A new M-16 variant is now being produced by M2 Corporation of Vas Vegas, Nevada. The new rifle, called the M4N, offers two superior attributes; it achieves over 2850 FPS with standard M193 ammunition and it accommodates virtually all the electronic or thermal-aiming technology produced today or on the horizon. The M4N is capable of deploying either current issue passive night vision aiming devices, or the emerging generation of night vision and thermal aiming systems. The M4N employs the M2 Design front sight, providing the operator with significant improvements over the common M-16-type “A” front sight. The side mount position accommodates a laser designator or I/R illuminator, and the side mount bayonet lug allows operators equipped with the M203 40MM grenade launcher to use the bayonet. If the electronic aiming device becomes unusable, the M4N is equipped with standard back-up mechanical sights. When night operations are required, the M4N is up to the challenge. The M4n has a barrel length of 12.75 inches, weighs 6.7 pounds and has an overall length with the stock extended of 31.7 inches. As stated before the gun produces a muzzle velocity of 2850m FPS and has an effective range of 550 yards. The cyclic rate of the M4N is 650-700 rounds per minute depending on ammunition used. Naturally it is select-fire. For more information on this as well as other M-16 variant designs contact M2 Corporation, Dept. SAR, P.O. Box 96207, Las Vegas, Nevada 89193. Phone: 1-702-263-4450. Fax: 1-702-263-7875. Website: www.m2corp.com.

STREAMLIGHT INTRODUCES THE M-6 TACTICAL LASER ILLUMINATOR

Streamlight, Inc., well known for its high-powered lighting equipment now introduces its latest gun-mounted flashlight-the M-6 Tactical Laser Illuminator. Allowing officers to simultaneously illuminate and use laser aiming, the M-6 is affordably prices for tactical and law enforcement use. The M-6 continues in the tradition of providing high-intensity lighting that law enforcement officers have come to rely on when using the company’s original line of tactical gun-mounted lights-the M-3, M-4, M-4 PRO and the M-5. What sets it apart from its predecessors is the integrated laser that complements the powerful white light. Designed and produced in cooperation with Insight Technology, Inc., of Londonderry, NH, the M-6 laser can be seen from up to 500 meters when used at night and 32 meters during the day. A master switch allows the operator to toggle between four positions; white light only, laser only, dual and off. The M-6 operates on two lithium batteries and has a continuous run time of over one hour in “dual” mode and over 48 hours in “ laser only” mode. The added laser technology does not significantly affect the weight of the M-6. At only 3.7 ounces, it weights only 0.4 ounces more than the M-3, which is equipped with a visible light only. The M-6 has been designed to fit the Glock rails. The M-6 lists for $399.95 and includes a limited lifetime warranty on the body and the switch. For more information on the new M-6 contact Streamlight, Inc., Dept. SAR 1030 West Germantown Pike, Norristown, PA 19403. Phone: 1-610-631-0600. Fax: 1-610-631-0712. Their website is www.streamlight.com. 

NEW SCORPION SILENCERS FROM ADVANCED ARMAMENT 

Advanced Armament has just introduced another new silencer to their existing line of top quality firearm sound suppressors. The new silencer is called the Scorpion and was designed for extreme tactical scenarios where low profile, light weight and world class sound suppression means the difference between life and death. With a length of only 4 inches and a weight of only 2.2 ounces, the Scorpion interfaces well with small 9mm handguns such as the Glock 26, Glock 19 and the Kahr K9. Through the use of advanced baffle design and artificial environment technology, the Scorpion delivers 28 dB sound reduction without the use of elastomer wipes. This gives users the option of utilizing hollow point ammunition and frees them from the logistic inconveniences of changing wipes every 10 shots, as well as the accuracy degradation associated with such designs. The Scorpion dramatically outperforms all other models in its size class and many that are significantly larger. Constructed of black anodized aerospace quality aluminum and stainless steel, the 1.0 inch diameter body of the Scorpion does not occlude the issue sights of most handguns. As with all Advanced Armament Corporation silencers, the Scorpion features a stainless steel rear mount to prevent wear common with all-aluminum silencers. For more information on the new Scorpion, other high quality silencers, special-ops holsters and other innovative products contact Advanced Armament Corporation, Dept. SAR, , 221 West Crogan Street, Lawrenceville, GA 30045. Phone: 1-770-277-4946. Fax: 1-770-277-4841. They can be found on the web at www.advanced-armament.com.

EOTECH INTRODUCES NEW HOLOGRAPHIC SIGHT

EOTECH, Electro-Optics Technologies, has just introduced their new HOLOgraphic Diffraction Sight (HDS). The new sight is the first electro-optic sighting system to apply holographic, heads-up technology to small arms. When used in Close Quarter Battle (CQB) environments, this revolutionary new optic delivers amazing speed and accuracy gains as well as uncompromised use of peripheral vision. The HDS has been designed and tested to provide consistent, reliable performance even in the most hostile operational environments. It is waterproof, fogproof, shockproof and temperature proof. The HDS is built to withstand Mil-Spec drop tests and still remain fully operational as well as holding zero. The Heads Up display is constructed with a 3 layer, shatterproof laminate glass the is 3/16 “ thick for added durability. Additional protection is provided by a “roll bar” hood. In holography, all of the information required to reconstruct the reticle image is recorded everywhere in the heads-up display window. If the window is obstructed by mud, snow, rain, etc., the HDS remains fully operational, with point of aim/impact being maintained. Even in such extreme cases where the laminated window is shattered, the HDS is still fully functional. As long as the operator can see through and portion of the window, the entire reticle pattern will be visible on the target. The standard reticle is a 65 MOA ring with alignment ticks and a 1 MOA dot combining both eye recognition speed and precision aiming. An optional 1 MOA dot reticle is available for precision aiming situations. Virtually any image can be created as a reticle pattern, in either 2 or 3 dimensions. Images can be created on non-interfering optical domains to support ranging, trajectory path, and even for dual use weaponry such as the M16/203 platform. Reticles can be tailored for applications such as less than lethal systems, medium caliber weaponry and grenade launching platforms. The HDS mounts to any 1” Weaver dovetail mounting rail (also supports Picatinny interface). EOTECH can also supply mounting solutions for such weapons as the Steyr AUG, FN P90 and FAL, IMI Uzi, Sig 550, and the AK47/MAK90. Another model of the sight, the HDS 550 has night vision settings allowing it to be used in conjunction with various night vision optics. For more information on this exciting new sight contact EOTECH, Inc., Dept. SAR, 3600 Green Court, Suite 400, Ann Arbor, MI 48105. Phone: 1-734-741-8868. Fax: 1-734-741-8221. Their web site is www.eotechinc.com.

Designed in the former German Democratic Republic, the Kleinkaliber-Maschinenpistole Modell 69 or KKMPi-69 was certainly the most widely issued .22-rimfire training rifle in the Cold War era. The KKMPi-69 has not only a similar appearance, but more importantly almost the exact firing and handling characteristic of full-size AK-47/AKM assault rifles. The KKMPi-69 was designed for basic military firearms training and likely also for use as a training rifle with the political youth organizations.

There exist more than a few of the .22-rimfire rifles that have an external appearance similar to the Avtomat Kalashnikova. However, from a technical viewpoint the KKMPi-69 remains a technical curiosity: a selective-fire rimfire rifle that is externally and internally similar to the AKM assault rifle. The KKMPi-69 is certainly not the only selective-fire .22-rimfire caliber firearm ever developed, but certainly the only design issued in quantity for any major military organization.

The construction generally resembles the AKM design, but due to the different caliber and a blowback action, many details are completely different.

The receiver is similar to the AKM receiver body; in fact it appears to be modified from the AKM receiver blank. However, the barrel extension includes neither a bolt-locking recess nor provision for mounting the gas piston tube. The rear end of the barrel extension forms a feed ramp. The receiver top cover is similar to the AK-family but not as tall as the AK’s top cover.

The barrel length is 17.13 inches (435 mm) measured from the muzzle to the bolt face. The bore has six grooves with a right-hand twist. The barrel profile is light and the barrel is mated on the barrel extension by means of thread.

The bolt has a configuration similar to the AK slide. A partially machined casting, finishing of non-essential surfaces is quite crude. The bolt has a claw-type extractor and a floating firing pin. The KKMPi-69 fires from a closed bolt and the cyclic rate of fire is the 700 rpm with standard velocity ammunition. Original East-German ammunition for this rifle was called 5.6 mm M70 and had a muzzle velocity of 1,017 fps (310 mps) when fired from the KKMPi-69’s barrel.

The KKMPi-69 fires from a closed bolt and the trigger mechanism is much that of the AKM/AK-74 series. The trigger mechanism includes an anti-bounce device, (sometimes incorrectly referred to as a “rate-reducer”) just like that used with the AKM. The trigger mechanism components including the hammer and springs were lightened to meet the .22 Long Rifle cartridge energy and primer hardness of the .22 rimfire cases.

The single-column, box-type, detachable magazine has a capacity of 15 rounds. The .22-rimfire magazine is built inside the body of a 7.62×39 mm caliber 30-round magazine, which mounts in the usual way underneath the receiver. The KKMPi-69 magazine is easy to fill and reliable, too, if compared with various commercial high-capacity magazines produced for the Ruger 10/22.

The injection-molded plastic shoulder stock and pistol grip are exactly those of the MPi-KM, or the East-German variation of the AKM. East German AKM butt stocks can be easily distinguished by their stippled external surfaces. The plastic forearm was also taken from the East German AKM/AK-74, but fitted with a diminutive plastic handguard specially designed for the KKMPi-69. The synthetic material used with DDR-made Kalashnikovs is brown colored, hard and slippery; not necessarily an improvement over the Soviet laminated furniture. Like the other East German AK-type rifles the KKMPi-69 shoulder stock does not include a storage compartment for a cleaning kit or a cleaning rod, but pull-through type cleaning kits were issued as packed in sheet steel boxes or cloth-rolls.

The iron sights are similar to the Kalashnikov assault rifles, but scaled down. The rear sight is an open U-notch mounted on a sliding tangent-type base, and it is adjustable for elevation only, from 25 meters to 100 meters with 25-meter increments. The KKMPi-69 also has folding night sights, similar to ones used with some 7.62x39mm MPi-KM and 5.45x39mm MPi-AK-74 assault rifles. The KKMPi-69 night sights have no illuminated inserts but painted spots for training purposes only.

Handling characteristics resemble those of the full-size Kalashnikov assault rifle. Size is similar and weight is approximately that of the AKM assault rifle. The selective-fire capability is certainly a bizarre feature, and while great fun, it provides no real benefit for military training. It may be there simply because the standard AK has it, or its meaning may have been teaching proper handling, rather than firing techniques.

The KKMPi-69 was test fired with both standard and high velocity ammunition. In semi-automatic fire, the KKMPi-69 worked flawlessly with all types of ammunition. But when switched to full-auto fire, it produced continuous malfunctions, especially with high velocity ammo. On most occasions the ejected case hit on the edge of the ejection port and bounced back inside the receiver, and usually stuck into a corner between barrel extension and top cover. The reason was obvious: the KKMPi-69 has an incorrectly designed ejection port. When the top cover was removed, its operational reliability improved greatly although it was not designed to be used in that way.

There exist several look-a-like .22-rimfire rifles that are designed to resemble the Kalashnikov rifles. The KKMPi-69 is a bit different from these designs. While it is not 100% identical to the Avtomat Kalashnikova, it retains the AK’s firing and handling characteristics. The KKMPi-69 remains a technical curiosity that is very rare, as well. However, the KKMPi-69 is the one and only real .22-rimfire Kalashnikov.

Located in Mesa, AZ, about an hour’s drive from downtown Phoenix, Caswell’s is not a machine gun dealer and does not rent submachine guns, but does allow their use on its modern, eleven lane, 25-meter indoor shooting range. There is also a full-service gunsmith shop on the premises and a complete retail firearm store specializing in defensive firearms and accessories. Caswell’s is an authorized Glock law enforcement distributor, a Wilson Combat and Kimber master dealer and carries such top brands as SIG Arms and Heckler & Koch.

Owned by Kenny Woodward, the business boasts of being the first state-of-the-art indoor shooting range in the Valley area. Built by Caswell Detroit Armor Companies (thus the name used for the store and range) the trap system provides a clean and safe environment for users by capturing spent rounds intact, minimizing air pollution. Each shooting lane has an automated target setting and retrieval system, allowing users to shoot at their own pace and their own pre-determined distances. The backstop can handle any bullet travelling under 2,000 fps.

A unique service offered is that of short and long term firearm storage in a secure, insured and climate-controlled environment. For residents of other areas with restrictive firearm regulations, such as California, keeping a firearm at the Caswell facility, where they can also fire it, might be a viable option. This service is, of course, not available for Class 3 firearms.

Firearm courses are conducted at the range under the moniker of the “Urban Firearms Institute” (UFI). The goal is to provide the most advanced training possible. To this end, instructors continually attend courses at other schools around the country to seek new ideas and teaching methods. There is a staff of nine instructors, and in addition to Caswell’s range, there are two classrooms within the building.

UFI’s instructors are expected to maintain their firearm proficiency skills and increase their knowledge base to allow them to impart to the student instruction from a teacher with a deep knowledge base who won’t just “parrot” what someone has told them is the best method. Their attendance at other schools is thought to give them first-hand experience in employing the techniques they teach. UFI also maintains a low instructor-to-student ratio so every student gets individual attention.

A growing trend is for law enforcement agencies to conduct their training and qualification firing at private ranges. That way the departments avoid some legal liability if they have a private firm (such as UFI) conduct their training. Caswell’s has benefited from this trend as it has provided training for nearly a dozen police and sheriff departments in Arizona and other states.

Course Offerings

Caswells, through UFI, offers a wide range of courses, including the required state course to obtain a concealed weapons permit. This course goes well beyond state requirements to insure graduates learn the concepts of personal protection, justified use of force and gun-handling skills. Students are placed in situations requiring them to make shoot or no-shoot decisions using the facility’s FATS and/or Range 2000 simulators.

More advanced courses include: Tactical Skills Development, which addresses the tactical skills needed to dominate a gunfight. Emphasis is placed on extreme close-range fighting skills, such as movement off the line of force, shooting on the move, and gun retention. Additional topics covered are use of cover, low light shooting and search techniques.

Since most shootings occur at night, the Low Light Force-on-Force class is all about dominating the night environment. Conducted on a darkened range, students are taught the techniques that work and how to adapt them during force-on-force situations and drills.

The Advanced Tactics class has as its goal the advancement of the skills learned in the Tactical Skills Development course to include ground-fighting, one-handed gunhandling, advanced movement skills with multiple threat identification, and extensive force-on-force simulations, both indoors and out. The 20-hours of instruction also include a night-time block of low-light shooting force-on-force and live-fire.

Combined Combatives is a unique course offering divided into 70% of hand-to-hand fighting skills and 30% improvised weapons use to teach students how to survive a fight when a firearm is not available. The class bridges the gap between verbal and shooting confrontations. It develops movement patterns that stem from the startle response into a viable fighting platform, though it is not a martial arts class. Since the program is physical, it includes extensive use of the F.I.S.T. padded, protective suit.

Women’s Personal Protection is a class growing in popularity. Not a watered-down martial arts class for girls, students are promised a 100% no-holds barred experience to not only bolster their self-confidence, but to begin the programming of critical survival skills to allow them to become winners in a violent attack. Exercises include full-power applications of fighting techniques against live “attackers” in F.I.S.T. protective suits and live-fire handgun shooting.

Other courses are Defensive Shotgun, Basic Pistol and Defensive Rifle. The Glock Pistol and AR-15 Rifle classes are 4-hour programs giving hands-on training in detail stripping. Since many students are interested in lowering their ammunition costs, a 4-hour reloading clinic is offered, imparting basic reloading skills.

For more information: Caswell Shooting Range, 856 East Isabella, Mesa, AZ 85204. Tel: (480) 497-5141. FAX: (480) 497-5761. Web site: www.caswells.com.

Machine Gun Kelly’s

Named after the infamous Depression-era kidnapper, George “Machine Gun” Kelly, this storefront retailer has been in business since 1997. Owners Steve and Rick Bond say they do as many as 300 Class 3 transfers yearly.

“We don’t fall in love with this stuff (meaning their gun inventory), we just try to sell it as fast as possible,” Steve Bond says, adding he usually turns over his store’s inventory three times a year. The store does a lot of business with area law enforcement agencies and receives many used law enforcement guns in trades. To promote inventory turnover, pricing is kept reasonable and competitive. About 90% of the Bond’s Class 3 sales are to other dealers.

Interest is not waning in the machine gun field on the part of the shooting public, as it is in other firearm categories. Some Class 3 guns double in value from the time they come into the store’s stock until the transfer papers are approved and the gun is sold. The Bonds say interest in Class 3 firearms is very strong, describing it as a “seller’s market.” The store is also an importer of ammunition and does a fairly brisk trade particularly in imported military calibers.

For those interested in firearms training, Machine Gun Kelley’s offers tactical carbine and handgun classes, combat shotgun, intermediate handgun and the required class for obtaining an Arizona concealed weapons permit.

On a side note, when the brothers are not selling guns, they travel the pro-angler’s circuit, as both are professional bass tournament fisherman. Their father Terry formerly operated Terry’s Wholesale House, a major Smith & Wesson distributor in the Buffalo, New York area for many years.

For more information: Machine Gun Kelly’s, 11801 North 19th Avenue #5, Phoenix, AZ 85029. Tel: (602) 395-9093. FAX: (602) 395-9130.

Machine Gun Ltd.

Machine Gun Ltd. is a part-time dealership established about four years ago in Central Phoenix. Situated within a print shop, owner Randy Myers says he sells about 100 Class 3 guns annually, ranging in price from about $1,000 to $6,000. At the time of the author’s visit, a Reising, a full-auto MK 760, various MAC’s, an M16, M14 and an M2 carbine were in stock, along with several AOW’s. About half of the business’ clients are first-time machine gun buyers.

Since Arizona still offers plenty of outdoor places where one can shoot full-auto, belt fed machineguns tend to sell for higher prices, Myers said.

Myers see clients by appointment only and has a separate sales room within his printing business where he shows his firearm inventory. For more information: Machine Gun Ltd., 14 West Camelback Road, Phoenix, AZ 85013. Tel: (602) 279-9150 FAX: (602) 266-4354.

R.Thomas Spengel

In business since 1976, the jovial Spengel recalls he got into the Class 3 business after meeting the area’s most prolific machine gun dealer, the late J. Curtis Earl and realizing the large potential profit to be made.

Spengel specializes in Colt-manufactured Thompsons and does most of his business with local collectors. His regular clientele supplies him with want lists and he tries to match this up with guns for sale. Most of his customers seek Colt Thompsons with little or no wear or rare guns that saw limited production.

“As long as I can get a gun for my customers at a fair price, they can usually expect the gun to grow in value at about 10% per year at a minimum. Where else can you get a 10% return on your investment and have fun with it at the same time?” Spengel asked.

Spengel usually keeps 45 to 50 guns in stock. At the time of the author’s visit, the inventory included an M60E3, a Spanish Alpha (one of only two such guns in the U.S.), a Thompson submachine gun chambered for 9mm bearing serial number 1 (only 3 such 9mm Thompsons were ever made, according to Spengel), an 8mm Bren Gun (instead of the usual .303 chambering and made for the Bay of Pigs invasion).

Spengel, who did not wish to give out his address, sees customers strictly by appointment in his Scottsdale location. He may be reached by telephone at: (480) 948-0175. He also can be contacted through the following two web sites: www.subuns.com and www.sturmgewehr.com.

Mandall’s Shooting Supplies

Starting his first firearms business in the back of his father’s Brooklyn, New York floor covering store, Martin Mandall has been in the firearms business for over 55 years. He later opened his first retail store, also called “Mandall’s Shooting Supplies,” at 9 New Montrose Avenue in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn. In 1974, Mandall relocated to his present location in Scottsdale, AZ. The store also includes an indoor shooting range.

Situated in the “old town” section of Scottsdale, the store and range are in an upper-income area. Customers often come in at the same time as the United Parcel Service delivery truck. “They are curious to see what goodies came in,” Mandall says fondly. Since many tourists frequent the area, the store promotes itself as offering a “best-in-the-West” selection of firearms, including machine guns.

A store brochure notes, “From the moment battling cops and robbers adopted the ‘Tommy gun’ in the roaring ‘20’s, submachine guns have captured the public’s imagination. Ever since, they have been celebrated as the arm of choice for men of action – paratroopers, commandos, guerillas and Special Forces of every description. One of the finest and most popular submachine guns in the world today is the UZI, a compact dramatically styled arm renowned for its use by the crack Israeli armed forces in combat.

“Mandall’s has the UZI – along with an international selection of automatic arms – ready for you to inspect, fire and enjoy in the safety of our indoor range. Come in and find out for yourself what all the excitement is about.”

Mandall’s usually keeps 50 to 60 machine guns in stock. At the time of the author’s visit, the following guns were for sale: H&K MP5, H&K G3 .308, M-16, Mac 10, MAC 11, Swedish K 9mm, a variety of Thompsons, a B.A.R., several UZI’s, Walther MPL 9mm, Astra 9mm, Stey AUG .223, H&R Reising .45 ACP, Steyr 9mm, AK-47’s, American 180 .22LR, H&K 33 in .223, S&W M-76 9mm, M2 .50 caliber Heavy barrel, Browning M1919 belt-fed, Star Z70 9mm, Sten Mark II and Mark III, both in 9mm, M-2, French MAS, Danish Madsen 9mm, Ruger AC 556, and a Beretta PM12S 9mm.

A large number of the visitors to the range are Japanese tourists. Although Japan essentially bans civilian firearm ownership, a large segment of the Japanese population has a great interest in firearms. The range is composed of five lanes with a maximum distance to target of 25 yards. The basement range is unique in that firing is done inside concrete-reinforced metal tubes with a dirt backstop.

The firing lanes are rated to handle up to .30 caliber, belt-fed machine gun fire. The range was designed and built by Mandall’s son, Michael, who is a designer of bullet-resistant lighting and glass doors for the nuclear energy industry. Range supervision is provided and private instruction is offered. The required 16-hour class for obtaining an Arizona concealed firearms permit is given regularly, as well as combat shooting classes.

Aside from his activities in the sale and rental of sub- and machine guns, Mandall’s is also renowned for having one of the largest general firearm part inventories around. As an example, over 3,000 assorted firearm magazines are kept on hand. In fact, Mandall’s has more money invested in parts, than in complete firearms. So, chances are if you need a part, they will have it.

For more information: Mandall’s Shooting Supplies, 3616 North Scottsdale Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85251. Tel: (480) 945-2553. FAX: (480) 949-0734. Web site: www.mandallshooting.com.

By the time I finally arrived in Vietnam in 1969, I couldn’t have cared less about the nuances of the AK versus the M16A1 with which we were equipped by then, although by that time the stories of the M16’s problems were common knowledge. It was also common knowledge that the enemy’s rifle worked, no matter what. Upon my arrival at HQ, MACV in Saigon, the assignments officer looked over my paperwork and informed me that I was going “up country” to II Corps to MACV Advisory Team 8 as an advisor to the Vietnamese Army. I passed through the standard MACV advisor process, and after gathering all my field gear, the final issue was my rifle, an M16A1. As the armorer handed me the rifle across the table with the receipt for me to sign, he said, “Don’t bet the farm on this thing, “Dai Uy,” Vietnamese for captain, my rank at the time. In short order after my arrival at my advisory team, I was able to obtain a “Swedish K” (Carl Gustav) 9mm SMG as my primary armament along with a World War II Remington M1911A1 as a side arm. I subsequently obtained an M79 40mm grenade launcher as a backup for personal fire support when things went really bad. I never fired a shot in the M16A1 that was issued to me upon my arrival in Vietnam. It sat unfired in a wall locker in my “hooch” until I turned it in when I processed out of Saigon a year after my arrival. I soon came to appreciate the AK, however.

During my tour, I captured several AKs, almost all Chinese Type 56-1 with the folding bayonet. I took one of the best as my personal “toy” and kept it throughout my tour in Vietnam. I had the rifle for about nine months and shot it during infrequent periods of free time when I had nothing else to entertain myself other than get drunk. The rifle’s finish was rough, but kept the exterior more or less free from rust. The furniture was rough plywood finished with varnish of some sort that looked as if it had been applied with a broom. I never once cleaned that rifle. In the humidity of Vietnam and the salt air of the coast, it quickly rusted in a major way! The operating rod rusted solid into the gas tube within a few days after having been fired. I had to kick the charging handle with my boot to free it every time I wanted to shoot the rifle. Yet, once I’d done that, the rifle worked every time! (No – I didn’t store the AK with a round in the chamber!) Also, it was always capable of hitting a man-sized target at 100 yards. It never failed to function and was always “minute of human” accurate. That rifle just wouldn’t quit! There was no comparison between its reliability and that of our M16A1 that required intensive maintenance to keep it running. The AK rifle made a deep and lasting impression on me, but once I left Vietnam, I didn’t have another close encounter with an AK rifle until semiautomatic versions began to arrive in the USA. In the 1980s, semiautomatic AK clones began arriving in the United States, but most eventually fell victim to bans and imports and were later altered with stupid looking “thumbhole stocks” to meet equally stupid BATF regulations. Some importers began adding sufficient US made components to provide rifles with the pistol grip configuration, but almost all imports were made up of used parts in various states of wear. Most of these commercial AKs were pretty much like the Vietnam era Type 56 that I had so many years ago – rough but serviceable. Some of the Chinese guns were better, but they were only imported for a short time before being banned. Accuracy? Not very good, but certainly capable of hitting a human or deer sized target out to 100 yards.

That was the way of legal US AKs until recently when Arsenal USA began manufacturing AKs in Texas. These new AKs have literally introduced a new era for Kalashnikov type rifles in the United States. In a word, Arsenal USA’s AKs are NICE! In fact, they are the best finished such rifles I have ever seen. Moreover, these rifles are made up of brand new, never issued parts and are quite accurate. No, they aren’t match rifles, but the examples that we received for test both grouped 1.5 to 2 inches at 100 yards, depending upon the ammunition we used.

Arsenal begins with new receivers from FEG; a Hungarian firm that exported semiautomatic AKM rifles called the SA-85M until 1997. In fact, the left side of Arsenal’s receivers is so marked. Arsenal places its own markings on the right side of the receiver. These include Arsenal’s model number and serial number. Before Parkerizing, the receivers are finished, polished, cut and ground to ensure reliability and accuracy. The top rail is polished along its entire length. The ejector is trimmed to size. Both ends of the receiver are ground even with the trunnions. The magazine well is cut to size. There are several other operations that Arsenal performs on these rifles to ensure quality and accuracy, but these are the significant ones.

Arsenal USA also offers a close replica of the Hungarian AMD-63 version of the AKM with a forward pistol grip and sheet metal lower handguard. This rifle also uses FEG receivers and new Polish components. We did not evaluate Arsenal USA’s AMD-63 replica rifle, but it is an interesting variant of the AK family that might well be suited to shooters who wish to have something a little different than “run of the mill” AKs. Since the AMD-63 replica is identical to the others except for its handguard and forward handgrip, performance should be similar.

Most other major metal components of the rifles are purchased from the Polish Ministry of Defense. What is significant about these components is that they are brand new, never issued components that have been hand-removed from war reserve Polish PMKM (AK-47) and PMKMS (AKMS) rifles. These rifles were manufactured during the Cold War, test fired, then preserved and set aside in the event that the Cold War got Hot. With the demise of the Warsaw Pact and Poland’s entry into NATO, the rifles were declared surplus. As mentioned, there are two types of rifles now being manufactured by Arsenal using factory new Polish components. Both have the AKM-type “wedge” muzzle brake that helps prevent muzzle rise in full automatic fire. The brake is permanently fixed to the threaded muzzle via a 0.25 inch hole that is welded and then ground flush and polished for cosmetic appearance. Of course, the nefarious bayonet mounting studs are ground off to preclude gangland bayonet charges and “drive-by bayonet attacks” in the streets. Barrels are standard AK, but those of the PMKM were originally screwed into the receiver, rather than the AKM system of pinning the barrel in place. Arsenal USA removes the PMKM barrel threads, then turns the breech end of the barrel down to slight oversize to fit the FEG receivers. It is then pressed into place and pinned.

Fit and finish of these rifles must be seen to be appreciated. The metal parts are finished in a satin black phosphate of uniform color and density. The furniture, save for the pistol grip is of Hungarian elm, steamed for hardness, sanded to a fine surface finish and is a nice light tan color with an attractive grain pattern. The wood is finished with hot wax that penetrates the wood and highlights the grain. Fit of wood to metal parts is of good quality and is on a par with commercial rifles. There is an intentional 1 mm gap between the rear of the receiver and the stock, but this is present to prevent the sheet metal receiver from damaging the edges of the stock in recoil. Recoil is absorbed by a large inner wood piece that is less subject to damage. The Polish metal components are all serial numbered in the European tradition, and all numbers matched on the rifles we received for test. Of course, the receiver serial numbers did not match the other parts, as these were removed from the rifles and replaced by new FEG receivers. The required US manufactured components are the pistol grip, trigger, hammer, disconnector, gas piston and slant muzzle brake. Each rifle is also equipped with a Buffer Technologies recoil buffer as standard equipment – a nice touch. Both rifles are provided with a five round magazine, a sling, a certificate of compliance and a politically correct lock. Despite the fact that a 30 round magazine is not included, both rifles can legally accept high-capacity magazines without modification.

Each Arsenal USA rifle is sighted in to shoot point of aim at 100 meters prior to leaving the factory. Before a rifle is shipped, the final shot must be inside a 0.75 inch central circle at 25 meters. This equates to approximately 1.5 to two inches at 100 meters. If a rifle’s front sight must be moved more than 1 mm in order to meet accuracy standards, it is returned to the plant to have the front sight straightened. This does not result in a “sub minute of angle” rifle, but it must be recalled that these are essentially short barreled military carbines. In that context, their accuracy is as good as any “out of the box” military rifle at 100 meters, including the highly touted M-14 or M-1 Garand in their true military configurations.

Our sole minor complaint regarding these rifles is the standard sling. The sling that accompanies the SSR rifles we received was made of flimsy nylon with a plastic attachment snap and is so narrow that it does not properly fit the sling swivel mounted on the rifle’s buttstock. This sling and its attachment “hardware” are so flimsy that we were reluctant to use it to steady the rifle during testing. We therefore bought two robust East German surplus heavy web slings for approximately a dollar each and replaced the factory slings on both rifles. Although this complaint is a minor one, Arsenal should take notice – a good rifle deserves a decent sling. (Ed Note: Arsenal USA advises that the nylon slings have now been replaced by sturdy canvas items.)

As mentioned, Arsenal produces two SSR rifles. The first rifle is designated the SSR-85B. This rifle is made up using components dismantled from folding stock PMKMS rifles. Naturally, the folding stocks are not available here, so the new rifles are made up using fixed stocks. It should be noted that neither of these rifles is cut apart; both are dismantled by hand to avoid damage. The second rifle is designated SSR-85C. This rifle is made up using components removed from Polish PMK AK-47 type rifles. The differences between the two rifles as manufactured by Arsenal are minor, but noticeable to the trained eye. In fact, the choice between the two is purely one of aesthetics, as both SSR-85 variants are functionally identical.

The differences between the two are:

SSR85B
AKM type front sight
AKM type gas tube
AKM type dust cover
Phosphated bolt

SSR85C
AK47 type front sight
AK47 type gas tube
AK47 type dust cover
Plain bolt

We tested each rifle using Wolf Ammunition made by Tula Ammunition Plant in Russia. We conducted our test firing at 100 yards using both jacketed hollow point (JHP) and full metal jacket (FMJ) ammunition. Our three round group sizes from both rifles were approximately 1.75 inches with the hollow point ammunition and just less than two inches using the FMJ. Functioning of both rifles was flawless, regardless of the ammunition we used. We feel obliged to mention that the Tula ammunition imported by Wolf works well in these rifles, gives good accuracy, and is so inexpensive that several domestic manufacturers have all but ceased production of 7.62x39mm FMJ cartridges. The CEO of one major manufacturer told me that he was no longer producing ammo in this caliber at all because 7.62mm bullets cost him more than Wolf’s retail price for its cartridges! Like most AKs, these rifles are great fun to shoot, but their accuracy is better than we have come to expect from an AK-type rifle. After our formal testing for group sizes, we set up clay pigeons on the range berm and shot them using the Arsenal rifles. Breaking clay pigeons at 100 yards with these rifles was easy and fun because of their inherent light recoil and accuracy! They are both so accurate and ammunition so inexpensive that plinking with the rifles is within the budget of virtually everyone. Moreover, pre-ban high capacity magazines are currently plentiful and likewise inexpensive.

Handling of both rifles is about what one would expect from any AK. They are short and extremely handy. With five round magazines, they are excellent deer rifles. The length of pull is identical to all other AK-type rifles I have ever encountered – on the short side. The single stage trigger pull of both rifles was again typical Kalashnikov in that both had a LOT of take-up, but both triggers broke cleanly at four pounds with only a slight bit of overtravel. Arsenal USA informs us that the trigger of each rifle is hand fitted and that every production SSR has the same quality trigger pull as our test rifles. Disassembly and assembly is typical AK – straightforward and easy. What makes these rifles different is their high quality, coupled with value.

We make no bones about it – we like these rifles. They are accurate, fun, simple and inexpensive to purchase and to operate. Given the price of the rifles, the present availability of ammunition and high capacity magazines, we believe that Arsenal’s SSR rifles are a bargain that is hard to beat. Our only (minor) complaint is the unworthy sling, which is now being replaced.

What does the future hold? Arsenal has hired Mr. Ivan Kolev, formerly chief engineer and designer at Arsenal (Bulgaria), one of the world’s major manufacturers of Kalashnikov type small arms. Mr. Kolev holds the equivalent of a master’s degree from Tula Institute in Russia and is one of the worlds acknowledged experts in AK design. Mr. Kolev’s presence is one of the reasons that Arsenal USA’s rifles are so good – he knows the production of these rifles as nobody in this country possibly can! Mr. Kolev also used his connections in Bulgaria to acquire production tooling that is unavailable to any other domestic producer of AK type rifles. He will also be making improvements to the basic design to meet American requirements. For the immediate future, Mr. Kolev has designed a new receiver for Arsenal USA’s rifles. This new receiver has 1.6mm thick walls and once arrangements are made for stamping equipment, it will be produced here. This receiver is notable for being stronger than the forged steel AK-47 type, albeit with the low production cost of the AKM stamped receiver. Arsenal USA is already making what are arguably the best semiautomatic Kalashnikov type rifles ever available in this country, and if appearances are any indication, the company is only going to improve.

Arsenal USA, LLC
7311 Galveston Rd., Suite 260
Houston, TX 77034
Tel: (713) 944-3351
Fax: (713) 944-3581
www.globaltrades.com

Wolf Performance Ammunition
2201 E. Winston Rd., Suite K
Anaheim, CA 92806
Tel: (714) 635-4246
Fax: (714) 635-9276
www.wolfammo.com

Part One: The Interview

SAR: How did you get started in this business, Joe?

Joe: It started when I was living in Florida in the early 1990’s, where I had been working for an engineering firm for several years and career-wise getting nowhere. I resigned my position with the firm and moved to Jacksonville at the request of a friend. While first in Jacksonville, I was interviewing with several engineering firms. During this same time period, I met a guy named Joe Moody, who was a long time friend of Reed Knight. After Joe found out I was a mechanical engineer, and knew Reed was looking for one, he arranged an interview for me at Knight’s. I interviewed with Reed and Doug Olson, and they hired me. Reed deemed this initial time of employment as a “dating period” and allowed me to live in the onsite trailer for several months. I worked typically 10 to 14 hours per day at a computer station using an Autocad design program. While at Knight’s, I found the work very interesting and was able to meet and work with many talented people. I was exposed to a variety of special projects that included suppressors such as the KAC QD M-16 can. The redundancy latch on this suppressor is one of my designs. Although very interested in designing items for use in the Spec Ops community, I eventually grew tired of being chained to the computer and decided to go out on my own.

At about the same time I met John Weaver, who was working in his small shop as JRW Sports. He showed me that one guy could make a living doing this. I decided to follow his lead, relocate back to Augusta, GA and thus SWR was born.

SAR: Do you have formal training as a welder or machinist?

Joe: No, unfortunately these are crafts that are not taught in engineering school. That experience was gained while working for an emergency services engineering company based in Atlanta. During my seven years with the engineering firm, my job was to travel nationally to fossil fuel, nuclear, and chemical plants, where we sealed their on-line leaks. I went on site and designed mechanical band-aids and seals. After design and drafting, I would then take my prints into a machine shop and work with machinists and welders to build what I needed to repair the problems. These were custom made assemblies, and I was able to observe how each one was fabricated. This experience gave me the ability to machine and weld the products we make here at SWR.

SAR: What were some of the first products that you produced with your new company?

Joe: Poorly built .22 cans (laughing). Honestly, I started out with an old Craftsman lathe donated to me by a friend of mine. We were making cans with stamped steel cone baffles. We did improve rapidly, and gained immediate popularity once we began innovating new ideas into our suppressors. We entered the market at a good time period. When I started SWR, Jonathan Ciener was getting out of the .22 suppressor market and we were there to fill this void. Back then the major players included: AWC Systems Technology, Reed Knight (mostly military sales), and Gemtech, which was just forming. We got into the market at a time that was perfect for us.

I worked together with John Weaver during SWR’s early years. John had been making suppressors for a number of years, and we gave each other a lot of help. We would often bounce ideas off of each other, and in the process became very good friends. We both soon realized that in order to stay competitive we needed to be unique. My main goal after leaving Knight’s Armament was to not replicate anything I’d seen there. I decided to develop completely new baffle designs rather than depend on a variation of what was preexisting. After three to four years of testing and evaluating, we gained a very firm grasp of what would and wouldn’t work in a firearm suppressor. Most of the data that had been gathered up to that point was empirical, at best. It was like voodoo or black magic…. what you thought would work, wouldn’t and vice versa. Not really knowing what else was out there, I had the opportunity to have Kevin Brittingham and Mike Smith from Atlanta visit and bring the Gemtech line of suppressors which Kevin’s company was a distributor for at the time. Up to that point, I thought we were doing pretty well. However, when I heard the Gemtech gear, I was amazed, and knew this was some top-notch stuff. I didn’t know the history of how, why, who, or where it was designed, I just knew that it was quiet. It was recognizably quieter than a lot of what we had done to date. This experience gave me the drive to seek out and act further.

We knew the theory and I knew what the problems were with many of the older suppressor designs. While many people thought the answer was sheer volume, thinking the bigger you made it the more gas it will trap, I realized that a new baffle design was needed. At this time, there was a downsizing trend in the industry. Everyone was looking for smaller, lighter, and quieter. There were limitations at this time to what could be done with existing baffle technology. (Laughing) At that point, I didn’t know the difference between a “K” baffle and a “M” baffle. All the terminology used by the larger manufacturers in the industry was a mystery to me. I had no idea what baffle type Gemtech or any of the other manufacturers used in their cans. All I knew was what I had previously seen at Knight’s Armament. I’ve never been the type of person to get somebody else’s can and open it up to see what was inside. That didn’t interest me. Over the years, after talking with other designers such as Greg Latka, Phil Dater and Doug Olson, I began to comprehend their approach to modern suppressor design. I was finally able to design a new baffle based on this understanding. This is what I consider a new approach to an old design. I’m sure if you go back through all the firearm suppressor patents, there may be something similar, but I am using the right combination of all the other ideas out there, mixed with new. I have described our baffle as the anti-K baffle. It is 180 degrees opposite of what the K baffle is and yet in most applications exceeds the K baffle’s performance.

We designed and built our first prototypes and then began sound meter tests. We soon discovered that we were obtaining decibel reduction results that few of the other manufacturers were getting to at the time. This intrigued me, our new baffle design was showing amazing promise, and in the long run only needed minor refinement for vast improvement. Through trial and error we were able to determine crucial parameters such as baffle orientation, porting depths, porting angles, baffle spacing, and expansion chamber dimensions for various calibers. We succeeded with the optimal baffle design that would work well in almost every caliber we tried it in.

We now have a dry environment suppressor in a relatively small package yielding sound reductions that have never before been achieved by anyone else in the business. We are very proud that we have come up with something that we feel is unique, that in some cases is actually performing ten to fifteen decibels better than what’s previously been available on the market. I’m not trying to take anything away from anybody else, I’m just saying that we did our homework, it paid off, and we built a better mousetrap. Who knows, maybe next week somebody might better what we have done, but in the meantime, we will continue to improve what we are doing.

SAR: Scott, what role do you play at SWR?

Scott: I was hired for technical sales. I am the one that greets you with a smiling face and performs physical demonstrations of our suppressors. Secondarily, I assist Joe in the various stages of manufacturing and assembly in the shop when not on the road.

SAR: What sales tools do you utilize on the road?

Scott: My standard sales point is that I will meet you anywhere at anytime and compare our products to what you currently use. And if you don’t like what you see, I will go away.

SAR: Have you ever been taken up on this and asked to leave?

Scott: (Laughing) Let’s put it this way. To date, I have been received like the Good Humor man on a hot summer day. These suppressors speak for themselves.

SAR: What are some of your current models?

Joe: The mainstay of our business has been the integrally suppressed .22 line. These include the Ruger Mark II pistols, 22/45 pistols, and the 10/22 rifles to name a few. These seem to be the most popular because the typical person buying a suppresser is not buying one to put it on a submachine gun. These are individuals who might want to shoot a rodent in their yard, or take their sons or daughters out to the range to shoot a small, inexpensive caliber without a lot of noise. By far, the last four or five years the Rugers have been our mainstay.

We are at the point where we are using a longer barrel and a shorter tube in our integral units than other manufacturers are. We’re using our new baffle design in what we call the Omega series of suppressors. We have gotten some extremely good numbers with this series. While there are others in the market that are building longer cans with shorter barrels that will yield low numbers, we are very satisfied with the fact that we are meeting and beating many of the results obtained at the most recent Suppresser Trials. Our accuracy is better than excellent. We have one target on the wall in our shop from a local SWAT team using our integrally suppressed Mark II’s. This target that was shot with 10 rounds of CCI Mini-Mags at twenty-five yards off of a bag rest resulted in a dime-sized group. These types of results have shown to be typical of our suppressors. Shot groups from another recent testing were incredible.

SAR: Are your integrally suppressed weapons designed to be used with a certain type of ammunition?

Joe: Yes, they are. Most integral suppressors including ours use a ported barrel. The reason for the porting is to reduce bullet velocity to subsonic levels. Our integral units are designed to be used with high velocity .22LR ammunition. We have a preference for CCI Mini-Mags and Remington High Velocity ammunition. Both of these cartridges utilize a copper washed bullet that goes a long way to reduce lead fouling. Using already subsonic ammunition in a ported barrel is simply pointless. We have found that high velocity ammunition in our integral suppressors are performing optimally for both sound suppression and accuracy and at velocities that are more than adequate for any possible scenario.

SAR: What other models are also in the Omega line?

Joe: The Omega line consists of the .22’s, the 9mm pistol cans, a newly designed Glock suppressor, both 9mm and .40 caliber, our submachine gun suppressors, & our .30 caliber can which is attracting a lot of attention by the Spec Ops community. Our entire line is yielding sound reductions never before achieved by anyone in the business. We are currently in development of our new .223 suppressor. As a registered contractor with the Navy at Crane Naval Warfare Center, we are developing this suppressor in support of NAVSEA’s recent request for their SOPMOD program.

The market trend has been to make six or seven inch long .223 cans that yield 28 to 32 decibel sound reductions. What we are looking to put out is a unit that performs that well or better, but it will have excellent accuracy, as to not change the point of impact when the suppresser is mounted. Some suppressors currently available change the bullet point of impact by up to eight inches because of a shift in the barrel harmonics, or because the baffles used cause the bullets to yaw. Current design emphasis is focusing not only on sound reduction, but longevity, durability, and the ability of the weapon to not exceed a predetermined accuracy deviation while deployed with a suppressor. Our current .308 can exceeds these criteria. One example being a local SWAT team marksman deploying our new .308 suppressor on a Savage tactical rifle (with a twenty-four inch barrel) and shooting a smaller group size with our can than without. Shot Groups from a recent testing were incredible.

SAR: Can you give us any specifics on the .223 can you are developing?

Joe: It is six inches in length, with decibel reduction in the mid thirties. We are shooting for 36dB reduction and are very close. Most six inch cans on the market today are yielding reductions from the mid twenties to the low thirties. I want my can to achieve mid thirties performance with the longevity and durability required to withstand full auto fire. With the advent of the Beta C mag and the weekend shooter, we are not really interested in marketing a .223 suppressor to the civilian market. This is not because we don’t want people to have our suppressor, we just don’t want to end up rebuilding a high number of them due to abuse. The Beta C mag is a .223 can killer. The heat and pressure that a .223 round generates will destroy any good can after an appreciable amount of rounds of consecutive full auto fire. Once a suppressor leaves our shop we have no control over its use or misuse. Presently there are several good .223 cans being sold on the civilian market, and we don’t want to compete in that market for the reason already mentioned. We would like to move more into the military market. At that point, we would probably sell contract overruns on the civilian market, as Knight’s Armament has done.

SAR: What kind of mounting system would you use on the .223 can?

Joe: There are currently some quick detach .223 cans on the market. These cans provide good sound suppression, with what appears to be excellent mounting systems. Unfortunately, because of the high-pressure environment, there is a great deal of blow back and carbon build up. After a certain amount of rounds and any type of neglect, the suppressor will seize on the flash hider mount. The down side of the quick mount is that without proper maintenance there will be problems. Of all the quick detach mounts currently available, the Gemtech Bi-Lock unit is our favorite.

When it comes to thread mounts, there has been some talk that left hand threads are superior to right hand threads. This is explained because the gases flowing through a right hand twist barrel tend to unscrew the suppressor from the barrel since the gases are traveling in the same rotational direction as to loosen the suppressor. I do not believe that this is true. It is simply pressure and vibration, and has nothing to do with the fact that the gases are coming out swirling in such a way that it’s imparting a spin on the can or baffle system. That’s just simply bologna! If you’ll look at the Navy SEALs and similar organizations, they do not use a lot of quick detach cans. I’m not sure of the exact reason for this, but even from the days when the Navy first adopted the MP5, they requested that its barrel have a thread mount in front of the three lug. These operators use these weapons everyday in the real world and stake their lives on the reliability of their gear. I have to believe that they would request the best possible mounting system available and if threads are what they require, then you have to pay attention to that. Until something better comes along, other than for pistol caliber suppressors, we are going to stick with the thread mount.

SAR: What’s in the future for SWR.

Joe: Well, as we continue to get attention from the military community as we have recently, our customer base will increase. We’ve met some of the right people in the Spec Ops community, and they’re starting to take notice of what we’ve shown them. We have done several demonstrations for large audiences of SOCOM personnel, and unlike showing up at NDIA or some of the other industry trade shows, we’ve met these people in other areas and performed personal demonstrations for them. What we are doing has convinced them that our products are an improvement over what they currently have at their disposal. Not only a big improvement in sound reductions and durability, but accuracy. Our future hopefully lies in increased military sales and government contracts. As we are designing military products, we are pushing hard to develop new and innovative suppressors for both the military / law enforcement and civilian markets. We’re not going to get to the point one day where we’re going to thumb our nose at the civilian market. The civilians in this country who are legally able to obtain suppressors are the ones who made our company a success. Our message to these customers is thank you very much for your continued support!

There are a lot of new manufacturers popping up who are selling average suppressors for a very low price. We are not out to overcharge for our products, but there are a lot of research and development costs in both time and money behind them. For us to sell a suppressor for $150 and stay in business is impossible. Many of the new manufacturers in this market are able to sell suppressors in this price range because of virtually no overhead and little or no R & D costs. The biggest thing that we want to continue to do is to innovate rather than rehash someone else’s designs. A lot of pride goes into this work, and we want to always maintain integrity in the marketplace. There has been a lot of cloning and copying of existing suppressor designs in recent years, and whether they’re original or not is beside the point. If somebody puts in five or ten years of hard work, we are not the type of company that would copy it and market it under another name and a lower price claiming that it’s better or refined. We are offering what we know to be original, in-house designed suppressors.

SAR: What are some of the custom suppressors that are available from SWR?

Joe: We continue to offer our High Standard HD military replica suppressed pistol. It looks the same on the outside, but it has a fully updated & modern internal baffle stack. We are using all CNC manufactured components in these as in all of our suppressors. We originally started our business as a custom suppressor shop. We are now at the point where we are more of a production suppressor shop. We have a set amount of different models and series of suppressors. We have moved from being solely a small customer oriented business doing strictly custom work to a business geared up for production. We will continue to take in custom work as time permits, but customers need to be patient when requesting this type of work. As my friend, Joe Moody, is fond of saying, “If you go to the best restaurant in town and there’s no waiting line, then you’re not at the best restaurant in town.” Terry Dyer’s HK work is another example of this. He is backed up sometimes two or three years on his work. We are not the biggest, and we’re not saying we’re the best, but we feel that if we’re behind in production, any delay you may experience will soon be forgotten when you receive your new SWR suppressor. We care about our customers and we want them to be happy. We have an unconditional guarantee, “You break it, we fix it.” We don’t say that we have a lifetime guarantee, because nobody really knows what the future may have in store for us, but as long as SWR is in existence all of our suppressors are 100% guaranteed for replacement or rebuilding.

Other custom suppressors that we have manufactured include integrally suppressed Swedish K’s, Smith and Wesson 76’s, integrally suppressed Colt 9mm uppers, HK MP5 SD’s, replacement cans for some of the HK machine guns, Browning take down .22 rifle suppressors, Anschutz rifle suppressors, Browning Buckmark suppressors, and a few Colt .22 suppressors. What we’re trying to concentrate on now is a specific line of suppressors and to build what we know, and know that what we’re building is the best.

SAR: How do you address the size issue of your suppressors, since there are smaller suppressors on the market?

Joe: There’s been a lot of talk about this issue. I’ve heard some of my competitors say, “You might be doing forty decibels of reduction dry, but ours are smaller.” Well, if yours are smaller and doing thirty, and ours is a little bit bigger and doing forty, we respond that we are not in a race to build the world’s smallest suppressors. Our approach is to build the absolute quietest “dry” suppressors possible. We may not have the packaging and marketing emphasis that others do, but I can boldly say we have the quietest suppressors available bar none.

SAR: I have noticed that none of your suppressors are designed to be shot wet. Why is this?

Joe: During the last two years of R & D of our Omega baffle, one of our goals was to design a baffle system that would eliminate the need for an artificial medium. Face it, water and grease equal mess! A suppressor that performs dramatically better using an artificial medium is less than optimized. In fact, using water or grease is nothing more than a crutch! Our baffle design is at the point that water or grease yields little or no improvement in sound reduction.

SAR: How are your products distributed?

Joe: We prefer to distribute our products through a network of dealers. We have quite a following of good, loyal dealers throughout the country. We haven’t covered every state and region, but we have a number of extremely professional dealers that we appreciate greatly. It’s kind of like the Hair Club for Men, these guys not only sell our products, they swear by them. I will always take the time to answer someone’s questions about our products, but I will leave retail pricing issues to an individual’s local dealer. We don’t have specific territories, but we do try to protect the dealers that we have.

SAR: Scott, tell us about your trips to Blackwater.

Scott: Joe and I were both invited up to the Blackwater Training Center in Moyock, North Carolina late last year to do a demonstration. Lt. Colonel Chandler, who owns Iron Brigade Armory, is a retired Marine officer, and builds possibly the finest bolt action sniper precision rifle in the world. Colonel Chandler was especially interested in our new .308 Omega rifle suppressor. All of the instructors at Blackwater are long time military personnel and familiar with many of the suppressors available, having used them on various missions. After the initial introductions, they accepted us as if we were long lost friends. We set up for the demonstration and Colonel Chandler fired the first round, and said, “***Damn!” He was impressed not only with the suppression, but also the fact that there was very little, if any, point of impact shift, with or without the suppressor. Other suppressor manufacturers have demonstrated their suppressors at Blackwater, but according to the instructors we spoke with, they were somewhat disappointed in the shot dispersion with these competitor’s products. Affirmation from a group that builds their own quality product and who have used suppressors in the tactical world made the long hours and the hard work worth the effort.

My most recent visit to Blackwater at the request of some special units brought me once again into a rigorous testing environment. The folks I demonstrated for had all their ducks in a row and had several marksmen available to test our Omega suppressors in a multitude of scenarios. The testing data was recorded on both video and computer medium. All I can say is that the accuracy results amazed everyone present. The sound suppression levels, even in metal-framed tactical shoot houses, had them in awe.

Joe: The basic problem with other manufacturer’s products is that most lack real military design and manufacturing experience. While I was at Knight’s Armament, I gained a lot of this knowledge. I learned from, and worked hand in hand with, those people who had a great understanding of what the real world operators are looking for. I also learned to respect confidentiality and to protect end user identity. That’s the approach we used when we designed our .308 can. We did not design this suppressor with the civilian market in mind. That has given us an advantage in designing and building the tools that our Spec Ops community really wants. What we’re designing are firearm suppressors that can be used with great results in an operational environment. Much of the knowledge we gain designing for the military is then used to better our civilian products.

SAR: What equipment and facilities do you have available at SWR?

Joe: First off, our shop here has gone from a small manufacturing shop to a much larger shop in a short amount of time. We presently own two CNC machines, both of them being turning centers. The first is a Miltronics ML-15 two axis lathe, and the newest machine is a Colchester 60 degree slant bed, live tooling turning center. What we have been doing for the last year is outsourcing a lot of our CNC work to some of the other shops, which are licensed and able to make suppressor components. Although they do an exemplary job in their machining, the cost of not only designing, but also procuring all these parts is immense.

Our machine shop also includes two Bridgeport mills, two Clausing lathes, an Atlas lathe, numerous welding and metal fabrication pieces, bead blasting cabinets and air compressors. Everything is built in house. We still have old world pride in workmanship, but everything is built on modern equipment.

SAR: What materials do you utilize in your suppressor manufacturing?

Joe: The materials we’re working with are primarily stainless steel/Inconel and aerospace grade aluminum. For years, our suppressors were entirely stainless steel or chrome moly. Now we are moving over to a mixture of different alloys and different heat treatments. We do not make titanium cans because of the special tooling required, and the fact that they do not hold up well in a high pressure, high temperature environment. Our high power rifle cans are machined, assembled, structurally welded, and permanently sealed. Although designed primarily for bolt action rifles, our suppressors will survive full auto environments. We have tested one of our suppressors with up to three hundred rounds of continuous firing through an M60 machine gun. The new pistol cans, submachine gun cans, and the new .22 thread mount cans are aluminum other than some stainless steel components, including the threaded end cap. Our suppressors are not designed for customer disassembly and are permanently sealed. The design includes cross-porting and waste porting in our baffles to allow pressure to flow freely through our suppressors. One of the key designs for our new baffle is not to dead end the gas causing carbon deposits, but to expand and cool the gases and allow them to exit freely.

On our Glock can, we have come to the conclusion that the only way we’re going to get a high efficiency suppressor to cycle the weapon is to use a Nielson device. Therefore, on our Browning action handgun suppressors we use an internal recoil booster which can be easily disassembled from the rear for periodic cleaning, and if necessary spring replacement or changes. We call our Glock suppressor the GSG-9, after the West German anti-terrorist group, which helped convince us to incorporate the Nielson device to reliably cycle all variations of Glock pistols. Rumor of our new Glock suppressor with 40 dB reduction dry has more than peaked an interest.

SAR: What are the specifics on your .22 LR muzzle cans?

Joe: We are now offering three versions of a very small thread mount can which is under five inches in length. Materials include aluminum, stainless steel and parkerized chrome moly steel. Our new muzzle cans are 4.85 inches and weigh as little as three ounces. These are all dry environment suppressors with performance that exceeds all .22 suppressors available on the market today.

SAR: The engraving on your suppressors is some of the finest I’ve ever seen. How do you accomplish this?

Joe: We have a small CNC mill, which is run by an IBM Pentium laptop computer. This little powerhouse does a good job for us. It engraves to a depth that exceeds BATF requirements. (Dan’s note: this is critical, because we have observed a number of manufacturers utilizing inexpensive laser engraving techniques that simply work the surface, and while the result is pretty, the legal qualifications are not being met. As of January 1, 2002, ATF will be rigorously examining the products.)

SAR: What did you think of our sound testing results?

Joe: As you know we just completed a rigorous two days of testing using a Bruel and Kjaer model 2209 sound pressure meter in accordance with MIL-STD-1474C . We tested a vast array of not only our suppressors but many of the current offerings from the top suppressor manufacturers in the country. This was the first time I was afforded the opportunity to directly compare our offerings to those of our competitors. Although previous testing on our part has resulted in higher reduction results from our products, we felt that the results of the two days were an accurate reflection of the Omega series. For example, as you witnessed, our 9MM Omega pistol suppressor metered 12 dB’s quieter than our closest competitors. Although we fell short of previously obtained results, we still exceeded the sound level reductions of all of our competitor’s offerings that we tested.

SAR: I agree Joe. The sound meter testing results were very impressive, and they will be tabulated and recorded on charts. Thanks for giving SAR the opportunity to be the first to witness the new Omega series of suppressors.

Joe: You are very welcome. I appreciate the chance to compare my suppressors with many the others out there and show the high level of performance of SWR’s Omega line.

Part Two: Sound Meter Testing Results

The sound testing equipment was provided by SWR. The procedures used follow the specific testing protocol outlined in Al Paulson’s Volume One, Silencer History and Performance. A Bruel and Kjaer Type 2209 Impulse Precision Sound Pressure Meter, set on “A” weighting and peak hold was used with a B&K Type 4136 1/4-inch condenser microphone. The meter was calibrated using a B&K 4230 calibrator prior to the tests. The microphone was placed one meter away from the front of the suppressor or muzzle. The microphone was pointed straight up oriented at a 90-degree angle from the bullet flight path. The weapons were fired 1.6 meters high over grass. Velocity data was obtained using a P.A.C.T Mark 4 chronograph with sky screens set 24 inches apart and the start screen eight feet from the muzzle. These are the same procedures I have followed hundreds of times shooting for SAR at the Suppressor Trials.

The ammunition used is all commercially available and contact data for manufacturers of the subsonic ammunition is provided at the end of this article. Ten shot strings were recorded for each weapon and the average reading obtained is provided in the tables.

The 9mm pistol cans were the most impressive to me of all the suppressors tested. I brought several competitors suppressors to test fire for comparison with the SWR cans. The SWR Omega PC can mounted on a Beretta 92 achieved a net sound reduction dry of 37.7 decibels with Alabama Ammo 147 grain ammunition and 35.5 decibels with A-Zone 147 grain ammunition. The closest competitor’s cans tested achieved a 26.4 decibel reduction dry with the Alabama Ammo and a 25.7 decibel reduction with the A-Zone ammo. The SWR Glock GSG-9 suppressor was even more impressive as it achieved a reduction of 38.4 decibels shot dry with the Alabama Ammo subsonic and 38.2 with the A-Zone subsonic ammunition. The closest competitor’s can was over 12 decibels louder using the same ammunition. This difference is amazing and shows the superiority of the Omega baffle designed by SWR for dry suppression. I even shot the competitor’s cans wet and they still could not match the sound reduction of the SWR cans shot dry. The Omega 3 lug can shot on the HK MP5 performed well in our tests. The can achieved a 32 dB reduction compared to a 25-30 dB reduction by the competitor’s cans evaluated.

The Omega .22 cans performed very well in our tests. The Omega muzzle can mounted on a Beretta 87 achieved a 39.7 dB reduction using Remington subsonic ammunition. The competitor’s cans ranged from 36.1 to 37.9 dB reduction when tested with the same ammunition. The SWR 10/22 integrally suppressed rifle achieved a 30 dB reduction with both CCI Mini-Mag and Remington High Velocity ammunition. The closest competitor’s 10/22 can tested achieved a 28 dB reduction. The SWR integrally suppressed Ruger MK II pistol achieved a net sound reduction of 41.9 dB with Remington High Velocity ammunition and 42.6 dB reduction with CCI Mini-Mag ammunition. The competitor’s cans tested with Remington High Velocity ranged from 31.5 to 40 dB sound reduction and 32.2 to 38.6 dB reduction when shot with CCI Mini-Mag ammunition.

The Omega .308 suppressor was shot using supersonic Black Hills 168 grain match ammunition which yielded a 33.6 dB reduction and EBR subsonic 180 grain ammunition which yielded a 34 dB reduction. Shortly before this article went to press, Joe called and said that his latest .308 can tested at Blackwater yielded a 36 dB reduction using supersonic ammunition.

This article was written to share the history of SWR with our readers and to illustrate how the SWR line of suppressors performs. The accompanying charts provide detailed information for the testing of each SWR suppressor. Through this testing it can be seen that the SWR line achieves maximum suppression for dry technology suppressors. It was not intended to provide detailed information on all the suppressors available on the market today. For an in-depth evaluation of other manufacturer’s offerings, purchase the SAR Suppressor Trials book that is being published in the near future.

Contact Information for Subsonic Ammunition Manufacturers:

A-Zone Ammunition
1340 Deer path Drive
Osteen, FL 32764
(407) 330-7768
www.azoneammo.com
sandrodiaz@mindspring.com

Brad Galloway
(designer of Alabama Ammo Subsonic)
Custom-K
1601-C Highland Ave
Montgomery, AL 36104
bgall@knology.net

Alabama Shooter Supply Inc.
(current loader of AL Ammo Subsonic)
19505 Al Hwy 24
Moulton, AL 35650-7364
(256) 974-3504

Black Hills Ammunition
P. O. Box 3090
Rapid City, SD 57709-3090
(605) 348-5150
www.black-hills.com

Engel Ballistic Research, Inc.
544A Alum Creek Road
Smithville, TX 78957
(512) 360-5327
engelbr@swbell.net

This article is a basic guide on how to identify a particular model and manufacturer of a Thompson Submachine Gun. More detailed information on each variation of these guns will be forthcoming in future articles.

The Thompson Submachine Gun is probably one of the most recognized submachine guns in the world. Even non-enthusiasts are familiar the Thompson. There is however, a lot of confusion on actual manufacturers and other aspects of the guns, especially when the Auto-Ordnance name is mentioned. Adding to the confusion are the more recently manufactured full-auto Thompson guns that were produced by the modern Auto-Ordnance Corporation formerly of West Hurley, New York.

Former U.S. Army Ordnance officer John T. Thompson formed the original Auto-Ordnance Corporation in 1916 with the intent of developing a semi-automatic military rifle dubbed the Auto-Rifle. Work soon shifted to a one-man portable .45 ACP caliber machine gun, that was to become the famous Thompson Submachine Gun. While the famous submachine gun bears Thompson’s name, the weapon was actually designed by Oscar Payne, an employee of Auto-Ordnance. Auto-Ordnance’s Chief engineer, Theodore Eickoff, with the help of his staff, perfected the design into a working weapon. However, without the foresight and fortitude of John Thompson the gun would never have been conceived. The original Auto-Ordnance Corporation was simply a research and development organization, which had no manufacturing facilitates. The Warner and Swasey Company of Cleveland, Ohio manufactured all of the prototype weapons for the Auto-Ordnance Corporation. After a final production model was ready, the manufacture of the weapon was subcontracted out to Colt.

The Colt Thompsons

The very first production Thompsons were manufactured by Colt’s Patent Fire Arms Company of Hartford, Connecticut under contract with Auto-Ordnance from 1921 to 1922. These guns all have the Auto-Ordnance Corporation name and their New York, USA address roll-marked on the right side of the receiver. Also marked on the right side of the receiver near the center, are the patent dates of the Thompson. Early Colt guns have nine patent dates, while later manufacture Colt guns have three additional 1922 dates added. The left rear side of the receiver was marked to announce that Colt’s Patent Fire Arms Co. manufactured the gun, and the .45 ACP caliber of the gun (spelled calibre). The top of the receiver was marked with Auto-Ordnance’s “bullet” logo. Very early manufacture Colt guns under serial number 5000 used a bullet with the name AUT-ORD-CO inside of it. Subsequent receivers were marked with a narrower .30 caliber style bullet, which is often mistaken for an arrowhead, with the name THOMPSON inside of it written in script lettering.

The model designation MODEL OF 1921 was marked on the left side at the center of the receiver. The serial number of the Colt Thompsons was stamped on the left side of the receiver as well as on the trigger frame. Some Colt guns had an additional serial number marked on the receiver under the grip mount. Most Colt guns were inspected and stamped with the initials JHB of John H. Barrett. There were several variations of the Colt Thompson, but all were made from existing 1921 Models, conceived after the initial production run had ended. The “new” models were introduced by Auto-Ordnance in an attempt to generate new interest and increase sales of the guns.

Because of lagging sales Auto-Ordnance introduced a semi-automatic-only version in 1927. The 1927 model was made by the conversion of existing 1921 model guns. Aptly named as the Model of 1927, there were some internal modifications made to eliminate the weapon’s full-automatic operation. The original SUBMACHINE GUN markings were neatly milled off of the gun and replaced with THOMPSON SEMI-AUTOMATIC CARBINE. The words “full auto” were also milled off of the selector markings.

Another variation was the 1928 Navy Model. These were 1921 models that were internally modified to lower the cyclic rate. The Navy guns had the numeral 1 in 1921 over stamped with an 8, and the nomenclature “US NAVY” added above the model designation. The “US NAVY” stamp was usually struck noticeably lighter than the other markings on the receiver. Many of the US NAVY marked guns were used for commercial sales.

World War II

In 1939 the Auto-Ordnance Corporation, now under the control of Russell Maguire, contracted with the Savage Arms Company of Utica, New York to manufacture the Model of 1928 “Like the one illustrated in Auto-Ordnance’s 1936 catalog”. Auto-Ordnance received its first contracts for the Thompson from France and Great Britain. These countries purchased the weapons directly from Auto-Ordnance with no U.S. government involvement. The first Savage manufactured Thompsons were delivered in April of 1940.

The Savage Model of 1928

The contract between Auto-Ordnance and Savage specifically stated that Savage was not to place their name on the Thompsons they manufactured. The early Savage manufactured receivers had Auto-Ordnance’s corporate name and New York, NY address roll-marked on the right side at the rear of the receiver, while the weapon’s thirteen patent numbers* were located at the center of the receiver’s right side. After A-O moved their operation to Connecticut the marking dies were changed to their new Bridgeport address. The Bridgeport address was located at the center of the receiver’s right side, and the patent numbers were moved to the rear of the right side. To date, the highest serial number 1928 model documented with Auto-Ordnance’s New York address has been S-75115, while the lowest serial number 1928 model recorded with a Bridgeport address has been S-83818. Somewhere in-between those two serial numbers the dies were changed to reflect the Bridgeport address of Auto-Ordnance. In addition to the receiver number, a duplicate serial number was stamped on the trigger frame.

*Note; Colt guns had patent dates stamped on them, while Savage and Auto-Ordnance manufactured guns had patent numbers on their receivers. All of the 1921 Colt and all of the WWII 1928 and 1928A1 Thompsons had the word CALIBER spelled as CALIBRE on the left side of the receiver.

Most of the early Savage manufactured 1928 guns were sold to the British. These guns can be identified by a small British proof mark on the receiver and/or barrel. The receiver’s left side was marked “Model of 1928”. There were no U.S. acceptance or inspector’s stamps applied to the British contract guns.

The Savage Commercial

There has been a lot of mystery and confusion regarding the so-called Savage Commercial Thompson. These guns were being made at the same time as the guns for the British contract and were used for the occasional police sales made by Auto-Ordnance in the 1940’s. They are the same as the British contract guns, except there are no British (or U.S. military) acceptance or proof marks on their barrels or receivers. Most of these guns had New York addresses on them, but there have been a few documented with a Bridgeport address.

The Savage U.S. Model of 1928 A1

The United States made the decision to provide military aid to the countries at war with the Axis powers, by passing the Lend Lease Act in March of 1941. Under this program the U.S. government was to take over all foreign contracts with U.S. companies supplying material for the war. One of the provisions of the Lend Lease Act was that all weapons provided under the program be U.S. marked. All future Thompsons would now be marked as U.S. Model of 1928 A1. Thompsons destined for Lend Lease that had already been built, had the U.S. marks added by hand stamping. After the United States entered the war Thompsons were procured by the thousands for U.S. forces, and these guns were virtually the same as the Lend Lease guns.

Early Savage 1928A1 Thompsons that were U.S. marked were stamped US without a period following each letter. The Savage receiver marking dies were changed at approximately the mid S-200,000 serial number range. The changes included the letters U.S. with a period after each letter, and all of the letters of the model designation were more uniform. Use of the new dies resulted in sharp, deeper struck markings than are seen on guns that were marked with the earlier dies.

After the U.S. government began procuring Thompsons, they implemented their own inspection procedures. All weapons were gauged and inspected to insure the guns met the government’s criteria. All Thompsons that passed the inspection process were stamped with the Ordnance Department’s “flaming bomb” stamp. The Ordnance Department’s “flaming bomb” acceptance stamp was superseded by a new Ordnance “crossed cannon” acceptance mark late in October 1942.

The U.S. Army Ordnance officer officially in charge of the entire weapon inspection process was designated as the Army Inspector of Ordnance or AIO. When an AIO’s initials were stamped on a firearm, it indicated that the weapon was accepted as U.S. property by the AIO on behalf of the U.S. Government. The Savage Thompsons were made in the Ordnance Department’s Rochester, NY district. The Army Inspector of Ordnance for the Rochester District were Lt. Colonel Ray L. Bowlin using the stamp, RLB from 1940, until 1942, and Colonel Frank J. Atwood from 1942 until 1945 using the stamp, FJA. Colonel Atwood assumed the position of AIO of the Rochester District near the end of the M1928A1 model production run. His initials are generally only seen on the M1 and M1A1 models.

All Savage manufacture receivers had the Auto-Ordnance “bullet logo” roll marked on the top. A few Savage 1928 models were marked “TOMMY GUN” on the top right of their receivers. This was done to fulfill a legal requirement to register the phrase as a trademark. All Savage manufactured Thompson receivers and frames were marked the GEG initials of Auto-Ordnance’s civilian inspector George E. Goll.

Next; Identifying the Auto-Ordnance, Bridgeport and the Auto-Ordnance, West Hurley Thompsons.