy clouds broke up, and the range was covered with bright sunlight that remained throughout the afternoon and produced a high of 50 degrees. A good omen for shooters? Let’s hope so. We’re overdue.

As shooters came to the firing line in the early morning gloom, they soon laid out an impressive display of weaponry and accessories of all kinds. The most popular piece was, understandably, the M16 in a number of variations and calibers, of which short barreled versions predominated. These, in turn, sported a wide range of muzzle attachments. Joining the M16’s in the assault rifle category were a mix of AK47 variants and what appeared to be either a German Kar 44 or MP44/StG44; both were among the first assault rifle prototypes. Among belt feds, light machine guns of Browning design, mainly 1919 A4’s, dominated the field, along with several BARs. In addition, there were a couple of M60’s, a couple of MG34’s, at least three MG42’s, and a delightful veteran Maxim MG ’08. Then there were many submachine guns of several calibers, including Thompson’s, Uzi’s, Mac’s, grease guns, Sten’s, Yugo 49’s, PPSh 41’s, and a few unique items such as an FN P90. The latter is a futuristic looking creation in 5.7mm caliber that was originally intended for support troops but that is also being used by law enforcement agencies. SAR has covered the P90 in military issue in past volumes.

There seemed to be a better than usual representation of .50 caliber arms both in Ma Deuce machine guns and in .50 caliber rifles. These were interspersed wherever the owners wanted to setup, but because even this spacious firing line was crowded, it seems likely that in the future the .50’s will be together in one section.

One inventive .50 caliber rifle shooter fashioned a rest almost four feet high of black plastic pipe, the top of it was made half-round, with caps, and the rifle’s bipod feet rested in this so that the shooter could sit more or less upright on a stool and be out of the gravel. Moreover, when shooting a .50 caliber with this rest, recoil was much less punishing than it would have been in the prone position.

Shooters enjoyed a wide choice of targets. In addition to water filled plastic jugs, there were suspended painted lids from 55 gallon steel drums. Non-reactive targets at 200 yards were a tank and a Jurassic creature, both cut from plywood and painted, and overhanging everything were long strings of gaily colored helium filled balloons that were replenished at every break in shooting.

During the afternoon, an enthusiast from another state brought the largest guns, a pair of real showpieces. The first was a beautiful Solothurn 20mm on an original wheeled carriage. Since the company that made this model was physically located in Switzerland, Americans have long wondered why the Swiss, who did not participate in World War II, made so many of these guns that they were widely offered for sale cheaply during the 1950’s. The answer is that following 1929 the plant was partially controlled by Rheinmetall-Borsig, the biggest munitions company in World War II Germany, and this company used the Swiss location to circumvent Allied restrictions on German automatic arms development and production during the inter war period.

Right beside the Solothurn, standing upright when it was at rest, was Don’s Lahti 20mm on a modified stand. The part of the stand attached to the gun was an original cylindrical cage “tree” mount with large take-up screws at the right angles to its axis. When the Finns used this, they cut off a small tree several feet off the ground, set the cage part down over the stump, and then tightened the take-up screws to hold the gun in place, much as some Christmas tree stands work. The present owner fitted a vertical adapter that entered the cage to a wide-foot .50 caliber tripod, so now the gun is held about 4 1/2 feet off the ground and can be fired standing up in treeless areas. Recoil was surprisingly mild, although if fired repeatedly without earplugs it would sell a lot of aspirin.

A break of sorts, at least in noise, was created about noon when there was a half hour period limited to suppressed guns. A surprising number of them immediately appeared, representing specimens from numerous manufacturers. Tom Denall, of Bend, Oregon was there to show the Ruger bolt action .44 Magnum rifle that he suppresses, and Gemtech, of Boise, Idaho had a table with suppressors and catalogs. There was a suppressed .50 M2 on the line, but its suppressor, about a foot long and 2 1/2” in diameter, was so short that the spectators could see powder burning well in front of the opening, and like the suppressed .50 at Knob Creek a couple of years ago, it proved that trying to suppress a .50 with a small can while using full velocity ammo can be a waste of time.

Once again, a very high percentage of attendees came to shoot. By no means all brought guns, but they know that vendors always being a wide variety to rent. Albany admits all those who have paid the “shooter” rate to the firing line, rather than restricting the number of “shooter” badges. This arrangement is especially appreciated by those living in non-Class 3 states such as Washington and California. Most of those who enter as spectators succumb to the appeal of shooting and they are able to become shooters by merely paying a small additional charge for the “shooter” identifying ribbon.

Albany hosts submachine gun matches on the second Sunday of most months, but the next open shoot of this magnitude will be the weekend of May 19-20, 2001. Then, in addition to this kind of informal open shooting, state championships for submachine gun, assault rifle, crew served, and belt fed competitions will be decided. These championships are fired mainly at steel plates of various sizes which require combat strength loads to knock them down, and are quite popular.

Updates and further information are available from: Albany Rifle and Pistol Club, Box 727, Albany, Oregon 97321. The website is www.proaxis.com/arpc For those bringing guns, the 5320.20 address is: Albany Rifle and Pistol Club, 2999 Saddle Butte Road, Shedd, Oregon 97377. Mark Cook, the Event Director may be reached at 541-745-5619.

By David M. Fortier

The cartridge in question is the Soviet 5.45×18 7N7. Originally designed in conjunction with, and for, the Pistolet Samozaryadniy Malogabaritniy. This translates to “Pistol Semi-automatic Miniature” and is known simply by its initials “PSM.” It is interesting to note that whereas the Makarov “PM” and the Stechkin “APS” pistols give credit to their designers in their nomenclature no credit is given to the designers of the PSM. It was designed and developed by a three-man team from 1969 until completed in 1974. Heading up the group was Tikhon Ivanovich Lashnev (1919-1988). Lashnev was born in Tula and entered the Tula Engineering Works Technical School after finishing his secondary schooling. After graduating he was assigned to a design bureau and worked with Fedor Tokarev and Sergey Korovin. After the Great Patriotic War ended he participated in the design of hunting and target guns, the latter being used not only in the Olympics but also in shooting contests around the world. His awards included the “Red Banner Order” and the S.I. Mosin Prize (twice). Also participating in the design of the PSM was Anatoliy Alexeevich Simarin (1936-1991). A graduate of the Tula Mechanical Institute he participated in the design of the first pneumatic pistol made in the USSR. A serious international marksman, he also designed a target pistol for silhouette shooting. His awards included a “VDNKh” bronze medal, and the honorary titles of “Socialist Competition Winner” (1973 and 1980) and “Developer of Virgin Land.” The third member of the design team was Lev Leonidovich Kulikov (1931- ). Kulikov graduated from the S.I. Mosin Tula Mechanical-Technical College. Participating in the design of several sporting weapons he was awarded the title “Best Inventor In The Ministry” in 1982 and has been named “Socialist Competition Winner” on several occasions.

The fruit of these three men’s labors was a small, extremely flat, double-action pistol that resembles a Walther PPK. Operating on the straight blowback principle it sports a fixed barrel. It has a slide-mounted safety that protrudes from the rear of the slide to the left of the hammer. The safety is positioned in an arc between the rear sight and the hammer when applied. This puts it in a position that allows the operator to both disengage the safety and manually cock the hammer in one stroke if he so chooses. The magazine capacity is 8 rounds and a European style magazine release is located on the pistol’s butt. While the weapon’s slide locks back on the last shot there is no external slide release; it must be manually pulled back and released, like a Walther. It has aluminum wrap-around grips and sports the usual chrome-plated bore as is conventional on all Soviet weapons. Size-wise the PSM is almost identical to a Walther PPK except that it is 8.2mm (0.32-inch) thinner. The PSM is manufactured at the Izhevsk Mechanical Plant in Izhevsk, Russia.

However, a significant change from the Walther is the cartridge the PSM chambers. A tiny bottlenecked round, the 5.45×18 is dwarfed even by the 9×17 Kurz. It has a caliber of 5.45mm (.214 inch) and the brass bottlenecked case has a length of 17.8mm (.701 inch). The projectile is a gilding metal clad, steel cored, flat point with an air pocket in the nose. It has a very high sectional density and a weight of 41.4 grains. Muzzle velocity is 1,033 fps. It is interesting to note that the muzzle velocity is identical to that of the standard 9x18mm 57-N-181S ball round out of a Makarov pistol.

The who, why, where, and when of this cartridge is a little more difficult to figure out. It seems as if the Russians themselves are somewhat ambivalent as to who actually designed the cartridge. Three different authoritative Russian reference works give three different designers credit for the cartridge. One gives credit to a woman named Antonina Deniskaya of TsNIITochmash. Another gives credit to a woman named A.D. Denisova. And interestingly, David Naumovich Bolotin in his work “Soviet Small Arms and Ammunition” lists an Aleksandr I. Bochin as the designer. However Bolotin lists the date for the cartridge development as 1979, that’s 5 years after the PSM pistol was designed and adopted! Obviously that cannot be correct (I have found other inaccuracies in Bolotin’s work). So we have a little bit of a mystery here. One must also take into account the fact that Soviet designers worked together in teams on projects. Therefore the cartridge may have been the result of a joint effort. At this time however it is difficult to say exactly who is responsible for the 5.45×18.

The choice of the 5.45mm (.214 inch) projectile diameter seems strange until one takes into account the fact that the AK-74 in 5.45×39 was introduced at approximately the same time. There was a period at the latter part of the 1800’s when it was popular in Europe for a country to have their service rifle and service revolver of the same bore diameter. The most obvious is the French with their 8x50R Lebel rifle and their Model de Ordnance 1892 service revolver in 8mm revolver. The advantage is that barrel-tooling machinery could be shared for both handguns and long arms. Imperial Russia also became enamored by this idea. They adopted the 1895 Nagant revolver in 7.62x38R to go along with their “Three-Line” 7.62x54R M1891 Mosin magazine rifles. The Soviets continued this when they adopted the TT30/TT33 Tokarev pistol in 7.62x25mm and the PPD and PPSh-41 sub-machineguns. During the Great Patriotic War, barrel blanks could be made for Mosin’s, Nagant’s, Tokarev’s, or PPSh-41’s all on the same machinery. This ability was lost with the adoption of the Makarov pistol in 9x18mm and the retirement of the TT-33 and the 7.62x25mm cartridge. The adoption of the AK-74 and PSM in the same bore diameter may be a money saving return to the old days. Theoretically it would be possible to make AK-74 and PSM barrels on the same tooling. However, it should also be kept in mind as to why this idea quickly fell out of favor in Europe. The cartridges these handguns chambered quickly gained reputations for being underpowered. One country that never went down this path was England. This was due to their involvement in numerous colonial actions giving them sufficient combat experience to arrive at the conclusion that a hard-hitting revolver in the .455-.476 caliber range was most desirable.

Popping a 5.45x18mm cartridge open to have a look inside yields one interesting bit of information. The projectile has a very high sectional density. With a projectile length of approximately 14mm it’s almost three times as long as its diameter. This combined with a small diameter, a sharp ogive, and a steel core, are alleged to allow it to penetrate 30-45 layers of Kevlar. During initial testing in the early 1990’s European military and police organizations were so alarmed at its ability to defeat soft body armor that they designated it an “assassination pistol.” While I have not had a chance to test the PSM and its 5.45x18mm cartridge against soft body armor I have no reason to doubt previous test results (although its velocity is a little low). However, I must also add that I am privy to an independent test performed by a noted student of Soviet Small Arms in which a PSM was fired at a 1/4-inch steel plate at 7 yards. After the PSM was fired, a .22 LR pistol of approximately the same barrel length was fired using .22 Stingers. Interestingly enough the .22 Stinger hollow points left noticeably deeper craters in the steel plate than did the 5.45x18mm PSM round with 7N7 steel core ammunition.

As far as wound ballistics potential goes, by Western standards the 5.45×18 doesn’t offer much. With a diameter of only .21 caliber, a weight of 41 grains, an impact velocity of 800 or 900 fps, and a non-expanding projectile, it is fairly simple to predict that this cartridge will be a poor performer. Whether the bullet yaws immediately after impact is not going to alter this, although this might increase its wounding capability somewhat. We can say that without adding a +P+ Uranium Tip the 5.45×18 will probably take a backseat to a common .32 ACP Silvertip hollow point.

While originally called an “assassination pistol,” by Western intelligence agencies, recent Russian press articles on the pistol reveal a more mundane purpose for the weapons design. It seems the PSM was originally intended for very high-ranking staff officers who didn’t need the burden of a pistol the size of a Makarov, yet still might need to defend themselves. With the wide-scale introduction of flack jackets at that time, especially with U.S. forces, it was felt prudent that the weapon have the ability to penetrate them. As Russian criminals began to use soft body armor more extensively the PSM became quite popular with security and police personnel. The ineffectiveness of the 9x18mm against the widespread use of soft body armor can be seen in the Russian’s introduction of the 9x18mm 57-N-181M High Penetration load consisting of an 86-grain steel core projectile at 1,345 fps.

The 5.45x18mm cartridge is currently popular in Russia and we will probably see more small pistols chambered for it in the future. For the American cartridge collector wishing to add some of these scarce rounds to their collection there is both good and bad news. The bad news is, of course, that the Milspec steel core ammunition is not importable into the U.S. The good news is that Sporting Supplies Int. Inc., the importer of Wolf Performance Ammunition, has a small supply of lead core 5.45x18mm ammunition manufactured at Tula and packed in 10-round collector boxes. The quantity is limited and the price is quite reasonable, so don’t wait.

While it created quite a stir when it was first tested in the West the 5.45x18mm round was designed for far less sinister intentions than originally thought. It seems as though American and Russian thinking when it comes to cartridges differs as much as our thinking on politics. While the 5.45x18mm isn’t much of a defensive cartridge by our standards we should remember one thing: hits stopped by a vest don’t count.

Acknowledgments: Thanks to Alan Halla for his help and information.

Reference: SOVIET SMALL ARMS AND AMMUNITION. David N. Bolotin.
Finnish Arms Museum Foundation, Hyvinkaa, Finland. 1995.

SOVIET RUSSIAN POSTWAR MILITARY PISTOLS AND CARTRIDGES 1945-1986 VOLUME 16. Fred A. Datig.
Handgun Press, Glenview, IL. 1988.

THE NEW WORLD OF RUSSIAN SMALL ARMS AND AMMO. Charlie Cutshaw.
Paladin Press, Boulder, CO. 1998.

SOURCES

SPORTING SUPPLIES INT. INC.
WOLF PERFORMANCE
AMMUNITION
2201 E. Winston, Suite K.
Anaheim, CA 92806
1-714-635-4246
(New Production Ammunition From Tula Arsenal)

HANDGUN PRESS
P.O. Box 406
Glenview, Il 60025
1-847-657-6500
(Bolotin’s Must Have Book For The Soviet Collector And Datig’s Work)

PALADIN PRESS
P.O. Box 1307
Boulder, CO 80306
1-800-392-2400
(Charlie Cutshaw’s Work)

By Robert Bruce

“Smart projectiles will provide the next quantum leap in small caliber armament technology and will continue to provide soldiers with overwhelming lethality for battlefield dominance.” TACOM/ARDEC Briefing

In countless science-fiction movies future fighters are armed with the best individual weapons that Hollywood can dream up, limited only by the capabilities of computer-generated imagery. In the recent Starship Troopers, for example, bug-blasters of the Mobile Infantry carry the astonishingly effective Morita MK1 Smart Rifle with a seemingly inexhaustible ammo supply of high explosive and kinetic-energy rounds.

In the real world, however, guns and ammo have to obey not only the laws of physics, they must also be cost-effective to build and sufficiently hardy to survive in a combat environment.

While California special effects wizards can show us the way to what might be, there are a lot of other equally talented people around America and other countries involved in the process of turning what are now only cinematic small arms into realities for the near term and future battlefield. These visionary engineers, manufacturers and soldiers are charged with the daunting task of combining existing technologies with emerging possibilities and putting them to work. Their mission is to ensure that military and law enforcement personnel have the best and most technologically advanced weaponry that science can produce and stingy governments will fund.

This process is made far more efficient when everybody with useful ideas and promising hardware can get together and compare notes. With this in mind, American and friendly foreign armaments professionals from military and industry meet once a year for a little known but vitally important three day show and tell put on by the Small Arms Systems Division of the National Defense Industrial Association (NDIA). It has been my privilege to attend this for many years and report on the latest in guns, ammo, sights, and other aspects of weaponry for surface warfare. What follows are some highlights of the 2000 meeting, hosted by the Naval Surface Warfare Center and held in the all-American city of Indianapolis, Indiana.

Don’t Bother to Run

One of the most remarkable avenues of recent exploration is that of steerable munitions — miniature guided missiles — launched from manportable weapons. That’s right; smart ammo that recognizes its target and then homes in for the kill even if the bad guys start to run!

This startling possibility was previewed by a pair of engineers from ARDEC, the Armaments Research, Development & Engineering Center, in a briefing titled “Light Fighter Lethality Technology.” Right now, they say, the Army is actually working on a program to field a “dual munition pod, firing micro-sized, course correcting seeker projectiles.” Translated from tech-speak, this means an individual weapon capable of firing at least two types of ammo, one being a tiny cruise missile. The goal is to design, build and field by the year 2015 a 5 pound pod-weapon to launch a 1/4 pound 25mm diameter robotic rocket round. Flying out to 500 meters or more, it will have a better than 50% probability of incapacitation against a human target.

Computer-generated visuals accompanied their briefing, providing a realistic simulation of a “Seeker Projectile” with on-board tracking sensors that changes course in flight to knockout a moving target with a close airburst. If it can be made to work this will give additional truth to an unofficial motto of many snipers: “Don’t bother to run; you’ll only die winded.”

Now, for those in the audience who remained somewhat skeptical (myself included), the Army Research Laboratory’s David Lyon followed immediately with an illustrated lecture dryly entitled “Notional Concept and Performance Estimates for a Small Caliber Guided Projectile.” Lyon explained the science behind some current artillery shells that are already doing this and how giant leaps are being made in miniaturization of sensors, fuzes, and micro-explosive charges used as “steering squibs.” As a result, he predicted, smart and steerable warheads of 40mm diameter, “are doable in five years.”

Ray Guns and Rap

Dr. Steven Small, also with ARDEC, has long been at the forefront of future force thinkers and his presentation this year included some real Star Wars stuff. The good doctor is no mere armchair intellectual, having once been an airborne Ranger. Gazing into his crystal ball, Small foresees the battlefields of the year 2020 including not only the usual stuff like bullets, bombs and biohazard, but also increased threat from:

• Robots and Cyber Scouts (mechanical mercenaries)
• Depolymerization Agents (melting your tires, your gas mask, and your Glock)
• Unattended Ground Sensor Systems (battlefield burglar alarms)
• News Media (traitorous television crews with satellite uplinks — CNN comes immediately to mind)

He also briefly mentioned some cutting-edge experimentation that is vigorously underway in various Department of Defense labs under the title of “Directed Energy Small Arms.” Some of these include high power microwaves (literally popping bad people and their electronic equipment), particle beams (ray guns for melting body armor and other stuff), lasers and optical technologies (blinding sensors both electronic and organic), and high volume acoustics.

Now, this last weapon concept has been around since bible hero Joshua fought the battle of Jericho and is said to have brought down its stone walls with trumpet blasts. It has also been combat proven by Janet Reno’s now defunct Injustice Department against women and children at Waco. Her black-garbed boys of the HRT used loudspeakers playing the sounds of rabbits being tortured and similarly hideous things like contemporary Gangsta Rap “music.”

But, government scientists are taking this to lofty levels and are said to be working in earnest on generators of various types and intensities of sound waves. These can yield specific and tailorable effects on the enemy, depending on the level of threat and the operative rules of engagement. This could eventually mean that knob-twisting sound snipers can produce anything from ringing ears and nausea to exploding heads. (Maybe these guys have rented a copy of Scanners, the Kronenberg cult classic movie). Anyway, the next time you’re picketing outside a World Trade Organization cabal and your nose starts bleeding for no apparent reason, get the hell out of there fast!

Bill’s Friends the Chinese

On a related note in another presentation on international efforts to curb illegal weapons proliferation that he updates each year for NDIA, Hayes Parks of the Office of the Judge Advocate General revealed that the Butchers of Beijing have developed a very light, compact and efficient blinding laser and are expected to begin selling it to anybody with the yen for ultimate eye-poking. Since Clinton/Gore’s other good friends the Russians have already used one of their own against a Canadian-American helicopter crew doing aerial surveillance of a spy ship, we can expect a lot more blindings worldwide. Oh, by the way, your cool cat Ray-Bans won’t protect you from permanent darkness….

Pulsed Impulsive Kill Laser

Ray gun research has been seriously pursued by the Department of Defense for decades now, and TACOM’s Harry Moore showed some pictures of what the working prototype Pulsed Impulsive Kill Laser (PIKL) actually did to a kevlar vest in an experimental shot. Moore foresees this being further refined in downsizing, power-efficiency and increased target effects to become the primary armament on the conceptual Future Fighting Ground Vehicle Program.

OICW/OSCW

Two very exciting weapons of more conventional effect but unconventional design are well along in the Joint Services Small Arms Program (JSSAP) pipeline. Fully functioning prototypes of the Objective Individual Combat Weapon (OICW) have been very thoroughly wrung out over the past year; not only on test stands, but also in the hands of real soldiers on the range. Resulting data, says Robert Dellicker, a JSSAP engineer, have conclusively demonstrated that the combination of a computerized fire control interacting with “smart fuzed” high explosive ammunition should be further developed.

The OICW is a shoulder fired weapon with both 5.56mm assault rifle and 20mm grenade launcher modules. Its “leap ahead” technological advantage comes from a microcomputer-aided fire control system that precisely determines range to target and instantly communicates this to a “smart fuze” in the chambered high explosive round. Knowing how many rotations it must count upon firing, the warhead then flies out to the correct distance before exploding right above the target.

Dellicker and others from JSSAP outlined a series of improvements that are programmed to be made on the OICW including more sophisticated and versatile fire control plus downward-directed fragmentation for greater burst effect. Along the way, he assured, the weapon system would get lighter and more rugged, with the goal of equipping the first troops in 2010.

Crew Cutter

The Objective Crew Served Weapon (OCSW), is the second of JSSAP’s major near-term initiatives, intended to replace the very old but highly respected .50 caliber M2 Heavy Machine Gun as well as the 40mm Mark 19 grenade chunker, which has been in the inventory since Vietnam. While actual hardware has been made and undergone preliminary live fire testing, JSSAP brought a streamlined full-scale mockup of the latest conceptual configuration to this year’s NDIA display. The OCSW, like its little brother the OICW, is on a long developmental track and is not expected to be fielded until 2010.

Displays

In addition to having the opportunity to sit in on some mind-boggling technical papers, attendees at NDIA Small Arms can wander among numerous exhibits showcasing existing hardware and previewing some of the developmental or even theoretical weapons, ammunition, sights and other surface warfare stuff. This is invaluable to those who wish to buttonhole recognized authorities on various aspects of their areas of interest and even to poke things or pick them up.

The biggest names in government and industry are usually on hand, including JSSAP, of course, as well as Beretta, Colt, FN, H&K, IMI and VT Kinetics. Perhaps less well known but very important specialty suppliers like Knight’s Armament, Barrett, GEMTECH, SSK and others had an equal chance to show their wares to some of the most influential movers and shakers in the small arms world.

Range Day

The shoot hits the fan on the last day of the event each year with live fire demonstrations by many of the presenters and exhibitors. Apparently because the municipal authorities of Indianapolis weren’t comfortable with the idea of shooting 40mm high explosive ammo inside the city limits, this part took place some 50 miles away. The Indiana National Guard’s Camp Atterbury Range Complex hosted this vitally important component, providing a secure, spacious and well maintained venue for launching even the biggest and most far reaching stuff.

FNMI’s Sal Fanelli (this year’s George M. Chinn Award recipient) coordinated the live fire activities as usual with patience and good humor despite the best and worst efforts of some pretty big egos. Eighteen commercial firms and government/military organizations participated on a beautiful late summer day, shooting nearly everything imaginable from Simunition paint rounds at twenty feet to a hip-fired 40mm grenade machine gun (more about that in a minute).

H&K Leading the Way

One of the most notable demos included the great-as-usual show from H&K Federal Operations, headed by John Meloy who provided narration over the PA system. Departing from their usual “save the best for last” position in the lineup, team leader Jim Schatz and his guys were at the head of the line, putting on a fast-paced show with nearly a dozen weapons and their variants ranging from the little 4.6mm Personal Defense Weapon, to the new short-barrel 5.56mm G36 Commando, to the formidable 40mm HK GMG (Grenade Machine Gun).

To the amazement and amusement of the crowd, Robert Hirt capped a multiple target, long range combat engagement simulation of the tripod mounted GMG by unclamping it and flipping a carrying sling over one shoulder. Standing up and crouching slightly forward with the 64 lb/29 kg gun at hip level, Hirt began to tap out short bursts of 40mm ammo, “walking” the impact point right up to a derelict vehicle target some 300 meters away. Don’t try this at home.

This type of showmanship is the hallmark of any HK demo and they get the maximum benefit from any such opportunity by clever use of special tracer ammo and special targets that let the audience know without a doubt that they are being consistently hit. It is particularly effective to see the bright golden streak of Hornady VECTOR Illuminated Trace ammo slamming into steel silhouettes, loudly ringing with each impact. The individual firing of pistols, submachine guns, assault rifles, shotguns and grenades builds to an exciting climax featuring a “mad minute” with three different guns on line taking out strings of balloons and ending with the roar and smoke of exploding targets. Vunderbar!

Assault Rifle Rollup

Two new 5.56mm assault rifles made their NDIA debut in the form of the SAR-21 from Singapore and the TAVOR-21 from Israel. Both are bullpups that seem inspired by the Austrian AUG, but offer advantages in mechanical simplicity and are said to cost less. The VT Kinetics team from Singapore included Hon Nam Lai, the weapon’s chief designer who seemed to be greatly enjoying himself shooting not only his own gun, but later went down the line for a chance to meet some of his fellow designers and shoot their stuff as well.

The Israeli demonstration duo created quite a stir with some very unconventional moves with the stubby and efficient TAVOR-21. Both men were said to have come from the IDF’s elite special operations community which apparently and necessarily puts primary emphasis on effective combat shooting but less on American military range etiquette. Although it was probably highly unlikely that either of the shooters would have inadvertently sent a round anywhere but straight downrange, they did get a lot of attention when Noam Segal did a running commando roll instantly followed by a multi target sweeping, full 30 round magazine burst. This was done so fast that it was over before most spectators could duck and before the Range Safety Officer could hit the emergency CEASE FIRE siren button.

Machine Gun Magic

Belt fed blasters were well represented by an unusual government-industry collaboration, bringing together gun gurus of the Naval Surface Warfare Center with “Blue Press” reloading hardware magnate Mike Dillon. The Navy guys from Crane are the small arms support team for the legendary SEALs and other Special Operations Command units. Among the most effective of the weapons used by and for these elite warriors is the GE Minigun, an electrically-driven 7.62mm version of the Civil War period Gatling.

Specifically for this gun, Dillon Aero has come up with a highly effective feeder-delinker modification that allows the gunner to instantly clear some of the inevitable stoppages that occur in the 3,000 round-per-minute Minigun. Now in official government issue, the Dillon delinker serves Gatlings in helicopters, Humm-Vees, SEAL support speedboats and dune buggies.

Probably ten thousand rounds were live fired at NDIA this year through three Miniguns featuring Mike’s modifications. In addition to one of Dillon’s own personal slug hoses set up on a flatbed trailer, the Navy brought two more for demonstration firing from an armored Humm-Vee and a Desert Patrol Vehicle.

This last was the most remarkable, roaring out front in a cloud of dust then spinning around to rip up the range with long bursts. Anyone who has the opportunity to see and hear a Minigun in action will not soon forget its loud, distinctive, deep throated “burrrrrrrrrrr” sound and the cloud of tracers zipping downrange like a stream of enraged wasps from Hell.

Silence for the Sinister

After the earplug-packing sound of heavy machinegunning, it is a relief to pop out the hearing protection and enjoy demonstrations of suppressed weapons and specialty ammo. GEMTECH in particular did their usual impressive job with a number of gun/can combos including the new 9mm TALON-SD on a Colt smg upper.

Newcomer Jeff Mullins cleverly showed the terminal effects of his Mullins Ammunition ESM pistol and rifle caliber loads. Standing just a few meters away from a big container of clay, Jeff used SIPOPTS-suppressed guns to place different rounds side-by-side. Afterward, the clay box with its gruesome cavities was set up near the lunch break area so that spectators could have a good look at what each round can do. Bon appetite!

If you need to shoot rhinos or other very large varmints in your back yard without disturbing the neighbors, SSK Handcannons has a number of solutions. Owner J.D. Jones fired his .510 Whisper, a remarkable wildcat .50 caliber round for use with suppressed weapons, giving subsonic flight and awesome terminal effect. The .510 joins a large lineup of SSK’s highly unusual cartridges and radical launch platforms for just about any shooting challenge imaginable.

2001

Military, industry, law enforcement and government professionals who need to keep up with the latest in weapons technology are encouraged to join the National Defense Industrial Association and attend the 2001 Joint Small Arms Conference and Exhibition. Complete information for attendees, exhibitors and presenters is available at www.ndia.org or write to NDIA, 2111 Wilson Blvd., Dept. SAR, Suite 400, Arlington, VA 22201.

Briefing slides with data and graphics from many of the technical papers presented at the event are available for examination at www.dtic.mil/ndia/smallarms/smallarms.html

Living in a Toy Store

After several years in business as a non-corporate entity, SARCO was finally incorporated in 1962. It has since established a long tenure of 38 years in the arms business. SARCO’s emphasis is strictly focused on surplus merchandise. Although activities are conducted in commercial-type material, virtually all the business centers around the accumulation of surplus material.

Through the years, SARCO has expanded into almost every facet of the gun business, except for the commercial end. Much of the business is done with military arms collectors, shooters and military history re-enactors. Steen describes his business as having allowed him to, “live in a toy store all these years.”

Steen began collecting militaria at the tender age of five when he began to fill the drawers of his clothes dresser with military surplus. “I’m a collector at heart,” he chuckles. He later served in the U.S. Marine Corps. and afterward began selling arms at gun shows as a way to support himself while in college where he studied engineering. He had plans to become a machine gun designer. When he told his wife of his intention to become a part-time gun show vendor, she made an agreement with him that if he did not clear $60 a week profit from the activity within the first year, he would give up on the idea. However, Steen’s very first weekend at gun show dealing gave him a lot of incentive to stay in the gun business as he made $200 during those first two days, a whopping sum for him at the time.

Another big coup for Steen’s fledgling business was expanding into mail order by advertising in the then new publication, Shotgun News. In contrast to the multiple full-page ads Sarco now runs in that advertiser publication, his first ad was just 3-inches by 3-inches in size. Steen estimates SARCO is the Shotgun News’ longest continuously-running advertiser. Today, sales by mail order make up the largest part of SARCO’s volume, with sales to U.S. and foreign governments playing the next largest role.

Traveling around the world in SARCO’s early years during the 1960’s, Steen built up a global network of agents who remain on the lookout for surplus materials when such items are offered from military and government sources. The agents alert Steen to the items being offered and bidding/purchase procedures. Steen says his import activities over the years have probably earned him the distinction of being the largest U.S. importer of gun parts.

Overseas manufacturing is another area of the business that has been developed. For instance, SARCO has slings for the Mauser 98 and Johnson rifles made overseas, in addition to 400-500 other items. Steen got into the machine gun part business by offering parts for .30 and .50 caliber Brownings. SARCO does sell live machine guns as well. A wide assortment of non-firing rebuilt machine guns (with a dummy receiver) are available and machine gun parts sets (sans the receiver).

Among the more notable surplus material Steen has sold over the years, was a model 95 Gatling Gun with limber which went to Bill Gasser of the American Armour Foundation museum in Long Island, New York. The serial number of this piece was in the same range as were the Gatling Guns shipped to Cuba at the time Teddy Roosevelt was there.

Steen also bought the Rock Island Armory’s military manual library containing seven to eight tons of manuals. In one of his more unusual purchases, Steen bought several Navy model KDB-1 remote controlled drones. These were used in the 1950’s and 1960’s for training in air-to-air and ground-to-air combat. They are radio-controlled targets that could be recovered after a parachute landing.

Made by Breech Aircraft and powered by a 125 h.p., 6 cylinder, 2-cycle, turbo- supercharged engine, the drones are 15-feet long and have a 12-foot wingspan, making them the largest, radio-controlled airplane models you can get.

Sarco has successfully fulfilled several contracts with the federal government and recently supplied the feds with 17,000 units of a multiple magazine holder. This product holds two magazines, in a “V” configuration on the underside of the M16 rifle. Once the first 30 rounds are fired, the holder allows another magazine to be inserted into the rifle within seconds.

In a recent deal, SARCO purchased much of the production facilities of the old High Standard Co. This included nine models of pump and automatic shotguns including the famous Model 10B bull pup police shotgun, three models of pump and semi-auto .22 rifles, and ten models of revolvers.

The deal also encompassed SARCO’s acquisition of all fixtures for production, drawings, sources, flow schedules, spare parts (including barrels and receivers), five cut-away guns, five trademarks for revolvers and technical data on High Standard silencers. There are also tons of spare parts, filling some five 40-foot trailers. “We bought this as a project to produce guns,” Steen says, “but there just isn’t enough time in the world for us, as new deals keep coming in. We expect that with the making of a few parts, approximately 400 Model 10B’s could be produced.” The lot was being offered for sale at the time of the author’s visit.

Today, Sarco employs up to fifty persons in its 20,000-square-foot store/warehouse, with an additional two warehouses comprising 7,500- and 24,000-square-feet respectively. “While I thought this second (24,000-square-foot) warehouse would be the last I would need, we filled it up to capacity due to the good deals I have been offered on merchandise from my suppliers,” Steen says. About 20,000 guns, mainly surplus military rifles, are kept in stock at the store.

Among his other activities, Steen is very active in the F.A.I.R. (Firearms Importers’ Roundtable) Trade Group (serving as its president), which protects the interests of firearms importers by monitoring legislation and other activities. The organization was founded in 1994 and has its headquarters in Washington, D.C. FAIR’s membership is composed of firearms and ammunition importers, manufacturers, distributors and sales representatives. The group’s goal is to keep the American firearms and ammunition markets open to the global community of suppliers, with an end goal of a “level playing field” that will provide American consumers the broadest market choices.

The Clinton-Gore Administration had taken the position that global commerce in firearms and related items is the “weak link” of the American firearms industry. The Administration had taken its anti-gun campaign global by working closely with international disarmament groups and the United Nations to push the anti-gun agenda worldwide. FAIR has been very successful in keeping American markets open, but Clinton and Gore had achieved some significant victories as well. These include: -use of Presidential Authority to impose and continue an embargo on the importation of firearms, parts and ammunition from China. This ban led to the formation of FAIR. -Use of Presidential Authority to direct the Department of Treasury, in collaboration with the Department of State, to implement a Voluntary Restraint Agreement with Russia banning the importation of various guns and calibers of ammunition. —Establishing a new policy on, “foreign policy grounds,” that the Department of State shall be the agency having jurisdiction over the authorization of the importation of foreign and U.S. origin firearms component parts and ammunition, instead of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms, since the policy of the State Dept. is not to approve such transactions.

One of SARCO’s most recent successes is the publication of its Machine Gun Catalog #4. Several years in the making, the nearly 100-page book contains parts, tools and accessories for: M-2 Browning .50 caliber machine guns; M-3 Browning aircraft machine guns; the M-85 machine gun; the 1919A4/A6 Browning m.g.; the M-37 m.g.; the M-60 m.g.; the B.A.R.; M3/M3A1 “Grease Gun”; the Lewis and Vickers machine guns; the German MG-34; and the Bren Gun.

SARCO usually has some live, transferable machine guns in stock. At the time of the author’s visit, these included: a Walther MPK; IMI Micro, Mini and commercial UZI submachine guns; and the Galil in .223 and .308.

Getting There

For those who would like to visit, SARCO is in northern New Jersey, situated in the southern corner of Morris County. The store is about 20 minutes south of Morristown, and 15 minutes north of Plainfield/Route 22. It is most easily reached from Exit 36 on Interstate route 78, a major east-west highway, only five minutes from SARCO’s door.

After leaving Exit 36 on route 78, go north (past the Exxon station) on King George Road. At the traffic light by the church, turn right onto Valley Road. Proceed one mile to the traffic light at Main Street. Turn left and go four blocks to Union Street. Turn left on Union – SARCO is the last building on the left. For more information: Sarco, Inc., 323 Union St., Stirling, N.J. 07980 Telephone (908) 647-3800 FAX: (908) 647- 9413 Web site: www.sarcoinc.com E-mail: info@sarcoinc.com.

By Al Paulson

I love the intrinsic beauty, the exceptional accuracy, the user-friendly balance, the compact and easily holsterable envelope, and the satisfying sound signature of a state-of-the-art, integrally silenced Ruger Mark II pistol. That said, if I only had one sound suppressor, it would be a .22 caliber muzzle can. Why? The reasons are manifest. The muzzle can is cheaper, easier to clean, and kicks less crud back out of the barrel and into the action. Therefore, the parent firearm needs to be cleaned less frequently. The sight radius of a pistol with muzzle can is less than that of an integrally silenced pistol, which is an advantage if you have tired old eyes and wear progressive multifocal glasses like me. A big advantage of the muzzle can is that the parent firearm need not be dedicated to suppressed use, so the muzzle can may be removed from the firearm for hunting in those states where hunting with a sound suppressor is illegal. A corollary is that a single silencer may be switched among any number of rifles and pistols, adding to the muzzle can’s versatility and cost-effectiveness. Last, but by no means least, the muzzle can has a greater service life than an integral can. This latter consideration is important to very large volume shooters such as animal-control professionals. The Scarab sound suppressor from Advanced Armament Corp. is an excellent example of a relatively small and efficient muzzle can that works combustion gases hard, but not so hard as to degrade accuracy. In fact, accuracy with high velocity and standard velocity target ammo is significantly better with the Scarab than the same pistol without the Scarab.

The Scarab sound suppressor features a tube and end caps fabricated from 304 stainless steel. The baffle stack is machined from aluminum alloy to minimize weight, which is a consideration when the can is mounted on a pistol. The can is available in a polished stainless or a matte black finish. The matte black is worth discussing briefly. This is baked-on milspec molybdenum resin produced by John Norrell Manufacturing (Dept. SAR, 2608 Grist Mill Road, Little Rock, AR 72207; fax 501-225-7864;e-mail smg1022@aol.com) that adds lubricity and sheds grime readily. This Moly Resin Professional Firearms Finish is an outstanding product that is used by government contractors for USSOCOM. This is a specially formulated thermally reactive phenolic resin dissolved in a proprietary solvent that becomes impervious to an amazingly wide variety of solvents after proper heat curing. Moly Resin ™ stands up to a number of cleaning products with which I’ve killed other finishes. Carburetor cleaner, for example, dissolved some other moly resins and painted finishes. Castrol Degreaser killed a factory pistol finish. Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK) killed another baked-on finish. Not only do these products have no effect on the Scarab, Norrell’s Moly Resin even stands up to nitric acid, which attacks unprotected steel, foaming vigorously, spewing corrosive byproducts, and producing volumes of colorful noxious gases. If you want a black finish rather than bright stainless, Norrell’s Moly Resin™ is a dandy way to go.

AAC’s Scarab silencer has a length of 5.7 inches, a diameter of 1.0 inch, and a weight of 6.3 ounces. Thus a stainless steel Ruger Mark II with 5.5 inch target-weight barrel, which is commonly known as the Model KMK512 pistol, weighs 47.2 ounces with the Scarab. The can evaluated in this study is threaded with the industry standard 1/2×28 TPI. AAC also offers the Scarab with two other mounting options for smaller pistols than the Ruger Mark II: 3/8×24 TPI (Scarab LOA 5.4 inches); and 7/16×28 TPI (Scarab LOA 5.25 inches). If you have your pistol threaded by AAC gunsmith, Dan Dansberry, you are in for a treat. This guy is more than a master gunsmith. He is an artiste. The thread protector he provides has the same diameter as the target-weight barrel, and the front of the protector is radiused to give the pistol a very finished and unmodified appearance when the thread protector is installed. The seam between the barrel and thread protector is so tight as to be almost invisible.

One of the few things I don’t like about muzzle cans is that the suppressed pistol is longer and heavier than an integrally suppressed pistol with a similar baffle stack (such as AAC’s Phoenix pistol). This has two principal consequences. (1) The pistol with muzzle can has a more muzzle heavy balance than the integrally silenced pistol. This slows the speed of target acquisition and accelerates shooter fatigue. And (2) the extra length of the pistol with muzzle can makes it very difficult to find a holster to accommodate the system. This makes carrying a pistol with muzzle can into the field rather impractical.

Advanced Armament offers two alternative solutions to this latter problem. (1) AAC issues a ballistic nylon belt pouch as standard equipment with every muzzle can they sell. With the Scarab, this enables end-users to carry their pistols in a conventional holster and the dismounted suppressor in its own pouch. (2) I discovered an even handier solution quite by accident. The holster designed for carrying AAC’s integrally silenced Phoenix pistol will also accommodate a KMK512 pistol with Scarab muzzle can mounted on the gun. Therefore, the silenced pistol is ready to shoot as fast as it can be drawn from the holster. While the Phoenix Holster completely protects the integrally silenced Phoenix pistol, the Scarab muzzle can does stick out from the bottom of the holster. This minor liability is outweighed considerably by the sheer convenience of being able to carry the Scarab mounted on the KMK512 when afield. It is worth noting that the holster completely encloses the Scarab if the KMK512 is shortened to a barrel length of 4.25 inches. AAC will shorten the barrel at no charge if requested when AAC threads the barrel.

As far as I know, this is the first holster expressly designed from the ground up for an integrally silenced .22 pistol. The Phoenix Holster is made exclusively for AAC by the London Bridge Trading Company, which has been quietly supplying the armed professional with top-quality nylon gear for more than 15 years. The holster features a full flap that protects the pistol and is secured by a quick-release fastener. An elastic loop (rubber coated bungee), which is an innovation peculiar to London Bridge holsters, can be slipped around the butt of the pistol as an added measure of security for rappelling or amphibious operations. The holster also incorporates a twin magazine pouch.

In the first generation Phoenix holster, the magazine pouch flap incorporated a pouch for a Clip Loader Mfg. magazine-loading tool. In the second-generation Phoenix holster, the pistol flap was made a bit smaller so the twin magazine pouch could be moved up to make room for a separate pouch for the larger and handier HKS Model 22-R Magazine Speed Loader. The flaps for the twin magazine pouch and the loading-tool are secured by both hook/pile and a snap. Both the first- and second-generation holsters provide two modes of attachment: a wide belt loop and Alice clips. The latest variant also includes a Kydex channel for the front sight. This improves both durability and the ease of presentation from the holster. The quality of materials and construction are outstanding, as is the thought that went into the holster’s design. I particularly like the “repetitious redundancy” of holster subsystems: both quick-release faster and elastic loop to secure the pistol, both hook/pile and snap to secure the flaps for the magazine and Speed Loader pouches, and two modes for mounting to a belt. Available in olive drab, woodland camouflage, desert camouflage and black, the Phoenix Holster is as good as it gets. It should come as no surprise that another London Bridge holster is reportedly used by U.S. Navy special warfare units. London Bridge makes a diverse array of holsters, backpacks, web gear, vests and bags worthy of the most demanding end-user (London Bridge Trading Company, Ltd., Dept. GW/LE, 3509 Virginia Beach Blvd., Virginia Beach, VA 23452; phone 757-498-0207; fax757-498-0059URL www.londonbridgetrading.com; e-mail lbtcl@pinn.net).

Performance

I tested the performance of AAC’s Scarab silencer on a Ruger KMK512 pistol, and compared that performance with the same KMK512 without the silencer, as well as with AAC’s integrally silenced Phoenix pistol. Sound testing was conducted using the specific equipment and testing protocol advocated at the end of Chapter 5 in the book Silencer History and Performance, Volume 1 (Wideworld, Dept. SAR, P.O. Box 1827, Conway, AR 72033; $50 plus $5 s&h, check or MO). Four kinds of .22 LR ammunition were used for the testing: Remington 40 grain high velocity (HV), Remington 40 grain standard velocity target (SVT), Remington 38 grain hollowpoint subsonic (SS), and RWS 40 grain hollowpoint subsonic (SS). Sound and velocity testing were conducted at an atmospheric temperature of 84 °F, while accuracy testing was conducted several days later at 88 °F. Ammunition was kept at ambient temperature in a cooler in the shade until needed. Unsuppressed peak sound pressure levels (SPLs) were measured 1 meter to the left of the muzzle, while suppressed levels were measured 1 meter to the left of the suppressor. Reported decibel levels represent the mean (average) of 10 shots.

Velocities were measured using a P.A.C.T. MKIII timer/chronograph with MKV skyscreens set 24.0 inches apart and the start screen 8.0 feet from the muzzle (P.A.C.T., Dept. SAR, P.O. Box 531525, Grand Prairie, TX 75053; phone: 214-641-0049). Velocity data represent a mean value of at least ten shots. The speed of sound was 1,143 fps at 84 °F and 1,157 fps at 88 °F. Accuracy testing was conducted at a range of 25 yards using a Ransom Rest, with three rounds per group. Reported accuracy data represent the average of three groups. Group sizes represent the center to center distance between the two most widely spaced shots, using custom caliber-specific calipers made by Hunt’s Bullets (Dept. SAR, 6210 Lake Lugano, Jacksonville, FL 32256; phone 904-645-3140).

The peak sound pressure levels (SPLs) of suppressed and unsuppressed pistols are reported in Table 1. Net sound reductions appear in Table 2. It is worth noting that the same pistol was used for both the unsuppressed benchmarks and the Scarab benchmarks. This pistol has a barrel length of 5.5 inches. If the Scarab were tested on a pistol with a significantly shorted barrel, such as a Walther TPH or PPK-S, the unsuppressed sound signatures would be louder and the net sound reductions would likely be 3-4 dB better. I used a KMK512 with original barrel length because this is the most popular pistol configuration for most end-users. Muzzle velocities appear in Table 3. Accuracy data appear in Table 4.

Several of the conclusions to be drawn from these data were something of a surprise. (1) The Scarab really “likes” standard velocity target ammunition in terms of accuracy. I expected a preference for SVT ammo, but not to the extent seen here. The pistol with Scarab suppressor delivered maximum accuracy with this round, accuracy that was twice as good as the accuracy produced by same pistol without a can, and three to five times as good as the pistol with or without the silencer using subsonic and high velocity ammo. (2) I was also surprised that the Scarab “likes” standard velocity fodder so well in terms of sound suppression. The Scarab was just 1 decibel quieter with RWS subsonic and was actually 1 dB louder with Remington subsonic. Even first-round pop was significantly greater with subsonic ammo than it was with standard velocity fodder.

It is also important to note that the pistol with Scarab silencer produced a ballistic crack with high velocity ammo, while the Phoenix did not. Score one for the integrally silenced pistol. The pistol with Scarab silencer must be used with standard velocity or subsonic ammunition to avoid objectionable bullet flight noise. With RWS subsonic ammunition, the Scarab muzzle can was as quiet as the integrally silenced Phoenix pistol using high velocity fodder. That’s pretty darned good performance for a muzzle can.

Conclusions

AAC’s Scarab muzzle can delivers excellent performance in a relatively small and light package. Using high velocity ammunition, the pistol delivers significantly better accuracy than an unmodified pistol, although the system does produce a ballistic crack. Using standard velocity target ammunition eliminates the ballistic crack and produces a very stealthy sound signature and very tight groups. The muzzle can is easier to clean than an integral silencer, and it keeps the pistol action cleaner too. The Scarab can be removed for hunting or swapped between diverse firearms. And it is very cost effective. The Scarab silencer retails for just $395.

I also like the fact that Advanced Armament Corp. has a master gunsmith on staff. This enables AAC to offer custom options such as an outstanding trigger job for $100, including Volquartsen parts. Since about 50 percent of Ruger Mark II pistols come from the factory with poor triggers, this could be a very attractive option. Anyone using the pistol for animal control would benefit from the addition of IWI bar-dot tritium night sights for just $100. Barrel threading (including thread protector) is $75. Finally, a mandatory accessory in my opinion is the superbly designed, user-friendly Phoenix Holster, which retails for $70. I like the many options and one-stop shopping available from AAC. For more information, contact the Advanced Armament Corp., Dept. SAR, 221 West Crogan Street, Lawrenceville, GA 30045 (phone 770-277-4946; fax 770-277-4841; URL www.advanced-armament.com).